Bio
Ralph Passero My Bio
The Beginning:
Ralph D. Passero, started Isshinryu at the Bayonne Dojo on April
1st 1968, April Fools' Day. The school was known as Don Nagle's American Okinawan
Karate Association. It was established in 1966. The head sensei was Joel Buchholtz
a 7th Dan. At that time one of Master Nagle's most knowledgeable students.
An excellent teacher and a dedicated isshinryu karate master. His staff of instructors
included Mark Wzorek, Dennis Wright, Robert Doria, Robert Mansfield, Ed Badjbeck,
Ralph Chirico on occasion, many others I don't remember.
My original intention was to fight one of their instructors who
had a reputation of being an outstanding black belt and vicious fighter, I knew
him prior to this. He was Mark Wzorek.
I was just discharged from the U S Army, 82nd Airborne Division,
and a Viet Nam Veteran I had served with the 1st Air Cavalry Division, 1st Brigade
Airborne, I was a combat vet who thought I was invincible. My Airborne Combat
training had me convinced as all airborne troops are, we are the ultimate weapon.
I was about to enter a dojo, for the first time in my life and they had a different
idea. I walk in the school, I challenge Mark Wzorek to a fight, he explains
to me, that before he can fight me in this school, I would have to join, pay
$20.00 for dues, and $20.00 to join the AOKA. I did not have $40.00 to do this.
I have a friend Butch Nagy and we are both working for my father
in a dress factory, my dad pays for the both of us for the first month. I know
we won't be here after the first night, but I want to fight this guy. Which
turns out to be not such a good idea. The paper work is done, we are both on
the floor, class is in progress and then about 8:00PM osh is called, and all
line up, aswatti is called we all sit down. And Sensei Wzorek announces that
he will be fighting all the black belts, this is my chance to fight I guess.
As Butch and I watch, Sensei Wzorek fight the class one after
the other is getting a beating, these fights were real, and there was no equipment.
You got hit, and you hit back if you could. Butch and I sat there in awe.
I can't describe accurately what I saw because what was happening was happening
so fast, I did not know the name of the back kicks, jump kicks, spinning back
hands, shuto's, take downs, to me at this time was just a vicious display of
fighting techniques. Each time the match ended, they would both bow out and
shake hands. This was new to me.
After Sensei Wzorek finished with them, he looks at me and says
does any one want to kumite, what do I know what kumite means, I don't answer.
Then he says in English who wants to sparr, fight. I lowered my head and looked
at the floor, and said NO. My best friend Butch, suggests to me, to fight him
and if I start to loose, he will jump in. I can't say on this bio what I said
to him. I knew I was gong to get murdered if I fought this guy. I did not,
class ended. On the walk home from the school Butch and decided to return and
make peace and become students. That was the beginning of my Martial arts life
36 years ago.
We both returned to class the next night, as humble students,
ordered a gi, got our basics and spent two hours on six exercises, not talking
and then watched as the rest of the class did kumite.
Eventually, Sensei Wzorek became my sensei, and a true friend.
He spent a lot of time and was very patient with me, I was having a hard time
with this. He was trying to teach me timing, balance, focus, the snapping technique,
all that is required for the Isshinryu punch to be effective.
I was a slow learner and probably one of the most difficult students
he encountered. His patience I will never forget. I was on my basic upper
body exercises almost forever, my kicks I had no problem with at all. I would
watch Sensei Wzorek and Sensei Dennis Wright do these exercise and could not
believe, how sharp, fast and focused they performed them. Both were trained
by Master Nagle I finally get my chance to kumite, I am fighting a black belt
named Bobby Doria, he is a little guy, half of my weight and he is all over
me, the more I try to hit him the more I am getting hit. He was incredible,
and then he says he can't fight too good, he has a bad knee.
I fight another guy, Sensei Wright, I never saw half of techniques
he hit me with, he was super fast, hard as steel, and his timing wore me out.
I knew I was going to be fighting this guy again and again. He was one of Master
Nagle's super fighters. He had a personality second to none, a very gentle
man, patient and never complain, and would not say a bad word about any one.
