Bradford & District | Archive | 2000 | May | 24
From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 24th May 2000.
Who says Bradford hasn't got pulling power?
It has managed to lure a Texan from the sultry delights of Spain in the summer to a rough, tough boxing gym.
But it's no ordinary boxing gym. This is Mungsarin which claims to be the city's only full time Thai kick boxing school.
David Broyles left his native Texas in January for a round-the-world trip in between his university education in the state.
His first stop was for a four-month stay in Costa Rica followed by a few weeks studying Spanish literature at the University of Barcelona.
And before heading off to Thailand on June 16, the 22-year-old is spending two weeks in Bradford, learning about its own unique culture and brushing up on kick boxing, Muay Thai.
The Texan tussler said: "It's been great so far. On my first day here I saw one prostitute chasing another with a piece of wood and then a few Bradford City fans who were obviously celebrating their team's victory. I just thought 'what a great city'. And since then I've discovered the curries, which are great.
"I had no idea what to expect when I came over. But the people at the gym have been really good to me and taken me in as one of them. I feel really at home."
David got in touch with gym owner Nigel Fell over the Internet. He added: "I had some training back in Texas but it was a long time ago and I wanted to get in a crash course before I went on to Thailand.
"I found some places over the Internet and started talking to them. Bradford and Nigel Fell who runs the gym seemed like the best of them, so I came here."
The gym has been running for almost a year and has about 35 members on its books.
Nigel, the owner, said: "David's been great and all the lads have really taken to him, showing him some of the places I probably wouldn't have taken him to.
"We are providing the sort of training he can use in the lead-up to his Thailand trip."
David heads off for a stay in London at the end of this week before going to Thailand where he hopes to train in authentic Thai kick boxing schools. He returns to Texas in August.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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