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