From the Vault: Masato v. Albert Kraus

Welcome to From the Vault - a series here at Head Kick Legend focused on classic fights from kickboxing's past. With more and more fans discovering kickboxing every day, this series aims to revisit some of the sport's greatest fights.

MASATO v. ALBERT KRAUS
K-1 MAX Grand Prix Finals 2003
July 5, 2003

At the end of this month, one of Japan's most dominant and popular kickboxers will fight his retirement fight. Masato has been such a staple of MAX action since the inception of the MAX GP in 2002 that it is hard to imagine the division without him, and yet, starting in 2010, that will indeed be the case. With Masato heading out, we focus From the Vault on some of his most legendary performances. It's a chance to both honor and remember the legend, as well as remind some newer fans what Masato is capable of. And what better place to start than July 5, 2003.

In early 2002, K-1 officially launched their MAX division, spotlighting smaller, faster fighters instead of the heavyweights featured in the regular K-1 shows. From the first big MAX event, the Japan tournament 2002, it was clear that Masato was going to be the man to watch. He won that first tournament, defeating Kohiruimaki via decision in the finals, and earning himself a spot in the first ever MAX Grand Prix. There he defeated Duane Bang Ludwig in the opening round, before coming up against a young fighter by the name of Albert Kraus in the semi-finals.

Kraus had made his K-1 debut earlier that year with a win over Francis Itay. From there, he entered the GP and defeated Shane Chapman in the quarter-finals. Despite Kraus looking good in his wins, smart money had to be on Masato due to his higher visibility and five years' experience. And yet, a funny thing happened. Masato, the clear chosen one for MAX superstardom, lost. Albert Kraus scored the victory in a hard-fought decision win. With Masato out, Kraus cruised through the finals, knocking out Thai fighter Kaolan Kaovichit to become the first ever K-1 MAX World Grand Prix champion.

Knowing this was a fight fans were eager to see again, K-1 wasted no time setting up a rematch. On October 11, the two men met again, this time in a stand-alone fight that main evented a MAX show featuring a "Japan vs. the World" theme called the Champions' Challenge. The two had another drawn out battle, this time going five full rounds. But again, Masato fell short, as the fight ended in a draw.

As 2003 began, this was clearly a series that was not yet settled. Masato started the year in style, winning his second straight Japan tournament by defeating Kozo Takeda in the finals (and Genki Sudo along the way as well). For Kraus, this night was not as successful. Facing heavy-handed striker Mike Zambidis in a non-tournament fight, Kraus was knocked out in the 2nd round. As the 2003 Grand Prix tournament began to fall into place it seemed that momentum now favored Masato, but could he overcome Kraus?

Video and more after the jump.

Once the brackets were set, it was unclear if the two would even meet again as they found themselves on opposite sides of the draw. If Kraus v. Masato III would happen here, it would have to be in the finals, and to get there Masato would have to defeat the rising Zambidis in the opening round as well as his semi-final opponent. Kraus too had a tough road, facing the reigning Shootboxing S-Cup champion Andy Souwer in the quarter-finals, and then either Ludwig or Takeda in the semis.

As if destined, the two men did indeed dispose of their opponents, making their way into the finals. For the third time, Masato and Albert Kraus stood face to face in center ring, but for the first time, the winner would walk away MAX champion.

And with that, Masato's rise to the top of MAX was complete.

Watching this fight, there's a lot to love. From a technical standpoint, both men show some great boxing skills, using head and foot movement very effectively, especially in the early stages of round two. From an emotional standpoint, you just have to love the crowd reaction as the normally reserved K-1 fans are going crazy here, really providing that extra burst of energy to a fight already filled with a great story.

While he did not dominate the GP in the same way a fighter like Aerts did years before, from this point forward, Masato has remained a fixture at the very top of MAX, losing only three fights in the six years since this win, and reclaiming the MAX crown in 2008. For Kraus, while he has remained near the top, it has been in more of a high level gatekeeper role, as he has never regained that glory of his 2002 win. While he is coming off a strong 2009, it seems unlikely Kraus will reach the top of MAX again.

Watch for more on Masato in the coming weeks.