The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF) is a sanctioning body for

kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...

and

Muay Thai Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...

based in the United States. The IKF sanctions and regulates all aspects of these sports from Semi Contact
IKF Point Kickboxing (IKF/PKB)
) to Full Contact in both Amateur and professional levels. The IKF World Headquarters located in Newcastle, California, USA oversees over 2,000 IKF events a year around the world.

Styles

IKF sanctions and regulates both professional and amateur Kickboxing and Muay Thai around the world in six different rule styles: *

American Kickboxing Kickboxing is a combat sport focused on kicking and punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general ...

: Above the Waist *International Rules: Leg Kicks Allowed *

: Allowing Knees and Elbows *Unified Rules: Modified/Limited Muay Thai - K-1 - Glory Style Rules Combined. Limited Knees - Clinch ONLY If followed By Immediate Strike *Point Kickboxing: Semi-Contact ( www.IKFPKB.com ) *

Sanshou Sanda (), formerly Sanshou (), also known as Chinese boxing or Chinese kickboxing, is the official Chinese kickboxing full-contact combat sport. Sanda is a fighting system which was originally developed by the Chinese military based upon the s ...

: All of the above along with Throws The IKF has also introduced new styles over the years: *Modified Muay Thai: Prohibiting Knees and Elbows to the Head but Allowing Knees to the Body or Limited Clinching *Xtreme Gladiator: Muay Thai, MMA & Sanshou with a 30-second time limit for ground fighting The IKF has both male and female titles (State, Regional, National, Continental, Intercontinental and World) and both Pro and Amateur rankings.

History

In 1992, Steve Fossum and Dan Stell founded the IKF, based on their knowledge and experience as former kickboxers, trainers and event promoters. In July, of 1996, Mr. Stell stepped down as the IKF Vice President to pursue other desires, staying on as Head of Officials. In December 1996, the IKF launched a website with news updates for various events, worldwide rankings, rules and regulations. In 1998, the IKF expanded into the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and began sanctioning events in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

and other European countries. In 2007, Neil Holden took the position of Director for IKF Europe for a while. Replacing Holden was Carl Sams and Colin Payne, both previously in charge of IKF Full Contact activity in the United Kingdom. Both are part of the IKF Europe Team. They are currently foCusing on growth and activity in the United Kingdom as Co-Directors for IKF Europe under all IKF rule styles. The IKF has developed into a global organization under the direction of Steve Fossum and others associated with the IKF World Team. Along with this growth was the creation of the IKF Amateur Tournaments. The IKF created the first amateur kickboxing tournament in the United States in 1999, the IKF USA National Championships. The annual event grew to a North American Championships in 2004 and eventually into the IKF World Classic in 2006. Today the IKF World Classic is one of the largest all AMATEUR Muay Thai and Kickboxing Championship tournaments in the world. Fossum is also the President of the first ever Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sanctioning body
International Sport Combat Federation (ISCF)
and is the President and CEO o
The International Fight Sports (IFS)
which oversees several Fight Sport Companies who have a mutual goal of fostering national and international Professional and Amateur fight sport competition through the sanctioning of Fight Sports.

Regulations

IKF Rules & Regulations cover all medical requirements from the fighter to the ringside medical staff. The IKF requires a doctor and at least two paramedics equipped with resuscitation equipment to be on site for all sanctioned events. On March 17, 2014, the California State Athletic Commission officially delegated to the IKF, International Kickboxing Federation the exclusive authority to regulate Amateur Kickboxing and Muay Thai (Ages 8 and Up) in the State of California.

Weight Classes (Adult)

References

External links

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* * {{Martial arts Kickboxing organizations Organizations established in 1992 Organizations based in California