Full Contact Fighter Database

Home

>

News

>

Article

Media

Wednesday, Nov 05, 2014

GLORY 18: Robert Thomas Feeling “Calm and Confident”, After Facing Champion Artem Levin in Debut

Robert Thomas kicking Artem Levin (photo via GLORY)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Robert Thomas is set to compete in his second fight with GLORY this Friday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the 21 year-old says his mindset this time around, is going to be completely different.

When Thomas made his GLORY debut in May, he did so against the promotion’s top ranked middleweight, Artem Levin. Thomas headed into the bout having gone 6-0 in his pro career thus far. Levin, on the other hand, had competed in over 85 pro fights at that juncture.

The 27 year-old Russian went on to hand Thomas a unanimous decision loss, and in June, Levin secured the championship belt, by winning “Last Man Standing’s” middleweight tourney.

“There’s not as much nerves after getting in their in my debut, in the number one kickboxing organization in the world, against the number one middleweight in the world,” Thomas relayed on a recent episode of Full Contact Fighter Radio, while discussing how he feels, heading into his bout with Mike Lemaire. “So, I say any questions I had in my head, I know I belong in there now after going three rounds with the best.”

“Yeah man. I’m calm,” furthered Thomas. “Calm and confident going into this one for sure.”

Thomas was asked if he’d be interested in facing Levin, as the latter was owed a fight before “Last Man Standing”. The Canadian was reportedly one of the few, top tier middleweights available.

“You could definitely tell that I was jittery and nervous against him,” said Thomas, when asked for his reflections on the bout. “I was super hesitant. But he’s the best man and it’s super hard to close the distance, and it’s really tough to formulate a game plan against somebody like that.”

Robert Thomas throwing a kick at Artem Levin (photo via GLORY)

“It definitely gives me a huge confidence boost,” furthered the decorated striker, who won the ThaiBoxing Association of America Championship in 2013. “It was early in my career, yeah sure it was a loss, but it was what? My seventh pro fight…I know I’m up there with the top guys for the rest of my career. I got that loss out of the way and I’m looking to go on a tear hopefully.”

Lemaire has put together a 13-1 pro record to date, and after he was stopped by top ranked middleweight Wayne Barrett last June, he went on to decision Dustin Jacoby at GLORY 17. The American fighter is currently ranked #12, one spot behind the #11 positioned Thomas.

“I know we both fought the same opponent, Andrew Kapel. He fought him in the “Road to Glory” tournament,” said Thomas. “So, I’ve watched him. He seems like a big kicker. He’s got some big kicks. I know he finished Eddie Walker with leg kicks, he’s a tough guy…so yeah. Just preparing to counter those kicks.”

“We seem to have similar body types,” the 6’2 tall fighter added. “So it’s a really good match-up for me.”

The November 7th, GLORY 18 will be hosted by Tulsa’s Grand Casino Hotel and Resort and will be broadcast on SPIKE TV.

posted by FCF Staff @ 8:00 am
Have a comment about this story? Please share with us by filling out the fields below.

Comments are closed.