Thai boxers shine in global spotlight (From The Northern Echo)

Thai boxers shine in global spotlight

8:00am Monday 29th August 2011 in News By Paul Cook

TWO Thai boxers from the same gym are helping to raise the profile of their sport across the world.

Michael Dicks and Lanchana Green, who both fight out of Darlington Boxing and Martial Arts Academy, are each taking part in two huge televised events.

Mr Dicks has been selected to fight in the Muay Thai Premier League, while Miss Green has won a place in the finals of Tuff Girls – both of which will appear on ESPN and be screened on other channels across the world.

Mr Dicks flew to Los Angeles on Saturday for the first round of the new competition.

After a week of promotion events and acclimatisation, he fights Brazilian Leo Monteiro on Friday night.

It is the first in three roundrobin heats in the 66.7kg welterweight category before the final in Las Vegas – other rounds take place in Amsterdam, Paris and Rome.

ESPN has paid millions of pounds for the rights to screen the event. Cameras will follow Mr Dicks around for a week in October in his hometown, at home and in the gym. The overall prize purse will be worth tens of thousands of pounds and could elevate Mr Dicks’ profile.

His trainer, Paul Hamilton, said: “Thai boxing has been around for a long, long time but, now because of the mainstream television and the money, it will expose it even more. It will make people who won’t go to shows get out and see it.”

Included in Mr Dicks’ group is another British fighter Liam Harrison, who is the world number one in the weight below. The pair clash on January 20 in Amsterdam.

Mr Harrison added: “That will be an interesting fight.

It’s one that we’ve wanted for a while and a lot of people in England will want to see it.

Personally, I think Michael can win the whole thing. He is big and he is strong.”

Meanwhile, Miss Green has just returned from Thailand where she won a place in the finals of Tuff Girls.

She returns in December, when she will live with other selected fighters. On the format of reality television, the programme will follow the girls during a variety of tasks, as well as training and bouts.

Miss Green, who won through to the finals after defeating American Carmel Lovello, said: “It’s been such a good experience so far. I have met girls from all over the world. I was nervous about the cameras and interviews, but I really enjoyed it.”