Debuts :
The first full contact match takes place on January 17th 1970, at the Long Beach Sports Arena. Joe Lewis beats Greg Baines, in the 2nd round, by KO. Video of the fight : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=67NdOX2lj-k. The very muscular Baines is the karate heavyweight's champion of California and practices Kempo. His nickname is possibly "Om". In 1968, during a competition between Mainland and Hawaii, Baines has won two fights, before losing against Rodney Del Pina.
Baines and Lewis wear gloves of 12 ounces. Baines is barefoot and Lewis is wearing sneakers. The fight was announced in the press as "full-contact", but the speaker of the evening speaks about American Kick Boxing, which will remains definition cited for many years.
Joe Lewis claims to have fought the same day, against Chuck Lemmon, for 3 rounds, possibly in traditional karate? Greg Baines died shortly after this fight, during an accident.
Lewis (right) vs Baines
This game takes place during the championships by teams of traditional karate, mentioned above, the 1st US Pro Team Karate Championships, promoted by Lee Faulkner.
Lewis would have defended this title 10 times during the year 1970. Because no federation handled seriously these battles, it is not possible to find all the names of his opponents, but we can include the following :
Usa Pro Open Karate Championships. This paragraph is based on the February 1971 issue of the newspaper Official Karate. On 20 June 1970 in Dallas/Texas, this championship is produced by Lee Faulkner and organized by Allen Steen. Traditional karate fights open the evening. Thereafter, two kick-boxing fights are planned.
The first oppose Jim Harrison to Victor Moore. Ed Parker and Allen Steen are among the judges. The battle takes place in a ring. Jim Harrison wears a t-shirt, while Victor Moore is stripped to the waist. Moore controls the first round by 40 to 32. He touches his opponent in the face. Harrisons' face is bleeding. The doctor controls twice the wounds. At the end of the second round, Victor Moore press Harrison against the ropes and the score is 79 to 68. In the third round, Harrison sweeps Moore, who falls to the canvas. Thereafter, Moore lands a punch to the head of Harrison, and the latter is declared out, after a count of 5 seconds.
Second fight. Joe Lewis meets "Big" Ed Daniel (Daniels), a 6'7'' giant, 35 years old. The latter practice Karate and would come from the famous "Texas school". During the 1969 Grand National Karate Championships, Ed Daniel loses against Dirk Mosig. Daniel was the All-American Champion runnerup in 1967 and has won the same tournament in 1969 ?
Lewis and Daniel are stripped to the waist and barefoot. They wear boxing gloves. Joe Lewis tucks in close to his opponent, who dominates widely in size. Daniel attacks and wins the first round by 38 to 37. In the second round, Lewis lands with a punch, and sends Daniel to the canvas. Daniel is coming up, but after the 5 seconds count and he is declared out. Reporter says that Daniel was reportedly injured and taken to the hospital. According to the Daniel's interview in the october 1978 Karate Illustrated, he stays 17 days in the hospital. A blood vessel had bursted in his brain during the fight, maybe in relation with a problem of blood presure.
A too short video of the fight : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=5p_kC1IbB5M
After this fight, Ed Daniel finished 2nd, behind James Butin, after having beaten Billie Simmons, at the First Annual Southwest Open Karate Championships, in 1972. He also met Joe Lewis once again, in traditional karate, with protections, in July 1974, during the Olympics Karate.
Now, Ed Daniel is still teaching karate, possibly the style of Okinawa. In 1974 or 1975, he meet Everett Eddy, in traditional with protection. Ed Daniel floored him in the first round, before loosing during the "sudden death".
In 1970, he beats Wally Slocki, by ko in the 3rd round, in Toronto. Slocki says it was an exhibition. He wears a t-shirt while Joe Lewis is stripped to the waist. In the 2nd round, Lewis put his knee in the face of his opponent. The latter fall on the floor. We are speaking about Wally Slocki's career in the article about the 09.14.1974 evening, in Los-Angeles. To our knowledge, Slocki is the only fighter opposed to Lewis during this period, which made other fights in full-contact.
On January 24th 1971, Lewis fights against Ronnie Barkoot, at the 2nd Annual United Nations Open Karate, organized by Aaron Banks. The fight is scheduled for 4 x 2 minutes, in a ring. The fighters wear gloves and gym shoes. Lewis wins by KO in the 1st round. Ronnie Baarkoot is karate champion of his State and would have a lazy waist at the time of the fight. He is registered as a 10th Dan. Video of this fight and the following fight : http://www.youtube.com/user/BandoBob1#p/u/6/et7nSQdwgaw
This paragraph is based on the newspaper Martial Arts Illustrated, January 1972 issue. On June 23rd, 1971, Joe Lewis beats Jesse "Atlas" King by ko in the 2nd round (3rd round according to other versions, citing a World Championship Kickboxing Bout ?). The battle is organized by Aaron Banks and took place in a ring. Joe Lewis is stripped to the waist and King wears a t-shirt. Both fighters are wearing boxing gloves and sport shoes. Sources cite Jesse King as practising Taekwondo or Kyokushinkai karate ? Joe Lewis is quoted as the U.S. Kickboxing Champion.
