Charity boxing is returning to Nelson after nearly a decade, with Gloves up for Gumboots set to provide a fun night of boxing in the name of mental health.
Organiser Chris Davies, who is managing director of Harcourts, says he competed in a charity boxing event in Marlborough several years ago, and thought bringing something similar back to Nelson would be worthwhile.
He has partnered with Victory Boxing, who ran the last charity boxing event in the city – Fight for Victory - which was last held in 2016. All proceeds from the corporate boxing event will be donated to Mike King’s charity I Am Hope. Twenty amateur boxers will be matched for 10 bouts of three two-minute rounds at the Rutherford Hotel on November 7 – Gumboot Friday.
They will train at Victory Boxing in black and blue teams on alternating nights, twice a week.
Chris says the event is about shining a light on the work that I Am Hope do, and provide free counselling for young people.
“Mental health is quite a big topic at the moment, and it’s just about normalising it into everyday conversations so that people can express their issues,” Chris says.
“What Mike King can achieve is that every single dollar goes straight to the counselling.”
Boxers will ideally be sponsored by a business to cover the entry fee of $1000, which will cover the costs of training, uniform and publicity.
More than 30 tables will be available at the event, but with each boxer being attached to a table, they will sell out fast.
Chris says there will be an information evening at Victory Boxing on Friday 27 June at 5.30pm for anyone considering putting their name forward as a boxer, and stresses experience isn’t important.
Matches will be made based on a range of factors, including age, weight and experience.
To enter or purchase a table head to harcourts.net/nz/office/nelson and find the events tab. To offer support for auctions or sponsorship email chris.davies@harcourts.co.nz
