Rick Roufus

Rick John Roufus (born June 3, 1966) is a retired American kickboxer.

He has also competed professionally in boxing and mixed martial arts.

An accomplished professional fighter throughout his competitive career, Roufus has won multiple world championships across the globe in several weight classes, he was world champion as a super middle weight, light heavyweight and heavyweight.

Roufus held titles for all the major kickboxing associations worldwide (P.K.A., I.K.F., I.S.K.A., F.F.K.A. and K.I.C.K.), and is known for his boxing skills and powerful kicks.

He is the older brother of Duke Roufus who is also a kickboxer and a Muay Thai and mixed martial arts instructor.

Rick Roufus is the Global Director of Fighter Development for PKA Worldwide.

Rick Roufus began his martial arts practice at the age of 5 under the tutelage of his father Pat J Roufus, a renowned P.K.A. referee, who had graduated as a black belt in 1973 by Dukan Yun.

Rick learned taekwondo from his father.

He quickly rose up the national karate points circuit and debuted as a professional kickboxer in his late teens.

He had his first professional fight in May 1985 against the U.C. Owens, whom he defeated by unanimous decision after 5 rounds.

In April 1987, he fought against John Moncayo for the world title of K.I.C.K. at super middleweight.

Roufus knocked out Moncayo in round 7 to win his first world title.

In the beginning of his career, Roufus fought under the rule of Full contact where leg kicks, elbow strikes, and knee attacks were not allowed.

He changed directions on 5 November 1988 when he challenged Changpuek Kiatsongrit in a non-title fight in Las Vegas.

His pre-fight kickboxing record was 28 perfect wins.

Roufus knocked Changpuek down twice with his fists in the first round, causing him a broken jaw, during the break Chanpuek's corner spilled a bucket of water and ice in the ring trying to buy time for Changpuek to recover, finally Roufus lost by TKO in the fifth round due to the culmination of low kicks that he was not prepared for.

Roufus had found out the same day of the fight that they would fight with leg kick rules.

After the fight, the Roufus brothers sought out Thai experts to learn the art of kicking and kick control.

On 19 June 1991, Rick Roufus faced Marek Piotrowski.

It was a rematch, as Piotrowski defeated him in their first encounter.

The vacant ISKA Full Contact Light World title was on the line, while Piotrowski's PKC Full Contact Light Heavyweight World title was also up for grabs.

Roufus won by heavy second-round KO from a high kick that left the Polish fighter unconscious on the canvas.

On December 20, 1991, Roufus defended his ISKA Full Contact World Light Heavyweight title against Dutchman Rob Kaman.

Initially, Roufus who had dominated 11 of the 12 rounds was declared the winner by unanimous decision, later the bout was declared a no contest after Kaman's corner protested that the fourth round had ended 45 seconds early, the only round they believed could have been.

It was critical for Kaman as he had managed to land a high kick in minute 1 causing Roufus to reel.

A second fight between the pair took place in February 1994 at Palais Omnisports in Paris-Bercy, France.

Tickets for the fight sold out (20,000 people) weeks in advance.

Roufus won the match by KO in the second round.

On January 22, 1994 Roufus won the IKF Pro Full Contact Rules Light Heavyweight World Title when he defeated Michael McDonald of Vancouver, BC, Canada, by "KO" at :43 seconds of round 1 at Caesars Tahoe Casino in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

On March 26, 1994, he traveled to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he faced Jean-Yves Thériault.

Roufus won a unanimous decision after 12 rounds, defending his PKC Full Contact World Light Heavyweight title.

In Paris, in 1994, he again faced Ernesto Hoost, W.M.T.A. Light Heavyweight World Champion.

and the W.K.A. Roufus dominated the fight for the first 10 rounds but finally lost via KO in round 11 when Hoost landed a powerful high kick.

He later decided to enter the world of boxing.

He enjoyed some success, but he was never able to fight for a world championship.

In August 1996, he challenged for the vacant WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight title.

He knocked out Sean McClain, and won his first and only title in boxing.

After several losses Rick Roufus returned to kickboxing.

He emerged victorious at the K-1 USA held August 17, 1998 in Las Vegas, quickly dispatching Pedro Fernandez and Jerome Turcan.

In 2012 Rick Roufus was inducted into the World Kickboxing League Hall of Fame.