Jay, look at all the tales told about Masutatsu Oyama, the founder of Kuokushin karate by everybody, himself included.
Before he died, he admittet that most were just made up stories, and that he had told them to promote his karate.
I imagine James Colburn ( Whoever he is) would like his instructor to be glamorous, since some of that glamour would trickle down on himself.
Making up stories about heroes is an old human pastime.
Old Brucie was the first to popularize Karate, that gave him everlasting fame. His tecniques are not that good by today's standard, but he was the first to show dynamic high kicking on the screen.
As for the one inch push, look at some KOs and see if you can spot a single one where the hittee is thrown 10 feet back.
I think we can agree that Mike Tyson in his prime could hit a LOT harder than a skinny asian film star, do you see any of the poor guys that he laid waste to, flying out of the ring?