Legendary British Muay Thai fighter, Liam Harrison, left his gloves in the cage following his KO defeat at the hands of Seksan at ONE 168 in Denver. This symbolic gesture, akin to the boxing adage of “hanging them up,” was “The Hitman’s” way of announcing his retirement. Though he has since announced online that he would “like to fight one more time in the UK to say goodbye to the UK fans,” this wordless statement has heralded the end of an era.
To celebrate and pay respect to “The Hitman’s” stunning 24-year career, we dived into his whopping 119-fight catalog and selected several of the bouts that every Muay Thai fan must watch. These fights showcase Harrison’s devastating style and immense heart. They reveal how, in an age before Muay Thai exploded onto the global stage, he became a globally revered name in combat sports.
Not only do these fights showcase Harrison at his best, but they also reveal the defining characteristics of an undisputed Muay Thai legend that can teach the next generation of fighters what it takes to become a true champion.
Harrison’s Most Memorable Bouts
In a career of 119 fights with 50 KO victories, Harrison was a part of dozens of historic and memorable bouts. With wins over legendary champions such as Tetsuya Yamato, Mehdi Zatout, and Dzhabar Askerov, there are many opportunities for fans to get inspired by Harrison’s success. But, many of the bouts that cemented his legend status also came from his losses and the inspirational way he turned them into the fuel that drove his later accomplishments.
The Anuwat Redemption
In 2009 Harrison faced 5x Rajadamnern Stadium Champion, Anuwat Kaewsamrit, in Jamaica and was stopped in the third round by leg kicks. It was the first time Harrison had been stopped and he took the loss as an important lesson.
In an online post about the fight, Harrison notes that even though Anuwat, “obliterated” him, he was confident that he could beat him and one year later, he challenged the most devastating Muay Mat in Muay Thai history to a rematch. In their second bout, Harrison secured a “comfortable” points victory, proving to himself and the world that he could not only beat the best fighters on the planet but that he could overcome the physical and psychological trauma that comes with being stopped in front of the entire Muay Thai world.
The Saenchai Trilogy
Saenchai was the most renowned Muay Femur of his era. His acrobatics and in-fight antics made him a global sensation and fans around the world flocked to stadiums to watch him demolish opponents with a mixture of feints, sweeps, and his trademark cartwheel kick. With 327 wins from 378 recorded fights and a plethora of titles to his name, Harrison saw him as the perfect opponent to test his mettle against.
Harrison tested himself against the multiple Lumpinee Champion 3 times in his career. Each time he was defeated, he’d review the fight, figure out where he came up short, and then train for a rematch where he brought a new approach. Despite losing each bout, Harrison didn’t take the losses personally. In fact, he says on his blog, “I was beaten each time by a superior fighter.”
Humble in defeat, he eventually traveled to Bangkok to train alongside his former nemesis, learning some of his tricks and becoming lifelong friends in the process. This classic trilogy and the attitude maintained throughout it not only shows the importance of confidence and determination, but it also reminds us to stay humble in defeat and accept every opportunity to improve, even if it means apprenticing yourself to a former foe.
Muangthai And The Most Insane Round In ONE Championship History
Not only did this legendary bout make it onto our “5 Of The Most Insane Fights In Muay Thai History” list, but it was also the ONE Championship 2022 bout of the year.
When Harrison stepped into the ONE Circle to face “The Elbow Zombie,” Muangthai PKSaenchaigym, everyone expected fireworks. Both men were known for throwing every weapon with incredible power and were infamous for their ability to flatline even the most seasoned opponents with a single shot. What they delivered exceeded anyone’s expectations and not only did Harrison win the most memorable round of Muay Thai in recent history he also performed one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.
Harrison was dropped early in the first round by Muangthai who immediately followed up and flattened him again just seconds after he beat the first eight count. On shaking legs, Harrison dug deep and beat the second count. Then, fighting fire with fire, he went toe to toe with the charging Muangthai and knocked the legendary Thai to the canvas three times in the next few minutes to not only win the bout but also a USD 100k performance bonus.
What These Fights Teach Us About The Hitman
Liam Harrison is a true Muay Thai champion. While some fighters are known for mastering a single style or skill, “The Hitman” was able to utilize a full range of Muay Thai weapons in his fighting career. He had devastating hands, debilitating low kicks, and magnificent timing which allowed him to land clean strikes with tremendous power, resulting in over half of his victories coming by KO.
While there is a plethora of footage online for Nak Muays who want to emulate Harrison’s skills and techniques, aspiring champions should also look beyond the physical skills that secured his legend status and study the robust mental fortitude that he brought to his fight career.
The fights we have included in this article showcase two of the qualities that made “The Hitman” a true Muay Thai champion:
- His Unshakable Self-Belief: Not only made him a world champion, but it also fuelled him through setbacks to some of the biggest wins of his career. After being “obliterated” by Anuwat, Harrison didn’t let the loss fester. He immediately told himself that he could and would win a rematch and went out and proved it a year later. It was this solid mindset that allowed him to face Saenchai three times in razor-close bouts and picked him up off the canvas, twice, before the biggest comeback in ONE Championship history.
- His Fighter’s Heart: Especially in the face of gruelling physical punishment was the second quality that built Harrison’s enduring legacy.
Conclusion
Despite taking some severe physical punishment in many of his fights, “The Hitman” never shied away from an exchange or relented to an opponent. Following his historic win over Anuwat, Harrison reportedly collapsed with a severe concussion but fans watching the fight live and perhaps Anuwat himself, would never have known that any of the shots he took in that fight were having any effect on him.
If Harrison hadn’t maintained this mindset throughout his career, we would never have seen the classic fights in this article, and he wouldn’t have become the superstar that we know and love today. If you want to become a bona fide Muay Thai legend like him, then you’ll need to foster these qualities within yourself too.
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