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Andy Hug

Andy Hug
Andy hug photo.jpg
Historical photo of Andy Hug
Born Andreas Hug
(1964-09-07)September 7, 1964
Zurich, Switzerland
Died August 24, 2000(2000-08-24) (aged 35)
Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
Other names The Blue-Eyed Samurai
Iron Man (Tetsujin in Japanese)
Mr. K-1
Typhoon
Nationality Swiss
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 97.7 kg (215 lb; 15.39 st)
Division Heavyweight
Style Kyokushin Karate, Seidokaikan Karate, Kickboxing, Boxing
Stance Southpaw
Fighting out of Lucerne, Switzerland
Team Team Andy Hug
Dojo Kamakura
Hiranaka Boxing School Gym
Rank 5th degree black belt in Kyokushin Karate
Years active 23 (1977-2000)
Kickboxing record
Total 47
Wins 37
By knockout 21
Losses 9
By knockout 6
Draws 1
Other information
Spouse Ilona Hug
Children Seya Hug
Notable students Xhavit Bajrami
Björn Bregy, Petar Majstorović
Michael McDonald
Andy Hug
Medal record
Representing   Switzerland
Men's Kyokushin
4 Countries Team Tournament
Gold medal – first place 1981
British Open
Bronze medal – third place London 1986 Heavyweight
Dutch Open
Bronze medal – third place Weert 1981 Middleweight
European Championships
Gold medal – first place Barcelona 1985 Heavyweight
Bronze medal – third place Katowice 1987 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Budapest 1989 Heavyweight
Silver medal – second place Budapest 1989 Heavyweight
Ibusz Oyama Cup
Gold medal – first place Budapest 1982 Middleweight
Gold medal – first place Budapest 1985 Heavyweight
Sursee Cup
Gold medal – first place Sursee 1988 Open
Swiss Championships
Gold medal – first place 1982 Middleweight
Gold medal – first place 1984 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place 1985 Heavyweight
Swiss Open
Gold medal – first place 1985 Open
Swiss Oyama Cup
Gold medal – first place 1979
Gold medal – first place 1981
World Open
Silver medal – second place Tokyo 1987 Open
Men's Seidokaikan
World Cup
Gold medal – first place Osaka 1992 Open
Silver medal – second place Osaka 1993 Open

Andreas "Andy" Hug (September 7, 1964 – August 24, 2000) was a Swiss karateka and kickboxer who competed in the heavyweight division. Considered to be one of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers of all time, along with Mirko Filipović, Peter Aerts, Remy Bonjasky, Ernesto Hoost and Semmy Schilt, Hug was renowned for his ability to execute numerous kicking techniques rarely seen in high level competition and although he was usually smaller than his opponents, standing at 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) and being barely a heavyweight, weighing around 98.0 kg (216.1 lb; 15.43 st) in his prime, he made up for his lack of size with his tremendous athleticism and speed. A southpaw, his trademark kicks included the axe kick and the "Hug Tornado", a low spinning heel kick targeting his opponents' thighs.

Raised in Wohlen, Aargau, Hug was a keen footballer in his youth but gave up the sport to pursue Kyokushin karate which he began practicing at ten years old. Beginning his full contact karate career in the 80 kg/176 lb middleweight division, he rose to prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s by winning numerous regional tournaments around Europe and made the transition to heavyweight in 1984. That same year, he competed in the Kyokushin World Open, knockdown karate's most prestigious competition, for the first time and made it to the fourth round where he was eliminated by Shokei Matsui. Returning to Europe, he won his first major title in the form of the 3rd European Championships in 1985 before entering World Open again in 1987. He became the first non-Japanese fighter to make it to the final of the competition but again lost to Shokei Matsui. Another European Championships win would follow in 1989 and he fought in his third and final World Open in 1991, losing a controversial bout to Francisco Filho in the third round.


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