Renfrew’s toughest warriors brawled it out at Victory in the Valley 3

Arseneault trips his opponent | Mik Horvath/MBC

On Saturday Oct. 11, the Renfrew Armouries was raucous with fans cheering and hollering for Renfrew Muay Thai’s fighters.

It was Victory in the Valley 3; the third installment of Renfrew Muay Thai’s most electrifying event showcasing its members’ warrior spirit in the ring.

Anthony Arseneault was just one of the fighters representing Renfrew Muay Thai, and at just 18 years old it was also his debut fight.

Kru Mirza Hopovac was coaching every Renfrew Muay Thai fighter in their respective bouts and he said he couldn’t be more proud of his athletes.

Hopovac said it takes a lot of gall to throw yourself in the ring in front of spectators eager for a good show.

The first matchup was between Renfrew Muay Thai’s Andrew Krieger and Dalmar Ahmed Brave at around 7:30 p.m., with each fighter required to endure three rounds lasting 2 minutes each.

Next up was Arseneault in the blue corner gathering his skills and training to best himself against Neak Ta Martial Arts’ Chad Rancourt.

Arseneault threw ferocious punches at Rancourt with the Renfrew native utilizing his extended reach to keep the red boxer at bay.

They exchanged trips and kicks and based on the results of a points-based system dictated by a panel of judges, Arseneault lost his debut match.

Despite the result Arseneault was very happy about his fight.

During the training process athletes may learn new techniques but the ring is a sort of training ground in itself.

Arseneault learned that with pain comes respect for his opponent.

Sounds of pounded pads were muddied by the cries of the crowd surrounding the ring on all fronts.

He said the crowd was unlike anything he has ever experienced.

Later in the night, right before the intermission, Stephan Young (25) stepped into the ring for the first time since February.

Stephan Young hypes up the crowd before his big bout | Mik Horvath/MBC

Martial arts is a high risk sport and Young understands the potential dangers; he prays for himself and his opponent for a good fight yet once the bell rings he has one objective set in his eyes.

In the red corner, Young’s opponent was Gael Reyes from Westside Muay Thai.

When he approached his blue corner, Young was bounding with excitement, his smile could be seen from the Armouries’ upper deck.

After a tough bout, Young’s rival Reyes was deemed victorious.

It was a long and hard fight but Young is taking what he experienced in the ring and hoping to grab a future win.

Young’s family and loved ones, including his sister who just returned from a tour with the Canadian Armed Forces in Latvia, were amongst the crowd shouting for his successes.

Coaches Mirza and Boomer were beside the ring the entire night, calling out to their fighters on how to react to their opponent.

Once the dust settled, no matter the outcome Mirza Hopovac is very proud of the fighters.

Hopovac (right) and Boomer (left) prepare Krieger (centre) for the next round | Mik Horvath/MBC

Victory in the Valley 3 was Boomer’s first time coaching the Renfrew Muay Thai prospects in the ring for a real fight, and as an experienced fighter himself Boomer said coaching is a whole new challenge.

One of the biggest challenges is getting the orders through to the fighters, who have to try and listen to their coaches commands over the sounds of flying punches and hollering crowds.

He said the noise throughout the entire night was immense.

However, through the noise Boomer realized not only how supportive the Renfrew Muay Thai fighters and coaching staff are, but the crowd is a huge motivator for the athletes as well.

He said all the love and cheering for the fighters was probably a huge confidence boost for the amateur fighters and confidence is an important quality for new competitors.

(Written by Mik Horvath)