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

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

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 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.

REmy Bonjasky

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.

Masato kob

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.

Buakaw Banchamek

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.

Giorgio Petrosyan YK4 7440 1200x799

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

10 Real-Life Giant vs. Giant Fights In MMA

There have been numerous examples of ‘David vs. Goliath’ fights over the years, as we’ve discussed in previous articles, but the only way to really know for sure what these larger-than-life fighters are capable of is to match them up with someone their own size. That’s no easy task as there’s not exactly a whole

The post 10 Real-Life Giant vs. Giant Fights In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

There have been numerous examples of ‘David vs. Goliath’ fights over the years, as we’ve discussed in previous articles, but the only way to really know for sure what these larger-than-life fighters are capable of is to match them up with someone their own size.

That’s no easy task as there’s not exactly a whole lot of fighters out there that measure up to the kind of jaw-dropping physical dimensions that would result in a worthy, ‘Clash Of The Titans’.

Nevertheless, in this article we’ll delve deep into the sports history to revisit 10 real-life examples of living giants going head-to-head in the cage or ring, from 7′ 2″ wrestlers to 520-pound sumo stars, super-heavyweight boxers to former world’s strongest man champions, all competing under MMA rules.

The post 10 Real-Life Giant vs. Giant Fights In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

10 Times Goliath Demolished David In MMA

David Vs Goliath is a classic tale of an underdog overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to win the day, but in the sport of mixed martial arts there’s a twist in the tale. If you’ve read our previous article, ’12 Times David Defeated Goliath’, you’ll already be well aware of the fact that more often than

The post 10 Times Goliath Demolished David In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

David Vs Goliath is a classic tale of an underdog overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to win the day, but in the sport of mixed martial arts there’s a twist in the tale.

If you’ve read our previous article, ’12 Times David Defeated Goliath’, you’ll already be well aware of the fact that more often than not it’s actually the apparent underdog ‘David’ that’s favored to win, with their superior speed, skill and conditioning proving too much for the lumbering giants to deal with.

That’s not always the case though, and in this article we’ll take a look at 10 occasions when these veritable man mountains have managed to live up to their fearsome physiques and crushed their smaller opponents underfoot.

The post 10 Times Goliath Demolished David In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

12 Times David Beat Goliath In MMA

The notion that a smaller man could take down a giant has always been an appealing one, tapping into our inherent desire to see the apparent underdog come out on top against the odds. It’s a concept that everyone is familiar with, thanks to the classic bible tale of David and Goliath, and that symbolism

The post 12 Times David Beat Goliath In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

The notion that a smaller man could take down a giant has always been an appealing one, tapping into our inherent desire to see the apparent underdog come out on top against the odds.

It’s a concept that everyone is familiar with, thanks to the classic bible tale of David and Goliath, and that symbolism has been revisited many times over the years.

In the early 1970’s, the legendary Bruce Lee explored the idea in a martial arts concept via his movie ‘Game Of Death’, writing a script that would require him to battle a 7ft 2” giant, portrayed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

It’s not just a spectacle that’s consigned to books and movies though, as there have been many real-life instances of courageous martial artists testing themselves against gigantic opponents dating back to the earliest days of mixed martial arts competition.

Better yet, on many occasions it’s the smaller man who has emerged victorious thanks to superior technique, stamina and fighting spirit, and in this article we’ll pick out 12 of the most memorable examples of David defeating Goliath in MMA history.

The post 12 Times David Beat Goliath In MMA appeared first on LowKick MMA.

And Now He’s Retired: Heart Condition Forces K1 Legend Semmy Schilt to Call it Quits

(While there may be other, better Semmy Schilt highlights out there, we guaran-damn-tee you that not a one of them contains more shouting.) 

Well, this is a shame.

According to Liverkick.com, K1 legend and two-time UFC veteran Semmy “Hightower” Schilt has been forced to hang up his gloves after being made aware that he is suffering from a serious heart condition, the specifics of which have not yet been made available.

While rumors of Schilt’s impending retirement have been circulating ever since the near 7 foot kickboxer announced that the Glory 4 Tokyo: Special 2012 ~ New Year’s Eve tournament — which he successfully claimed by defeating Daniel Ghita via first round TKO in the finals — would be his last, fight fans were still holding out hope that Schilt would make a quick turnaround on his decision as fighters are wont to do.

Unfortunately, the recent diagnosis has officially closed the door for one of the greatest (if not the greatestheavyweight kickboxers of all time. Schilt retires with a 42-6-1 kickboxing record and a 26-14 MMA record to his credit, as well as 5 K1 Grand Prix titles and the claim of being the final K1 Super-Heavyweight Champion.

We here at CagePotato would like to wish Semmy the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope that he is able to overcome whatever ailment is currently afflicting him in the safest, most timely manner possible.

Pay tribute to a true legend and/or share your favorite Schilt moments with us in the comments section. 

J. Jones


(While there may be other, better Semmy Schilt highlights out there, we guaran-damn-tee you that not a one of them contains more shouting.) 

Well, this is a shame.

