Boxing For a Good Cause

The festive season is almost here and many of us are getting ready to spend quality time with loved ones and shower them with gifts.

Giving, however, does not only entail offering gifts, but also includes donating to charities and volunteering our time to help others.

In this spirit, Pam Golding Properties’ Ashley Sexon has partnered up with AC Boxing Gym to host a fundraising event, ‘Black Tie Boxing’, on Friday, 14 December, which will benefit charity organisations.

“We basically found people who have never boxed before and have been providing them with a very high standard of training at AC Boxing Gym under renowned boxing trainer Imms Moses. In return, they raise money for either an HIV-AIDS or cancer charity organisation of their choice.”

“More than 30 people signed up when we sent out a call out through our Facebook page but that number has reduced to 16 people who will take part in the competition at a venue to be announced soon,” said Sexon.

Ethan Coetzee, one of the participants, told The Weekender he decided to get involved in this initiative to offer his support to those affected. “Just like many people out there, you either know someone with HIV-AIDS or cancer or you have lost a relative because of these deadly diseases, so when I found out about Black Tie Boxing, I was keen to get involved. It helps me relate to the struggles of people affected.”

Coetzee says he is taking the initiative as a personal challenge and it feels good to be exercising for a good cause. “The training is so intense but I guess that is the whole point. During this process, I am learning how to deal with uncomfortable situations life presents us with,” added Coetzee.

Sexon mentioned that the idea was conceptualised at the beginning of the year and throughout the course of the year, he pitched it to various companies – some of whom bought into the idea and decided to come on board as sponsors. After meeting boxing trainer Moses, he was inspired at how he gives back to his community through the AC Boxing Gym, using a sport code he is passionate, about so he decided to give back using boxing as a conduit.

“Meeting Imms inspired me a lot and I wanted to get involved in the boxing scene. I realised there is still a need for more people and organisations to come up with fundraising initiatives to support charity organisations so I came up with Black Tie Boxing.”

Moses told The Weekender that he was approached by Sexon to get involved as a training partner and he took the offer because it is a platform for AC Boxing Gym to lend their support to those affected by HIV-AIDS and cancer.

“I liked the idea the first time he pitched it to me. It has also brought new trainees to our gym who are now going to sign up with us permanently because they love the services we offer and how we are helping them transform their lives positively in terms of staying fit and eating healthy,” said Moses.

He invites people to show their support. “Some of AC Boxing Gym’s amateur boxers will participate so people should come in numbers and let us raise funds,” said Moses.

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