Late fighter was "Happy-go-lucky"

Windsor Star

Published: Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Late Windsor karate fighter Tomasz Kucharzewski may have been hard-hitting in the ring, but he was a fun guy outside of it, says his instructor.

"Happy-go-lucky," said Albert Mady of Mady's Karate, where Kucharzewski trained for 16 years. "Around me, he was always very, very nice, friendly, fun."

Kucharzewski was found by family members dead in his downtown apartment on Saturday. He was 39.

Tomasz Kucharzewski

A veteran competitor, Kucharzewski took part in numerous full-contact karate events, winning several titles in national and international organizations. He competed five times in K-1, considered by many in the martial arts community as the world's premier kickboxing event.

Mady estimated Kucharzewski had around 300 bouts to his credit, including bare-knuckle knockdown tournaments and Thai-style kickboxing matches.

Despite Kucharzewski's brawny exterior - six feet tall and around 225 pounds at fighting weight - Mady said his fondest memories of the Polish-born black belt concerned his sense of humour.

"Tomasz liked to joke," Mady said. "One time, we were in Las Vegas and we watched George Carlin - hilarious. We'd be sitting there, and Carlin would tell a joke and everybody would be cracking up.... Tomasz had to translate it in his head. Ten seconds after everybody laughed, you'd hear: 'Huh huh huh huh huh huh!' He was killing us."

Mady said Kucharzewski, who worked at Chromeshield, wasn't training as hard in recent years due to a knee injury.

An autopsy has been performed on Kucharzewski's body. "Things are inconclusive right now," Mady said.

Kucharzewski wasn't married and had no children. He is survived by his parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece in Windsor, as well as extended family in Poland.

Visitation will take place 2 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Windsor Chapel Funeral Home, 1700 Tecumseh Rd. East. A funeral mass will take place 10 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Polish Church, to be followed by cremation.