Altona’s Naser Bunjaku wasn’t expecting to come away with a world title at the PNG vs Rest of the World Kickboxing tournament.
Competing for his first kickboxing world title, the 15-year-old defeated Papua New Guinea’s Brendan Simbani in the 65 kilogram division to win the international title.
Now back home, Bunjaku said it was really exciting.
“I wasn’t expecting to do as well as I did,” he said. “I was happy with my training and I thought I had worked hard enough with the effort I had put in other fights.
“I’m so happy.”
Bunjaku isn’t new to competing on the world stage, he finished third at the Kyokushin World Championship last year in his first world championships.
Bunjaku got back into karate when he was 10 years old and has been doing kickboxing for the last couple of years after getting back into it.
He said both sports have their positives.
“Kickboxing is fun and karate is always tough,” he said. “I like the best of both worlds.
Bunjaku follows in the footsteps of his father Prince Bunjaku, who has claimed several world titles of his own.
Naser’s belt now sits alongside his father’s at home. He has also claimed Australian and Southern Pacific titles in karate.
“He is pretty good,” he said of his dad. “I look at all the belts and think how many more can I win.”
Bunjaku has a karate fight locked in later this year.
Long term, he has set his goals high.
“I want to head overseas where the big shot money is.”
