At 23 years old, it’s strange to think of Arshia Ebadi as a veteran of the local combat sports scene, but it comes with the territory of announcing himself in the fashion he did.
In 2019, Ebadi became the youngest athlete to win a King in the Ring eight-man tournament – taking out three fights in the same night at the highest level of New Zealand kickboxing, hoisting the welterweight title aged just 18 years old.
Now with 39 bouts for 33 wins, Ebadi is among the next wave of talent beginning to make their mark at the local level. When he steps into the ring for Saturday’s super middleweight King in the Ring eight-man tournament, the Kings Academy-trained fighter will be just one of five athletes 25 or younger. There are also standalone bouts on the card showcasing more young talent to keep an eye on in the future.
Ebadi will be one of two King in the Ring champions in the tournament, along with Sam Parkes who won the super middleweight tournament last year. He said while the tournament was full of rising talent, he knew from experience that no fighter was to be taken lightly on the country’s biggest stage.
“I’ve learned not to underestimate anyone, stay humble, train regularly, and appreciate a good training partner,” Ebadi said.
