- author, Calum Riva
- role, BBC News, Jersey
The professional Muay Thai boxer from Jersey is “grateful and excited” to be in the island's first title fight.
Ben Reid, 26, is scheduled to face Ireland's Kieran Foran in the ISKA 4 Nations 190-pound championship on Saturday, June 1.
Michael Blood, director of Blood Fitness and promoter of the fight, said local fighters had helped popularise the sport and brought an international following to Jersey.
“It's a world-famous belt and for someone from Jersey to fight for this title is a big thing,” he said.
“Beautiful violence”
Muay Thai uses kicks, punches, knees, elbows, as well as sweeps and clinches.
Reed said he was drawn to the sport because of the respect and tradition.
“Traditional Thai boxing is like a dance, it looks beautiful and it's called beautiful violence,” the athlete explained.
Reid acknowledged that the damage sustained from the fight ranged from “minor injuries like a broken toe” to more serious injuries such as “internal bleeding and torn ligaments.”
Image source, translator
Brad said the sport has a “huge following” in Jersey but with increased visibility comes increased pressure to train.
“It has grown so much in the UK that we need to do more,” he said.
“Some of them are training four or five hours a day, so that means we're at that level.”
Reed described the five-week martial arts camp as a “mental game.”
“They don't know how many hours everyone else spends in the gym practicing.”
He said he has no plans to slow down until he has “put his belt around his waist.”
