International Sport Karate Association
Encyclopedia
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and kickboxing
Kickboxing
Kickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
matches, and is based in the United States. It was established in 1985 as a response to legal and revenue issues that sent the Professional Karate Association
Professional Karate Association
The Professional Karate Association was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company....
(PKA) into decline.
From 1974 until 1985, the PKA had been the most recognised worldwide kickboxing sanctioning group. It was instrumental in establishing public relay of the sport via ESPN, helping to introduce the burgeoning sport to a wider audience, and had also developed the first fighter's ratings systems. Five major U.S.-based promoters and resigning PKA executives created the new body, the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), with an official announcement on July 16, 1986. The first U.S. directors were Mike Sawyer, Karyn Turner
Karyn Turner
Karyn Turner is an American martial arts expert who has been variously known as “The Queen of Kata”, “First Lady of Kung Fu”, and “The Mother of U.S. Kickboxing”...
, Tony Thompson, John Worley and Scott Coker
Scott Coker
Scott Coker is the founder and CEO of Strikeforce, a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.Scott Coker is an Ernie Reyes protege and full-contact fight promoter covering Kickboxing, K-1, and MMA...
.
Many of the major PKA promoters began sanctioning their events with the ISKA and several also joined its administration. ISKA also secured ESPN broadcasts of its major title bouts in 1986, thus helping bring quick credibility and recognition to the new association.
Since the World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
The World Association of Kickboxing Organisations is one the international organization of kickboxing, and the governing body of Amateur kickboxing sport certified by SportAccord...
(WAKO) was mostly active in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the World Kickboxing Association
World Kickboxing Association
The World Kickboxing Association is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning organizations of kickboxing in the world for the sport. Its official name is "World Kickboxing and Karate Association"....
(WKA) in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, ISKA was quick to expand through its own European Directors starting October 1986 with Olivier Muller, Jérome Canabate and Mohamed Hosseini. American Richard Mayor oversaw the establishment of this European wing as European President between 1986 and 1988.
By 1991, the worldwide control of the ISKA was shared by two co-chairmen: Mike Sawyer and Olivier Muller. International TV coverage was secured, and united separate organisations were formed worldwide to handle responsibility for international sanctioning and grading. ISKA has conducted its official activities under ISKA ASIA since 2008 with Dr. S. A. Moinshirazi the President of ISKA ASIA. Paul Zadro is the ISKA president of Australia, ISKA which is the biggest tournament circuit in Australia.
Current activities
ISKA is the largest mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA) sanctioner in the United States. Tuff N Uff, Cage Aggression Fight League & Extreme Cage Fighting (XCF) are some of ISKA sanctioned MMA events in the U.S.. ISKA also promotes a martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
competition each summer in Disney World of Florida, where more than 3000 athletes participate.
See also
- KickboxingKickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
- List of male kickboxers
- List of female kickboxers
- United States Kickboxing AssociationUnited States Kickboxing AssociationThe first American sanctioning body to regulate kickboxing matches, the United States Kickboxing Association was established in early 1970 by former Green Beret Lee Faulkner following his promotion of North America’s debut kickboxing bout featuring Joe Lewis’ knockout victory over Greg Baines. ...
(USKA) - World Kickboxing AssociationWorld Kickboxing AssociationThe World Kickboxing Association is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning organizations of kickboxing in the world for the sport. Its official name is "World Kickboxing and Karate Association"....
(WKA) - World Association of Kickboxing OrganizationsWorld Association of Kickboxing OrganizationsThe World Association of Kickboxing Organisations is one the international organization of kickboxing, and the governing body of Amateur kickboxing sport certified by SportAccord...
(WAKO) - Professional Karate AssociationProfessional Karate AssociationThe Professional Karate Association was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company....
(PKA)
Sources
Books and articles "A History of Full Contact Karate- "A History of Kickboxing" – Mikes Miles
- "A History of kickboxing" – « black-belt » Delmas Alain, Callière Jean-Roger, Histoire du Kick-boxing, FKBDA, France, 1998 Delmas Alain, Définition du Kick-boxing, FKBDA, France, 1999
- Miles Mikes, site An interview with Joe Lewis, 1998