Azem Maksutaj

Who is Azem Maksutaj?

Azem Maksutaj is an Albanian-Swiss former kickboxer who competed in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. He originates from Kosovo but relocated to Switzerland at an early age where he began training in Muay Thai at fifteen. After capturing the Swiss national title at lightweight during his first year of competition in 1992, he then went on to win European and world honours 1994 while fighting around the 77 kg/170 lb super middleweight mark. The late 1990s saw Maksutaj move between light heavyweight and cruiserweight, taking five world titles in those divisions, before eventually making the jump to heavyweight in 2001 where he spent the remainder of his career, acting as a journeyman in the K-1 promotion while also winning another four world titles.

Despite spending much of his career as an under-sized heavyweight, Maksutaj was known for his toughness as well as his technical skill. He won a total of fourteen world titles in various weight divisions before retiring in 2010 with a hundred professional contests under his belt.