Capturing the TBA-SA 147lb North American Title
On January 21, 2018 I got a shot at a second championship title. The Mecca XI Muay Thai event was held at Cantebury Park in Shakopee, MN and on the line was the Thai Boxing Association - Sanctioning Authority 147 lb North American Championship.
This was an opportunity to prove that my run a couple of months earlier at the USMTO East Coast Championships was no fluke, and that I'd arrived as a major player in the US welterweight divisions. I was to face Dusty Sparks of Oklahoma who'd captured the title at the October 2017 TBA-SA Revgear Championships in Kansas City.
I received a phone call the day of weigh-ins reporting that Dusty's team had called ahead to let us know that the 147lb weight was going to be out of their reach. Class in the face of an unfortunate part of the game, I appreciated knowing that info before I started my own weight cut. Alas, I was given the choice of making the weight myself and still fighting for the belt, or we could both agree to fight at the next higher weight class, and neither of us would compete for the title.
I chose to make the 147lb weight and still have the chance to fight for the title, even though that meant I'd be facing a heavier opponent. That really seemed like to only right choice to make so for me it was a no-brainer.
Fight day arrived and we had a highly entertaining 5 round battle. Dusty was a super gritty competitor who ate some of my best shots and kept coming forward with shots of his own. This type of fight seems almost rare, both of us finding opportunities to throw good shots and show our skill.
Ultimately, I won a split decision en route to my second championship.
