“The best time of my life” - Liam Harrison shares wild origin story with Paddy Pimblett
British Muay Thai legend Liam Harrison has had a glittering career and has won world titles around the globe. The Loiner made his professional debut way back in 1999 and has some epic tales to tell about his incredible journey to the top of the sport.
The No.5-ranked ONE Championship Muay Thai bantamweight fighter recently appeared on Paddy Pimblett's Chattin' Pony with Paddy The Baddy podcast and regailed his fellow Englishman with a wild and incredible origin story.
“When I was coming up I was in working men’s clubs full of smoke, you could smoke inside in those days. They’d have a gentleman’s show, two Thai boxing fights and then strippers on straight afterwards. I was 15 years old, this was the best time of my life”.
Watch the full episode below:
Liam Harrison appears to be bringing his career to a close with a bang. After more than two decades of competition, 'The Hitman' is riding a five-fight winning streak and is up next to challenge for the belt.
𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗬. 𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗧. 🤯
The Hitman strikes back! Liam Harrison delivers one of the craziest comebacks in ONE Championship history!
@LiamBadco | #ONE156 https://t.co/7FHV4OA3zf
Although the fight is yet to be made official, Harrison will likely face the legendary Nong-O Gaiyanghadao for the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world title sometime later this year.
Liam Harrison outlines the high stakes of Muay Thai with 4oz gloves
The men from the North of England came onto the topic of fighting in small gloves after Pimblett remarked that there's "no stalling" in Muay Thai like there is in MMA.
Liam Harrison is coming off arguably the most famous win of his career where he recovered from two knockdowns against Muangthai to earn three knockdowns and a TKO victory in return.
This all happened in the opening three minutes of the fight, in one of the most exciting rounds in Muay Thai history. Not only did the Brit win the fight, but he was also awarded a USD $100K bonus and a world title shot. The 36-year-old believes the way the fight went down was due in part to competing with small gloves.
"In those little gloves [especially] and because they only do it over three rounds, you've got no feeling out. You've got to just get in there. Which is why when I slipped up in my last fight I got caught cold early and I was still trying to have a look and I got caught, 'bang!' I learnt the hard way then luckily I brought the fight back and I won."
In Nong-O, the Englishman faces perhaps the biggest test of his career. The champ has won 16 of his last 17 fights and is widely considered to be one of the greatest Nak Muays of all-time.