A NIGHT of charity boxing matches will see former world champions James DeGale, Darren Barker and Enzo Maccarinelli collide not as fighters, but as coaches to a crop of current and ex-professional footballers.
The event promises to deliver plenty of thrills and spills at Grosvenor Hotel, London, where organisers aim to raise a sum of £500,000 for four different charities on October 18.
Joining the aforementioned names are Kevin Mitchell, Leon McKenzie, Nina Hughes and Dave Coldwell, all of whom are hoping to whip their respective players into fighting shape.
The brain behind this football-meets-boxing extravaganza, meanwhile, is that of Graham Stack, a former Arsenal goalkeeper and now-CEO of Pro Project Promotions.
In a press release, Stack said: “Pro Project Promotions is where football’s fiercest rivalries meet boxing’s raw intensity.
“These legends are stepping out of their comfort zones to throw punches for a purpose. With a star-studded crowd, world-class entertainment, and a mission to change lives, this night will be etched in history.”
Topping the bill next month will be a London derby between David Bentley – in his pomp, a stylish winger for Tottenham and Arsenal – and Jody Morris, a more industrious box-to-box midfielder who used to play for Chelsea.
With Mitchell, perhaps the greatest British fighter to never win a world title, in his corner, Bentley is no doubt hoping to bamboozle his opponent, trained by Barker, with an added degree of speed.
Elsewhere on the card, McKenzie and Hughes will put their coaching skills to the test when Leroy Lita and David Noble lock horns in another intriguing clash.
As for DeGale, the former IBF world champion has offered to occupy the corner of Marvin Elliott, who meets Greg Halford in a dustup between two current players.
Two further matchups will also arrive in the form of Lee Trundle vs Anthony Gardner and Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny, with coaches Maccarinelli and Coldwell both hoping to lead their respective novices to victory.
While raising money for charities Playskill, Sport In Mind, The Willow Foundation and Helping Hands, too, the event certainly comes with no small amount of importance.
Tickets can be found at www.proprojectpromotions.com, where ‘a night to remember’ is what organisers hope to create.
