Galt Arena Gardens in Cambridge hosted Fight Night 2, a Muay Thai and Muay Lao competition by Phady’s Muay Thai, on June 21.
Phady’s Muay Thai, established 1987, is a community staple in Cambridge. For over 35 years, Khan Phady and his team have taught Muay Thai in the region, in addition to Phady being the founder of Canadian Amateur Muay Thai Association Ontario (CAMTAO) and the World Amateur Muay Thai Association Canada (WAMTAC).
Fight Night 2 was the second event in the series, the first being held in Laos. It featured 40 fighters from various gyms across Canada, Mexico and Laos. They fought in bouts, and national and international title fights.
Damon Weekes from Fifth Round Muay Thai in Stratford won his bout against Cole Dougan from Soi Dogs Muay Thai in Hamilton. Weekes said that Muay Thai helped him find a purpose. He began his boxing journey at 19 and, four years later, fought his fifteenth fight at Fight Night 2.
“I eventually started doing Muay Thai and started kicking, and I fell in love with it[…]I’m professional in Muay Thai now, so it’s only up from here,” he said.
Weekes said smaller scale competitions are important for fighters to build skill and confidence as they become professionals.
“The importance is the experience—because everyone’s nervous when they go in there, not everyone can get in the ring and fight,” he said. “The losses teach you more than the wins do.”
Some fighters represented both Canada and the countries from which either they or their families emigrated. The title fight was for an international title with Khampha Theuasavang from Lanexang Gym in Laos facing Ramzi Khatib from MAS Academy in Cambridge, representing both Canada and Palestine.
Leo Nguyen from Return of the Dragon Martial Arts in Kitchener represented both Canada and Vietnam. He started with kung fu at age three, before moving on to other forms of martial arts, including kickboxing and Muay Thai.
Nguyen said doing martial arts is an opportunity to be challenged both in skill, but also mentally.
“[The biggest lesson I have learned is to] be consistent—it carries on to everything in life. Being consistent and just putting the hard work, it’ll pay off,” he said.
Phady said he would like to see the sport continue to grow.
“I want to see this grow further and get this sport is not just [competing and] fighting, it’s about learning discipline, control and health,” he said.
Muay Thai and Muay Lao are the same, he said—as Muay means boxing, Thai and Lao only indicate where the sport is coming from.
“Last 25 years, this sport is growing so fast. Now this sport is a national sport of Thailand, and I would like to make the same thing for Muay Lao,” Phady said.
Weekes is now a coach himself and had many students attend his fight. He said martial arts have also taught him to stay calm and helped build character.
“Stay calm[…]put a smile on your face and have fun in the ring,” he said. “It builds character, it builds heart and puts a smile on your face.”
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