Incontra i combattenti YOKKAO Next Generation: Joe Craven!
Joe Craven è un giovane combattente che recentemente ha deciso di trasferirsi a Leeds per iniziare ad allenarsi e combattere nel famoso YOKKAO Training Center Bad Company (Leeds - Regno Unito). I suoi compagni di scuderia sono campioni del mondo YOKKAO Jordan Watson, Liam Harrison e molti altri.
Bad Company è nota per aver sfornato campioni con l'aiuto degli allenatori Richard e Lisa Smith. Joe sta trascorrendo del tempo lì ora non solo allenandosi per diventare un combattente migliore, ma è anche diventato lui stesso un allenatore. Joe Craven è diventato un combattente YOKKAO Next Generation all'inizio di quest'anno e ha combattuto in molti spettacoli YOKKAO nel Regno Unito. La sua vittoria più recente è stata contro Robbie Collins in ottobre. È stato uno spettacolo fantastico da parte di Craven e Collins ha combattuto duramente.
Joe ha parlato della sua carriera di combattente fino ad ora, di come è arrivato alla Muay Thai e di dove vede svilupparsi il suo viaggio nei prossimi anni. YOKKAO sarà lì per aiutare Joe lungo il percorso, dandogli una fantastica opportunità per sviluppare e affinare le sue abilità sia dentro che fuori dal ring. Joe ha detto questo:
“Ho iniziato ad allenarmi nella Muay Thai quando avevo quattro anni. I miei genitori mi hanno portato con loro al club locale Calder Thai ad Halifax e tutto è partito da lì. Mi sono allenato al Calder Thai per 11 anni, ho avuto anche un allenamento extra con il Master A a Manchester e ho avuto il mio primo combattimento a 11 anni e ho avuto una carriera junior di successo combattendo su YOKKAO per la prima volta a 15 anni. Tre anni fa mi sono trasferito per allenarmi e combattere fuori dalla Bad Company a Leeds e non mi sono mai guardato indietro.
Da allora mi sono trasferito a vivere a Leeds e mi sono allenato, combattuto e insegnato alla Bad Company. La Muay Thai è stata una parte importante della mia vita da quando ricordo e mi ha dato opportunità che altrimenti non avrei mai avuto. Sono competitivo per natura e amo la sfida del combattimento. I miei compagni di squadra alla Bad Company sono alcuni dei migliori combattenti e allenatori del mondo e ho la fortuna di potermi allenare e allenare con loro ogni giorno. I ragazzi di Bad Co sono una parte importante della mia vita sia dentro che fuori dalla palestra.
Non c'è niente come la sensazione di lavorare duro e vincere contro un buon avversario perché so che è un risultato per il quale ho lavorato. Da quando ho iniziato la mia carriera di combattente da adulto, a 15 anni, ho avuto 17 incontri (15 vittorie e 2 sconfitte). Ho vinto molti titoli da junior e da adulto da allora ho vinto un titolo italiano a Roma e ho vinto l'incontro britannico ISKA, con regole completamente tailandesi all'inizio di quest'anno contro Jack Maguire. Sono stato fortunato e non perdo un combattimento ormai da più di due anni.
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YOKKAO Muay Thai Next Generation: Joe Craven[/caption]
There are so many challenges generally in fighting. I think probably one of the biggest apart from the fights themselves is getting your name out there and proving yourself as a good fighter who doesn't back away from hard fights, instead wanting to get out there and fight the good fighters to prove myself. I was lucky to start fighting on the YOKKAO shows at only 15 years old and have been on the shows now three times joining the Next Generation team last year. Being recognised enough to be asked to fight on such great shows on a regular basis is an accomplishment. I've had so many accomplishments in Muay Thai from my own fights, being picked for the Next Generation team and from watching my own students at the gym and the Bad company kids who I teach winning fights and titles. I haven't lost at all this year so that's always a good start and I'm happy that the wins I've had have all been strong ones. I had good clear wins this year against Jack Maguire, Harry Burton and Robbie Collins who are all very good fighters and a few years older than me and won the fights comfortably. I also spent some time out in Thailand training and took my hardest fight this year out there winning by TKO.
I've moved to Leeds this year also which has been great as I'm not having to spend two hours a day travelling and is much easier for training. I'm hoping 2017 will be a busy year for me with fights. I'm keen to continue to improve and prove myself against good fighters under A Class rules. My coach, Richard Smith, is always keen to get me good fights and he has a couple of things in the pipeline which could turn out to be really good for my future career. There a few people out there I'd like the chance to fight at my weight and would like to make my way into the UK rankings. As for fights I'd like to see there are so many.
My team mates Liam Harrison and Jordan Watson obviously will have some exiting fights coming up but I'd also like to see Filip Kulawinski from Bad Co getting more opportunities. Filip's an absolute monster and got to be one of the most avoided fighters I've ever known. I'm just taking every day as it comes now and listening to the advice of Richard Smith and my team at Bad Co. I'll continue to train hard and take the opportunities that come my way. Bad Co as a club have proved themselves by producing top level fighters consistently over many years and I continue to build my reputation as a fighter. Of course, my aim over the next few years is to get to the top in the sport and be achieving in the same way that Liam and Jordan have been achieving over their careers.
Fighting on YOKKAO shows and joining the Next Generation team has been great. I've been lucky to have fought on many top shows but having a brand like YOKKAO behind me is fantastic and I hope one day to get onto the YOKKAO Fight Team. I'd like to get out to Thailand again next year and train at the YOKKAO Training Center in Bangkok and maybe get on the some if the other YOKKAO promotions both in the UK and overseas. YOKKAO are consistently putting on top shows with the best fighters in the world. I think they are playing a major part in moving the sport forward in the publics eyes and putting the sport on the map. Not only are they offering the public the fights they want to see but they are promoting the sport and the fighters in the right way with high quality, well run shows and strong promotional work.
Brian Calder and Stefania Picelli put an enormous amount of work into the UK shows and it would be great to see more promotions following in their footsteps putting on high quality fights whilst also giving the best up and coming fighters an opportunity to showcase their talent. I'd like to say a big thanks of course to Brian Calder and the YOKKAO team for their continued support and to the Bossman Richard Smith, Lisa Smith and all my team mates at Bad Company, also a big thanks to my mum and dad who always support me with everything and have committed not only a lot financially but a massive part of their lives supporting me to achieve my goals.”
There is no doubt that Joe Craven is set for a very bright career in fighting. Being only 18 he still has a very long and exciting journey ahead of him. Having already took wins against some very tough opponents this year, 2017 looks like it is going to be another whirlwind for Joe as he begins to push himself to the next level in his career.
Joe can be seen here sporting the YOKKAO Fight Team gloves of which can be found in the YOKKAO Shop: www.yokkao.com/shop. If you would like to develop your skillset become fit and look the part then head to the shop and fill your gym bag with the most sought after Muay Thai equipment on the market at the moment.
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