Kathmandu, Sept. 7: Nepali kickboxer Abiral Ghimire, known as the ‘Himalayan Cheetah’, secured a historic victory in Japan on Saturday, defeating French opponent Matthan Choinard by knockout to claim the International Sport Kickboxing Association (ISKA) World Championship Super Welterweight title.
Competing in the main event of HEAT 59 at Kariya Hall in Nagoya, Ghimire stopped Choinard, the 2025 world champion, with a decisive punch two minutes into the second round.
The victory adds to an impressive list of accolades for Ghimire, who previously won the ISKA K-1 Intercontinental Super Welterweight title in 2024 and the Krush Super Welterweight crown in 2025.
He has also successfully defended his HEAT Kickboxing Middleweight title three times.
The win extends Ghimire’s professional record to 21 victories from 29 international bouts, with 20 of those triumphs coming by way of knockout. He remains the most successful Nepali fighter on the global kickboxing circuit.
Following the bout, Ghimire expressed heartfelt condolences over the loss of life and destruction caused by the recent Bhote Koshi flash floods in Rasuwa district, announcing that he would donate a portion of his purse to support relief efforts for the victims.
The Rising Nepal
