For Rotterdam-based kickboxer Younes Smaili, it all started early. As a child, he was already in the gym, full of ambition to one day reach the top. But after years of training, injuries, and canceled fights, doubt began to creep in. Progress stalled, and Younes decided – with a heavy heart – to stop fighting.
“That was really my lowest point,” he says. “I had put so much time, energy, and pain into my career, but I wasn’t getting anywhere. At some point I thought: maybe this just isn’t meant to be.”
He left the gym behind and started working as a firewatch. It was a completely different world. “I turned pro at seventeen, so I didn’t have any diplomas. I thought: I’ll just start working. But deep down, I knew this wasn’t who I was.”
The Power of a new beginning
After a year and a half, Younes realized he couldn’t give up. “I thought: I’ve worked my whole life for this — I can’t just let it go.” He put his gloves back on, started training again, and suddenly everything began to fall into place. He signed a contract with Glory, fought three strong matches, and his career finally took off the way he had always hoped.
His biggest lesson? “No matter how hard it seems, no matter how far away your dream feels — never give up. You only live once. If you give up on your dreams, you throw away a part of yourself.”
Family as a foundation
The support of his family is what keeps Younes going through everything. “My father has been there since I was eleven — at every fight, every training. When I feel tired or unmotivated, I think of him. That gives me the strength to keep pushing.”
Discipline also plays a central role in his success. “Get up every day, never be late, be the first to arrive and the last to leave. It’s the small things that make the difference between being good and being great.”
Rise, rebuild and return stronger!
The slogan of Returning Citizens perfectly sums up his journey. “That rebuild part — I relate to that so much. It took me years to rebuild myself, to figure out what I wanted and what I stood for. And then came my return stronger — signing with Glory. That’s when everything truly started to blossom.”
His advice for people who find themselves at a low point is simple but powerful: “Never give up. Keep looking for the positives, no matter how small. Set goals for yourself so you have something to work toward.”
Dreams and giving back
Now that Younes is back in the ring, he’s also looking ahead. “I’m giving myself a few more years to keep fighting at the highest level. After that, I want to open a gym in my neighborhood, Rotterdam-West — a place where young people can train, but also go when things aren’t going well at home or at school.”
His dream is to guide young people the same way he was once guided. “I come from a community project by the municipality, aimed at keeping kids off the streets. That’s where I started when I was eleven. And I know it works — when someone believes in you. That’s what I want to give back.”
An example for the next generation
Younes Smaili shows that a comeback isn’t just about fighting in the ring, but about rediscovering yourself. His story is about falling, doubting, rising, and coming back stronger.
“I want to be a role model for the youth in my neighborhood. They need someone who shows that you can fall — and still get back up.”
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