Hunslet’s Peyton Silverblade is delighted to have won both his debut Thai boxing fight on the Leeds ‘Hitman’ show last November at eight years of age and now aged nine his second contest on Hitman’s recent Manchester show themed as ‘Legends’.
According to parents James Silverblade and Helen Duckworth, “Peyton lives for his coaching at Bad Company gym in Bramley.” In Manchester Peyton defeated Liverpool’s Harrison Parkinson over five one-minute rounds at 28kg having also defeated Coventry’s Karanveer Singh on the Leeds show.
“Peyton has been training Muay Thai for 18 months and the growth we’ve seen in him has been incredible,” explained Helen. “It’s hard to believe he’s the same boy. His confidence and resilience have grown so much since he took up Muay Thai as its properly called. His coach is champion Thai boxer Joe Craven who’s helped him learn discipline, respect, and the value of hard work. He looks up to Joe and all the Bad Company coaches and aspires to become a champion just like them. Peyton was so excited to be invited to fight on the Hitman Legends show. Although he sometimes felt the pressure of the extra training, the help and kind words from coaches Joe and Lisa helped him settle.”
“Junior competitors are protected in fights with padded body vests, shin guards and head guards,” explained coach Richard Smith. “They’re not allowed to use elbows and there’s no striking to the head. That comes much later. Peyton’s made a great start and is apparently in the running for a title fight opportunity on the next Leeds show.”
Hitman is organised by former world champion Leeds Thai boxer Andy Howson. “We’re grateful to everyone who came to support these elite athletes including Peyton and his friends from Bad Company. Both the Leeds and Manchester shows sold out with over two thousand at the two events enjoying fifty-three exhilarating bouts. We’re already planning our next Leeds show possibly in June.”
This post was written by James Bovington
Photo: Peyton with coaches Lisa and Joe
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