11-Year-old Rhyme Raging To The Top

At 11-years-old, not many can boast of a number 2 world ranking in anything - except Samoan-Tokelauan “Rhyme the Rage” Loto.

With 32 amateur fights under his belt, he’s one of the most experienced fighters in the New Zealand Black Gloves team who are off to compete in the 2016 World Youth Muaythai Championships, next month in Thailand.

Around this time last year he picked up the Silver Medal at the 2015 World Championships after a last minute gruelling shredding journey to qualify for the 42kg division.

“I’m going to go back and get Gold this time.” said Rhyme, quiet but confident.

A very calm response after his father (also his trainer) explained the intense shredding regime which Rhyme had to go through, after finding out his 45kg division class had been cancelled when he arrived in Thailand to compete last year.

With Rhyme weighing in at 46kg upon arrival, Ermehn Loto said they had no choice but to go up or down to the next divisions.

“I was really worried so I called up a few mates that trained Mark Hunt and I asked them ‘what should I do?”

“They gave me some advice...and we chucked him in the Sauna.”

The shredding regime meant Rhyme could eat only one meal a day, frequently run around the carpark wearing a sweatsuit, undergo daily Sauna sessions and training sessions - all on top of fighting an opponent every day to climb to the finals.

“A Sauna for a 10 year old kid is probably not something that people would do,” admits Ermehn

“I put him in there and we were just praying everyday that he would make the weight.”

Ermehn explained the daily weigh-in every morning before fights which could have resulted in Rhyme not qualifying if he had been even 100 grams over the weight limit.

“It was pretty hard for Rhyme, and for me to watch,” expressed Ermehn

“One time we had to force him in the Sauna with some of the other fighters and he was crying to come out and it was really hard for me to see him through the glass window on the door.”

“He was crying and saying ‘Dad I need to come out’ and I was like ‘You just gotta hang in there”.

The quiet young fighter not only managed to shave off the weight, he also conquered every bout towards the finals.

For Rhyme, the challenge was more than just physical.

“I had to be very dedicated. I had to do things while my friends were doing the fun stuff,” he said

“I was in the Sauna while they got to see the Tigers. It was really mentally challenging for me, more than physically.”

Next month ‘Rhyme the Rage’ will be competing in the 48kg division and this time his even more prepared.

“He’s walking around the 48kg mark,” said Ermehn

“But I made a promise to him that I’m not going to put him through that again. I had to put on my coach’s hat to help him cut that weight, but as a parent, it was really hard to watch.”

Rhyme also has other Coaches who put time into his training, giving his Dad Ermehn some relief.

“It’s good for him to be with other trainers, so I can just sit back and just hand him the water, give him moral support, and just be a Dad.” explained Ermehn.

The aspiring young fighter still punches above his weight even with the gloves off, with his Dad adding that he does well in school.

“My favourite subject is reading,” said Rhyme shyly while admitting that most of his school friends don’t even know he does combat sports.

He is among only 3 per cent of Pacific Islanders in his school population and one of only two pacific Island fighters in the New Zealand Black Gloves team, a factor Rhyme says has never been challenging.

“There’s a big polynesian community that are into the sport,” claimed his Dad, Ermehn

“I’d say in the next 10 years you’re going to have a lot of Mark Hunts and Joseph Parker kids coming up through the grains.”

By Indira Stewart