First-timers ready to get in the ring

By Sean Rooney on April 28, 2018.

It’ll be a night of firsts next Saturday for a lot of fighters when Fists of Fury 14 takes place at the Cypress Centre.

Of the seven Southern Alberta Combative Arts kickboxers on the May 5 card, four will make the long walk to the ring with a 0-0 record.

The good news is their opponents are all first-timers, too.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said 14-year-old August Kelly, who’s actually been around the sport longer than any of the other first-timers. “I am a little nervous, but it’s a big step that I’m taking now.”

Kelly figures she’s been kickboxing 10 years but taking it to the next level — in front of a big hometown crowd — is a challenge for anybody. Her Saskatchewan opponent is about the same age though.

Brendon Toderian, 31, has also been around the sport for a while. He almost fought on a card a couple years ago but an arm injury stopped that idea in its tracks.

Now he’s a week away and the nerves are creeping in.

“Every day it’s in the back of my head now. I have to train, keep going… the pressure’s building,” he said.

“Physically it’s all good, it’s just making sure you don’t stop, keep going, remember what you’ve learned and listen to your coach.”

Speaking of the coach, even she’s somewhat new to this. Jamie Droeske took over SACA from Shayne Morgan in the past year, and while Morgan’s still the promoter of Fists of Fury, Droeske’s no longer his student. The long-time fighter has switched spots.

“It’s terrifying,” she said, perhaps only half-jokingly. “Now I’m the coach, I’m the hand-wrapper.”

Calen Anton, 22, only knows his opponent has the same fresh record and is from Winnipeg. That’s probably all he needs to know, either.

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“As long as my cardio’s good, that’s all I worry about,” he said. “I think everybody’s pretty ready for it. We’ve been sparring for the past few months now, I think everybody’s ready to go.”

Little things like making weight and getting the right amount of rest and nutrition in the days leading up to the fight night will be new, but the biggest difference may be the atmosphere. Toderian in particular has a lot of friends and family coming to watch.

“With the number of people who know me that are coming, it’s going to be a little nerve-racking for the first fight,” he admitted. “It should be good.”

Ryan Clarke will also make his kickboxing debut.

Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 if you get them in advance from SACA.

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