Gabriel Varga (26-2, 8 KO’s) intends to hold onto the GLORY World Featherweight Championship for a long time.
The Vancouver, Canada native outworked Mosab Amrani (53-10-4, 16 KO’s), one of the division’s star names, over five rounds in the co-main event of GLORY 20 DUBAI. Varga, who has risen from being a virtual unknown on first joining GLORY, looked close to scoring a stoppage but was thwarted by the Moroccan’s toughness.
“I will be here for a while, until I decide to stop fighting,” he says. “I knew cardio would be key. I knew he usually tired out in the third round so I knew if I could tire him out in the first couple then the fourth and fifth would really be mine.
“This is where I belong, in championship fights. I fight better with five rounds.”
Varga’s plan to tire Amrani out meant that the fight went at a frenetic pace. Amrani is not one for holding back anyway, so his forward pressure was answered by Varga and resulted in an encounter which will surely make the 2015 ‘Fight of the Year’ lists.
“As soon as somebody starts pushing for it I just want to stand and bang with them,” says Varga, admitting that his corner team “go crazy” because their gameplan usually involves him using his significant reach advantage. Once he gets hit he tends to roll the gameplan into a ball and throw it.
“The first thing for me always comes down to getting the win. Some people say they want to look good before they get the win. I want to get the win. I am never pushing to get Fight of the Year, that is just my fight style, I have just a fast-paced style. I am just fortunate that my fight style is exciting.
“One of the best parts about winning this fight was that he had such a good name. I am sure a lot of people didn’t think that I would be able to beat him with my lack of experience compared to him and how long he has been fighting at the top level. I knew about him five or six years ago, so its a big stepping stone for me, getting that win.
“I am always very clear-headed and very logical about this sort of stuff so I have been planning this win about for about ten weeks. I am excited but not surprised the high is past and I am just looking forward to taking a break right now.”
After his well-earned break, Varga will turn his attention to his first title defense. When that will be and who it will be against remains to be seen. The likelihood is that there will be a Featherweight Contender Tournament to determine the first challenger.
“I just hope that GLORY will build the featherweight division a little bit now. I would like to see a Contender tournament this year and see who wins that, I will fight whoever,” says Varga. “We just need another three or four fighters to make the division interesting.”
GLORY’s next event takes place Friday, May 8 in San Diego, California as GLORY 21 SAN DIEGO rolls into Southern California.
Artem ‘The Lion’ Levin will defend his World Middleweight Championship in the main event against Simon ‘Bad Bwoy’ Marcus in a grudge rematch. The two don’t like each other and have had plenty to say ahead of this second encounter. The event will air in the US live on Spike TV at 9pm ET.
