Joe Lewis (1st part) : traditional and pro karate

Introduction :

This article is based on the Joe Lewis's book "Joe Lewis and his American Karate Systems" [1], the various sources available on the Internet, old issues of karate magazines, the books "The Official History of Karate in America" of Al Weiss and "The Original Martial Arts Encyclopedia" of John Corcoran, as well as Chuck Norris and Bill Wallace's books. Unfortunately, the possibility of verification of the data is very limited, except by simple comparison. We take your attention to the website Usadojo.com and his excellent article about the history of the USA Karate. [2]

Joe Lewis was born March 7th 1944, in the USA. Some sources cited him as 6ft.2inch. and 210 lbs, or about 187 cm and 92 kg. It should be noted that the images showing him with his opponents seem rather to demonstrate that he is about 180 cm.

Traditional Karate :

Joe Lewis gets his black belt in Karate (Shorin-Ryu style), only after 7 months, with training in Okinawa and Vietnam, where he was hired as a Marine. He participates in the championships of Okinawa in 1964, after only three months of training. He was disqualified during the match for first place brown belt and eventually won the third place.

1966 :

05.07.1966 Joe Lewis returned to the USA and won the first tournament in which he participated, the "US Nationals" organized by Jhoon Rhee. Lewis does Karate only since 22 months. He mostly uses his kick left, and later wins in the finals against LaPuppet, 2 - 0. He beats his 7 opponents, before also winning the titles for Kata and the title of Grand Champion (all categories).

It should be noted that at that time, in the USA, the titles were awarded by the organizers of the tournament with an obvious lack of a federation, effectively managing the activities of the sport. It is therefore quite difficult to list in details the results. The history of these tournaments is the subject of an article (Tournaments and Promoters).

07.31.1966. Still in the Marines, Joe Lewis loses against Allen Steen, for the Finals of the Heavyweights, during the "Internationals Karate Championships" in Long Beach., video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAP4Y987Ibo Steen also beats Chuck Norris at the same tournament, for the Grand-Champion.

That same year, he won the title of the World Karate Championships, version of Chicago and Northwest Karate Championships in Tacoma/Washington.

1967 :

05.19.1967, during the California State Karate Championship, Joe Lewis had pulled a muscle in his leg. In the heavyweights finals, he loses on points against Ralph Castellanos (Kenpo). Lewis also fell to the ground several times because his pulled muscle. The July 1967 Black Belt magazine states that the decision of the judges was first a tie and the final result was very questionable.

06.24.1967, during the Henry Cho tournament at Madison Square Garden, Frank Hargrove meet Joe Lewis in the finals. At first, Hargrove dominates his opponent. Two kicks aside affect Hargrove and Lewis won the fight.

1st fight with Chuck-Norris. Black Belt June 1967. At the beginning of 1967, during the "Tournament of Champions" organized by Henry Cho, Chuck Norris beats Leon Wallace, 42 years, with a judo throw, ippon seoi-nage. Norris loses one of his fight, against Bob Engle.

Chuck Norris meets Joe Lewis. Lewis out of the playing surface, comes back, his guard only at the half-ready for an instant. Chuck Norris sees the opening and drills a spinning back kick to Lewis's face. Norris wins the fight. Chuck Norris wins against Skipper Mullins. Lewis wins against LaSalle, Skipper Mullins and Bob Engle. Chuck Norris wins the Grand Champion, with 4 victories for 1 loss, as Joe Lewis.

In 1967, for the "Nationals Jhoon Rhee", Lewis has to go through the playoffs, because he is not the title holder. Lewis beats first Mitchell Bobrow, only 16 years old, and John Wooley in the finals.

2nd fight with Chuck Norris. At the beginning of 1967, Norris beats again Lewis in the All American Karate Championship in New York. In the Grand Champion finals, in one encounter, Norris let go with a side kick. It is the only point scored in the fight in the opinion of the officials (Black Belt in October 1967).

