Hong Kong Muay Thai champions Gary Tang and Candy Wu like to fight fast
With a major Muay Thai tournament looming, we profile two of the city's knockouts of the sport
Multiple muay thai champion Gary Tang recalls a memorable clash five years ago in England in a 51kg division fight. He can't remember the opponent's name but vividly recalls the punishing hits that overwhelmed him by the second round. "It's the only time I got knocked out," says the Hong Kong fighter. "The opponent was a strong fighter who punched very hard, and I wasn't very used to being in England, which also affected my performance."
It was a valuable lesson. "Before that, I had dismissed all the fundamental skills, but after that fight, I learned that fundamental skills and training are really important." Since then he has committed to including those basics in his training, such as running to build stamina and other routines to help him breathe better and build the stamina to last him for three to four rounds.
Now Tang, 26, is a kicking and punching machine who captured the World Muay Thai Council I-1 international championship 51kg belt in April - a first for any Hongkonger. His fight record is 37-6.
For his upcoming bout at the I-1 World Muay Thai Grand Extreme 2015, to be held at Kitec on January 13, Tang trains five hours a day in preparation to confront Janito Bayot, a Muay Thai and mixed martial arts (MMA) champ from the Philippines. "It's going to be challenging," says Tang, aware that Bayot is known for strong punches.
At Rush Muay Thai Studio in Wan Chai where he's head trainer, Tang's moves are also intimidating. He's all muscle in his blue and white trunks; for the camera, he dishes out a burst of hard jabs, knee-thrusts and kicks against a sparring partner wearing padded gear.
