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Lightweight Muay Thai fighter Youssef Assouik said he could have ended up competing in football or taekwondo, but instead, found his way and success in the 'art of eight limbs.' He thanked his father for leading him to Muay Thai.
The Denmark-based Moroccan fighter said so in an interview with ONE Championship, in line with his scheduled promotional debut at ONE Fight Night 25: Nicolas vs. Eersel II on Oct. 4 at the Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
29-year-old Assouik said:
"My father supported me from day one. He wanted me to be a fighter in Muay Thai. He put me in taekwondo training for three and a half years. I wanted to play football (soccer), but he wasn't happy because he liked combat sports. I tried football and handball, but around 15, I went all in with Muay Thai. I was in Morocco. I started there.
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He added:
"After I started in Muay Thai, I said, 'This is awesome.' I wanted to become a champion. I went all in."
The decision to go all in on Muay Thai has paid huge dividends for the Assouik Gym standout as he won a number of titles in competitions across Europe and the Middle East. His success led to him eventually getting noticed by ONE Championship, where he hopes to continue to his ascent to the top.
Youssef Assouik to take on former title contender Sinsamut Klinmee in ONE debut
Welcoming Youssef Assouik to ONE Championship is former lightweight Muay Thai title contender Sinsamut Klinmee. The two are scheduled to go to war at ONE Fight Night 25 on Oct. 4 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The veteran Thai fighter is looking to return to winning ways after seeing his two-fight ascent clipped in his last fight in May by Russian Dmitry Menshikov.
Klinmee vied for the ONE lightweight Muay Thai world title twice before but lost both times to reigning divisional king Regian Eersel. He is now looking to give Youssef Assouik a rude welcome while also shoring up his standing in the lightweight division.
The Sinsamut-Assouik match is part of the event headlined by the lightweight kickboxing title rematch between Alexis Nicolas and Eersel and available live and for free to North American fans with an active Amazon Prime Video subscription.