In 1967, at the Pacific Coast Invitational Karate Tourney, Joe Lewis eliminates Daryle Kelbar. The lightweight Ron Marchini beats Lewis with a back kick after blocking a side kick. For the second place, Ralph Castallanos beats Joe Lewis with two punches to the midsection, including one countering Lewis' side kick. Marchini wins the title and Lewis finishes 3rd. (Black-Belt nov 1967).

3rd fight with Chuck Norris. 06.29/30.1967. From November 1967 Black Belt issue. For the Internationals in 1967, Chuck Norris beats first Victor Moore by 2 to 1. He still beats Arnold Urquidez for the middleweights finals. Joe Lewis beats George Castellanos by 2 to 1 and Jim Harrison, by 2 to 1, as well. For the heavyweight finals, Lewis beats Robert Noel, also by 2 to 1.

For the Grand Champion, Chuck Norris beats Steve Sanders by 2 to 1 and Lewis beats Allen Steen, with two side-kicks. Chuck Norris has already beaten twice Lewis in 1967, by standing in front of him, before moving to check his legs. Norris decides this time to move and wait to counter Lewis. Norris wins the first point with a back punch. Lewis attacks with a side-kick and Norris steps to the side, before and lands a reverse punch. Norris wins the battle. At this point, Chuck Norris leads by 3 wins to 0, against Joe Lewis.

3rd fight. Chuck Norris, left, beats Joe Lewis during the 1967 Internationals

1968 :

4th fight with Chuck Norris. Joe Lewis took his revenge in 1968 with a victory against Chuck Norris, with a punch in the plexus, at the Allan Steen Tournament in Dallas.

Professional Karate :

Professional Karate appeared in 1967. Blows were more or less fully delivered, without protection. In addition, competitors may be paid. It should be noted that the organization of meetings is not governed by any federation. The fighters do not hesitate to draw both traditional Karate and professionally. For this article, every pro tournament will be noted as Karate pro.

Karate pro. East-Coast vs West Coast. 02.04.1968, at the Manhattan Center in New York, during a tournament organized by Aaron Banks, the team of the East Coast beats the West Coast team. The winning team, coached by Ed Parker, is represented by Joe Lewis, Steve Sanders, Chuck Norris, and Jerry Taylor. The team from the East, coached by Banks, is represented by Thomas LaPuppet, Joe Hayes, Kazuyoshi Tanaka and Louis Delgado. 3,800 spectators were present at the Manhattan Center. Lewis wins against LaPuppet with a final side-kick and wins also against Louis Delgado. In the same tournament, Delgado beats Norris, Jerry Taylor beats Joseph Hayes, Norris beats LaPuppet, Tanaka beats Sanders and Taylor beat s Tanaka. These could be traditional Karate.

Karate pro. In February 1968, the first "World Professional Karate Championships" (WPKC), was held in Kansas City by Jim Harrison, two days after the US's Allen Steen Championships in Dallas. Only six participants were present, Joe Lewis, Bob Wall, Skipper Mullins, J. Pat Burleson, David Moon, and Fred Wren. They are fighting with contact, unprotected. Several combatants were injured or must leave. Lewis won the title and received the sum of one dollar. Lewis beats Fred Wred and David Moon.

05.25.1968. Nationals, Joe Lewis beats Mitchell Bobrow and during the Global Tae Gyun Championships, Mitchell Bobrow beats Joe Lewis, the same year.

In 1968, at the Tacoma First Annual Tournament of Champions, Joe Lewis beats Paul Pelela during the semi-finals of the heavyweights. Lewis had lost against Pelela a few months before. Lewis beats also Jim Harrison on points. Lewis beats Artis Simmons for the title of Grand Champion. Black Belt in October 1968.

In 1968, in Sacramento/California, a tournament takes place between a Korea team and the USA. Joe Lewis and Ron Marchini are part of the American team. Lewis def Ju Kim Hum, after a violent and unfair fight. Marchini also meets Ju Hum Kim and also wins after a bloody match for Marchini's face. Lewis vs Byung (Byong) Yu, Captain of the Korean team, is violent and Lewis appears to have won. The U.S. wins by 8 victories to 7 defeats (Black Belt November 1968).

