the toughest fights I've ever had," said Masato in his post-event interview. "My face and my legs hurt. I didn't expect to be downed twice, I gave 100%, and I have nothing left -- now I just want to relax and have a cup of coffee! Of course, I am very happy to win the belt. It is definitely different from what I felt before, now I think I can realize the true value of this belt. I'm completely exhausted, right now I feel like I don't want to ever fight again -- so I'll think about the future later."

"Now I understand why Masato is the champion," said Kyshenko afterward. "He has good punches and kicks, and I think the reason I lost was because I don't have as much experience as he does. But now I've fought him two years in a row, it was a great learning experience. Also it gave me a lot of confidence to beat Andy Souwer, who was the Max champion twice. Last year I finished in third place and this year I was second-place, so I'm improving one step at a time -- next year I'll be the champion!"


In the first tournament reserve, Japanese kickboxer Yasuhiro Kido fought the first-ever World Max Champion, boxer Albert Kraus of Holland.

Good positioning and movement by Kraus in the early going, the Dutchman getting through with the fists and scoring with low kicks. Kido connected with a couple of strikes but otherwise struggled to find his distance, and a Kraus knee at the bell sent the Japanese fighter to the interval with a nasty gash over his eye. Kido came alive in the second, making good with combinations, but time was twice stopped for the ringside doctor to check his worsening cut. Kido did not pass the second evaluation, so Kraus had the TKO win.

"Kido was good and strong and technical," said Kraus post-bout. "I'm happy with my performance this year, the only thing I missed out on was the championship belt."

The second tournament reserve pitted two-time World Max Champion Buakaw Por Pramuk of Thailand against Indian muay thai fighter Black Mamba.

There is a reason Buakaw has won the World Max twice, and the Thai fighter showed it tonight. Mamba made a go of it, but was simply out of his league as Buakaw commanded the distance, pace and style of this one from the first bell. At just 2:18 of the first Buakaw had the win courtesy a couple of downs -- the first after a leg-grab and left straight punch to the chops, the second courtesy a couple of side-launched right hooks.


The evening's 13-bout card also included a World Max Superfight, the ISKA World Lightweight Title Match and another lightweight contest, plus the quarterfinals in K-1's new Koshien King of U-18 series.

In the World Max Superfight, Japanese kickboxer Taishin Kohiruimaki met Dutch kickboxer Joeri Mes. Kohiruimaki started with an ambitious knee, but Mes quickly seized control, making good with the left straight punches to score an early down. Mes continued to close on his opponent, and although Kohi came back with knees and low kicks midway through the second, Mes was the dominating fighter, and started the third with a three-point lead on all cards. Kohiruimaki desperately needed to make some noise here, and as time wound down he opened up -- but it was the indefatigable Mes who got through with the decisive blow -- a left hook on a counter -- to lay the Japanese fighter out flat. An impressive display of power, speed and spirit by Mes.

"I feel good," said Mes, "I fought aggressively, like Melvin [Manhoef] and Badr [Hari] . "I knew Kohi is a good fighter, but he kept clinching. After my win today, I'd like to fight more in K-1. I already fought Andy Souwer once and I lost, I'd like to fight him again and win! I'd also like to fight Japanese fighters like Masato and Sato."

In the ISKA World Lightweight (60kg/132lbs) Title Match, it was Japanese fighters Susumu Daiguji, a 30 year-old karate stylist; and Daisuke Uematsu, a kickboxer two days shy of his 24th birthday.

A quick start and a quicker finish to this one. Daiguji shot in with the fists, Uematsu weathering the attack before countering with a middle kick then pumping up a knee to score a down. As Daiguji slumped against the ropes then onto the mat, the referee stepped in to call it. Uematsu the winner by KO at just 0:29.

Another lightweight contest featured Japanese fighters Haruaki Otsuki and Ryuji Kajiwara.

The shorter fighter, Otsuki hung his guard loose and low and chased Kajiwara with kicks, but ate a few fists -- including a hard right hook in the second. It was anyone's fight going into the final frame. Good action here, Kajiwara punching into his opponent's guard, Otsuki answering with a punishing high kick. Kajiwara scored with a right hook, but Otsuki was more creative inside, and took a unanimous decision.

In the evening's opening fight, a World Max contest, Nieky "The Natural" Holzken of Holland's prestigious Golden Glory Gym rammed the fists past South African boxer Virgil Kalakoda's guard to score two quick first-round downs and pick up the KO win.


Also on the card were the quarterfinal contests in the new K-1 Koshien King of U-18 Series. Paralleling Japan's hugely popular Koshien high school baseball tournament -- which enjoys television viewer ratings exceeding those of Japanese major league baseball -- K-1 Koshien is open to high school students aged 16-18, with a weight range limitation of 57kg/126lbs to 62kg/137lbs. Bouts are conducted under modified K-1 rules, with 5-counts and fighters wearing ten-ounce gloves.

Koshien promoter's selection Hiroya snapped in straight punches to rattle Taishi Hiratsuka, a Top-3 Chubu Region Fighter, prompting the referee to call it for Hiroya. Shota Shimada, also a promoter's selection, took a unanimous decision over Ryo Murakoshi, a Top-3 Kanto fighter; Chubu Champion Ryuya Kusakabe's high kick KO'd Kanto Finalist Daizo Sasaki late in the first round; and Kanto Champion Koya Urabe scored a second-round TKO over Yusuke Tsuboi, a Chubu Finalist.

During tonight's intermission, a draw was held to determine the semifinal matchups for the Koshien Final, which will be held at K-1's New Year's Eve Dynamite event. It will be Hiroya vs Shota Shimada; and Ryuya Kusakabe vs Koya Urabe.


The K-1 World Max 2008 Final attracted a sellout crowd of 15,321 to the Nippon Budokan. All bouts were conducted under K-1 Rules -- three rounds of three minutes each, with a possible tiebreaker round in all but the K-1 Koshien Series, and two possible tiebreakers in the ISKA Title bout and the World Max Final's championship bout.

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