Albert Kraus

Albert ‘The Hurricane’ Kraus shot to kickboxing fame when he won the first ever K-1 MAX tournament in 2002. European fight fans already knew him for his exploits in his native Holland but he was a new and exciting prospect for many international fans, who immediately fell in love with his take-no-prisoners fighting style.

With a background in boxing prior to his move into kickboxing, Kraus likes to use his hands to put his opponents away. More than half of his victories have left his opponents on the floor by way of a crunching right hand or thundering left hook.

Kraus is a pressure fighter who never takes a backwards step; ten years on from his K-1 MAX tournament win he remains a difficult and dangerous opponent for anyone in the division. The 31-year-old may be a veteran but his competitive fires are burning brighter than ever before.

“I still believe I am the best lightweight kickboxer in the world. I’m the best fighter in this weight class. The day I stop believing that is the day that I will retire,” he says.