Greater Manchester hosts hundreds of fighting gyms for children, from Kickboxing to Taekwondo to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
For some, combat sports are viewed as character-building and helpful for children.
However, questions have been raised around children’s involvement in fighting and combat sports.
This questioning around the subject saw a dramatic increase in early June 2024 after 15 year old kickboxer, Alex Eastwood, died after suffering a head Injury during an unlicensed fight in a Wigan gym.
Following the death of the young fighter, his family demanded meaningful changes to combat sports for children.
On the 8th of July 2025, debates in the House of Commons were held where the state of combat sports for kids was described as having ‘no guidance or regulation’ and officials argued ‘more needs to be done to protect the safety of children in combat sports’.
Despite the UK Secretary of Sport tasking their department with exploring options to strengthen safety and welfare for kids in combat sports, almost a year since the debates were held, no such changes or laws have been officially passed.
Leaving parents questioning whether their kids should partake in combat sports.
After speaking to Charlie Giam, who’s been teaching kids and fighting for his dad’s kickboxing gym, TMAS, since a very young age across areas of Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside, he gave a clear verdict on the debate.
Credit – TMAS
He said the sport is safe if ‘you choose the legal and ethical clubs that don’t promote angry violence’.
‘If everything’s properly regulated, it’s good, it’s a good sport’.
‘In any other combat sport, you’re going to have unregulated fights it happens, but it shouldn’t happen’.
Charlie Giam’s stance was clear that the unregulated side of kickboxing and combat sports was the problem.
This was the case when Alex Eastwood suffered his fatal injuries to the head.
However, even when fights can be properly regulated, combat sports can still be dangerous for fighters who are younger.
Oxford Academic’s paediatric and child health department found 69% out of the 273 injured boxers were 18 years or younger.
Supporting statistics of combat sports and the injuries surrounding the sport
The University of Utah found that, depending on severity, a head injury can lead to reduced language skills and mood swings.
These negative effects of combat sports have even led to groups such as Headway to put bans on sports like boxing for kids, or the ban of aiming at the head.
Another example of the opposition to kids’ participation is Uni of Nottingham Trent lecturer Jack Hardwicke calling for a ban on high-contact sports such as boxing with his published book, ‘Sport Structured Brain Injury is Child Abuse’.
Overall, contributing to the debate whether combat sports such as kickboxing, MMA and boxing can be useful and character building, as Charlie Giam described, or an unnecessary form of ‘abuse’ as Hardwicke describes, causing lasting damage to children.
This debate, which is seemingly far from over, will, no matter the UK government’s conclusion, have a significant effect on the hundreds of fighting gyms across Greater Manchester and the North west.