Former kickboxing champ Daniel Sam has opened Black Diamond Gym in Ilford in a bid to tackle knife crime.
Former-number-one-ranked kickboxing and Muay Thai World Champion, Daniel Sam, has opened a new martial arts gym in East London, inspired by his own positive experience in sport.
He said: “I’ve changed my life around from when I was doing things that weren’t so savoury. I turned it around and became an active fighter, student of the game and now coach”.
Sam hopes the gym will have a positive impact on local youth.
He added: “In this area in East London, crime is rife, there was a stabbing a couple of days ago. There was a stabbing two or three days before that. There were attacks at the station. So, this gym is giving an outlet for young people to better themselves”.
According to the Metropolitan Police, there have been 876 violent crimes committed in Ilford, in East London in the past year.
English Muay Thai Champion, Jonathan Oluoch, said it was a good opportunity to bring something positive to the local community.
He said: “The reason why I think it’s beneficial for East London is because East London, apart from South London, is known for knife crime and gun crime”.
Sam’s gym has already changed people’s lives:
Fighters in the gym have praised the initiative thus far.
Olouch said: “Black Diamond Gym is a five-star gym. It’s the best in the country because for me, it helps me with my mental.”
He added: “Let’s say I am struggling to push my limits. Daniel will push me – even physically push me”.
Teenager Nihad Ahmed, who recently joined the gym, said: “This gym is something that keeps my mind calm. I come here three times a week and have seen massive improvements in the way my body looks, I love it”.
He added: “As for the crime, it has given me the confidence to stand up to friends who want me to sell drugs or be involved in antisocial behaviour”.
Black Diamond Gym hopes to follow in the steps of the Fight For Peace youth project
Daniel Sam previously coached at the Fight for Peace youth project in East London, which supports vulnerable young people by providing mentoring and martial arts classes.
The former Heavyweight Champion hopes for his gym to have the same impact on young people.
He said: “ When I was working at the youth project over the span of 13 years we had 10,000 young people come through the doors. I’ve seen many young people turn their lives around from a life of gang and knife crime and this is what I want for Black Diamond Gym.”
He said of previous attendees: “The guys are actually successful lawyers, some of them are successful in their E-commerce businesses”.
The gym, which holds boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai classes as well as strength and conditioning classes, is also for those who just want to stay fit.
Black Diamond gym costs £15 per session, and it is open seven days a week.
