'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMdihq//xAAeEAACAgEFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIRBAAFEyEiYf/aAAgBAQABPwDZ8TFyeRWQhxpM2sYDGxMA1Xf3XC2XqA8nsWdf/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIi/9oACAECAQE/AGk//8QAGBEAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAT/2gAIAQMBAT8A5pCzFW3/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former ISKA and WBC Muay Thai world champion ‘Diamond Heart’ Mehdi Zatout was perfectly content sitting on the sidelines, happily enjoying retirement, when an opportunity to come back to the ring came along that he couldn’t pass up.
Zatout is all but ready to come out of retirement now and make his ONE Championship return on another historic card for the world’s largest martial arts organization.
‘Diamond Heart’ is set to face Saudi Arabian boxing veteran Zuhayr Al-Qahtani at ONE 166: Qatar, ONE’s historic return to the Middle East. The event will be broadcast live from the Lusail Sports Arena in Lusail, Qatar, on Friday, March 1.
The two will face off in a 147-lb. catchweight boxing match.
Speaking to ONE Championship in a recent interview, Zatout detailed why he had decided to come out of retirement to take on such a monstrous opponent in Al-Qahtani.
‘Diamond Heart’ stated:
“I retired because I had problems with my knees, and there was so much work. I’d just had enough. I decided to come back because I like the challenge."
Mehdi Zatout: “I really wanted to fulfill my dream of competing in boxing at least once in my career”
For Mehdi Zatout, a former Muay Thai and kickboxing world champion, the opportunity to compete in the ‘sweet science’ at least once in his professional career was a chance too good to pass up.
He added:
“I was actually sad when I made my decision to retire because I really wanted to fulfill my dream of competing in boxing at least once in my career.”
“I’m happy that Chatri [Sityodtong] and ONE offered me the fight. Despite retiring, I’ve kept myself in shape and continued to spar with all of my fighters on the team. So, why not?”
ONE 166: Qatar broadcasts live on Friday, March 1, to existing Amazon Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada. Fans can catch all the action live and absolutely free. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates on ONE Championship.