I immediately had total respect and admiration for the man. He was one hundred
sixty-five lbs and half my size. I weighed about two twenty, over the next
four months, he would beat over thirty lbs off me. His endurance was endless,
he would along with the other black belts in the school, fight matches for over
thirty minutes.
Every night that I trained, I would fight him, and we would meet
on Saturday and Sundays, I would fight him as hard as I could and he would,
sometimes I think he was just playing. We fought constantly the harder I
hit him, the harder he hit me back, this was a battle. This was the best feeling
I ever enjoyed in my entire life this was a high second to none.
When I did fight in competition, I didn't care who I fought,
in my mind no one was any threat to me whether I won or lost, I fought without
fear, they were n o comparison to Sensei Wright.
When we fought on off days at the school, spectators, and students
would watch and not under stand how we would try to beat each other to death,
draw blood, give and get black eyes, body bruises, and what ever and then when
we both had enough, shake hands clean up, go next door to Als Sportsman Bar,
enjoy a beverage and go home, and the formal class we would fight after class
ended, for some times a half hour, this was after Sensei Wright fought the rest
of the class. I would some how manage to walk home, Sensei Wright would to
work, over a mile away, to work the midnight shift at Pirelli Cable. I don't
know how he did this. The man was not a normal human being.
What we shared no longer exists in most dojos. Back then no
one sued for and injury received in kumite. Today, if you touch a student the
wrong way, you could have legal problems. This was also a time when there was
no equipment, it was not required because it did not exist. When it did exist,
it took our school until 1983 to adapt to it.
Finally the time comes for me to be tested for green belt, Sensei
Mansfield was instructed to test the four candidates for advancement. I know
I can wipe them out, but my kata is not good, no terminology, the three others
get promoted, I don't. In a few months they leave. I am still there. I was
told by Sensei Mansfield, that I had no future in Karate, try something else.
I was determined to make this rank, but it would not happen until the shiai
at Fairlegh Dickinson.
It was a long time to wait but I made it. We came back to school,
I saw George Wanko carrying his Brown Belt, and said, are you carry someone's
gi and obi, did I pay for that, I had found out just how good a fighter this
man was. I learned a few lessons from George Wanko , the hard way. No regrets,
that was the beginning of a life time friendship, family style.
My fighting was getting better and better, I worked for my dad.
In a dress shop and was constantly punching and kicking bolts of material, the
shop employed about 90 women some thought I was a mad man. They were old and
did not under stand what I was doing. Making green belt to me was a turning
point in my fighting and I was enjoying it more and more.
It was great being a student at this school, times when you left
in pain, you returned the next night, got new injuries, and forgot about the
old ones. This was continuous. The school had a reputation and returning marines
who had heard of the living legend Don Nagle, would visit the school. Those
with good intentions left that way, those who wanted to challenge this school's
fighters did not leave happy. All who wanted to challenge Sensei Nagle could
not get past Dennis Wright, or Mark Wzorek. I did not get a chance because
I was just a kyu grade.
This school was for real, you trained hard fought hard and this
is what we did, some stayed some left, this was my home and I was not going
any where.
George Wanko
As time when on from when I was a green belt, the new black
belt on the floor was George Wanko. He was as tall as me, by very thing, and
lanky, I knew him when I was younger we hung around with the same group of
guys, and we were friends so to speak. He was a black belt now, and I wondered
how did he do this. I was about to find out.
Even though I had mad a crack about him holding someone else's
gi and obi, he got over that, or didn't pay it much mind.
He was now teaching me, but he had a different approach than
the other instructors. He was going to be a Police Officer, that was his goal.
His fighting tactics could not be used in the school. He was taking his time
with me and explaining in detail about each punch, how to effectively drop someone
without hurting them, that was for the school where a minimum of contact was
to be used. (this applied to only the new and frail students, as they progressed
so did the level of contact) in an actual street confrontation his methods were
very effective. I immediately tuned in to his way of thinking. He was the
new Black Belt on the floor, Sensei Wzorek and Sensei Wright were senior to
him and he gave them that respect always, and I learned what this respect was
all about. They taught and helped him and his was doing that to me.
