Françesko Xhaja

Françesko Xhaja
Born (1993-08-09) August 9, 1993 (age 31)
Albania
Other namesSmile
NationalityItalian
Albanian
Height194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight102 kg (225 lb; 16.1 st)
DivisionHeavyweight
Reach196 cm (77 in)
StyleKickboxing
StanceOrthodox
Fighting out ofVenice, Italy
TeamSB Gym
Years active2014–present
Kickboxing record
Total25
Wins19
By knockout6
Losses6
By knockout3

Françesko Xhaja (born August 9, 1993) is an Albanian-born Italian kickboxer, currently competing in the light heavyweight division of ONE Championship. As of March 2023, he is ranked as the tenth best heavyweight kickboxer in the world by Beyond Kickboxing.[1]

Professional kickboxing career

Early career

Xhaja faced Jan Beljajev at Number One Fight Show: Season 10 on September 22, 2018. He won the fight by unanimous decision.[2] Xhaja next faced Mladen Kujundžić at Ultimate Fight Night on November 17, 2018.[3] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[4]

Xhaja challenged Guto Inocente for the WGP Kickboxing Super heavyweight (+94 kg) title at WGP Kickboxing #55 on June 15, 2019.[5] He lost the fight by unanimous decision.[6]

Xhaja faced Igor Darmeshkin in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Tatneft Cup heavyweight tournament, which took place on July 19, 2019.[7] He won the fight by unanimous decision, after an extra round was contested.[8] Xhaja was able to stop Mathieu Kongolo in the second round on October 4, 2019, which earned him a place in the tournament finals,[9] which took place on December 15, 2019, opposite Petr Romankevich. He lost the fight by unanimous decision, after an extension round was fought.

Xhaja faced Strahinja Mitrić at Megdan 8: New Winners on December 18, 2020. He won the fight by split decision.[10] Xhaja next faced Cyril Cereyon at Ultimate Fight Night on January 17, 2021.[11] He won the fight by unanimous decision. Xhaja then faced Ahmed Krnjić at Senshi 9 on July 10, 2021. He won the fight by unanimous decision, after an extra round was contested.[12]

ONE Championship

Xhaja faced Rade Opačić at ONE: Only the Brave on January 28, 2022, in his promotion debut with ONE Championship.[13] He lost the fight by a second-round technical knockout.[14]

Xhaja faced Andrei Stoica at ONE Fight Night 7 on February 24, 2023. He won the fight by split decision.[15][16]

Xhaja challenged Roman Kryklia for the ONE Light Heavyweight Kickboxing World Championship at ONE Fight Night 12 on July 14, 2023.[17]

Championships and accomplishments

  • Tatneft Cup
    • 2019 Tatneft Cup Heavyweight Tournament Runner-up
  • Megdan Fighting
    • 2020 Megdan K-1 Heavyweight (+93 kg) Championship

