Francisco Filho

Filho made history by becoming the first non-Japanese (外人) to win the Karate World Championship in 1999. He was also one of the few people to complete the 100-man Kumite Challenge more than once. In 1982, aged 11, he started to learn Karate, at the Liberdade Dojo under Seiji Isobe. Filho soon realised that Kyokushin Karate was the style for him. He also formed a close relationship with Isobe. By 1985 Filho started competing in junior tournaments. In 1987 age 16, Filho competed at the Brazilian Open, finishing in seventh place. The following year he improved to sixth place. At the 5th South American Tournament, Filho won his first international title aged 18, in 1989. It was after this success that he dreamt of becoming world champion. Between 2-4 November 1991, Filho competed in the 5th World Open Tournament, his first world tournament. In an earlier round, he was involved in a controversial bout against Andy Hug of Switzerland. In their bout, he knocked out Hug with a fears