“Great chemistry” - Liam Harrison explains how coach Richard Smith has been pivotal to his career

As Liam Harrison prepares for his shot at the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Championship, the 36-year-old reflects on his career and how vital his coach was to his development

Bad Company Coach Richard Smith has been a critical piece in the career of 'The Hitman.' However, Smith, at first, did not even pay attention to Harrison. In an interview with ONE, the British striker explained:

"I remember the first time I went to the gym. Richard never actually paid any attention to me until about four or five months in. One day after the classes, when I was hitting the bag, he said, ‘That kid always seems to be hanging around, putting in extra work,’ and he started paying more attention. After that, he said he realized I had something special and a great work ethic, and that was the start of an amazing journey, really."

Once they began working together, it was a perfect match. The coach and student had incredible chemistry. The two understood each other and made each other stronger because of it. Harrison continued:

"We’ve always had great chemistry. He’s clearly a great coach from all of the World Champions he’s produced. Bad Company is and has been a breeding ground for killers for a long, long time."

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Liam Harrison on Muay Thai

Harrison added that he wants to defeat Nong-O Gaiyanghadao, and take home ONE gold as a gift for his coach. He said:

"Me and Richard have always had a special relationship, we’ve traveled the world together, we’ve been involved in some crazy fights together, and this would be the icing on the cake, bringing this title home."

'The Hitman' Liam Harrison has had many fights over an impressively long period. He has excelled in Muay Thai and fought the best of the best. The 36-year-old will be looking to take the throne from Nong-O at ONE on Prime Video 1: Moraes vs. Johnson II, which broadcasts live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium and airs in the US primetime via Amazon Prime Video on August 26.

While he has fought many Thai-born fighters, Liam Harrison explained that it was vitally important to have Richard Smith in his corner for him to succeed. 'The Hitman' said:

"He’s just a great guy and a great coach. He’s got a great understanding of the sport. He used to spend a lot of time in Thailand himself, so he knows how to fight like the Thais do and how to get a bit of a Westernized and a hybrid version as well. So yeah, he’s just a great all-round guy to be fair."

Liam Harrison will be looking to add the crown jewel of his career at ONE on Prime Video 1 on August 26 when he fights for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.