A builder from Crawley West Sussex has stepped into the boxing ring to raise money and awareness for several charities close to his heart.
Anthony Dinneen, aged 29, who lives in Crawley took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) event at the K2 Crawley in Pease Pottage in April. He did so to raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation, Amputation Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK.
Anthony’s decision to step into the ring was inspired by several events in his life, the most significant being the amputation of his big toe in 2019, and the loss of his father to suicide in 2016.
Anthony said, “When I was twenty one, I was in an accident at work that chopped off one of my big toes. This led to me being out of work for five years, and after multiple complications, infections and operations I eventually had to have it amputated. I’ve struggled with basic things like balance ever since, which took a real toll on my confidence. I knew entering Ultra White Collar Boxing was going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but am so proud to have proved to myself what I am capable of.”
He continued, “Ten years ago I also sadly lost my dad. He was hiding his pain from us, which is so common for many other suicide cases. The loss of my dad impacted every one of my family members, I hope that by raising awareness for mental health I can encourage more people to reach out for help, and get support.”
Participants like Anthony are given the opportunity to take part in eight weeks of free professional boxing training at gyms, before a showcase event in front of hundreds or thousands of spectators. He trained at Lumpini Fight Academy in Crawley under the guidance of respected coach John Jarvis.
Talking about the preparation, Anthony said, “The training made me take a look at my lifestyle differently. I took my diet more seriously and managed to give up smoking, which is something I never thought I was capable of. I also made so many friends along the way, which was amazing. The training helped me with my mental health in general, it taught me what it means to be resilient, and gave me confidence in my ability to do hard things.”
Anthony competed against Tyler Reed, aged 22, in a closely-contested match.
Talking of his experience on the night, he added, “I was the last bout of the night, so naturally my nerves started to creep in. But as soon as I stepped into the ring and reminded myself of my ‘why’, I was ready to give it my absolute all for those six minutes. Even though I lost, I had an unforgettable night – the atmosphere was amazing!”
Anthony chose ‘This is the Life’ by The Highstool Prophets as his walk out music, a song chosen by his mother. On the night he also had a big group of 20 people supporting him, made up of family and friends.
Anthony loved the experience so much that he is going to sign up for another Ultra White Collar Boxing event taking place in July.
When asked what he would say to anyone thinking about signing up, Anthony said: “Trust me when I say you will never live to regret it. Yes, it is challenging at times. But stepping out of your comfort zone and proving your inner voice that you can do hard things is something you will keep in your back pocket for life. Now I know I can do anything if I set my mind to it – by signing up to a bout you’ll gain this type of inner strength too!”
Participants like Anthony are asked to raise at least £50 for their chosen charity – a target he comfortably surpassed.
So far, Ultra Events has raised a staggering £43.5 million for charity.
For anyone inspired by Anthony’s story to take part in Ultra White Collar Boxing, the next UWCB event in Crawley takes place on 18th July with training already underway. More information can be found here: https://ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk/locations/crawley/