George and I sparred as often as possible, on off days and after
class at the school. George was not a competitor, but did compete sometimes,
he would either win or get disqualified. He was not much into controlled contact
and playing tag. He was also a student of Don Nagle, and this touch and tag
was not for him. I was in this school at the right time, the right instructors
who came originally from Master Don Nagle.
George and I would kumite and be reprimanded by our head sensei,
thats not the way . But we would continue to beat each other up and enjoy it.
For all who think I was a great fighter, I was trained by the best, Dennis
Wright, Mark Wzorek, and George Wanko, these were the instructors at the AOKA,
they were all for real, no nonsense, and they were gentleman. Sensei Wright
was called the black sheep, for his color and being a little too rough on all,
but we all loved it. The head sensei referred to him by that and some other names
I won't mention. For 27 years that I was a student there he was the only black
person to stick it out, and thats another story.. George, Mark and I became
great friends, good times and bad we remained the same, I am the head of the
AOKA School, and we are partners together. I am the senior man in rank,
but they are my sensei's and will allways be senior to me, a piece of paper
can't change all that.
Sho Dan Testing
Finally the day comes for me to be tested for Sho Dan. It is
now 1971, and the honored guest at the Shiai will be Kichiro Shimabuku. I am
going to meet Soke Shimabuku's Heir to the Isshinryu System I was tested on
my basics, kicks, and kata, the testing for Sanchin, including me being struck
by Sensei Wright Sensei Wzorek, Sensei Cooling and Sensei Buchholtz, I was
beat about the neck, throat, back, thighs, stomach I did not care, I could not
wait to fight. I was right where I wanted to be, fighting for my black belt,
I was ready thanks to Sensei Dennis Wright, the week prior to this he an I were
banging it out and I sprained my wrist, but I didn't care. I had been fighting
with injuries for so long it made no difference. I fought, and I fought and
I fought, I don't know how many black belts I fought, but Ricky Kaminsky was
one of them, he was a defensive fighter and I could not hit him, Finally the
test is over, and they call osh, the gym is silent all are lined up. This was
at the old PAL in Bayonne N J. A decent size gym. They call all the names of
the new black belts and my name is not called, all get the belts and the audience
applauds, I am shocked, what is happening, Sensei Mark Wzorek goes to the center
of the gym, all is quiet, calls my name I go to him not knowing what the hell
is going on, he sits aswatti, I kneel, he takes off his obi and takes off my
obi, puts his obi one me, the obi Sensei Nagle gave to him. Now I am in shock,
this was the most emotional moment I had ever experienced. I relive it every
time I put an obi on a new black belt. Kichiro Shimabuku shakes my hand after
we bow, and says you are most high man here today
THIS IS AS IT WAS
Constant Competitor
Immediately after I made black belt, I became a constant competitor,
our school would travel all around the country. Wherever we competed, our school
would do well, The AOKA fighting team from Bayonne consisted of Dennis Wright,
Joe Lagriola, Robert McKittrick, Richard Perseghin all were good fighters.
I was a place fighter, winning grandchammpionships, 1st, 2nd
and 3rd place shared by me team mates. We would all bow out to Sensei Wright.
We all had a tremendous amount of respect for him, and still do. He made us
all fighters. I managed to acquire about 200 trophies, plaques, medallions.
I was not always victorious, but I left may mark the best I could.
John Shields & The Grizz
I have great memories, even when I got ripped off, and felt I
was robbed of a point costing me the match, I always ended my match with a bow,
and a handshake. Except for one, I was selected to fight a fighter from the
Bronx only known as the Grizz, and his name fit him well, including his manners,
which had none. Before that match I was a fighter of Gary Alexander, in his
U S KICK FIGHT LEAGUE, I was to fight a full contact match against Richard
Gorrell, an excellent Isshinryu fighter who I had fought five times in non contact,
but at Alexander's tournament that was just a term for
don't not kill any
one. His tournaments were always contact, Richard and I had some great
fights, he had beated me five out of five. We were fighting buddies. When
I was chosen to fight him full contact, I knew I was in for a battle. The
first round Richard Gorrell is all over me but I'm not getting hurt, I am dealing
with this, and in the second round I am all over him with kick punches and what
ever, he is laughing and I see he has no teeth, I cant't stop laughing but
we're are still fighting, Third round we both go at each other he is laying
punches on me to the body and I am hurting, I'm fighting back and I score
with some round house kicks and set him up for a punch, I catch him with a good
hard round house to the gut, he bends a little, I catch him with an over hand
right, he goes down for the count. I could not believe I beat him, as I
looked at him with my arms raised, and saw he was hurt, I didn't enjoy the win.
