Contributor: Lucas Bourdon
Rob Kaman and Ernesto Hoost are two of the greatest kickboxers of all time. They also met each other in the ring twice. In 1987, Kaman, who hadn’t been defeated since 1983 won a decision over a 22 year old Hoost. In 1990, they once again crossed paths in Amsterdam. While Kaman was at the peak of his powers when they first met and Hoost was relatively green, the rematch was a different story. Hoost was 14-1 (including a win over an 18 year old Peter Aerts) in his last 15, had captured world titles in Muay Thai, Kickboxing and Savate along with European titles in those three disciplines and Full Contact and his only loss was a split decision suffered at the hands of Canadian great Jean-Yves Thériault. On the other hand, Kaman was 30 years old and 6-5 in his last 11. It looked like the fight might act as a passing of the torch between the aging legend and the young up-and-comer. What transpired in the ring that night is considered one of the best fights to ever be held in Holland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4PG8ht1u2c
As the first round starts, Hoost takes control of the first half with his trademarks counter low kicks and by pressuring Kaman to the ropes. He lands a nice left high kick and exhibits his calculated killer instinct by immediately jumping on Kaman but Kaman keeps his composure and manages to rally with a couple of left kicks to the leg and body and manages to stun Hoost with a right hand in the closing seconds of the round.
After a few even exchanges to open the second round, Kaman comes after Hoost with a couple of right hands that Hoost counters with two knees to the body and tops it off with a sweeping counter low kick that puts Kaman on his ass. Kaman adapts by switching to southpaw and spends the remainder of the round punishing Hoost lead legs with left low kicks also catching him with a couple of right hooks.
Hoost goes back to using pressure to get Kaman against the ropes in the third, using the left hook to enter close range, looking to clinch off of it to land right uppercuts and knees or capitalize on Kaman covering up to tee off with punching combinations.
Kaman looks to replicate his second round success by starting the fourth round in a southpaw stance but Hoost doesn’t let him have enough space to land effectively. Kaman goes back to orthodox but gets rocked by a left hook in a boxing exchange and Hoost jumps on him once again but Kaman manages to hold on to him and survive the onslaught and, despite getting stung with a right hand later, the round.
Going into the fifth and final round, Hoost looks to back Kaman into the ropes and clinch off of the left hook again, lands two good knees and follows it up with a pinning back kick. He immediately looks to move back on the inside but instead of covering as he had done in the third round, Kaman comes over the left hook with a beautiful counter right hand that hurts Hoost badly. Hoost looks to clinch but Kaman pushes him off and nails him with a right hand-left hook combination that knocks him out cold!
The victory marked one of the last true great wins in Kaman’s legendary career, but he remained a formidable opponent through the 90s, going 18-4-2 (1 NC) after the Hoost fight before finally hanging up the gloves in 1999 after a decision win (that by his own admission, he did not deserve) over the man who was then the hottest heavyweight prospect in kickboxing, Alexei Ignashov, in the main event of the first ever It’s Showtime event. Meanwhile, Hoost went on to win 4 Grand Prix titles and become arguably the greatest fighter in K-1 history.
-Lucas can be reached @lucas_bourdon.
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