On Saturday night history was created. Hundreds of people descended on the small fishing village of Mevagissey to witness a boxing event, the likes of which had never been seen around these parts ever before. But this was about something more than boxing, this was for a far greater cause. As I stood ringside last night and witnessed the courage and determination of these men I had a sobering thought, for so many of these men this could have been a different story. I have had the absolute privilege to meet and get to know some of these men for the past 9 months. I've learned about why they've put themselves through this and what it means to them. I've seen their progression from novice fighters to skilled amateurs and I've seen them grow as men. In the coming weeks I'll be releasing a video of the journey of the past 9 months. In it you'll see the transformation and the hard work its taken to get to this event. Every man who stepped into that ring last night deserves the upmost respect and admiration from everyone, without them it wouldn't have been possible.
At the beginning of the year Clint Osborne sent me a message asking if we could meet for a chat about a boxing event he had planned for September. We met last year at a similar event in Redruth, again I was taking photos and filming the fights but this time Clint had an even bigger idea. This was about more than just a one time event, this was about lifting men up who have been in some dark places, pushing them to better themselves and spreading the message that you don't have to suffer in silence. Men, we need to talk.
April 5th I travelled down to St Agnes to the boxing gym to meet a few of the fighters pencilled in to fight in September, all of them were so keen to get started and were more than happy to share their stories with me. Some had never even thrown a punch in anger, some had done nothing but and others just needed the discipline and escape of training to keep their mind clear.
Over the next 9 months I spoke and listened to all the fighters as they opened up to me to tell me about their reasons for fighting for Man Down (Man Down is a mens mental health charity). All of the fighters and many of the people involved have either suffered themselves with mental health or know someone who has. Some of the fighters have contemplated suicide and sadly for too many they had lost someone to suicide. When my ex girlfriend took her own life 4 years ago it affected me for a long time, I carried the guilt that I could've and should've done more and even now I wonder what if I'd done or said something differently. Speaking with some of these fighters I could see that they too had felt the anguish and guilt I'd felt and I have no doubt that many of these men suffered more than I did. Things affect everyone differently, some of these fighters have really been to the edge and have brought themselves back. Some have lost everything and managed to turn their lives around. This event is about them and for everyone else who's either been struggling in the past or struggling now. There is hope and there is a way back, sometimes all you need to do is speak with others and with people who have been there.
Over the course of the 9 months I would go to the training nights and meet with some of the fighters away from training. They would check in with me, let me know how their training was going and how they were getting on with their goals. Some had given up drinking, some had taken on martial arts classes, some were doing 24 tyre flips and some were carrying an 82kg log up to the top of Ben Nevis. 82 signifies the number of men who takes their own lives each week, that's is a terrifying statistic. It was fascinating listening to them and seeing their progression and transformation. The determination to get fit and healthy for this was inspiring.
Since the start back in January some fighters pulled out for various reasons and others joined part way through and by fight night there were 31 fighters ready to go. All had signed up for sparring and agreed to at least 2 sessions with Jimmy at St Austell Boxing Club to ensure they were capable of defending themselves. We created a YouTube channel and Facebook page which I'll link at the bottom of this blog. On it there are videos of the training, interviews with fighters and photos of the work that's gone into making this an incredible event.
The night itself was a spectacular display of courage and will power, not just from the fighters but from everyone to get a show like this put on and for it to go relatively smoothly. 16 fights, a raffle, 2 auctions, special guests, VIP areas, Mevagissey Male Voice Choir, Josh Curnow, dinner service, food stalls, program stands, first aid, security, a live stream, this event had it all.
The fights themselves were incredible, each fight was evenly matched and produced some epic battles. Fights that were so close the decisions could've gone either way, everyone conducted themselves brilliantly and respect was shown between all fighters. The fights themselves will be uploaded to the youtube channel in the coming days also.
So there you have it, an idea from Clint Osborne, a year long journey to get 31 fighters ready for this event and thousands of pounds raised for a charity that needs your support, the benefits of which we will probably never realise. The real reason for this event and the biggest take away from this is that everyone has their struggles and that's ok, not everyone can fight those battles alone, its ok to reach out to people, to friends and family and to groups like Man Down. 82 men take their own lives every single week and something needs to change. Charities and events like this help to spread that message and reach men who would otherwise be suffering in silence.
www.mandown-cornwall.co.uk
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-6LPSv02OzvIevJzpKBcHA
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2113459695476680
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