World Muay Thai champion Ali Serik was killed on the evening of December 23 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The police have already detained a suspect, who was a friend of the athlete.
A criminal case has been opened under the police department of the Nauryzbay district regarding the murder of the 20-year-old man. The suspect was apprehended 'in hot pursuit' and placed in temporary detention. According to preliminary data, a fight broke out between the acquaintances, during which one of them used a knife.
The police statement
Ali Serik was a professional kickboxer who competed in the Asian promotion ONE. In 2022, at the age of 17, he became the youngest adult World Muay Thai champion in the A class.
Serik’s last fight took place in May 2023 at the ONE Friday Fights 16 tournament in Bangkok, Thailand. There, the Kazakh fighter faced off against China's Huo Xiaolun.
In that bout, which was stopped in the first round, Ali suffered a knockout defeat. It's worth noting that this was the Kazakh’s debut in the Asian league.