Niamh Kinehan (born 4 April 1999) is an English

kickboxer Kickboxing ( ) is a full-contact hybrid martial art and boxing type based on punching and kicking. Kickboxing originated in the 1950s to 1970s. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and ...

and

Muay Thai Muay Thai or Muaythai (, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, the Art of Eight Limbs or the Science of Eight Limbs, is a Thai martial art and full-contact combat sport that uses stand-up striking, sweeps, and various clinch fighting, cl ...

fighter. She is the reigning WBC, WMO and ISKA Muay Thai 135 lbs world champion. Kinehan has continually been considered a top 10 pound-for-pound muay thai fighter in the world by the WMO and Combat Press since the creation of the rankings in July 2023 and February 2024.

Career

Early career

Kinehan made her A-class debut on November 26, 2016, when she faced Anke Van Gestel at Prime Time 7. She lost the fight by unanimous decision. Kinehan and Anke Van Gestel rematched on March 24, 2017, for the Enfusion -64 kg title at Enfusion 48. She lost the fight by decision. On September 16, 2017, Kinehan faced Orinta Van der Zee at Enfusion #52 for the

Enfusion Enfusion is a Dutch kickboxing promotion company based in Alkmaar, Netherlands. Labelled as one of the top kickboxing organizations in the world. It produces events worldwide, which showcase twelve kickboxing weight classes (12 male and 6 female ...

-61 kg title. She lost the bout by split decision. Kinehan rematched

Nora Cornolle Nora Cornolle (born December 6, 1989) is a French professional mixed martial artist and Muay Thai fighter who competes in the women's Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As a Muay Thai fighter, she was the french na ...

in the semifinals of the Enfusion Reality Tournament on June 20, 2017. She lost by decision. On September 9, 2018, Kinehan travelled to Shangqiu, China, to face

Wang Cong Wang Cong (; born 15 May 1992) is a Chinese mixed martial artist, Boxing, boxer and Sanshou, Sanda kickboxer currently competing in the women's Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She was the Kunlun Fight#Kunlun_Fight# ...

in the quarterfinals bout of an eight women one night night tournament at Kunlun Fight 76. She lost the fight by unanimous decision. On November 18, 2018, Kinehan faced Sarah Worsfold for the KGP -61 kg title at Muay Thai Grand Prix 21. She won the fight by unanimous decision. On June 29, 2019, Kinehan faced Isa Tiblad for the vacant MTGP World -61 kg title at Muay Thai Grand Prix 27. She won the fight by unanimous decision. On March 7, 2020, Kinehan faced Stéphanie Ielo Page at YOKKAO 47–48. She won the fight by unanimous decision. On December 3, 2021, Kinehan travelled to the United States to face Ashley Smallwood at Lion Fight 72. She won the fight by doctor stoppage in the third round.

World Champion

On February 12, 2022, Kinehan faced Ludovica Ciarpaglini for the vacant WBC Muaythai lightweight world title. She won the fight by unanimous decision. Kinehan successfully defende her WBC Muaythai world lightweight on June 25, 2022, when she defeated Shannon Gardiner by unanimous decision at Muay Thai Grand Prix Australia. On June 10, 2023, Kinehan faced Kèro Riefstahl for the WMO World lightweight title at Hitman Fight League 2. She won the fight by unanimous decision making her a simultaneous WBC, WMO and ISKA world champion. On August 10, 2024, Kinehan faced Michaela Hlavacikova for the vacant WKA Muay Thai world lightweight title. She won by unanimous decision. On February 25, 2025, Kinehan traveled to Perth, Australia to defend her WBC Muay Thai world title against Kaitlyn Tucker. She won the fight by fourth round technical knockout. On March 4th, 2025, Kinehan announced her retirement from Muay Thai after running out of challenges and transitioning to MMA.

Titles and accomplishments

Professional

*World Boxing Council Muaythai ** 2022 WBC Muaythai World Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion *** Three successful title defenses ** 2022 WBC Muaythai Female Fighter of the Year *World Muaythai Organization ** 2023 WMO World Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion ** 2024 WMO World Super Lightweight (140 lbs) Champion *Muay Thai Grand Prix ** 2018 KGP Super-lightweight (63.5 kg) Champion *** One successful title defense ** 2019 MTGP World Lightweight (-61 kg) Champion *

International Sport Kickboxing Association The ISKA (originally International Sport Karate Association, later also called the International Sport Kickboxing Association) is international bodies regulating sport karate and kickboxing matches. It is based in the United States. It was est ...

** 2022 ISKA Muay Thai World Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion *

World Kickboxing Association The World Kickboxing Association (WKA) also known as World Kickboxing and Karate Association, is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning body for kickboxing and Karate. History In 1976, the WKA was founded by Howa ...

** 2024 WKA Muay Thai World Lightweight (135 lbs) Champion *World Karate and Kickboxing Union ** 2018 WKU Muay Thai European 61 kg Champion

Amateur

International Federation of Muaythai Associations The International Federation of Muaythai Associations, or IFMA, called the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur until 27 July 2019, is a sport governing body of amateur and professional Muay Thai and Muay boran consisting of 140 member co ...

** 2014 IFMA World Championship Junior -60 kg ** 2015 IFMA Royal World Cup Junior -63.5 kg

Muay Thai and Kickboxing record

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Chiara Vincis Chiara Vincis (born 17 June 1995) is an Italian kickboxer and the current ISKA World Featherweight Freestyle champion. She is the WKU European 60 kg champion, the 2017 FIS Savate World championship runner up and the 2019 FIS Savate World ...

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London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

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Lucy Payne Lucy Payne (born 4 February 1992) is an English female kickboxer and muay thai fighter based in Cornwall. She is a former WBC Muaythai World Featherweight champion and is the #2 featherweight in the world by WBC Muaythai, as of April 2020. Title ...

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Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

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Koh Samui Ko Samui (or Koh Samui), often locally shortened to Samui (, ), is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted municipal status ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

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Nili Block Nili Block (; born January 16, 1995) is a professional Muay Thai and kickboxing fighter. She is a four-time Muay Thai and two-time kickboxing world champion representing Israel. Early life Born in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, Nili ...

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Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kinehan, Niamh 1999 births English female kickboxers Living people Featherweight kickboxers English female Muay Thai practitioners Sportspeople from Wythenshawe 21st-century English sportswomen