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 Jorgen Kruth is a 30 year-old professional fighter from Skogas in Stockholm, Sweden. He has fought 80 kickboxing and Thai boxing bouts. Sixty-five of those are wins, thirty of which came via KO. He measures 6'2" (188 cm), weighs in at 230 lbs (105 kg), and fights out of Vallentuna Boxing Camp (www.vbc.se). Jorgen has been nice enough to take some time out of his training schedule to sit down and answer our questions.
Kakutougi: What was your sports and martial arts background before starting Muay Thai?
Kruth: I started with Judo, later on Japanese Jujitsu, after that Taekwondo, and for the last 15 years, I've trained Muay Thai.
Kakutougi: What was it about Muay Thai that caught your interest?
Kruth: It suited me well. I think Muay Thai is a very complex, technical sport. Here, I could use all weapons, such as hands, legs, knees, and elbows.
Kakutougi: What is your favorite strike/move?
Kruth: Kicks and knees.
Kakutougi: Did your interest in Muay Thai also expose you to, and make you a fan of tattoos?
Kruth: No, the tattoos have nothing to do with Muay Thai. I just like tattoos.
Kakutougi: You have a lot of them, what are some of the more meaningful designs?
Kruth: Yes, I have many. There is a story behind every one of them, but the most valuable tattoo on my body is my name: KRUTH. :-) (editor's note: krut, pronounced kruth, means gunpowder in Swedish.)
 Kakutougi: In 1997 you decided to go professional. We're always interested in how this affects people's lives. I.e. some work a full-time job and train after hours. Others quit their job and receive financial support. What changes did you go through when you decided to go pro? Did you think it helped or hurt coming from a country that has a tough look on professional fighters?
Kruth: It was tough in the beginning. Even though I became two-time Amateur World Champion before I went pro, it was really difficult to get sponsors. I could not work so much either, since I had to train twice a day. Also, in a country where contact sports are considered something rather ugly, the sponsors don't always dare support a fighter because of the political situation.
Kakutougi: At what point did you feel you had made the right choice, and that your career choice was a success?
Kruth: I'm not really sure. It has felt good all the way.
Kakutougi: In 1999 you're fighting for the WMC World Heavy Weight Champion title in Bangkok against Alexei Ignashov. You're a clear favorite after the first round and it's 20 times the money on Ignashov, but in the 2nd round something happens that changes the outcome of the fight. What exactly happened?
Kruth: I'm not really sure I know what happened. My stamina suddenly died out in the second round. It felt like someone plugged my plug, even though I had really good preparation for this fight.
Kakutougi: In 2000, you two fought for the title again. Compared to the first time you fought Ignavhov, how close was this fight? Had you both noticeably improved as fighters?
Kruth: It was a close fight, but Alexei was a little bit better. I think we both had improved since the first time.
Kakutougi: That same year you had your first fight in K-1 at the Croatian Tournament. Was it much of a difference to adjust from Muay Thai to K-1 style fighting?
Kruth: The difference was mostly the tournament system; that you have to fight 3 times on the same night. And the clinching time in K-1, they break the clinch much earlier.
 Kakutougi: Why do you think it is that Muay Thai fighters transition to K-1 so easily?
Kruth: Simply said, because K-1 uses Muay Thai rules except for the elbows.
Kakutougi: You won the Croatian Tourney, and qualify to fight in Fukuoka. In your first "real" K-1 fight, you have to facing Mike Bernardo. Can you tell us about that fight and what went through your mind afterwards?
Kruth: I started very well and without hesitation. I got him with some good shots but became too relaxed and he hit me with an overhand right hook. He hits very hard.
Kakutougi: With it being your first real K-1 fight, was the fight against Bernardo tougher than any other fights you'd had? Was there something that just made you feel like this K-1 fighting championship was tougher than other venues you had fought at before?
Kruth: The new thing at that time for me was that everyone was much heavier than I was, and they all hit hard. So there was no room for mistakes.
Kakutougi: You've fought Ignashov to a very close decision, lost to Bernardo in his prime and beaten Stefan Leko. They are all successful fighters that have fought a lot in Japan. Considering this, do you feel a bit underrated in the K-1 circuit, or did Ignashov and Leko just improve a lot in a short period of time?
Kruth: They have all won many fights in K-1 Japan, and also they have improved. I guess that's why they fought a lot.
Kakutougi: Last year (2004) you entered the Las Vegas GP. You fought an impressive fight against Rony Sefo and I think a lot of us thought you would win the tournament. You went out to fight Wallis in what's best described as a less than stellar fight. What happened?
Kruth: I had a terrible headache before the fight. I don't know if it was lack of water and minerals or something else, but I fought a very bad fight since I really didn't want to get hit by even the lightest punch due to the headache. I have beaten Brecht in Holland before quite easy, even though the judges gave the fight to him, and I think I could have beaten him in Vegas as well, if I felt better. There will be other fights ...
