Perhaps still the most exciting competitive sport in the planet, K-1 Max 2007 Final Elimination, kicked off with all four champions thus far demonstrating why they are the champions. Held at Nippon Budokan in central Tokyo, this event was held to determine who will be the final eight participants in October’s K-1 Max GP. Although many fights went to the judges the intensity was high and Andy Sower scored in the utmost fashion, sending a clear message to all the other former champions and of course the current champion Buakaw Por Pramuk.

Buakaw Por Pramuk is the Man who has proven the most so far, has yet the most to prove ahead .

The Best
Currently the most intense and dangerous fighter, two-time World Max Champion Buakaw Por Pramuk took on Western European World Max Champion Nieky Holzken. Although touted as a big up n comer, and displaying a lot of heart and talent, Holzken did not have enough experience to compete with Buakaw’s lifetime experience. Testing the waters in the first round, the calm and solid Buakaw unleashed his whipping Muay Thai low kicks, cutting away also at the torso and of course aiming high. The Muay Thai fighter utilized quick movement and frontal kicks to keep his distance, avoid punches and claim the judge’s decision against an extremely determined Holzken. Although Buakaw was not fully satisfied with his performance, the modest defending champion gave big props to his opponent. “I think that if he had fought another fighter he probably would have won!”

KO
The most dramatic finish by any former K-1 Max Champion came compliments of Shoot Boxer Andy Souwer as he landed the big bomb on Muay Thai warrior turned MMA fighter Ole Laursen. As Laursen came out perhaps too aggressively, not taking the time to feel the distance, he got caught throwing a big shot and was KO’d with a big right cutting his chances for the GP in only the first round of the match. The talented and very young Souwer perhaps stands the best chance of stopping two-time champion Buakaw, having already defeated him in the 2005 GP finals with a controversial decision victory in extra rounds. Last year it turned out to be the opposite as Buakaw gave Souwer the same dose of defeat. Another man who has his eye on Souwer is surely Masato, who was a victim of Souwer’s as he was robbed by the referee by a supposed knock down which was obviously a slip.

Masato
The main event featured Silver Wolf camps Masato, K-1 2003 World Champion, against Brazilian JZ Calvan, current Heros Middleweight Champion. Although JZ’s forte is actually MMA, he did not turn away from the challenge of encountering the very popular Masato, taking him on toe to toe with some big quick and dangerous exchanges. As JZ , who packs a punch, was doing more head hunting, Masato did his usual technical song and dance delivering with precise legs and keeping a high intensity and scoring in the exchanges. The match was pretty level, although Masato’s technical prowess, amazing conditioning and reconditioning of his mental attitude, showed why Masato is indeed like a heavy hitting metal machine. The judges gave it to the K-1 star whose was not entirely pleased by his inability to finish it, but definitely appreciated the victory now on the record.

Albert Krauss was the first of the great K-1 Max Champions, all of whom thirst for the GP 2007 Cup.

The First
First World Max Champion, Albert Kraus took on K-1 Max 2006 participant, Virgil Kalakoda in yet another intense battle, which marked this particular night filled with judges decisions. Although Kraus and Kalakoda are both from the school of boxing, Krauss has diverted somewhat from the game of striking mostly to the superior region, while incorporating more of the K-1 weapons such as low kicks, although at the end of a hard fought match, it was his jabbing and straight punches that put a dent into the South African who came out on the down side of the scoring.
Ukranian Artur Kyshenko showed what Muay Thai is about with a left hook KO over South Korean K-1 Max Asia Champ Soo-Hwan Lee. Other winners included the long lanky and very boring Japanese fighter Yoshihiro Sato who won his usual decision, this time over Denis Schneidmiller, World Max Eastern European Champion.

Sparks
On the counter, Armenian fighting star Drago took on Greek warrior Mike Zambidis in an excellent highly charged battle, which included every weapon available except the stool from the corner. As Drago flashed with spinning kicks, spinning fists, knees to the body and frontal kicks, Zambidis made his mark the body, countering to it consistently in his usual powerful and punctual style. As the fight was deemed a draw by the judges the decibels rose in the house and then Zambidis n Drago did it again, fighting as if there were no tomorrow, but it was Zambidis who got the nod from the judges in the end. It was one of those fights that deem a rematch.
In the Superfights Nigeria's Andy Ologun gave Japanese boxer Tatsuji a run for his money as a judge called it a draw, while the other two barely scored Tatsuji ahead. The second Superfight had a Takayuki Kohiruimaki in a loosing streak finally changing things up in a decision victory against Mongolain Tsogto "Shinobu" Amara.
Now we must wait until October to find out who will be on their best leg for the tournament and take the torch, which could be anyone’s in this super competitive sport.

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