Torquay’s Lani Williams, Billy O’Brien to represent Australia at 2025 Amazing MuayThai World Festival in Italy

Twoo Surfcoast fights will represent Australia at next month’s Amazing MuayThai World Festival, the competition set to the be Lani Williams’ last in the ring.

Two Surfcoast fighers Billy O'Brien, 17, and Lani Williams have been selected to represent Team Australia at the prestigious WBC Muay Thai World Games in Verona, Italy, this June. Picture: Alison Wynd

Lani Williams never set out for the titles as a latecomer in the Muay Thai world.

The Bones MMA co-owner is set to up hang up her professional gloves after more than seven years in the ring with one final swan song – representing Australia at the Amazing MuayThai World Festival in Verona next month.

Joining her in Italy is fellow Surfcoast fighter Billy O’Brien, who on the flip side, found the sport young and is quickly rising the ranks at just 17.

Two Surfcoast fighters Lani Williams and Billy O'Brien, 17, have been selected to represent Team Australia at the prestigious WBC Muay Thai World Games in Verona, Italy, this June. Picture: Alison Wynd

Williams, who turns 40 in August, said she was ready for what she called her “ retirement fight” at the gladiator-style Verona Arena.

A jeweller by trade, Williams has fought overseas a handful of times, her last three in Thailand earning her two stadium belts.

But the festival will mark Williams’ first time representing Australia, when she steps over the ropes in the 57kg featherweight elite adult category.

First picking up boxing six months after the birth of her now-11-year-old son as a means to get fit, Williams later found her way into Muay Thai and kickboxing – appreciating its ability to “help shut off her mind”.

“Fighting is like the only place I don’t think about anything else,” Williams said.

“In a world where there is so much chatter and so much going on outside, it’s the one place where I don’t have that feedback.”

Lani Williams is ready to leave it all in the ring in Italy next month. Picture: Alison Wynd

But as a latecomer to the sport, starting in her early 30s, Williams said she had never set out to “be the best”.

“I never thought I wanted to get the WBC belt or the state championship belts – I always thought I was way to old, so for me this sport was always about having fun and doing the competitions that were fun and exciting for me,” Williams said.

Williams said O’Brien was in a different position in his career, the 17-year-old with the sport at his feet with a 5-1 junior record competing in Melbourne and undefeated in his last five fights.

The Year 11 Surf Coast Secondary College student said he loved the sport because of “how hard I have to train”, after first joining Bones MMA three years ago before his first fight a year later.

Starting in karate as a child before stopping throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it was O’Brien’s mum Susie who first encouraged him to try classes at the Torquay-based gym.

“I never left,” O’Brien said.

Billy O'Brien, 17, is undefeated in his last five fights. Picture: Alison Wynd

Clocking up to nearly 20 hours a week in training, five days a week, O’Brien will contest the U18 lightweight division in Italy.

Though one of the lesser experienced fighters in his division, O’Brien’s coach and Bones MMA co-owner Matt Williams believed the teen had every chance of medalling, highlighting both his initiative and work ethic away from watchful eyes.

“He’s kind of a cut of the old cloth, so he only compares in terms of his age and stature,” Williams said.

“I think in Muay Thai, you need a couple factors to realise your potential – first of all you need talent, which Billy has.

“You need work ethic and a motivation to realise excellence... Billy has both of those things in droves, and you need opportunity.

“He’s been given an opportunity as a virtue of his hard work.

“We can measure his success on the experience he gains and how that sets him up for the future.”

Originally published as Torquay’s Lani Williams, Billy O’Brien to represent Australia at 2025 Amazing MuayThai World Festival in Italy