The Big Interview with Great Britain Thai boxer Gaz Watkinson (From York Press)

The Big Interview with Great Britain Thai boxer Gaz Watkinson

8:26am Wednesday 10th March 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

One-time Great Britain Thai boxing star Gaz Watkinson had a dream to establish an academy for fighters of all disciplines in York. He tells TONY KELLY how that dream was quickly realised.

VETERAN martial artist Gaz Watkinson has battled opponents big and bruising for close on a generation, but he admits to being floored by the York community rallying round to help him to get a long-held dream off the ground.

Watkinson has cherished the aspiration of one day establishing a purpose-built academy where all kinds of fighters could gather and train and trade techniques, tips and tussles.

Just over a month ago the man who has progressed from amateur boxing through Thai boxing, and is now well versed in the high-energy sphere of Mixed Martial Arts over the past 25 years, decided he had enough of merely wistfully wondering how that goal might turn out.

Grabbing his chance with both hands that have served him so well in competitive combat, he opted to take up the challenge of transforming a former garage unit in Layerthorpe into a fighting-fit gymnasium – and in the space of just four weeks to boot.

That radical vision has been achieved.

Watkinson’s Multi Masters Academy is not only up and running, but boasts a timetable of classes occupying almost 12 hours a day for six days of the week.

It’s been a bewildering, breathless project and for Watkinson it has also been a humbling experience. He readily confessed to being overwhelmed by the response of the community.

“It’s a great feeling, not only because this was something I just had to do, but also because people have come together over this project,” said the former European bronze medallist for Great Britain in Thai boxing.

“It’s been quite humbling to see how many people have rallied around. They have donated materials and services and others have voluntarily given of their own time to get the gym ready. It’s like they want to give something back to the community and that’s been part of the reason why I wanted to get this Academy sorted.”

While the new Multi Masters Academy is a business – “I’ve still got my kids to feed,” said the 38-year-old Watkinson – it is also tied inextricably to the adjacent York Boxing Club and Off The Hook charity to which Watkinson will donate part of the money that comes into the new venture.

Watkinson still fights competitively with his trainer being Paul Murphy, who is based in Doncaster. It was during other competitive visits throughout the county that Watkinson noted other York-based Mixed Martial Arts devotees were also travelling to Doncaster, Barnsley and Leeds, where proper caged arenas were housed.

“Mixed Martial Arts is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and I thought a gym here was just the sort of thing York needed. As I had had so many good times from the sport I wanted to try to put something back.”

When he finally accepted his mission inspirational, he admitted it was almost like a Challenge Anneka task, though minus the whirlwind frame of television presenter Anneka Rice and her famous jumpsuit.

Giving himself a month in which to renovate the disused garage in Redeness Street next to York Boxing Club’s HQ, he admitted he has gained a few more grey hairs. But the undiluted support of local firms, business and “ordinary individuals, who offered to help in their spare time” guaranteed a successful transformation.

The shell of the building now houses showers for men and women, a room for sports massage and care of sports injuries, a 16-ft caged arena and a 14-ft boxing ring in which to hone ring-craft. There is also a battery of punch bags just waiting for mitts to be drilled into them.

“I’m just so grateful to all those people who have provided their resources, expertise and time. Now I can get on with running it as a benefit for the community, as a melting-pot of different fighting styles.”

Several clubs in the York area have already accepted Watkinson’s invitation to use the Academy.

Watkinson himself will be running Mini Masters classes for kids aged seven to 12 and Monster Masters for those aged 13 to 16, both classes complete with syllabus leading to grading examinations.

The ethos behind the club will be respect, insisted Watkinson.

“MMA is fantastic for self-discipline and there is a philosophical and spiritual aspect to it as well.

“Besides keeping you fit and healthy it’s about respect for yourself, respect for your opponent and respect for the other people in the club. It’s not just about the individual, it’s about consideration of others.”

Added Watkinson: “There are idiots who will just want to go into the cage and brawl, but I don’t want them. There are Mixed Martial artists who want to fight properly and who want to learn the wide range of skills and tactics you need to be successful.”

Watkinson, who says he is still learning about a discipline that combines techniques from boxing, Thai boxing, judo, jiu-jitsu and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, likened MMA to chess.

“It’s not all about a particular move you might put on an opponent. It’s more likely to be about three moves on further down the line,” he said. “In chess you sometimes have to sacrifice a pawn to make sure you win and it’s the same in MMA. It’s about thinking well ahead.”

Thinking well ahead has brought about the establishment of York’s newest sporting facility, so success looks to be assured.

For more information visit the www.multimastersacademy.co.uk website.

Key backers

A GRATEFUL Gaz Watkinson reckoned the help provided by sponsors and individuals had contributed to close on three-quarters of the total cost of the new Academy The ten key sponsors are: wotawaste, SAY Scaffolding, National Tyres, MKM Building Supplies, Pinnacle Mobile Valeting, Paul Waddington flooring specialists, Neweys, Ajays painters and decorators, Calverts Carpets and damsonsky.