Joe Corley

Last updated
Joe Corley
Born Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Other names"Gentleman" Joe
StyleAmerican Karate, Tae Kwon Do & Kickboxing System
Teacher(s)Kim Daeshik, Pat E. Johnson
Rank10th Degree Black Belt
ChildrenChristiana
Website http://www.joecorley.com/

Joe Corley is an American karate and kickboxing competitor, instructor, broadcaster and promoter who helped achieve the success of the Professional Karate Association and the early establishment of professional kickboxing in the United States. Joe Corley is CEO of PKA Worldwide. [1]

Contents

Early years

Joe Corley began studying Tang Soo Do at age 16. At 19 he earned his black belt from Master Kim Dae Shik and together with Chris McLoughlin they opened the first full-time martial arts studio in Atlanta in 1967 called Kim Institute of Karate. The term karate was used instead of tae kwon do because of its name recognition in America at the time. Joe Corley subsequently rebranded the studio as Joe Corley Karate when Master Kim relocated to Austin, Texas. [2] Joe Corley won the National Karate Grand Championship in 1979, 1981, 1982; the Southeast Grand Championship in 1977; and the Southern US Open in 1987 and 1982. [3] Corley also founded Joe Corley's American Karate System in 1972. [4] Joe Corley and his partner in the studios, Chris McLoughlin founded the Battle of Atlanta World Karate Championship in March 1970 and personally ran the Battle of Atlanta until 2013; it was then transferred to Truth Entertainment.

Later career

In 1974 the first televised Full Contact Karate matches of the PKA made their way onto television. Joe Corley served as a judge at the first World Championship in 1974 and then challenged Bill Superfoot Wallace in May 1975 at the Battle of Atlanta VI in Atlanta's Omni. Joe Corley worked with fellow martial arts promoters and instructors like Glenn R Keeney and Jerry Piddington to organize and promote the sport of Full Contact Karate. The sport was covered by Sports Illustrated. [5] In 1977 Mr. Corley became a partner in the Professional Karate Association (PKA), which was a martial arts organization instrumental in establishing professional kickboxing as a sport in the United States. [3] Corley also became a commentator for American Karate on national television, along with Chuck Norris and Pat Morita, appearing on NBC, CBS, ESPN, Showtime, USA Network, SportsChannel America, Prime Network and Fox Sports South. [2]

In February 1990, Corley was featured in a Black Belt Magazine article. [6] Joe Corley was named Man of the Decade by Official Karate magazine and was inducted into the Black Belt Magazine Hall of Fame as Man of the Year in 1998. [7] He appeared in the documentary films Modern Warriors (2002) and Mystic Origins of the Martial Arts (1998). [8] He also appeared in the Joe Lewis film Force Five in 1985.

On June 15, 2013, Joe Corley was presented the Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Award by the Joe Lewis Fighting System, an honor bestowed on the martial arts athletes who had distinguished themselves in the ring of point karate and/or kickboxing.

On June 16, 2016, Master Corley was promoted to the rank of 10th Degree Black Belt, Grand Master, by the Professional Karate Commission (PKC). The certificate was presented by Grand Master Glenn Keeney, president of the PKC, along with Grand Master Allen Steen, and was also approved by Grand Masters Pat Johnson and J. Pat Burleson.

In August 2017 Grand Master Corley was featured on the cover of Who's Who in the Martial Arts Legends Edition along with Grand Masters Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, Jeff Smith, and Bill Clark. It was prominently featured in Lifetime Achievement section.

In April 2018, Combat Go, a new 24/7 Martial Arts channel announced a partnership with PKA Kickboxing to provide programming for its new channel. In 2022, Joe Corley restructured the PKA into PKA Worldwide and began the 2022 Search for the Greatest Strikers on the Planet with fellow Grand Masters Jeff Smith and Bill Wallace.

He served as Master Instructor at Atlanta Extreme Warrior, founded in 2010, which includes Joe Corley Karate in its curriculum. Master Corley stopped teaching full-time in 2019 and focused his full-time professional efforts on expanding the sport of kickboxing.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kickboxing</span> Full-contact combat sport

Kickboxing is a full-contact combat sport and a form of boxing based on punching and kicking. The fight takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouth guards, shorts, and bare feet to favor the use of kicks. Kickboxing is practiced for self-defense, general fitness, or for competition. Some styles of kickboxing include: Karate, Muay Thai, Japanese kickboxing, Lethwei, Sanda, and Savate.

Rick John Roufus is a retired American kickboxer. He has also competed professionally in boxing and mixed martial arts. An accomplished professional fighter throughout his competitive career, Roufus has won multiple world championships across the globe in several weight classes, he was world champion as a super middle weight, light heavyweight and heavyweight. Roufus held titles for all the major kickboxing associations worldwide, and is known for his boxing skills and powerful kicks. He is the older brother of Duke Roufus who is also a kickboxer and a Muay Thai and mixed martial arts instructor. Rick Roufus is the Global Director of Fighter Development for PKA Worldwide. In 2012 Rick Roufus was inducted into the World Kickboxing League Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ISKA (sports governing body)</span> Governing body for the sport of karate and kickboxing

The ISKA is one of the major international bodies regulating sport karate and kickboxing matches. It 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 (PKA) into decline.

