PSP fitness instructor kicks up a victory

PSP Fitness and Sports Instructor Thomas Dalziel, right, got his first pro kickboxing victory on Dec. 18, 2017, in a main-event match American fighter Ravon Baxter of Nashville during the World Combat Arena fight card at the Montreal Casino. Photo courtesy of Manseau Sports Photos

PSP Fitness and Sports Instructor Thomas Dalziel, right, got his first pro kickboxing victory on Dec. 18, 2017, in a main-event match American fighter Ravon Baxter of Nashville during the World Combat Arena fight card at the Montreal Casino. Photo courtesy of Manseau Sports Photos

Ryan Melanson, Trident Newspaper ~

The men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces are highly trained and capable of defending themselves if necessary. However at 12 Wing Shearwater they’re not the only ones who know how to put up a good fight.

Thomas Dalziel, a Personnel Support Programs Fitness and Sports Instructor at the Shearwater gym, is a third degree black belt in Kajukenpo and four-time amateur kickboxing champion. He recently took the next step in his fight career by winning his second professional kickboxing match.

Dalziel defeated American fighter Ravon Baxter of Nashville on Dec. 18, 2017, fighting in the main event of a World Combat Arena fight card at the Montreal Casino. The victory came by way of TKO; his opponent was saved from Dalziel’s strikes in the third round by the bell, and was unable to return to fight in the fourth.

Baxter was making his professional debut after going undefeated in amateur kickboxing, with multiple knockout wins on his record. Dalziel took the bout on short notice after plans for a promotional fight in New Brunswick fell through.

“The promoter with World Combat Arena reached out and I jumped at the opportunity,” he said. “It was great to get the win.”

He made his professional debut in July after a decade of amateur experience, and though he lost that fight after suffering a broken orbital bone early on, he was confident in his abilities going into his second pro matchup – as long as he could keep his eye sockets in one piece.

“I really believe I had the first two rounds won and the injury is what took the fight away from me the first time, so not having any facial breakage was definitely a big help for this fight,” he joked.

He also had some help from one of the best in the business on fight night. With his own coaching team unable to make the last-minute trip to Montreal, Dalziel was able to link up with Canadian kickboxing legend and 23-time champion Jean-Yves Theriault, who taped up his hands and worked his corner for the event.

“That was a rare opportunity and a pretty special moment for me,” he said.

Dalziel added that he was thankful to the promotion for getting him on the fight card on short notice, and he plans for his next pro fights to also be under the World Combat Arena banner, with events scheduled for February and April of this year.

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