Demarce prepares for title fight

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This article was published 09/03/2020 (2175 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Brandon mixed martial arts fighter Curtis Demarce returns to the ring in May, and he will fight for a title.

Demarce, 31, will fight Tim Tamaki (19-28-1) in Lethbridge on May 2 for Rumble In The Cage’s featherweight belt. The fight will take place at 145 pounds, a weight Demarce (18-15) has fought at just twice.

Tamaki and Demarce have competed on a lot of the same cards, so the Brandonite has seen him fight. He also knows what to expect from fighters who train at Lethbridge’s Canadian Martial Arts Centre, the home of former UFC veteran Jordan Mein, who now fights in Bellator.

“I know a lot of guys out of that camp and they all fight the same,” Demarce said. “They’re very scrappy, very durable, tough guys who grind and put in endless amounts of live training. Technically, I love this matchup because me staying at that weight class is a positive for me. At 145, I really think I’m going to have the size and strength, and a real run at that division.

“I’ve never really had that advantage before. I’ve always been the shorter, stockier guy fighting taller guys with more range.”

Demarce, who is walking around at 166 pounds right now, said everyone is so good at that level of MMA that range really means a lot.

In four fights at 145 or 150 pounds in his career, Demarce is undefeated. The rest of his 33 officially recognized bouts have come at 155 or higher.

DeMarce was last in action on Nov. 9 when he fought at the Fight For The Troops event he helped organize in Brandon. When his scheduled opponent was unable to compete in their 145-pound fight after suffering a knockout in a boxing card, California fighter Darren Smith Jr., was brought in, with the bout occurring at 165 pounds

Smith, who fought recently at 185 pounds, ultimately knocked Demarce out in the second round. The Brandon fighter admits it took him a couple of months to get over the loss.

“It was a lot of spiritual and mental work, grinding and getting myself spiritually and mentally back,” Demarce said. “There was a lot of self doubt and negativity in my life, a lot of negative energy that I had built up over previous fights and previous head injuries.”

Demarce credits local fitness guru Jim Frederickson with helping him to focus on positives, faith and getting his head in the right place. They also worked together to heal the concussion he suffered in the loss, something that taught Demarce a lot about treating the injury rather than just the symptoms.

While dropping 20 pounds to compete at a lower weight class will be a challenge — one that is virtually universal in the sport at every division but heavyweight — Demarce thinks he’ll be fine.

“It’s a very tough test,” Demarce said. “It’s hard on me, hard on the body but with Jim and with my nutritionist … I’m not too worried this time. It’s a good weight. Everyone has always told me I should be at that weight but sometimes it gets the best of us and we just want to get in there.”

That drive is a big part of why he ended up in the ring last November against a much bigger man.

With the benefit of time, and with the emotion of the disappointing loss behind him, Demarce is able to look at the local event differently.

“It was probably one of the biggest moments in my life,” Demarce said. “I was able to bring something to Brandon that I’ve more or less worked hard for through years and years of competing. It’s something that I’d always wanted to have in Brandon because I never got to experience that.”

A second Fight For The Troops card is planned for this November, although Demarce is unsure of whether he’ll fight on it again because of the many distractions that come with being one of the organizers.

Details will be released in coming months once the final approval is received from the Manitoba Combative Sports Commission. Fight TV is set to broadcast the event again as well, but this time a commentary team will be added.

Demarce has big plans for the sport in the city.

“I would like to do two or three a year once we get more locals involved,” Demarce said. “We’ll be able to build that up slowly, especially once I introduce amateur mixed martial arts. At that point it’s just experience for those athletes.”

He added the experience of putting on the first card will allow them to improve the show next time by adding a number of new innovations.

On a personal note, Demarce said he has channelled the disappointment from his last outing into a sustained effort to improve. With his next fight booked, he’s ready to move forward.

“It was great to finally be able to compete in my hometown and get the love and respect that I appreciate from everyone,” Demarce said. “Did it go the way I wanted it to? No, but it will next time. Doors opened up as soon as I dropped down to 145 and if I’m lucky, we’ll be able to take that title on May 2.”

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

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