Aiming to make the grade alongside about 300 other competitors in Melbourne, Tyron Mustey, 17, and Beau Nichols, 32, stand on the verge of stardom if they can impress at the Muay Thai Australia National Championships at Boulevard Pavilion.
The talented Shepparton pair fight out of Goulburn Valley Martial Arts & Fitness Muay Thai Gym and are preparing to compete next weekend against some of the best amateur athletes in the country between April 10-12.
This opportunity represents far more than just another bout, it is a crucial step on the pathway toward representing Australia on the world stage if they prove successful over the three days of the competition.
With Muay Thai now officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee and progressing toward future Olympic inclusion, the stakes have never been higher for the Shepparton duo.
What makes this achievement even more meaningful is the commitment and discipline required to reach this point, Goulburn Valley Muay Thai & Fitness head instructor and owner Mat Reid explained.
“They’re both amateur and they’re developing their skills to eventually go professional - Tyron has had two fights and Beau has had six,” Reid said.
“They train six days a week, every week-night and Saturday mornings, so it’s a pretty strenuous regime involving lots of running, bag work, pad work and sparring.”
Reid is well-placed to offer words of wisdom to the talents of tomorrow, having previously competed as a professional in over 30 fights on both the national and international circuits.
In addition, he counts state and national champions among his list of clients in his guise as one of the region’s foremost trainers.
Muay Thai, which originated in Thailand, is sometimes referred to as the ‘Art of Eight Limbs’ and tests not only physical ability, but also mental resilience, respect, and character, Reid attests.
“I remind them that there is only this small window of opportunity, they’re never going to be this young [again],” he said.
“If this is something they want to do, then they have to be 100 per cent focused with no distractions - if they slack off and they don’t get to do what they want to now, they’ll have that lifetime of regret.”
He also described how he tries to offer his fighters precious insights into what life at the highest level will look like as he prepares his two protégées for potential stardom.
“I think it’s a bit different these days but I try and pass on everything I’ve learned from my experiences - from training methods to mentoring them.”
As Mustey and Nichols chase their goal of representing Australia, they will both take part in a round-robin style tournament, potentially competing several times over the weekend at Boulevard Pavilion, Melbourne Showgrounds.
For Reid, this represents a major test of mettle for the pair, especially with recovery from fights being minimal due to the nature of this gruelling competition.
“It’s all based on age and weight class so if they win, they progress and fight again and if they lose, they get one chance to win,” he said.
“There is the potential of fighting several times over the week which is really difficult as it’s full-contact so injury management is going to get a real key thing to focus on.”
With Shepparton currently boasting a healthy martial arts scene across the board, Reid also gave his opinion on why athletes from the Goulburn Valley has been such a hotbed for talent in recent times.
“I think we’ve got a really good quality of coaches in different disciplines,” he said.
“People who come and train here are quite lucky there’s so much depth and skill with the coaches - and now there’s a lot more opportunity.”
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