Khalid "Kal" Yafai (Arabic: خالد يافعي; born 11 June 1989) is a British former professional boxer who held the WBA super-flyweight title from 2016 to 2020.

As an amateur, he represented Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal at the 2010 European Championships as a flyweight.

[6][7] In June 2005, he won a silver medal in the European Cadet Championships in Hungary, recording 4 wins before losing in the final to Russian Farid Aleshkin.

[9] Fighting for Birmingham City ABC,[8] he became one of the youngest British (ABA) champions in December 2006 while still 17,[8] at the World Junior Championships 2006 in Agadir, Morocco.

[10] As Britain's youngest team member at the 2007 Seniors World Championship, the 18-year-old beat his Armenian opponent Derenik Gizhlaryan, but later lost to Violito Payla of the Philippines.

[citation needed] After qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games he participated in the 2008 European union championships in Poland where he won a silver medal beating former olympic boxer Redouane Asloum of France (RSCO2) in the semi-finals but then losing a controversial 13–10 decision to home favourite and Beijing Olympian Rafal Kaczor.

[citation needed] At the Olympic Games, Khalid was beaten in the round of 16 by Cuban veteran Andry Laffita who went on to claim the silver medal.

[citation needed] Yafai lost to Andrew Selby 26:12 on 11 November 2011 to deny him qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games after the pair both reached the last eight of the 2011 GB Amateur Boxing Championships in Baku.

In March, Yafai fought in an 8-round super bantamweight bout against Michael Ramabeletsa (8-9, 4 KOs) at the Echo Arena in Liverpool.

After a 7-month lay off, on the undercard of Brook vs. Senchenko at the Sheffield Arena in October 2013, Yafai defeateds Spanish boxer Santiago Bustos via points (59-55) after 6 rounds.

Two months later in December, although being docked a point for a low blow, Yafai defeated British boxer Ashley Lane (4-3-2, 1 KO) via fourth-round TKO.

On 21 May 2014, Yafai fought at the First Direct Arena in Leeds for the vacant Commonwealth super flyweight title against Nigerian contender and former titleholder Yaqub Kareem (13-3-1, 8 KOs).

His opponent was 34 year old Nicaragua Herald Molina (17-8-3, 7 KOs) for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental super flyweight title.

It was announced that Yafai would have a chance to claim the vacant BBBofC British super flyweight title on 17 October 2015 against Jason Cunningham (17-2, 6 KOs) at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham, live on Sky Sports 1.

[17] On 25 June, Yafai fought 19 year old Hungarian Jozsef Ajtai (15-3, 10 KOs) in a scheduled 8 round bantamweight bout at the O2 Arena in London on the undercard of heavyweight title fight between Anthony Joshua and Dominic Breazeale.

Yafai was added to the Eggington vs. Gavin card on 22 October 2016 at the Barclaycard Arena in a scheduled 8 round fight after his brother Gamal was forced to pull out of his title defence.

Yafai secured his world title fight after a left body shot floored Johnson Tellez in round 3.

[18] Yafai secured a fight with WBA super flyweight champion Luis Concepción (35-4, 24 KOs) after knocking out previous opponent Tellez.

Eddie Hearn confirmed it would take place on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs. Éric Molina on 10 December at the Manchester Arena.

[20][21] Yafai put in a dominant performance and outscored Concepción in nearly every round to win the WBA super-flyweight title.

[22] On 25 January 2017, it was announced that Yafai, as wished, would make his first world title defence in his home city of Birmingham on 13 May, live on Sky Sports.

[23][24] On 15 March 2017, promoter Eddie Hearn announced that Yafai would be fighting 31 year old former Japanese flyweight champion Suguru Muranaka (25-2-1, 8 KOs) at the Barclaycard Arena in Birmingham.

Referee Steve Gray warned Yafai early in the fight for low blows, before docking a point in round 8.

[26][27] On 8 June 2017, the WBA's championship committee ordered Yafai to start negotiations with mandatory challenger Sho Ishida (24-0, 13 KOs), who was ranked at number 1 by the organisation.

[29] On 6 September it was confirmed that the fight would take place on the undercard of Anthony Joshua defending his world titles against Kubrat Pulev on 28 October 2017 at the Millennium Stadium on Sky Sports Box Office.

Yafai said, "Happy days, I've wanted González for a long time", although he said wouldn't look past his mandatory fight first.

By this point, it was looking like a clear win for Yafai and Ishida was lacking the punching power to get himself back in the fight and score a knockdown.

Gonzalez eventually slowed down his output in the final two rounds as Yafai's body shots started taking its toll.

[51] On 29 June 2019, Yafai faced Norbelto Jimenez, then ranked #1 by the WBA at super flyweight, in his fifth consecutive title defence.

The fight also involved both fighters landing low blows on their opponent, as well as a highly questionable knockdown in favor of Yafai in the closing round.