Cheltenham mum defends cage fighting kids
MIXED martial arts referee Danielle Curzon has hit out at the furore surrounding the child "cage fighting" row, saying she would happily let her own child compete in a similar bout.
Danielle, from Cheltenham, is furious with the way her sport has been portrayed in the media since video footage emerged of two eight-year-old boys involved in a bout inside a cage fighting ring in Preston.
She said the fight was "just a grappling match" and that neither child would have come to harm as striking was not allowed in this discipline.
Danielle, who made headlines throughout the industry last month when she became the first ever female cage fighting referee in Europe, said it was "ridiculous" to call for the practice to be banned.
The 28-year-old said: "What people need to be made aware of is not every bout which is held in a cage is cage fighting. I feel extremely strongly about this.
"Promoters very often have boxing and kickboxing and grappling tournaments in a cage and the bout in question was not mixed martial arts, it was a grappling bout.
"There's no strikes or punches and no kicks. That's why they are not wearing helmets or shin guards.
"I'm a single mother and I would not have a problem with my child doing this.
"I have refereed children as young as five in kickboxing fights on mats and for me that's much more dangerous than what is being shown on the news."
Lancashire police raised no objections to the bout ahead of time, nor did the local authority's licensing department.
However, Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt described it yesterday as "barbaric" and the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools criticised it saying it was too risky for children.
Chairman Joe Ellis said: "The fact that some adults find it entertaining to watch children beat each other up is disturbing.
"The practice needs banning in the UK and the organisers brought to their senses.
"Children are not developed emotionally or physically for cage or full contact karate and Nakmas will be writing to all local authorities asking them to consider banning the practise on local authority owned premises."
Danielle added: "There has never been, to my knowledge, children's cage fighting – it just wouldn't happen.
"It seems to be okay for kids to fight in a boxing ring or on a mat but as soon as they are in a cage the national press seems to go into overdrive."
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by gypojen
Sunday, September 25 2011, 1:32PM
“Whether or not these children sustain injuries during such barbaric displays is not really the issue here. This fight was certainly not "just another grappling match". The adult atmosphere was definitely not one a youngster should be exposed to, fuelled as it is by baying onlookers, copious amounts of alcohol and barely clad women stalking the ring. The national press were completely within their rights to bring this disgrace to the attention of the authorities. What kind of imbeciles derive pleasure from such a spectacle? Certainly not people I would want my children to have any contact with.”
by worldchamp1
Saturday, September 24 2011, 5:06PM
“I have been involved in martial arts promotion, refereeing, instruction and competed myself internationally for 23 years . I teach kids martial arts as well as being a mother of 3 kids who all compete in controlled semi contact events, where there is headgear and full protection worn. i would never as an instructor or mother dream of putting any of my students or children in a cage at such a young age yes there may not have been kicks or strikes but there is footage of them slamming each other to the gound and you have to ask yourself what unrepairable damage is being done to their young bodies. The whole point of martial arts is to learn control especially in youngsters and im sorry but im not seeing any evidence of that in this event as well as many other uninsured events being ran around the country. I would not wish to watch two young children at an adult orientated event such as this and question those who think that it is entertainment. Stories like this give martial arts a bad name when there are many good insured, professionally ran semi contact events out there for children to compete in a contact sport while still being kept safe.”
by Faye_Powell
Saturday, September 24 2011, 11:59AM
“Ha! Me too! ; )”
by Takeaway22
Saturday, September 24 2011, 11:37AM
“mummyhare - Oh dear, been found out. Obviously too much time on hands ;)”
by mummyhare
Friday, September 23 2011, 10:16PM
“Haha! Gotcha Colin'Takeaway22'Sutts!
Faye Powell. Oops...”
by blackpowell
Friday, September 23 2011, 9:39PM
“I used to go to this club and know people who still do. Anybody who thinks the children were somehow being exploited needs a good talking to, or at the least needs to stop taking the front page of the Daily Mail as gospel.”
by D1sco
Friday, September 23 2011, 9:11PM
“The two lads showed fantastic ability.”
by ColinSutts
Friday, September 23 2011, 9:06PM
“Sex= "a noble sport full of balletic grace and akin to poetry in motion"?" Takes all sorts I suppose!”
by Takeaway22
Friday, September 23 2011, 8:57PM
“Careful. We are talking about children in sport!”
by Ray_Powell
Friday, September 23 2011, 8:38PM
“As you know Faye I am Olympic standard when it come to sex. I ALWAYS finish first in under 10 seconds! In your face Usain Bolt!”