Ramon Dekkers
Encyclopedia
Ramon "The Diamond" Dekker (born 4 September 1969) is a retired Dutch
kickboxer and an eight time Muay Thai
world champion.
, North Brabant
(a province of the Netherlands
). He began learning martial arts
at age 12, studying Judo
for a few months. He then started boxing for a year. After that, Dekker started practicing Muay Thai under Cor Hemmers
. He was awarded his first title at age 18, when he won the Dutch National Championship on November 15, 1987.
Dekker got involved in the martial arts around 1986. He visited a gym in Breda
where he first witnessed Thai boxing. He started training at the Breda gym. Dekker's future stepdad was the gym's trainer who later became Dekker's coach. Dekker trained for about 3 months – his mother dropped him off every day, brought him to the gym, and picked him up after training. Cor saw that Dekker had the potential to be a good fighter. Dekker was 16 years old. Hemmers had been building a team and had no real fights by that time. Before Dekker's first muay thai
fight, Cor discussed it with Dekker and his mother. During Dekker's training, Cor became more and more involved with his mother, and the two eventually married.
. The Netherlands' "Golden Glory" team took on the rest of the world. The fight ended in the 4th round with Dekker knocking a game Deflorin out with a left hook. Throughout the bout, Dekker controlled the fight, displaying the style and aggression. After the fight, Dekker joined the "Golden Glory" team members center stage for a finale, Rob Kaman came down the rampart, Golden Glory torch in hand, presenting it to Dekker, who in turn passed it to each team member, as video clips of his victories were shown on the display screens.
. In 2005 however, Dekker surprised the fighting world by agreeing upon a contract with K-1
. He was, however, to fight under MMA
rules against Genki Sudo
. Dekker, who never had fought MMA, and took the fight by a few days notice, lost by heel hook
.
However, manager Bas Boon also arranged at least one more standup fight on regular K-1 Rules. Dekker fought American Duane Ludwig
in a superfight during the K-1 Max 2005 event. A few days before the fight Dekker injured himself, tearing a ligament in his right shoulder. The entire fight he punched only with his left arm, so he could not even setup his famous boxing combinations. Nevertheless Dekker knocked Ludwig down in every round, and won the fight by decision.
His final retirement was a superfight against Joerie Mes
at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Amsterdam event on May 13, 2006. After both fighters suffered knockdown in the second round, it was Mes who earned the decision victory. Immediately after the fight Dekker took the microphone and announced his final retirement.
In present. He teaches Muay Thai at his birthplace, Breda
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
kickboxer and an eight time Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
world champion.
Early years
Dekker was born in BredaBreda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
(a province of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
). He began learning martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
at age 12, studying Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
for a few months. He then started boxing for a year. After that, Dekker started practicing Muay Thai under Cor Hemmers
Cor Hemmers
Cor Hemmers is a Dutch kickboxing trainer associated with the Golden Glory gym in Breda, Netherlands.Hemmers began his martial arts training in judo at the age of 6, which he studied until the age of 15 when he switched to Kyokushin Karate. In 1976, Hemmers began competing in full contact karate...
. He was awarded his first title at age 18, when he won the Dutch National Championship on November 15, 1987.
Dekker got involved in the martial arts around 1986. He visited a gym in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
where he first witnessed Thai boxing. He started training at the Breda gym. Dekker's future stepdad was the gym's trainer who later became Dekker's coach. Dekker trained for about 3 months – his mother dropped him off every day, brought him to the gym, and picked him up after training. Cor saw that Dekker had the potential to be a good fighter. Dekker was 16 years old. Hemmers had been building a team and had no real fights by that time. Before Dekker's first muay thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
fight, Cor discussed it with Dekker and his mother. During Dekker's training, Cor became more and more involved with his mother, and the two eventually married.
