A BARNSLEY man’s first amateur boxing bout ended in success - with a knockout victory and £5,000 raised for charity.
Stuart Hawkins, of Oakwell Terrace, Barnsley, took on a gruelling eight-week training camp ahead of entering the ring at the Metrodome on December 10.
The 48-year-old, whose brother Stephen died aged 36 in 2002, signed up to the ultra white collar boxing event to raise cash for charity in his memory for Cancer Research UK.
Having totted up donations, the security worker raised just over £5,000 - far surpassing his initial target.
“They say time is a great healer but it isn’t really,” Stuart said. “I went into the ring with him on my mind as it’s 15 years since he died. It’s such a great amount for a fantastic cause.
“I’m nearly 50 and it just goes to show what you can do when you put your mind to it. I won by knockout but it wasn’t about that, it was more about the challenge and focusing on the end goal of stepping into the ring.”
Stuart, who completed the London Marathon in his brother’s memory last year, heard about the event when he was part of the security team at another boxing show in Leeds and felt compelled to give it a go.
“It’s such a brilliant thing as everyone can get involved. It doesn’t matter what age you are, if you’ve boxed before or how good you are, I’d recommend it to anyone. I boxed in my youth but haven’t had anything to do with it since apart from enjoying watching it on the TV.
“I trained very well at The Combat Academy in Wombwell and can’t thank the team there enough for preparing me for the bout.”
