Boxing stars turn to football for charity

Conah Walker and Tyler Denny…supporting charity football match

THE gloves are off, the football boots on as the area’s fight community swaps sports for a very worthy cause.

A host of top fighters from the West Midlands have signed up for a special celeb charity soccer match organised by AFC Wulfrunians – a non-league outfit with a 100 year history – at Wolverhampton’s Prestige Midlands Arena on Sunday, May 11.

Money raised will go to Acorns Children’s Hospice and Facial Palsy UK.

And very prominent fighters will swap hand wraps for shin guards for the event, the list topped by British welter champ Conah Walker, former European middleweight champ Tyler Denny – who’ll turn out only days after a major televised fight, and female European welter boss Kirstie Bavington.

Also turning out are Brandon Bethell, soon to fight for a Midlands title, emerging talent Mia Holland and apprentice pro Jack Finlan.

Other combat and showbiz stars will take part.

The day – with kick off at 1pm – has been pieced together by radio station Wolverhampton Sport presenter Robbie Meakin, an ambassador for AFC Wulfrunians.

He said: “When I was appointed as an ambassador, I said, ‘we’re a football club, lets do a charity football match, let’s do something for the whole community’.”

“I’ve been working on it since November and it’s been a struggle to put it all together, it’s been full on. There will be medals and a trophy and we hope to make it an annual event.

“At the end we want to open the gates so the crowd can take pictures with those involved.”

Tickets are £5 for adults and £1 for children, available via http://www.skiddle.com/.../AFC-Wulfrunians.../40412305