By Fraser Coffeen @FCoffeen on Jun 10, 2015, 8:00p
The Dutch Lumberjack is hanging them up - K-1 legend of the sport Peter Aerts has officially retired. Get the details here.
Kickboxing legend Peter Aerts has officially hung up his gloves. The 44 year old all time great officially announced his retirement via video at a press conference for an upcoming kickboxing show in Japan that he was scheduled to appear on. Aerts noted that he had sustained some injuries in his October fight with Ernesto Hoost, and when he was unable to fully recover from those injuries, he made the decision to retire.
This official decision has been a long time coming, as Aerts has taken more of a back seat in kickboxing in recent years. Ever since the K-1 Grand Prix in 2010, Aerts has fought only sporadically, with few fights of note. In 2013 at Glory 13, he lost to Rico Verhoeven in a fight Glory billed as Aerts's retirement, but it was never his plan to retire at that time.
A pro kickboxer since 1985 - yes, 1985, 8 years before the UFC even existed - Aerts is the absolute definition of a legend. He is a 3 time K-1 World Grand Prix champion, earning himself the moniker "Mr. K-1" and retires with an unofficial record of 105-34-2. In his 30 year career, Aerts fought absolutely everyone the sport had to offer including all time legends like Ernesto Hoost, Andy Hug, Jerome Le Banner, Semmy Schilt, Mike Bernardo, and on, and on, and on... His final fight was in October 2014 when he lost to fellow K-1 great Ernesto Hoost, who returned from his own 8 year retirement last year. Fitting that the career of Aerts would end in the ring alongside Hoost.
In the world of combat sports, there are very few men with the legacy of Peter Aerts. He is a true legend of the sport in every way, and he will be missed.
Look for more on the career of Peter Aerts to follow.
Source:http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2015/6/10/8761753/peter-aerts-retirement-retires-kickboxing-legend-k-1-k1-glory
