Allen trades his kickboxing title for channel locks

Almost anyone who has ever met Jim Allen will tell you that he’s one of the most affable, friendly, and courteous individuals they’ve ever encountered.

It would never cross their mind that standing in front of them were fists and feet of fury that earned him and place in the California history of kickboxing.

Not too long ago, Allen was the undefeated light heavyweight West Coast champion kickboxer. He compiled an unbeaten 25-0 record during his 10-year reign, which included 23 victories by knockout.

In 2002, Allen moved to Mariposa from Santa Cruz and launched his plumbing business, Jim Allen Plumbing. Since then, he’s gained a respectable and recognized reputation in his professional trade.

He gained those trade skills from the family business that has operated in Santa Cruz for about 70 years.

Allen grew up on the California coast, surfing the waves of the Pacific and attending Soquel High School, where he competed in wrestling

At the urging of his karate instructor, Jim dipped his toe into the sport of kickboxing at the age of 22.

“My karate instructor thought I had fast hands, and he talked me into it. He used to call me ‘Jimmy Meat Hooks’,” Allen explained.

It was a short-lived two-year excursion into the kickboxing world. Allen competed until he was 24, but when his father suffered a heart attack and had to step away from the business, Jim stepped back from the sport to take the reins of the family operation. Allen comes from a family of nine children, and only his brother and sister are still involved in the family plumbing operation. They plan to close this December and retire. In fact, it was a family confrontation that led Allen to jump ship and open his own shop in Mariposa.

He continued with his martial arts training in taekwondo, which is a Korean martial art involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast-kicking techniques.

At age 26 he earned his first-degree Black Belt. Allen stated that his instructor was a 7th degree Black Belt, and it takes six to eight years to achieve each advanced level. He earned his third-degree belt at age 41.

Allen turned pro in his 30s, climbing back in the kickboxing ring at the age of 32. “I was kind of the George Foreman of kickboxing at that point,” Allen said, indicating that he was somewhat the senior citizen. 

He competed in Bakersfield, San Luis Obispo, The Mirage in Las Vegas, NV, and San Jose. 

Four years after reigniting his kickboxing exploits, he took the West Coast crown from Tommy Hernandez in 1986. Allen held that title for 10 years.

Although he was still wrangling a plumber’s wrench, he was paid $14,000 per fight as the champ. Of course, he had to cover all of his own expenses out of his prize money.

Then in 1992, Allen was scheduled to defend his title in one more fight. His opponent was sadly killed in a motor vehicle accident just prior to the contest. “That’s when I hung it up,” Allen said. “That was enough.”

He recalled the toughest match of his career. That brutal battle in the ring occurred during an exhibition tournament in Bakersfield. Allen had to fight six matches in an outside venue.  The matches were fought in sweltering 103-degree heat in that exhibition tournament. He was paid $1,000 per bout.

His toughest fight was with another kickboxer from Germany. Jim explained that fight was his greatest challenge. “He just kept kicking me in the chest. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t get my breath. My arms were black and blue clear up to my shoulders from blocking his kicks, but I finally summoned every ounce of strength I had left and landed a right upper cut. He went out like a light,” Allen said with sheepish grin.

“Over the years I developed a punch where I used my whole shoulder, and it was very effective. It’s amazing how much more power you can deliver when you use your whole shoulder,” he added. “In those days if I hit you, you really felt it.”

“Most of my matches were over in the first round,” Allen confidently explained. “I always went for the nose first, because when their nose was broken, they were swallowing blood and their eyes were all blurry, so it was pretty well over at that point,” detailed the former champ.

What was his motivation to compete in such a violent sport? “It was the adrenaline rush,” Allen said. “It was really something to be in the ring with two or three thousand people cheering you on.”

The physical battering his body sustained over the years has extracted its price. Allen, now 72, has had both knees replaced, all the teeth in his upper jaw have been replaced, his nose has been broken four times, and his thumbs were also busted. “I don’t have any cartilage left in my nose now, but I never really thought about the toll on my body or the injuries when I was fighting,” he said.

“My first wife would never attend the matches, and neither would my current wife. They thought I was nuts,” Allen added.

He plans to retire in two years from the plumbing business and turn the reigns over to his son Mike, who he works in tandem with now. 

“Once I’ve retired, I’m planning to open a kickboxing school up here for kids. I used to teach kids in Santa Cruz all the time, and I think there’s a lot of kids up here that would like to learn the skills,” Allen concluded.