WARRNAMBOOL fighter Lachlan Dart recorded the best win of his Muay Thai career with a unanimous points triumph in Melbourne.
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Dart took his record to three wins and three draws from 10 trips to the ring by beating Kelly Chan in a 68-kilogram fight at Malvern Town Hall on Saturday.
The 21-year-old outlasted his rival over three two-minute rounds. The fight, as part of Rebellion Muay Thai IX, used full Thai rules, meaning elbows and knees were permitted.
“It was a unanimous decision, so it went the distance,” coach David Gibb said.
“It was a tough fight, it was really good competition. Lachlan, to his credit, stuck to the game plan and dominated from start to finish.
“He dropped in with a spinning back fist in the first round. I thought that was going to be it but Kelly, to his credit, held on (until the end).”
Gibb, who runs Warrnambool gym Spartan Combat Systems, said Dart started Muay Thai training under Darren Pearce at Punch On Fitness.
He crossed to work with Gibb about 12 months ago, honing his craft thanks to a rigorous training regime.
“He is young and he is definitely getting better. This bout was by far his best fight to date,” Gibb said.
“He is starting to become more controlled and not so wild. If you get too aggressive and wild, the moment can get away from you.
“You’ve got to learn to control your emotions and keep your head in the game, so to speak.”
That control was the major highlight from his efforts against Chan.
“Him sticking to the game plan and being controlled, that’s what I was most impressed with,” Gibb said.
The win comes almost five months after Dart claimed a kickboxing state title in March.
But Muay Thai, a sport dubbed “the art of eight limbs”, remains his major focus.
“There’s nothing locked in this stage but he’s definitely moving up the ranks and moving forward,” Gibb said.
Dart is the sole Spartan Combat Systems chasing fights at the moment, but the gym could have greater representation in the ring in coming months.
Gibb said there were “a handful of guys who are nearly ready to take the plunge to the next level”.
But when that happens remains to be seen. The coach is keen to ensure his prospects can handle the experience.
“They’ve done a few semi-contact tournaments and are keen to step it up,” he said.
“You’ve got to make sure they’re ready and prepared and want it. I never pressure any student to fight, they’ve got to come to me.”
