Turkish boxer attacks Israeli opponent before fight, Israeli wins in two rounds

Konyuncu was seen bleeding profusely from a wound on the side of his head, and the judges made the call to end the fight there, awarding victory to Gordon.

Israeli Muay Thai (Thai boxing) fighter Ahavat Hashem Gordon beat his Turkish opponent on Saturday evening after the two had a tense face-off the day before.

On Friday after the weigh-in, Gordon, who wore an Israeli flag over his shoulders, faced Ali Konyuncu, and the two exchanged the customary threats before high-profile boxing matches.

During the heated exchange, Konyuncu lunged at Gordon's neck, and the two were both immediately restrained. Both tried to break free of the men holding them back, according to video of the event which circulated on social media. Despite the restraints, Konyuncu managed to kick Gordon in the midsection before the two were effectively separated.

The fight, held in Kaunas, Lithuania, on Saturday night, lasted only two rounds. The first round was inconclusive, with neither side able to gain a clear advantage.

In the second round, Konyuncu socked Gordon with an uppercut before Gordon knocked him to the floor with a blow to the head. When the two were pulled apart, Konyuncu was seen bleeding profusely from a wound on the side of his head, and the judges made the call to end the fight there, awarding the victory to Gordon.

Israel's Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar (Likud) responded to Gordon's win in a Twitter/X post late on Saturday night, saying: "Another brilliant victory for our Israeli fighter."

Israelis in combat sports

Israel has produced a number of excellent athletes in combat sports over the last several decades, including judokas Yael Arad and Oren Smadja, who won Israel its first two Olympic medals (silver and bronze, respectively), at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Since then, Israel has won several other Olympic medals in judo, and sent athletes - including world champion Muay Thai fighters Sarah Abraham and Nili Block - to a variety of high-level boxing competitions.

In November, the Israeli kickboxing delegation put on a strong showing at the World Championships in Abu Dhabi, returning home with 7 medals. The event featured around 2,000 athletes from approximately 85 countries.