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Cover Story Throwback: Peter Morales

Martial artist in black uses nunchaku on "Black Belt" magazine cover, January 1987. Various article titles in blue and yellow text.
Black Belt Plus

He brought a new level of performance to an era when traditional forms still dominated the tournament circuit.


Peter Morales, featured on the cover of Karate Illustrated in 1982, was a black belt in Won Hop Kuen Do under former champion-turned-Wu Shu phenom Karyn Turner.


Morales helped inspire a rising generation of competitors, including future champion George Chung, who openly idolized him.


A true pioneer of what we now call CMX (creative, musical, extreme), Morales blended music, showmanship, and flair into forms competition—helping to reshape the landscape of sport martial arts.


Two men in red shirts practice martial arts with swords on a green background. Cover text: Karate Illustrated, Hwang Kee, Mike Stone, Peter Morales.

Learn more about this cover and the entire magazine preserved in digital format: https://www.blackbeltmag.com 



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