WBC Amazing Muay Thai Festival: Empowering a New Generation of Female Fighters

Isabella Gilbert

The recent WBC Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2025 in Verona, Italy, proved to be a resounding success in general but also for its impact on the development and empowerment of women in Muay Thai. Held at the end of June, the festival served as a crucial platform, fostering growth and providing key opportunities for female athletes at all levels, from aspiring juniors to seasoned competitors.

To better understand this, we spoke with some key figures, Lisa Houghton-Smith and Hilary Mack, both former world champions and current coaches, alongside the young female fighters who competed there.

Nurturing Young Female Talent on an International Stage

A cornerstone of the festival’s success was its commitment to nurturing young talent, which was even more profound for young female fighters. As Lisa Houghton-Smith from Team England remarked, the event is “incredible” for the development of young female athletes. By offering a prestigious international  competition, even at young ages, the festival provided invaluable ring experience against some of the world’s best.

“There’s going to be more and more good girls fighting because of tournaments like this,” Houghton-Smith observed, highlighting the event’s role in elevating the level of women and girls in the sport.

This exposure is amazing for the development and progress of young female athletes, especially in regions where finding consistent and high-level domestic fights can be challenging.

Hilary Mack from Team Scotland echoed this sentiment, noting, “Sometimes promoters don’t bother with girls on their shows,” making tournaments like this vital for providing opportunities and experience. The Verona festival effectively bridged this gap, offering a diverse pool of opponents. “Promoters aren’t going to fly people in from all over the world to fight so it’s great they can all come to one place,” Mack explained.

This professional environment significantly accelerates their learning and skill refinement, honing their techniques and mental fortitude. As Houghton-Smith put, “Iron sharpens iron,” and the festival ensured a high-quality sharpening experience, with “the standard is a lot higher” and it “gives female fighters a real challenge.”

Inspiration and Role Models in Abundance

Beyond the competitive aspect, the festival was a powerful source of inspiration and readily available role models. The WBC, through its well-respected international platform, actively showcased these female athletes via its media channels, including the WBC Woman Instagram. This amplified their stories, celebrated their achievements, and presented them as aspirational figures for a global audience.

At the tournament itself, the impact of witnessing strong female figures in real life was undeniable. Young athletes like Keevah and Romany from Team England, both gold medallists at the tournament, noted the scarcity of girls in their own gyms.

They credit Lisa Houghton-Smith, whom they described as “world class,” along with other women in their gym like Ellie Harber and Amber Kitchen, as providing big “inspiration” and giving them “confidence.”

Mack further emphasised the broader impact, stating how WBC Amazing Muay Thai Festival proved “Women can do all these things as well,” referring to girls fighting, officiating, and coaching in Muay Thai.

Combating “Ring Rust” and Fostering Growth

The festival also supports female athletes combating “ring rust,” a common challenge for fighters, as Hilary Mack pointed out. By bringing together so many high-calibre female fighters, the tournament provided consistent, challenging bouts that might otherwise be difficult to secure individually.

“You see so many good fighters that are female now,” Mack remarked, underscoring the increasing depth of talent. Both Hilary Mack and Lisa Houghton-Smith highlighted how this tournament means female fighters “can’t avoid you,” creating a competitive environment that pushes everyone to improve.

The Verona festival has undoubtedly left a lasting legacy. “It will just keep growing with events like these,” Hilary Mack confidently predicted.

By providing essential opportunities, fostering high-level competition, and showcasing inspiring role models, the WBC Amazing Muay Thai Festival is significantly propelling the advancement of women in the sport for years to come.