The martial art form from Thailand known as Muay Thai is the basis of the sport of kickboxing as it is known today. From these roots, the sport has spread around the world.
Modern kickboxing began in Japan in the 1950′s, and developed in the 1960′s, under the leadership of Tatsuo Yamada and Osamu Noguchi. These two men wanted to create a type of full contact karate mixed with the boxing style of Muay Thai.
Kickboxing grew in popularity in Japan through the 1970′s, but in the 1980′s, the popularity of the sport slipped. In 1993, with the formation of K-1, the popularity of the sport in Japan has returned.
Kickboxing began in the United States in the 1970′s. American kickboxing is essentially a combination of boxing with kicking allowed above the waist. The first matches were held on traditional karate mats, but the sport quickly moved into the use of boxing rings. With the formation of the Professional Karate Association(PKA), kickboxing became like boxing with championships, various weight classes and rankings.
In 1975, the World All Style Karate Organization was founded in Europe. By 1976, championship matches were being fought all over the continent. K-1 is very popular in Europe, especially in the Nethelands.
