Also known as

Hanshi Gilles Dufour

Description

Kyokushin karate pioneer in Quebec, Canada. Dufour began martial arts with Shotokan under René Stéziadis, then switched to Kyokushin in 1965 under Roger Lesseau (Lesourd), becoming Lesseau's successor as chief instructor in 1972. He won the first Kyokushin Full Contact Championship at the Forum de Montréal on June 14, 1969. Dufour trained over 20,000 students over his career, including Jean Couture (later the first instructor of Georges St-Pierre), André Coulombe, André Gilbert, and Gaétan Sauvé. He authored seven books including L'histoire du karaté au Québec and was inducted into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame (2019), the World Combat Arena Hall of Fame (2019), and the World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame (2025).

Teachers (3)

• 
  Ari Anastasiadis

  sports_martial_artsShotokan Probable

  Probable

  The Zanshin documentary transcript states Dufour first trained in Shotokan under Ari Anastasiadis before switching to Kyokushin in 1965. Anastasiadis is documented as the first karate instructor in Canada.

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1963–1965)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  The Zanshin documentary transcript states Dufour first trained in Shotokan under Ari Anastasiadis before switching to Kyokushin in 1965. Anastasiadis is documented as the first karate instructor in Canada.

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Puis par la suite, c'est ça Shotokan. Puis par la suite, c'était Ari Anastasiadis, qui était instructeur. Par la suite, ça a été en 1965, décembre 1965, le Kyokushinkai a été implanté au Canada par Roger Lesseau.”

  — Zanshin - Épisode 9 - Maître Gilles Dufour - La passion d'une vie - Moi mes soulierslink info
• 
  Roger Lesourd

  sports_martial_artsKyokushin Confirmed

  Confirmed

  The Zanshin documentary transcript states that Kyokushin was brought to Canada by Roger Lesseau and that Dufour was his student and later his successor as chief instructor

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  (1965)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  The Zanshin documentary transcript states that Kyokushin was brought to Canada by Roger Lesseau and that Dufour was his student and later his successor as chief instructor

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “en 1965, décembre 1965, le Kyokushin a été implanté au Canada par Roger Lesseau. À ce moment-là, il était deuxième dan. [...] En 1972, je suis tombé chef d'instructeur. [...] Tous les Kyokushinkai vont sortir de Roger Lesseau qui était là avant moi. Pas nécessairement de moi, parce que moi j'étais le successeur de Roger.”

  — Zanshin - Épisode 9 - Maître Gilles Dufour - La passion d'une vie - Moi mes soulierslink info

  “In the 1960's, Mas Oyama accepted a French student, Roger Lesourd. Roger lived and trained in Japan directly under Mas Oyama and was eventually awarded a Third Dan Black Belt along with the title of Branch Chief for Canada. In 1968, Roger brought Kyokushinkai Karate to Canada”

  — Ronin Kai Karate — Our Historylink history info
• person
  Tony Valpato

  sports_martial_artsKyokushin Probable

  Probable

  Dufour mentions in the Zanshin documentary that his first Kyokushin combat instructor was Tony Valpato

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1965)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Dufour mentions in the Zanshin documentary that his first Kyokushin combat instructor was Tony Valpato

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Mon premier instructeur en Kyokushin qui m'a enseigné le combat, c'est un dénommé Tony Valpato.”

  — Zanshin - Épisode 9 - Maître Gilles Dufour - La passion d'une vie - Moi mes soulierslink info

Lineage

• Shotokan Ari Anastasiadis ← Hirokazu Kanazawa ← Masatoshi Nakayama ← Funakoshi Gichin · 4 generations
• Kyokushin Roger Lesourd ← Mas Oyama · 2 generations

Ranks (1)

• sports_martial_artsKyokushin

  military_techDan grade Probable

  Probable

  The documentary shows Dufour's first black belt signed by Mas Oyama, but the exact grade and date are not specified

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  The documentary shows Dufour's first black belt signed by Mas Oyama, but the exact grade and date are not specified

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Ça, c'est ma première ceinture noire signée par Oyama.”

  — Zanshin - Épisode 9 - Maître Gilles Dufour - La passion d'une vie - Moi mes soulierslink info

Students (1)

• person
  Jean Couture

  sports_martial_artsKyokushin Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Gilles Dufour himself stated in the Zanshin documentary that Jean Couture was his student: 'le premier instructeur de Georges Saint-Pierre, Jean Couture'. This is corroborated by Dufour's own Facebook comment 'J'ai été l'instructeur de Jean 1972' and the Kyokushinkaikarate memorial post.

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  (1972)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  fact_check

  Gilles Dufour himself stated in the Zanshin documentary that Jean Couture was his student: 'le premier instructeur de Georges Saint-Pierre, Jean Couture'. This is corroborated by Dufour's own Facebook comment 'J'ai été l'instructeur de Jean 1972' and the Kyokushinkaikarate memorial post.

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “Gilles Dufour · J'ai été l'instructeur de Jean 1972”

  — Gilles Dufour. Georges St-Pierre Facebook post with Gilles Dufour's comment: 'J'ai été l'instructeur de Jean 1972'link info

  “Gilles Dufour a été l'instructeur de Jean Couture R.I.P. en 1972 qui par la suite a été l'instructeur de Georges St-Pierre GSP”

  — Kyokushinkaikarate Facebook group post: 'Gilles Dufour a été l'instructeur de Jean Couture R.I.P.'link info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “J'ai eu des élèves de toutes sortes. Il y a eu André Coulombe, André Gilbert, les frères Fraser, le premier instructeur de Georges Saint-Pierre, Jean Couture.”

  — Zanshin - Épisode 9 - Maître Gilles Dufour - La passion d'une vie - Moi mes soulierslink info

Honours (3)

• receipt_longCanadian Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee Probable

  Probable

  Listed on the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame inductees page for 2019

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Title (2019)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Listed on the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame inductees page for 2019

  “2019 - Gilles Dufour - Karate/Auteur”

  — Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame inductees list link
• receipt_longWorld Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame - Historical Figure award Probable

  Probable

  Confirmed by infodunord article about Dufour's induction in Orlando, Florida

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Title (2025-05-23)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Confirmed by infodunord article about Dufour's induction in Orlando, Florida

  “il a été intronisé, le 23 mai 2025, au Temple de la renommée mondiale du World Head of Family Sokeship Council à Orlando, en Floride. Il a reçu le prix de « figure historique ».”

  — Sarthou, Gabrielle. (2025). Arts martiaux : honoré aux côtés de Bruce Lee et Chuck Norris - L'info du Nord Sainte-Agathe link history info
• receipt_longWorld Combat Arena (WCA) Hall of Fame inductee Probable

  Probable

  Mentioned in the infodunord article alongside his other Hall of Fame inductions

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Title (2019)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

  Mentioned in the infodunord article alongside his other Hall of Fame inductions

  “En 2019, il est intronisé au Temple de la renommée de la WCA (World Combat Arena), qui couvre les États-Unis et le Canada.”

  — Sarthou, Gabrielle. (2025). Arts martiaux : honoré aux côtés de Bruce Lee et Chuck Norris - L'info du Nord Sainte-Agathe link history info

Sources