Badr Hari

Badr Hari (Arabic: بدر هاري; born 8 December 1984) is a Dutch-Moroccan former professional kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter. Born in Amsterdam, Hari made his professional kickboxing debut in 2000, and quickly rose to fame with his aggressive and explosive style. In 2002, he became the WPKL Dutch Muay Thai champion and The Eight Tournament champion (Muay Thai). In 2007, he became the K-1 Heavyweight World Champion when he defeated Yusuke Fujimoto by knockout in 56 seconds. He defended his title twice, against Doug Viney and Ray Sefo, before losing it to Remy Bonjasky by disqualification in 2008. In 2009, Hari reached the final of the K-1 World Grand Prix for the second time. Also that year, he became the It's Showtime Heavyweight World Champion. He would defend his title against Mourad Bouzidi, before losing it to Hesdy Gerges in May 2010 by disqualification. In 2012, Hari faced a two-year suspension from kickboxing after being found guilty of assault charges. Two years later, he won the GFC Fight Series 1 Heavyweight Tournament Championship when he defeated Peter Graham by technical knockout in the first round. In 2016, he made his Glory debut in a highly anticipated bout against Heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven, which he lost by technical knockout (Arm injury) in the second round. Hari is widely considered one of the greatest kickboxers of all time. He is credited for increasing the popularity of kickboxing in Morocco, becoming a national icon and a source of pride for many Moroccans due to his success in the sport.