Fight record

Kickboxing record
18 Wins (5 (T)KO's), 6 Losses, 0 Draws, 0 No Contests
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
2024-12-07 Win Algeria Massinissa Hamaili Senshi 24 Varna, Bulgaria TKO (Corner stoppage/low kicks) 1 1:02
2023-02-24 Win Romania Andrei Stoica ONE Fight Night 7 Bangkok, Thailand Decision (Split) 3 3:00
2022-01-28 Loss Serbia Rade Opačić ONE: Only the Brave Kallang, Singapore TKO (3 knockdown rule) 2 2:00
2021-07-10 Win Bosnia and Herzegovina Ahmed Krnjić Senshi 9 Varna, Bulgaria Ext. R. Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00
2021-01-17 Win France Cyril Cereyon Ultimate Fight Night Brest, France Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2020-12-18 Win Serbia Strahinja Mitrić Megdan 8: New Winners Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia Decision (Split) 3 3:00
Wins the Megdan K-1 Heavyweight (+93 kg) title.
2019-12-15 Loss Belarus Petr Romankevich Tatneft Cup, Tournament Final Kazan, Russia Ext. R. Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00
For the Tatneft Cup Heavyweight (+90kg) Tournament title.
2019-10-04 Win Belgium Mathieu Kongolo Tatneft Cup, Tournament Semifinal Kazan, Russia TKO (Retirement) 2 1:28
2019-07-19 Win Russia Igor Darmeshkin Tatneft Cup, Tournament Quarterfinal Kazan, Russia Ext. R. Decision (Unanimous) 4 3:00
2019-06-15 Loss Brazil Guto Inocente WGP Kickboxing #55 Brasilia, Brazil Decision (Unanimous) 5 3:00
For the WGP Kickboxing Super heavyweight (+94kg) title.
2019-04-26 Win China Liu Wei Tatneft Cup, Tournament Round of 16 Kazan, Russia KO (Head kick) 1 0:05
2019-03-16 Win France Pascal Touré Power Trophy Orange, France TKO 2
2018-11-17 Win Croatia Mladen Kujundžić Ultimate Fight Night Koper, Slovenia Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2018-09-22 Win Estonia Jan Beljajev Number One Fight Show: Season 10 Tallinn, Estonia Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2018-05-11 Win France Karim Zeghad Ultimate Fight Night Le Beausset, France Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2018-03-17 Win Morocco Hassen Otman Power Trophy 2018 Orange, France Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2017-11-11 Loss Czech Republic David Vinš Night of Warriors 12 Liberec, Czech Republic KO (Left straight) 3 1:43
2017-01-14 Win Italy Alessandro Lamonica The Night of Kick and Punch 6 Milan, Italy Decision (Unanimous) 3 3:00
2016-04-16 Win Italy Danilo Coda Sacile in Fight Italy TKO (Retirement)
2015-03-28 Loss Moldova Pavel Voronin Kombat League, Tournament Semifinal Verona, Italy KO (Left hook) 1
2014-06-17 Win Italy Nico Zerbin Spinea, Italy TKO 2
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ "Rankings March 2023". beyondkick.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Francesco Xhaja ce l'ha fatta ancora una volta. Il kickboxer di Sacile". ilgazzettino.it. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Riječki kickboksač Kujundžić ovog mjeseca bori se u Kopru protiv Xhaje". fiuman.hr. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  4. ^ "(VIDEO) Mladen Kujundžić vs. Francesco Xhaja". fight.hr. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  5. ^ "WGP Kickboxing 55 Guto Inocente vs Francesko Xhaja returns tonight". fightbookmma.com. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  6. ^ "Guto Inocente vence albanês Francesco Xhaja no WGP 55". superlutas.com.br. 16 June 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Пять российских бойцов выступят в четвертьфинале чемпионата мира "Бои по правилам ТНА"". news.sportbox.ru. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Россияне претендуют на выход в полуфинал чемпионата мира "Бои по правилам ТНА"". utro.ru. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Kickboxing Finale mondiale per Francesko". ilgazzettino.it. 11 October 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Due match e due vittorie per Franko Xhaja". ilgazzettino.it. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Ultimate Fight Night : Xhaja, un gros client pour Cereyon". lidf.press. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Francesko Xhaja defeats Ahmed Krnjic at SENSHI 9". boec.com. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  13. ^ De Rozario, James. ""We will see in the ring who is going to be KO'd" - Francesko Xhaja thinks he will stop Rade Opacic's knockout streak". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  14. ^ "(VIDEO) Rade Opačić još jednom fantastičan, Albanac je izdržao samo rundu i pol". fightsite.hr. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  15. ^ "Francesko Xhaja fiton në "One Championship"". tvklan.al. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Kickboxeri Francesko Xhaja fiton në "One Championship", mund rumunin (VIDEO)". kohajone.com. 25 February 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  17. ^ Pico, Borna (1 June 2023). "Roman Kryklia Set to Defend ONE Light Heavyweight Title Against Françesko Xhaja on July 14". beyondkick.com. Retrieved 15 June 2023.