Brandon’s back in the ring after battle with disease
A FORMER kickboxing world champ who was forced to throw in the towel at just seven-yearsold due to a disease has fought back to winning ways by breaking records.
Brandon Murray became a world champion at just seven years old – beating nine-year-olds in the process. But the youngster was forced to give up kickboxing after being diagnosed with Perthes disease in 2012.
Brandon, now 12, was in primary school when his mum Vicky and dad Brian noticed he was walking awkwardly.
Concerned about his health, they took him to hospital where they were shocked to learn that bone cells in his femur – the ball and socket joint in his hip – had died and become flat.
Doctors said he would have to give up exercise and sport for three years in order to recover fully.
Brandon was not allowed to do kickboxing, football, PE or even play outside during break-time at school.
But he has fought back in a dramatic way by winning nine gold medals at this year’s World Kickboxing Championships – believed to be a new world record.
His mum, Vicky, 40, said: It totally shocked us, and broke him. But he handled it maturely. The toughest part for me as his mum was during the summer when he wasn’t able to get outside and play with the rest of the kids.”
Brandon was kept out of any physical activity for three years before making his comeback in 2015 – when he had to relearn all of his kickboxing skills again. But the fighter shocked everyone by becoming a world champ in his first year back, winning a gold medal in Benidorm, Spain, at the 2015 Kickboxing World Championships.
Last year, Brandon built on his success by taking home a gold and silver medal. The kickboxing prodigy took his craft to the next level this year.
Brandon, from Hamilton, Lanarkshire, won nine gold medals in two weight divisions at the world championships in Italy earlier this year. He not only defeated everyone in his own weight, but also in a weight class above – where he came up against much bigger and older boys.
His mum said: “He came back with a vengeance, after all that time out. He had to sit on the sidelines not only at kickboxing, but also at football – he was great at that too.”
Brandon said there’s nothing quite like the feeling he gets when he competes.
He said: “I’m really excited that I’m back training and more excited to be back in the ring winning titles.
“I love competing and the feeling that I get walking into the ring and hearing my family and friends shouting my name is amazing. I just love the buzz of winning.”