World and US kickboxing champion Rami Zaidan Ibrahim. (Photo from Ibrahim‘s Instagram page.)

PHILADELPHIA, May 1, 2018 (WAFA) – Rami Zaidan Ibrahim, an American of Palestinian origin, became on Sunday the only American and the only Palestinian to ever win a unified USKA/WKA kickboxing world title fight after defeating New Zealand champion Quade Taranaki in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

“Tonight I became the only UNIFIED WORLD CHAMPION in America. All praise and glory due to God,” Ibrahim wrote in his Instagram page, where he also announced his retirement from the game.

“I came into this fight with a mission, a mission to please my mom, because as a Muslim, Islam teaches me that the doors of heaven is (sic) at the footsteps of our mothers. For 27 years my mother has seen me fight, traveled with me around the world, for over 2 decades I’ve given her high blood pressure from being so worried and scared for me. For years now she’s been begging me to retire,” he wrote.

Ibrahim, who was born in Kuwait in 1982 and then immigrated to the United States in 1990 after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, got his first title in the world of kickboxing in 1994 before participating in tournaments in the US and around the world.

“I’m grateful enough to have won more than I wanted to win, to win all the championships there is to win, to have become, not only a multiple world champion, but also the only current American professional Muay Thai world champion in 3 different weight divisions,” he wrote.

“I’m grateful because as an American, originally from Palestine, I became the first Palestinian/American to become Muay Thai champion back in the early 1990’s. I’m grateful because I was the youngest Palestinian/American to win the United States Muay Thai championship at the age of 17.”

He said, concluding with the hashtag #TheSonOfPalestine: “I was afraid to retire but what better way this winning this historical fight. Best part is tonight I won becoming unified world champion for Palestine and America.”

M.K.