Farewell Fight
On Sunday, March 18, 2001, Dekker fought his farewell fight against Marino Deflorin in RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
. The Netherlands' "Golden Glory" team took on the rest of the world. The fight ended in the 4th round with Dekker knocking a game Deflorin out with a left hook. Throughout the bout, Dekker controlled the fight, displaying the style and aggression. After the fight, Dekker joined the "Golden Glory" team members center stage for a finale, Rob Kaman came down the rampart, Golden Glory torch in hand, presenting it to Dekker, who in turn passed it to each team member, as video clips of his victories were shown on the display screens.
Comeback
After his retirement Dekker kept himself busy training his two teams, Team Dekker and Golden GloryGolden Glory
Golden Glory is a Muay Thai, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts camp, as well as a management team based in the Netherlands. With their primary fighter roster based out of Europe, Golden Glory has managed fighters from all over the world, such as American former team member, Heath Herring.Golden...
. In 2005 however, Dekker surprised the fighting world by agreeing upon a contract with K-1
K-1
K-1 is a defunct world-wide kickboxing promotion based in Tokyo, Japan founded by Kazuyoshi Ishii, a formerKyokushin karate practitioner. K-1 combines stand up techniques from Muay Thai, Karate, Taekwondo, Savate, San Shou, kickboxing, western-style boxing, and other martial arts...
. He was, however, to fight under MMA
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
rules against Genki Sudo
Genki Sudo
is a retired Japanese mixed martial artist and a kickboxer who, up until December 31, 2006 competed in the Japanese fighting organization HERO'S and before that, the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pancrase. He is notable for his elaborate ring entrances and unorthodox fighting style. His...
. Dekker, who never had fought MMA, and took the fight by a few days notice, lost by heel hook
Heel hook
Heel hook may refer to:* Heel hook, in grappling* A climbing technique...
.
However, manager Bas Boon also arranged at least one more standup fight on regular K-1 Rules. Dekker fought American Duane Ludwig
Duane Ludwig
Duane Paul Ludwig is an American Muay Thai kickboxer and mixed martial artist. He is the former Middleweight Muay Thai world champion, and currently fights for the Ultimate Fighting Championships in their welterweight and lightweight divisions...
in a superfight during the K-1 Max 2005 event. A few days before the fight Dekker injured himself, tearing a ligament in his right shoulder. The entire fight he punched only with his left arm, so he could not even setup his famous boxing combinations. Nevertheless Dekker knocked Ludwig down in every round, and won the fight by decision.
His final retirement was a superfight against Joerie Mes
Joerie Mes
Joerie "The Shark" Mes is a Dutch former welterweight kickboxer, fighting out of Mike's Gym in Amsterdam. He is former Dutch and European Muay Thai champion who later competed in K-1 MAX. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest combination specialists in kickboxing history.-Biography and...
at the K-1 World Grand Prix 2006 in Amsterdam event on May 13, 2006. After both fighters suffered knockdown in the second round, it was Mes who earned the decision victory. Immediately after the fight Dekker took the microphone and announced his final retirement.
In present. He teaches Muay Thai at his birthplace, Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
Titles
- Dutch FeatherweightFeatherweightFeatherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. There are similarly named divisions under several Mixed Martial Arts organizations and in Greco-Roman wrestling.-Professional boxing:...
Champion - MTBN European Featherweight Champion
- NKBB European Super featherweightSuper FeatherweightSuper featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
Champion - IMTA World LightweightLightweightLight-weight is a class of athletes in a particular sport, based on their weight.-Professional boxing:The lightweight division is over 130 pounds and up to 135 pounds weight class in the sport of boxing....
Champion - IMTF World Super lightweight Champion
- IMF World Light welterweightLight welterweight-Professional boxing:The light welterweight class is a weight division in professional boxing that has a limit of 63.5 kg or 140 pounds...
Champion - WPKL World WelterweightWelterweightWelterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
Champion - WPKL World Super welterweight Champion
- WPKF World MiddleweightMiddleweightMiddleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
Champion - WPKL World Middleweight Champion
Fight record
| Professional Kickboxing record | |
|---|---|
| Professional Mixed martial arts record | |
Legend: |
|
See also
- List of male kickboxers
- List of kickboxing organizations
- List of K-1 events