Sport
31 July, 2026
Podium medals for brothers
MUAY Thai fighters Isaiah and Joshua Girren have returned home triumphant from the World Boxing Council Amazing Muay Thai Festival 2026 in Bangkok, with Isaiah claiming gold and Joshua securing bronze after four intense days of world-class competition at Nimibutr Stadium.
Representing Athlete Muay Thai Innisfail, the brothers took on elite fighters from across the globe. Isaiah, 18, competed in the adult/-63.5kg division, while Joshua, 16, fought in the 16-17 years/male/advanced/-61.235kg division. Both have trained under Clayton Cook for three years and have been involved in martial arts for a decade.
Joshua set the tone early with a dominant first-day win over England’s Nathan Hodgson, while Isaiah progressed with a bye. On day two, Isaiah showcased his trademark precision and power to defeat Scotland’s Tyrhys White.
Day three saw Isaiah step up again, defeating James Reed (USA) before overcoming a strong Ukrainian opponent, Maksym Liashevskyi, in the semi-final to book his place in the gold-medal bout. Joshua also fought brilliantly in his semi-final against Canada’s Jayden Santiago Nieva Marcella, leading on points before being caught in a clinch and count that saw him finish with a hard-earned bronze.
On day four, Isaiah sealed his golden run with victory over Shane Trana (USA), completing four fights in three days.
“It was a huge test of determination, grit and both mental and physical toughness,” Isaiah said.
“My opponents from Scotland and the USA were extremely tough and technical. I had to really bring my A-game.”
Isaiah has now competed in eight world championships, winning five, while Joshua holds multiple titles across Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including ISKA, South Pacific BJJ, Queensland BJJ and FNQ BJJ.
Earlier this year, both brothers returned home as ISKA Australian champions. Joshua claimed gold in Muay Thai under coach Jeffery Bullock, while Isaiah stepped into the adult division and won gold in both Kickboxing 1 and Muay Thai.
The brothers say they have always been taught to be “humble in victory and gracious in defeat.”
Isaiah’s journey nearly took a different turn at age 10, when he considered leaving Muay Thai to pursue elite rugby league.
His coach told him and his brothers: “It’s not a matter of if you’ll become an Australian champion, but when.”
That belief carried him forward and today he is a five-time undisputed world champion across three federations.
Their success has led to invitations to major international events including the WMO European Championships in Rome (5-9 October), WBC All Stars in London (31 October), WBC European Championships in Sardinia (14-19 October) and ISKA Nationals in Madrid (4-9 November).
Isaiah is also seeking sponsorship to compete at the ISKA Asian Championships in China next month.
Anyone interested in supporting him and gaining international exposure can contact Debbie Singh on 0405 697 160.