Rabat – Dutch-Moroccan kick-boxer Tyjani Beztati maintained his title as the world lightweight champion on Saturday during the Glory 80 fight against the Canadian Josh Jauncey.
The battle marked the first time the 24-year-old kickboxer put his Glory lightweight championship on the line.
Beztati succeeded in putting Jauncey on the ground three times before the Canadian kick-boxer lost.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am. I trained hard for this. I’m super happy,” Beztati said, “Every time I fight the same opponent for the second time, he falls KO.”
Beztati and Jauncey fought for the first time in 2019 in Glory 65 with no title on the line. The Moroccan-Dutch kick-boxer also won at the time and Jauncey left the ring in protest of the referee’s decision.
Prior to Saturday’s fight, the Moroccan champion told MMA Sucka that he is well-prepared for the challenge.
“I don’t think about what he’s going to bring… He needs to worry what I’m going to bring because I’m not the same fighter as three years ago. I’ve improved a lot. And when I say a lot I mean a lot,” he said.
“I have stepped in the ring for like more than 75 times… So it’s another day at the office for me. But yeah I feel great,” he added.
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Jauncey was also excited about the fight, stating that he wanted a rematch whether or not a title was on the line.
The Canadian kick-boxer added, however, “But I’m even happier with the title on the line… For me, it’s about the legacy – about becoming the best […] If I’m not on the way to being the best, I don’t want to do it.”
In August 2019, Beztati signed a multi-year and multi-fight deal with Glory, making him the youngest fighter to sign a contract with the organization.
The Dutch-Moroccan champion is considered a record-settler with 21 wins, 4 losses, and 0 draws. One of his losses was against then-champion Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong at Glory 53.
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