Mohammed ‘Jordan Boy’ Mahmoud’s lack of discipline while growing up could have taken him down a different path.
The Kedah native often got into fights, even getting suspended from school a couple of times.
Thankfully for him, nothing severe came out of it, though his attitude was not something his parents were proud of.
“I did not fancy studying so I ended up getting into trouble all the time,” recalled the young ONE Championship fighter.
“When I look back now, I wish I could have corrected my mistakes. I knew I was a burden to my teachers and my parents.”
When he completed secondary school, Mohammed still had that urge to throw a kick or punch, an attitude which led him to martial arts.
Once he discovered Muay Thai, the ‘Jordan Boy’ of old started to fade away.
“I fell in love with Muay Thai and the gym almost immediately,” he shared.
“Although my dad was not entirely keen, I wanted to do it.
“I felt it was the best way to release my bad energy. I told myself ‘Instead of fighting aimlessly, why not use it at the gym?’”
After his first class, he admitted he felt at peace, stating it taught him how to use his tools in “the art of eight limbs” more purposefully.
“I can’t find the exact words, but I felt a peaceful and calm aura. Not that the class was not tiring! My body was having a breakdown at that point,” he laughed.
The 23-year-old continued to transform the bad vibes into positive energy at Sampuri Muay Thai Gym in Ampang.
After a couple of months, Mohammed earned a first-round knockout in his debut fight.
The result taught the Kuala Lumpur-based athlete a valuable life lesson – to find peace within him and excel at the one thing he loved most.
“Just finding a little sense of peace allowed me to get through the first hurdle in my career. The nerves were crazy. At times I couldn’t even sleep. But it is getting better now,” he said.
‘Jordan Boy’ hopes he will eventually get a title fight in ONE Championship.
For now though, he is just practising and doing what he loves best – Muay Thai.
