When former professional Muay Thai fighter John Kaufman opened Emerald Muay Thai gym in Liverpool, he had one goal: to give back to the sport that shaped his life and help young people become better fighters and better people.
Now 38, Kaufman has been immersed in Muay Thai since he was seven years old. He’s traveled to Thailand five times to train and fight, reaching the highest levels of the sport in the UK over three decades of dedication. But these days, his passion burns brightest when he’s in the corner of young Merseyside fighters.
“It’s about putting something back in and ultimately making these lads ready for life,” Kaufman explains. “It’s about making them better people.”
What started with a few eager young fighters has grown into a thriving gym operating out of the Harriet McGuffie gym in Liverpool, where he doubles up as Personal Trainer. The gym, which is Hyrox affiliated, is first-class, with real-world tuition from someone who’s truly been there and done it all.
A Family Connection Leads to Partnership
Enter John Sutch Cranes, a local company with deep roots in community support. When John Sutch’s grandson, Sonny, began training at Emerald Muay Thai, the transformation was impossible to ignore.
“We saw the impact it had not just on Sonny, but on the whole class,” says Hayley Sutch, Designated Managing Director at John Sutch Cranes. “We knew we wanted to help. John is a real mentor and role model for the lads.”
The sponsorship has enabled Emerald Muay Thai to purchase essential new equipment - a significant investment when quality Thai pads cost over £160 per set and the gym has 15-20 young fighters training regularly, with 20 babies (beginners) just starting out.
John is ambitious about growth but principled in his approach. “Do I want more students? Yeah, definitely. But not at the cost of other gyms,” he emphasises. “We’ve got a lot of friends at other gyms in the area. I respect them all.”
His students are already making their mark. Three fighters are preparing for the Novice Open in January, one of the biggest tournaments around. The long-term goal? Developing champions - not just in the ring, but in life.
“The lads who want to go and compete, yeah, come here,” John says. “But it’s about the process. We can’t spar as much as we’d like because we don’t have a ring yet, so we have to be smart about training.”
With John Sutch Cranes’ support and John’s three decades of expertise, Emerald Muay Thai is building something special. And just like the cranes do one lift at a time, Emerald Muay Thai has adopted the same philosophy: one punch, one pad, one young fighter at a time.
