Biography: Thai Boxing
"One day while training at the gym, I saw this guy wearing Thai shorts. He was skipping with a rope much bigger and thicker than the average skipping rope. He began to hit the bag with very powerful kicks and punches. I was hitting the bag and stopped to watch this guy. After the round I approached him and with great fascination, I curiously asked him where did he learn Muay Thai. With a heavy French accent, he replied, in France under Master Roger Porché. His name was François and came to Canada every summer to visit family. After having a lengthy conversion about Muay Thai he said that he had seen me fight and thought that I would make a good Muay Thai fighter. That day I got my first Muay Thai lesson in the ring the hard way. Over the course of the summer we continued to train. Before going back to France, François left me with a few phone numbers of Muay Thai instructors in which he thought I should contact, Master Thom Harinc from Holland, Master Gerard Finot from France and Master Pud Pad Noi Warawoot from Thailand. At the time both Master Finot and Master Warawoot resided in Ohio, so now I had the opportunity to go and meet with them. I told them that Montreal was a virgin territory for Muay Thai and it would be in their best interest to set up something or someone there. I guess I was able to convince them because both of them came to Montreal."
"After training extensively with these two Masters, my real journey into Muay Thai was just beginning. I had the opportunity to finally meet one the greatest Muay Thai instructors in the world, Master Thom Harinc from Holland. After speaking to him about my intentions to bring Canada up in the Muay Thai world, he agreed to assist us. He came to Canada with one of his most prized fighter, Mr. Gilbert Balantine, three time world Muay Thai champion."
Master Tom Harinc was so impressed by Master Nigel Scantlebury's physical ability and tenacity in wanting to push Muay Thai that he stayed between 4 to 5 months to train exclusively with him. When he went back to Holland he convinced his son, Thom junior, that he should go to Montreal to continue where he left off. Finally it happened. After fighting the kickboxing and Muay Thai circuit, Master Nigel Scantlebury was officially recognized as the President of the Canadian Muay Thai Association, achieving the second highest ranking in Muay Thai. But it doesn't end there. He wanted to add one more experience to his journey of perfection in the world of martial arts.