GLORY Signs Joshua Akingbade Following SENSHI Middleweight Grand Prix Triumph
Irish striking phenom Joshua Akingbade has signed a multi-fight with GLORY Kickboxing, capitalising on a wealth of momentum after a dominant 2026.
Akingbade enters the promotion with a record of 17-1, boasting 13 finishes inside an incredible 17-fight winning streak. GLORY announced the huge signing earlier today. Speaking on the signing, the middleweight said:
“It’s time to get to work! You’ll be seeing me back in the ring very soon.”
The milestone for the Irish comes off the back of a dominant showing at SENSHI 32 in Varna, Bulgaria, last month, where he toppled his fellow middleweights to claim the Grand Prix World Title.
Akingbade cruised through Ali Yuzeir via unanimous decision before blitzing GLORY veterans Ulric Bokeme and Italian star Fabian Lorito inside the distance to claim the grand prize and put the kickboxing world at notice.
The accoladed star has bolstered his collection of trophies, adding to his two-division ISKA Irish and 4 Nation titles. Reviewing his run to the gold, Akingbade felt very confident entering the fray.
The Origins Muay Thai representative feels that Yuzeir offered him the toughest opening bout imaginable, but the victory then set him up well to shock the world in the later stages.
“Yuzei was a tough opponent. I wasn’t at my best and I wanted to score the finish. But I knew I had to potentially fight two more times, so I had to conserve my energy and remain strategic,” he analysed.
“I wanted to test myself against Bokeme and knew I could stop him. I thought it would come later than it did, but winning the Grand Prix was a huge milestone in my career.”
From one monumental milestone to another, the SENSHI launching pad has sent Akingbade into the stratosphere. He’s now gearing up to make a statement in front of the GLORY crowd as he locks his target on stars such as two-weight kick Chico Kwasi, Donovan Wisse and more.
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