Business Heavyweights – blow by blow account
ON Wednesday night’s evidence, two minutes is a very long time in amateur boxing.
Twelve brave souls from the business world entered the ring for three, two-minute rounds at Manchester’s Midland Hotel, and each took a serious battering.
There was blood, raw aggression and bombastic intro music – although the 6ft 9in John Fowler incongruously came out to what sounded like S Club 7.
It all drew a sell-out crowd of 500 who helped raise £80,000 for the Factory Youth Zone project in Harpurhey.
The victors were: Nick ‘White Rhino’ Buckley, a senior clerk at Exchange Chambers; ‘Sugar’ Ray Stenton, a director at NorthEdge Capital; John ‘The Freak’ Fowler, chief financial officer at Salford Software; and Tom ‘Razor’ Sharples, associate partner at surveyor Ridley Thaw. There were also two draws.
Pat ‘The Duke’ Loftus, a senior partner at Deloitte, lost in perhaps the most gripping bout, but was full of praise for his adversary, ‘Sugar’ Ray Stenton.
He said: “Ray Stenton boxed superbly. He was the best fighter on the night and all credit to him. He’s also a businessman I have great respect for, and he’s a pal. We’ve raised a fortune for charity and it’s been a great night, and I’ve got a thumping head but I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
TSG Property Consultants director Andrew Gardiner, a huge 6ft 7in, met his even bigger nemesis in John Fowler. “It was a very challenging environment,” he said. “I could hear the crowd going mad and that helped a lot. He came out of the blocks highly motivated and I only got motivated after taking a couple of blows.”
His dad, John Gardiner, was in the crowd: “I was president of Sale Rugby Club when they played together so they both know how to take a punch and focus and train. Everyone who’s boxed has thrown themselves into it. He’s not drunk alcohol since Christmas and he’s in the gym at 7am and back again at 5pm. You’ve got to admire them all.”
The event was organised by PR and marketing firm MC2, investment firm Equistone Partners, and T M Sports. The main sponsor was BetFred.
For a full picture gallery click here.
The bouts:
Nick ‘White Rhino’ Buckley vs Mark ‘The Bomber’ Burgess (MD at Capital Properties)
White Rhino won the first bout by steaming into Bomber Burgess for most of the six minutes. Although smaller he’s broader in the beam and landed a succession of blows to the head.
It was clear this attack stunned Bomber and by the second round his nose was bleeding and he was caught with a powerful punch on the chin. Buckley didn’t lose his momentum into the third and finished how he started, with an unforgiving string of head blows.
Pat ‘The Duke’ Loftus vs ‘Sugar’ Ray Stenton
Stenton came out on top in this ferocious, raw bout where both men tore into each other. Equally matched in height and stature it was hard to tell them apart in the first round.
In the second a fast left right combination from Stenton left Loftus exposed and exacerbated a nose bleed. He kept up this momentum into the third despite nimble moves by Loftus. Both were weary at the final bell and earned a standing ovation.
Andy ‘The Hitman’ Holt (consultant at DLA Piper) vs Doug ‘Uppercut’ Crawford (chief executive of MyHomeMove)
The first draw of the evening was an evenly matched and measured bout, slower in pace than the frenzied Loftus/Stenton tie which preceded it. Crawford was on the ropes in the first round but regained his composure.
The Hitman landed blows in the second round but both struggled to break through which led to the judges’ split decision.
Paul ‘Lights Out’ Lines (director at Altium) vs Dan ‘Goodnight’ Wright (director of transaction services at Deloitte)
Another draw. These two big fighters – 6ft 3″ against 6ft 5″ – slugged it out but there was nothing between them. They both came out strong and Goodnight Wright landed punches but Lights Out resisted. Both eased off in the second and upped the tempo in the third but ultimately finished equal.
Tom ‘Razor’ Sharples vs Alex ‘The Animal’ Summerscales (director of costs at Express Solicitors)
The Animal showed early promise as the only fighter to confidently jump into the ring, but the size difference, apparently 65Ibs, was immediately evident. Razor dominated, his long reach and physical stature bearing down on Summerscales. There was no escape. He landed some body blows but he was swotted with increasing intensity by Razor until a connecting upper cut led the referee – former WBA champ Robin Reid – to stop the bout on the grounds of safety late in the first round. “We don’t want anybody to get hurt,” he said.
John ‘The Freak’ Fowler vs Andrew ‘No Nickname’ Gardiner
This match was billed as the clash of the real heavyweights – 6ft 9″ against 6ft 7″. Gardiner, a man mountain to most, looked slight against Fowler who was more powerful and the ultimate victor. Although fast and fluid, Gardiner couldn’t penetrate Fowler’s steady and relentless blows.
He was on the ropes in the second and in the third when he was clearly out of puff and out-gunned.
