This weekend, November 4th & 5th 2017, Pu’u Muay Thai Ventura will be sending their competition team to New York to compete at the United States Muay Thai Open (USMTO). This is the first tournament of it’s kind to help establish a unified ranking for amateur Muay Thai fighters in the United States under the United States Muaythai Federation (USMF) banner.
Pu’u Muay Thai will be sending their athlete, Joanna Marquez, a 25 year old female fighter from Oxnard, California. Joanna is currently Ranked #1 in the Strawweight division according to the International Kickboxing Federation. Marquez will be competing at the United States Muay Thai Open in the B Division, vying for her spot to represent the United States in the World Games and the International Federation of Muaythai Amateurs (IFMA) World Championships held around the world.
Currently the Pu’u Muay Thai’s competition team’s head instructor & owner Jonathan Puu said, “Our team is among some of the highest ranked amateur competition in the country. I believe that our team has what it takes to help carry our country to bring home the Gold in the World Games and IFMA. For our team to compete in the USMTO is a step towards that direction and we are very fortunate to be able to give our athletes the opportunity to compete in these International competitions.”
Their team flies to New York on Thursday along with coaching staff support from Joanna’s fellow stablemate, Kate Sholy, 29 years old. Sholy had just competed in Zhengzhou, China earlier this year to defeat the Chinese National Champion, Huang Li.
