Howarth Photography

Josh Turbil V Ste Long at the Robin Park Hall - Wigan. 

Immense fight.

I was so excited when I saw this shot on my big screen… so many elements combined to make a great image. It’s nice and sharp; both boxers are doing something positive, good kick, good block; The sponsor’s logo is nice and central on the corner post; everything looks super dramatic, with the blood on Long’s face etc; and as a bonus, I even got the promoter in shot!

Most of my international followers won’t have seen Macauley Coyle in action yet, but I can say that without doubt, he’s one of the best prospects I’ve seen this year on the Muay Thai circuit in the UK. If he keeps on the form he’s shown when I’ve seen him, I fully expect him to be headlining big shows sometime in the future.

Here he is fighting on the Black Widow show at Gatecrasher, in Birmingham 15th Sept 2012.

If you’re on twitter, give him a follow: @MacauleyCoyle

Just remember where you heard the name first!

Unmistakable Saenchai. This was early on in his second fight with Liam Harrison. Saenchai threw a few showboat techniques early on, but Liam took it to the Thai champion very quickly afterwards and turned the fight into what was easily Seanchi’s most difficult fight against a farang (foreigner).

(Source: howarthphotogarphy.co.uk)

Kick the back. Muay Thai judges see this as a very high scoring technique - if you’re showing your back to an opponent it can be a sign that you are losing position and that your opponent is showing dominance in a fight, especially if they strike you whilst your back is turned. You’ll often see Muay Thai fighters leaning back and avoiding kicks in order to make their opponents miss so that they can strike back quickly with this exact technique.

Saenchai V Liam Harrison II is easily one of the best fights I’ve ever had the pleasure of shooting. 

Exciting from the very start Saenchai opened by showboating with his acrobatic jumping scissor kicks and his famous cartwheel kick, however Liam soon started firing back with short, sharp shots that had real bad intent. He definitely wasn’t there to mess about and put on a show this time and Saenchai knew it. This was a fight!

Ultimately and purely in scoring terms, Saenchai was just too clever for Liam, but he left the UK knowing that this had been a hard fight - Liam did not stop low kicking and punching his way forwards. Often Saenchai found himself relying on his superb balance and footwork to keep scoring as Liam threw everything at him.

It was an absolute pleasure to be at ringside for this battle, so for anyone who is in Thailand on the 28th July this year you should really make a point of catching what could be one of the best fights you’ll ever see.

Liam Harrison stops Andrei Kulebin with vicious low kicks inside three rounds in Manchester at The Main Event show on 21st March 2012.

(Source: howarthphotography.co.uk)