Property lawyer packs a punch for charity
A plucky Midlands property lawyer is hoping to bring the house down when she takes part in a charity white-collar boxing event in Birmingham next month.
Tona Zefi, an associate solicitor with Emms Gilmore Liberson, is set to swap the courtroom for the boxing ring in aid of Cancer Research UK.
The 29 year old from Langley Green in Birmingham has thrown her hat into the ring for the Ultra White Collar Boxing (UCWB) charity fundraiser at Edgbaston Stadium, on September 1st.
Tona, who has raised funds for several local and national charities including Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Breast Cancer and Macmillan Cancer Support, decided to sign-up for the competition after losing a friend to cancer.
She has since undertaken a gruelling eight-week training programme at a local gym to prepare for the event.
Tona said: “I’m naturally fit and love raising funds for charity, so have typically taken part in half-marathons, 10km and 5km runs, but this year I decided to do something different. I wanted a challenge that would take me completely out of my comfort zone and would inspire more people to sponsor me.
“My colleagues think I’m mad – one of them said I could have just baked a cake! The way I look at it is that people are facing a battle with cancer every single day, so six minutes in a boxing ring is not the end of the world.”
UCWB competitors receive professional coaching sessions prior to the event, learning essential boxing skills and increasing their fitness levels. Following a pre-fight weigh-in, event organisers pair suitable opponents based on weight, fitness, ability and age.
The black-tie event, which will include people who have never boxed in public before, will see bouts of three two-minute rounds in front of a large ringside audience, with fighters accompanied by their own chosen walk-on music.
Tona, who assists EGL’s commercial and property litigation teams, said: “It will be nerve-wracking on the night, but I hope to have plenty of friends, family and colleagues there to cheer me on. I’ve got a game plan and intend to be disciplined – let’s just hope I can come through unscathed and raise lots of money for Cancer Research UK!”
- To support Tona’s boxing challenge and raise money for Cancer Research UK, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tona-zefi
CAPTION: Lawyer, Tona Zefi of Emms Gilmore Liberson, with colleague Philip Hunt.
