Baby fight club

[wautd]

I'm at loss for words...

THESE shock pictures will make every decent parent in Britain fighting mad—a GIRL OF FIVE sobbing her heart out as Dad forces her into a KICK-BOXING ring for a public punch-up.

And her shameful father Darren Flanagan has the nerve to call the dangerous, sickening spectacle SPORT.

But he's just one of hundreds pushing youngsters barely of school age into the frightening new craze for Thai boxing now sweeping the country.

Weeping Miah Flanagan was terrified of climbing through the ropes at the Gladiators club on Merseyside because she knew what was in store—it was her FOURTH public bout.

But dad Darren, who doubles as her aggressive coach, dismissed the sobs and yelled in her face: "Come on baby, just enjoy yourself! Come on!"

After a few minutes more crying he sternly barked: "Stop this NOW!"

Brawl
And tiny Miah, with no headgear to protect her delicate little skull, grimly clambered into the ring with tears still streaming down her cheeks on to her bright red boxing gloves.

Within seconds she was locked in intense combat fists and feet flying like a terrifying street brawl.

Her opponent? A girl AGED SIX.

Darren, pouring with sweat, screamed: "Come on Princess, go forward! Kick 'em! Kick 'em Princess!"

But distraught Miah didn't kick quite hard enough and lost the fight.

Her disappointed dad admitted: "You're annoyed when your children lose. I'm not going to say it didn't bother me because it did.

"But I had a talk to Miah and told her, ‘We don't have to do it any more. We could do something else like ballet dancing if you want.' She said she wanted to stick with it."

But how can a five-year-old possibly weigh up the risks of a sport that has NO official minimum age, NO universal rules and regulations among Britain's 500 clubs and NO requirement for protective headgear despite regular blows to the skull?

In the strictly-governed world of conventional boxing youngsters must be at least 11 to compete. But last night Thai fight fan Darren, 38, from Wigan, admitted he's been training Miah and her twin brother Kian to kick and punch since they were TODDLERS.

He told the News of the World: "They couldn't join the local fight club —Horwich Kickboxing Studio—till they were four so I taught them in my home gym. They had natural talent

"I train seven nights a week, mate. And when I'm doing my training I take them with me. The kids go on the punchbag and I go on the weights."

The twins' coaching borders on obsession. Darren admitted he fattens Miah up on pasta if she's up against heavier opponent and added: "I video every competition fight and watch it again and again. I'll show Miah and Kian where they've gone wrong and then we work to correct it."

And he raged at any suggestion the kids should wear head protection to save their delicate and still developing brains. "Miah doesn't NEED headgear!" he fumed. "They're not meant to have head contact. If they go too hard they're told to stop. And they're not allowed to headbutt."

He conceded: "Every time Miah goes in that ring there's a worry she'll start crying." Astonishingly, he added: "Sometimes that's the little push and injection she needs to get her motivated"

Even mum Lisa joins in the coaxing. She coatss Miah with glittery make-up and hairspray before a fight, like a child beauty queen, and warns her: "You're not to cry, are you, otherwise what happens and what comes off? Your sparkle."

The scandal of this dangerous craze sweeping the country is highlighted in a shock Channel 4 documentary Strictly Baby Fight Club.

Bizarre
But it was almost inevitable that Thai Barlow AGED TEN would become a fighter—his Leicestershire parents even NAMED him after the so-called sport. And on March 28 he took part in his first CAGE BRAWL a bizarre punch-up inside a 23ft metal cage in front of 1,000 £35-a-head punters at Bracknell Leisure Centre, Berkshire.

Adverts promoted it as "full contact fighting".

And as the fight started a string of potentially dangerous head punches were thrown between Thai—again wearing no head protection—and nine-year-old east London opponent Connor Butler.

Both sets of parents screamed their lads on.

But in the end Thai got beaten for only the third time in 59 fights—and his victories chillingly include TWO KNOCKOUTS.

Dad Mark and mum Maxine were angry and admitted their lives are dedicated to bringing their boy son to a physical peak. Mark said: "Our dream is for him to win a stadium title. I don't know what HIS dream is—probably to play with his soldiers.

"But everything we do revolves around Thai boxing."

Mum Maxine was a once successful fighter herself and giggled: "I like bashing people's faces up first. There was a girl once and I actually enjoyed splattering her nose all over."

With parents like these, what chance do the poor kids have?

Strictly Baby Fight Club screens on Channel 4 at 9pm on Thursday.
It's for her own good!
THE dad who pushed his little daughter into the ring despite her tears last night insisted it was for her OWN GOOD.
Darren Flanagan amazingly claimed all the training he's giving five-year-old Miah now would prevent her becoming a teenage rape victim.

