DUBAI // In full flight, Simon Marcus is a fearsome sight.
The giant Canadian kickboxer is in the ring with his trainer, who you fear might erroneously catch some of the punishment that a punching bag had earlier endured.
Marcus is in Dubai to take part in Glory 20 Dubai tomorrow night at the World Trade Centre. He looks mean and focused, and clearly out to make a point.
“My last fight was on January 28 in China,” the 84-kilogram, 1.84-metre fighter said yesterday. “I lost that fight, but I’m ready now.”
Like most of the competitors on the 12-bout card, he has been in Dubai for only two days, but is already feeling settled.
“Beautiful country, beautiful people, beautiful culture,” Marcus said. “My preparation was awesome, I went to Thailand and trained very hard, I’m focused and I’m ready.”
Born in Toronto, Canada, where he is based most of the year, the Muay Thai expert is in the Middle East for the first time.
“Kickboxing is a sport that every culture or every person can relate to,” Marcus, 28, said.
“You can see the struggle and the battle and the warrior spirit, everybody relates to that. I can see that taking off here as a source of entertainment for the people.”
He also sees it as more than just a spectator sport, with the city’s facilities a great incentive for the public to take part.
“As I said the culture doesn’t matter, people want to know how to defend themselves,” he said. “They want to know how to fight, to learn the proper techniques and the culture and respect that comes with it. I see big things happening here.”
Marcus faces Wayne Barrett of the US in the first of middleweight tournament semi-finals.
“I’m very much looking forward to it, I predict two victories,” he said. “I predict I’ll win the tournament and you’re going to see some excitement and some beautiful techniques.”
Taking part in the other semi-final is Dutchman Jason Wilnis.
Wilnis was in relaxed mood as he, like Marcus, trained at EMD Fitness Gym on Jumeirah Beach Road.
“We trained a little bit yesterday, just a little bit of shadow boxing and sitting in the sauna,” he said. “The training has been good, I was on-weight a few weeks ago.”
Should he reach the final he could also meet Barrett, who he defeated on points last November at Glory 18 Oklahoma.
“I trained hard for this. After Dubai maybe I’ll get another Glory event if I win, and I can go for the title against Artem Levin,” Wilnis said.
“Dubai loves martial arts and we are here to give a good show to the people, so hopefully they can enjoy it and maybe in the future we can come back for bigger events.”
One man hoping to retain his title is featherweight world champion Mosab Amrani of Morocco.
“It’s my first time fighting here and also my first time in Dubai,” Amrani, 27, said.
“It’s beautiful, the weather is great. Normally on the Saturday we go back, but I’m staying longer, maybe another two or three days.”
As an Arab, Amrani can expect local support and he hopes one day to repay that.
“I heard there are a lot of gyms here and I would like to come train with some of the guys here if possible,” he said.
The only Emirati at Glory 20, Eisa Al Dah, took three years off from fighting to build his own gym and reboot his career.
“I found it very difficult to find someone to sponsor me,” said Al Dah, 36, who is fighting in the only boxing bout tomorrow.
“To be at the level like Floyd, Manny and Amir Khan, you have to spend a lot of money. So I decided to build my own gym, make my own money, I don’t need to have any sponsor. Now I’m going in the right direction, getting strong again.”
Al Dah’s Glory 20 Dubai plans have been disrupted with a late change of opponent.
“I was preparing for Kevin Hanks, he’s more of a technical fighter and we had a plan for it,” he said.
“I was building up my speed, because speed is everything. I had the power but my coaches built my speed up more.
“He lost his last fight by knockout so he can’t fight so they changed for the Mexican Cesar Soriano.
“Soriano is more experienced but we figure he is a slow fighter. He is a puncher, if I fight him close, definitely I will lose.
“I have to box him from far; we can beat him with speed. I improved my jab a lot.”
After this bout Al Dah, who has won eight out of 10 fights, jets off to New York to be a part of the undercard when Amir Khan fights on May 23. “I’m in good shape, I want to win this fight and go there,” he said. “It will be a different level. Fans will see a more confident Eisa.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
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