See what happened behind the doors of the third SENSHI Invitational Camp
Dedication, intense training, and exclusive techniques that turn a good fighter into a perfect one – refining every detail and focusing on mental preparation. This was the summary of the final days of the special third invitation-only training camp organized by SENSHI.
The camp took place from January 21–25 at SENSHI Gym in Varna, with carefully selected fighters in the under-75 kg category personally invited by SENSHI to train with two of the biggest kickboxing stars in the world – Albert “The Hurricane” Kraus and Andy “The Destroyer” Souwer.
The two SENSHI instructors, who are also part of the organization’s referees team and are also members of the KWU SENSHI Board of Directors, gave personal attention to each of the 32 elite fighters participating in the camp. Their goal was to share important secrets, practical details, and the mental mindset required to reach a world championship title.
Although just a decade ago Kraus and Souwer were among each other’s fiercest opponents in the ring, each holding one victory over the other, today they are close friends sharing a common mission – to pass on their experience to the next generation of elite fighters. Only a month before the first-ever SENSHI Grand Prix in the under-75 kg category, scheduled for February 28 in Varna, the two legengs focused especially on the specifics of the grueling tournament format.
“You have to break your opponent, and you must not stop applying pressure until it happens. At some point, he will give in – and that should be your main motivator to keep pushing,” said Albert Kraus during one of the final training sessions.
The legendary kickboxer also shared his experiences from his toughest fights in the ring:
“Perhaps my hardest matches were my first fight at K-1 World Max in Japan and my bouts against Yoshihiro Sato. Although he didn’t look dangerous – being very tall and thin – he was incredibly tough. You hit him, he staggers, you keep going expecting him to fall, and he seems to stabilize with every blow. He just wasn’t going down. I constantly had to find new ways to break him. That’s why, no matter what your opponent looks like, you need to watch him closely and maintain constant pressure.”
Andy Souwer emphasized the mental side of preparation:
“The most important thing for a fighter who wants to reach the top is to keep an open mind. If you think you know everything and refuse advice, you’ll stay at the same level. Be open to learning constantly – train not only your body but also your will and mind.”
“I’m extremely grateful to SENSHI for investing in us as fighters. This is an invaluable opportunity,” said Samo Petje, the current SENSHI European Champion in the -75 kg category and winner of the individual “Helmet of Spartacus” award for 2025.
“Thanks to SENSHI – it was an amazing camp,” added Dutch fighter Rocky Grandjean, one of the very few in the world to have scored a knockout against Badr Hari. At SENSHI 29, he debuted against Mr. SENSHI – Atanas Bozhilov, and during the camp, the two trained side by side.
A total of 32 professional fighters from 13 countries were invited to participate in the special camp, including representatives from Italy, France, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Greece, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Portugal, and Bulgaria. With applause, a group photo, and a thirst for more knowledge, participants and instructors said their goodbyes – some even took a dip in the icy waters of the Black Sea.
In less than a month, another major international SENSHI training camp will take place again in Varna. Albert Kraus and Andy Souwer will return as instructors, this time alongside K-1 legends Semmy Schilt and Ernesto Hoost. The camp will run from February 26 to March 1, with registration free and open up until February 6.
On February 28, the 30th edition of SENSHI will take place, featuring the first SENSHI Grand Prix in the under-75 kg category, along with three spectacular super fights.
