Career
His current professional record stands at 35 wins with 16 knockouts, 13 losses and no draws. In 2010 he was considered one of the eight best amateur Muai Thai boxers in the world. Graduate also made history by being the first known Israeli boxer to enter Malaysia under his Israeli passport.
Graduate attributes much of his success to martial arts claiming that it led him away from the self-destructive path of bar fights in Jerusalem.
During the 2009 kick boxing championships in Bangkok, Graduate met fellow kick boxer and Iranian kick boxing team captain Mostafa Abdollahi. Despite the political discourse between the respective countries, the two quickly became friends, began training together and acted as corner-men for each other.
A Muay Thai Federation website published the story but removed it after Iranian protests. In 2011, Graduate became the first Israeli boxer to legally enter Malaysia after being invited to participate in the AXN Asia reality show, "The Challenger Muaythai" featuring various Muay Thai fighters from different countries.
When he arrived at Kuala Lumpur airport, Graduate was detained for 25 hours, but was finally allowed to enter the country following the intervention of the Malaysian Minister of Sports.
During his first bout, the show’s producers asked his him to carry the Russian flag after his place of birth. He refused and stated that he would rather return home after which, the producers allowed him to proceed with the Israeli flag. When he entered the ring, the local audience booed him.
He was matched against French fighter, Antoine Pinto but lost in a split decision.
The two Malaysian judges voted against Graduate while the Thai judge voted in his favor. I threw an upper elbow to meet his movement and cut him over the eyebrow.
As I saw the blood pouring down his face I rushed forward and in the clinch I used big elbows and saw a big lump growing slowly over his forehead. The round was totally mine and my strategy proved to be effective.
Foreign the rest of the fight I claimed the center of the ring and Antoine was mostly on the ropes, working the middle kicks.
The fight was close, but not hard. I was never physically hurt, I never lost my power and I was never on the ropes on the defensive side. I felt in control throughout the entire match.