The fighters exchanged firstly side kicks. Joe Lewis hit his opponent with hooks to the face. King falls to the canvas. After the count, the fight resumed and King returned to the canvas, after a kick from Lewis. He will fall for the third time, before the end of the round. During the second round, King returned to the canvas several times before the bout is stopped after 2 minutes 30 seconds. The newspaper Martial Arts Illustrated speaks about a No-Contest ? During the same evening, Dr. Maung Gyi, practising Burma or Bando, beats a boxer named Jeff Joseph (no traces in the boxrec), by ko in the 3rd round. Maung Gyi would not have given kicks because his boxer opponent can't give kicks. The fights of the evening are considered no serious by the newspaper above cited.
Joe Lewis announced his withdrawal from full-contact competition in 1972, returning to fight in traditional karate or professional.
1st Come-Back :
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.
On September 14th 1974 held the first international championship of full-contact, organized by the PKA (Professional Karate Association). Joe Lewis struggles against the Yugoslav Franc Brodar. This fight is organised by Mike Anderson. Lewis wins at the 2nd round. At the same evening, Bill Wallace and Jeff Smith also become world champions of full contact. An article is based on this evening, in this blog.
It is difficult to be assertive, but it seems that Joe Lewis has never defended his heavyweights title PKA, thereafter.
06.08.1975. Joe Lewis makes a full-contact demo against Paul Barbeau, in Ottawa.
Tommy Lee's World Series of Martial Arts Championships :
It is a special article in this blog about the WSMAC.
Details of the fights are coming from the Oriental Fighting Arts issue of November 1975.
On July 27th 1975, in Honolulu/Hawaii, Joe Lewis participates to the World Series of Martial Arts, organized by Tommy Lee. Joe Lewis married two days before.
A special feature is noteworthy. As shown on the photos, fighters are wearing protections on the elbows and are allowed to use these body parts to hit their opponent.
In his first match, Joe Lewis beat Ron Clay, purple belt in Kajukenbo. In the first round, Joe Lewis is very confident. He is hit on numerous occasions and even sent to the canvas, before getting up and putting Ron Clay ko, with a blow to the head.
Joe Lewis vs Ron Clay, "The Unknown Marine"
A short excerpt from this match is reproduced in the video "Joe Lewis, American fighting legend". Ron Clay is mentioned as "an unknown Marine". The viewing of this excerpt demonstrates that Ron Clay hits his opponent, but we do not see any knock-down from Joe Lewis.
Ted Limoz :
At the same level of the competition, Ted Limoz beats Ken Bell, by ko in the 1st round, after having sent him 3 times to the canvas.
The two winners meet in the finals. They start with studying each others, in the first round and Joe Lewis wins this part of the fight. In the second round, Ted Limoz takes the kicks and punches from his opponent and continues to face him. Joe Lewis begins to clinch and even receive a warning for head-butting. Ted Limoz makes the forcing in the 3rd and final round. Joe Lewis protects himself and ends up being wounded to the eye. A doctor examines the wound and says that he could continue. Ted Limoz pursues his opponent with his fists and finally wins the last round and the match.
Joe Lewis vs Ted Limoz, very rare pictures.
With this victory, Limoz earns between USD 3,000.-- and 5,000 .--, depending on the versions.
It's a special article in this blog about Ted Limoz.
Special message :
If you have any information, results, photos about Ted Limoz Sr, or the Tommy Lee's World Series of Martials Arts, in 1974, 1975 or 1976, thank you very much for sending it to me at this address : usakaratestory
Defeat against Scott Ross :
08.24.1975. The match takes place in Atlantic City / New Jersey. Joe Lewis loses against Ross Scott, in a non-title match. Scott Ross has previously disputed only one match in full-contact and can go for a journeyman.
Lewis injures his right shoulder during the match, possibly in the 3rd round, following a blow thrown in the air. The match was stopped for about 5 minutes, leaving time to heal. He continues to fight.
Ross Scott gives numerous kicked in the head of Lewis, who blocked a large number of them. According to "Professional Karate" issue of November-December 1975 and "Fighting Champions" issue of February 1976, and contrary to what has often been reported, Joe Lewis was not penalized for lack of kicking, despite the rule of "Six kicks per round rule " in effect.
Joe Lewis loses on points in 7 rounds, 17-12. Scott won 3 rounds and Lewis 2, the others being considered draw. Both fighters were wounded in the face.
