Yoshihiro Sato

Infobox Martial artist biography
name = Yoshihiro Sato
佐藤嘉洋


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birthname = 佐藤嘉洋
nickname = Yoshi-HERO
nationality = flagicon|JPN Japan
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1981|1|25|mf=y
placeofbirth = Aichi,Japan
fightingoutof = Tokyo, Japan
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height = height|m=1.85
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weightkg = 73
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style = Kickboxing
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team = FULLCAST
Nagoya JK Factory
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yearsactive = 10 (1998-present)
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kickboxingwins = 37
kickboxingkowins = 16
kickboxinglosses = 10
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url = http://sports.nifty.com/sato-kick/index.jsp
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Yoshihiro Sato ( _ja. 佐藤嘉洋; born January 25, 1981) is a professional Japanese kickboxer and martial artist competing in K-1 MAX. He is former Welterweight Muay Thai World champion and two time 2006, 2007 K-1 World MAX Japan champion.

Biography

Amateur era

He was born in Aichi, Japan.He started learning kickboxing in 1994 when he was in his 2nd year of junior high school. He won the Glove karate open championship tournament when he was just 16 years years old, still in his 2nd year of high school. He also won the championship the next year in 1997.

Fight as a professional kickboxer

He passed the examination for professional kickboxing of New Japan Kickboxing Federation in 1998.He won his first match by decision December 25, 1998.He changed his weight class from lightweight to welterweight in April 2000. He moved to All Japan Kickboxing Federation from New Japan Kickboxing Federation in June 2001. He won the title of WKA World Muay Thai Welterweight by KO Miran Stevic in Germany on 23 November 2001. It was the first time for him to fight in the oversea.

Entry to K-1

He beat William Diender (Netherlands) by decision On May 3, 2005. It was the first match in K-1. He lost to Virgil Kalakoda in a K-1 Superfight in the K-1 MAX Finals in what is considered to have been a controversial decision. On October 12, 2005, he defeated Kaoklai Kaennorsing, the only fighter who has fought in both K-1's heavyweight division and in K-1 MAX. On February 4, 2006 he defeated Akeomi Nitta, Ryuki Ueyama and Tatsuji to win the K-1 MAX Japan Grand Prix 2006 tournament. On February 5, 2007 he won the K-1 MAX Japan Grand Prix 2007 tournament. In April 2007 he lost to Ducth fighter Andy Souwer by decision. His latest fight was in July 7, 2008 in which he defeated Buakaw Por Pramuk by KO in the 3rd round in the Quarterfinals for the K-1 MAX Finals and he is set to fight Masato in October 10, 2008.

Career

*Amateur
**Glove karate open championship winner (1996)
**Glove karate open championship winner (1997)
*Professional
**WKA World Muay Thai Welterweight championship (2001-2005)
**WPKC World Muay Thai Super welterweight champion (2004-2005)
**K-1 MAX Japan Grand Prix Champion (2006)
**K-1 MAX Japan Grand Prix Champion (2007)

Record

See also

*List of K-1 events
*List of male kickboxers
*List of kickboxing organizations

External links

* [http://sports.nifty.com/sato-kick/ Yoshihiro Sato's official website]