Lion Fight 72: Walker vs. Bartek is a Muay Thai event expected to take place on December 3, 2021 at the Shriners Auditorium in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Fight Card
Main Card (UFC Fight Pass)
Super Cruiserweight Steve Walker vs. Ivan Bartek World Super Cruiserweight Title
Light Heavyweight Washington Dos Santos vs. Vincent Veys German North American Light Heavyweight Title
Women's Lightweight Niamh Kinehan vs. Ashley Smallwood
Super Welterweight Chase Walden vs. Shaun Shubert
Welterweight Junior Rubi vs. Dave Hayrikyan
Heavyweight Matt Ferguson vs. Jorge Vega
Background
Lion Fight 72 marks the first time that two-belt champion Steve Walker puts his World title on the line, and he’ll do so against a young and hungry challenger in Ivan Bartek.
Walker won the World title with a clear-cut five-round verdict over Chris Bradford at Lion Fight 58. Since then, the Boston, Massachusetts, product, who had previously captured the North American title at Lion Fight 42, has shown a much more aggressive – downright vicious – side to his demeanor during two successful defenses in 2021. Walker utilized his unorthodox yet devastating offensive game plan in destroying Brian Collette with a tornado head-kick knockout just 46 seconds into their clash at LF64, and he followed that by using the passion of his hometown fans in Boston to propel him to a fourth-round TKO against Warren Thompson at LF69. Standing across from Walker will be Slovakian Ivan Bartek, who has an abundance of experience on high-end events. The powerfully build 32-year-old has previously won European and regional titles in both Muay Thai and kickboxing.