From bullied schoolboy to GLORY Top 10 heavyweight: Ionuț Iancu’s rise

He was mocked, beaten and often ignored as a child. Few would have predicted that Ionuț Alin Iancu would one day stand among the elite heavyweights of GLORY Kickboxing. What once caused pain eventually became the driving force behind his rise.

Turning adversity into motivation

As a young boy, Iancu was frequently targeted by bullies. He was laughed at in his neighbourhood and repeatedly found himself on the receiving end of physical abuse. At that stage, he was far from being seen as a future fighter. Instead of letting those experiences define him, Iancu chose a different path. He turned his frustration into discipline and committed himself fully to training.

A difficult start to his career

The early phase of Iancu’s professional career was anything but smooth. Competing in the Romanian promotion DFS, he struggled to find momentum and suffered more losses than wins during his first years. With a record that raised doubts among coaches and fans, his future in the sport appeared uncertain.

The breakthrough moment

In 2020, Iancu reached a turning point. Given what felt like a final opportunity in a heavyweight tournament, he delivered when it mattered most. That victory changed everything. Confidence grew, results followed, and his development accelerated rapidly.

From champion to GLORY contender

Between 2020 and 2023, Iancu won nine of his next ten fights and captured the DFS Heavyweight Championship twice. These performances were no coincidence. They marked the emergence of a dominant and composed fighter. In 2024, he made the step up to GLORY, the highest level of kickboxing, where he quickly made his presence felt with multiple knockout victories.

A mindset forged through hardship

Today, Ionuț Iancu’s story stands as a testament to mental resilience. The boy who was once pushed aside now competes with calm confidence among the best heavyweights in the world. His rise is not only defined by power and technique, but by the mindset shaped through years of adversity.