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Top 10: Best Kickboxers of All Time [Updated 2024]

Top 10 Best Kickboxers of All Time These are the best kickboxers of all time. The greatest kickboxers of all time list updated in 2024. Who…

These are the best kickboxers of all time. The greatest kickboxers of all time list updated in 2024. Who is the GOAT of Kickboxing? Who is the king of kickboxing? Let’s count down the top 10 kickboxers of all time.

Top 10 Best Kickboxers of All Time

These are the best kickboxers of all time followed by honorable mentions who nearly made the list, updated for this year with the best kickboxer in history.

10. Chingiz Allazov

Chingiz Allazov is a dangerous and aggressive striker who was able to win titles in K-1 and ONE Championship. Most notably, he was able to knock out Superbon Singha Mawynn to make history. Additionally, the striker has been able to defeat GLORY and K-1 champions such as Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong and Marat Grigorian in dominant performances.

9. Remy Bonjasky

Remy Bonjasky, nicknamed ‘The Flying Gentleman,’ was a major force in kickboxing during its peak years. This Dutch fighter snagged three K-1 World Grand Prix titles at the height of his career. He took down some big names like Errol Zimmerman, Gokhan Saki, Jerome Le Banner, Badr Hari, Musashi, and even Ernesto Hoost. In the 2004 K-1 World Grand Prix, Bonjasky faced a tough challenge by fighting three top-ranked opponents in a row. His matches kept ending in ties, pushing him into extra rounds. By the end of the night, he fought a total of 12 kickboxing rounds to secure the win. With his record and K-1 titles, he is one of the Best Kickboxers of All Time.

8. Masato Kobayashi

Masato is a huge name in Japanese kickboxing as he changed the landscape of the sport. He won the K-1 MAX Grand Prix world championship twice, with impressive victories over fighters like Andy Souwer, Buakaw Banchamek, Mike Zambidis, Duane ‘Bang’ Ludwig, and Albert Kraus. He competed during the golden era of kickboxing and K-1 MAX, facing the best competition in a deep division. His legacy still inspires fighters to this day making him one of the best kickboxers of all time.

7. Buakaw Banchamek

Buakaw Banchamek from Thailand is a legendary figure in combat sports. His win in the 2004 K-1 MAX Grand Prix, where he beat Masato in the final, was a game-changer for kickboxing and made him a superstar in Thailand. Throughout his career, he won two K-1 MAX Grand Prix world titles and multiple Muay Thai stadium titles. He has an impressive record of 240 wins, 24 losses, and 12 draws, with notable victories over Masato, Nieky Holzken, John Wayne Parr, Andy Souwer, Mike Zambidis, Jean-Charles Skarbowsky, Albert Kraus, and many others. Not only does he have an incredible legacy in Muay Thai, but also he is one of the best kickboxers of all time.

6. Peter Aerts

Peter Aerts, known as ‘The Dutch Lumberjack,’ had one of the most remarkable careers in kickboxing. Over 30 years, this Dutch fighter built an amazing record of 108 wins, 35 losses, and 2 draws. He won three K-1 World Grand Prix championships during kickboxing’s golden era and was famous for his head kick knockouts and relentless pressure, easily ranking him as one of the best kickboxers of all time. Aerts defeated many top fighters, including Andy Hug, UFC Hall of Famer Maurice Smith, Ernesto Hoost, Jerome Le Banner, Mike Bernardo, Musashi, Ray Sefo, Semmy Schilt, and many others.

5. Tenshin Nasukawa

Tenshin Nasukawa is one of those rare fighters who has beaten almost everyone in his division. Starting his pro career at just 15 years old. In just eight years, Tenshin built an unbeaten record of 44-0, with most wins by knockout. The Japanese star has defeated well-known fighters like Rodtang Jitmuangnon, Kyoji Horiguchi, Shiro, Kumandoi, Rui Ebata, and his K-1 rival the declared champion Takeru Segawa. With his incredible dominance and style, he is absolutely one of the best kickboxers of all time. He also won various divisional and tournament titles in RISE. Now, he is unbeaten in professional boxing and many of his kickboxing wins have aged very well.

4. Rico Verhoeven

Rico Verhoeven, known as the ‘King of Kickboxing,’ has one of the longest championship streaks in the sport. This Dutch fighter is currently on a 16-fight winning streak against top contenders. He holds the GLORY heavyweight kickboxing world title and has successfully defended it ten times. Verhoeven has notable wins against fighters like Badr Hari, Jamal Ben Saddik, Errol Zimmerman, Daniel Ghita, and Peter Aerts. With his Grand Prix win earlier this year in which he defeated three heavyweights on the same night, Verhoeven moves up as being one of the best kickboxers of all time.