In 1968, in Philadelphia, Bobrow, 17 years old, beats Joe Lewis, at the Tae Gyun Tourney. Joe Lewis was the winner at the end of the fight, but an overtime has been decided, during which Mitchell Bobrow beats his opponent. Bobrow loses in the finals to Dutcher (Black Belt January 1969).

Karate pro. In 1968, Aaron Banks organizes the "Orient vs US" tournament. Joe Lewis lost against N. Tanaka, from Shotokan, and living in the USA. According to the journal "Black Belt" from dec 1968, Joe Lewis was penalized for violent banned blows and had a bad conduct on the canvas. In the same tournament, Joe Hayes beats Bob Chin, a kung-fu man. Dwight "Hawk" Frazier beats Shoen, a Bando style player. Shigeru Numano, Gensei-Ryu style, beats Luis Delgado. Ron Marchini beats Hoy Lee, Bando style. Chuck Norris beats Theodore Wong, Shotokan. US team wins against Orient. The audience had a bad attitude against the Orient Team.

08.03/04.1968 Internationals, Joe Lewis was disqualified for having hurt his opponent.

Karate pro. 08.26.1968, Joe Lewis takes part in the Fair's World Karate Championships in San Antonio/Texas. This tournament is organized by Robert Trias. The winner wins USD 500 and the runner-up USD 250. Among others, Bob Wall, Jim Harrison, Fred Wren, Shelton Parker and Dirk Mossig are present. Joe Lewis beats first George Smith. In the finals, Victor Moore scores first with a Shuto. Lewis sends a reverse punch to the Moore's head. Moore wins the battle with a right followed by a roundhouse punch.

Karate pro. Also in 1968, the First Pro Tournament takes place in front of 850 spectators in Dallas. In the heavyweights, Joe Lewis fights vs Larry Whitner. Thereafter, he meets Phil Ola. An extra time with sudden death is decided and Joe Lewis wins the fight and USD 500 .--. For the Grand Championships, Lewis meets Mullins in 3 rounds of 2 minutes. Lewis wins by 3-0 and gains a reported prime of USD 500 .--.

Karate pro. World Professional Karate Championship. The following information is drawn from May 1969 Black Belt issue. This professional karate meeting is organized by Aaron Banks on November 24th 1968. It takes place at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. There is possibly 3 rounds per fights.

David Moon, Texas, def Canadian Wally Slocki, by 39 to 38. Kazuyoshi Tanaka of Japan meets Skipper Mullins, for the lightweights world title. Mullins dominates the Japanese and win by 91 to 66.

Chuck Norris wants to take revenge, facing Louis Delgado, his defeat collected the year before, during the encounter between West Coast and East Coast. Delgado is more than 10 years younger than his opponent. Norris sends Delgado to the canvas, with a punch, in the first round. In the second, Delgado sends his opponent to the canvas, with a kick in the mouth. The fight resumed so fierce and in the end, Chuck Norris wins by 101 to 93. According to other versions, Delgado would have suffered from a broken arm.

Mike Stone dominates widely against Bob Taiani, alias Tara Takayuki. At a certain point, the doctor finds that Mike Stone has broken his ankle. Despite this, the game resumed and Stone wins by 93 to 70.

Joe Lewis, presented as the "Bad-Boy from Karate" in the journal Black Belt, meets Victor Moore. Both fighters, dressed in black, use many kicks. Joe Lewis is cut above the eye. In the end, the crowd applauds the fighters and Lewis wins by 84 to 66. Each winner would have earned U.S. $ 600 .--. Only Chuck Norris would have defended his title the following year, against an unknown opponent.

Victor Moore (left) loses vs Joe Lewis

Something is surprising. In this article, the name "World Championships" is used only once, and it concerns only the battle between Tanaka and Mullins. A question remains. When this tournament became a World Championship for all participants, as seems to show the various current enrolment in records. In the september and october Black-Belt calendars, tournament had the name 1st Professional Karate Matches, and changed name the next month.