I went over to him the people around pushed me away and when he looked up at
me he smiled and we both laughed. We were still friends.
Now I am loaded with confidence, and I am scheduled to fight
another match for Alexander, this one is at the Pines Manor in Edison N J.
An unknown fighter named John Shields, Frizzy hair, stocky and coke bottle
glasses, he is 5ft 10, and I know I am going to take him apart. The fight night
arrives, its a full house, but the ring is set up in a ball room, and when
I get in it the ceiling is just inches away from my head, no big thing. We enter
the ring and I insult this guy about his Irish heritage, he makes some kind
of strange noise from his mouth we hit the corners and the fight starts, the
referee is Master Bowe and Akido master, who was probably wearing the wrong
glasses this night. As soon as both of us meet, John Shields breaks my nose,
goes under one my round house kicks to his head and picks me up and throws me
out of the ring, and this is the beginning of the first round. Gary Alexander
forget to mention to the both of us the rounds were five minutes and there were
no rules. When we both got back into the ring, we clashed again, and this time
I throw John out of the ring, and go after him, but we landed on the announcers
table. The fight goes back into the ring, and we are fighting each other I
am hitting him but he is hitting me with everything but the kitchen sink, the
round ends, and we are both tired. Round two we start over and it is pretty
much of the same, but John is getting the best of me, I catch him with some
good kicks, but I am careful not to let him grab my leg, cause he will throw
me out of the ring. Round three, we are mixing it up punching and kicking at
a slower pace now and we wind up against the ropes and the rope that holds the
ropes together is raped around my left hand, I can't hit back and I can't get
out John is taking advantage of this and punching me and then throws me out
of the ring, Richard Bow the Ref, is standing there best view in the house
and he does not see this.. I am pushed backed into the ring, the round ends,
and John Shields said to his trainer Ray Martin if Passero comes out, throw
in the towel, Ray goes to the ref and says Passero doesn't look too good check
him out, Master Bowe asks me how many fingers do I have up as he put his hands
behind his back, and I answered three, he stopped the fight and John Shields
was the winner. Some of my friends seem to think I was winning, I don't know
what fight they were watching, but John Shields won that fight, I was beat,
if I had continued I would have been knocked out. John Shields and I became
good friends, and to this day we speak regularly and laugh about how we met.
I had a concussion, broken, nose, two broken thumbs, and a rib cage that was
bruised badly.
I was scheduled to fight on the following Sunday, this fight
with John was on a Monday night, I took the week off from work, just to recuperate,
but I was going to fight Sunday no matter what. A tournament was scheduled at
the Statler Hilton Hotel, and it was hosted by Master Ralph Chirico, Master
Isaac Henry, and Master Thomas LaPuppet, it was the East Coast Alliance, the
winners would represent NY and be on the first NY Full Contact Karate Team.
The matches were to be controlled contact, in a boxing ring, I was to fight
a super heavy who weighed in at 280, when I fought John Shields I was 220,
after the match I was 207 lbs. I was determined to get my dignity back, I had
to come back after the loss to Shields. My face was still black and blue, and
my ribs were not healed. The match starts, and this Grizz comes charging, I
throw a round house kick to the body, and also a backfist off the left side
and score, Isaac Henry stops the match, instructs us to go to our corners, I
turn around, an the Grizz jumps me and throws me on the floor, and is stepping
on me. He is pulled off, I get awarded the point, he gets a warning, the match
continues, it happens just about the same way I turn around and again I get
attacked from the rear and the same happens again. I get the point, he gets
a warning, match starts again, I score with a punch to the chest area, match
stops, I turn around to go to my corner, this time I side step turn around and
he is coming at me, I punch him square in the face several times, he goes down
on his knees, I get grabbed by the officials, he falls over, gets rolled on
to a stretcher, is disqualified and I win the match.
