A teenager from West Denton has put his hometown on the map, after winning a prestigious national combat sports title for his age category.
Steven Burrows, 14, grasped glory two weeks ago to the day, defeating an up-and-coming Harry Moore to become the WBC under-16 English champion in Muay Thai, at a packed out University of Bolton Stadium, February 12.
And Steven's coaches have in turn spoke of his exciting story so far, and where his future is destined to be shall he continue to work hard over the next couple of years.
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Steven initially joined the Grainger Park Boxing Club, Newcastle, aged just seven-years-old.
His father initially introduced him to coaches at the gym a week after his birthday, after finding himself in trouble at school, in a bid to teach him some self discipline.
And Head Coach of the gym, Paul Morris, in-turn spoke of his first impressions of a very young Steven, from the moment they very first met.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, Paul said: "To be honest, he came in as a very cheeky and disruptive little boy - his dad brought him in just to give him a little bit of discipline through training.
"He was always sort of fighting on in school and things like that and his dad just wanted to give him a bit of focus and bit of energy. So he brought him to Thai boxing.
"To be honest, he had no talent at all."
He added: "Stevie just really, really had to dig deep and progress and learn himself, and he's managed to turn himself into probably one of the best 14-year-old's in Europe.
"From his age at the time until he was about 10 or 11, he was great - and then he got to about 12 to 13 and he sort of started going down a bit of a wrong path.
"Me and his dad had to grab hold of him and nip it in the bud a bit and sort of bring his focus back to Thai Boxing.
"He'd been doing it so long and he'd seen his friends out just running the streets and being able to do what they wanted to do, I think he wanted a little part of that."
His father, also Steven Burrows, added: "He was a handful when he was that age, and I put him in there more for discipline.
"Paul's the one who's been training him from day one - he couldn't even throw a punch before that, but it was the best thing I ever done and I would never look back.
"Being from Scottswood, you know what it's like - it's been really, really hard to keep Steven on the straight and narrow.
Since the discussion with Phil and Steven's father - Phil says that the youngster has became a 'model pro' despite his age, and often helps run junior and adult classes at the gym.
Throughout the course of his junior career, Steven has had in the region of 60 or so fights, and has made a name for himself on the national scene as an exciting up and coming prospect.
He has won various prestigious titles, tournaments and accolades throughout his junior career on a national, European and global level, but the most coveted of all is his most recent victory for the WBC Under 16 Championship in Muay Thai - which he achieved on the UK's biggest stage for his category.
Steven faced up against Harry Moore at the Super Showdown event in Bolton, for the junior portion of their card - opponents who had met in the ring on two occasions before the bout.
Harry reigned supreme in both of the former fights, so there was a lot of pressure going into the fight itself on the West Denton youngster and his corner.
The two youngsters traded leather back and forth for the entirety of the bout, leaving the razor thin decision in the judges' hands after five one-and-a-half minute rounds,
It was good news for Steven on the night though, with two of the three giving the nod in his favour.
Paul also spoke of the emotion in the building itself after the announcement, provoking tears from everyone in Steven's corner.
He said: "Tears from him, tears from myself - there was just so much pressure on us for that fight."
He added: "They'd fought twice before and Harry's beat Stevie twice before as well, so it was a bit of a nerve-wracking fight when we took it, because there was quite a bit of hype about it.
"Stevie was very nervous leading into it, and the fight didn't disappoint.
"It'll be up there with one of the best junior fights you'll ever see."
Steven's dad also spoke of how proud he and his wife are of their son's achievement - defying all odds stacked against him.
He added: "I couldn't be any prouder - when he won the title I was nearly crying. It's just unreal.
"He's two or three time world champion, English, British, European, Intercontinental - he's got nearly every belt you can get in Thai Boxing to be quite honest."
He continued: "I couldn't be any prouder of him. 14-year-old kids in my area are either smoking weed, drinking all the time, or on drugs and he's not.
"He has done bits of stupid stuff in the past but the gym has always been there to pull him round, you know?
"I haven't even got any words to say how proud I am of him."
Paul says that the sky is the limit for Stevie should he choose to stick at Thai Boxing in the future, even predicting that he may one day end up fighting with One Championship - a Singapore-based mixed martial arts (MMA), Muay Thai, kickboxing and grappling promotion who rival the UFC for fighter pay and opportunity.
Paul added: "Honestly, the sky is the limit for that boy. If he sticks to it and he follows the game plan, he'll be fighting with ONE Championship which the biggest Muay Thai organisation in the world.
"He could literally be that good.
"With One Championship you're getting £35,000 plus per fight, you know? The fighter of the night gets a £50,000 spot bonus as well on top.
"I would love to see him go and live in Thailand for a year or two when he's about 18 or 19 because I generally think that he's someone who can conquer the world.
"I think he could be the greatest ever fighter to come out of the UK."
