Fight for Peace muay thai athlete, Kyle Rowe, is getting ready to compete this Sunday at the Muay Thai Grand Prix in London, an event that showcases the very best of young upcoming muay thai talent from around the world.
Kyle’s most recent fight saw his opponent defeated in just seconds, as he delivered a powerful stoppage in the first minute! So we can’t wait to see what Kyle brings to the ring this weekend.
In the run up to his Grand Prix debut, we sat down with Kyle after an intense session of strength and conditioning to find out a little more about his journey up until now, and how he is feeling in the days prior to stepping into the ring again.
“I first started training around six years ago when a friend introduced me to Fight for Peace. It’s the first boxing gym I’ve ever been to, and as soon as I walked in, I loved it. I just knew this is what I wanted to be doing,” Kyle told us.
“I started off doing boxing, but something said to me to just try something new, and I’ve stuck to the muay thai ever since.”
Kyle has since trained everyday for six years through regular group sessions at Fight for Peace and other clubs, all while building his own independent routine.
“If I see a move or technique that I really like, I’ll do my homework by going to the gym and installing it into myself until it works for me,” he told us.
This motivation to grow and improve inspired Kyle to take to the ring for his first official bout in August 2019, and although at first he only envisioned himself competing once – he soon realised that this milestone was only the beginning of his journey as a muay thai competitor.
“It took a few years before I got to compete… but it was just more practice for me and it gave me more time to hone in on my own skills, and make myself into the athlete I wanted to be,” he explained.
“I did a lot better than I thought I would, and it motivated me to get straight back into it, and training for my next one.”
This is a strong reflection of the power of martial arts and how it teaches us to constantly set and reach new goals for ourselves that often exceed our expectations and limits.
So, how has Kyle been preparing for his Grand Prix appearance this Sunday?
“I don’t feel like there’s a lot of difference in my routine during the lead up because I do intense training everyday. I’m always going up, and up, and up – and each time I’m a bit stronger.” Kyle explained.
“But I am watching my diet and getting my weight precisely what it needs to be. I’ve also been working on my breathing because at times my cardio isn’t great – so going for my sprints and long-distance jogs really helps with that,” he continued.
This Sunday will mark Kyle’s fourth muay thai decision-fight to date, and having won two of three so far, he’s feeling confident in his abilities to successfully challenge his opponent.
“Of all of my fights, I’m most confident for this one because I know I’ve been training hard. I know on the day I’ll get a little bit nervous, but I’ll turn that into explosive energy in the ring.”
Kyle’s undeniable consistency and dedication to the sport has been a pleasure to witness so far, and we can’t wait to see that confidence and energy on Sunday! We wish you all the best for your competition this weekend, champ! You can get your tickets here, and follow further coverage of the event over on our Instagram page.