Dennis Raymond Alexio is an American former professional kickboxer and actor who competed in the light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. Starting out as a light heavyweight, Alexio kicked off his career with an extensive, knockout-laden undefeated streak before losing a decision to Don "The Dragon" Wilson in a World Kickboxing Association (WKA) World Super Light Heavyweight Full Contact Championship match in 1984. He rebounded from this by winning the Professional Karate Association (PKA) World Light Heavyweight title that same year before moving up to cruiserweight and taking the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) World Cruiserweight Full Contact strap. In the late 1980s, he began his transition to the heavyweight division where he won six world titles and was considered the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion. He faced the two toughest tests of his career in 1992 against Branko Cikatić and Stan Longinidis - both of whom were heavier fighters - fighting to a controversial draw with Cikatić and losing to Longinidis via an early low kick KO which resulted in a broken leg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Wallace (martial artist)</span> American martial artist (born 1945)

William Louis Wallace, nicknamed "Superfoot", is an American karateka, actor, and former professional kickboxer. Considered one of the first American superstars of kickboxing, he was the Professional Karate Association (PKA) World Full-Contact Champion, and the Middleweight Kickboxing Champion for six years, retiring with an undefeated 23-0-0 record. He is currently the International Ambassador for PKA Worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Lewis (martial artist)</span> American martial artist and actor (1944–2012)

Joseph Henry Lewis was an American martial artist, professional kickboxer and actor. Originally a practitioner of Shōrin-ryū karate and champion in point sparring competitions, he became one of the fathers of full contact karate and kickboxing in the United States, and is credited with popularizing the combat sport in North America.

Jean-Yves Thériault is a Canadian kickboxer, kickboxing trainer, and author.

Jeff Smith is an American martial arts instructor, best known as the former seven-time PKA World Light Heavy Weight Karate Champion. One of his title defense matches was on the undercard for the Ali vs. Frazier "Thrilla in Manila."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Professional Karate Association</span> Martial arts promotion company

The Professional Karate Association (PKA), later Professional Karate & Kickboxing Association, now--effective March 1, 2022 PKA Worldwide--was originally a martial arts sanctioning organization, now transformed into a martial arts promotion company.

Victor Moore holds a 10th Degree Black Belt in Karate and was one of the late Robert Trias' Chief instructors of the Shuri-ryū Karate system. Moore was one of the first ten original members of the Trias International Society and also studied and trained with William J. Dometrich in the style of Chito-ryu. Moore has studied martial arts for over 50 years, and is a four-time world karate champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graciela Casillas</span> American boxer and kickboxer

Graciela Casillas is an American former boxer and kickboxer who competed in the bantamweight division. After training in several traditional martial arts, Casillas began competing as a kickboxer in 1976, and in 1979 she became the first fighter to hold world titles in both boxing and kickboxing by taking the World Women's Boxing Association's and the World Kickboxing Association's bantamweight championships. Although Casillas' Boxrec record is 5–0, Black Belt Magazine reported in May 1984 that she had 27 boxing matches, winning 15 by KO up to that point.

Johnny Morris Davis is an American former kickboxer who competed in the welterweight and middleweight divisions. Nicknamed "Superfoot", Davis held numerous titles including two world championships.

Mitchell Bobrow is a former martial arts fighter who was trained by Ki Whang Kim in the early 1960s. Bobrow was known for his continuous attacks using a unique combination of kicks, punches, and sweeps including his Trademark Jump Back Kick that scored on his opponents with either leg.

Anthony Young is an American martial artist, teacher, and practitioner of the Goju Ryu Karate style and founder of the Tony Young All-Star Karate Academy. He is also a sport karate competitor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Spiro Thanos</span>


George Spiro Thanos is a martial artist champion. Thanos was born in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1952. He began his martial arts training at the Kim Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland in 1965 at the age of 13.

The first American sanctioning body to regulate kickboxing matches, the United States Kickboxing Association (USKA) 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. The USKA’s rules permitted kicking, punching, knee and elbow strikes, and footsweeps. Only crescent kicks and round kicks were allowed to the head. Hitting below the belt and striking-and-holding were prohibited. Bouts consisted of four by three-minute rounds inside a boxing ring, with one-minute rest periods. Contestants wore twelve-ounce gloves and elective gym shoes or no shoes.

Demetrius Havanas, known as 'The Golden Greek', was a third degree karate black belt and kickboxer. He won more than 90 consecutive tournaments in forms and fighting competition, and won 13 grand championships in 1971. He was ranked in the top ten of American Karate fighters between 1971 and 1975.

Steve Shepherd was a five-time world kickboxing champion and a top pioneer kickboxing promoter in the state of Florida. He defeated eight world champions from five weight divisions, four of them during their championship reigns. He also decisioned future world champions Don Wilson, Ted Pryor, Dale "Apollo" Cook and Bob "Thunder" Thurman.

John Corcoran was an American non-fiction book author, magazine editor, screenwriter and martial arts historian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenn Keeney</span> American martial artist (1942–2021)

Glenn R. Keeney was an American martial artist. He was born to Walter Russell and Lucy Puckett Keeney in Anderson, Indiana in 1942, and began his karate training in 1957.

References

  1. ↑ Samo, R. C. (2022-07-27). "Joe Corley Discusses the Return of PKA Kickboxing". FanboyNation. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  2. 1 2 "Martial Arts Biography - Joe Corley". Usadojo.com. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 Corcoran, John and Far7kas, Emil. Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. Gallery Books, New York (1983) p. 317
  4. ↑ Terry Wilson. "Joe Corley Tang Soo Do". Usadojo.com. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "Call This One A Game Of Feet". Sports Illustrated. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  6. ↑ Coleman, Jim (February 1990). Ringside with Joe Corley (Digitized by Google Books). Black Belt Magazine. p. 30. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  7. ↑ Black Belt Hall of Fame Awards Archived 2010-12-20 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "Joe Corley IMDB Listing". IMDb.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.