Club coach, Reece ready for action in his fight on Muay Thai Mayhem
Saturday 19th November was our last Muay Thai Mayhem show of the year and our biggest and most expensive show ever with 7 WBC Titles on the line and fighters from Spain, Portugal, Italy and France traveling to take on some of the UK’s best talent.
From our own Lumpini Fight Team, sports therapist Dani Peters started the action, beating Marie McManamon in a well matched battle over 5 rounds.
Boxer Jake Williams was up next, didn’t quite get going and having taken a count in the early rounds lost on points. Up and coming, George Jarvis, fighting in his 2nd adult bout faced Daniel Iodice from Italy winning all 5 rounds convincingly. Personal Trainer, Holly Spence, had a tough fight against Brighton’s Alexandra Vogt losing on points. While BJJ instructor, Keith McKenzie, fought the more experienced Davide Lupi from Italy. In his second outing for the club (his last bout over 3 years ago) Keith never quite got going, perhaps paced himself too well and lost on a points decision.
Perry Dee, who had recently been training at the famous Vos Gym in Amsterdam fought the seriously sharp, Sandro Martin from Spain in a 57kg contest. The slick Spaniard fought a well thought out game plan to beat Perry on points in what was a nice, technical battle of styles.
Ash Cooke was matched to face Sonny Dormer from Bromley. Ash who’d lost to Dormer in his first fight over a year ago had been training hard but couldn’t stop Dormer from getting the judges decision.
Next up was club coach, Luke Hill, fighting Italy’s Ivano Siviero at 60kg under Full Thai Rules with knees and elbows to the head. Luke fought a clever fight, listened well to his coaches in the corner and managed to hit and move, hit and move to frustrate the aggressive Italian. My favourite part of the fight… Luke ducking under a big right elbow from Siviero! Impressive stuff from the young 20 year old.
Scott McGovern, who had previously fought Thaiboxing, was fighting under boxing rules. Unfortunately for Scott, his opponent dislocated his shoulder in the first round leaving a disappointed Scott (who’d hoped to get a few rounds experience out of the fight) to win the “Prize Fighter” Southern Area title.
WBC World Champion at 55.3kg Ruth Ashdown fighting out of Lumpini Muay Thai Crawley
3 time World Champion, Ruth Ashdown faced Italy’s Sveva Melillo for the WBC World Title at 55.3kg. Ruth had previously held the 52kg WBC World Title and fighting at this new weight, looked strong, fought aggressively and won the title with a unanimous decision. Hastings Amy Campbell took on Jillian Corbett from the well respected Wicker Camp in Sheffield. From the first bell, Amy came out with all-guns blazing and in what was an action packed 5 rounds of relentless action, Amy won the 66.6kg WBC National Title.
Club coach Reece Thomson faced the tough and experienced Karl Hodges from Louth Thai in Ireland. An awesome technical battle, with tit-for-tat action it was a fight that was close right up to the final bell with Reece just nicking the fight probably thanks his work in the 4th and 5th round to win the WBC European Title.
Last up for Lumpini was Ben “Mr Cool” Hodge. Off the back of a big win against Saiyok on Thaifight and then a loss against Leed’s Jordan Watson, Ben faced WBC ranked Lotfi Talbi from France. The tricky Frenchman was on the back foot from the bell and a big kick to the ribs of Talbi dropped him to the canvas and finished the fight. All 0:24 seconds of it.
Arguably the fight of the night, and definitely the one that swung one way and then the other was the WBC International Fight between Lyndon Knowles and Portugal’s Carlos Degraco. The monstrous Degraco is a sparring partner for the UFC’s Mike Bisping and with a reputation as a “banger” he caught Lyndon with some huge punches in the first round. Having taken two counts already, it was looking like the end for Lyndon, but with some serous heart he came back into the second round, pushed forward and started to worry the dangerous Portugese fighter. Lyndon got caught with an elbow in the 3rd round which dropped him to the canvas and the referee waved the contest off.
A good show, that run smoothly and something for everyone.
Muay Thai, Boxing and K1 Kickboxing. With some wars, some technical battles and Lyndon’s fight which showed what being a fighter is all about.
With the end of the year only a month away, the boxers are out for their last show in Brighton on December 10th and the Lumpini Thaiboxer’s off to Thailand on the club’s Annual Trip to train and (maybe) fight.
Crawley Thaiboxer – Ben Hodge – prepares for the biggest fight of his career on 25th October 2014 in Thailand.
Part of the Crawley Martial Arts Academy, our Oscar Cutter won the WRSA Junior European Title in Bedford. The classy 18 year old who trains at the Academy in Manor Royal stopped his opponent in the second round after a barrage of well time leg kicks.
