World Kickboxing Association
Encyclopedia
The World Kickboxing Association (WKA) 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 was created in the United States
as the World Karate Association in 1976 by Howard Hanson, a Shorin-Ryu
Karate
black belt, and Arnold Urquidez. The organisation was the first non-profit governing body to use an independently controlled rating list, the first to establish a world championship division for women and the first to include countries from Asia
. The organisation became one of the major sanctioning bodies for professional karate. Early stars of the WKA included Benny "The Jet" Urquidez
, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Kevin Rosier
and Graciela Casillas. The organization went on to secure network broadcasts in the US
and Japan
. Howard Hanson sold the WKA to Dale Floyd in 1991.
WKA developed the field of low kicks thanks to strong Asian and Japanese connections. WKA is based in
Karlsruhe
, Germany
with headquarters, and also in England
with office in Birmingham
, prospered throughout Europe
and in North America
. In 1994, Paul Inghram took over the organization.
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 the world for the sport. Its official name is "World Kickboxing and Karate Association".
WKA was created in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as the World Karate Association in 1976 by Howard Hanson, a Shorin-Ryu
Shorin-Ryu
is one of the major modern Okinawan martial arts. It was founded by Choshin Chibana in 1933. Shōrin-ryū combines elements of the traditional Okinawan fighting styles of Shuri-te.-History:Chosin Chibana was a top student of the great master of shuri-te, Anko Itosu...
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,...
black belt, and Arnold Urquidez. The organisation was the first non-profit governing body to use an independently controlled rating list, the first to establish a world championship division for women and the first to include countries from 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...
. The organisation became one of the major sanctioning bodies for professional karate. Early stars of the WKA included Benny "The Jet" Urquidez
Benny Urquidez
Benny Urquidez is an American kickboxer, martial arts choreographer and actor. Nicknamed, The Jet, Urquidez was a non-contact karate competitor who later pioneered full-contact fighting in the U.S. He made the transition from point to full-contact karate in 1974 – the year of its inception...
, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Kevin Rosier
Kevin Rosier
Kevin Rosier is an American former kickboxer, boxer and mixed martial artist. He had much success as a kickboxer, winning a number of titles, but did not transition particularly well into the world of boxing and was mostly seen as a journeyman fighter...
and Graciela Casillas. The organization went on to secure network broadcasts in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Howard Hanson sold the WKA to Dale Floyd in 1991.
WKA developed the field of low kicks thanks to strong Asian and Japanese connections. WKA is based in
Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
with headquarters, and also in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
with office in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, prospered throughout 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 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In 1994, Paul Inghram took over the organization.
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....
- 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) - International Sport Karate AssociationInternational Sport Karate AssociationThe International Sport Karate Association is one of the major international bodies regulating karate and kickboxing matches, and is based in the United States...
(ISKA) - 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)
Further reading
- "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