World Championship Thai Boxing Leeds Town Hall
Leeds Town Hall, West Yorkshire was again the venue for a packed night of quality Muay Thai action hosted by Richard Smith’s Bad Company Gym on Saturday 13th June. The Town Hall events, presented by Bad Company Promotions and Showsport International, have become a regular and major fixture in the UK Thai Boxing calendar, producing some of the most exciting bouts in the sport.
Worl;d Champion Andy Howson
The main event featured ISKA World Champion Andy Howson from the Bad Company gym in Leeds against Mohd Ali Yaakub from Malaysia for theWMC Muay Thai Against Drugs World Title.Yaakub starts off very well, showing a very fast and impressive high front kick, which catches Howson. In round two, Howson looks to be enjoying proceedings a little more. In round three, Howson is knocked down very briefly, but is immediately back up on his feet and goes straight into the clinch, utilising his knees very well. By the end of the third, Yaakub looks as though he is beginning to tire. In round four, Howson’s lip is split open from Yaakub’s front kick, but despite this, he is looking the most in control by the end of the round. Yaakub is beginning to look very tired, whilst Howson continues to show an incredible amount of stamina. Howson is still operating at maximum efficiency, his mind clear enough to put together combinations that keep Yaakub on the back foot. At the end of five rounds Andy Howson wins by decision to claim another World Title to add to his collection.
Jordan Watson v Kouider Oukbi
Bad Company’d Jordon Watson faced Frenchman Oukbi Kouider. Due to his success in winning the UK heats of the Contender Asia competition, Jordan Watson is the name on everyone’s lips at the moment, and this was the last chance to see him in action before he travels to Malaysia for the Contender Asia finals.
He doesn’t disappoint, looking the dominant fighter from the start. Oukbi tries harder in the second round, but nothing that he does seems to give Watson any trouble. By the end of round three it has become apparent that Oukbi has tried everything that he knows and that Watson has an answer for it all. Watson’s kicks are known to be incredibly powerful and his skill in unbalancing and throwing an opponent are without question here. In round four, Oukbi, knowing that he can make no descernable impact, resorts to simply trying to escape from a far more capable opponent. Eventually referee Tony Myers has no choice but to stop the fight, after warning Oukbi that he must actually try to fight his opponent, and the victory goes to Watson.
In another International non-title match Richard Cadden from Bad Company faced Ibrahim Konate of France. From early on Cadden decides on a strategy of getting in close and using the knees against Konate, who is a much taller fighter. When the fight opens up, Konate has a huge reach advantage and has the opportunity to use his high kicking skills, catching Cadden with a kick to the head towards the end of round one. Cadden however, is very strong close up and shows off his throwing skills in round two. His strategy seems to be working out in the third round where he continues to get close and make good use of his knees. Gradually, though, Cadden begins to tire from having to do most of the hard work in getting close to his rangy opponent. This gives Konate the opportunity to use his reach, his punches as accurate and powerful as his kicks. Cadden is knocked down in the fifth and although he tries to beat the count, by getting back to his feet with an amazing show of determination to continue, he doesn’t convince the referee that he is fit to carry on, and Konate wins by Knockout.
Once again, the Bad Company/Showsport team have put on a great show, and I’m sure that all the spectators would want to join me in paying respects to all of the fighters, whether they won or lost on the night. They are a credit, not just to Muay Thai, but to the Martial Arts as a whole.
By Rick Hinchliffe
15 June 2009
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