The ISKA (originally International Sport Karate Association, later also called the International Sport Kickboxing Association) is one of the major international bodies regulating
sport karate
(; ; Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian ...
and
kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
matches, and 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
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 compa ...
(PKA) into decline.
History
From 1974 until 1985, the PKA had been the most recognized worldwide kickboxing sanctioning group. It was instrumental in establishing public relay of the sport via ESPN, helping to introduce the burgeoning sport to a wider audience, and had also developed the first fighter's ratings systems. Five major U.S.-based promoters and resigning PKA executives created the new body, the International Sport Karate Association (ISKA), with an official announcement on July 16, 1986. The first U.S. directors were Mike Sawyer,
Karyn Turner
Karyn Turner (born 1946) is an American martial arts expert who has been variously known as “The Queen of Kata”,"Karyn Turner: Kung Fu's Queen of Kata and Kumite", Inside Kung Fu 4(7):30-33, September 1977. “First Lady of Kung Fu”,“Woman ...
, Tony Thompson, John Worley and
Scott Coker
Scott Coker (born October 3, 1962) is an American mixed martial artist, Taekwondoin, former movie stuntman, and combat sports promoter. He is the founder and former CEO of MMA promotion Strikeforce and the current President of Bellator MMA.
Bac ...
. It currently runs the biggest martial arts tournament in the world, The U.S Open. Thousands of competitors from around the world participate every year.
Many of the major PKA promoters began sanctioning their events with the ISKA and several also joined its administration. ISKA also secured ESPN broadcasts of its major title bouts in 1986, thus helping bring quick credibility and recognition to the new association.
Since the
World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents. WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is ...
(WAKO) was mostly active in Europe and the
World Kickboxing Association
The World Kickboxing Association (WKA) also known as World Kickboxing and Karate Association, is one of the oldest and the largest amateur and professional sanctioning body for kickboxing and Karate.
History
In 1976, the WKA was founded by Ho ...
(WKA) in Asia, ISKA was quick to expand through its own European Directors starting October 1986 with Olivier Muller, Jérome Canabate and Mohamed Hosseini. American Richard Mayor oversaw the establishment of this European wing as European President between 1986 and 1988.
By 1991, the worldwide control of the ISKA was shared by two co-chairmen: Mike Sawyer and Olivier Muller. International TV coverage was secured, and united separate organizations were formed worldwide to handle responsibility for international sanctioning and grading. ISKA has conducted its official activities under ISKA ASIA since 2008 with Dr. S. A. Moinshirazi the President of ISKA ASIA.
Paul Zadro
Paul Zadro (born 15 March 1963, at Innisfail, in Northern Queensland), is an Australian martial artist, sport administrator and promoter. He is currently the chairman of the International Sports Karate Association in Australia and an 8th Degr ...
is the President of ISKA Australia, which is the biggest martial arts tournament circuit in Australia.
In the early 2000s ISKA began sanctioning
K-1 events such as K1-MAX and K-1 USA, and for several years they also sanctioned both kickboxing and MMA events for
Strikeforce
Strike Force may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game
*'' Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game
*'' Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game
*''Marvel Strike Force'', ...
.
[ISKA – About Us](_blank)
/ref> Starting from 2012, ISKA sanctioned events for the kickboxing promotion Glory.
Current activities
ISKA is a sport karate
(; ; Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the influence of Chinese martial arts, particularly Fujian ...
, all styles kickboxing
Kickboxing is a combat sports, combat sport focused on kicking and punch (strike), punching. The combat takes place in a boxing ring, normally with boxing gloves, mouthguards, shorts, and bare feet to favour the use of kicks. Kickboxing is pract ...
, mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, inc ...
(MMA) sanctioning body in the United States and over 50 countries worldwide.
ISKA's Martial Arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
World Championships are held yearly at the US Open of Martial Arts in Disney World
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, th ...
, Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...
, Florida. The US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships is held annually every year on the Fourth of July weekend. More than 8,000 competitors and 12,000 spectators attend the two-day event each year. The event closes with the Night of Champions featuring the ISKA World Martial Arts Championships. The Night of Champions airs live on ESPN3, while a highlights show airs later on ESPN2. The US Open is the longest continuously running martial arts event on ESPN. The US Open highlights continue to air throughout the year on CSI Sports networks, reaching approximately 85 million households.
Kickboxing World Champions
Men's Kickboxing Divisions
As of July 14, 2020
Women's Kickboxing Divisions
As of August 31, 2020
Sport Karate World Champions
Current ISKA Team World Champions
Current ISKA Adult World Champions
Current ISKA Youth World Champions
As of July 3rd, 2021
Breaking World Champions
See also
* World Association of Kickboxing Organizations
The World Association of Kickboxing Organizations (W.A.K.O or WAKO) is an international kickboxing organization counting over 120 affiliated countries representing all five continents. WAKO is a major governing body of amateur kickboxing and is ...
References
External links
Web resources
International Sport Karate Association (I.S.K.A. Head Office)
International Sport Karate Association (I.S.K.A. ASIA)
International Sport Karate Association (I.S.K.A. EUROPE)
International Sport Kickboxing Association (I.S.K.A. CZECH REPUBLIC
Books and articles
"A History of Full Contact Karate
– 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
*Miles Mikes, sit
''An interview with Joe Lewis, 1998''
{{Kickboxing organizations
Sports organizations established in 1985
Kickboxing organizations
Karate organizations
1985 establishments in Florida