“Unquestionably America’s Greatest Fighting Champion”
Joe Lewis 1944 – 2012
“Unquestionably America’s Greatest Fighting Champion”
Grandmaster Joe Lewis was an Americankickboxer, point karate fighter, and actor. As a fighter, Lewis gained fame for his matches in the 1960s and 1970s. He was twice voted the greatest fighter in karate history,and attained the titles of "United States Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion.”
He joined the United States Marine Corps in 1962. He studied Shorin-ryu Karate with Eizo Shimabukuro, John Korab, Chinsaku Kinjo and Seiyu Oyata. While stationed in Okinawa in 1964-1965, he earned his black belt in a mere seven months. In 1966, with only 22 months of training, Lewis won the grand championship of the 1st tournament he entered. Lewis defeated 7 opponents before defeating Thomas LaPuppet by 2-0 decision. Lewis reigned as the U.S. Nationals grand champion from 1966-1969.
In 1967, Lewis began training privately with Bruce Lee. Lewis also began training with former heavyweight boxing contender Joe Orbillo, enhancing his skills. He was known to have a cocky attitude but he could sure back it up. He had movie star looks and a bodybuilders body making him a perfect movie star candidate. At the time he broke into the film business he was the highest paid actor in Hollywood.
Lewis had a strong karate, kickboxing and full contact karate career. In 1968, Lewis and five other top rated fighters fought in the 1st World Professional Karate Championships (WPKC), held in Kansas City. The rules allowed heavy contact. Lewis won the tournament. He went on to lose a decision to Japanese-American N. Tanaka in the 1968 Orient vs US Tournament. He won the championship trophy by decisioning Larry Whitner, Phil Ola, and Skipper Mullins, and later that year defeated Louis Delgado. Lewis won the World Heavyweight Title in the November 1968 Aaron Banks World Professional Karate Championships.
In late 1969 promoter Lee Faulkner contacted Lewis to fight in the United States Karate Championships. Lewis had retired from point fighting, but agreed to fight if Faulkner promoted a full-contact karate bout with an opponent who would fight to the knockout. Faulkner agreed. As Lewis and Greg Baines entered the ring wearing boxing gloves the announcer identified the fighters as "kickboxers". On January 17, 1970, he won the first-ever kickboxing bout in North America with a second round knockout over Greg Baines. In June, 1970, in Dallas, Texas Lewis defended his US Kickboxing Association heavyweight title against Ed Daniel, with a 2nd round knockout. In a later rematch he bested Daniel in 3 rounds. In 1970-71, Lewis defended his United States Heavyweight Kickboxing title with 8 straight knockouts. By the end of 1971, interest in kickboxing hit an all time low. In a 1975 comeback fight in Hawaii Lewis lost a 3-round decision (non title) to Teddy Limoz. He later lost a 7-round decision to Ross Schott after suffering a dislocated shoulded. Stripped of the PKA World Heavyweight title after a contract dispute, he launched a comeback in 1983 and earned Top-10 PKA world ranking. In 1990 Lewis fought his last exhibition kickboxing/karate match with friend Bill Wallace. Two judges scored a tie, one judge gave the fight to Wallace. Lewis retired with a kickboxing record of 16 wins (14 KOs), 4 losses, 1 draw.
1974 was his final year in tournament karate competition. He spent the remainder of his life promoting the Joe Lewis Fighting System (JLFS) around the world teaching seminars and clinics. Upon his death in 2012, the Associated JLFS groups unanimously recommitted to promoting and enhancing the System bequeathed to them by Lewis.
