Israeli Kickboxer Ahavat Hashem Gordon Beats Turkish Opponent Who Attacked Him Before Match

JERUSALEM (VINnews)— Israeli Thai boxing fighter Ahavat Hashem Gordon beat his Turkish opponent on Saturday evening in an international competition in Kaunas, Lithuania, according to a Jerusalem Post report. The two had a tense altercation 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 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.

אהבת השם גורדון הביס בקרב את יריבו הטורקי עלי קויונצ’ו.
💙🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/8qpnbMATGo

— 🟢or keren (@Wq0oQJmUSfZunt5) February 21, 2026

After the fight, the 17-year-old Ahavat Hashem, who was the world kickboxing champion at age 16 and has yet to be defeated in Thai boxing, dedicated the bout to his friend who had passed away, and then called for a title fight from the organization’s leaders:

“I want to dedicate this fight to my friend David, who passed away a few months ago. I need to be the champion of this organization. Last time I said: give me the best, call the best in the world to fight me. Thank you to the entire crowd in Lithuania; I feel like I’m part of this country. People of Israel, I love you, this is for you!”

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.”

Ahavat Hashem is the youngest of seven children, many of whom also excelled in the martial arts. His older brother Ruach Hashem B’Chayenu was a world champion Thai boxer at the age of 19.