The victory of Ross Scott is a real surprise, Joe Lewis is a precursor of full-contact and seemingly invincible. A very short video of the fight : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=RjRxhtFrbQA
Joe Lewis was stripped of his title PKA by Mike Anderson, after these two defeats above cited. His successor is Scott Ross, who beat Johnny Lee for the title, by ko in the 3rd round, in 1976.
His coach :
Joey Orbillo is often cited as Joe Lewis' coach for full-contact. According to the latter, Orbillo would have teach him boxing in 1970, for his first match with ko. Orbillo is also the coach for American fighters, during the evening of September 1974.
Joey Orbillo continues to work with Joe Lewis, until his fight against Ross Scott.
Orbillo is a former professional boxer, with 17 wins, including 9 ko, 4 defeats including one before the limit and a draw. He fights, among others, excellent fighters as Eddie Machen and Jerry Quarry.
Thereafter, Joey Orbillo becomes a policeman in Los Angeles, and after a longshoreman.
2nd Come-Back :
In 1982, Joe Lewis returns to full-contact competition, but never wins the world title. He wins his first fight by ko in the 3rd, against Bill Morrison (10-1 record at this time) in Greenville. Morrison had worked all the day of the fight, then traveled to the fight place. He almost cancelled the fight, but was blackmailed into fighting by the promoter. Morrison said that he was illegally kneed in the face and knocked out. Bill Morrison will end his career with a record of 17-4-1. His defeats were suffered against 4 World Champions, Joe Lewis, Anthony Elmore (2 times) and Demetrius "Oaktree" Edwards. Morrison defeated Big John Jackson in 51 seconds, for the U.S. title. Jackson had taken this title from Ross Scott. Thank you to Bill Morrison for this details.
On February 3rd, 1983, in Charlotte, Lewis beats on points Curtis "Cow-Boy" Crandall (19-2, 10 kos, who has already lost against Don Wilson by tko in the 11th in full-contact, and has two fights, two losses on points in boxing).
Joe Lewis beats Mel Cole (who lost the WKA title against Stan Longinidis, by ko in the first round).
One week before the fight against Roop, for the heavyweight US title, Joe Lewis takes part in an exhibition in 5 rounds, against Anthony Elmore, the PKA Super-Heavyweights World Champion. This exhibition is broadcast on ESPN. Elmore will meet Tony Palmore two weeks after the exhibition, for the world title.
Joe Lewis loses against Kerry Roop and was stopped in the 4th round, by injury above the eye (Kerry Roop has lost three times against Jean-Yves Theriault, two times by ko and once on points and he has also lost against Brad Hefton and Robert Biggs. Roop Kerry has beaten Dan Macaruso for the PKA light-heavyweights title in 1982 and has fought Jeff Smith).
Joe Lewis beats Charlton Young (15-1, 11 kos, practicing Taekwondo) on points in 7 rounds, at the Battle of Atlanta.
Thank you to Tim Ayres for informations. This paragraph is also based on article of the August 1983 Fighting Stars issue.
He makes still a famous exhibition with Bill Wallace in 1990, including the following excerpts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-bjRT3NQUI
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.
We note that he had a style, in full-contact, mainly composed of heavy and individually delivered punches.
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 :
Full Contact, or Kick-Boxing
01.17.1970: GREG BAINES, wko 2 - Long Beach. Kick Boxing Usa
20.06.1970: BIG ED DANIEL, wko 2 Dallas Usa Pro Open
00.00.1970: WALLY SLOCKI, wko 3 Toronto Karate Championship
01.24.1971: RONNIE BARKOOT, wko 1
06.23.1971: ATLAS JESS KING, wko 2 (or wko 3 according to other sources)
1st Come-Back
09.14.1974: FRANK BRODAR, wko 2 Los Angeles-PKA World Champion
Tommy Lee's World Series of Martial Arts, Hawaii
07.27.1975 : RON CLAY, wko1
07.27.1975: TED LIMOZ, lp3
08.24.1975: ROSS SCOTT, lp7 Atlantic-City/N.J.
2nd Come-back :
12.02.1982 : BILL MORRISON w ko 3
00.00.1983 : CURTIS CRANDALL w p
04.16.1983 : TOM HALL, l
07.16.1983 : MEL COLE w
10.00.1983 : ANTHONY ELMORE, exhibition
10.08.1983 : KERRY ROOP, l on cut in the 4hth, for the US heavyweights title
12.07.1983 : CHARLTON YOUNG wp 7
00.00.1990: BILL WALLACE, exhibition
Total final announced in 1990: 18 victories, 3 defeats, 16 kos.
Total found from our sources in 1990 : 15 fights, 11 victories, 4 losses This total is not confirmed in "The Official History of Karate in America" of Al Weiss, which cited 14 fights, 10 victories, 4 losses.
[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/
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