Shawn Sitthikoun and Joe Westbrook are heading into the ring for two milestone moments on Friday night.
Surrey's Sitthikoun (2-2) will take on Nanaimo's Westbrook (2-3) in a bout for the amateur welterweight championship at Mamba Fight Night 8, taking place Friday evening in Burnaby, B.C.
Though Sitthikoun has already had two of his amateur fights go the full distance, this marks the first time he'll step into a five-round contest—and he says he's completely ready for the challenge.
"I train extensively with five-minute rounds against professional fighters," Sitthikoun told MMA Empire. "I regularly spar in stretches of ten rounds or more."
"That kind of distance doesn't intimidate me—I've put in the work and I'm prepared for it. I'd welcome a fight that extends beyond three rounds, though I'm not banking on it happening."
Like his opponent, 34-year-old Westbrook has seen his record swing both ways when fights went to the scorecards: two of his five amateur bouts have been decided by the judges, with one victory and one loss each.
Westbrook says he's equally eager and ready for his debut in a five-round affair, and he anticipates a hard-fought, grueling 15 minutes.
"I'm fully prepared for a five-round fight," Westbrook said during an interview with MMA Empire. "I'm expecting nothing less than a war."
"Since finding out I'd be fighting this bout, I've been pushing my conditioning hard because I knew this would be a five-round war. Whatever he throws at me, I'll be ready to handle it."
Title Paves Path For Sitthikoun
This represents Sitthikoun's first shot at a championship belt, but it's also a chance for the 27-year-old to establish himself firmly in the amateur scene.
He believes a successful run on Friday night could shape the trajectory of his entire 2020 schedule and help determine when he might be ready to move up to the next tier of competition.
"This fight means everything to me—it's proof of the path I've chosen, and it'll shape how the rest of my year unfolds," Sitthikoun explained.
"My goals heading into 2020 were straightforward: get a few bouts under my belt, claim the championship, and make the jump to professional competition before the year wraps up. Whatever happens here sets the stage for everything that follows."
Based out of Tristar Vancouver, Sitthikoun has also been dividing his training time between Mamba MMA, where he's been training alongside Kultar Gill.
When fight night arrives, Sitthikoun feels confident that the intensity of his camp will separate him from Westbrook.
"I can honestly say I've never been this prepared for a fight in my career. I've been drilling with some of British Columbia's finest," Sitthikoun noted.
"I've poured a lot of work into my striking, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. I feel well-rounded and ready for anything he brings to the mat. We'll dictate the pace of this fight, and he'll be reacting to my game plan."
Westbrook's Speed Advantage
Westbrook has competed in the lightweight division across his last three bouts, while Sitthikoun has moved between welterweight and middleweight.
Though Sitthikoun likely holds an edge in size and power, Westbrook believes his quickness gained from fighting lighter opponents gives him an advantage.
"He probably has a slight size edge over me, but I think my speed from fighting those smaller weight classes works in my favor," Westbrook said.
For Westbrook, this represents his first crack at a championship belt in his amateur days—a goal he's had since his debut.
With the opportunity finally within reach, he sees it as the ideal moment to crown his amateur career.
"Everything comes down to this. This is why I've put in all the hard work, all the blood, sweat, and tears during my amateur run," Westbrook said.
"I'm going to leave everything in there, grab that belt, and then within one or two more amateur bouts, I want to step into the pros and show I'm ready to compete at that level."
