About Us

The Elephant Gym is run by David Verdi, a very experienced trainer with over 25 years experience.

David started his training at a very early age of 11, at that time there were not many Muay Thai instructors around, so I had to go to a local Kick Boxing club run by Alan Mortlock. I trained here with Alan sparring with all of the adults and traing basically in the ring for the next 5 years.

It was with Alan that I also has my first 3 fights.

The club then closed and I had to look elsewher for my training, so I started to go to various clubs, be it Karate, Kung Fu, Judo or whatever I could find basically around London, as far as White City, Brixton, Romford etc. The problem being though as soon as I started to train in the class the instructor would put me against their No 1 student. This would often end with me fighting them, in a bloody battle, and then often the instructor wanting to fight me!!??

Obviously I was a threat to them and I still have some scars to this day from some dodgy instructors who couldnt handle a strong confident 16 year old walking into their gym.

It was around this time I found out about a Thai fighter who was teaching in New Cross: Fire Cobra Juraunmong. I went to meet him at his house and spoke to him and had a training session in his back garden. I then had dinner with him and spoke to him about some of my run ins with other gyms and he told me of some fights he had. We then trained together for the next 5 years, I often travelled to his house or to the hall he taught at. He then, towards the end of our training used to travel up to Leytonstone to teach myself and some other friends/students I had started to gather. This was to be the start of me teaching Muay Thai.

Unfortunatley Fire Cobra had to return to Thailand, so I was left by myself. Having been taught by a Thai Fighjter I couldnt go to any one less experienced, so I looked all over the country for the top authority on Muay Thai.

This led me to Manchester to Grand Master Woody. I travelled up there one weekend and had an interview with him and trained for the weekend.

Luckily I was successfull and he allowed me to live above the gym and train full time for the next 10 years. During this time I had the most fortunate luck to train with GM Woody nearly every day, along with his brother Master Krin, Master Toddy's younger brother Master A, World Champion 5 times Ronnie Green, womens World Champion Anne Quinane, and many other champions, and great followers of Muay Thai.

I also travelled to Thailand, Europe and around the country for various seminars, and also during this time I had a further 22 fights. I had the pleasure of fighting and training in Thailand, and obtaining the British Title Belt.