Andy Howson “It’s going to be war!”

Andy Howson’s all-action style has seen him become a double World Champion and he is looking to add a prestigious third title to that tally at Grandmaster Sken’s Grandmaster Sken’s November 7th “MSA Muay Thai Premier League” supershow as he goes to war once more, this time against Thailand’s Rungravee Sassiprapa (who is currently ranked in the top 5 in the Rajadamnern stadium). With both men having a very aggressive style it is a fight the fans will relish and a genuine contender for fight of the year.

He may be at the top of his game now but Andy never saw the career coming as he only started Muay Thai because one of his workmates wanted someone to go with him. Three months later and Andy already had his first fight - but he only really started to believe in his own potential when he won the European title. “So I changed my job and started to train full time, making it my number one concern in life. Now to be fair, two World titles and fighting for a third down the line, I wouldn’t change it for anything. I love everything about it.”

With two World titles, Andy is at the top of the tree nationally, a position reinforced by three epic encounters with Damien Trainor, a man Andy cites as a major influence on his early career. “I loved watching him and he was the reason I wanted to start fighting. I still enjoy watching him fight and we are good mates. I have so much respect for that guy which you can tell in all three of our fights. He is a UK Muay Thai legend.” With Andy winning the rubber match in February of this year, he now believes that his future lies in the challenges that fighting the top Thai fighters at his weight can bring.

Those challenges have seen Andy hit the canvas in all three of his major title fights only to get back up and win them, a warrior’s attitude that makes him such a big fan favourite. In fact, his is a career defined by tough fights, none more so than his epic battle with Kantipong Tapar Guar, who was ranked number five at the Raja stadium and was also Omnoi stadium champion with over one hundred and fifty fights to his name when Andy fought him. It was Andy’s twenty-sixth fight and he took Kantipong the distance, despite acknowledging that Kantipong was awesome. It was some consolation to hear Kantipong tell Andy that he had given him the hardest fight he had been in.

Kantipong’s statement sums up Andy Howson’s ‘never say die’ attitude, a spirit he shares with close friend, fellow star and Bad Co team-mate Liam Harrison, who also fights on the November 7th MSA Supershow. Andy has nothing but praise for the irrepressible ‘Hitman’- “He is the only farang out there who is fighting at the top level in Thailand and fighting (and beating) all the top Thais. Who else fights Sanchai and then has his next bout against Anuwat? Crazy stuff! He is awesome and beats me around the gym on a daily basis. I love it though...well sort of!”

Andy believes that the sport can only develop further if more people can put the time, effort, love and money into it. He cites Grandmaster Sken’s 7th November show as an example of the way forward for Muay Thai in terms of prestige, credibility and exposure - and he promises to give the fans another trademark performance. “If the fact of having four of the top ten ranked fighters in Thailand coming over to fight our ‘number ones’ for WMC World titles at the amazing Reebok De Vere isn’t enough, I can say get online to www.badcompany.co.uk and buy the dvd of our last two shows and watch my fights because I guarantee you will see more of the same, if not even more carnage and war. Liam has made me some new shorts to fight in with a new nickname on it - ‘the Lord of War’ - and believe me, I’m going to live up to it on this show and take home my third World title. Be there, people, I promise you won’t be disappointed!”

See Andy take on Rungravee Sassiprapa for the World title on Grandmaster Sken’s “MSA Muay Thai Premier League” supershow on Saturday 7th November 2009.