Albert Kraus is one of those fighters for whom the sport never truly ends with the final bell. Even today, years after his golden era in the ring, “The Hurricane” continues to live with the same mentality — to win at any cost. That is exactly what brings him back to Bulgaria once again for SENSHI 31 Gladiators, where on May 30 in Plovdiv the international sports star will be part of the refereeing and judging team for the fight gala night.
Under the spotlight and in front of thousands of fans, eight fighters will step into battle in one of the most highly anticipated nights in combat sports, while behind the scenes will stand a man who knows the psychology of war inside the ring better than most.
In an interview for Dir.bg’s sports podcast “SportCast”, Kraus speaks about life between his new role as a mentor and the memories of the years when he himself was among the most dangerous names in world kickboxing.
For years, he has been an instructor at SENSHI’s international training camps, and that is what keeps bringing him back to Bulgaria — a place he describes as his second home. Today, Kraus admits that working with young talents, sharing his experience, and showing them what the mindset of a champion truly means gives him genuine satisfaction. But he also makes one thing clear — the fighter inside him will never disappear.
His schedule today is almost as intense as it was during his active career. He trains two or three times a day alongside young fighters, and as a coach his main mission is to make them believe in themselves. Because according to him, everything in combat sports begins in the mind.
“In every fight, I go in to win,” says Kraus. And for him, that is far more than just a phrase. It is the philosophy that shaped his entire career. He never entered the ring simply to display technique or skill. For him, it never mattered who looked better on paper or what the pre-fight analysis said. If you choose to be an athlete, winning is what matters most.
This mentality is what he calls a “hurricane state of mind.” And he admits that it does not stay only inside the gym. It carries over into his family life as well. His children share the same competitive spirit — even the simplest games between them turn into war. “We all want to win everything, all the time, at any cost,” Kraus says with a smile.
Today, his greatest pride is his children. His daughter competes in equestrian jumping events, and in order to better understand her sport and give her advice, Kraus himself entered a veterans competition and won first place. His son, meanwhile, is a professional boxer, and Kraus believes he has everything needed to become an undisputed world champion.
Interestingly, Kraus looks back on his own career with honesty and self-criticism. He admits that he was often lazy and would begin preparing for fights only three weeks beforehand. But during those weeks, he trained at the absolute limit because he had to lose between 10 and 12 kilograms. Today, he sees a major difference between himself and his son, who trains constantly and is far more disciplined.
His story began when he was just 13 years old in his hometown. He first entered a boxing gym because he always considered himself an individual athlete, but he quickly transitioned to kickboxing. In his very first fight, he won by knockout in just 47 seconds. From there, everything accelerated rapidly. Years later, he won one of the most prestigious titles of his career despite having the least experience among all competitors and training only three times a week at the time.
Kraus has competed in nearly every major combat sports organization around the world, including the legendary K-1 World Max. That is why his comparisons carry weight. According to him, SENSHI is an organization that genuinely cares about its fighters and operates with a structure and professionalism reminiscent of the strongest years of K-1.
Although he is now a coach and mentor, Kraus does not hide the fact that he misses his active fighting days. For him, preparing for a fight was never simply sport.
He admits that sometimes even hatred toward his opponent gave him the motivation to win. And fear? According to him, it never truly existed.
In his mind, Kraus has always believed he was the best and capable of defeating anyone. That is what made him so different from others. While fighters like Andy Souwer became known for their consistency and methodical style, Kraus describes himself simply as “a hurricane.”
Outside the ring, however, the image is different. The kickboxing superstar today is a devoted family man who enjoys peace and quiet. As a child, he loved fishing — he would wake up at 6 a.m. and spend his school lunch breaks by the water. Today, he is not sure whether he still has the patience for it, but the memory remains close to him.
And his inspirations? Mike Tyson and Prince Naseem — two fighters who also turned aggression, charisma, and confidence into their trademark.
And although his role today may be different, one thing about Albert Kraus remains unchanged — his hunger for victory.
