Video – Muay Thai legend Buakaw smashes Minoru Kimura with wicked second-round KO at RIZIN Landmark 9
Muay Thai legend Buakaw Banchamek added another highlight-reel knockout to his resume.
On Saturday, March 23, Buakaw stepped inside the World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan for a clash with former K-1 Fighter of the Year Minoru Kimura as part of a loaded RIZIN Landmark 9 event.
Competing under kickboxing rules, the two fighters met in the middle of the cage and immediately began trading blows. Kimura put his power on display early, unleashing an onslaught of strikes against the Thai icon, but it was just a matter of time before Buakaw found his range and began to fire back. Just past the one-minute mark of the second round, Buakaw blasted his opponent with a perfectly-timed straight right that sent Kimura crashing to the canvas.
It was Buakaw’s 243rd career victory and 74th knockout. ‘The White Lotus’ has not lost a fight since March 2018.
“Who said this would be easy? Look at the first round. I admit that I almost didn’t make it past the first round,” he said in a post-fight interview. “If it were another fighter, they would already get knocked out. Those punches were very heavy. I will tell you that they were the heaviest punches I had been hit with in my career.”
Buakaw Banchamek adds to his legendary legacy
He is considered to be one of, if not the greatest practitioner in the history of the art of eight limbs, earning a laundry list of accolades. Buakaw Banchamek is a two-time K-1 World Max Champion, a former WBC Muaythai Diamond World Champion, a four-time WMC champion, and a Kunlun Fight Muaythai Middleweight World Championship.
In addition to his incredible history in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, he is undefeated under the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship banner, earning wins over Erkan Varol and fellow Thai legend Saenchai.
