Sports Page

   Three kickboxers from the local Olsen Martial Arts Club stepped into the ring in Lethbridge prepared for a serious fight –– and all three local kickboxers walked out out of the ring with strong victories.

   Darnell Parker, Nelson Koci, and Caleb Bailey fought at the “Rage in the Ring - XPlosion” tournament at the Progressive Fighting Academy in Lethbridge on Saturday, February 9.

   The fights were all carded, meaning that participants would go three hard- hitting two-minute rounds and could attempt to win by technical knockout.

   Parker brought his carded fight record to 3-0 with a unanimous decision win over a fighter from the Lion’s Den gym in Calgary. Bailey also won by unanimous decision in his first ever carded fight, competing against a Lethbridge kickboxer.

   Koci won his fight, also against a competitor from the Lion’s Den gym, in the second round by TKO, bringing his carded fight record to 2-0 (both wins by knockout).

   “We were the only undefeated club there,” says coach Junior Olsen. “This was especially exciting because we trained eight weeks for this fight.”

   He is proud of all three fighters. “As a coach, that’s where I get my satisfaction.” Olsen says that in carded fights there is no holding back, and that it’s not something all kickboxers choose to take part in. He estimates that there were upwards of 1000 spectators at the Lethbridge tournament.

   In their ten carded matches since the club’s formation in 2005, our local fighters are nine wins to one loss. That single loss was by split decision. Nelson Koci, who won by TKO 1:16 into the second round, says the fight was a lot of fun. He and his fellow fighters trained five to six days per week for seven weeks straight to prepare for the fight, and he says that it was worth it.

   “The guy I fought was really strong,” says Koci. “He kept getting back up. He was a good fighter.” Darnell Parker, who won by unanimous decision, also had a lot of fun with the more serious fights. “My opponent was a second degree blackbelt,” he says. He adds that his opponent liked to stay up close while fighting, which makes it harder.

   Both kickboxers offer big thanks to their coach and to Cal Fuller, both of whom took lots of time from their lives to help them prepare for the big fight.

   “They were here with us every night holding the pads,” says Koci. “It’s a big dedication for them. We really appreciate it. They’ve been a big help to us.”