3. Semmy Schilt

Semmy Schilt is one of the most decorated kickboxers ever, with four K-1 World Grand Prix titles, a GLORY Heavyweight Championship, and several Karate world titles. He’s beaten top fighters like Rico Verhoeven, Errol Zimmerman, Kyotaro, Badr Hari, Remy Bonjasky, and Mark Hunt. Standing nearly 7 feet tall, ‘Hightower’ had a massive reach and a powerful jab that could knock opponents out. Interestingly, he fought as a switch making his lead hand a powerful weapon.

2. Giorgio Petrosyan

Giorgio Petrosyan is often compared to a master artist for his technical kickboxing style. Known as ‘The Doctor,’ Petrosyan is a two-time K-1 MAX Grand Prix champion and has won world titles in GLORY Kickboxing and ONE Championship. Throughout his career, he’s defeated top fighters like Robin van Roosmalen, Davit Kiria, Cosmo Alexandre, Yoshihiro Sato, Mike Zambidis, Albert Kraus, and Andy Souwer.

1. Ernesto Hoost

Ernesto Hoost, or ‘Mr. Perfect,’ developed a kickboxing style that many fighters still try to emulate today. He was at the top of the striking world for nearly 30 years, thanks to his mix of high and low combination strikes. Hoost won four K-1 World Grand Prix titles during kickboxing’s golden era, with knockout wins over Mirko ‘Cro Cop‘ Filipovic, Jerome Le Banner, Ray Sefo, Stefan Leko, Igor Vovchanchyn, Mike Bernardo, and Peter Aerts. He also fighters he coached, such as Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Tyrone Spong, and Fedor Emelianenko, among others. His style would become the main influential form of kickboxing for the next several decades.

Honorable Mentions – best kickboxers of all time

These are some more of the Best Kickboxers of All Time but not quite in the top ten list.

Superbon Singha Mawynn
Ramon Dekkers
Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong
Andy Hug
Robin Van Roosmalen
Rob Kaman
Andy Souwer
Alex Pereira
Bill ‘Superfoot’ Wallace

GLORY 96 – Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati – Champ vs. Champ Background

GLORY 96 will be headlined by Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati, a match between two reigning champions. The event…

GLORY 96 will be headlined by Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati, a match between two reigning champions. The event is set to go down on October 12 at the RTM Stage, in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Let’s take a closer look at the two kickboxing titleholders set for this showdown.

Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati

The lightweight king will look to capture the welterweight crown in the Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati matchup. ‘The Wonderboy’ Beztati is the long-reigning lightweight champion who is testing his skills in the stacked welterweight division. ‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi recently captured the welterweight title by way of a stunning knockout.

Chico Kwasi

As a lifelong fan of anime and manga, ‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi wears the hat from One Piece during his walkouts and when he gets his hand raised. In the training room when things get tough, his love of the boxing manga Hajime no Ippo will give him the drive to push through.

At just the age of 26, the towering Kwasi has run through the competitive welterweight division in GLORY. Currently, on a ten-fight win streak, he has defeated notable athletes such as the highly skilled Jay Overmeer, Enfusion Champion Robin Ciric, and WAKO champion Sergej Braun, among others.

Most recently, he knocked out Endy Semeleer to capture the welterweight crown. Semeleer had long held the welterweight title and had a series of impressive wins. He is highly skilled and a tricky opponent. The Dutch-Surinamese Chico Kwasi knocked him out in the second round to capture kickboxing gold.

‘Luffy’ Chico Kwasi is an aggressive-forward fighter with heavy kicks and punches, looking to land in combination. Typically, Kwasi has a height and reach advantage against welterweight opponents. His first title defense will be against the lightweight champion, Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati at GLORY 96.

Tyjani Beztati

‘The Wonderboy’ Tyjani Beztati is a prodigious talent in kickboxing. One of the youngest champions in GLORY’s history, having captured the lightweight throne when he was only 23 years old. He has since defended this crown in five bouts against notable fighters such as K-1 Champions Stoyan Koprivlenski & Enriko Kehl, featherweight champion Petpanomrung Kiatmuu9, and RISE Champion Kaito Ono, among others.

The Moroccan-Dutch striker is known for his aggressive style of fighting, mixing slick punching combinations with fast kicks. He has an impressive pull counter. In the lightweight division, he is highly adept at using his height and length advantage.

Beztati has had impressive knockout wins with lightning-fast punches against Josh Jauncey, or spearing kicks against Petch. But, his most notable match was a fight of year showdown against K-1 Champion Koprivlenski. It was a back-and-forth battle and one of the best fights in kickboxing.