I lost my temper and I apologized to Master Henry, he said I
should have done that at the beginning of the match. My next match was against
a well known football star Mike Rowe, from the Washington Redskins. Mike was
built like Arnold Scwartzneger. He had muscles I had never ever seen before.
This match was at Madison Square Garden, and the promoter was Arron Banks.
The winner would fight Monster Man Eddie. This fight would be an opening to
fight some of the highly rate fighters from the west coast. I trained with
a former sparring partner of Chuck Wepner, his name was Tony Costa, he was
6ft 3, a 32 inch waist, 16 inch biceps and a rouged street fighter. Tony would
come to the dojo on the off night or after the formal class and we would box,
he was tough, and his fighting skills were boxing and street combinations.
He was trying to teach me to box, but he connected with his left hook to my
jaw too many times. So I learned how to get up off the floor, after being knocked
down and sometimes out. But fighting him was what I needed, he was enormous,
and did not play by the rules. When given the opportunity he woud drop you.
My brother Andrew and I both trained with Tony, my brother was given him a
better fight than me. The day of the Mike Rowe fight, I am confident and ready,
the fight starts and I am dropping Row two and three times in each round, and
then they announce the three knock rule is not in effect. The fight continues,
it is round four I think and the bell rings, I have been dominating this fight
from the beginning, Mike is loosing no question about it, the bell rings I stop
fighting and turn away from Mike, he claims he did not hear the bell hits me
in the left eye with a strong right hand, closes my eye, blood all over, I
go to my corner, he gets a repremand. and I go out to fight next round with
one eye, I can't see him they stop the fight he wins. Mike Rowe, is one tough
guy, he spoke and said he honestly did not hear the bell, he was to sincere for
me not to believe him. He goes on to fight Monster Man Eddy and lost that fight.
Mike Rowe, no matter what I hit him with, and dropped him with, got up each
time and would not stop, he was like a machine, he just kept coming. I could
not believe he kept coming. I salute you Mike.
Jerry Robbins
This first match was wild. I lost my temper, but this guy was
crazy, I would have liked to fight him on the street, by the same rules he was
using, none! My next match at this event was against Jerry Robbins, one of the
best karate fighters of the Korean style, his legs were by far the most powerful
I had ever encountered, James Henry was the fastest, and also packed the power and
technique to drop any one, when he wanted.
Jerry Robbins and I were friends at times and rivals and both
wanted to be the best. I knew this match was no walk in the park. His roundhouse
spinning jump kick was second to none, I had to play him close or I did not
have a chance, I was feeling the injuries from John Shields, and my legs were
not what they could be, my ribs were killing me, and every kick I threw, I felt
like I got hit.
This match immediately starts out fast and neither of us giving
up any ground, his kicks are flying and I am trying not to get hit, and using
my hand techniques, I m scoring he is scoring, something happened and when
the point was called as I returned to my corner, Jerry decided to jump me from
behind and use the tactics of the Grizz from the first fight, he gets pulled
off of me, and is giving a warning by Don Nagle, at the beginning of continue,
I am all over him, now its my turn to be wild, he decides to ropa a dope me,
la Mohammed Ail style, this just made me hit him fore to the body and any area
of the face or head I could hit. This fight is going and we are both scoring
both kicking and now a call is made, we are told to return to or corners, and
as I turn to go to my corner, Jerry jumps me again, is grabbed by the referees
and Master Nagle, he is disqualified. I am awarded the East Coast lst Place
Heavyweight Championship, this qualified me to be on the 1st N Y Full Contact
Karate Team, to be known as the N Y Puppets, managed by Sensei Thomas LaPuppet.
Dennis Wright
Now the training is going to be strictly for full contact karate, which
as an Isshinryu student is a lot different. The hard part and the worse part
of the training was getting to the dojo, which was at Sensei LaPuppets school,
off Eastern Parkway, on Utica Ave on top of the McDonalds. This are was known
as a war zone, color was not an issue it was just a dangerous area.
