This past weekend, Scott Gunn of English River First Nation was poised to make history and, for his family, friends and fans from his home community, he did not disappoint. Gunn stepped into the ring for not only his first professional kickboxing fight Saturday (Oct. 3), but also the first pro kickboxing fight held in Saskatchewan when he took on fellow fighter Kaden Greenbank of Saskatoon in an event hosted by the Kopas Boxing Club and held at the Dakota Dunes Casino and Event Centre. According to Gunn, there was a lot of pressure going into the contest, but, when all was said in done, he found his hand being raised in victory.
“It was my first pro kickboxing fight and first pro kickboxing fight in Saskatchewan,” Gunn reiterated when speaking with Northern Pride early this week. “I won in the first round by TKO. I am happy with the result. It was a long day leading up to the fight, and, as it drew closer, I was trying to mentally prepare for it going the full three rounds. I am super happy it ended in the first.” Gunn went on to say Greenbank had the potential to be a tough challenge considering the age gap between the two athletes. “I’m in my mid-30s and he’s in his early 20s – it’s like he’s just starting his kickboxing career and I’m starting to wind down,” he said.
Although Saturday’s fight was Gunn’s first professional bout, he’s been involved with combat sports at the amateur level for a number of years. “I started out as a high school wrestler a long time ago,” he said. “When that ended, I tried to find something to replace it with. I discovered s mixed martial arts (MMA) gym and started doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, amateur Muay Thai and MMA. I would compete in various tournaments – amateur kickboxing, MMA and Muay Thai. But, they never really held events for these in Saskatchewan, so I would have to travel to Alberta, Manitoba or British Columbia. When this (Kopas) event was being organized, the promoter (Gary Kopas) asked me if I wanted to be in the pro kickboxing match here in Saskatoon. I immediately said yes because I am always fighting away and this would be a chance to fight in front of my friends and family.”
A number of supporters from English River travelled to Saskatoon to take in Saturday’s fight, including a group of elders from Patuanak. Gunn, meanwhile, said he enjoys combat sports for the athleticism involved as well as the camaraderie that comes with getting to know other participants. “It’s a healthy activity and a way to make friends,” he said. “Usually, when I’m travelling, I will visit the local martial arts gyms and it’s kind of like you speak the same language. You meet people right away. That’s a positive thing that keeps me going, plus it allows me to stay active.” Gunn also said he is proud of his accomplishments and hopes young people from English River First Nation can be inspired to achieve their own goals in life. “I encourage everyone to follow his or her interest,” he said. “I didn’t have access to these kinds of sports when living in the north, but I got into them when I was older. If you have a dream, you have to follow it.”
Looking ahead, Gunn also hopes he can continue his professional career while he can. “The promoter is going to see how the event went, but it seems it was successful so maybe down the road he will host more pro kickboxing fights,” he said. “That will be nice for Saskatchewan because, right now, people still have to travel out-of-province to compete. It can create more opportunities not only for me, but for others as well.” In closing, Gunn circled back to the hometown crowd of supporters who were there for him this weekend and reiterated how much it meant to him. “Usually, when travelling, it’s just my coach and I,” he said. “It was nice to have 20-30 people from up north come down to check out the fights, as well as people from my gym. There was a big group of people who were here to support me. And, if I ever have another fight in the future, come check it out. Win or lose, I am always in an exciting match.”