WKA International formally known as World Kickboxing Association or World Kickboxing and Karate Association
History In 1976, WKA International was founded by Howard Hanson in the United States and originally named World Karate Association. The organization was the first non-profit governing body to use an independently controlled rating list and the first to establish a world championship division for women and the first to include countries from Asia.Corcoran, John and Farkas, Emil. Martial Arts: Traditions, History, People. Gallery Books, New York (1983) p. 60. The organization secured network broadcast in the US and Japan and became a major sanctioning body for professional karate. Early stars of the WKA included Benny Urquidez, Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Kevin Rosier and Graciela Casillas. According to martial arts author John Ritschel, "The WKA became successful by finding common ground between Western and Eastern full-contact fighting culture, thereby creating and defining a culture for the sport that improved the recognition of full-contact competitions."
The WKA reported that it had had 52 of its events in televised syndication worldwide in 1981, compared to 48 events broadcast by rival federation PKA (the Professional Karate Association) that year.
Although PKA and WKA tried to expand their promotional presence in Europe, their success was limited. In contrast to the U.S., the development of full-contact karate (kickboxing) in Europe has been more significantly influenced by nationalism and governmental interference than by the pursuit of television revenues. Nevertheless, by 1982, European organizations had sanctioned approximately 20% of all events worldwide.
The WKA later developed on the European continent with Champions like Rob Kaman and Fred Royers. In 1991, Howard Hanson sold the WKA to Canadian Dale Floyd which was followed by a fade in the organization's North American activities, only having tournament champions such as Tony LoCoco. In 1994, Paul Ingram took over the WKA and established its world headquarters in the UK, which led the appointed European directors Fred Royers from Holland and Jean-Paul Maillet from France to leave in January. At the time, WKA was the second largest professional sanctioning organisation in the World. By 2011, the WKA had 129 offices worldwide and was the best known governing body among the rival federations in kickboxing. In 2013, it had 40 member nations.
Howard Hanson founded and lead the association from 1976 to 1992.
Dale Floyd lead the association from 1992 to 1994
Paul Ingram 1994 to 2006
Klaus Nonnemacher 2006 to 2012 Then became WKU
WKU split
In 2012, the manager of the WKA split away to form World Kickboxing and Karate Union (WKU), sponsors such as KWON, which formerly supported the WKA, also moved to the WKU.
From 29 September 2012 WKA had new management: Michele Panfietti began serving as World President and Cristiano Radicchi began serving as General Secretary. From December 2016, the WKA headquarters was transferred back to Birmingham, England.
By 2018 under Paul Ingram the WKA suffered two failed attempts at hosting world championships, 2017 and 2018 in Spain both years senior members had to rescue by joining with ICO one year and Unifieds the following. WKA had not held a World Championships under its own name for 8 years.
A new era of the WKA In 2018, WKA International (New Zealand) acquired the rights associated with the organisation from former president Paul Ingram. Dave Sawyer subsequently assumed responsibility for the administration and development of WKA International.
During the following years, the organisation expanded its international representation and continued to hold events under the WKA name.
In 2024, members of WKA International agreed to establish a formal constitution governing the international association. The constitution was ratified in 2025, creating a member-based governance structure for the organisation. The organization accepted its first constitution on July 17, 2025.
As part of the restructuring, Sawyer agreed that the rights held by WKA International (New Zealand) would be transferred to the newly constituted international association.
WKA International subsequently continued under the leadership of Dave Sawyer as president. The organisation marked its 50th anniversary with plans for its World Championships to return to the United States..
WKA International sanctions fights worldwide fought under the WKA ruleset.
Ruleset Under its professional ruleset it sanctions boxing, full contact karate and kickboxing, low kick, K-1 and Glory kickboxing, as well as Thai boxing and Muay Thai.
Using substances banned by one of the appropriate organizations isn't allowed, WKA supervisors, promoters and the official medic can perform tests on the competitors. Failing a test, or failing to provide a sample can result in a two year ban. Tests are performed by a qualified person of the same sex.
Competitions are held inside of a ring not smaller than 20 square feet or larger than 24 square feet, with four ropes surrounding it. Referees judging the bouts must be certified by WKA.
Full contact karate fights consist of two twelve minute rounds for men, and two ten minute rounds for women. European and national title bouts consist of two ten minute rounds for men, and two eight minute rounds for women. All other regional and state fights consist of two eight minute rounds for men and two six minute rounds for women. For boxing and all forms of kickboxing and karate, rounds consist of three three minute rounds for Class B athletes or five three minute rounds for Class A athletes, depending on the experience of the competitors. Class B athletes are those with seven amateur wins. They are promoted to Class A after achieving eight Class B wins. There is always a minute of rest between rounds. Rounds are scored based on eight counts, effective striking, ring control and style specific techniques.
All competitors wear competition appropriate attire, with compulsory groin protectors for men and breast protectors for women, with both additionally having to use a mouth guard. Full contact karate athletes wear foot protectors, with the exception of title bouts, should the champion demand otherwise. 10 oz gloves are used in all divisions, unless fighters up to and including middleweight agree to use 8 oz gloves.
Bouts in which one of the fighters has missed weight are permitted, provided the weight differential doesn't exceed 3.5% of the weight division allowance or 3.5 kg, whichever is less.
Aside from this, WKA also certifies Karate and kickboxing colored belts and black belts, ranging from 1st to 9th Dan for kickboxing or 1st to 10th for Karate.