I had to teach class with Sensei Wright at the Bayonne School, and then at
10:00PM when our class was over, we would drive to the dojo in Brooklyn, we
arrive there about 10:30PM and the school class is as if it is at 7:00PM and
this is a workout before we start to sparr. Running, Jumping jacks, pushups,
skip rope, bag work, stretching, Sensei Wright the machine, is not phased by
this at all, I am border line passing out, and the its time to sparr. This
is insane, but this is the program, you can quit, anytime, this is all voluntary.
Each of us get a partner and we are all wearing gloves, and head gear and the
fights begin, we get corrections, advice on timing, footwork, and boxing techniques.
When the work out is over, it is now about 12:00Midnight, and we all say good
night. This may be hard to believe, but you can't make this stuff up. We all
had to go to work in the morning and it was already late.
One incident, after training at this dojo I will never forget, I am exhausted
and we have to stop to get something to drink, we stop at a corner grocery
store on Pacific Ave, and as I go to get out of the car, Sensei Wright says,
let me got this is a bad neighborhood. There were a group of black hanging
out side this store, so he goes in, now about 10 minutes pass, there is some
kind of commotion going on in this store, I am getting out of the car, and here
comes Sensei Wright, lets get out of here, no juice, and he is in a hurry,
I floor the car and we are on our way back to Jersey. To this day, I still
do not know what happened. The next time we worked out over three, we brought
what we were going to drink. I survived Vietnam with this idea, discretion is
the better part of valor. I wanted to return to this store and see what happened,
but Sensei Wright said it would not be worth it. He was pissed off when he
came out of that store, and if you know Sensei Wright that is very hard to do.
He is a very tolerant man.
Sensei Wright and I became very good friends, but I never forgot he was the
Sensei, and I was a student, our friendship grew and we were like brothers,
I was the light skin guy. His training and continuous sparring with me made
me a fighter, I always fought him to beat him, I would fight him as hard as
I could, he got stronger, I got faster trying not to get hit. I had injuries
from black eyes, sprained wrists, both legs were fractured in different places,
all toes broken, instep fractured, I don't how many ribs he cracked, but while
this was happening, I was enjoying every minute of it. I guess I was high,
I experienced feelings of excitement and thrills, that I am sure others serious
fighters shared at one time or another. Unless you have experienced this,
I don't expect you to believe this. But it does exist, and Ali, Wepner, Frazier,
Duran, and I know Tyson had to share these moments of this thrill.
NY Puppets in Texas
The next match I have is in Houston Texas, with the N Y Puppets,
and I am matched against Nelson Thorpe, a pipe fitter welder, he is on the
Texas team. We both were ready for each other and this match was a good fight,
I won the decision. On the team with me was a fighter named Shelton Wilkins,
a Kung Fu stylist, a nice guy, he is matched against David McCallum, who is
the super star of the Houston All Stars. They start fighting and Shelton is
getting beat badly, I am in his corner, trying to persuade him to box this guy
and he refuses, round two he continues to get hit with everything, and now he
is behind in kicks, round three Shelton says I have him figured out now, we in
the corner know Shelton is going to loose, and probably get knocked out. The
round starts David moves in swinging, Shelton does some out maneuvering foot
work, throws a spinning back fist, hits David, whose head goes one way and his
feet left the ground, and David bounced off the canvas, he is out for the count, the
Houston Coliseum is without a sound, Shelton is the winner by K O .
