Muay Thai: Ottawa fighter brings home championship belt [Video]

After knocking out her opponent in the fourth round, Ottawa’s Tayler Kelly is the World Boxing Council (WBC) Muay Thai Canadian amateur champion – a milestone in the fighter’s young career.

“This one was a big deal for me,” said Kelly. “I didn’t go out with much expectations, but I’m glad that I could come out with the win.”

The 24-year-old hasn’t been competing for very long, first getting into the sport in 2021.

“I started because I got very out of shape in the pandemic, so I started as a way to whip myself back into shape,” she said. “Then one weekend I was like, yeah, I want to put my skills to the test.”

Originating in Thailand, Muay Thai is a form of martial arts consisting of punches, kicks and knee and elbow strikes. It’s a sport many in Ottawa use as a form of exercise.

“In my 20 years in …