Introduction
Female world class Muay Thai and Kickboxing has seen a dramatic surge the last ten years. The sports have a wider audience these days, and are more accepted. You could call it mainstream.
With the growth of the sports comes more elite strikers – Anissa Meksen is one of them. If not THE one.
Dubbed the Pound-For-Pound Striking Queen due to her ability to fight at a tremendous pace, utilizing punches, kicks, knees, elbows and clinching in one beautiful concoction, and the ability to finish fights brutally. Not only does she show women how it’s done, but definitely also the men – Meksen’s fighting style and pace is awe inspiring whether you’re a man or a woman!
Born on the 29th of April 1988 in Nancy, France, fighting in both Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate and regular boxing too, she is extremely versatile. Meksen fights out of the Phuket Fight Club, Phuket, Thailand and is currently signed to ONE Championship. She currently holds the titles ISKA World K-1 Bantamweight champion and WAKO World K-1 Bantamweight champion.
The Striking Queen is also the former two time Glory Super Bantamweight champion, the former WPMF World Muay Thai Flyweight champion of the world, as well as the former French, European and World Savate Champion.
Right now she is ranked number one by the WBC Muay Thai and WMO (World Muay Thai Organization) in the Super Flyweight division.
Early career
In 2008 Meksen participated in the Nuit de Champions tournament. In the quarter final she defeated Maiva Hamadouche, and in the semi final she defeated Jacqueline Beroud. In the final fight of the tournament, she fought and won a unanimous decision win against Cyrielle Girodias. Meksen was 20 years old at the time.
In 2013 she fought at Songchai Ratanasuban’s S1 event. Ratanasuban is one of the veteran promoters at the big stadiums in Thailand, and his S1 events are considered to be world class. The S1 title is legit and is right up there with a big sanctioning body world title. Meksen fought Monoprangroj Kampetch for the S1 Bantamweight title, and won a unanimous decision.
After winning her next two fights, Meksen challenged Sor Tawanrung Kwanjai for the WPMF World Muay Thai title, which she lost by decision.
She then went on to win her next two fights, before once against fighting for the WPMF World Muay Thai title. This time against Hongthong Liangbrasert. Meksen won the fight by unanimous decision.
In 2014 she participated in the season five of the Enfusion Reality TV-series: Victory of the Vixen. Meksen won her first three fights, and faced Iman Barlow in the finals. She won the fight with a brutal second round KO.
The Striking Queen then had a five fight winning streak, before fighting for the WFC European Bantamweight Muay Thai title against Yolande Alonso. Meksen won the fight with a high kick KO in the second round.
In 2015 Meksen was off to China, fighting at the Kunlun K-1 Bantamweight Tournament. After beating Kailin Ren in the quarter final, and Xu Zhurong in the semifinal, she faced E. Meidie in the final. She narrowly lost the fight after two extension rounds.
Meksen then had another five fight winning streak, and was scheduled to fight Swedish Therese Gunnarsson for the WAKO World K-1 Bantamweight title. She won the fight via unanimous decision, and was crowned the WAKO World K-1 Bantamweight World champion.
Again Meksen would rack up the wins with another five fight winning streak. She then fought Chiara Vincis for the ISKA World Bantamweight world title, and won a unanimous decision, and was crowned the ISKA World Bantamweight champion.
Glory Kickboxing
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The Striking Queen then signed with Glory Kickboxing in 2017, and fought Jady Menezes at Glory 43: New York on July 14th. She won a unanimous decision.
The same year, on October 10th she fought Funda Alkayis at Glory 47: Lyon, and won via TKO in round 3.
Later that year, December 1st, she defeated Tiffany van Soest in a superfight.
On March 31st 2018 she fought Ashley Nichols and won a unanimous decision.
At Glory 53: Lille, she defeated Amel Dehby via unanimous decision on May 12th.
During Glory 56: Denver she faced Jady Menezes in her second title defense. Meksen lost a highly controversial split decision. Meksen would regain the title in a rematch three months later by way of TKO. This was at the Glory 61: New York event.
In the first title defense of her second reign, Meksen faced Tiffany van Soest again at the Glory 64: Strasbourg event on March 9th. Meksen won the fight by a split decision.
In her second title defense, she faced Sofia Olofsson at the Glory 6: Paris event on 22nd June 2019: Meksen won the fight by TKO, after the doctor stopped the fight after just two minutes.
During Glory 71: Chicago on November 22nd she fought van Soest again. Meksen lost a unanimous decision.
On February 29th 2020 she fought Jiwaen Lee at the Glory 75: Utrecht event and won via TKO in round 2.
ONE Championship
On August 23rd 2020 it was announced that Meksen had signed with ONE Championship in Singapore.
During ONE On TNT IV, Chatri Sityodtong announced that Meksen would make her promotional debut in a Strawweight Kickboxing fight against Italian Kickboxer and Muay Thai fighter, Featherweight Martine Michieletto. The fight was to take place on May 28th 2021 at ONE Empower, but it was cancelled.
Meksen debuted for ONE Championship against fellow promotional newcomer Cristina Morales, on September 3rd 2021, and won the by knockout in round 2.
Meksen’s next battle for ONE Championship was against Marie Ruumet in a Muay Thai war. The fight took place on the “ONE Championship: Eersel vs. Sadikovic” event on April 22nd 2022. Meksen won the fight by a dominant, unanimous decision.
After the fight Meksen called out the reigning ONE Atomweight Kickboxing World champion, American Janet Todd in her post-fight interview, saying: “I want Janet Todd next for the title shot in Kickboxing”.
Meksen’s next fight is scheduled for October 1st: FIGHT SPORTS brings you an exclusive, in-depth interview with the Striking Queen before the goes to battle again, so please make sure to visit regularly.
In the meantime please enjoy this quality introduction video by ONE Championship of Anissa Meksen: