Top 10 Best Kickboxers of All Time

The sport of kickboxing is nearing another boom period, with millions of new fans following the sport. Many of these fans want to know who are the best kickboxers of all time.

That’s why we put this list together of 10 of the best kickboxers of all time. Read below to learn about these legends of kickboxing and what made them so great.

Best Kickboxers of All Time

Remy Bonjasky

• Record: 78-20
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 3x K-1 World GP Champion

Starting off our best kickboxers of all time list with the highly-talented Remy Bonjasky. Remy was a 3x K-1 World GP Champion who had a well-rounded game.

Bonjasky stands at 6 foot 5 inches tall, with a great jab and powerful kicks. He could control the range and end the fight with one of his patented kicks or knees.

Also, his underrated defensive boxing, which he used to stay out of danger and hit hard counters.

“The Flying Gentleman” beat numerous legendary kickboxers during his impressive fight career, and his now a respected coach. For any young kickboxer wanting to study old fighters, Remy is a great choice to emulate. No question, one of the best kickboxers of all time.

Andy Hug

• Record: 37-9-1
• Country: Switzerland
• Championships: 20+ World Titles Between Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Kyokyshin World Titles

Andy Hug was a legend of kickboxing in the 1990s. The Swedish Karate champion transitioned to kickboxing in the early 90s and took the sport over. Becoming one of the best kickboxers of all time.

For seven years, fight fans saw Andy Hug uses his trademark ax kick to decimate his opponents. His unreal striking skills made him one of the most popular fighters of the era.

Unfortunately, we tragically lost Andy in 2000 due to cancer. Andy Hug took over the sport despite competing in kickboxing for seven years. 

Today, more fight fans are discovering Hug’s fights and seeing why he was one of the best kickboxers ever.

Buakaw

• Record: 240-24-14 (1 No Contest)
• Country: Thailand
• Championships: 20+ World Titles in Muay Thai & Kickboxing

When you ask a casual fan to name a kickboxer, there more than likely to see Buakaw Banchamek. The Thai legend has defined time and has stayed at the top of the sport for almost 40 years.

Buakaw gained a global audience when he stepped into K-1 during the 2000s. The champion Thai boxer transitioned to kickboxing, where he would also dominate.

Banchamek used his well-rounded skill and power for a decade and fought in the K-1 Max Tournament. Buakaw earned 2 K-1 world titles in that time before winning the Wu Lin Feng title in 2015.

At 41, Buakaw has defied Father Time and has continued fighting at an elite level. No debate is needed for Buakaw being considered one of the best kickboxer ever.

Peter Aerts

• Record: 108-35-2
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 3x K-1 World GP Champion

No hardcore kickboxing fan on Earth doesn’t love “The Dutch Lumberjack” Peter Aerts. The kickboxing legend was part of that legendary crew of Dutch fighters from the late 1980s.

During the early 1990s, Peter would become the face of K-1 and earn the nickname “Mr. K-1.” He was a 3x K-1 World GP Champion in the 1990s who was always searching for the title.

Astonishingly, the legend was one of the most elite kickboxers in the world for over 30 years. Any time Aerts steps into the ring, every kickboxing fans tune in to see the legend.

At 53, the former champion has still not fully-retired and is open to fight offers. He was born to be a fighter and is a true legend of the sport. Truly one of the best kickboxers of all time.

Rico Verhoeven

• Record: 60-10
• Country: Netherlands 
• Championships: Longest Reigning & Current Glory Heavyweight Champion

Rico Verhoeven is the current reigning king of kickboxing. He is the reigning and defending Glory Kickboxing champion, who has held the belt since 2014.

When Rico started his reign, many critics dismissed his dominance, pointing to the talent of his opponents. Over the next decade, Rico would make those critics believe. 

As of now, the Dutch world champion has defended his title a record 10 times. Nearly all of them are one-sided affairs, where Rico controls the fight with his well-rounded skills before finishing his opponent.

