Liam Harrison (kickboxer)

Career/Biography

Brought up in his hometown of Leeds, Liam first started training in Muay Thai aged 13, when he joined the Bad Company gym in Harehills – a tough neighbourhood in the north-east of the city. At the Bad Company gym he trained under the tutelage of Richard Smith (still his current trainer) who was a former British, Commonwealth and European kickboxing champion. Liam was large for his age and made his amateur debut aged 14, winning in a no head contact fight. He made his pro debut not much later, just shy of his fifteenth birthday, defeating Martin Shivnan via knockout after around 30 seconds. Success on his pro debut lead to a number of victories on the local scene culminating in a bout for the S.I.M.T.A. Northern Area title, which he promptly won against opponent Abdul Arif, again by first-round knockout.

Between 2000 and 2004 Liam established himself as the top fighter in the United Kingdom in his weight class, having moved up from featherweight (52 kg/114.4 lbs) to light welterweight (63.5 kg/139.7 lbs]) and having beaten domestic and international competition including the likes of Ait Said Aberderahman, Preechapon Por Nuongubon, Satoruvasikoba and had fought as far afield as Japan. At the end of 2004, Liam travelled to Italy where he was supposed to face reigning champion Massimo Rizzoli for his W.A.K.O. low-kick kickboxing world title, although an injury suffered by Rizzoli meant that Liam would face the W.A.K.O. European champion Emannuel Di Profetis instead. Despite the late change of opponent and fighting in a rule set different from Muay Thai, Liam won the match by technical knockout to become world champion aged just 19 years old.

Victory in Italy was quickly followed by success at home when Liam defeated the Dutch-based kickboxer Mohamed Ajuou to claim the European version of the S.I.M.T.A. belt (Liam had won a regional title back in 2000). As a world champion the competition got tougher but Liam kept winning, defeating European level fighters in Abdoulaye M'baye and Benzouaoua Hakim as well as fighting in Japan where he defeated Hiromasa Masuda in a rematch from 2003 and was still undefeated going into 2005. He made his Thai debut in August of that year, losing a split decision to Witthayanoi Sitkuanem at the famous Rajadamnern Stadium in what was the first defeat of his pro career. Liam suffered his second consecutive loss a few months later on his return to England, losing to another Thai in Duwao Kongudom who was a highly rated Omnoi Stadium champion, in a match in Wolverhampton.

Despite suffering two defeats including losing his Thai debut, Liam was unperturbed by the experience and headed back to Thailand at the end of 2005. He won his first title on Thai soil by defeating a much bigger Russian opponent to claim the Patong Stadium belt at 68 kg (149.6 lbs). Having gained his first victory in Thailand, Liam strung together five victories in the country throughout 2006 which included winning another world title – this time the W.P.M.F. light welterweight belt against reigning champion Masa Hiroshima - as well as retaining his Patong stadium title. He also rematched Witthayanoi Sitkuanem but was once again unsuccessful. That year Liam also received recognition from outside of the Muay Thai and kickboxing world, winning the "Leeds Sports Federation Sportsman of the Year" award.

Throughout 2007 Liam fought primarily in Thailand, basing himself at the Jitti Gym in Bangkok. He fought a number of bouts at the major stadiums including at the world-renowned Lumpinee Stadium, managing to successful defend his W.P.M.F. world title two times that year. He also made brief forays back to the United Kingdom, facing W.M.C. world champion Numphon PK Sterio two times that year. Liam lost the first match between the pair, but won the second in Manchester in November via a fourth-round KO, picking up his biggest victory up to that point as well as winning the W.M.C. lightweight world title – arguably Muay Thai's most prestigious honour. He was also named as the Muay Siam magazine's top foreign fighter of the year.

In 2008 Liam fought a number of bouts at Bad Company promoted shows in his home town of Leeds, defeating the likes of Benabdeljelil Mehdi and Masaru Ito. He also retained his W.M.C. lightweight world title by stopping Sarmsamut Kiatchongkao in June of that year. The following year Liam would face extremely stiff competition as he faced the likes of Saenchai Sor Kingstar and Anuwat Kaewsamrit. Liam did well against Saenchai but came up short against arguably the world's pound for pound best fighter in Muay Thai, losing a decision in their matchup in London. He then headed to Jamaica to face another legend in Anuwat, being defeated via TKO to the "Hands of Siam" and losing his W.M.C. world title in what was a first ever stoppage loss for Liam.

The Hitman would gain revenge against Anuwat Kaewsamrit in March 2010, defeating him by unanimous decision over five rounds in their rematch in Manchester. Although Anuwat was not as dominant a force as he had been a few years previously, he was still a strong fighter and Liam's best victory up to date. He would also have the chance to enhance his name by entering the inaugural Thai Fight competition, a knock out event involving sixteen of the world's best Muay Thai fighters at 67 kg/147.4 lbs with a first place prize of 2,000,000 Baht (around $62,000). Despite being one of the smaller fighters at the tournament (Liam usually fought around 63 kg/138.6 lbs) he went into the event with some confidence, and so it proved as he outworked the Iranian Behzan Rafighdoust in his first match forcing him to quit in the second round. Going into the quarter finals Liam then knocked out Soishiro Miyakoshi with a barrage of vicious elbows. This victory was bittersweet however, as Liam was disqualified from the tournament for coming in over the weight – something he insisted was the result of a sickness he caught prior to the match.

In 2011 Liam had two rematches against opponents who had defeated him in the past. He came up short in both of them losing to arguably the world's best Muay Thai fighter in Saenchai Sor Kingstar in a match where he proved he could hang with the best, and suffering a second defeat to Petaswin Seatranferry who had defeated him at an event in Glasgow the previous year.

On 31 March 2012 he beat Andrei Kulebin by TKO in round 3 using his trademark leg kicks. Kulebin was considered by many to be lb for lb one of the strongest fighters outside Thailand and holds a string of World Titles, but Harrison was too strong and made short work of him.

He was expected to face Kaoponlek at Thai Boxe Mania 2012 in Torino, Italy on 24 November 2012 but pulled out due to injury.

Harrison lost to Saenchai PKSaenchaimuaythaigym for the third time at Muay Thai Warriors in Macau on 9 December 2012, losing a clear-cut unanimous decision.

Harrison lost to Mosab Amrani by first-round KO due a liver punch at Glory 5: London on 23 March 2013.

He competed in the Glory 8: Tokyo - 2013 65kg Slam in Tokyo, Japan on 3 May 2013. He lost to Masaaki Noiri via TKO due to a cut in round two in the quarter-finals.

He lost to Sagetdao Petpayathai by decision in the semi-finals of the four-man 68 kg tournament at MAX Muay Thai 3 in Zhengzhou, China on 10 August 2013.

He stopped a four-fight losing streak with a unanimous decision victory over Dylan Salvador at The Main Event 2013 in Manchester, England on 2 November 2013.

He was set to fight Damien Alamos at Yokkao 8 in Bolton, England on 8 March 2014 but Alamos withdrew from the fight, claiming to have a hand injury, and was replaced by Houcine Bennoui. He defeated Bennoui on points in a five-round -65 kg Muay Thai bout.

He was scheduled to fight Greg Wootton at The Main Event in Bolton on 7 June 2014. However the fight ultimately did not happen: .

Harrison will defend his Yokkao 65kg title on 25 March 2017 at Yokkao 24 against Ryan Mekki.

Titles/Awards

Titles

Awards