Also known as “The Destroyer” and “Souwer Power”
Andy Souwer began his kickboxing journey in his hometown of Den Bosch at the age of 7, training at Ling Ho Gym. By the age of 8, he had his first bout. Souwer continued to train diligently under John De Ling from 1989 until 2005. At 16, he competed in his first A-Class MTBN Title match, securing a victory on points.
Born in November 1982, Souwer has become one of the most famous Dutch kickboxers active today. Known for his relentless work rate, Souwer keeps his opponents constantly on the defensive against his relentless attacks. He is also recognized for his distinctive long leggings, highlighting his shoot boxing origins.
Souwer first competed in the S-Cup shoot boxing competition in 2002. Held in Japan, the event operated under traditional shoot boxing rules, allowing kicks, punches, knees, elbows, throws, and various standing submissions. Kickboxer Caesar Takeshi created shoot boxing in 1985.
Souwer made his K-1 Max debut in 2003 but lost via TKO to Albert Kraus. However, he rebounded to win his first K-1 Championship in 2005, defeating Buakaw Banchamek in a bout that extended into two extra rounds, ultimately winning by split decision.
In 2006, Souwer faced Buakaw again in the finals, but this time, the Thai superstar stopped him in the second round via referee stoppage. In 2007, Souwer reached the finals once more and defeated Japanese favorite Masato in the second round when Masato’s corner threw in the towel.
Souwer competed in the K-1 Max Championship again in 2008 but was knocked out by Artur Kyshenko. In 2009, he avenged this loss by defeating Kyshenko and his longtime rival Buakaw Banchamek, but he ultimately lost the final bout by unanimous decision to Giorgio Petrosyan.
Following his successful run in K-1, Souwer defeated the acclaimed Thai fighter Kem Sitsongpeenong by points for the Shoot Boxing World Championship in 2012. His subsequent bouts saw him face Kyshenko again, losing their rubber match and taking a loss to the hard-hitting Russian Dzhabar Askerov at Yokkao Extreme in 2013.
