K-1 Grand Prix 2009

Semmy Schilt, right, has been crowned 2009 K-1 Champion after stopping both last year's champion and this year's favourite.

The heavyweight division has been somewhat of a snoozefest of late and Schilt has borne much of the criticism, but there was no time for boredom to set in last night as most of the fights ended in first-round knockouts. First up was the much-anticipated repeat of Badr Hari v Ruslan Karev, which Hari convincingly won by stopping the Russian under the two knock-down rule. He faced Alistair Overeem next, in another anticipated rematch, and once again stopped the big fighter in the first round. Schilt's road to the final was almost as straightforward, flooring veteran Frenchman Jérôme Le Banner with body kicks and then seeing off a lacklustre Remy Bonjasky, last year's controversial champion.

The final, then, was contested between a Dutchman accused of being boring and a Moroccan who is anything but. Hari started - as per usual - going straight for the kill, but Schilt deflected much of the onslaught and caught Hari with a left jab that sent him to the floor. Hari beat the count and once again went on the offensive, but he was hurt and a thunderous high-kick from Schilt sent him to the canvas for the second time. As the final was contested under the three knock-down rule, Hari got the chance to fight on, but Schilt soon floored him for a third and final time to claim the champion. Boring or not, Schilt proved that he is still very much a force to be reckoned with, equalling countryman Ernesto 'Mr Perfect' Hoost in claiming his fourth title.