Joe Lewis - Full contact pioneer passes away

It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that Joe Lewis has lost his battle against brain & bone cancer. Joe, age just 68, passed peacefully away in the USA at 10.45am today USA time (4.45pm UK time). He had been bravely fighting his illness for 18 months.

Joe Lewis was billed as the Worlds greatest Karate-ka, he pioneered full contact along with Jeff Smith and Bill 'super-foot' Wallace.

He trained with Bruce Lee and created his own fighting system.

I met Joe twice, firstly in May 2011 at The Martial Arts Show in Birmingham, I sat with him for 45 minutes in the VIP room just like two regular guys just chatting away about life and Martial arts.

I met Joe again at the Martial Arts Hall of Fame awards in October of that year and the photograph above is of us. L to R: Jeff Smith (World Full contact champion), Bill Wallace (undefeated World Middleweight full contact champion), myself and Joe Lewis (World Heavyweight full contact champion).

I kept in touch with Joe and although I only met him twice, it seemed like two lifetimes of friendship.

It goes without saying that he will be sadly missed but I am grateful that I shared time with him, and he will be remembered.

God Bless Joe, rest in peace.

JOE LEWIS 1944-2012

ALWAYS HERE
"Emptiness, sadness, anger, blame
To lose someone causes so much pain.
I try so hard not to cry
And yet I keep asking why?
Were you called? Was it your time?
If I had these answers would it all be fine?
The sad truth is you are now gone,
And I know I must be strong and carry on.
I thank you for sharing your time with me,
You will always be here, in my memory."

I clearly remember Joe lewis when i first started martial arts and followed his work for many years. He amongst many others was a big inspiration.
A very sad loss to the martial arts world.

RIP Joe Lewis.

RIP. A legend and pioneer of kickboxing in the US. He was a great fighter in both karate and kickboxing.

Rest in Peace Joe Lewis from all at Leicester kickboxing

Nice words Shaun spoken like a true gentleman. RIP Joe.

I remember meeting Joe Lewis way back in 1983 at the WAKO world championships at Wembley and getting him to sign an old copy of the American magazine 'Inside Karate' he was up there with all the greats of martial arts like Bill Wallace,Jeff Smith,Benny Urquidez,etc and as Shaun so rightly said he was a pioneer of American Full Contact Karate and a true inspiration he will be sadly missed by so many around the world...

God Bless and Rest In Peace Joe Lewis

Good night god bless, live all at Tobins gym. X

RIP Joe, sad news great inspiration and a lasting legacy to many

Nice words Shaun, Joe Lewis ..Legend R.I.P.

RIP Joe... Legend in the sport!

‘To me a martial art isn’t about who can beat whose butt, it’s about growing, growing, growing………. The word 'life' implies growth, you’re like, you’re stagnated, makes sense? And you end up living in the past, well I kicked somebody’s butt 20 years ago, so what?, Well I won a title 20 years ago, So what? Well I used to be a champ, so what? It’s what’s inside, it’s what you leave inside of you, it’s not where you are going or where you been, it’s what did you leave inside guys, okay? That’s what it is about, please remember that’ JOE LEWIS 1942-2012

Great words and great piccies and posts
thanks for sharing Shaun

yes RIP sir Joe Lewis


and as i always say...........


Its About 3 things
( were Born We LIVE we Die )
The Start, the MIDDLE and the End


its what you do with the Middle That Counts

"What do you leave inside guys"

Great words

JOE LEWIS
FUNERAL INFORMATION

September 7 - September 9, 2012

Airport
Raleigh / Durham, NC (RDU)

Hotel
Hilton North Raleigh Midtown
(919) 872-2323
**Please do not reserve rooms until Tuesday, September 4th after 3:00pm. We are finalizing the process for group rate and will send information by Tuesday afternoon.
The hotel offers a free shuttle from RDU airport to hotel.

Funeral Home
Old Knightdale Baptist Church Funeral Home
944 Old Knight Road
Knightdale, NC 27545

Cemetery
Knightdale Baptist Cemetary
264 Mailman Road
Knightdale, NC 27545

Workout Location for Joe Lewis students and members of JLFS only!
Except by special permission from Michael Allen or Dennis Nackord
Team RIMA
601 East Six Forks Road
Raleigh, NC 27609

SCHEDULE
Friday, September 7, 2012
Visitation with Family
Times: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Funeral Home

Saturday, September 8, 2012
Memorial Workout for JLFS Black Belts
Times: 8:00am - 10:00am
Location: Team RIMA

Funeral Saturday September 8, 2012
Times: 2:00pm
Location: Funeral Home for Eulalogy.
After service, Joe Lewis will receive full military burial at Knightdale Baptist Cemetery.

Reception Saturday September 8,2012
Times: 7:00pm - 10:00pm
Location: Hilton North Raleigh Midtown
Cost: TBA
*This will be a buffet-style event and cost will be announced shortly.

One of the inspirational characters of that era that got me into Martial Arts as a 10 year old boy. And one of the resons im still here doing it 33 years later.
R.I.P

'A hundred years from now it will not matter what degree black belt I was, the number of World titles I had won or how much money my martial arts school had grossed..... But that the World may be different because I was important in the life of a student..... What you put into the lives of others comes back into your own' JOE LEWIS 1944-2012

Very sad, a pioneer in full-contact martial arts in USA and influential here too. I never met him personally but have only heard good things from people I know who have. RIP.

RIP Joe - a true legend and inspiration to many. Sleep well.