The trilogy bout between GLORY middleweight champion Artem Levin and Canadian Simon Marcus has a date and location.
Today, the kickboxing promotion announced that the pair will lock horns in the main event of GLORY 27 in Chicago on Friday, Feb. 26.
In the pair’s first meeting in 2013 at Lion Fight 9, Marcus edged Levin under Muay Thai rules to claim a unanimous decision. They met again at GLORY 21 in May of 2015, with Marcus largely dictating the action and heading toward claiming the belt from the Russian. The judges, however, saw things differently. Two of the three judges that night handed in even scorecards, resulting in a majority draw and allowing Levin to retain his belt.
Since that night in San Diego, Levin has stepped into the ring four times in his native Russia. He’s captured two decision wins, a TKO, and most recently, a second-round knockout over Daniel Alexandru to earn the WKN World Super Light Heavyweight Muay Thai Championship. The 29-year-old has tasted defeat just twice since 2011, once to Marcus, and once to Joe Schilling.
The 29-year-old Marcus has been out of action since the controversial draw with Levin in May. Prior to that, he captured the GLORY 20 contender tournament to establish himself as the No. 1 contender.
GLORY 27 will take place from the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill. It will be broadcast on various ESPN platforms. The event will also include a one-night, four-man North American Middleweight Contender Tournament, with the winner earning a future title shot against the Levin-Marcus winner.