Feature Local Rookie Becomes One Of The Hottest Prospects in Muay Thai Boxing
Leeds' very own Luke Turner fights a surprise victory at Britain's biggest ever Muay Thai event
Feature: Local Rookie Becomes One Of The Hottest Prospects in Muay Thai Boxing
In the Western world, Muay Thai boxing’s popularity is overshadowed by traditional boxing. However, the technical fighting style and elite fitness involved makes it one of the toughest martial arts on the planet. Here in Leeds, Bad Company Thai Boxing Gym continually produces some of the finest Muay Thai athletes the country has ever seen. Here we meet one of the latest additions to Bad Company’s finest.
On 8th May 2010, Luke Turner, 21, replaced the Muay Thai legend, Liam ‘The Hitman’ Harrison due to sickness. He was to face four time world champion, Andrei Kotsur from Belarus. This took place at Bolton’s ‘Rumble at the Reebok 2’, which was the biggest Muay Thai event Britain has ever seen.
With only 17 hours notice, Luke had little time to mentally and physically prepare himself for such a challenge and had to accept the daunting fact that he had only 13 professional fights under his belt, compared to Kotsur’s 123. Nonetheless, he made the 63.5kg weight limit. Luke stepped up to the occasion and finished him with a flurry of electrifying elbows in round two, causing jaws to drop all over the globe. Kotsur was unable to attend the trophy ceremony as he needed medical attention.
Luke began his professional career in 2008. Since then, he has beaten a Singapore champion, won the WPMO Title and the UKMF English Title. He now trains at the Bad Company amongst some of the worlds finest, such as Liam Harrison, Andy Howson, Jordan Watson and Richard Cadden.
2010 has been full of excitement for Luke, winning all three of his fights by way of knockout, including a brutal knee-to-face KO in round one at Oceana on 18th April 2010. Luke is also an undergraduate in Thai Studies at the University of Leeds, just completing his first year. “This year has been difficult in terms of a balanced lifestyle,” he says. “When I have big fights it is important to train hard but at the same time I must study hard. It is possible to find a balance as I have proved to myself. But the bottom line is my studies come first.”
He will be studying at Thailand’s Chang Mai University later this year and will continue to keep a balance between studying and training. Watch out for Luke at the Leeds Town Hall show on 26th June 2010, where he could have his final fight in the UK until late 2011. After recent performances, it is no doubt Luke will continue to progress in Muay Thai and contribute to its growing popularity here in the UK.
Watch out for up and coming Bad Company events here in Leeds at www.badcompany.co.uk. If you want more information on Luke Turner and his fighting career, check out www.luketurnerbsb.com
Picture courtesy of FightShop.com
Posted on Thursday 3rd June 2010
Sherif Dhaimish
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