Mastermind2002 said:
Lewis is serious as a heart attack. He would've killed Bruce Lee. Check the stats..
1. Earned his black belt in a remarkable seven months as a Marine in Okinawa. The average time span is three to four years.
2. Won the U.S. National Championships in forms, weapons and fighting with 22 months of his first karate class. Most students are lucky to be brown belts at 22 months.
3. Was first World Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion.
4. World Heavyweight Karate Champion. Combined with his kickboxing title, Lewis was the first of only two people to hold world titles in two different fighting sports.
5. Voted by a poll of peers as the Greatest Karate Fighter in History, not just once but twice! Once in America and once in Europe. Voters included World Champions Chuck Norris, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace and Jeff "DC Bomber" Smith.
6. Twice Voted to Black Belt magazine's Hall of Fame as the 1975 Fighter of the Year and the 1986 Co-Instructor of the Year. This is an honored recognition of Joe's transition from fearless fighter to gifted teacher.
7. Recognized as the Father of American Kickboxing.
8. Action star of the silver screen in Jaguar Lives! and Force Five.
9. Voted to over a dozen Hall of Fames including being the first recipient of the prestigious NAPMA Lifetime Achievement Award.
10. First World Champion to be awarded a 10th Degree Grand Master Ranking.
In a career spanning three decades, Joe Lewis has won more titles, set more records and instituted more innovations than anyone in the history of Sport Karate.
When it comes to teaching people of all ages and levels of experience how to fight in the ring or self-defense, nobody can touch Joe Lewis.
I felt compelled to chime in on this entry, because I think there is a definite failure of understanding...but you are entitled to your belief(s), and I respect that...that said:
1. You are comparing a 'Sport' (Karate/Western Kick-Boxing) to a Fighting System (JKD). There is no comparison, as the 'Sport' does NOT involve ACTUAL combat. Bruce Lee's JKD was not about the ROBOTIC/Cookie-cutter movements as Karate (Katas, etc.). JKD is INDIVIDUALIZED...as Bruce found that no two combatants were alike...No combat situations were dictated...and most importantly, there would be no referee or point system judging/scoring what you 'could have' done to an opponent and vice versa.
2. LEE trained LEWIS...and Lewis employed Lee's philosophies/teachings to become a better competitor in the ring. JKD does not rely on centuries old postures, but adapts to the real-world situations that one would face today...When you are attacked, you act and react, and do whatever it takes to come out victorious (Biting, scratching, choking, knees, elbows, etc). I have yet to see a Karate-man execute his katas during a 'real' comobat encounter. You just don't have the time, nor does the ever-changing dynamics of a 'real' fight allow you maintain you Karate discipline. LEE recognized this fact a long time ago...that is why he reasoned that to be victorious in combat, you had to eliminate the 'Clasical Mess' from your training...and just do/perfect what 'WORKS'.
3. LEE's fight with NORRIS...made Norris a superstar. Their battle in the 'Way of the Dargon' is a classic. In that film, Lee demonstrated the need to be fluid/dynamic when in combat. He was getting beat, until he altered his tactics...and used what worked!!! NORRIS has always had nothing but heartfelt kindness for Lee, as is the only artist to openly admit that Lee was his teacher, and that he learned a great deal from Lee.
4. The 'Titles' that you win...in a closed/controlled environment do NOT impress a skilled/seasoned 'street-fighter'. Your induction in various 'Halls of Fame' only mean something to those people who are impressed by it. If you put such people into 'actual' combat situations, where there are no rules, many of them would not last beyond two minutes. Lee would hold his own in such environments; whereas 'Sport' fighters would get beat because they fail to understand that there are NO rules to true combat...Victory At All Cost is the most important factor.
The comparison of LEE to 'Sugar' Ray LEONARD is pointless. Lee could knock out many oponents...just as Leonard could. It is all predicated upon the opponent before you, and the weapon (ex. punch) that you applied to the 'right' target on the opponent. Lee understood that power was generated from the 'hips', whereas most western boxers generate their power from the waist. Lee was a huge fan of Western-Boxing, and idolized Joe Lewis Barow and Muhhamad Ali. Lee felt that Western-Boxing was the closest thing to actual combat, and adopted much of its tactics (jabs, footwork) to his JKD principles.
I could go on and on...but the bottom line is this: LEE may NOT have been the baddest man on the planet. But he grew to be light years ahead of any other martial artist of his day. He recognized that when confronted with combat, the 'best' technique was...'NO' Technique!!! Having 'No' technique allows you to adapt to all techniques. The same poeple that persecute him still to this would not have faced off against him when he was with us.
Just my thoughts on this topic...
