LEWIS Robinson has come a long way in two years.

Having started at Latchford-based Warrior Muay Thai boxing club at the age of nine, he has gone through a rapid rise that has ended in him becoming a world champion.

Eleven-year-old Lewis won Thai boxing gold in the 32kgs weight class at the Unified World Championships, which brings together several martial arts disciplines, in Carrara, Italy, earlier this month.

Perhaps even more impressively, he also came home with a silver in the K1 kickboxing category – a discipline in which he is not even formally trained.

Darren Collins, his coach at Warrior Muay Thai, believes the sky is the limit for this supremely talented youngster.

“He’s only been fighting two years and he’s an area champion, a two-time British champion and now a world champion,” he said.

“Give him another year and he’ll be champion again, without a doubt.

“He’ll go to fight in Thailand and Greece next year as well as going back to Italy.

“We always train to go and win, but you never can tell because there are that many quality kids at these events.

“Going over there and doing what he did is unreal. As a club, we’re really made up for him.

“He fought in the Thai and K1 classes. He’s not a kickboxer – he only really does Thai – so to win silver in that as well as the Thai gold is a brilliant effort.”

Warrington Guardian:

Lewis Robinson

Collins goes on to describe the raw youngster that came to the club having started his journey at Westy Boxing Club.

However, it is perhaps off the mat where Robinson impresses most and his coach says other children who attend the Warrior club look up to him as a shining example.

“He is still a kid and he needs to do what kids do and enjoy his childhood, but his attitude for his age is superb,” Collins said.

“His stamina is unreal and the way he presents himself is very professional.

“Even when he wins fights, he doesn’t run around the ring or rub it in the opponent’s face. He goes straight over and shows respect.

“Everything about him tells me he is turning into a great man even at 11 years old.

“He’s a big influence at the club now. Kids look at him and see what can be achieved – they want to be how Lewis is.

“When Lewis came to us he could use his hands, but apart from that he was totally raw.

“Within three months, he fought on our first show and won that.

“Now, he obviously knows what a talent he is – he’s only had 15 fights and he’s beating people who have had between 30 and 40.”

Robinson is back in action on Sunday when he fights at the Rising Stars SuperShow in Barnsley.