"In this day and age it's mandatory," he said. "If someone grabs Miah when she's 15 what do you think is going to happen? She knows all the defence moves. What if I'd never taught my kids Thai boxing from a young age, how guilty would I feel?"

Respect
Miah's mum, nail technician Lisa, admitted she finds it hard to see her daughter sobbing before a fight but told us: "It does upset you a little bit but if she didn't want to do it she wouldn't get in the ring.

"And it's about learning respect and discipline. It also keeps them fit. They're having a laugh, it's fun."

Lisa said fighting had brought them all closer together. "If the children finish fighting early you can go to the park afterwards then out to tea," she said. "It's a full day out as a family."

[Rye]

I've seen adverts for this. Pushy parents and persistent physical violence amongst children, man what a combination.

[PeZook]

If she didn't want to do it, she wouldn't get in the ring.

Yeah, because her own parents screaming at her have no effect on a little girl.

Jesus. How is it different from giving a five-year old an AK-47 and sending him off to shoot at somebody?

[Enigma]

I'm not surprised at this nor is this new. I've seen an old Woody Woodpecker cartoon in which Walter Lantz briefly showed a boxing matched set during the thirties. Stupid to have children boxing, but then again I find boxing in general to be stupid.

[LadyTevar]

No head protection, and a 'do it for mommy' attitude?!!?!

*fumes* Some people shouldn't have kids.

[Darth Onasi]

You know, when my 5 year old started doing mock karate kicks after watching me play Jade Empire I thought it was cute.
It never once crossed my mind to make her fight other kids with it! Some people, yeesh.

[Zadius]

I saw video of young kids fighting MMA on youtube. It was sickening. Why is this still legal in some areas?

"In this day and age it's mandatory," he said. "If someone grabs Miah when she's 15 what do you think is going to happen? She knows all the defence moves. What if I'd never taught my kids Thai boxing from a young age, how guilty would I feel?"

Hey dipshit. Don't you know you can teach kids grappling and wrestling? You know, something that doesn't require them to pummel each other with knee and elbow strikes? If you are going to teach your kid how to punch and kick, have them hit pads, not other kids!

[Sriad]

If she didn't want to do it, she wouldn't get in the ring.

Yeah, because her own parents screaming at her have no effect on a little girl.

Jesus. How is it different from giving a five-year old an AK-47 and sending him off to shoot at somebody?

Because one involves an AK-47 and the other is kickboxing?

But this really is sick and absurd even without hyperbole or purple-prose journalism. The lack of required headwear is the nail in the coffin for me:

Kids cry over all sorts of things especially in high pressure situations like sports or competition. It is not at all strange that a parent should encourage a child to confront and overcome their fears. It IS strange and frankly perverse that they are being put in situations where severe head trauma is not only possible but almost inevitable, and the use of protective gear is shouted down.

I played youth hockey from age 4-10. At no level of hockey is it acceptable to slash someone's head with a stick or ram their head into boards. We all wore full-body protective gear because that shit happens anyway.

9/10 for exposing a scary trend, but -5 points for crass emotional manipulation.

[Darth Onasi]

I've never been fond of pressuring kids into any event, be it sports or beauty pagents. Too many parents live vicariously through their kids and make their lives miserable. I'm not saying that's always the case, but here with the added threat of serious injury it's just idiotic.

[Schuyler Colfax]

The "It's for her own good" portion disturbed the most. Sure, there is no other way to prevent your daughter from becoming a rape victim.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Hey dipshit. Don't you know you can teach kids grappling and wrestling? You know, something that doesn't require them to pummel each other with knee and elbow strikes? If you are going to teach your kid how to punch and kick, have them hit pads, not other kids!

Unless she's one of the exceptional girls, the kind of guy he's talking about (a rapist or mugger) is going to outweigh her by virtue of being bigger, which is typically an advantage in grappling or wrestling. Not that I disagree with your point that a less dangerous contact sport is necessary.

[Zadius]

Hey dipshit. Don't you know you can teach kids grappling and wrestling? You know, something that doesn't require them to pummel each other with knee and elbow strikes? If you are going to teach your kid how to punch and kick, have them hit pads, not other kids!

Unless she's one of the exceptional girls, the kind of guy he's talking about (a rapist or mugger) is going to outweigh her by virtue of being bigger, which is typically an advantage in grappling or wrestling.

