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Tomasz Kucharzewski

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Tomasz Kucharzewski
Born(1968-08-13)August 13, 1968
Częstochowa, Poland
DiedMarch 8, 2008(2008-03-08) (aged 39)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
NationalityPolish
Canadian
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight225 lb (102 kg; 16.1 st)
DivisionHeavyweight
Heavyweight
StyleKyokushin karate, Shidokan karate
Fighting out ofWindsor, Ontario
Tomasz Kucharzewski
Medal record
Representing  Poland
Men's Kyokushin Karate
Polish National Championships
Gold medal – first place 1988 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place 1989 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place 1990 Heavyweight
European Oyama Cup
Gold medal – first place 1988 Heavyweight
Representing  Canada
Men's Kyokushin Karate
Canadian National Championships
Gold medal – first place 1991 Heavyweight
Men's Enshin Karate
World Sabaki Challenge
Gold medal – first place Denver 1992 Heavyweight
Silver medal – second place Denver 1993 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Denver 1994 Heavyweight
Men's Shidōkan Karate
US International Championships
Gold medal – first place Chicago 1992 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Chicago 1993 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Chicago 1994 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Chicago 1995 Heavyweight
Gold medal – first place Chicago 1996 Heavyweight
World Championships
Gold medal – first place Tokyo 1994 Heavyweight
Australian Open
Silver medal – second place 1998 Heavyweight

Tomasz Kucharzewski (August 13, 1968 – March 8, 2008) was a Polish-Canadian martial artist. Kucharzewski initially gained fame while fighting competitively in Kyokushin kaikan and Shidōkan styles of karate. Though greatly successful in karate, he became more involved in kickboxing during his later career. A dominating force in the ring, Kucharzewski was described by the veteran karate instructor and journalist Roger Salick as "indestructible" following his fourth (of five) International Shidōkan Championship wins.[1] He held notable victories over Glaube Feitosa and international karate champion Gerry Marketos.

Early life and karate career

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Born in Częstochowa, Kucharzewski began training in karate at the age of 14. He had won three Polish national titles in Kyokushin kaikan karate and one European title by the time he was 20. He moved to Canada in 1991 and settled in Windsor, Ontario, from where he participated in an estimated 300 fights.[2] He achieved his greatest competitive success at this time, including two first-place wins in the annual US Sabaki Challenge and five consecutive gold medals at the International Shidokan Championships.

At the 1994 US International Shidokan Championships, Kucharzewski powered through opponent Christopher Harrison and knocked out Alain Grosdesormeaux with a knee strike en route to reaching the finals. The championship ended up being awarded to him without a fight, as his opponent Dontel Fleming forfeited the match in favor of hospitalization after experiencing concussion-like symptoms.[3] The following year, Kucharzewski endured a bizarre, DQ-bound single round against Soneybourne Ali before knocking out international karate champion Gerry Marketos and claiming his fourth shidokan title in a hard-fought match against Akio Kobayashi.[1]

K-1

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With a substantial martial arts career already behind him, Kucharzewski accepted an invitation to K-1 - the era’s premier kickboxing organization. His initial bouts proved fruitless: he met Jean-Claude Leuyer and Lloyd van Dams at the K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 and K-1 Braves '99 events, and both defeated him with low kicks which injured his left knee. He fared considerably better at the K-1 USA Championships 2000 tournament, using substantial boxing skills to score TKO victories over American fighter Jason Johnson and future K-1 World Grand Prix finalist Glaube Feitosa. Despite a strong first round in the finals where he stunned opponent Andrei Dudko with a spinning back kick, Kucharzewski found his left leg under attack again and went to the canvas following two powerful low kicks, whereupon he was unable to meet the 10-count.

Kucharzewski fought twice more for K-1, his final match coming in the K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA quarterfinals. After being pressed by opponent Duke Roufus throughout the first round, he suffered two knockdowns and the referee ended the fight.

Death

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During the later years of his life, Kucharzewski suffered a knee injury and ceased being as active in training and competition. He was found dead in his downtown Windsor apartment by family members on March 8, 2008. Although an autopsy was performed, the cause of death was not immediately known.[2] Doctors claimed that his death could have been caused by cardiac arrhythmia.[4]

Personal life

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Kucharzewski was known to his contemporaries for his calm and friendly demeanor. Albert Mady - his coach of 16 years - described him as "happy-go-lucky".[2][4]

At his time of death, he worked at the Chromeshield steelmaking company in Windsor. He was unmarried and had no children.[4]

Titles

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Karate

  • 1988 Polish National Kyokushin Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1988 3rd European Oyama Cup (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1989 Polish National Kyokushin Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1990 Polish National Kyokushin Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1991 Canadian National Kykokushin Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1992 Sabaki Challenge US Open (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1992 US International Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1993 Sabaki Challenge US Open (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1993 US International Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 2nd place
  • 1994 Sabaki Challenge US Open (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1994 US International Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1994 Tokyo World Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1995 US International Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1996 US International Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 1st place
  • 1998 Australian Open Shidokan Championships (Heavyweight) - 2nd place

