Issue 15

The stars of a charity fight night are not hard-bitten boxers but businessmen and home-makers – and they won’t be pulling any punches, says Michael Franco

The banker wants to give the editor a serious smack-down. The business conglomerate manager is eager to maul the money broker. Even the home-maker mum can’t wait to throw down with another woman. 

No, they’re not actors in Fight Club II or characters in the latest townsfolk-gone- crazy Stephen King novel. They’re contestants in the third White Collar Boxing Charity Night – raising money for two organisations that benefit children in need. And on 9 May at the Orchard Hotel, they’re all out to pulverise each other in the ring in front of 600 of their closest friends, family members and co-workers. While most participants may be whitecollar desk-jockey pros, when it comes to boxing, they are all absolute amateurs who have just 12 weeks to get into shape. Training sessions are held three times a week and last about an hour each, during which the boxers-to-be hardly stop moving. A timer in the gym prods them from one high-octane drill to the next. 

Oliver Gilbert (the money broker) describes the weekly exercise regimen as invigorating but surprisingly hard. ‘Your whole body gets drained of every ounce of energy,’ he says about his first sparring match. Bryan Baker (the business conglomerate manager) echoes his sentiments. ‘Just keeping your hands up for two minutes is hard enough,’ he says. 

On the bright-lights big-money night, 16 will compete – paired according to weight class – so once the fisticuffs are finished, eight victors bask in glory and eight show up to work with bruises to the body and ego. The night’s action follows Olympic boxing rules and bouts consist of three two-minute rounds. The gloves the competitors use are 16oz versions instead of the 10oz mitts used in official amateur boxing matches, which helps slow their punches. A little. 

Judging from the success of previous White Collar Boxing nights, people like paying big money to charities as long as they get to see their husbands, wives and buddies rough each other up. In fact, Baker had so much fun in the audience last year, he decided to join in the fray this time around. ‘Great food, great drinks and getting to see your buddies compete,’ he says of the perks. ‘It’s one of the greatest nights out.’ Ian Mullane, who donates his coaching services and Vanda Boxing Club facility free of charge to event participants, adds: ‘Everyone in the audience has an emotional connection to at least one of the competitors.’ 

But watching the event from a cushy chair, dressed in black tie and nibbling ‘great food and drink’ is a world away from actually entering the ring. That’s a step competitors like Jim Plouffe, the 39-year-old editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest Asia, is ready to take. After attending the first White Collar Boxing Night, Plouffe figured he would never sign up. But as his fitness goals changed, he jumped in when a spot became available. ‘I’ve probably lost three kilos and will hopefully lose even more,’ he says of his training. ‘I just feel much fitter. And I now know how to skip rope, which is good when you have three daughters. They’re all impressed. I can actually do tricks.’ His other motivation for entering the ring? ‘I tend to pick sports I can die in,’ he says. He’s only half-joking. 

Rachael Marshall (the mother, one of two female competitors), also says her four-year-old daughter has really enjoyed her mum’s training – even occasionally accompanying her to the gym. ‘At first it was hard,’ Marshall says of the workout. ‘I never had a pair of boxing gloves on before in my life. In fact, before you can even put the gloves on, you have to get things like balance and foot placement correct.’ Now, as she slugs the heavy bags with some real heavy-hitters, she looks focused, toned and every bit as tough as the brawnier male trainees. 

Mullane – a former software company chief operating officer, now boxing coach, gym owner and promoter – vouches for the transforming effects the event has on the participants. ‘It will change their lives,’ he says. ‘It’s the most intense six minutes they’ll ever experience…the arena will be filled with adrenalin, alcohol and a whole host of emotions.’ But he has no doubt that his freshmen fighters will be ready for the big event. ‘They’ll do superhuman things that night, things they never thought possible,’ he says. 

Some of those things include improving the quality of life for children who live and play among waste dumps in Cambodia, or helping to provide specialised vocational training and education to children with cerebral palsy – work conducted by the Sporting Chance Foundation and the Spastic Children’s Association of Singapore, respectively. They’re the organisations – and the true heavyweight champs – that will benefit from the evening’s proceeds. 

The White Collar Boxing Charity Night takes place at Orchard Hotel at 8pm on 9 May. The event is sold out. 

Fight clubs
Looking to get in fighting form? Training to box – whether or not you ever face an opponent – is one of the best workouts for overall fitness. Get started with: 

Combat Academy
The name of this centre says it all – train in martial-art forms from around the world, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Israeli krav maga and good ol’ boxing classes. 
Various prices and times. Evershine & Century Complex, 43 Beach Rd (9475 9012, www.combatacademy.com.sg). MRT: Lavender, then bus 57, 100, 107. 

Les Mills BodyCombat
Kiwi Les Mills built this family fitness franchise after his stint as an Olympic boxer in the 1960s and ’70s. His BodyCombat classes, taught at gyms around the world, combine moves from karate, boxing, tae kwon do, tai chi and muay thai.
Various prices, times and locations. Fitness First (www.fitnessfirst.com.sg), Planet Fitness (www.planetfitness.com.sg). 

Vanda Boxing Club You’ll learn balance and hand-eye co-ordination as you go through the rapid-fire hour-long workout of skipping rope, shadow boxing, bag work and noncontact sparring. Hit the heavy bags, speed bag and target gloves until the trainer says you’re ready for contact sparring. 
$125 (month). Turf City, 200 Turf Club Rd (6767 1182, www.vandaboxing.com.sg). MRT: Clementi, then free Turf City shuttle bus every 30 minutes.

 See also 'An uppercut above'.