Benjamin Adegbuyi still believes he belongs among the heavyweight elite

“I still have a couple of fights left in me,” he said with confidence. “I hope next year I can still do some big fights before the end of my career.”

That attitude has defined Adegbuyi for nearly two decades. Long before social media clips and highlight reels became the norm, he built his reputation the hard way — through consistency, discipline, and years spent facing the best heavyweights in kickboxing.

The man known as “Mr. Gentleman” has remained part of the world-level conversation for years, and he knows exactly what he’s accomplished.

“I think being in the top 10 heavyweight rankings for almost 20 years is my biggest achievement,” Adegbuyi said. “And being number two behind the champion for more than five years.”

From karate classes to Glory title fights

Adegbuyi’s journey into combat sports started early. He first practiced karate at the age of 10 before falling in love with kickboxing during the rise of the K-1 era, which exploded in popularity across Europe, including Romania.

That passion eventually carried him onto the biggest stages in the sport.

His résumé includes major tournament victories in Glory, two title fights against Rico Verhoeven, and perhaps most memorably, a win over Badr Hari — still one of the most discussed victories of his career.

Adegbuyi doesn’t carry fear into fights anymore. At this point in his career, his mindset has become brutally simple.

“No fear, no regrets,” he said.

Training also remains old-school. Strength and conditioning in the morning. Kickboxing in the evening. Repeat the process every day.

Sparring is still his favorite part.

“Even now, I still learn,” he admitted. “That’s why I like sparring and combination drills so much.”

SENSHI has earned his respect

Adegbuyi has fought all over the world, but he speaks highly of what SENSHI continues to build in Bulgaria. According to him, the organization now stands among the top platforms in global kickboxing.

“Kickingboxing is already big in Romania, so there are similarities,” he explained. “But SENSHI reaches the highest level worldwide.”

When asked to describe SENSHI in just three words, Adegbuyi answered quickly: “Honor, respect, sportsmanship.”

Away from fighting, life looks much calmer. He enjoys spending time with family, watching his son play basketball, and surprisingly, cooking. If kickboxing never happened, he believes basketball might have been his future. He played when he was younger and says people considered him talented.

For now, though, fighting still drives him.

Fans heading to SENSHI 31 shouldn’t expect a cautious veteran looking to survive. Adegbuyi made that clear himself.

“Don’t miss a second,” he warned. “The fight can finish in seconds.”