Island kickboxers showed they’re world class at an action-packed event in Ladysmith on the weekend.
Six of the eight bouts went to decision and every one of them was exciting at the World Kickboxing Network: Quest for the Title 7 card at Ladysmith’s Stz’uminus Community Centre on Saturday.
Victoria’s Gabriel Varga won the main-event fight against France’s Yohan Ha Van to capture the WKN world lightweight championship.
Chase Ingalls, who is from Campbell River but trains in Nanaimo, won the WKN’s amateur world middleweight championship against France’s Fabien Vichi.
Nanoose Bay’s Josh Shepherd scored a knockout, downing Victoria’s Greg Lamothe in the second round; Nanaimo’s Dan Baxter scored a TKO over Victoria’s Bikram Gill in the second round and Nanaimo’s Cara Andre won a decision over Victoria’s Josee Boyd. Seth Laurie, who is from Duncan but trains in Nanaimo, won a decision over Victoria’s Justin Irvine in the first bout of the night.
The only local to be defeated was Nanaimo’s Ross Walker, who lost to Victoria’s Dan Laughey in a decision that could have gone either way.
The final bout saw France’s Amel Dehby win the WKN’s women’s amateur world bantamweight title with a decision over Victoria’s Tina Derix.