1969 :

Karate pro. 10.05.1969. During the National Karate Championships organized by Jhoon Rhee in Washington, Lewis beats first George Thanos, 17 years old, then Hargrove, before meeting Biley Hawkins in the semi-finals. In the heavyweights finals, Joe Lewis beats Robert Fowler. For the Grand Championships, Joe Lewis beats Bill Keefer, in 4 rounds of 2 minutes, using many side-kicks (Black Belt sept. 1969).

In 1969, maybe during the Internationals, Joe Lewis beats Steve Sanders (Karate Illustrated of September 1974 cites such a meeting in 1971 ?). Sanders would have been stolen by the judges who refused to give him the points he deserved. Sanders, later named himself Sijo Steve Muhammad, created the BKF (Black Karate Federation), in order to defend his black practitioners. This fact has relationships with racial tensions of the time in the USA, particularly in sport (see Muhammad Ali or black American athletes at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City).

In 1969, during the USKA Grand Nationals in Kansas City, Joe Lewis beats first Dirk Mosig and Vic Moore. The bout turned into a brawl and the referee needed help of other karatekas to separate them. The referee is changed. Lewis won. He beats Artis Simmons for the Grand Championship.

1970 :

Karate pro. The full contact match between Joe Lewis and Greg Baines, cited below, takes place on January 17th 1970, in Los Angeles, during the 1st USA Pro Team Karate Championships. The West Coast team, composed of Lewis, Mike Stone, Bob Wall, Chuck Norris and Skipper Mullins wins. Joe Lewis beats Chuck Lovins (Chuck Lemmon ?) in traditional, before his match with KO, against Greg Baines. Always in traditional, for the last fight of his career, Chuck Norris beats Al Dacascos. Skipper Mullins beats Walter Mattson and Bob Wall lost to Billy Watson.

Karate pro. 1970 : the Battle of Atlanta, Joe Lewis beats Mitchell Bobrow, for the title and Joe Hayes for the Grand Champion. Lewis received $ 1,000 .--.

1970 : Southwest US Open in Atlanta. Joe Lewis beats Gaylord Cleveland.

1st fight with Bill Wallace. 06.06/07 1970 : USKA Grand Nationals. Joe Lewis beats first Victor Moore. Joe Lewis (who defends his 1968 and 1969 titles) meets Bill Wallace for the Grand Champion. They had never fought together. The two fighters are wary during the first round. At the end of the 3 rounds, extra-time is decided. Wallace wins the battle, with a back fist.

1st fight with Bill Wallace in 1970, Black Belt december 1970

August 1st and 2nd 1970 : Joe Lewis beats Byong Yu for the Grand Championship of the Ed Parker's Internationals. The Korean lost a deciding point for disrespect.

During 1970 and 1971, Joe Lewis will fight in kick-boxing (see second article).

1971 :

Joe Lewis maybe wins the Ed Parker's Internationals Grand Champion, against Steve Sanders. We have no further information about this tournament.

John Natividad beats Joe Lewis 2-1, for the All Star Black Belt Team, in Los-Angeles, according to the october 1972 Black-Belt Magazine issue.

1972 :

Joe Lewis lost the title to the Internationals in Long Beach, organized by Ed Parker in 1972, facing Darnell Garcia, by 2 to 3, after having received a penalty for contact. Before that fight, Lewis wins versus Tom Kelly, by 2 to 0.

2nd fight will Bill Wallace. In 1972, he loses against Bill Wallace, for the USKA Grand Champion, during the overtime. Previously, Joe Lewis beats Dennis Gotcher and Jerry Pidddington for the heavyweights division.

2nd fight with Bill Wallace

Come-Back in 1974 :

The Joe Lewis's come-back, after a year 1973 without a tournament, must be understood as a combination of traditional and professional karate.

In the early 1974, at the Florida State Championships, Joe Lewis takes part in an full-contact exhibition, with Safe-T kick and punch gears, with Herbie Thompson. Thompson abruptly left the ring, before the end of the five minutes.

