Joe Lewis
World Champion / Father of Full-Contact Karate
Legendary American karate and kickboxing champion, private student of Bruce Lee, and father of American Full-Contact Karate.
Quick Facts
Date of Birth3/7/1944
Date of Death9/5/2012
Era20th–21st century
Country of Origin
USA
USARank / TitleWorld Heavyweight Champion / Student of Bruce Lee
Active Years1965–2012
Biography
Joe Lewis was voted the greatest karate fighter of all time. Training privately under Bruce Lee in the late 1960s, he introduced boxing biomechanics to martial arts, winning the 1970 PKA World Heavyweight title.
Associated Martial Arts
Jeet Kune DoChampion→
Bruce Lee's system from the late 1960s, rejecting closed styles. He started from wing chun but concluded that any fixed system is a limitation.
KarateChampion→An Okinawan striking art reshaped in the 20th century into Japanese budo and an Olympic sport. Built on kata and hand and foot techniques.