Liam Harrison shares how Muay Thai saved him from a life in jail or on the streets

Muay Thai has saved the lives of numerous youths, including 'The Hitman' Liam Harrison.

The UK athlete has spent his life in combat sports, for which he is exceedingly grateful. Without Muay Thai, he does not know where his life would have ended up.

While speaking on Instagram, the iconic UK Muay Thai striker explained:

"Obviously, I've grown up in a rough area where honestly not many people make it out. A lot of my friends have ended up in jail. While they were out in the streets getting up to all sorts I was in the gym."

As a youth, spending all of his spare time at the Muay Thai gym helped Liam Harrison avoid issues on the streets. At the same time, many of his friends were falling into a bad lifestyle.

Harrison continued:

"In the gym at 13, 14. Then at 15, I started to get really serious with my training ... And that's when most of my friends- some were like getting sent off to jail and they're on the brink of either going one way or the other. I totally left all that."

Today, the 37-year-old athlete has become one of the highest-regarded Muay Thai strikers in the world. Harrison is a multi-time WBC Muay Thai world champion and competes in ONE Championship.

Harrison shared his experience on Instagram:

"Lots to be thankful for from the life [Muay Thai] has given me."

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Jonathan Haggerty experienced a similar upbringing to Liam Harrison

English striker Jonathan Haggerty can relate largely to the struggles that Liam Harrison had growing up. While 'The General' Haggerty was busy in the gym, many of his friends were getting into serious trouble.

In an interview with ONE Championship, Haggerty recalled:

“They were training for two years and getting quite good, but then they kept going off the path. Two of them are in prison now, the other ones I do not really see ... Martial arts has given me patience and confidence, so if anything happens on the streets, I can just walk away.”

In 2022, Liam Harrison suffered a TKO loss to multi-time ONE bantamweight Muay Thai world champion Nong-O Hama. At ONE Fight Night 9 on Prime Video, Haggerty will face Nong-O himself and look to capture the throne. The world title showdown is booked for April 21.