Muay thai is a popular sport in South-East Asia. This picture shows national muay thai athlete Mikail Ghazali (in blue) and Thailand’s Suphakon Sirilun in action during the recent 33rd SEA Games in Bangkok, Thailand. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
Johor is kicking off its Visit Johor 2026 campaign with an exciting sporting event at its premier beach resort.
In collaboration with Boxxtomoi Asia, Desaru Coast will host the Coastal Combat 2026, an international Muay thai competition. Set to be held from Jan 23-24, the competition will see fighters from five countries vying for the top title and grand prize.
The event will showcase the thrill of combat sports in a beautiful coastal resort setting.
“Coastal Combat 2026 is more than a fight event. It is an officially sanctioned programme under Persatuan Muaythai Malaysia (PMM), and that endorsement matters because it sets a new standard for how Muay thai should be presented, governed, and elevated,” said event director Nor Afandi Nor Hosni, who is also a spokesperson for Boxxtomoi Asia, during a press conference recently.
Alongside the live sporting event, a four-episode Coastal Combat Desaru Coast 2026 Series will be produced. The show, which will be presented on YouTube, is a dynamic sports-themed reality programme filmed across some of the area’s most popular resorts.
The series will also capture the intensity of the fighters’ training and their personalities.
“We are bringing Muay thai into a new era. The reality show format combines sport, storytelling, and destination tourism in a way Malaysia has never produced before,” Nor Affandi added.
Meanwhile, Datuk Paduka Shahnaz Azmi, president of PMM, said in a statement that Coastal Combat is an important step for Muay thai in Malaysia.
“As the national governing body, PMM supports efforts that lift our athletes, build a stronger talent pathway, and help Malaysian Muay thai grow on the international stage.
“What Boxxtomoi Asia has built is not just another event. It is a sanctioned and structured platform that looks to the future and fits with our commitment to integrity, athlete welfare, and long-term development,” he shared.
The new sports tourism initiative cements Desaru Coast’s standing as a multi-sports and events destination in the region. The integrated resort hosted the multi-sensory Ombak Festival in 2024 and 2025, as well as the popular international sporting event Ironman 70.3 for several years now. An international cycling event has also been regularly held there.
“As we move into Visit Johor 2026, Coastal Combat signals a bold new direction for Desaru Coast. We have already established our credentials through global events like L’Etape by Tour de France for two years and the ongoing Desaru Coast Multisport Festival presented by Ironman, which continue to attract participants from Europe, the Middle East and across Asean,” said Izrin Hashim, chief executive officer of Desaru Coast, in a statement.
