Three exceptional young kickboxing champions have been chosen to represent their country in Germany.
Declan Dawson, Kyle Bentley and Jack Oxley will represent Little Hulton’s Peel Thai Boxing at the ISKA National World championships in Stuttgart in May.
The club has already produced a number of highly-decorated junior fighters.
In August last year, Dylan Furness, 14 at the time, and Stuart Stabler, 15, travelled 6,000 miles to compete in Bangkok, Thailand, for the Royal World Cup.
Read: Little Hulton star seeks help to rep Team England in Thailand
Both are multiple World Junior Champions, having beaten the best young fighters in Russia, Italy, France and America over the past two years.
Now Declan, Kyle and Jack are looking to follow in their stablemates’ footsteps.
Each will take part in Muay Thai and K1 disciplines in the 10 to 12-years-old category.
Kyle is fighting at 30kg, Declan at 33kg and Jack will compete at 45kg.
Geoff Downes with Jack Oxley
Kyle Bentley
Peel Thai Boxing in action
Declan Dawson
Muay Thai, to give the sport its proper title, uses a combination of striking and clinching maneuvers to beat an opponent, often called the ‘art of eight limbs’ due to the variety of body movements and strikes available to a fighter.
The mastermind behind their success is Geoff Downes.
Geoff is recognised as one of the best Thai boxing coaches in the country, and is a former British Champion himself.
Since the unveiling of his new academy on the Smithfold Industrial Estate, he has seen and nurtured many Thai boxers to greatness, with the three juniors going to Germany alone having over 30 belts between them.
Whilst the accolades are important, 2016 also marks the 10th Anniversary of the ISKA tournament.
Fighters from over 40 countries will compete.
It will be the completion of a long road for Downes, who started out teaching the sport in community centres.
Through his guidance, Peel Thai Boxing Club has become of the best in the region for producing champion fighters at all levels, and has gained national recognition by winning the trainer of the year and club of the year in 2015.
The club can now dream of international recognition from the ISKA.
Geoff told SalfordOnline.com: “If these three lads could go on to achieve just half of what Dylan did, when I pack in coaching I’ll be able to say that I coached students to over 100 titles, that would be a real achievement.”
The boys are still looking for sponsors to help fund the trip overseas.
For anyone wanting to donate, Jack’s GoFundMe page is here Declan’s is at GoFundMe here and Kyle has this GoFundMe page set up.
