This is an interesting story. I get confused about times, but I remember joining Kyokushinkai in 1968, (28 years old) made Sho-dan in 1973, made Ni-dan 1976, so is that right, I have been in Martial Arts 37 years. I attended many tournaments, local and state, mainly going to Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Connecticut to compete.

My impression of Kyokushinkai was "full contact" all the time. I use to fight a lot of Black competitors, some people were afraid to fight them, not me. Being from "hell's" kitchen I was beat up a lot.  In those days I was small and skinny.  Also, I was "hardened" from beatings my father gave my mother and me.

I remember one particular tournament in Brooklyn we had maybe 20 fighters fighting in the Brown Belt division. After watching a few brutal rounds half of my fellow competitors slinked away not to compete. I stayed and looked forward to competing.  I did not drive 200 miles, lose a night's sleep to come and walk away.  Competing out of town meant losing a night's sleep and being tired waiting all day to fight.  I fought in Syracuse one time in the heavy weight division, the "Purple Dragons" an all black Dojo. I fought their top fighter and beat the hell out of him cause he fought "dirty". I lost on a point, but no one who was there denied the fact they sure look at me with a lot of respect, so I got around!

Remember, I was not in my prime.  I was close to 30 years old and continued to compete till I was 40. On the Local scene there was a Dojo of another style that continually made mockery of our Dojo, calling us animals and bragging about how superior they were to us.  I finally got  sick and tired of Hidy Ochia's Dojo.  They sent a five man team to our Dojo to challenge us, Ernest Star a Black National Champion for Hidy was there to. We accepted the challenge and wiped the floor with them, period. I personally took it upon my self to go to Hidy's Dojo and challenged their top fighter "Gary Cushner" he declined!

Just a little background on me with the above war stories.

I tried to attend clinics in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Connecticut to improve my fighting skills with Tadashi Nakamura, Soshu S. Oyama and Seiji Kanamura . I would be willing to compete at the drop of a hat, I never trained for tournaments as all my training was hard, period. For the record, prior to fighting Willie Williams, I beat Charles Martin in New York (Black Fighting Kings) at a Kyokushinkai tournament. I also fought Soshu S. Oyama top fighter Donny Lamatina and knocked him out for a while to lose only for a close draw at another Kyokushinkai tournament.
Myself this seems predestined, because all my fights Soshu S. Oyama, Tadasha Nakamura and Seiji Kanamura saw me competing a lot and doing very well against their top fighters over the years. In 1977 just before we moved from New York State to California I competed in Connecticut at a tournament that unbeknownst to me was classified as a "knockdown" tournament. I thought they were all knockdown to be honest, (Shihan laughing). But Richard Morel (semi-pro football player Black), Al Johnson 6' 5" (Black), Sensei Bill Richards and my close friend Ward Jarvis (ex Vietnam Veteran) student. We all were close friends and made Sho-dan together, except Ward who was Green Belt attending this tournament.

We rented a van and drove to Connecticut to enter the tournament. All five of us, well acclimated to full contact, laughing, joking and just having a good time as we drove to Connecticut. When we arrived I changed into my gi and went to the gym warming up and watching the fighting. Black Belts were last to fight. When it came time to fight Soshu S. Oyama lined us all up and he came over to me grabbed my arm and moved me out of line and down the other end to pair off with fighters. So who does he put me in front of, Willie Williams 6' 7' 240-250 pounds, balled, gold erring, his gi was tattered. I looked starting from his size 17 feet to his head that made me dizzy with fear, I could not believe this.

He looked down at me, not with a friendly smile and just stared at me. He was 26 ( I think) years old in his prime, I was 36 years old and way past my prime, ugh! I think at the time Soshu S. Oyama knew exactly what he was doing, I was probably the only one able to fight him and Soshu S. Oyama kinda knew Willie would have his hands filled with me. Because I was filled with fear, this was a blessing, because my students and friends were there watching me and I would not let them down, period.