At the beginning of May 1974, Joe Lewis loses against Charles Curry, in New York, during the Hidy Ochiai's National Karate Classic. Charles Curry lost to Everett Eddy, who wins the Grand Championships.

This paragraph is based on the September 1974, Karate Illustrated issue. On May, the 11th and 12th, 1974, Joe Lewis participates in a tournament, organized by Eugene Forte, founder of the Pro/Am World Association of Karate, or PAWAK. USD 10,000 .-- and a new Lincoln Continental are promised to the winner, making it the most lucrative tournament in history.

Joe Lewis def Harvey 2-1, Smiley Urquidez 3-0, Benny Urquidez 4-1, then Cecil Peoples by 2 to 1. In finals, he met veteran Steve Sanders, he had already beaten in 1971, during the Internationals. At the end of the scheduled time, the fighters are 1 to 1. At the end of the extra time, Lewis wins by 4 to 3.

At the end of this tournament very badly organized, fighters have found that their checks were post dated and that the car had been taken over by the salesman, because it was still unpaid. Two weeks later, the checks were returned, for insufficient funds.

Joe Lewis vs Steve Sanders, Grand Champion Title, 1974.

The two previous tournaments were a preparation for the trip to Europe (see below), which itself was a preparation for the first tournament of full-contact in September 1974.

Karate pro. On May 17th 1974, in Berlin, is held the first European Championship Pro Karate. Various European fighters are selected for Los Angeles. At the end of the day, the Europeans meet the Americans. Joe Lewis def Budimir Vejnovic by 5/0, winner of the European light-heavyweights.

Ed Daniel, Lewis's kick-boxing opponent in 1970, speaks about a karate fight between himself and Joe Lewis, on the 07.19.1974, at the Karate Olympics, in Houston. Joe Lewis has won and has also beaten Jim Butin, for the heavyweight. The fighters were wearing Safe-T protections. Thank you to Ian McGeachy and Steve Van Dien for this information.

Karate pro. 07.27.1974, Joe Lewis loses against Everett Eddy by 4-6, Top Ten Nationals Professional Karate.

Lewis won 30 major titles during his career. He is the only one to have won 4 titles of Grand Champion for the US National Karate Championships (1966-69) and 3 titles of Grand Champion for the International Karate Championships (1969-71). The following are excerpts from his battles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ozpqOUyBU

Conclusions :

Many videos about Joe Lewis' fights are available on the Internet. In addition, a video is sold, "Joe Lewis American Fighting Legend" [3], with very short excerpts from his fights.

In traditional Karate, he fought in a static way, with a low guard and a side kick.

The iconography is important. However, no site provides an exhaustive list of his fights.

The Joe Lewis's official site makes his personal glory, paints a laudatory career, which excludes any objectivity [4]. This site states that Joe Lewis holds now a black belt 10th dan, and invented a style named Joe Lewis Fighting System. Joe Lewis is quoted as "the greatest fighter of all time", as that would have been awarded by Bruce Lee, or other, depending on the versions.

Record :

It is very difficult to establish with certainty a record for Joe Lewis. According to the various elements, the fights following can be mentioned :

1966 US NAT BLACK BELT CHAMPIONSHIP JOHN RHEE
Lewis wins the tournament and the kata
31.07.1966 INTERNATIONALS KARATE CHAMPIONSHIP ED PARKER
Lewis lost against Allen Steen

1967 HENRI CHO'S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Chuck Norris beats Joe Lewis for the Grand Champion
1967 ALL AMERICAN KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS NY
Chuck Norris beat sJoe Lewis for the Grand Champion
1967 US NAT BLACK BELT CHAMPIONSHIP JOHN RHEE WASHINGTON
Lewis beats John Wooley and Mitchell Bobrow
19.05.1967 CALIFORNIA STATE KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Lewis loses against Ralph Castellanos in the heavyweights finals
24.06.1967 HENRY CHO TOURNAMENT
Joe Lewis beats Frank Hargrove
29/30.06.1967 INTERNATIONALS
Chuck Norris beats Joe Lewis
1967 PACIFIC COAST INVITATIONAL KARATE TOURNEY
Lewis loses against Ron Marchini and Ralph Castallanos. Lewis finishes 3rd

