Curtis Bush

Curtis Bush
Born	May 26, 1962 (1962-05-26) (age 49) Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Other names	"The Explosive Thin Man"
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Division	Welterweight Super welterweight Light-middleweight Middleweight
Style	Boxing, Kickboxing, Karate
Stance	Southpaw
Rank	3rd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do
Years active	1979-1999
Professional boxing record
Total	19
Wins	12
By knockout	10
Losses	5
By knockout	3
Draws	2
No contests	0
Kickboxing record
Total	56
Wins	42
By knockout	30
Losses	10
Draws	2
No contests	2
Other information
Boxing record from Boxrec
The first 4 professional boxing fights of Curtis Bush held in 1984 are not included in boxrec.com

Curtis "The Explosive Thin Man " Bush (born May 26, 1962) is an American former World Champion kickboxer in 4 weight divisions: ISKA Welterweight 147 lbs, Superwelterweight 153 lbs, Light-middleweight 156 lbs and WKKO World Middleweight Champion 160 lbs and 2-Time USBA Boxing Champion: Jr. Middleweight 154 lbs and Middleweight 160 lbs from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Career highlights

Curtis Bush began karate in 1976 at age 13 and kickboxing at age 17. His fighting career lasted from 1979-1999. He fought 22 times outside of the United States. As a professional kickboxer and boxer, he had a total of 75 fights, including 54 wins with 40 KO's. 15 of those KO's were in the first round. After a successful amateur kickboxing career (1979-1983), Bush turned pro on June 11, 1983 in Memphis, Tennessee. He KO'd undefeated Jackie "Hollywood" Dixon 8-0 (5 KO's) in the second round. The bout was televised on ESPN. Curtis became the PKA #9 world light-welterweight contender when he knocked out #5 PKA world contender Ken Comer. Bush stopped Comer with a roundkick to the head in the 5th round in Hull, Quebec. Curtis made his professional boxing debut on February 16, 1984. He knocked out Charles Carter in the second round in Virginia Beach, VA. He was picked by Muhammad Ali in 1984 to box on his Champion Sports Pro Boxing Team in the Cayman Islands. Ali had watched Bush in a kickboxing match on ESPN knocking out George Morrisey with a 6th round head kick. Bush won his boxing fight by 4th round knockout. Curtis was now 3-0, 3 KO's as a professional boxer. Bush signed a six fight contract with Ali's lawyer, Richard Hirschfeld, to box in the Caribbean with a final bout in London, England for a minor title. The company folded right after the Cayman Islands fight for stock fraud. In 2005, captured fugitive Richard Hirschfeld committed suicide. In 1985, Bush fought PKA 4-time World Kickboxing Champion Cliff "Magic" Thomas in Atlanta, Georgia. Bush won the fight by unanimous decision. The bout was televised on ESPN. The win moved Bush to #4 in the PKA rankings. One month later, Bush knocked out Canadian welterweight champion Raynald " Courage of the Lion" Lamarre in Montreal, Canada. Those two wins pushed Bush to #2 in the ISKA world ratings after the demise of the PKA. He became the ISKA #1 world welterweight contender after knocking out then current #1 contender Paul Biafore in Toronto, Canada in 1987. Curtis won by 5th round knockout. Bush won his first world title in 1990 against #3 ISKA world contender Emmanuel Essissima in Paris, France. Curtis won a 12 round split-decision over the Camaroon, Africa fighter for the ISKA Light-Middleweight title. Bush was now 34-4-2 (25 KO's) as a professional kickboxer. His other three world titles were won against the ISKA/WKKO #1 world contenders. As a professional boxer, Bush became the IBF International Boxing Federation #1 Intercontinental contender after winning the USBA Jr. Middleweight title with a 10th KO over Lynn Jackson in 1994. He captured his second USBA title with a 12 round decision over Kevin "Hitman" Hall for the Middleweight title in 1997. Bush appeared on ESPN/ESPN2 10 times, ESPN Classics 4 times and on Eurosport Television 3 times. Curtis retired on June 30, 1999 (age 37) after being stopped in the 9th round for the NBA World Middleweight Boxing Championship.

Acting

Curtis appeared with Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in 5 commercials for the Treco Powerstretch and SABBA in 1985. His first film role was playing a deranged poacher in the 1988 Canadian film Dragon Hunt filmed in Toronto, Canada. Bush was killed by the star Michael Mcnamara in a fight scene. He played a Foot in the hit films Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze in 1989 and 1990. He starred in the locally produced UPN television series 464 Roadhouse in 1992. The series was based on the film Roadhouse starring Patrick Swayze. Curtis played Dillon where as Swayze played Dalton. The series lasted 4 episodes before being cancelled. Bush also released a 60 minute training video: A Beginners Guide To Professional Kickboxing in 1992. Ringside Products and Asian World of Martial Arts distributed it. He played a terrorist in the film Major Payne starring Damon Wayons in 1995. He starred in the gory, independent cult film Psycho Kickboxer (Official Trailer), which had its world premiere in 1997. In 2000, Curtis and his wife Baby were chosen to do the motion-capture and face scannings for the characters "Cobra" and "Tsuki" in the Xbox video game: Bruce Lee: Quest of the Dragon released in 2002. Curtis continues to act and played an Army Sargeant in the ABC series LOST in 2006.