GLORY has been kicking around the idea of shutting down the lightweight division. At 155 lbs, it is a competitive weight class where all kickboxing organizations have a solid division. Since then, Beztati moved up to welterweight and was able to defeat the former champion Semeleer thus cementing himself as a deserving contender for the welterweight crown.

In a prior interview, the Moroccan-Dutch champion said:

I dedicated my whole life to this, my youth, [my] time, everything … I’m blessed that I can do what I do best and that’s perform inside the the ring… Champ way, that’s the only way.

GLORY 96

Chico Kwasi vs Tyjani Beztati is a matchup of a deserving contender and lightweight champion looking to take the welterweight throne. Beztati has a chance to make history as a two-division champion in GLORY. A feat that only Robin van Roosmalen and Alex Pereira have been able to accomplish.

Badr Hari Speaks Out about Imane Khelif Gender Issues in Olympic Boxing

Morocco’s Badr Hari has weighed in on the ongoing furor of Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic boxer who has…

Morocco’s Badr Hari has weighed in on the ongoing furor of Imane Khelif, the Algerian Olympic boxer who has had her gender brought into question. Online personalities and pundits strongly believe that they had found a target for all of their transgender hostility, but ultimately it was misinformation meant to ignite bad-faith actors.

Imane Khelif

Imane Khelif is an Algerian amateur boxer who has competed in the 2020 and 2024 Olympic games. She has been in the Olympic testing pool for years and has never tested positive for increased testosterone in that time. The IBA suspended her for reasons that are unclear, but the IOC claims that the IBA did not follow due process through its actions. The Olympics do not use advice from the IBA as it is not considered a reputable organization and is often shrouded in controversy.

With an amateur record of 38-9, Imane Khelif qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. A story ran that torched online spaces and roused users into a frenzy. Ultimately, the Algerian boxer was born a woman and competes in women’s sports. It was misinformation. It is illegal in Algeria to be a trans person and any person who identifies as LGBTQ could be prosecuted.

Badr Hari

The Moroccan-Dutch Badr Hari is one of the icons of kickboxing. With an aggressive style, ‘Bad Boy’ has won over 90 of his matches by way of knockout. Throughout his career, he has competed at the highest levels of K-1 Kickboxing, It’s Showtime, Glory Kickboxing, and many others. Throughout his career, he has been able to defeat notable strikers such as Alistair Overeem, Semmy Schilt, Peter Aerts, and several more.

The 39-year-old athlete Badr Hari has added his voice to the mix. The Moroccan recognized the hard of the Algerian boxer and congratulated her on her Olympic wins. On his Instagram story, Badr Hari said:

“Well-deserved congratulations to this young woman!”

How I defeated Buakaw – Stoyan Koprivlenski breaks down K-1 fight

Buakaw Banchamek took a loss against Stoyan Koprivlenski during their K-1 World MAX kickboxing bout earlier in 2024. Thailand’s…

Buakaw Banchamek took a loss against Stoyan Koprivlenski during their K-1 World MAX kickboxing bout earlier in 2024. Thailand’s Buakaw was looking to turn back the clock and reclaim kickboxing gold, but the Bulgarian striker Koprivlenski defeated the kickboxing and Muay Thai legend over three rounds.

‘The Sniper’ Koprivlenski sat down with K-1 to break down his matchup against Buakaw Banchamek.

Buakaw Banchamek

The Thai-born Buakaw Banchamek has achieved legendary status throughout his iconic career between kickboxing and Muay Thai. The striker changed the landscape of kickboxing in 2004 when he won the K-1 World MAX Grand Prix, and repeated this feat in 2006. Buakaw fought the best of a golden era generation and was decorated in gold.

Retirement is not something on Buakaw’s mind. He is aged 42 and made his professional debut in 1999, competing in the Stadium Muay Thai scene, in 2024 he is showing no signs of slowing down. Buakaw fought Saenchai in a legends Muay Thai match in BKFC, plus has taken bouts in Rajadamnern World Series.

Stoyan Koprivlenski

Bulgaria’s Stoyan Koprivlenski is a highly talented kickboxer. The 30-year-old is well known for being an incredibly entertaining striker and is frequently in fight-of-year matches. Being one of the top-ranked fighters in this division, he has dropped contentious split decision losses to reigning champions Tyjani Beztati and Kaito Ono. However, these close losses did not deter him. Instead, he was determined to pick up K-1 Kickboxing gold in 2024.

