!["I'm very excited to see what's next for him" ... Scott Chaffey. Picture by Mark Bode "I'm very excited to see what's next for him" ... Scott Chaffey. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/bf8d0e7e-591a-4eff-b135-93e5204d5ee5.jpg/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
At age 21, Colt Northey is doing his best to ensure he doesn't become an old man burdened by regret.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Central to that existential undertaking is the Tamworthian's burgeoning Muay Thai career.
Stripped of the excess weight he once carried and invigorated by greater confidence, Northey is three for three as a fighter - his latest win occurring in Newcastle on Saturday night.
Coming off a split-decision victory in Sydney in November, he said he delivered his most complete performance in beating Novocastrian Va-Vesse Ward.
His fight career to date, he added, was "a chapter" in what he hoped would be a compelling life story.
"When you look back [on your life]," the Carinya Christian School alumnus continued, "you'd like to say that you've done something that you can be proud of."
![Northey gets the win on Saturday night. Picture Facebook Northey gets the win on Saturday night. Picture Facebook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/712640ea-bf63-4cfc-9b28-b7b48fde805c.jpg/r0_0_787_702_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Northey is most happy when surrounded by family and friends. He said he had "a very supportive family and group of people" around him.
A sizeable contingent of them were ringside on Saturday night. He fought at 68kg, but 66kg is his preferred weight.
He said:
Coming into that one I was a little bit nervous. I had a lot of people coming down to watch. So I wanted to make sure that I put on a good performance.
"I think we were definitely the loudest group there," he added.
Having his hand raised in victory was "almost like a sense of relief", Northey said, given "you hype it [the fight] up so much".
Northey is a Harvey Norman salesman. Growing up, he had no idea what he wanted to be - preferring to "go with the flow, take it day by day".
One of his great adventures occurred when he attended a Chaffey's Martial Arts camp in Thailand. Scott Chaffey is his trainer. Chaffey also trains Northey's great mate, rising Muay Thai star Josh McCulloch.
![Northey celebrates his latest win with Clint, Scott and Kristie Chaffey. Picture Facebook Northey celebrates his latest win with Clint, Scott and Kristie Chaffey. Picture Facebook](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/3ddab4e4-0ffc-49e9-9080-61b7038f57e6.jpg/r0_0_1242_1457_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It was on that trip that Northey received his nickname, Slippery. The nickname's genesis was "a bit of a long story", Chaffey laughed.
At age 18, Northey weighed 93kg. Now 27kg lighter, he said he was "going really well".
"I think I'm happy with how I am at the moment. Work's good. And outside of work is good as well. So you can't get much better than that."
Chaffey is "incredibly proud" of Northey, who started in the kids class at Chaffey's Martial Arts and progressed from there.
The trainer said: "Colt has been there and helped so many of our fighters prepare for their fights, travelled away and supported them at fight shows."
It was "great to see him now having his turn", Chaffey said, adding that his charge's record "is a reflection of his hard work and discipline.
"I believe that he has a great future ahead of him, and I'm very excited to see what's next for him."
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News