| Tomasz Kucharzewski | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 13, 1968 Częstochowa, Poland |
| Died | March 8, 2008 (aged 39) Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Polish Canadian |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
| Weight | 225 lb (102 kg; 16.1 st) |
| Division | Heavyweight |
| Style | Kyokushin Karate, Shidokan (Soeno's style) |
| Fighting out of | Windsor, Ontario, Canada |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 6 |
| Wins | 2 |
| By knockout | 2 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 0 |
Tomasz Kucharzewski (August 13, 1968 – March 8, 2008) was a Polish-Canadian martial artist. Kucharzewski initially gained fame while competitively fighting in Kyokushin kaikan and Shidōkan styles of karate. Even though he proved to be greatly successful in karate, winning numerous national and international titles, Kucharzewski's later career saw him become more involved with mixed martial arts and kickboxing.
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Born in the city of Częstochowa, Poland, Kucharzewski started training in karate at the age of 14. He had won three Polish national titles in Kyokushin kaikan style of karate and one European international title by the time he was 20 years old. He moved to Canada at age 23 in 1991 and settled in Windsor, Ontario from where he fought in an estimated 300 fights including five K-1 competitions.[1] Kucharzewski was known by his contemporaries for his calm and friendly demeanor which led Albert Mady, his coach of 16 years, to describe him as "happy-go-lucky".[1][2] During his run of five consecutive years from 1992 to 1996 of being crowned the International Shidōkan Champion, Tomasz Kucharzewski proved to be a dominating feature in the ring, enough so that the 35-year veteran karate teacher Roger Salick called him "indestructible" during Kucharzewski's run for his fourth straight title.[3]
During the latter part of his life, Kucharzewski suffered a knee injury and was not as active in training and fighting anymore. He was found dead in his downtown Windsor apartment by family members on March 8, 2008. Although an autopsy was performed on him, the cause of death was not immediately known.[1] According to Monika Kucharzewski, Tomasz' younger sister, doctors said that his death could have been caused by cardiac arrhythmia.[2]
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1988–1990 | Polish National Champion - Kyokushin kaikan |
| 1988 | OYAMA Cup European Champion |
| 1991 | Canadian National Champion |
| 1992–1994 | Sabaki Champion |
| 1992–1996 | International Shidōkan Champion |
| 1993 | Ontario heavy weight amateur boxing champion |
| 1994 | Shidōkan World Champion |
| 1999 | World Kickboxing champion |
| 2000 | K-1 USA Championships 2000 runner up |