Four-time world champion Ricardo Buzzi will speak at ITKF World Championship

In the evaluation of the karateka from Paraná, one of the main technical references of ITKF in Brazil, the events in Curitiba capital of state of Paraná will do profound advances in the sport

XX World Championship of Traditional Karate
November 20, 2019
By PAULO PINTO I Photos DISCLOSURE
Curitiba – PR

As part of the extensive program involving the holding of the XX Traditional World Karate Championship and the V Interclub World Cup, December 2-8 in Curitiba, ITKF will promote technical seminars and arbitration courses, scientific congresses, meetings on the University of Traditional Karate and meeting of the Technical and Administrative Committee, in addition to the Continental Assemblies and General Assembly of the International Traditional Karate Federation (ITKF).

Pan American Karate Championship in Argentina in 2013, in which he was crowned kata Champion

Yesterday we announced that Professor Justo Gómez is among the guest speakers, and we have just received confirmation that Ricardo Buzzi, another great South American ITKF world champion, has confirmed his presence among the guests who will be lecturing in Curitiba.

“We have a course called ITKF Legends, which will also be taught by world champions Gómez and Mussat. I will use some points from my technical and physical training program for traditional competition-oriented karate, with an emphasis on developing strength, blast and reflex, focusing on the generation of physical and mental kyo on the opponent. I will also focus on the development of avoidance techniques and the use of shoulder girdles, among other topics, ”said the four-time ITKF world champion.

Known internationally as one of the strongest and most complete karatekas of his generation, Ricardo Buzzi was born on October 21, 1975 in Curitiba, and at the age of 9 took his first steps on the tatami and later trained at the legendary Bodhidharma Academy. Under the guidance of Gilberto Gaertner, teacher hachi-dan (8th dan) and shihan teacher Julio Takuo Arai, kyuu-dan (9th dan), the curitibano karate built one of the most expressive trajectories of traditional karate in Brazil.

A prominent athlete and sensei go-dan (5th dan), Buzzi won expressive titles in the most varied categories: individual and team kata, individual and team kumite and fuku-gô, demonstrating extreme technical skill and extensive knowledge of karate-dô Traditional Shotokan.

Ricardo Buzzi with Takuo Arai

In Buzzi’s evaluation, the events that make up ITKF’s official programming will take traditional karate to a new level.

“My expectation is that the XX World Traditional Karate Championship reaffirms the technical essence and ethical principles advocated by sensei Nishiyama. I understand that the current management of ITKF is doing an excellent job, promoting the return of many teachers worldwide and we are seeing significant growth in the number of member countries. Finally, we are having a great time and I believe the December events will reaffirm my views, ”said Buzzi. He concluded by highlighting the political and structural importance of this achievement of ITKF.

“After the death of sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama, many teachers left, and I think it is time to bring together all the players and other people involved in the management of traditional world karate. In this way we will be able to promote the revival of an innovative, bold and forward-looking ITKF based on Master Nishiyama’s proposal. We had a vacuum in the management of the sport due to past conflicts and now we are living a moment of reconstruction, which should be materialized at the ITKF general assembly next month in Curitiba, ”said the four-time kumite world champion.

Entrepreneurship is his brand

Graduated in architecture and urbanism in 1999, with a postgraduate degree in strategic planning, both from PUC-PR, Buzzi is executive director of Buzzi e Silva Arquitetos Associados, who has been working in the field of construction for more than 15 years a multidisciplinary career with extensive experience in coordinating teamwork and multitasking.

Ricardo Buzzi is training with Justo Gómez on the coast of Paraná

He is also director and creator of Mercado Salt, one of the boldest ventures in the area of gastronomy and entertainment of Paraná, a successful case admired and studied by several universities in Brazil for being a unique and innovative project.

Among the numerous activities in the private sector, Ricardo Buzzi is a partner and professor at Bodhidharma Academy, one of the oldest and most traditional martial arts schools in Brazil, with 44 years of history.

Top Titles

Among the most important titles won by Ricardo Buzzi in his expressive trajectory in the tatami are:

ITKF World Individual Kumite Champion (2002)

Three-time kumite world champion by ITKF team (2004, 2008 and 2010)

Three-time Pan American Kumite Champion by ITKF Team (2001, 2003 and 2009)

Pan American Individual Kumite Champion (2003)

Two-time Pan American Individual Kata Champion (2003 and 2013)

Pan American Team Kata Champion (2013)

Brazilian double champion, with five titles per team and seven singles

Four-time Brazilian team kumite champion (2002, 2006, 2011 and 2013)

Brazilian Team Kata Champion (2013)

Three-time Brazilian individual kata champion (2009, 2010 and 2013)

Three-time Brazilian Fuku-gô champion (2010, 2012 and 2013)

Brazilian individual kumite champion (2014)