American kickboxing
Encyclopedia
American Kickboxing, also known as Full-Contact Kickboxing or American Full Contact Karate, is a combat sport
and a style of kickboxing
in which two opponents of similar weight fight each other using full contact strikes with their fists and feet to attack the opponent, while keeping similar rules of Western boxing
. Full-contact kickboxing competitions are generally distinguished because of the dress of the fighters, mandatory wearing long pants and foot-pads (unlike other kickboxing styles where fighters wear shorts and fight bare-footed).
Although the term "full contact karate
" has been used to refer this sport, it should not be confused with the generic term full contact Karate, which refers to any traditional karate school with the use of full contact sparring, like Kyokushinkai.
, Ray Scarica and Maung Gyi
held the United States' earliest cross-style, full-contact style martial arts tournaments as early as 1962. However, the American kickboxing sport was truly invented in 1970, as a result of combining boxing
punches and tactics, with the kicks of Karate
. The primary intention was to create a new sport where karate practitioners in the US could fight with full contact and with rounds like in boxing, since they weren't allowed to hit each other in traditional Karate tournaments. The first event of American kickboxing was held on January 17 of 1970, fighting Joe Lewis
vs. Greg Baines.
Between 1970 and 1973 a handful of kickboxing promotions were staged across the USA. In the early days the rules were never clear, one of the first tournaments had no weight divisions and all the competitors fought off until one was left. During this early time, kickboxing and full contact karate
were essentially the same sport. The institutional separation of American Full Contact Karate from kickboxing occurs with the formation of the Professional Karate Association (PKA)
in 1974 and of the World Kickboxing Association (WKA)
in 1976. The impetus of the WKA on world martial arts as a whole was revolutionary. They were the first organised body of martial arts on a global scale to sanction fights, create ranking systems, and institute a development programme.
The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF)
was founded in 1992. It is the most active kickboxing sanctioning body in North America.
This is in contrast to Muay Thai
where the use of elbows and knees are allowed. Fighters and promoters can agree to various rules including kicks only above the waist, kicks anywhere, no knee strikes, knees only to the body, and so on. The round durations and the number of rounds can vary depending on the stipulations agreed to beforehand by each fighter or manager. A winner is declared during the bout if there is a submission
(fighter quits or fighter's corner throws in the towel), knockout
(KO), or referee stoppage (Technical Knock Out, or TKO). If all of the rounds expire with no knockout then the fight is scored by a team of 3 judges. The judges determine a winner based on their scoring of each round. A split decision indicates a disagreement between the judges, while a unanimous decision indicates that all judges saw the fight the same way and all have declared the same winner.
Combat sport
A Combat sport, also known as a Fighting sport, is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement , typically with the aim of simulating parts of real hand to hand combat...
and a style of 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....
in which two opponents of similar weight fight each other using full contact strikes with their fists and feet to attack the opponent, while keeping similar rules of Western boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
. Full-contact kickboxing competitions are generally distinguished because of the dress of the fighters, mandatory wearing long pants and foot-pads (unlike other kickboxing styles where fighters wear shorts and fight bare-footed).
Although the term "full contact karate
Full contact karate
Full contact karate is a wide term used to differentiate between competition formats of karate where competitors spar full-contact and allow knockout as winning criterion, and those competitions that use light contact/semi contact point sparring where a knockout is regarded as a foul.The term is...
" has been used to refer this sport, it should not be confused with the generic term full contact Karate, which refers to any traditional karate school with the use of full contact sparring, like Kyokushinkai.
History
Count DanteCount Dante
Count Juan Raphael Dante was a controversial American martial artist figure during the 1960s and '70s who claimed he could do extraordinary feats such as Dim mak....
, Ray Scarica and Maung Gyi
Maung Gyi
Maung Gyi is a Burmese martial artist that introduced Bando into the United States.Maung Gyi's father was Ba Than . He was the Director of Physical Education and Sports in the Ministry of Education in Burma...
held the United States' earliest cross-style, full-contact style martial arts tournaments as early as 1962. However, the American kickboxing sport was truly invented in 1970, as a result of combining boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
punches and tactics, with the kicks of Karate
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,...
. The primary intention was to create a new sport where karate practitioners in the US could fight with full contact and with rounds like in boxing, since they weren't allowed to hit each other in traditional Karate tournaments. The first event of American kickboxing was held on January 17 of 1970, fighting Joe Lewis
Joe Lewis (martial arts)
Joe Lewis is an American kickboxer, point karate fighter, and actor. As a fighter, Lewis gained fame for his matches in the 1960s and 1970s. He has twice been voted the greatest fighter in karate history, and has attained the titles of "United States Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion," "World...
vs. Greg Baines.
Between 1970 and 1973 a handful of kickboxing promotions were staged across the USA. In the early days the rules were never clear, one of the first tournaments had no weight divisions and all the competitors fought off until one was left. During this early time, kickboxing and full contact karate
Full contact karate
Full contact karate is a wide term used to differentiate between competition formats of karate where competitors spar full-contact and allow knockout as winning criterion, and those competitions that use light contact/semi contact point sparring where a knockout is regarded as a foul.The term is...
were essentially the same sport. The institutional separation of American Full Contact Karate from kickboxing occurs with the formation of the Professional Karate Association (PKA)
Professional Karate Association
The Professional Karate Association was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company....
in 1974 and of the World Kickboxing Association (WKA)
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"....
in 1976. The impetus of the WKA on world martial arts as a whole was revolutionary. They were the first organised body of martial arts on a global scale to sanction fights, create ranking systems, and institute a development programme.
The International Kickboxing Federation (IKF)
International Kickboxing Federation
The International Kickboxing Federation is a kickboxing sanctioning body. The IKF World Headquarters in the USA oversees IKF World Operations with the rest of the IKF World Team.-Styles:...
was founded in 1992. It is the most active kickboxing sanctioning body in North America.
Competition rules
These are the rules used in American kickboxing:- Opponents are allowed to hit each other with fists and feet, striking above the hip
- Front leg sweeps, to the inside & outside of opponents front foot are permitted.
- Using elbowsElbow (strike)An elbow strike is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow...
or kneesKnee (strike)A knee strike is a strike with the knee, either with the kneecap or the surrounding area. Kneeing is a disallowed practice in many combat sports, especially to the head of a downed opponent...
is forbidden and the use of the unpadded shins is seldom allowed. - Bouts are usually 3 to 12 rounds (lasting 2 – 3 minutes each) for amateur and professional contests with a 1-minute rest in between rounds.
This is in contrast to Muay Thai
Muay Thai
Muay Thai is a combat sport from Thailand that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. It is similar to other Indochinese kickboxing systems, namely pradal serey from Cambodia, tomoi from Malaysia, lethwei from Myanmar and muay Lao from Laos...
where the use of elbows and knees are allowed. Fighters and promoters can agree to various rules including kicks only above the waist, kicks anywhere, no knee strikes, knees only to the body, and so on. The round durations and the number of rounds can vary depending on the stipulations agreed to beforehand by each fighter or manager. A winner is declared during the bout if there is a submission
Submission (combat sport term)
A submission is a combat sports term for yielding to the opponent, and hence resulting in an immediate defeat...
(fighter quits or fighter's corner throws in the towel), knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
(KO), or referee stoppage (Technical Knock Out, or TKO). If all of the rounds expire with no knockout then the fight is scored by a team of 3 judges. The judges determine a winner based on their scoring of each round. A split decision indicates a disagreement between the judges, while a unanimous decision indicates that all judges saw the fight the same way and all have declared the same winner.