Rico Lewis is a lifelong City fan living out his dream of representing his boyhood club but our defender had another passion in his early years: Muay Thai.

Fuelled by his dad’s career in the sport, Lewis excelled in the martial art at a young age.

Some of the 19-year-old’s earliest memories are of training with his dad, entering competitions and travelling to Thailand.

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At the age of 10, Lewis had to choose between football and Muay Thai and obviously stuck with the former.

While that decision has paid off, the Academy graduate has fond memories of his time in the sport.

With his dad now owning Phoenix Muay Thai gym in the Manchester suburb of Whitefield, Lewis still uses Muay Thai to keep his fitness up during down time.

In this video, we hear about Rico’s experiences and see some special footage of his earliest days in the sport.

We also present our No.82 with a present for him to keep; his own pair of City-branded Muay Thai shorts.

Watch the feature at the top of the page...