Bruce Lee's Fighting System Book

[Great Sage]

Has anyone read "World's Greatest Fighter Teaches You: How to Master Bruce Lee's Fighting System" by Joe Lewis?

I'd like to know what he says about Bruce Lee, since of late Lewis has been bashing his former teacher... In a recent interview to promote the book, Lewis says to "Razm Avar" Magazine:

"Bruce Lee was a five-foot, seven inch, 138 pound, non-combat type martial artist. I was strictly into combat and competition. I* was almost six feet tall, 200 pounds. I didn't understand the point of why he wanted to ask me to allow him to beat me up in the film "Way of the Dragon" to prove*this personal point of his. Of course, I wanted to do movies, but at that time and based on what my advisors told me, it just didn't seem like a good idea to fulfill someone else's ego trip."

Speaking of ego, this is what Joe Lewis says of himself in the same interview:

"I was voted by my peers as the greatest karate fighter of all time. Chuck Norris and Bill Wallace tied for second place. Of all the ballots that were submitted, I was the only fighter who was included on everyone's lists within the survey. So,* not only did I win first place, the greatest karate fighter of all time, but I was the only fighter who was included on everyone's ballot. I started competing in 1966 when I won the United States National Karate Championship. I won the Grand Title and also won first place in the Black Belt Forum Competition. I'm perhaps the only big name fighter who can say I was never defeated in Kata competition. I was the United States National Black Belt Kata Champion two years, 1966 and 1977. Perhaps, no one who is a tournament grand champion can brag and say that not only were they the grand champion of a major tournament, but they also won first place in Kata competition. That's extremely difficult to accomplish. Since it took me 17 years of competition to achieve that title, "Greatest Fighter of All Time."

[Szczepankiewicz]

Undefeated in Kata. How nice.


Where did you get this from? Do you have a source reference we can look up?

[Great Sage]

Originally posted by Szczepankiewicz
Undefeated in Kata. How nice.


Where did you get this from? Do you have a source reference we can look up?

I was given a photocopy handout without the web address... but I'm sure it exists...

[Szczepankiewicz]

Must you quote each post I make? I realize that I am regarded as a genius, but stop with the icon worship already...

[Great Sage]

Hahaha... Consider it done, for now... For those interested, here are excerpts from a James DeMille interview.

Sijo James Demile Q&A
The following was taken place in the Temple Discussion on 04/10/01 between regular vistitors of this site:

James DeMile: People always seem to make their questions relate to the the martial arts side of Bruce rather than the fighting side. I wish they would explore the realistic side of Bruce's skill in the street, rather than compare him to tournament fighters. I read some of the comments by Joe Lewis and he always compared Bruce to the martial arts image that everyone saw and yet the Bruce that I knew would have blown Joe Lewis, Chuck Norris and anyone else for that matter that acquired their reputation by playing the game of tournaments.

Joe Lewis does not understand what trapping is. By reading his response on the forum I am sure he believes that he would have been overwhelming in a fight with Bruce. His kickboxing, Karate and whatever is very awesome. I've seen Joe Lewis fight and he is very good, but I would not put a dime on him in a real fight with Bruce. I hope I can one day sit down with Joe Lewis and show him why I believe as I do. I believe talk is cheap. I have always been ready to demonstrate, to those interested, what trapping is all about. Chi Sai is expendable, Phon Sao is not. Chi Sao is an exercise, Phon Sao is the art of trapping or shutting down your opponent. I have had many JKD, Jun Fan and others who dropped by my club to talk about Bruce and his fighting skills. These are highly skilled and renowned martial artist from around the world and they all acknowledge, once they see it, that trapping is the lost art. Bruce wanted it that way. I was just very fortuneate to have met Bruce in his early fighting period when he was exporing. That is the only reason I know what I do.

[robertlee]

No one can say for sure how a joe lewis and bruce lee fight would have been. Joe was a very good M/A fighter of the time and still trains well. He and bruce did not spar And if he felt he was a pawn thats his bussiness. As he knows and was there. Bruce was good . So was bob wall and chuck norris, And mike stone. Each has there story and some say nothing. Take away the ground part of the fight. And give youth back to Joe Lewis and he would do very good in todays fights. Bob Wall could take some heavy strikes that most would not want to today. Chuck Norris was hard to beat he was smart in trainig and in shape. Gene labell If I remember right chased bruce down the road ones when he got upset with him. This may just be rumer but I have heard it for years. Bruce did have stages of development. and improved in the stages. Bruce and the concept of jkd is his legesy . Thats real thats whats left behind that can be learned on Im sure Joe Lewis would be open to talk with James demile Or who ever on What he feels or was shown . I will just train in the jkd that I do and stay out of the politics of it. After all its about doing and finding. I respect what Bruce did . It helped open my eyes a little more.