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Category Archive: Professional Karate Magazine

Professional Karate was an American martial arts magazine that was published by Universal Publications Inc out of Oklahoma City. Publisher Mike Anderson hired journalist and writer John Corcoran to produce the first magazine solely devoted to modern, competition based sport karate. At the core of the magazine was Anderson’s Top Ten ratings system that would rank the best competitors in their specific competition domain like freestyle fighting, forms or fullcontact.

Jeff Smith Interview

Jeff Smith
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The first light-heavyweight fullcontact world champions speaks out ahead of his first title defense against Canadian Wally Slocki.

Professional Karate Magazine

Linda Lee – Candid Interview (1974)

Linda Lee
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Linda Lee speaks about the death of her husband Bruce, their kids and Kung Fu’s Jeet Kune Do.

Professional Karate Magazine

Al Gene Caraulia

Al Gene Caraulia
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The winner and grand champion of the first American sport karate tournament in 1963 speaks about martial arts in this candid interview.

Professional Karate Magazine

World Professional Karate Championships 1974

Kickboxing World champions
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Once protective gear was introduced this huge event created a new fighting sport with fullcontact fighting. The history of American kickboxing started.

Professional Karate Magazine

Mardi Gras Nationals 1974

National Championships 1974
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Fred Wren showed his superiority in point fighting. The Mardi Gras Open 1974 were one of the first tournaments using Jhoon Rhee”s Safe-T protective gear for semicontact competition.

Professional Karate Magazine

Ronnie van Clief

Ron van Clief
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New York’s martial arts great Ron Van Clief presented in an early feature in Professional Karate magazine.

Professional Karate Magazine

U.S. Open Professional Black Belt Championships

Grandchampion Jeff Smith
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As tributes were paid to the deceased Bruce Lee one of the greatest point fighting karate tournaments unfolded in Ocean City.

Professional Karate Magazine

Four Seasons Nationals 1973

Howard Jackson
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Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The first time the greats of American tournament karate meet to mourn the death of friend and idol Bruce Lee.

Professional Karate Magazine

AKA NATIONALS 1973

American Karate
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Hundreds of spectators and competitors alike packed into the grand ballroom of Chicago’s luxurious Hyatt Regency Hotel to […]

Professional Karate Magazine

1973 Mardi Gras National Karate Championships

Al Dacascos
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Months of pre-tournament publicity, professional planning, and carnival festivities attract nationwide field of competitors. New Orleans black belt […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Top 10 Nationals 1972

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ST. LOUIS : TOP 10 NATIONALS Knudson Wins The Gold Cup, Chicago Dominates National Competition Chicago’s Ken Knudson […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Black Belt Grand Championships 1973

Bill Wallace vs Fred Wren
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ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO 1973 NATIONAL BLACK BELT GRAND CHAMPIONSHIPS By TERRY SMITH DESPITE RAIN, FOG, SLEET, snow, hail […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Candid Interview with Bill Wallace (1975)

Bill Wallace
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ABOUT A YEAR or so ago, Fast Billy Wallace and his lightning left leg went the way of […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Western Pro/Am 1975 in Oakland

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Upstart Comin (left) fooling one the People’s one of the times.

Professional Karate Magazine

Byong Yong Yu

Byong Yong Yu
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A Candid Interview with: BYONG YONG YU (from 1975) Seoul’s colorful, outspoken donation to American karate pulls no […]

Professional Karate Magazine

US Championships 1973 in Karate

Jeff Smith vs. Demetrius Havanas
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1973 UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIPS: After the preliminary smoke had cleared, 12 contestants had earned their way to a semi-final berth and an eventual chance to meet Los Angeles’ Bob Dunek, defending Grand Champion. “Fast Billy” Wallace Regains Title, Oregon’s Dan Anderson Makes Big Waves

Professional Karate Magazine

The Story of Kung Fu

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INTRODUCTION IT IS CURIOUS TO NOTE that with all the growth of enthusiasm in Martial Arts, there is […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Joe Lewis Candid Interview (1973)

Joe Lewis
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JOE LEWIS was born 29 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina. His father, in addition to being a […]

Professional Karate Magazine

Eddy Everett

Eddy Everett
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The kind of dude who makes you respect him. Eddy Everett, the next heavyweight champion in fullcontact karate? (1975)

Professional Karate Magazine

How can Bill Wallace kick so quick?

Bill Wallace
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Superfoot explains how he trains to kick with high speed of 60 mph. He reveals sophisticated body mechanics that work!

Professional Karate Magazine

Wolfgang Wedde – The Norwegian Legend

Wolfgang Wedde
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The man who moved from Germany to Norway to pioneer the sport of kickboxing (sport karate). Wedde is one of the original founders of WAKO.

Professional Karate MagazineWAKO History

Isaias Duenas Interview

Issaias Duenas
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The first fullcontact world champion in 1974: Mexican Isaias Duenas inside a candid interview shortly after his spectacular title win.

Professional Karate Magazine

Kickboxing: USA vs. Japan

Benny Urquidez
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1977: Benny Urquidez traveld to Japan to meet challenger Okao, an unusually big mouthed Japanese kickboxer. A legendary fight erupted.

Professional Karate Magazine

Bill Wallace Interview (1978)

Bill Wallace
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An eye-opening interview with karate superstar Bill “Superfoot” Wallace at the prime of his fighting career.

Professional Karate Magazine

Joe Corley

Joe Corley
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1975: Leading up to the Battle of Atlanta with Joe Corley challenging Bill Wallace in the first professional style fullcontact karate/kickboxing title fight ever.

Professional Karate Magazine

Chuck Norris: How to become a champion

Chuck Norris
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Karate Champion Chuck Norris talks about what it takes to come to the top.

Professional Karate Magazine

Bob Wall on Bruce Lee

Bob Wall
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Bob Wall was a close friend of Bruce Lee’s. This is a short interview in which he talks about Bruce Lee’s personality and his driving skills.

Professional Karate Magazine

Jhoon Rhee

Jhoon Rhee
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It probably could be a pretty soft life in the foam-rubber world of Jhoon Rhee, the man who […]

History of Martial ArtsMasters and PersonalitiesProfessional Karate Magazine

Hall of Fame

Bruce Lee
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Professional Karate magazine honored the best of the martial arts inside their Hall of Fame in the mid-seventies.

Masters and PersonalitiesProfessional Karate Magazine

A Candid Interview with Mike Stone

Mike Stone
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Whenever karate men get together and start telling stories about the past, one name that comes up more […]

Masters and PersonalitiesProfessional Karate Magazine
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