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Professor Toru Tanaka
Life Time
6 January 1930 - 22 August 2000
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Ironically, Toru Tanaka is not even Japanese. His father, Charles Kalani Sr., is from Avaii, and his mother, Christina Leong Kalani, is Chinese. The name of Professor is not Toru Tanaka, but Charlie Kalani. But did that make his fame fade? One of the world’s best fighters and wrestlers – you think the nickname “Professor” was given to him for nothing? – began studying jiu-jitsu at the age of nine in Okazaki Kodenkan. After finishing high school, he decided to devote himself entirely to sports. In
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Ironically, Toru Tanaka is not even Japanese. His father, Charles Kalani Sr., is from Avaii, and his mother, Christina Leong Kalani, is Chinese. The name of Professor is not Toru Tanaka, but Charlie Kalani. But did that make his fame fade?
One of the world’s best fighters and wrestlers – you think the nickname “Professor” was given to him for nothing? – began studying jiu-jitsu at the age of nine in Okazaki Kodenkan. After finishing high school, he decided to devote himself entirely to sports. In 1948, he received a scholarship from Weber Junior College (now Weber State University) and moved from Hawaii to Ogden, Utah. At university, he met his future wife, and a year later the happy couple married.
In 1955, Charlie Alani was drafted into the U.S. Army, and he liked it so much that he served until 1966 and retired as a sergeant. In 1967, Kalani began professional wrestling and has since become Professor of Toru Tanaka. He is considered one of the most experienced wrestlers. In 1969, 1972-73, 1975, 1977, Toru Tanaka won championships, meeting in the final with such fighters as Mr. Fuji, Dr. Hiro Ota, Mitsu Rakawa and Asassin-2.
In 1981, Toru Tanaka was first seen on the screen - in the film "An eye for an eye" with Chuck Norris in the title role. After that, he made Jeff Speakman, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the same Norris sweat. And now the Professor regularly shows the world his impressive figure in film and television.