Muay Thai champ to keep on fighting
World champion and Croftfoot Muay Thai fighter Keith McLachlan has got his mojo back and has vowed to keep on fighting.
The 37-year-old revealed earlier this year he was considering calling it a day from the martial art sport and focus on coaching at his Griphouse Gym on Glasgow’s Possil Road.
But since winning his latest bout against Spaniard Isaac Araya, Keith has revealed he is set to fight three more times before the end of 2017.
He said:“You just get a good feeling when you win and when you do, people come knocking on the door and want to line up another fight.
“I’ve obviously looked at retiring fairly soon. I enjoy it, I always have.
“I’ve got a few more booked and should have three lined up before the end of the year.”
Keith admitted he is still recovering from injuries he suffered from the Araya fight in Newcastle on April 8.
The Spanish hardman may have been small in stature but he dealt Keith strong kicks to the legs in the opening rounds. Strong punches to the face got Keith back into the bout and an elbow to the head in the second round proved crucial.
A sold-out crowd watched as both men scrapped for every point but the Croftfoot man held his nerve to take the fight overall.
Still nursing the knocks suffered on the night, Keith joked: “He started by trying to break my leg off.
“It was very tough. He was a tough wee guy. I didn’t know much about him because I don’t tend to look up my opponents before I fight them.
“I hit him with an elbow in the second round and I won that and the third I reckon. He maybe edged the fourth but I took the fifth. I had sore legs after it though.
“It was a sold-out show and I sold about 40 tickets for it, so it was good.”
Keith has not yet confirmed the date of his next fight but his sons, Corey and Reece, are due to step into the ring to fight for and defend their British titles.
Keith was due to fight Jordan Coe in June before he tragically died last month. Jordan, 22, who had lived in Thailand for the past three years, was found by police after he is believed to have suffered a heatstroke .
It is claimed he tried to cut weight by training in a heavy sweatsuit in temperatures reaching a high of 37C.