"I used to watch kung fu movies ... all the time. Maybe I decided I wanted to be like that, then. I had lots of role models in the movies."
Despite being involved in combat sport, Rhyme said he had learned valuable lessons he applied to his life outside the ring.
"I've never had a fight at school before. It's taught me more discipline. If I didn't do kickboxing, I'd probably be in another place.
"But I'm not that type of person - you don't go out looking for fights. I'm into stopping them," he smiles.
The Youth World MuayThai Champs is hosted by the Amateur MuayThai Association of Thailand and is considered the Olympics of MuayThai, being the highest level of competition for amateur youth athletes from around the world. Age categories go from 10 to 17.
Trainer Ermehn Lealaiauloto, who is also Rhyme's father, trains his son and other students out of his gym, Hibiscus Coast Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness.
Being Rhyme's coach was the easy part. But being dad was sometimes difficult.
"Putting your son in the ring and seeing another kid fighting him, you're sort of like: 'Ooh'. It touches a few heart strings seeing your son being hit around.
"But I trust him enough and have given him enough knowledge and training for him to be able to defend himself. So as long as he can slip and dodge the moves and give some of his own moves, then I'm quite happy."
Lealaiauloto said the goal was always to improve - not just in the ring, but outside of it as well.
"Maybe one day ... he might end up in the Commonwealth or the Olympics fighting for a medal for New Zealand."
