Theriault Jean Yves, Jennings Joseph. Full-contact Karate

Chicago: Contemporary Books . Inc ., — 1983 . — 221 p . — ISBN: 0-8092-5597-9No sport has come as far , in such a short time , as professional full - contact karate . Developed in the early 1970s , this exciting sport exploded on the world sporting scene in September 1974 , when it was featured on television for the first time in a 90 - minute special on ABC's " Wide World of Entertainment ." This historic event , presented by Universal Television and sanctioned by the Professional Karate Association ( PKA ) , featured 14 fighters from eight countries . When it was over , the following athletes emerged as world champions in this new nonstop action combat sport : Joe Lewis , heavyweight ( USA ) ; Jeff Smith , light heavy - weight ( USA ) ; Bill " Superfoot " Wallace, middleweight ( USA ) ; and Isaias Duenas , lightweight ( Mexico ).