Awards

• Curtis was honored with 'Curtis Bush Day' on April 27, 1995 by Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Martial Arts

• Began Tang Soo Do in 1976 (age 13) with Patrick Frick
• Earned Black Belt in 1981
• Head Instructor: NIMA Karate 1981-1988
• Co-owner: Karate International 1988-1995
• Owner: Curtis Bush Karate Club 1995-2003

Amateur Kickboxing

Cornerman Robert Dickason Chief Cornerman George Kelly

• Began Kickboxing in 1979 with George Kelly, Robbie Oliver, Jr. Clay, David James,Tony Ornelas, David Batten
• Amateur Kickboxing 1980-1983
• Amateur Titles:
• Virginia State Welterweight Champion (147 lbs) W-3 Darnell Studavent Virginia Beach, VA 1981
• Virginia State Superwelterweight Champion (154 lbs) KO-3 Alphonzo Claiborne Chesapeake, VA 1982
• Amateur Record: 15-2 (11 KO's)

Pro Kickboxing

• Pro Kickboxing: 1983-1999
• Trainers: George Kelly, Tony Ornelas
• Chief-Cornerman/Cutman: George Kelly
• Cornermen: Francis Bush, Chris Bush, Robert Dickason, David James, Tony Ornelas, Dr. John Chappell
• Nutritionist: Dr. John Chappell
• Sparring Partners: #1 Michael J. Jacobson, George Kelly, Rob Dickason,Luke Marshall,Tony Ornelas, Gerald Pilley, David James, John Willis, Ron Talento, David Batten, Robbie Oliver, Jr. Clay, Jim "Bongo" Bailey, Dr. John Chappell, Ivan Kravitz, Jr Vulgamore
• Pro Kickboxing Record: 42-10-2 (30 KO's) 2NC

Professional Kickboxing Titles

• ISKA Southeast Welterweight Champion 147 lbs KO-3 Alan "The Doctor" Watson 29-5 (17 KO's) in Paradise Island, Bahamas

• FFKA United States Welterweight Champion 147 lbs KO-4 Chuck Cypress 15-3 (4 KO's) in Portland, Maine ESPN

• ISKA North American Welterweight Champion 147 lbs KO-2 Robert Visitacion 47-5 (36 KO's) in Lake Tahoe, NV ESPN

• ISKA North American Superwelterweight Champion 153 lbs W-10 Melvin "The Warrior" Murray 32-6 (10 KO's) in Toronto, Canada ESPN2

Professional World Kickboxing Titles

• ISKA World Welterweight Champion 147 lbs KO-7 ISKA #1 contender Piotr Falender 47-7 (14 KO's) in Virginia Beach, VA

• ISKA World Superwelterweight Champion 153 lbs W-12 ISKA #1 contender Tom Montgomery 40-8-4 (30 KO's) in Brighton, England

• ISKA/WKA Superwelterweight Unification Fight KO-8 WKA World Champion Champion Roberto Fatica 65-11-4 (24 KO's) in Belfast, N.Ireland ESPN2/Sky Sports

• ISKA World Light-Middleweight Champion 156 lbs W-12 ISKA #3 contender Emmanuel Essessima 109-10-2 (70 KO's) in Paris, France

• WKKO World Middleweight Champion 160 lbs KO-4 WKKO #1 contender Bubba "Blackhawk" Walters 37-5 (31 KO's) in Virginia Beach, VA

Notable Kickboxing Opponents

• World Champion Cliff "Magic" Thomas W-5
• World Champion Trevor Ambrose KO-2
• World Champion Richard "Gator" Hill KO-1, L-TKO9
• World Champion Paul Biafore D-10, KO-5, L-12
• World Champion Melvin Murray W-10
• World Champion Jerry "Goldenboy" Trimble D-12
• World Champion Lafayette Lawson KO-7
• World Champion Roberto Fatica KO-8
• PKA Canadian Welterweight Champion Reynald Lamarre KO-3
• ISKA United States Light-welterweight Champion Robert Visitacion KO-2
• ISKA United States Middleweight Champion Roy Mckown KO-3
• ISKA European Welterweight Champion Toussaint Andarelli W-12, NC-3
• ISKA European Middleweight Champion Michel Louart NC-7
• ISKA #1 Welterweight Contender Piotr Falender KO-7
• ISKA #1 Superwelterweight Contender Tom Montgomery W-12
• WKKO #1 Middleweight Contender Blackhawk Walters KO-4

Pro Boxing

• Began Boxing in 1983 (age 21) with David Miller
• Pro Boxing: 1984-1999
• Trainer: David Miller
• Chief Cornermen: David Miller, George Kelly
• Cornermen: Gerald Pilley, Tony Ornelas
• Sparring Partners: Gerald Pilley, David James
• #1 IBF Intercontinental Jr. Middleweight contender (1994)
• #11 NBA World Middleweight contender (1998)
• Final bout was for the NBA World Middleweight Championship L-TKO9 (1999)
• Pro Boxing Record: 12-5-2 (10 KO's)

Professional Boxing Titles

• USBA Jr. Middleweight Champion 154 lbs KO-10 Lynn Jackson in Virginia Beach, VA

• USBA Middleweight Champion 160 lbs W-12 Kevin Hall in Virginia Beach, VA

External links

• Acting Resume

Persondata
Name	Bush, Curtis
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	May 26, 1962
Place of birth	Virginia Beach, Virginia
Date of death
Place of death