Albert Kraus, a legendary figure in martial arts and kickboxing, has had an impressive career marked by significant achievements, including his titles as the first K-1 MAX World Champion in 2002 and the first SUPERKOMBAT Middleweight Champion. He is also one of the prominent legends who regularly participates in the international gala fight night SENSHI and comes to Bulgaria for each new event. Now, Albert “The Hurricane” Kraus will once again be in Bulgaria—between September 5th and 8th, he will be in Varna, where he will serve as an instructor at the KWU SENSHI training camps and as a referee at the upcoming fight show SENSHI.
Days before the big SENSHI gala fight night, Kraus gave a special interview to the sports editorial team at Webcafe.bg.
How does one reach the pinnacle of world kickboxing? Where did he get his nickname, “Hurricane,” and what is his strategy in the ring and in life? See highlights from his interview:
“Throughout my career, I’ve recorded 79 knockouts. I love and take pride in every single one of them. The feeling of knocking someone out is incredible,” Kraus admits. His path to the top was fueled by relentless hard work, and his strategy has always been to “move forward aggressively.”
But it wasn’t always that way…
“The first championship I participated in was very tough. The first and second matches were major challenges—I felt like I was fighting a train. I was covered in wounds and injuries, but I managed to pull through. My opponent was still fresh, but that didn’t stop me, and I knocked him out 47 seconds into the first round,” Kraus recalls. According to him, the essence of a champion lies in a strong fighting spirit, the will to win, and sometimes—a bit of luck.
“One of the matches I’ll never forget is my first fight with Buakaw Banchamek. At that time, he seemed unbeatable. I went to K-1 and asked them to let me fight him. ‘Please, let me fight him. I’ll show you that I’m better,’ I said. They asked if I was sure, and I confirmed… And I won the super fight against him,” the “Hurricane” recounts.
Another interesting story revolves around his nickname. “It was personally given to me by the first bearer, Peter ‘Hurricane’ Smith. He said to me: ‘Many people want to use my nickname. I want to give it to you because of your fighting spirit—you’ve earned it,’” Kraus reminisces.
Life can sometimes take unexpected turns. If just one thing in the kickboxer’s childhood had happened differently, the world of combat sports might have been deprived of a talent like his. Before entering the kickboxing world, Kraus had a promising future as a football player. He had ambitions to train in boxing, but the nearest gym was 30 km away—a distance too far for a teenager to travel frequently. However, when kickboxing courses began in his hometown, he seized the opportunity, and it turned out to be a key turning point in his life.
You can read the full article on Webcafe.bg. And you can see Kraus in person on September 7th at SENSHI—on the beach of St. St. Constantine and Helena in Varna, Bulgaria, where 12 bouts between fighting stars from 17 countries will take place. Albert Kraus predicts that we will surely see “true fighting spirit and a fierce will to win” in the ring. Tickets for the event can be purchased from Eventim.bg.
