Japanese Kickboxing is combat sport created by the Japanese boxing promoter Osamu Noguchi and Tatsuo Yamada (Karate practitioner). It was the first combat sport that adopted the name of "Kickboxing" in 1966. The sport is now known as Japanese Kickboxing and most recently K1 Rules to differ from other combat sports that also adopted the name of "Kickboxing". File:Absorb low2.jpg The original rules were very similar to Muay Thai, but with some differences between them.