Joe Lewis expected to have complete recovery following brain tumor

Joe Lew and Bruce Lee in the late 1960s.

On July 18th Joe Lewis had an operation to remove a brain tumor from his left temporal lobe. He is expected to have a complete recovery but will go through a normal rehabilitation period.

Joe Lewis gained fame for his karate matches in the 1960s and 1970s. He has twice been voted the greatest fighter in karate history, and has attained the titles of “United States Heavyweight Kickboxing Champion,” “World Heavyweight Karate Champion,” and “United States National Black Belt Kata Champion.”

In the late 1960’s, Lewis studied privately with Bruce Lee. Hong Kong cinema historian Bey Logan notes that Lewis was the original pick for the villain Colt in Way of the Dragon, but because of a “falling out” between the two, Lee picked Chuck Norris instead. Instead, Lewis had a mildly successful film career, starring in cult movies such as “Jaguar Lives” and “Force: Five”. The latest film he’ll be appearing in his “Kill ’em All,” which will be released in 2012.

Trailers: Jaguar Lives! | Force: Five (clip)