One full contact event in Baltimore in 1975

 

Back in 1971 I was selected my instructors to participate in a demonstration at a full contact card in Baltimore. 

My role was very minor as all of them were black belts and I but a blue belt. I did participate and got the photo of my obi and forearm in Karate Illustrated for my effort.  Al Bailey and I were holding up Reese Rgby who had cinder caps on his abdomen. Then Dennis Lockwood was swinging the sledgehammer that broke the cinder caps.

 

However I did get to watch things unfold.

 

In one of the preliminary fights I observed one gentleman try to block a kick with his arm and consequently had it broken in that fight. Of course he lost and the doctor in attendance left the arena to tend to him.

 

Then the main fight was called, Kasim Dubur versus Butch Bell of Bando. As Dubur entered the stadium he was showboating to the crows, He was that groups middleweight champion (A full contact league which was run by Aaron Banks). He was also talking to the press for publicity I expect.

 

Bell had entered the ring earlier and just stood there quietly.

 

When Dubur entered the ring he dropped into a series of full splits. Then he stood and gave a head high roundhouse kick to continue turning delivering more kicks again showboating for the press and the crowd.

 

Johnny Kuhl was the referee for the fight, He called the fighters into the ring and gave instructions then bowed them in.

 

The fight began and immediately Bell tore into Dubur with a series of punches tohis body, then stepped back. Dubur went down.

Kool stopped the fight and Dubur got back up to continue.

 

Once again Bell tore into Dubur with a series of strikes to the body. They were the hardest strikes I had seen. You could hear each one of them work his body.

 

Dead on his feet Dubur dropped to his knees and then collapsed to the floor.

 

Johnny Kuhl immediately dropped, then seeing he was not breathing began to deliver artificial resuscitation. The doctor in attendance was still in the back treating the patient with the broken arm.

 

Outside the ring Dubur’s girlfriend was screaming.

 

Then Kuhl's efforts paid off and Dubur began breathing again. He was led out of the ring. Later the doctor tried to get him to go to the hospital but he would not go.

 

 

Later standing outside the arena waiting for our ride, Butch Bell came out of the stadium clutching his prize money in his hand. He demolished his opponent and apparently received $100.00 for his efforts.

 

Where there had been a previous article in Karate Illustrated about him when he won his title in NYC, after that fight I never heard of him again.