Boxing News Boxing News
Gentleman Boxing, or White Collar Boxing as it is better known, is becoming one of the most popular pastimes for City of London workers. There doesn’t seem to be a month pass without at least one major White Collar Boxing event taking place in the capital.
On Wednesday the 25th November 2009 London is the setting for what must rate as one of the most high profile of all White Collar Boxing events to date, Judgement Day II, which takes place just a stones throw away from the landmark Tower Bridge at Cable night club in Southwark.
In addition to attracting Gentleman boxers from around the globe, the event has also piqued the interest of the world’s media. Judgement Day II organisers, Rooney’s Boxing Gym, having received media credential requests from both sides of the Atlantic as well as two television news programs.
Some may be a little surprised by the recent popularity of Gentleman Boxing, but they shouldn’t be, as back in the eighteenth century boxing was considered to be the sport of Gentlemen, and Royalty. On the 9th July 1788 the Prince of Wales, a keen supporter of the pugilistic arts, travelled to Croydon to watch the undefeated William Futrell face the upcoming ‘Gentleman’ John Jackson.
The fight, which took place under Broughton’s rules, lasted one hour and seventeen minutes before then champion Futrell was floored and unable to make the 30 second count.
Some eighty years later John Chambers drafted a modern set of rules, the very same rules that all professional boxing matches follow today, which were published under the patronage of the Marquess of Queensberry. The first Heavyweight Champion under the Marquess of Queensberry rules was ‘Gentleman Jim’ Corbett who in 1892 defeated John L. Sullivan in New Orleans.
With the advent of professional boxing it wasn’t too long before the Gentleman boxer disappeared from the ring altogether. However, almost a century later, in 1988, the Gentleman boxer did re-emerge, at a gym in New York, when Dr. Richard Novak, an attorney, challenged Dr. David Lawrence, a PhD. of English Literature, to a boxing contest. After the contest the two Gentlemen went to dinner to celebrate the birth of the new sport.
So what attracts today’s city whizz kids to take up White Collar Boxing? Whilst not a definitive answer, a clue may lie in the response given by a recently victorious Gentleman boxer, 31 year old hedge fund manager Ed Storey, who said. “The reason I decided to give White Collar Boxing a go is my grandfather was a prize fighter.
“When I was growing up he always said I had the shoulders to box and that I should box, but my mother wouldn’t let me because, well she’s American I guess. So I never got to box when I was young and then when at college I was too busy living the lifestyle to be worried about boxing. Then when I started working I was just working too hard.
It’s only now that I really got the time in my life to put the hours in for something like that. I started for the fitness and then started thinking that one day I might get to fight. I’ve been building it up from there with Rooney’s Gym coach Ben Doughty.
I eventually got to my first fight at Judgement Day at Cable night club back in September. I was pretty relaxed about the whole thing thanks to the great training from Ben. I enjoyed it, Ben gave me a game plan, which I stuck with. It worked out really well in the end.
I’d highly recommend anyone to try it. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to fight again.”
I’m sure that not all Gentleman Boxers reason for taking up the sport are the same as it is for Ed Storey but I am pretty sure that with most it will be that now they are in the position, financially and time wise, to do so.
Ed Storey, along with fellow Gentleman Boxers, will next be in action at Judgement Day II on Wednesday 25th November at Cable in Southwark, South East London.
For Judgement Day II Rooney’s Boxing Gym have joined forces with Revolver Entertainment to present a glittering night of top class Boxing and MMA action as well as a special screening of “Tyson The Movie” Platinum Knockout Edition. In addition to the pugilistic arts on display Judgement Day II will also feature a unique homage to the World of Boxing by Burlesque star Miss Gigi Ramone.
Following the non-stop ring action attendees of Judgement Day II will be treated to THE after fight party of all time. Headlining the very special after-show will be none other than the awesome , and truly outrageous, Glam Rock band “Spider Baby” who will be taking some time off from recording their new album, which is due out early in 2010, especially to perform at Judgement Day II.
Judgement Day II will be held at the Cable Club, Bermondsey Street Tunnel, London SE1 3JW on Wednesday 25th November 2009. Doors open at 7.00pm.
Tickets are priced £30.00 (unreserved) and £50.00 (V.I.P.) and are available from Rooney’s Boxing Gym, 895/896 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL or call 020 7403 6113.
Entry for the after fight show only, featuring “Spider Baby”, is £5.00 on the door from 10pm.
