Kao Loi Thai Boxing

Sunday 16th May saw The Manhattan Club host our Kao Loi Show.  The venue was sold out with a fantastic atmosphere for our fighters to compete in.

The show featured 1st fights for Harry Brecken, Ryan Grange, and Harry Ettridge.  Also representing our club were Mark Boyton, Duncan Scott, Jak Wright, and Josh Buckle.

First up was Harry Brecken who had an excellent fight with Thomas McDonagh from Golden Team.  Both fighters started very quickly and showed great technique.  Thomas put his punches and kicks together very well while harry preferred kicks and long knee.  Thomas took the first and second with a slightly higher workrate.  In the third harry doubled up with his kicks and took round. A great fight with Thomas taking a points win.

Ryan Grange fought next and went about his business immediately taking the fight to taller Tyrone McGowan.  Ryan's kicks were working well and then flurries of punches got him to the inside.  However, once on the inside his taller opponent landed some good knees.  As the fight progressed Tyrone scored with some punches of his own (including a few above the target area!!)  The fight was nonstop action with tyrone taking the points win.

Harry Ettridge fought next aginst Curtis Ramsey.  Curtis was a very strong fighter and naturally much bigger than Harry.  However when Harry put his punch and kick combinations together he troubled Curtis and won these exchanges.  When you are faced with a smaller opponent who is faster and likes to kick and punch,  then the clinch is where you should be. This is what Curtis did well, and he forced the stoppage in the second.

Mark Boyton took to the ring after getting back in training for only 5 weeks.  In that time he had dropped from 79kg to 72kg and was keen to try out some head movement that he had worked on.  Half way through the first Mark started to throw some hard punches and kicks.  Then he began to implement the head movement coupled with quick punch counters.  He was the aggressor in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and got a richly deserved points decision.

Duncan Scott was next and he was to defend his Northern Area title against Davy Harvy from Scotland.  This time it was our turn for the clinch and Duncan landed some massive knees on a very tough opponent.  On the break Davy sent a hard lowkick which was well blocked with the knee.  Davy immediately fell to the floor with a suspected broken leg!  The first aid team did an excellent job treating Davy and he was rushed to hospital for Xray.  Good News came later that there was no fracture and he should recover in a few weeks.  

Jak fought next in a rematch with George Brent.  As in the first fight this was a very evenly matched fight with both showing great improvement since the last match.  Half way through the fight George managed to land a massive right hook which caught jak flush on the jaw.  He took the eight count and resumed, only to be caught again.  The corner through in the towel although jak wanted to carry on.  jak will be developing his posture and working behind the hands and at 17 years old will have a good future in the sport.

Josh Buckle was coming into his fight after a good win on the Bad Company show, and it showed in his positive confident attitude.  He immediately set about landing his techniques, punch kick and knee, and then in the clinch did some good turn and knee combinations.  However the fight was over before it got going because Jack Nichols tried to turn Josh and collapsed with a suspected dislocation of his knee.  It subsequently transpired that Jack has a history of this happening, and he thought it had happened again but luckily it had not.  Bad luck Jack and hope the injury is ok.

Well Done to everone involved and thanks to the back up team and supporters.

Pierre