Rico has already etched his name as one of the best kickboxers ever. At 34, Rico has a few years left and will continue adding to his impressive legacy.

Giorgio Petrosyan

• Record: 105-3-2 (2 No Contests)
• Country: Italy
• Championships: Won Every Major Kickboxing World Title

Giorgio Petrosyan wasn’t only one of the best kickboxers ever but arguably the closest to being a perfect fighter. The recently retired Italian kickboxers may be the most technically sound kickboxer of all time. 

In a total of 112 professional fights, Petrsoyan only tasted defeat three times. His winning percentage is the best in kickboxing history.

Seeing Giorgio fight was like watching art. He decimated multiple weight divisions, competed in every major kickboxing promotion, and won world titles.

Giorgio is an all-time great and one of the best to ever step into the ring. Nobody would ever argue the inclusion of Giorgio Petrosyan on an all-time best kickboxers list.

Rob Kaman

• Record: 98-12
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 9x Kickboxing World Champion

When talking about the pioneers of Dutch kickboxing and the best kickboxers of all time, there is no fighter more revered than legend Rob Kaman. The Dutch champion was the generation before greats like Ramon Dekkers and Ernesto Hoost showed the world Dutch kickboxing.

Rob was a pioneer many of the legends on this list looked up to. Mr. Low Kick helped grow the sport of kickboxing and introduced the effective Dutch style of kickboxing.

In his incredible career, Kaman was able to earn a record of 98-12, with 78 knockouts. Anytime Rob stepped into the ring, you knew you were watching greatness.

After retiring, Kaman became a highly-respected trainer who worked with countless world champions.

Ramon Dekkers 

• Record: 186-36-10
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 8x World Champion

Ramon “The Diamond” Dekkers is one of the best kickboxers of all time and also one of the most beloved. His aggressive style and power helped put Dutch kickboxing on the map.

Dekkers and Rob Kaman were among the first Western fighters to compete in Thailand. By actively fighting in Thailand, Ramon opened the doors for future Western fighters to compete there.

If that wasn’t enough, The Diamond turned the sport of Muay Thai on its head. Ramon’s high-level boxing made Thai boxers realize they needed to improve their boxing.

Ramon Dekkers would earn 8 world titles between kickboxing and Muay Thai in his illustrious career.  The Dutch legend left us too soon, but we will always remember his contribution to kickboxing.

Semmy Schilt

• Record: 43-6-1
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 8x Kickboxing World Champion

If you watched kickboxing in the 2000s, there was no fighter more dominant than Semmy Schilt. The Dutch Karate champion turned kickboxer was one of the best kickboxers of all time.

The incredibly tall and large Semmy was an intimidating figure. Then, to make him more frightening, he was a technically sound striker with a great jab and front kicks.

Not to mention his vicious clinch and knees that beat numerous world champions down. During the 2000s until he retired in 2012, Schilt became one of the greatest fighters of all time.

When Schilt retired, he was tied with legend Ernesto Hoost for most K-1 titles in history. The Dutch Karateka is an easy choice for the best kickboxers of all time list.

Ernesto Hoost 

• Record: 99-21-1
• Country: Netherlands
• Championships: 24x World Champion

Out of all the best kickboxers of all time, no fighter personified excellence like Ernesto Hoost. The kickboxing legend, “Mr. Perfect,” was as nearly a perfect fighter as possible.

Hoose dominated the sport of kickboxing for over 30 years. He won every major kickboxing world title, which totaled 24 by the end of his long career.

Ernesto is the embodiment of the Dutch kickboxing style.  He wasn’t only aggressive with KO power and a well-rounded master technician.

There was next no weakness in Hoost’s game. His dominance in K-1 was the stuff of legend. After winning his first GP title in 1997, Mr. Perfect would reign as K-1 Champion from 1999 to 2002.

Beating numerous legends of the sport to become the king of kickboxing. Nobody had a run like Ernesto Hoost and he’s easily one of the best kickboxers of all time.