True, but then again size is an advantage in basically any kind of unarmed fighting, whether it's wrestling or striking.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Hey dipshit. Don't you know you can teach kids grappling and wrestling? You know, something that doesn't require them to pummel each other with knee and elbow strikes? If you are going to teach your kid how to punch and kick, have them hit pads, not other kids!

Unless she's one of the exceptional girls, the kind of guy he's talking about (a rapist or mugger) is going to outweigh her by virtue of being bigger, which is typically an advantage in grappling or wrestling.

True, but then again size is an advantage in basically any kind of unarmed fighting, whether it's wrestling or striking.

Except it's so much more noticable in grapples than strikes, since the point of grappling is to get your oponent down into some kind of pin or submission, using your weight is easy to do, and most people do it without even realizing.

[Zadius]

Except it's so much more noticable in grapples than strikes, since the point of grappling is to get your oponent down into some kind of pin or submission, using your weight is easy to do, and most people do it without even realizing.

Exactly, and if the bigger, stronger attacker wants to grab you, as is usually the case, you don't have much choice but to grapple. So, she'd probably be better off learning that then Thai boxing.

[Turin]

Except it's so much more noticable in grapples than strikes, since the point of grappling is to get your oponent down into some kind of pin or submission, using your weight is easy to do, and most people do it without even realizing.

Exactly, and if the bigger, stronger attacker wants to grab you, as is usually the case, you don't have much choice but to grapple. So, she'd probably be better off learning that then Thai boxing.

And when she's become the equivalent of mentally-fucking-retarded because she spent her post-toddler years getting her head pounded in a boxing match, it isn't going to matter what style of martial art she's being "trained" in. Geez guys, what a useless tangent.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Except it's so much more noticable in grapples than strikes, since the point of grappling is to get your oponent down into some kind of pin or submission, using your weight is easy to do, and most people do it without even realizing.

Exactly, and if the bigger, stronger attacker wants to grab you, as is usually the case, you don't have much choice but to grapple. So, she'd probably be better off learning that then Thai boxing.

And when she's become the equivalent of mentally-fucking-retarded because she spent her post-toddler years getting her head pounded in a boxing match, it isn't going to matter what style of martial art she's being "trained" in. Geez guys, what a useless tangent.

Are you fucking stupid? Did either of us ever say that she shouldn't wear protective gear? Not utilizing the correct protective gear if you're inexperienced is a big no-no in martial arts and boxing, not using protective gear in wrestling is a big no-no, regardless of experience. Unfortunately, this little girl has a father who wants to live vicariously through his children, thus he expects more out of them then he realistically should.

[Darth Wong]

Protective headgear doesn't actually make much of a difference when someone is receiving punches to the head. It does prevent superficial injuries such as bruising and bleeding, but the rapid accelerations caused by blows to the head are only slightly reduced by the headgear. The head still snaps back, the brain still sloshes around inside the skull.

[Ritterin Sophia]

Protective headgear doesn't actually make much of a difference when someone is receiving punches to the head. It does prevent superficial injuries such as bruising and bleeding, but the rapid accelerations caused by blows to the head are only slightly reduced by the headgear. The head still snaps back, the brain still sloshes around inside the skull.

Again, the father is living vicariously through his children, and competitive fighting is definitely not something a trained instructor would let a five-year old do. My apologies for leaving that out.

[The Yosemite Bear]

reading the title I was afraid we were having kindergardeners making soap in class and making explosives instead...

[Setesh]

I saw video of young kids fighting MMA on youtube. It was sickening. Why is this still legal in some areas?

Because children basically have no rights. Under the assumption that a lack of life experience equals no decision making capability, attempts to create children's rights get squashed. Rather than define rights for children they just make doing various things to them illegal as situations come into public view and outrage at the act appears. This one will take awhile because they've labeled it a 'sport', which gets around a whole mess of abuse laws.

[Turin]

Are you fucking stupid? Did either of us ever say that she shouldn't wear protective gear? Not utilizing the correct protective gear if you're inexperienced is a big no-no in martial arts and boxing, not using protective gear in wrestling is a big no-no, regardless of experience. Unfortunately, this little girl has a father who wants to live vicariously through his children, thus he expects more out of them then he realistically should.

DW handled the head protection issue pretty well (and having received a few hard hits to the head by guys who outweigh me while wearing headgear, I can attest to the accuracy). And maybe I jumped the gun, but it seems that any discussion remotely related to martial arts always devolves into these silly tangents about striking vs grappling styles. But really my point was it doesn't matter -- a five year old shouldn't be training in competitive martial arts at all. You seem to have picked this up in your later post, however, so we're in agreement there.