 Kakutougi: Are these headaches something you've had throughout your career or get a lot?
Kruth: I guess I drank too little water. There was no air-conditioning in the dressing room, and it was very warm. I usually don't have problems like that. The headache was better the day after, but I went for a head scan after the event anyway just to make sure.
Kakutougi: Outside of K-1, you recently fought Paul Slowinski for the WMC title. What's your impression of the fight and the opponent?
Kruth: He's a tough fighter. Very good with elbows as well.
Kakutougi: This was under Muay Thai rules. Since you began fighting in K-1, how has your fighting style changed, if any?
Kruth: I had to change my fighting style a little, since fighting with elbows is different than fighting without them. Things such as the priorities of the strikes, stance, guard, and so on. Muay Thai fighters transit easier to K-1 than other way around.
Kakutougi: You may know, John Wayne Parr dreams about fighting Ramon Dekkers one day. Do you have any one fighter you would really like to fight?
Kruth: :-) I had also Dekkers and Samart as idols, but fighting Dekkers now is not the same as fighting him 15 years ago. But there are some fighters I also would like to fight, like Alexei again, Bonjasky ...
Kakutougi: What are your plans for 2005? Any plans to fight for any titles? Have you gotten any indication of K-1 fights?
Kruth: The only thing I know right now is the Remy Bonjasky fight on May 21st. First, I was told that my next fight might be with Peter Aerts, but later I heard from my trainer Mats, that Daisuke from K-1 Japan (manager of Aerts and Bonjasky) has booked me with Remy instead.
Kakutougi: What do you think about the WBC sanctioning of Muay Thai fights?
Kruth: I really don't know exactly what's going on, but if they work together with the Thai government and WMC, as I've been told they will, then it will be great for Muay Thai.
 Kakutougi: Are you proud of Muay Thai and try to represent the fighting style when you're in K-1, or do you consider yourself a K-1 fighter?
Kruth: Yes I'm proud. I consider myself a Muay Thai fighter. K-1 is really the name of a competition, not a sport.
Kakutougi: You work as a K-1 commentator for Eurosport. What do you think about the current judging criteria in K-1? Both heavyweights and MAX.
Kruth: The decisions have been very bad. Too many wrong decisions. This is sad.
Kakutougi: We know you're training both boxing and Muay Thai, but you've also worked on some MMA. What does a typical week of training look like for you?
Kruth: Preparing for fights, I have running and gym in the morning. Then sparring, bag and pads in the evening. I train shootfighting one time a week. So totally 10 sessions a week, 2 hours each.
Kakutougi: About the MMA, do you feel you're ready to fight?
Kruth: My trainer thinks so but no, I'm not ready for that yet.
Kakutougi: As a professional fighter, what do you think about the current state of Scandinavian kickboxing, and do you know of any up and coming fighters to look out for?
Kruth: Scandinavia has many good Thai boxers and I think we should look out for Alex Kazemi, if he trains the way he has been. He has wonderful talent. He fights now between 57 and 60 Kg.
Kakutougi: A little closer to home, how do you think MT is progressing in Sweden talent-wise? What was it like to train 15 years ago when you started, as compared to now?
Kruth: It has developed a lot. 15 years ago, we had to go to Thailand to find good trainers, but now, you can find very good trainers in Sweden just like my own, Mats Soderstrom, and the trainers from Boras, and so forth.
Kakutougi: Do you know of any up and coming Scandinavian fighters with the skills to make it to Tokyo Dome?
Kruth: No, not that I know about right now. But hopefully in the future.
 Kakutougi: Can you see yourself coaching young Thai boxers when your career is finished?
Kruth: Yes, if I have the motivation left, it will be so. I am coaching and teaching now as well though.
Kakutougi: Which fighters do you personally like, be it in Muay Thai, K-1 or MMA?
Kruth: Ramon Dekkers, Samart, Jomhod, and Buakaw.
Kakutougi: Either in the ring or any other walk of life, who is the person you most look up to?
Kruth: Muhammad Ali.
Kakutougi: Other than ring sports, what hobbies do you have?
Kruth: I don't have much free time, but I when I do, then it's some surfing and snowboarding.
Kakutougi: What is your favorite movie and type of music?
Kruth: I have not seen a good movie for a long time, maybe The Last Samurai. Music should be house, techno and reggae.
Kakutougi: Finally, do you have any advice for all aspiring pro fighters out there?
Kruth: Train hard, fight as much as possible, and don't loose focus before you reach the top.
We at kakutougi.info would like to thank Kruth for his time, and to wish him all the best in his upcoming fight against the current K-1 Grand Prix Champion, Remy Bonjasky.
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