WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Joe Schilling

By FCF Staff

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has approved winner-take-all terms for a WBC full-rules Muay Thai fight between WBC light heavyweight (175 pounds) champion Joe Schilling (12-1, 10 KO’s) and undefeated contender Simon Marcus (22-0, 17 KO’s) at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on Saturday, Feb. 25.   The fight will serve as the main event on a card promoted by Muay Thai promoter Lion Fight Promotions.

The winner of the highly-anticipated matchup will take home not only his purse, but also his opponent’s entire purse, a rarity in combative sports.

“Joe was talking a lot about what he’s going to do to me and this and that, so I said ‘Put your money where your mouth is,” explained Marcus of Canada, who initiated the challenge to Schilling online two weeks ago.  “Money has never been the most important thing to me.  What’s important to me is that I show people – especially the media that have him ranked ahead of me – that I can dominate Joe.”

Schilling, a resident of Los Angeles, Calif. who has been enduring a rigorous training camp that included regular sparring sessions with UFC superstar Nick Diaz before Diaz’s UFC 143 main event battle with Carlos Condit last Saturday, Feb. 4, has never been one to shy away from any kind of fight.

“He offered me the opportunity to take his purse and mine and I didn’t hesitate for a second to agree to it,” said Schilling, .who appeared on the final two episodes of “UFC 143 Primetime: Diaz vs. Condit” on FX,  “I’m going to kick his ass either way and, now it’ll just be more money in my pocket.  I’m going to expose him and show everyone that he’s just a pop tart.

“The winner take-all purse concept has rarely been used in Nevada,” said Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer.  “This certainly should bring added interest and intrigue to this contest.”