Weight classes Weight class nameUpper limitGenderAtomweightFemaleSuper AtomweightFemaleFlyweightFemaleBantamweightMale / FemaleFeatherweightMale / FemaleLightweightMale / FemaleSuper LightweightMale / FemaleWelterweightMale / FemaleSuper WelterweightMale / FemaleMiddleweightMale / FemaleSuper MiddleweightMale / FemaleLight HeavyweightMale / FemaleJunior HeavyweightMaleCruiserweightMaleSuper CruiserweightMaleHeavyweightMaleSuper HeavyweightUnlimitedMale
Full Contact World Champions The list includes full contact world title holders. (title defenses are not included)
Super Heavyweight Stan Longinidis (Stan the Man) - 1993 Duke Roufus - 1995 Stuart Green - 2000 Defeats Sunday Abioundun Jean-Marc Girard - 2005 Defeats Hakan Senöz Sergej Maslobojev - 2007 Anatoly Nosyrev - 2007 Defeats Matos Vitor Mike LaBree - 2012 Defeats Jordan Carroll; still champion as of 11-11; most likely vacant in or sometime before 18-12 when the management moves to NZL with the records "lost from years before" (WKA official website
Heavyweight Gary Sandland - 1993 Defeats William Van Roosmalen. Tony Tasker - 1994 Steffano Tomiazzo - 1995 Marek Piotrowski - 1995 Stuart Green - 1997 Defeats Grant Barker Erdal Yildrim - 2003 Jean-Marc Girard - 2005 Andre Mewis - 2007 Florian Pavic - 2010 Defeats Patrik Berger; retires in 12 (sometime after 12-05-18).
Super Cruiserweight Franz Haller - 2002 Uros Repas - 2006 Florian Pavic - 2009 Defeats Hichem Medoukali; retires in 12 (sometime after 12-05-18).
Cruiserweight Tony LoCoco - 1994 Pavlica Steko - 2002 Blerim Rashiti - 2007 Gareth Richards - 2010 Defeats José De La Llera; vacant in 16. Amer Abdallah - 2016 Defeats Daniel Hughes; announces his retirement in 18-10.
Super Light Heavyweight Rob Kaman - 1992 Defeats Mark Russell; defeats ISKA world super middleweight champion Jean-Yves Thériault on 92-06-20 in Paris, FRA in a double title match but is forced to vacate the title for exceeding the weight limit. Mladen Steko - 2002 Herbert Danois - 2007 Defeats Albert Krieziu Marlon Hunt - 2010 Defeats Robert Cassells
Light Heavyweight Bruce Ozbek - 2002 Marc Apele - 2005 Defeats Orhan Celik. Jens Lintow - 2006 Dominik Haselbeck - 2007 Defeats Angel Alvarez. Ramin Abtin - 2007 Mariusz Niziolek - 2009 Tarik Kuzucu - 2009 Defeats Richard Pedro. Mukhtar Khizriev - 2011 Gareth Richards - 2011 NZL with the records "lost from years before" (WKA official website). Ryan Lyall - 2021 Defeats Adil Zerhoui; vacates on the same day upon retirement.
Super Middleweight Ramin Abtin - 2002 Dominik Haselbeck - 2007 Defeats Geogi Iliev; still champion as of 11-10-20; most likely vacant in or sometime before 18-12 when the management moves to NZL with the records "lost from years before" (WKA official website).
Middleweight Arthur O'Loughlin - 1989 Defeats Terry Begue A.J. Verel - 1992 Stan Peterec - 1994 Perry Ubeda - 2002 Defeats Şahin Yakut Serguei Lapinski - 2002 Dean Sugden - 2006 Muzammal Nawaz - 2007 Christopher Autrey - 2011 fastest knockout in WKO/WKA/K-1/Glory history at 7 sec. Most knockouts in 1 year (11) Semen Poskotin Merkel - 2010 Defeats Przemyslaw Ziemnichki in full contact rules (legionisci.com, 10-05-24); still champion as of 12-12-07; most likely vacant in or sometime before 18-12 when the management moves to NZL with the records "lost from years before" (WKA official website).
Super Welterweight Kash Gill - 1991 Also wins ISKA freestyle light middleweight title on 93-11-21. Victor Vargotsky -1994 Defeats Luis Aguila Angelo DiBella - 1995 Roberto Fatica - 1995 Mark Weller - 1996 Imed Mathlouthi - 2002 Chris Algieri - 2005 Defeats Brad Fowler Viktor Hoffman - 2011 Bobby Campbell - 2017
Welterweight Victor Vargotsky - 1994 Murat Comert - 2002 Jason Vassallo - 2007 Dennis Lukashev - 2011
Super Lightweight Terry Butwell - 2002 Alain Coppey - 2007 Defeats Christian Deiss Bobby Campbell - 2009 Defeats Christian Deiss. Sam Allan - 2013
Lightweight • Bill Barton - 1993 Juan Torres - 1994 Muzaffer Tosun - 2002 Rocco Cipriano - 2007 Michael Peynaud - 2011 Still champion as of 2012-11-29; most likely vacant in or sometime before 18-12 when the management moves to NZL with the records "lost from years before" (WKA official website).
Super Featherweight Danny Melendez - 1990 Defeats Aldaberto Leal for KICK and WKA titles. Rocco Cipriano - 2004
Bantamweight Scott Allan - 2011
Women’s Super Lightweight Bianca Ammann - 2011
Women’s Lightweight Fredia Gibbs - 1992 Defeats Chevrette Pabros. Christine Theiss - 2007 Defeats Donatella Panu
Women’s Bantamweight Kaliope Yeitsidou - 2006 Cindy Metz - 2011
Women’s Flyweight Rebekka Hermann - 2011
See also List of kickboxing organizations
References
Further reading Delmas Alain, Callière Jean-Roger, Histoire du Kick-boxing, FKBDA, France, 1998 Delmas Alain, Définition du Kick-boxing, FKBDA, France, 1999
External links