Boxing was "in his blood," according to the 63-year-old Tripoli resident who proudly keeps the photo as his phone's background. He was only 19 when Qaddafi outlawed boxing, along with wrestling and other combat sports, in 1979 because he saw them as a threat to his personality cult. Zlitni reunited with former fighters and worked to revive boxing after Libya's 2011 revolution, which resulted in Qaddafi's overthrow and death. Since then, Libyan boxers have excelled in a variety of competitions, taking inspiration from light heavyweight champion Malik Zinad, who found success after emigrating to Europe. Bouhwiyah now works out in a contemporary gym in Tripoli after going on to win numerous competitions, including regional championships.

Source: Libya Today March 18, 2023 07:07 UTC