Boxing asks everything of its fighters.
Years of sacrifice. Countless hours in the gym. Physical pain. Emotional pressure. Time away from family. The constant uncertainty of a sport where one punch can change a career and a life forever.
But what happens when the career ends?
What happens when a fighter is forced to retire through injury, when the money stops coming in, when the structure and purpose of boxing disappears from their daily life?
And who is there for them when the cheering stops?
These are the questions at the heart of Boxers In Need, a charity established with a clear mission: to support the fighters when they need it most.
Founded in 2024 by retired businessman and lifelong boxing supporter Gary Cornforth, alongside world-renowned professional boxing coach Peter Fury, Boxers In Need has set out to create a lasting support network for those who have given so much to the sport.
It is an organisation built on a simple belief:
Those who give everything to boxing should not be forgotten when boxing can no longer give back.
The risks are real
Recent injuries to Irish fighter Lee Reeves and professional boxer Raven Chapman, who suffered a serious injury during training, have once again demonstrated the dangers faced by fighters.
And boxing’s history is filled with similar stories.
Michael Watson suffered devastating injuries in his 1991 fight with Chris Eubank. Gerald McClellan was left with life-changing brain injuries following his world-title clash with Nigel Benn and Spencer Oliver’s promising career was cut short by a serious injury.
These are names known throughout boxing and behind every fighter are the families whose struggles may never receive the same attention.
A career can end in an instant.
The financial consequences can be enormous. The mental-health consequences can be equally serious. For somebody whose entire identity has been built around being a fighter, suddenly being told they can never fight again can leave an enormous void.
And it isn’t only injured fighters who need help.
Retirement itself can be difficult.
Even world champions can struggle to adjust to life after boxing. Success inside the ring does not automatically guarantee security outside it.
This is precisely where Boxers In Need wants to step in.
Supporting fighters beyond their careers
Boxers In Need describes itself as a charity supporting fighters beyond their careers, with a focus on mental health, financial support and community.
For fighters who suddenly find themselves unable to continue, Boxers In Need aims to provide vital assistance with the transition into life outside the ring.
That includes access to wellness, mentoring, rehabilitation and financial support.
The aim is not simply to help a boxer recover physically. It is about helping them rebuild their life.
A fighter who has spent years training for competition needs more than medical treatment when their career is suddenly taken away. They may need guidance about what comes next, financial assistance while they get back on their feet, emotional support and somebody to help them navigate a future they never expected to have.
The second major focus is on those who have already stepped away from boxing.
Many retired fighters dedicate their best years to the sport without ending their careers with financial security. The boxing world continues to move forward, but some former fighters can find themselves struggling with money, mental health, isolation or simply finding a new sense of purpose.
Boxers In Need exists to ensure those fighters still have somewhere to turn.
Their careers may be over but they still have a future.
Supporting grassroots boxing
The charity also recognises that supporting boxing means supporting the gyms that keep the sport alive.
Across Britain and Ireland, amateur boxing clubs are often run by volunteers working with very limited resources. Yet these gyms do far more than produce fighters.
They give young people discipline, structure, confidence and a sense of belonging. They provide positive role models and, in many communities, offer an alternative to the streets and can be a family for those who have no one.
Boxers In Need aims to support these grassroots gyms, particularly those operating in deprived communities across the UK and Ireland.
Rehabilitation Centre
Perhaps the most ambitious part of the Boxers In Need vision is its plan to establish a dedicated rehabilitation centre for boxers whose careers have ended prematurely through injury.
The proposed centre would be more than somewhere for physical rehabilitation. It would be a place of recovery, guidance and opportunity. A safe haven where fighters could begin rebuilding their lives, receive support and work towards a future outside the ring.
For a sport where careers can be ended by one devastating injury, the potential importance of such a facility cannot be overstated. Boxers spend years preparing themselves to fight. Boxers In Need wants to help prepare them for what comes afterwards.
A team from inside the boxing world
The organisation is being built by people who understand boxing and understand the challenges facing its participants.
Gary Cornforth is a retired businessman from Manchester and a lifelong boxing fan with a passion for supporting grassroots boxing, boxers and boxing projects.
Peter Fury is one of the sport’s most respected coaches, with a proven track record of guiding fighters to the highest levels of professional boxing.
They are supported by others on the Board of Trustees bringing professional expertise, governance experience and a shared passion for the sport.
Among them is Scott Alexander Ewing, a highly respected solicitor with more than 30 years’ experience in criminal law.
James Barker, CEO of Devonshire Green Accountants, serves as trustee and treasurer, bringing financial expertise to the organisation.
Micky Collier is one of the most respected figures within the British boxing community, known for his integrity, leadership and lifelong commitment to the sport.
Aky Karim is a familiar face and voice to boxing fans, working as a presenter, commentator and MC.
Samm Mullins, a professional boxing coach and founder of Churchill’s Gym, brings his experience of training and mentoring fighters.
It is a team that reflects the organisation’s wider philosophy: Boxers In Need is being built from within the boxing community, for the boxing community.
More than a charity
The significance of Boxers In Need goes beyond providing financial assistance, it is about changing the way boxing thinks about its fighters.
Too often, the focus is naturally on the next fight, the next prospect, the next title challenge and the next champion.
But there should also be a place in boxing for the fighter who can no longer fight.
The former professional who is struggling to make ends meet.
The boxer dealing with the physical consequences of a career spent taking punishment.
The fighter who has lost their sense of purpose after retirement.
The young person whose local amateur club desperately needs support to keep its doors open.
These people are all part of boxing.
And they deserve support.
Building a lasting legacy
Boxers In Need has set itself a considerable challenge.
Its ultimate vision is to create a lasting legacy for the sport by ensuring that those who gave everything to boxing are supported, remembered and celebrated, while giving the next generation the opportunity to thrive.
That is a message boxing should get behind.
The sport will always have fighters.
It will always have coaches, gyms, promoters, officials and fans.
But it also needs organisations willing to stand beside the people who have paid the greatest personal price for being involved in it.
Boxers In Need wants to be that organisation.
Because when the gloves come off, the fighter should not be left standing alone.
Boxers In Need wants to be there standing with them.
IRISH BOXING DIGEST 
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