Is it historically true that Ip Man beat a Japanese General in a martial-art match?

Question

In the film Ip Man(2008), Ip Man fights Japanese Army general Miura in a martial arts match and beats him.

Is that incident historically true?

If not, what was the real incident?

Answer 1

No doubt the history of YIP man is very different with that shown in the movie IP Man. The film loosely portrayed his life. There are lots of historical inaccuracies in the movie. Like you asked about the duel, Wiki states it never happened.

Another movie review also seconds this fact:

After witnessing repeated Japanese brutality, Man decides that he will seek revenge by fighting in Japanese General Miura’s martial arts dojo – where the General is trying to prove the supremacy of Japanese martial arts over Chinese. As Ip Man tries to rebuild his life, the General seeks him out for a final showdown.

Historically, it’s mostly fairytale, but the heart pounding patriotism and simple tale of good vs evil makes for a fantastic film.

Answer 2

This review says no.

While, during the war, Ip Man did indeed refuse to teach his martial arts to the military police of the occupying Japanese - a decision which eventually forced him to flee Foshan - he certainly never had, let alone won, a duel with a Japanese general (played in the film by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi).

They do not cite a source for that statement, however.