When it came time to fight Willie, the referee's consisted of Tadashi Nakamura, Soshu S. Oyama and Seiji Kanamura (now 8th Dan Kyokushinkai, I fought him for my Ni-dan). My mind was clicking furiously as to how I was going to fight him. My heart was pounding, adrenaline peaked. Ok, his 6' 7" 240 pounds and arms and legs as long as a praying mantis. Ok, you need to close fast and work the middle of the body with in close fighting. He was surprised I closed so quick for a heavy weight, but I did not want to get hit buy his ranged power.

We traded punches, my hands were my forte, clash, back away a Little, close, clash, smash, knees. This went on for a few seconds (all a blur). He did not knock me down, neither did I knock him down. Full power, close hit, smash, can't let him get ranged on me, keep saying that to myself. One moment we broke a part, we both stood motionless looking at each other and I thought I had giving him room to maneuver. This was a mistake I thought, he hesitated. I saw my only chance (this was amazing), Willie was so tall, I saw an opening between his legs, I charged forward rolled under his huge body, came out the other side and jumped kicked him right in the head. I use to be a broad jumper when in high school.

Seiji Kanamura called "full ipon" the crowd went crazy, all the audience was standing. When I did that rolling under Willie, Willie was looking around with disbelief as to were I had disappeared to, Shihan laughing until he got kick in the head from behind. Don't ask me, how I did this jump kick, out of pure fear, period. Well Seiji Kanamura, Soshu S. Oyama and Tadashi Nakamura called a conference, I don't think they ever saw this before, a 225 pound heavy weight jump kicking at a knockdown tournament. The decision by Seiji Kanamura was over ruled.

We commence, facing off, I think Willie was pissed, we close again and just continued to exchange punches, when I started to feel some fatigue setting in, I weaken, trying to get some of my breath back I backed out cautiously and Willie saw his opportunity, my mistake. With a terrific powerful low kick to my front leg, I collapsed to the floor, I mean powerful, they stopped the fight. Doctors came out, examined my leg and saw it was twice the size of normal, already bleeding internally. They recommended I stop fighting, I said let me see if I can stand.

I got up on my own power, standing on one leg, looked at Willie (he was tore up some) and looked at him in the eye's said "just you and me Willie, hands only, whatta say?" The doctor said I was crazy, Soshu S. Oyama, Tadashi Nakamura and Seiji Kanamura looked at each other, this was unprecedented. The tension was thick, Willie looked at me I at him and then we got the nod from Soshu S. Oyama. Lets fight! I went to center of the ring, stood up (the crowd was going crazy).

Soshu S. Oyama said "fight" we clashed for another 30 seconds, or minute and I punched with full power to his body and his to mine, just toe to toe, interestingly enough he did not break my ribs. Time called and the audience went wild, Willie won with the low kick.

I could not believe what just happened, Willie and I hugged and came the best of friends after that at summer camps, he said he never forgot me as one time he picked me up off the ground at summer camp and gave me a big hug. When We completed our fight we got a standing ovation.

There was five team kata and self-defense girl team there, one of the blonde's was Soshu's wife, they all came over to me to hug me and congratulate me on a great fight. I was in pain limping to the locker room, people came over to shake my hand. But I will tell you I really felt great! Ward Jarvis my student won 3rd place in Green Belt knockdown after fighting "10" rounds to the finals, true story!

I showered saw my leg purple, swelled, no bones broken, I immediately took 6 aspirins and went to the local bar and had three shots of whiskey, cause the doctors wanted me to go to the hospital. I needed to wait for Ward to finish his competition so we did not leave Connecticut till midnight. Both Ward and I halfway home checked into an emergency hospital, he had contusion all over his body. The doctors took ex-rays and just shook their heads, and told me my left leg would never be the same again. That was not true, that was a Sunday night, Tuesday night I was back at training. I found out later Willie Lost his next match, he was to banged up.