1968 US CHAMPIONSHIPS BY ALLAN STEEN, DALLAS
Lewis beats Chuck Norris
04.02.1968 EAST-COAST vs WEST-COAST
Joe Lewis beats La Puppet and Louis Delgado
February 1968 WORLD PROFESSIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS KANSAS
Joe Lewis beats Fred Wren and David Moon
25.05.1968 NATIONALS
Joe Lewis beats Mitchell Bobrow
1968 TACOMA FIRST ANNUAL TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
Lewis beats Artis Simmons
1968 COREE vs USA
Joe Lewis beats Ju Hum Kim
1968 TAE GYUN TOURNEY
Joe Lewis loses against Mitchell Bobrow
13.07.1968 ORIENT vs US
Joe Lewis loses against N. Tanaka
03/04.1968 INTERNATIONALS ED PARKER
Joe Lewis is disqualified
26.08.1968 WORLD'S FAIR KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Joe Lewis loses against Victor Moore
1968 PRO TOURNAMENT, DALLAS
Joe Lewis beats Mullins
23/24.11.1968 WORLD PROFESSIONAL KARATE CHAMPIONSHIP NY
Joe Lewis beatsVictor Moore

1969 LONG BEACH INTERNATIONALS ED PARKER
Lewis wins the tournament
1969 KANSAS CITY USKA GRAND NATIONALS
Lewis beats Vic Moore and Artis Simmons for the Grand Champion

17.01.1970 1st USA PRO TEAM KARATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Joe Lewis beats Chuck Lovins
1970 : BATTLE OF ATLANTA
Lewis wins against Mitchell Bobrow in the heavyweights
Lewis wins against Joe Hayes for the Grand Champion
1970 HENRI CHO'S TOURNAMENT N.Y
Lewis wins against Frank Hargrove
1970 JOHN RHEE NATIONAL
Lewis wins against Frank Hargrove
1970 US NATIONALS WASHINGTON/DC
Lewis fights against Joe Hayes
01/02.08.1970 7th ANNUAL INTERNATIONALS LONG BEACH d'Ed Parker
Lewis beats Byong Yu for the Grand Champion
1970 ATLANTA SOUTHWEST US OPEN
Lewis beats Gaylord Cleveland
06./07.06.1970 USKA GRAND NATIONALS
Lewis beats Victor Moore loses against Bill Wallace for the Grand Champion

1971 LONG BEACH INTERNATIONALS ED PARKER
Lewis wins over Steve Sanders for the Grand Champion.

1971 ALL STAR BLACK BELT TEAM

Lewis loses against John Natividad

1972 GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP ED PARKER LONG BEACH
Lewis loses against Darnell Garcia
1972 USKA GRAND CHAMPION

Lewis loses against Bill Wallace

mai 1974 HIDY OCHIAI'S NATIONAL KARATE CLASSIC, NY
Lewis loses against Charles Curry
11/12.05.1974 PRO/AM WORLD ASSOCIATION OF KARATE, PAWAK
Lewis loses against Steve Sanders
17 mai 1974 : PROFESSIONAL KARATE (USA vs EUROPE), BERLIN
Lewis beats Budimir Vejnovic by 5/0
19.07.1974 KARATE OLYMPICS, HOUSTON
Lewis beats Ed Daniel and Jim Butin
27.07.1974 TOP TEN NATIONALS PROFESSIONAL KARATE
Joe Lewis loses against Everett Eddy 4-6

Second part of Joe Lewis's story, about kick-boxing.

[1] Lewis and his American Karate Systems , Joe Lewis, Jerry Beasley, Paladin Press, 1998
[2] http://www.usadojo.com/articles/history-karate-america.htm
[3] 2006, Masters Martial Arts
[4] http://www.joelewisfightingsystems.com/