Turkish Muay Thai fighter Ali Koyuncu said a knee injury he sustained early in the fight forced him to submit in Saturday’s bout against Israeli opponent Ahavat Gordon, arguing the setback derailed his game plan from the opening moments.
“The moment the fight started, I injured my leg after taking a blow below the knee — an area where I had been injured before. I felt like my knee was constantly collapsing. I couldn’t put weight on the leg and couldn’t maintain my balance,” he said.
“Throughout the fight I tried to continue like that, but my entire game plan fell apart. My heart wanted to do better, but it didn’t happen. I’m sorry I couldn’t continue, that I got injured and lost this way. Thank you to everyone who supported me. May God bless you,” he concluded.
While the Turkish fighter sought to explain the defeat, Gordon continues to enjoy the public momentum surrounding his victory. Within just a week, his Instagram following jumped from around 80,000 to approximately 138,000. Meanwhile, video of his decisive victory has surpassed one million views.
The figures reflect the growing buzz around the young Israeli fighter, who is steadily establishing himself as one of the most intriguing names in Israeli sports.
Watch: Ahavat Gordon and Ali Koyuncu full match
Gordon embraces his Turkish opponent after the fight
At the post-fight press conference, Gordon addressed the support he received from Israeli fans who traveled to Lithuania and cheered him on with Israeli flags. “It wasn’t just the crowd that came. There were millions of views in Israel. What’s happening in Israel is crazy. This is history in the making. I was moved and surprised to see so many people calling my name and cheering for me. I felt the love here, compared to other places where I had bad experiences,” he said.
The victory leaves Gordon with a perfect professional record of 11-0, further cementing his status as one of the most promising talents to emerge in the sport in Israel in recent years. The Israeli fighter has declared that his next goal is to become a UTMA (Unique & Talented Martial Artists) champion.