Buakaw Banchamek vs Stoyan Koprivlenski

Buakaw and Stoyan Koprivlenski fought in the Quarter Finals round of the K-1 World MAX 2024 – World Championship Tournament. The two strikers battled for three rounds. The Thai veteran had a great first round showing incredible speed and defense but faded with the constant pressure of ‘The Sniper’ Koprivlenski. It was quite an exciting matchup.

Ultimately, Koprivlenski would get his hand raised. Next, the Bulgarian athlete defeated Brazil’s Dengue Silva in the Semi Finals, in another barnburner of a fight. Lastly, Koprivlenski would knock out Viktor Akimov in the tournament final to take home the K-1 World MAX Championship in 2024. All three fights took place in a single evening.

Koprivlenski spoke to K-1 about his matchup, he outlined the adjustments and gameplan for the fight. The Bulgarian-born striker also explained how he grew up watching Buakaw and what a legend he is.

“[Buakaw] is my fighting hero … I grew up watching his fights,” Koprivlenski continued, “I had to be more active.” He scored a knockdown in round 2 with a head kick, and said, “I don’t think the kick was that hard but he didn’t expect it.”

See the full Stoyan Koprivlenski vs. Buakaw match breakdown below

Dutch Kickboxing star, former WKA world championship winner Rob Kaman passes away aged 63

Dutch Kickboxing talent and Muay Thai striker, Rob Kaman has passed away this Sunday evening aged 63, the Amsterdam…

Dutch Kickboxing talent and Muay Thai striker, Rob Kaman has passed away this Sunday evening aged 63, the Amsterdam native’s wife, Carlotta confirmed on his official Instagram account today.

Kaman, a former WKA (World Kickboxing Association) world champion – often referred to as “Mr. Low Kick” – has been credited for utilizing some of the most vicious and devastating low kick leg techniques in the history of striking arts throughout his storied professional combat sports career.

A decorated professional kickboxing star and Muay Thai talent, Kaman competed just once in mixed martial arts in his combat sports tenure, third round TKO win against Japan native, Nobuaki Kakuda back in 1992 under the Rings Battle Dimension banner in Tokyo.

Rob Kaman’s wife confirms the Dutchman’s sad passing today

On the Dutchman’s official Instagram account this Sunday evening, a statement released by his wife, Carlotta, confirmed his passing.

“Rob has passed away,” The statement read. “I will forever love you… we will forever love you. This is Carlotta his wife – even though we’ve been separated since a while I made this account for him… Love you Min… Monique his dear sister. We will post the date of the funeral.”

Competing 112 times professionally officially in kickboxing, Kaman boasted a 98-12-1(2) professional record throughout his tenure in the sport, taking on and beating names such as Payap Premchai, Samart Prasammit, Don Nakaya Nielsen, Changpuek Kiatsongrit, Adam Watt, Marek Pitorowski, Alexey Iganshov, and holds two victories over compatriot and fellow Kickboxing icon, Ernesto Hoost – the latter by way of knockout.

What’s your favorite memory from the legendary career of Rob Kaman?

Report – Ex-Kickboxing champion Andrew Tate, brother officially charged following investigation in Romania

Andrew Tate, and his brother, Tristan Tate, have been officially charged with human trafficking, r*pe, and the forming of a criminal gang and group to attempt to exploit woman in a sexual nature, with the two now expected to go on trial to face the aforenoted charges. Tate, and his elder brother, along with two […]

Tate, and his elder brother, along with two other unspecified Romanian females are currently being held under house arrest, as a criminal investigation against the subjects is currently underway.

Denying allegations against them since they surfaced, Tate and his brother, who were held in police custody from the end of December until the end of March this year, was then placed under house arrest by a court in Bucharest.

Details how charges against the two have also been revealed, with Andrew Tate now charged with r*ping one of the alleged victims, with his elder brother, Tristan Tate now officially charged with instigating others to commit violent acts, according to a report from BBC.

With the trial yet to officially begin following the official filing of charges, Andrew Tate and Tristan Tate, according to prosecutors, are alleged to have recruited their victims by seduction and falsing coercing them into believing they wanted a relationship before an eventual marriage proposal.

A hugely controversial public figure, Tate, who has attempted to host podcasts since his release from police custody in March, has claimed that a force as well an unspecified “matrix”, have attempting to silence him, before eventually killing him.

Andrew Tate has been pictured alongside numerous fighters under the UFC banner

A former professional kickboxer, polarizing social influencer and commenter, Tate, has been linked with multiple returns to combat sports competition alongside other influencers, however, plans for a potential fight with Jake Paul were scuppered in the wake of his December arrest in Romania where he resides.