Assassins Gym: Thai Barlow defends UK #1 ranking; Iman becomes longest-runnign world champ

Thai Barlow defended his UK number one ranking in the Roar Combat League last weekend when he travelled with Assassins team-mate George Griffiths to compete in Harrow.

He was the co-main event on the bill, taking on Eshan Khurshid, from Northampton, in an A Class bout.

Both fighters showed a high level of skill and shared the opening couple of rounds.

But Thai finished strongly to win the final three rounds and taken the contest on a unanimous decision.

Griffiths also had an excellent bout, following up his second-round knockout win in Sheffield just weeks earlier, by dominating all five rounds against Zak Chabira (Barnet Combat Academy).

Prior to that Thai’s sister Iman became Enfusion’s longest-running kickboxing world champion when she defended her title for the eighth time.

The Melton star had a long car journey to face Delphine Guenon in the French fighter’s home territory of Lille, but came through the bout comfortably.

In other Assassins news, Darum Hussain collected his first title when he became area champion while fighting on the same Sheffield bill as Griffiths.

He then followed that points win with a draw when he fought three weeks later at the O2 in London, as part of a big Muay Thai Grand Prix show.

In a busy month for the Melton gym, the junior team also did well at the Intercontinental Championships.

Saxon Nugent, Aliza Agwan, Elizabeth Griffiths and Skylar Moulds all celebrated wins.