Boxing couple on holiday stop Majorca mugging

A professional boxing couple from Leicestershire successfully stopped a thief while on holiday in Majorca.

Double world Thai boxing champion Iman Barlow, and her middleweight boxer boyfriend Stan Stannard, stopped a man from having his watch stolen.

The pair said two people on a motorbike repeatedly hit the victim on the head.

Mr Stannard, from Melton Mowbray, said: “Fortunately we were in the right place at the right time and the robbers weren’t.”

The couple were on the Spanish island with friends when they saw what appeared to be a fight outside the Don Bigote Hotel in Palma Nova on Saturday.

Ms Barlow, 26, said: “It appeared that there were two people on a motorcycle, and another person that was being robbed.

“We worked out that the robbers were trying to nick the man’s watch.”

Ms Barlow, a Muay Thai boxer, added: “[One guy] ran straight past me and I thought, ‘should I do something?’

“I took the opportunity and front kicked him, he went flying and made a strange noise.”

The man continued running, which led 23-year-old Mr Stannard to run after him.

“Stan left hooked him when we caught up with him, and he fell to the floor,” Ms Barlow said.

The pair then sat on one of the assailants until police arrived.

Ms Barlow said: “The family were just really grateful and happy. They offered us money but we refused. That’s not why we did it.

“But the lady persisted and gave us 50 Euros, so it bought our group some burgers for the afternoon.”

Ms Stannard, who makes his professional boxing debut later this month, said: “I think instinct kicked in, and we saw that there was a distressed family and someone getting hurt.

“When he decided to run away with the watch we just leapt into action.”

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].