K-1

Origin

Kazuyoshi Ishii founds the school of karate of Seidokan with Osaka where he teaches martial arts, he will organize in 1982 its first tournament of karate to Osaka. The pupils of its school a few years later gain national titles with the Japan, allowing Kazuyoshi to acquire a solid reputation. In 1993, it decides to organize a tournament by revolutionizing the rules, eager to see to clash the combatants of karate and kickboxing. This tournament will be the first K-1 Grand Prix, organized with Tokyo and gained by the Croatian Branko Cikatić where no weight limit is envisaged and where any combatant could express himself, other events of the same type will take place in the year beside K-1 Grand Prix which will take place annually. The K-1 MAX ( Middleweight Artistic Xtreme ) will be created in 2002 where the combatants have a weight limited to 70 kilos with the same rules as K-1 Grand Prix. Finally a third category will see the day in 2005: the Hero' S where various categories of weight are installation and where one practices the free Combat.

Known and popular boxers

One can first of all quote here Ernesto Hoost which was considered and called Mister Perfect, because of his very great technical training of boxings feet-pongs, it is indeed the only boxer to date to have been world champion of the quatres boxings foot-fists, so called French Boxe Savate, Kick Boxing, Full Contact and finally Boxe Inhabitant of Thailand.

Andy Hug, which was pupil of Kazuyoki Ishii the founder of the K-1, unloaded with the K-1 and hustled all the hierarchies places from there while beating to it quasi totality of the boxers of the circuit thanks to a style powerful and technical with its specility: the kakato geri, kick hammer or falling down kick. This large boxer disappeared with the beginning of the year 2000 and since then is held regularly tournaments on its behalf on the circuit K-1.

The latest to date to be had surprised by its gauge, following the example Bob Sapp in 2002, but in another measurement was Kaoklaï Koernorsing a young boxer inhabitant of Thailand who protested to weigh 80 kg (what lower than the weight limit is authorized all the same) weighed actually 75kgs is 18kgs of less than the weight limit of the K-1. However it defied all the observers by its speed, its fast and precise technique as well as an innate direction of the combat. Thus it gained engagements against Alexey Ignashov, Sam Greco or Mighty Mo. Unfortunately its gauge did not authorize it with being able to continue and thus it had to put a term at its career on the circuit heavy truck. It is noted in the category of less than 70 kg (K1 max) formidable popularity of a young inhabitant of Thailand, Buakaw por pramuk, victorious of the competition in 2004 and 2006. It represents indeed the myth of the boxer inhabitant of Thailand and its leg movement is there for us to point out it. It knew to adapt its style of boxing to the rules of the k1. To note the presence of Andy Souwer, winner in 2005, proposing the excellence of the Dutch school. Another combatant has to put at the honor is Japanese Masato, genuine star with the country of the rising sun, it is by his technique one of best the boxer in his category. Another young boxer, Dutch Badr Hari (1m97, 97 kg) old of 23ans, has appeared for roughly 3 years by his technique and his style resulting from Thai Muay. He gained, on April 28th, K1 World GP 2007 in Hawaii by beating Japanese Yusuke Fujimoto.

Various types of tournaments

K-1 Grand Prix

A final tournament annually takes place since 1993. Various tournaments are organized during the year to determine the 16 combatants who will take part in it. These tournaments take place in the world everywhere: in France, Spain, Netherlands, Hungary, South Africa, Croatia, New Zealand, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Swiss, South Korea, Italy or Sweden. The 16 combatants clash to determine the 8 finalists, and the latter clash by turn with direct elimination until the final to determine the champion with the Tokyo Dome. Can take part in it only the boxers and combatants heavy trucks weighing beyond 93kgs, limit heavy truck of the Boxe Inhabitant of Thailand, thereafter it does not have there a category of superheavy as in the other organizations foot-fists, proof has been the participation for several years of Bob Sapp, or of Jan Nortje, both heavy more 150kgs.

In this year 2007 K1 introduced a new category, that of heavy (- 100 kg). A supposed category to propose more balanced combat allowing the participants to be able to express their talents very (this relates to some combatant such as Musashi, Ruslan Karaev or Badr Hari).

See also: K-1 Grand Prix, K-1 Grand Prix

K-1 MAX

Created in 2002, it is held according to same operation as K-1 Grand Prix. It concerns only the combatants whose weight is lower than 70 kilos.

Hero' S

Created in 2005, this event relates to the free Combat what distinguishes it from the two preceding events. There exist various categories according to the weight of the combatants.

Rules

The rules are those of Japanese Kick-Boxing i.e. are authorized the techniques of Kick-Boxing with in more the blows of knees without seizures. In 2003 the rules were modified, before the seizures and the body-with-body was authorized. The engagements are held in three three minutes rounds each one. To decide between two adversaries at the time of a tournament the judges can call upon a three minutes extra-round; except for the finale of the " K1 World Large Prix" December when there can be two extra-rounds.
Throughout the year, the combatants take part in tournaments known as " K1 satellites" in the whole world. The winners of these tournaments will be able to take part in the qualificative phase being held in October of each year or 16 combatants clash to determine the 8 combatants who will take part in the final stage of the month of dédembre which will be held in " Quarter of finale" , " Half finale" then " Finale".

Popularity

This sport finds a great popularity with the Japan, in Europe and with the Brésil, on the other hand to the the United States, it is limited and certain States do not hesitate to prohibit its practice.

Prize list

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Anecdotes

A fact that it is amusing to notice in K-1 Grand Prix is the domination without division of the Netherlanders since his creation in 1993. Indeed, over 14 titles, 11 were gained by Netherlanders; only Branko Cikatic, Mark Hunt and Andy Hug gained the final tournament being respectively Croatian, Néo-zélandais and Suisse. This domination is however not if surprising since in the field of boxings foot-fists it is recognized that up to 70 kgs, in fact the Inhabitant of Thailand dominate the world circuit and the various organizations whereas last this weight limit they are the French, the Japanese but over all the Netherlanders who dominate. This domination with the K-1 is thus not unexpected and confirms well their great advance in this sport, as much on the level of the infrastructures that on the public financial aid and training level. Quasi-irretrievable delay in France because of very the bad image of these sports in the public opinion which regards them as dangerous and violent one. Whereas it is differently with the Japan where this sport profits from very an good image of mark, and where it brings back important benefit to each session, mobilizing several tens of thousands of spectators each time (the finale of Tokyo Dôme gathers each year more than 70.000 spectators, as much men that women).

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