How Blackpool's wrestling scene shaped Kashmir Kid’s career

Blackpool has a long history of wrestling.

In the 1940s it was a popular attraction at the Tower Circus and during the 80s wrestling booths popped up at the Pleasure Beach where members of the public could challenge a fighter.

This inspired a teenage Shak, otherwise known as the Kashmir Kid, and the professional wrestling shows changed his life.

When Shak’s family moved from Halifax when he was a teenager, he didn’t know what was in store for him.

He soon became gripped by the wrestling scene at Blackpool Tower and threw himself into training at the age of 16, quickly becoming a regular at Bobby Barons Public Fighting Booths at the Horseshoe Bar. He was taught by an undefeated wrestler called The Road Warrior, real name Dave Duran, and went on himself to remain undefeated for eight summer seasons.

He said: “I would take three challenges every weekend and before we started each show, Duran would get me into the ring and basically beat me into painful submissions usually with me in tears and with a sore body.

“But all these sessions of ‘painful training’ would toughen me up in more ways than one, as when I came to perform on the international circuit, often with bigger and stronger opponents, I would be ready and able to take any punishment.

Shak also recalled one of his biggest wrestling matches with USA heavyweight The Masked General Ripper Raven.

He said: “I was 22 years old and I had just finished my five years as a local bus driver. At that time it was so wonderful to be surrounded with amazing people from all sorts of backgrounds whether on the transport services or the crazy world of wrestling, there were so many characters that you enjoyed being amongst!” One of the highlights of his career came touring the Middle East with WWF and WWE Superstars. And one of his his proudest moments is yet to come, wrestling his mentor Dave Duran in his parent’s homeland of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan next year. It will also to raise money for charity.