Karim Bennoui

Karim Bennoui (born 26 January 1988), also known as "Le Chirurgien", is an Algerian Muay Thai kickboxer. He is a three-time WKN super featherweight (oriental rules) champion. He is also a former It's Showtime -61 kg champion and ISKA -62.3 kg champion.

Biography and career

Biography Karim Bennoui was born on 26 January 1988. Bennoui resides in Lyon, France and trains at Gym boxing St Fons in Lyon, Saint-Fons. His trainer is Nasser Kacem. He is of Algerian descent.

He begins Muaythai at the age of 10, with Nasser Kacem who was educator in the suburbs of Lyon. His younger brother, Houcine Bennoui, also practices in professional muaythai.

Early career It counts 38 fights for 30 wins (including 13 by knockout), 6 defeats and 2 draws. Karim Bennoui fought in Muaythai and Kickboxing.

In 2009 he became French Muay Thai Champion FMDA Class A and in 2011 at only 23 years he won the It's Showtime 61MAX world title -61 kg.

He was scheduled to face Plynoi Por Paoin at Thai Fight: Lyon on 19 September 2012 in Lyon, France. The fight was cancelled, however, when Plynoi suffered a knockout loss against Hiroki Ishii in Japan four days before.

He rematched Thomas Adamandopoulos at Nuit des Champions in Marseilles on 24 November 2012 in a fight for the WKN World Oriental Rules title (-62.100 kg) and won by decision.

Bennoui was then expected to fight Koya Urabe at Krush.25 in Tokyo, Japan on 14 December 2012. However, he was forced to pull out of the bout due to an injury to his right hand sustained in the Adamandopoulos fight. He was replaced by Mickael Peynaud.

He lost to Masahiro Yamamoto via an extension round unanimous decision at RISE 92 on 17 March 2013 in Tokyo.

He was set to fight Aranchai Kiatpatarapan at the WBC World Muay Thai Millennium Championship in Saint-Pierre, Réunion on 7 September 2013 but the event fell through.

He won La 20ème Nuit des Champions -62 kg/136 lb tournament in Marseille, France on 23 November 2013, beating both Raz Sarkisjan and Yetkin Özkul on points.

ONE Championship As replacing undisclosed reason of Johan Estupiñan, Bennoui made his promotional debut against Saeksan Or. Kwanmuang on November 4, 2023, at ONE Fight Night 16. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Titles and achievements 2019 Arena Fight Featherweight Kickboxing Champion (-63.000 kg) 2017 WKN super featherweight oriental rules champion (one defense) 2013 NDC K-1 Rules -62 kg Tournament Champion 2012 WKN super featherweight oriental rules champion 2011 I.S.K.A. World Kickboxing Champion (-62.300 kg) 2011 It's Showtime World Champion -61 kg 2009 French Muaythai Champion FMDA Class A Champion -60 kg

Fight record