In 1966, Sherry became the first person to pass a grading in the UK for a black belt in Shotokan Karate,[2][3] having trained with JKA instructor Keinosuke Enoeda.
He graded alongside his Red Triangle clubmate Joseph Chialton on 10 February, 1966, with Jack Green earning his blackbelt later that year.
[5] He dominated the early KUGB Karate championships, winning the kata competition for the first four years running (1967–1970) and the kumite in 1968 and 1970.
[5] On the competition circuit, Sherry was well known for using a yori-ashi gyaku-tsuki (lunging rear-hand punch) as his "trademark" manoeuvre, leading many competitors of the time to joke that he only knew one technique.
[5] He adjudicated the vast majority of black belt gradings throughout the years in many Karate clubs registered under the KUGB.