Monday, Jun 26, 2000
Chicago’s Letuli Dies From Cancer
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Chicago’s Letuli Dies From Cancer CHICAGO — Tom Letuli, the promoter who brought NHB fighting to the Midwest in 1996, has died after a year-long bout with cancer. A memorial service is scheduled Saturday for Letuli, one of the most respected and active promoters in martial arts. In more than 30 years in the martial arts, Letuli and his wife, Rosemary, owned and ran gyms and promoted hundreds of events from kickboxing to karate to NHB. His most recent efforts included the "Bankok Brawl," "Ki-Jitsu" and "Battle of the Masters." Letuli served as a judge for UFC XXI in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but had to decline an invitation earlier this month for UFC XXVI as his health declined. In 1996 he debuted "Battle of the Masters" and drew a sellout crowd to St. Andrews Gym in Chicago. The winner of that 8-man event was current UFC lightweight champion Pat Miletich, who was making his NHB debut. He went on to do several more Battle of the Masters before the Illinois law was changed to limit the rules. He got rid of the cage and continued running successful events with limited rules. In November of 1996, Letuli helped Monte Cox put on his first NHB show after promoting pro boxing. The event, Quad City Ultimate I, drew 8,000 people and started the promotion that is now the Extreme Challenge. "Tom was the kind of promoter I always looked up to," Cox said. "He proved that you don’t have to be sleazy and treat fighters like crap to be a successful promoter. When I wanted to start in NHB he treated me like a protege… helping me more than I could have ever expected. He didn’t see me as a rival, but as an ally. He used to say ‘we all have to stick together if this sport is going to make it" — words that still hold true today." Although it is a great loss for all that knew him, Letuli’s influence will be around for a long time. "Almost all the martial arts promoters in the Chicago area were taught or helped by Tom," Cox said. "He’s somebody who won’t be forgotten. But he sure will be missed." |
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Pancrase Results  "PANCRASE 2000 TRANS TOUR" ~Middleweight & Light Heavyweight Ranking Tournament~ Korakuen Hall(Tokyo, Japan) Monday, June 26, 2000 Doors open: 6:00PM Fight start: 7:00PM Live gate: 2,300 sold out
UPCOMING EVENTS
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posted by Full Contact Fighter @ 8:00 pm
