THE 1995 BATTLE OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS & PRAIRIES (Calgary, Canada) - October 21st, 1995
This event has enjoyed major success in Calgary, Canada over the last ten years. Unfortunately, this year several changes were made and it affected the overall success of this years event.
The regular facility used for the last several years was the gymnasium for technical school. The facility underwent major renovations during the summer and fall and this prevented the facility from being booked at the regular time for the tournament (3rd weekend in October). This gymnasium seated 1500 spectators and has been sold out each year with hundreds having been turned away at the door. The promoter Mike Miles was having a hard time booking a large enough facility and was running out of time. This year he booked the Bowness Sportsplex. This caused the promoter several problems. The first being the fact that the event was moved on short notice to a new venue which was much smaller (seating a sold out audience of 600 people, disappointing to drop to less than 50% attendance compared to the previous years), and the venue itself was very difficult to find. Due to the smaller size of the venue the promoter also ran the Kickboxing card the evening before the Martial Arts tournament. Many spectators showed up at the original venue wondering where the fights were, disappointed to hear the event had taken place the night earlier in a different venue.
Team Canada did not fight in full force at this card. Main event fighters Chad Sawyer (Miles - Calgary) and Yves Philidor (Miles - Calgary) did not fight on this event due to fight obligations the following week end in California and the French island of Reunion (respectively). Unfortunately for Mr. Miles, he should use at least one of these fighters on each of his events because they are by far the most experienced fighters from the Team Canada group of fighters.
This year the Canadian team battled with French, Ukrainian, and American opponents. The French fighters deserved recognition because they represented the PUNCH Gym in Nancy, France that is run by Orlando Weit. There were a few fights on the undercard that featured Canadian fighters against Canadian fighters.
The main event featured Jason Fenton (Miles - Canada) battling with David Repcen (France) for the vacant W.K.A. Intercontinental Welterweight Kickboxing title. The bout was to be contested over a period of four two minute rounds. The bout was close heading into the final round when Fenton came alive and started kicking dropping the French fighter twice to the canvas. This clinched the title for the Canuck.
A second Canadian Jason Jillian (Miles - Calgary), battled with France’s James Chassard. This bout was to prove to be very disappointing in it’s outcome. Chassard had just recuperated from knee surgery and felt he was ready to fight again. In the second round while attempting a heavy cut kick, his knee failed and the French fighter could not continue.
I.A.M.T.F. TEAM CANADA ELIMINATION’S
The undercard featured two bouts that had Canadian’s trying out for the right to represent Canada at the second World Amateur Muay Thai Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. The elimination bouts were 5 rounds of two minutes with one minute rest in between rounds. The fighters were allowed to use all weapons including elbow and knee strikes to the head. All these competitors were to wear all the safety gear required in the Bangkok tournament. Headgear, mouthguards, chest pad, elbow pads, 10 oz. boxing gloves, groin cup and shin guards.
Journeyman fighter Kerry Dell (Miles - Calgary) participated in the first World Championships in Bangkok. This year his spot on the team was challenged by newcomer Paul Sukys (Kovacs - Calgary). Sukys was mismatched and tried to deliver traditional Karate kicks at Dell. Dell walked through the blows and sent Sukys to the canvas three times in the first round and three times in the second round when finally, the bout was declared a mismatch by the referee.
The second elimination bout featured Alain Robidoux (Ottawa) against Lloyd Jacobson (Winnipeg). Both these fighters looked very awkward wearing the full IAMTF gear and elbows, knees and clinching went out the window. The fight was to be settled on the fighter with the best punching ability. Robidoux won the bout with a second round KO.
UNDERCARD
Team Canada member Donovan South took up the task of squaring off with Ukrainian fighter Vladimir Borodine. Borodine is a fighter and a coach and originally South was scheduled to face one of Borodine’s fighters. Visa problems resulted in the change of program and Borodine squared off with South in a three round international rules Muay Thai bout. South won the bout by 2nd round TKO by using strong clinch and knee techniques.
Canadian Patrick Bowsher (Miles - Calgary) stepped into the ring against American Jason Dean in a three round Kickboxing bout. Bowsher stopped Dean in the first round with vicious ball kicks and straight punches.
Canada’s Ashley Odd (Miles - Calgary) battled with American Hector Hong. This three round Kickboxing fight was to prove to be the most frightening bout of the evening. Odd was clearly ahead on the cards in the second round when suddenly Hong delivered a hard and fast roundhouse kick to the side of Odd’s head. The Canadian went down and was out for quite awhile. Luckily Odd was examined by several doctors immediately and he was all right.
In a 3 round Muay Thai bout Team Canada member Marc Lasinsky took a bout on short notice and decided to square off with Wayne Kerr (Miles - Calgary). Lasinsky took the bout on short notice and he had trouble dealing with Kerr’s broken cadence. Kerr won the decision unanimously.
Adding a little variety to the program was a three round international style boxing fight featuring Calgary’s Vanessa Bellegarde (Miles - Calgary) battling against Andrea Broad from Winnipeg. Bellegarde came out like a tiger and a hard and crisp series of punches stopped Broad in the first round.
New arrival to Calgary, Frank Colcher battled Dawson Creek’s Dave Odd in a three round Kickboxing battle and won the decision.
The opening bout of the evening featured David Herceg from Calgary stepping into the ring with Winnipeg’s James Nielsen in a three round Kickboxing bout. Herceg won the bout by 2nd round TKO and proved to strong for Nielsen.