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Strictly Baby Fight Club
About the kids
The twins
Quantity surveyor Darren and his wife, nail technician Lisa, enrolled their five-year-old twins Miah and Kian in boxing lessons at their local gym seven months ago.
Darren is so passionate about the sport that he has now converted the spare room into a gym so he can give the twins extra tuition. Despite their young age, he strongly believes that encouraging them to take an active interest in this sport has enhanced the relationship he has with them.
As the father of a daughter in particular, Darren feels that it will help Miah to stand on her own two feet and encourage her to be able to take more care of herself when she is older.
Determined to make champions of his kids, they are encouraged to train three times a week and compete in the ring against other children. But pre-match jitters often get the better of Miah, who has to be coaxed into the ring on more than one occasion. "Every time she goes in that ring, there is always a worry she will start crying", admits Darren. But nonetheless he remains determined and ambitious.
For her next fight, Darren is taking no chances. He has 'bulked' her up so she is not at a weight disadvantage against her older opponent. Will this be enough for a win to make daddy's day or will the five-year-old, with a penchant for disco dancing and dressing up as a princess, go home empty-handed once again.
Thai
At just 10 years of age, Thai is a veteran fighter and is named after his parents burning passion for Thai boxing. His dad Mark is his trainer who runs his own gym from the bottom of his garden, and both Thai and his 14-year-old sister, a double world champion, have had little choice but to share their parents' love affair with the sport. Mark and mum, Maxine, strongly believe that fitness is as important as education and will do anything to get their kids to reach their physical peak.
On top of school and homework, a normal week for Thai consists of running over 15 km, doing 400 sit ups, and at least 10 hours on the bags and sparring.
Maxine works while Mark dedicates his life to training his kids and to their fighting careers. Mark will travel anywhere in the world, forking out thousands of pounds to get his son fight experience. "My dream and his mum's dream is for him to win a stadium title", but admits Mark, "I don't know what his dream is… probably to play with his soldiers."
Whatever the dream, the reality for now is Thai's intensive preparation for his first ever cage fight – where he and his nine-year-old opponent Connor – will fight five two-minute rounds in front of over a thousand paying adults in a 23-foot metal cage.
Connor
Like the other parents, Connor's mum, Nikki, has also dedicated her life to being her son's most committed and hands-on supporter, taking him training up to four-nights-a-week after school for up to three hours when he is preparing for a big fight.
Like the other parents, Connor's mum, Nikki, has also dedicated her life to being her son's most committed and hands-on supporter, taking him training up to four-nights-a-week after school for up to three hours when he is preparing for a big fight.
She and his trainer Terry travel all over the country with Connor to put him in competitions and give him the best chance of becoming an all-round champion.
Connor is currently Southern Area Champion but he has been on a losing streak lately, and is desperate to live up to his ring name of 'Top Dog' again. His next ring fight is for the British Belt and Nikki and Terry are adamant that he must win.
Sohan
The nine-year-old's dad, Majhid, works in a local car parts factory and dreams of his son having his name in lights. "Sohan is living the life I should have had", says Majhid. "I have always wanted to be the best. I've always wanted to be a champ, wanted people to look at me and say there's the champ. But it's as good as they saying it to my son as saying it to me."
The nine-year-old's dad, Majhid, works in a local car parts factory and dreams of his son having his name in lights. "Sohan is living the life I should have had", says Majhid. "I have always wanted to be the best. I've always wanted to be a champ, wanted people to look at me and say there's the champ. But it's as good as they saying it to my son as saying it to me."
So he is determined that his son, who is relatively new to the fight game, retains his undefeated record.
For mum, Nazheen, it's a nerve-racking and uncomfortable experience as she watches her son fight for the first time. But both parents feel that Thai boxing has been the making of their son as it has helped him over come bullying at school for the severe eczema he was born with – which has also cleared up since he took up the sport.
