Devon Eden, 29, is a fighter under Reid Karena at Central Park Muay Thai. He recently competed at the Battle of the Bridge in Balclutha, winning his bout by decision.
Eden said he fought well, winning all three rounds and even scoring a knockdown.
"The only thing my coach said was I could have finished him, that was the only thing I could have done better," he said.
Eden said after a loss at the start of the year, he locked in and now saw the fruits of his labour.
"I had a fight at the start of the year, and lost. It was gutting, absolutely gutting.
"Since then I just put my head down, listened to my coaches and came out with the win."
Eden said during the fight he stuck to the plan, and it worked out.
"Keep a lot of pressure on my opponent without getting too close, a calculated pressure, cautious aggression.
"I was locked in. I was there, ready to put my best foot forward. I knew I had shown up, I felt calm, and gave it to him," he said.
Eden said although it was hard to describe how he felt in the cage, there was something there he found comfort in.
"It’s a tricky one. It’s a feeling like no other. I guess if you’re a fighter you’ll understand. It’s a chaotic environment, dodging and throwing punches, but the calmer you are the better you go," he said.
Eden has trained in Muay Thai for two years, and taking the sport seriously helped him to relax through a difficult period, he said.
"I was going through a lot of hardships, so it was a great way to let out some of that emotion, not be a passive-aggressive person.
Eden is a father to two girls and said it was quite a juxtaposition.
"Being a girl dad, them doing my nails and learning to tie their hair up, and going from that with a complete flip to trying to injure someone, it’s quite a contrast," he said.
But Eden said the contrast between the two extremes helped to balance him out and made him a calmer, more understanding person.
"I think it’s a good thing, having those extremes. I can stay calm. I don’t get angry with my kids, I don’t get angry if someone cuts me off in traffic.
"You’re able to stay in control. It’s great for my life," he said.
Eden said Muay Thai was good for anyone looking for a way to take the stress out of their life, the same way he has.
"Everyone out there has something has something going on with their life. For us, this is our outlet. Some people might have golf, we have fighting."