Now the team wins against the Texas All Stars, and we are scheduled
to fight the LA Stars in Los Angeles, Eddie Andujar his going to fight Benny
the Jet Uiquerdes, who is one unbelievable fighter. I am scheduled to fight
Monster Man Eddy but he has suffered the loss of a lung in Hawaii and I was
fighting his replacement, Another Bear, Sugar Bear Hillard, a first round
knock out fighter. I am in the dressing room and an East Indian comes in, he
is from India, he said I am here to give you spiritual enlightenment and a rub
down, I am not going for this, he mentions Tahid Cali sends his regards. OK
he massages me, with some ointment and oils and who knows what, and then just
leaves, By the time I get in to the ring, I am so energized, it was as if someone
gave me rocket fuel. The fight starts, and sure enough Sugar Bear comes charging
at me, I side step and he runs into the turn buckle, he turns around and I open
up on him, but each time I get hit, with a punch, its like he has steel hands,
I'm fighting back and he cant handle my legs, he is getting kicked with every
kick I throw. But when he punches me, it is harder than you can imaging, we
have boxing gloves on and there 12 oz. As the fight continues, I win by a
decision. Master LaPuppet is missing out of my corner, he took the gloves that
Sugar Bear Took off and found out the inside stuffing where the fist hits the
body was cut out prior to the match. That is why he was a first round knock
out fighter.
1980 World Kung Fu Karate Champion
My next fight is actually insane, I am selected to fight the
World Kung Fu Karate Champion, of the MODAFY Kung Fu Organization, based in
Harlem N Y. I accept and the fight is on. It is scheduled to be at the Beacon
Theater. The year is 1980 and this fighter has had 18 first round knockouts.
I take the fight, and I am training with any one who is willing to sparr
with me at the Bayonne Dojo, I am going to the PAL in Bayonne, the Boxing Club
and the boxers are having a good time punching me, I made a deal, I wanted to
sparr them three rounds, and I would not punch or block, as long as they did
not hit me in the face. They enjoyed this, but I was proving to my self I could
take this pounding. I was going to Harlem to win. The Beacon theater is packed,
it is 97% black fans of this champion, who I have not met or even seen a picture
of. The lights go out the spot light goes on and there is an entourage of people
making a path down the middle of the aisle. This is some show I figure, All
of a sudden, a man 6ft tall whose body looked like it was carve out and this
is a live black statue with an unbelievable body. He does a flip on to the
apron of the ring, then does a flip over the ropes and lands in a full split
on the floor, the crowd is going wild, including my corner, because we think
this is part of the show, it turns out this is the guy I am fighting John L
Rovell, The Lord of the Ring. I am in total disbelief, what am I doing here.
To make matters worse, some of the fans who are there for me are shouting more
than the N word and in my corner is my Sensei Dennis Wright, Black and I am
embarrassed and he is saying that we got to get out of here. This was not funny
at this time. And some of them fans got banged around, they got what they deserved.
Now the fight is ready to start, I was thrilled to see Nick Adler as one of
the five judges. He must have known where the back door was, to escape out
of here. The round starts John comes charging at me, with his head low as I
kicked he tried to throw me out of the ring, I got him into a headlock, guillotine
style and while he was trying to throw me out, I would not let go, someone pushed
us back in and we landed on his head. I thought he broke he neck, this fight
did not stop it just continued, he throws a roundhouse spinning jump kick at
me, I step back, he misses, I step in and with a right hand drop him to the
floor, I know he is out, at this time all the lights in the Beacon Theater
go out, we are all in the dark, and now the bell rings, This was a very short
round. Round two, John is flying at me with jump side kick and I am out timing
him moving back and extending my hand to him to help him off the floor, now
he's aggravated and coming in at me non stop with more of the same, and I am
out distancing him. I drop him a couple of time in the coming rounds, and he
is furious, he is using Chinese leg sweeps on me but can't connect. I'm running
out of gas, I am tired and there is one more round left, we both finish the
round, I am just too much for him and he is not stopping, I am awarded the match.
The spectators at this fight, where the best spectators and fans at any event
I was at They were there for him, and they cheered me, and even picked me up
in the air, I could not believe we were given respect, even after to some of
my fans were out of order.
To be continued
Chuck Wepner and Larry Cureton
Now its the 80's I am training at the dojo, the school is doing
well, and I am just competing in tournaments in the local circuits: Nick Adlers
Centurions, Gary Alexander, Isaac Henry, J H Kim, Al Smiths Red Dragons,
George Iberle, Lizotts AOKA, IIKA Tenn, the days of Harold Long, Don Nagle's,
Doug Kings, John Hughes,
Marty Manuel - My Favorite
Karate person in the Whole World and also was amember of the N Y Puppets, he
is still my idol., and S L Martin, these are all respected martial
artists who are tournament promoters.
