International Sport Karate Association

The International Sport Karate Association (ISKA) is one of the major international bodies regulating sport karate and kickboxing 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 (PKA) into decline.[1]

Not to be confused with Iška, a river in Slovenia.
International Sport Karate Association
TypePrivate
IndustryKickboxing promotion
Founded1985 (1985)
Headquarters
United States
Websitehttp://www.iskaworldhq.com/

History

From 1974 until 1985, the PKA had been the most recognised 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,[2] 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, Tony Thompson, John Worley and Scott Coker. 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.[3]

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 (WAKO) was mostly active in Europe and the World Kickboxing Association (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.[4]

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 organisations 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 is the President of ISKA Australia, which is the biggest martial arts tournament circuit in Australia.[5]

Current activities

ISKA is a sport karate, all styles kickboxing, mixed martial arts (MMA) sanctioning body in the United States and over 50 countries worldwide.

ISKA's Martial Arts World Championships are held yearly at the US Open of Martial Arts in Disney World, Orlando, Florida. The US Open ISKA World Martial Arts Championships celebrated its 40th anniversary the July 4th weekend, 2013. More than 4,000 competitors and 10,000 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.[6]

World Champions

Men's divisions
Style Flyweight Bantamweight Featherweight Super Featherweight Lightweight Super Lightweight
Oriental Rules Vacant Tenshin Nasukawa Franck Gross Miguel Martinez Adam Bouarourou Benjamin Horvath
Full Contact Kickboxing Mathieu Damiano Vacant Jerome Ardissone Jonathan Pastorino Yoann Portaller Vladislav Melmik
Freestyle Kickboxing Vacant Martin Blanco Tenshin Nasukawa Vacant Mohamed Karbal Enzo Bonio
Muay Thai Andrii Mezentsev Vacant Carlos Coello Jonathan Haggerty Vacant Shunsuke Oishi
K-1 Rules Akram Hamidi Eisaku Ogasawara Yanis Goucef Ján Szajko Koji Yannick Reine
Style Light Welterweight Welterweight Super Welterweight Light Middleweight Middleweight Super Middleweight
Oriental Rules Mo Abdurahman Vacant Armen Petrosyan Mustapha Haida Karim Ghajji Karim Ghajji
Full Contact Kickboxing Vladislav Melmik Vacant Gaetan Delacher José Rodríguez Mehdi Kada Mondhor Yacoubi
Freestyle Kickboxing Modibo Diarra David Mejia Sergio Sanchez Edouard Bernadou Cedric de Keirsmaeker Lukasz Plawecki
Muay Thai Khumsab Malker Garcia Fabio Pinca Nauzet Trujillo Youssef Boughanem Patrick Madisse
K-1 Rules Cedric Peynaud Malker Garcia Giorgio Petrosyan Youssef Assouik Mickael Lopes De Veiga Patrick Madisse
Style Light Heavyweight Light Cruiserweight Cruiserweight Super Cruiserweight Heavyweight Super Heavyweight
Oriental Rules Cyril Benzaquen Reda Ougdou Alberto Tapia Moises Baute Vacant Murat Aygün
Full Contact Kickboxing Jon Durrant Emmanuel Mahout James Green Riyadh Al-Azzawi Vacant Vacant
Freestyle Kickboxing Frederic Kowatz Luca Adreani Florent Kaouachi Vacant Vacant Vacant
Muay Thai Atakan Arslan Henry Bannert Bejan Ahmedi Emmanuel Payet Vacant Thomas Froschauer
K-1 Rules Kevin Ward Madani Rahmani Francis Jorge Turpal Tokaev Mamoudou Keita Frederic Sinistra

As of July 14, 2020

Women's divisions
Style Atomweight Strawweight Flyweight Super Flyweight
Oriental Rules Vacant Michelle Newell Gloria Peritore Serin Murray
Full Contact Kickboxing Emilie Machut Djouarha Chafia Gloria Peritore Lizzie Largillière
Freestyle Kickboxing Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant
Muay Thai Anna Shiratsuki Amy Pirnie Kim Townsend Vacant
K-1 Rules Cristina Morales Ludivine Lasnier Djouarha Chafia Cynthia Gonzalez
Style Bantamweight Featherweight Super Featherweight Lightweight
Oriental Rules Vacant Mellony Geugjes Lara Fernandez Deniz Batinli
Full Contact Kickboxing Vacant Vacant Vacant Vacant
Freestyle Kickboxing Vacant Chiara Vincis Aurélie Froment Nili Block
Muay Thai Melillo Sveva Vacant Vacant Vacant
K-1 Rules Anissa Meksen Martine Michieletto Sabriye Şengül Aurélie Froment
Style Super Lightweight Light Welterweight Welterweight Super Welterweight
Oriental Rules Deniz Batinli Anke Van Gestel Vacant Vacant
Full Contact Kickboxing Irene Mertens Vacant Vacant Cathy LeMee
Freestyle Kickboxing Cindy Perros Cindy Perros Vacant Vacant
Muay Thai Veronica Vernocchi Vacant Vacant Anna Rantanen
K-1 Rules Anke Van Gestel Johanna Kruse Vacant Vacant

As of August 31, 2020

See also

References
  1. Bill Wallace (October 1988). The Decline and Fall of the PKA Empire (Digitized by Google Books). Black Belt Magazine. p. 13. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  2. Corcoran, John and Farkas, Emil. Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. Gallery Books, New York (1983) p. 317.
  3. "What is ISKA?". iskaworldhq.com. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. "From A to WKN". Worldkickboxingnetwork.com. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
  5. "A HISTORY OF KICKBOXING". Archived from the original on 19 March 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  6. "National Coverage Map". Usopen-karate.com. Archived from the original (JPG) on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2015-10-08.

Web resources

Books and articles

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