Kickboxing

Amateur boxing

  • 1993 Ontario Provincial Heavyweight Champion

Kickboxing record (incomplete)

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Kickboxing Record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time Record
2003-06-28 Loss United States Carter Williams Tales of Pain - Final Chicago, United States TKO (Doctor stoppage) 1
Fight was for the Tales of Pain tournament title.
2003-06-28 Win Canada Giuseppe de Natale Tales of Pain - Semifinals Chicago, United States
2003-06-28 Win United States Lane Collyer Tales of Pain - Quarterfinals Chicago, United States TKO (Corner stoppage)
2001-05-05 Loss United States Duke Roufus K-1 World Grand Prix 2001 Preliminary USA Quarterfinals Las Vegas, United States TKO (2 Knockdowns/Punches) 1 2:26 69-8
2000-10-09 Loss Japan Hiromi Amada K-1 World Grand Prix 2000 in Fukuoka Quarterfinals Fukuoka, Japan KO (Right Cross) 1 1:49 69-7
2000-08-05 Loss Belarus Andrei Dudko K-1 USA Championships 2000 Finals Las Vegas, United States KO (Right Low Kick) 2 1:25 69-6
Fight was for the K-1 USA Championships 2000 title.
2000-08-05 Win Brazil Glaube Feitosa K-1 USA Championships 2000 Semifinals Las Vegas, United States TKO (Referee Stoppage/Punches) 1 2:03 69-5
2000-08-05 Win United States Jason Johnson K-1 USA Championships 2000 Quarterfinals Las Vegas, United States TKO (2 Knockdowns/Right Cross) 1 0:56 68-5
1999-06-20 Loss Netherlands Lloyd van Dams K-1 Braves '99 Quarterfinals Fukuoka, Japan KO (Right Low Kick) 2 1:48 61-4
1998-08-07 Loss United States Jean-Claude Leuyer K-1 USA Grand Prix '98 Quarterfinals Las Vegas, United States TKO (Corner Stoppage/Right Low Kick) 1 3:00
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

Karate record (incomplete)

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Karate Record
Date Result Opponent Event Location Method Round Time
1996-00-00 Win Japan Shuji Abe 1996 US International Shidokan Championships – Finals Chicago, United States TKO (Referee Stoppage/Knee) 2
Wins the 1996 US International Shidokan Heavyweight Championship.
1996-00-00 Win 1996 US International Shidokan Championships – Semifinals Chicago, United States
1996-00-00 Win 1996 US International Shidokan Championships – Quarterfinals Chicago, United States
1995-10-00 Win Japan Akio Kobayashi 1995 US International Shidokan Championships – Finals Chicago, United States
Wins the 1995 US International Shidokan Heavyweight Championship.
1995-10-00 Win Canada Gerry Marketos 1995 US International Shidokan Championships – Semifinals Chicago, United States KO (Knee) 1
1995-10-00 Win United States Soneybourne Ali 1995 US International Shidokan Championships – Quarterfinals Chicago, United States DQ 1
Ali was ejected from the arena after shoving the referee.
1994-00-00 Win United States Dontel Fleming 1994 US International Shidokan Championships – Finals Chicago, United States Forfeiture (Unable to fight) 1 0:00
Wins the 1994 US International Shidokan Heavyweight Championship.
Fleming forfeited the match and was taken to the hospital after experiencing headaches and sensitivity to light.
1994-00-00 Win Sint Maarten Alain Grosdesormeaux 1994 US International Shidokan Championships – Semifinals Chicago, United States KO (Knee) 1
1994-00-00 Win United States Christopher Harrison 1994 US International Shidokan Championships – Quarterfinals Chicago, United States KO (Knee) 1
1993-04-17 Loss United States Patrick Smith 1993 US Sabaki Challenge – Finals Denver, United States Decision
Fight was for the 1993 US Sabaki Challenge Heavyweight Championship.
1993-04-17 Win United States Michael Gallant 1993 US Sabaki Challenge – Semifinals Denver, United States Decision (Unanimous) 1
1993-04-17 Win United States Jay Pommrehn 1993 US Sabaki Challenge – Quarterfinals Denver, United States Decision (Unanimous) 2
Legend:   Win   Loss   Draw/No contest   Notes

References

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  1. ^ a b Salick, Roger. Shidokan's Slugfests Impress Gracie Archived 2008-12-27 at the Wayback Machine, Shidokan.com. Accessed December 23, 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Late fighter was "Happy-go-lucky" Archived 2012-11-05 at the Wayback Machine, Windsor Star, March 12, 2008. Accessed December 23, 2008.
  3. ^ Salick, Roger. [1], Salick's Karate & Martial Arts. Accessed December 16, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c Windsor kickboxer fought at elite level Archived 2012-11-05 at the Wayback Machine, Windsor Star, March 13, 2008. Accessed December 31, 2008.
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