White Collar Boxing

I needed to raise a minimum amount of sponsorship to take my seat on the NOMAN row across the Mediterranean. Rather than chase sponsors one by one, I thought it’d be easier to try to raise it all in one night. I’d never boxed, so naturally I thought about a white collar bout. Then I thought: everyone does that. So instead I organised a black-tie, three-course dinner with white collar charity boxing.

On Saturday 1 June 2019, in Central London, sixteen property industry professionals climbed into the ring for eight fights. Mine was the headline bout, which sounded glamorous until I realised that being the main organiser meant my eight-week training plan was, in reality, about four.

I was lucky enough to be trained by my friend Takaloo, former WBC light-middleweight world champion and WBU welterweight world champion. He did his best. My opponent was 10kg heavier and had been training for 18 months. Whilst I showed heart, I had my arse handed to me.

I was interviewed straight after. I have no idea what I was asked, or what I said. Later I was back in the ring in my mess dress (I’m a ship’s captain by trade), looking considerably smarter and only slightly less battered.

I lost the fight, but we won the night: the evening raised around £40k, against the £10k minimum I needed for the NOMAN row. I’ll take that trade every time.