Time is passing an I am missing full contact, and it is now 1984,
and an old acquaintance of mine when I was competing as a black belt, he was
just a little kid, Larry Cureton, only little Larry is a grown adult, and
is one hell of a martial artists. We met at a tournament in Jersey City,
it was called the Barbarians Karate Competition, contact, equipment optional,
I had to attend this, I brought no students, I fought a few matches won 1st
Place, and Larry and I talked, I asked him if he was interested in full contact,
and he tells me he already had some matches and is undefeated. He needs a
manager, we shake and its a deal for life, as well as his friendship. Larry
Thunderfoot Cureton, a unique individual, one of the best persons I ever
met, he is a true role model, for any person to follow. He has a talent of diplomacy
second to none. His fighting talents were boxing and karate, a must if you
want to fight full contact. He body is in great shape and we are training full
contact at the Bayonne School. We have sparring sessions after class, and also
on the off nights. I said to my wife Lisa, when I run into a fighter I can't
handle, I am going to retire, Larry convinced me he was the guy. I fought until
1987 and then stopped competing. I managed Larry and trained with him constantly.
Around this time I was approached by a charity organization to
raise money for ARC, the Association for Retarded Citizens, we run a tournament
and get the idea to have a full contact match at the next years event. I run
this idea by Chuck Wepner, and he and I are going to be the main event. I
have jumped ahead a bit here, it is now 1993. Training for this fight is not
east, Larry is my sparring partner and I am no match for him, but this is what
it is going to take to last three rounds with Chuck Wepner, the Real
ROCKY,
the guy they made the movie about. Chuck and I are friends and he is as far
as I am concerned, the champ. I have hung out with him and we have survived
a few Jersey Bar Brawls, and I know he does not quit, and does not go down,
plus this will be a crowd draw, and we are not getting paid. All the money
goes to ARC. If you are aware of ARC, they need money every day. We fight
its a money maker, Chuck and I get a decision its a draw. This fight was my
last, and also Chucks. At the begging of the round as soon as the bell rang,
Chuck hits me with a left hand I think I am going out, first punch thrown.
But I don't, and I am laying kicks on him and he is tagging me, He grabs me
for a body slam and my head his the mat first, and my hair piece goes sailing,
this gets the audience into a laughing roar, I didn't care, then the fight
continues, I am getting thrown to the floor like this is a wrestling match,
I am kicking Chuck, his is laying punches on me, its a fight, I finally manage
to lay a side kick on his stomach he bends a little and we continue, his is
a gorilla, he takes my kick to the head and says to me , nice kick . The fight
is over we are laughing, and we are still best of friends, he is a champion
and I was honored to fight him. It is more fun going out with him, than fighting
him.
36 Active Years of Experience in the Martial Art of Isshinryu
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1974
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First Full Contact Karate - Heavyweight Champ NY Puppets
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1988
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IIKA Hall of Fame Fighter of the Year
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1989
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Shihan Nick Adler's Northeast Open Karate Samurai Spirit Award
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1993
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New Jersey Hudson County A R C Angel Award
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1994
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IIKA Hall of Fame Inductee
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1996
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World Sokeship Council International Hall of Fame Master Instructor
Award
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1996
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Karate Masters Hall of Fame
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1997
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Grandmaster Don Nagle's AOKA Hall of Fame Inductee
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1998
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Isshinryu Council Board Member
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1998
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Grandmaster Amato's GOJU RYU Karate Legend Award
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2000
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Angi Uezu Okinawan Isshinryu Karate and Kubudo Assn - HALL OF FAME
INDUCTEE
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2001
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Action Marital Arts Magazine - HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE - Silver Lifetime
Achievement Award.
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2001
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Awarded the Don Nagle Isshinryu Karate Senior Fight Master and Diamond
Life Time Achievement Award
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2002
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Action Martial Arts Magazine - HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE - Ambassador to
the Martial Arts
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2003
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Grandmaster Gary Alexanders International Assn of Martial Artists -
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
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