Alex Tribe may have lost his final fight on Saturday night, but he ended the night with two wins and added a lot more experience to his resum茅.
The 19-year-old Saanich resident succumbed to the much more experienced fighter Hakeem Dawodu of Calgary in the final match of the Last Man Standing Muay Thai kickboxing tournament at Eagle Ridge Community Centre.
Dawodu won the right to train at the Sinbi Gym in Phuket, Thailand for three months, accommodation included.
B次元官网网址淚t was the best show IB次元官网网址檝e put on in 10 years,B次元官网网址� said promoter Stan Peterec, whoB次元官网网址檚 also TribeB次元官网网址檚 coach. B次元官网网址淚t went almost exactly as hoped, except Alex lost in that final match.B次元官网网址�
The tournament format isnB次元官网网址檛 new to Victoria but itB次元官网网址檚 been about six years since Peterec last ran them in regular rotation, this being the second event this year. Seven welterweight fighters (147 lbs.) put their name in a hat and six paired off for the first draw of the night. One person, Daemont Johnson of Washington, got a bye.
Tribe edged DuncanB次元官网网址檚 Johnny B次元官网网址淭wo FeathersB次元官网网址� Williams by majority decision after a three- round fight. World junior champion Josh Jauncey of Surrey, a hot prospect and favourite to win the tourney, knocked out local karate instructor Leigh Mueller within 65 seconds of the first round. Dawodu won by knockout over Josh Wright of White Rock at 2:14 in their first round.
That set up a final four with Dawodu fighting Jauncey and Tribe versus Johnson.
Tribe knocked Johnson down in the first round and then did it again for good at 1:36 of the second.
Jauncey and Dawodu, meanwhile, battled in the best fight Peterec can remember in 10 or so years.
B次元官网网址淚t was amazing. A back-and-forth battle. The crowd stood up with a standing ovation for the guys. They really put on a show,B次元官网网址� Peterec said.
The two have fought once before with Dawodu winning. Peterec felt SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 bout could have been a draw, though the final decision went in DawoduB次元官网网址檚 favour.
In the third and final round of the tournament, Dawodu proved too skilled. Tribe had already been knocked down when the two caught each other with simultaneous left hooks in the second round.
B次元官网网址淗akeem took it, but Alex went down to one knee. Alex could have gone on but I threw in the towel. He wasnB次元官网网址檛 gaining anything more by (fighting) at that point.B次元官网网址�
Tribe is headed to Thailand to train in kickboxing for the next five months.
Under card
There additional fights took place during breaks in the tournament.
Boxing: Joel Conway defeated Alex Key by TKO, 1:10 in the second round.Kickboxing: Adam Fitchatt def. Brock Flint.Boxing: Brian Colwell and Dan Baxter (Nanaimo) fought to a draw.
