Organizers of a weekend mixed martial arts card are gearing up for a scrap with the city’s Combative Sports Commission.
A group called Hard Knocks Fighting Championship is holding what it says is an amateur fight card Saturday at Frank Sissons’ Silver Dollar Casino without acquiring a licence that the city says is required.
Ari Taub, one of the founders of the fighting school, said he’s not sure why the city is putting up its dukes but he’s not willing to throw in the towel.
“I don’t know where the commission’s coming from so we’re just running the fight,” he said.
“The bylaw is pretty clear that amateur fights don’t need to get a licence and none of our fighters are getting paid.”
Taub said the fight will follow amateur rules banning the use of knee and elbow blows to the head as well as requiring fighters to use oversized boxing gloves. Hoping to stave off city efforts to shut down the event, organizers have filed a motion before Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench that will ask a judge to back their request to be considered amateurs.
The two sides will appear before a judge on Thursday.
A city spokeswoman declined to comment on the matter because it was before the courts, but said the event is not licensed.
The Calgary Combative Sports Commission licenses professional combative sports “in order to ensure such events only proceed after the commission is satisfied that adequate safety precautionary measures are put into place,” read a statement by Mark Halat of the city’s licensing department.
The city requires licences for any professional fight but Taub said in order for that to happen, his fighters would have to each get professional licences, which would revoke their amateur status.
Amateur kickboxing matches are held in Calgary without requiring licences but they follow standards outlined by their own recognized provincial and national governing bodies. Taub said the event will go ahead even with the threat of sanctions or fines from the city and he plans to fight any charges in court.
