Northampton Muay Thai fighter, 24, puts on show-stopping performance to secure seventh career win

"It's the best feeling you will ever have," says a 24-year-old Muay Thai fighter from Northampton after recording his seventh career win at the weekend.

Tom Lancaster put on one of the performances of the night in front a packed out crowd at the Spiceball Leisure Centre, Banbury on Saturday night (February 26).

Around 1,000 people watched on as Tom dominated all five rounds of his 66kg category fight with a high intensity display and an onslaught of elbows, knees, kicks and punches.

On the win, the fighter said: "It's amazing. You put all the hard work in, you diet, you cut weight, so to get your hand raised, it's all worth it. It's the best feeling you will ever have.

"My family and friends were all buzzing. My mum was nearly crying, my coach, my dad, my friends, my girlfriend they were all proud.

"I knew this lad was technically good, he wanted to take his time so I put pressure on him because it would disrupt him. I was just unsettling him basically, which I managed to do.

"Going into the fight I was excited, nervous, scared. It's just a mix of emotions. But I felt good beforehand."

Tom added: "I'm on seven wins three losses at the moment. May 28 is my next fight in Birmingham.

"The goal is to be world champion but it's a step by step process and I'm climbing the ladder."

The fighter, who trains and teaches at BST Academy in Sixfields, described the meticulous process of a 'fighter's camp' going into his bout including cutting weight.

Tom said: "I had a seven week fighter camp. The first two weeks is to get fitness back up to where it should be, then it's four weeks of sparring and getting sharpness, getting fight ready.

"My original opponent dropped out, that was mentally draining because you're thinking all that hard work in fight camp has gone to waste. But, thankfully, a week before the fight they found another opponent.

"The hardest part is cutting weight, it's harder than the fight itself. I dropped five to six kilograms in a week."

The former Kingsthorpe College student has been training in combat sports since he was eight and competing since he was 15.

Tom has trained under BST's Nak Soo John Graham and his dad Danny McCamley since starting the sport.

John said: "I'm very proud. Tom's been with me since he was 10 and he has to juggle training, cutting weight and being at university .

"People don’t realise it's a seven-week fight camp. He was supposed to fight at the beginning of the year but his opponent pulled out."

Going forward John says he has a 'busy year' planned for Tom.

Diamond Fight Promotions said on Facebook: "What a night. A massive, massive thank you to every fighter, coach and ticket supporter for making our promotion such a huge success.

"We had 1,000 people in that venue, that is absolutely insane for a little market town like Banbury."