According to Liverkick.com, K1 legend and two-time UFC veteran Semmy “Hightower” Schilt has been forced to hang up his gloves after being made aware that he is suffering from a serious heart condition, the specifics of which have not yet been made available.

While rumors of Schilt’s impending retirement have been circulating ever since the near 7 foot kickboxer announced that the Glory 4 Tokyo: Special 2012 ~ New Year’s Eve tournament — which he successfully claimed by defeating Daniel Ghita via first round TKO in the finals — would be his last, fight fans were still holding out hope that Schilt would make a quick turnaround on his decision as fighters are wont to do.

Unfortunately, the recent diagnosis has officially closed the door for one of the greatest (if not the greatestheavyweight kickboxers of all time. Schilt retires with a 42-6-1 kickboxing record and a 26-14 MMA record to his credit, as well as 5 K1 Grand Prix titles and the claim of being the final K1 Super-Heavyweight Champion.

We here at CagePotato would like to wish Semmy the best of luck in his future endeavors and hope that he is able to overcome whatever ailment is currently afflicting him in the safest, most timely manner possible.

Pay tribute to a true legend and/or share your favorite Schilt moments with us in the comments section. 

J. Jones

Kickboxing Legend Peter Aerts to Retire After June 30th Fight With Tyrone Spong


(Stay classy.) 

Today, CagePotato is brought to you by the letter R. Specifically, R for retirement.

If the name Peter Aerts doesn’t immediately bring to mind a cavalcade of classic kickboxing matches against a list of opponents that reads like a who’s who of the sport, then might we recommend you do a little research on one of the greatest combatants to ever don the heavy gloves. After collecting over 100 victories in a career that spanned nearly 25 years, kickboxing legend Peter Aerts has announced that his June 30th match against #7 ranked heavyweight kickboxer Tyrone Sprong will be his last.

In a true testament of his character, Aerts will be going out in the same fashion in which he came, by taking on the best; his first professional fight saw him square off against fellow legend Ernesto Hoost, and now he will be going out, win or lose, against a top prospect in Sprong. Known for his trademark head kick finishes that earned him the nickname, “The Dutch Lumberjack,” Aerts built his reputation through vintage battles with the likes of Hoost (five times), Jerome Le Banner (four times), Semmy Schilt (five times), and Ray Sefo (three times). Having competed in every K1 tournament except for 2009, Aerts also earned the moniker “Mr. K1,” taking home tournament gold in 1994, 1995, and 1998, and placing second in 2001, 2006, 2007, and 2010.

Aerts’ crowning achievement by far was his devastating run through the 1998 K1 World Grand Prix, in which he dispatched all three of his opponents in 6 minutes and 43 seconds, a record that held until 2009, when it was broken by Semmy Schilt. As a HUGE fan and close follower of his career, I would personally like to wish Mr. Aerts all the best in his future endeavors on behalf of everyone here at CagePotato, and have compiled a brief look back at some of his greatest hits below, starting with his first rematch against Hoost that took place at the 1993 K1 Quarterfinals.


(Stay classy.) 

Today, CagePotato is brought to you by the letter R. Specifically, R for retirement.

If the name Peter Aerts doesn’t immediately bring to mind a cavalcade of classic kickboxing matches against a list of opponents that reads like a who’s who of the sport, then might we recommend you do a little research on one of the greatest combatants to ever don the heavy gloves. After collecting over 100 victories in a career that spanned nearly 25 years, kickboxing legend Peter Aerts has announced that his June 30th match against #7 ranked heavyweight kickboxer Tyrone Sprong will be his last.

In a true testament of his character, Aerts will be going out in the same fashion in which he came, by taking on the best; his first professional fight saw him square off against fellow legend Ernesto Hoost, and now he will be going out, win or lose, against a top prospect in Sprong. Known for his trademark head kick finishes that earned him the nickname, “The Dutch Lumberjack,” Aerts built his reputation through vintage battles with the likes of Hoost (five times), Jerome Le Banner (four times), Semmy Schilt (five times), and Ray Sefo (three times). Having competed in every K1 tournament except for 2009, Aerts also earned the moniker “Mr. K1,” taking home tournament gold in 1994, 1995, and 1998, and placing second in 2001, 2006, 2007, and 2010.

Aerts’ crowning achievement by far was his devastating run through the 1998 K1 World Grand Prix, in which he dispatched all three of his opponents in 6 minutes and 43 seconds, a record that held until 2009, when it was broken by Semmy Schilt. As a HUGE fan and close follower of his career, I would personally like to wish Mr. Aerts all the best in his future endeavors on behalf of everyone here at CagePotato, and have compiled a brief look back at some of his greatest hits below, starting with his first rematch against Hoost that took place at the 1993 K1 Quarterfinals.

Aerts vs. Hoost 2 – K1 Grand Prix Quarterfinals ’93

Aerts vs. Le Banner – K1 Dream ’97

Aerts vs. Hug 4 – K1 World Grand Prix Final ’98

Aerts vs. Schilt – K1 WGP ’06

And just because I had to…

Aerts vs. Bob Sapp – K1 WGP ’07

-Danga