FISTS of fury will fly as a charity boxing match takes place in Stratton.

The PlayFootball indoor arena will - for one night only - swap goalposts for gloves as boxing fans come together for a night of jabs, hooks and knockouts.

Fifteen people, most of whom have never taken to the ring in their lives, have spent the previous weeks undergoing a punishing training regime and are all set to showcase their skills.

The event is the brainchild of promoters Gary Turland and Kenny Owen.

Gary, 32, said; “Kenny and I have been friends for a number of years and we have both been involved in boxing in various ways.

“We’ve been wanting to get together and do something like this for ages and we decided it would be good to bring the excitement for boxing back to Swindon and put on a memorable event for the town.”

Gary is framing the night as the perfect opportunity for people to come together to watch a bit of sport and raise money for charity.

Most of the boxers taking part are doing so to support a cause close to their hearts.

Gary said: “Some guys are doing it for charity and others just want to do something different, maybe to change their lives a bit.

“For people who have been through hard times it can be a real boost to do something like this for themselves, so there is a real mixture of reasons for wanting to do it.

“But we will be pushing the charities as much as we can on the night.

“We want people to come and have a good time, and if we can raise some money for charity along the way, then everyone wins.”

Gary is passionate when explaining how boxing can be used as a positive thing for people who wish to get their lives back on track after a difficult past.

After he suffered from anxiety and depression, he knows how important it is to have something to focus on.

He said: “It’s all about maintaining a healthy body and a healthy mind. Having something to focus on and work towards gives you that drive, which is good.”

The fight night will take place at the PlayFootball arena on Saturday, February 24.

For tickets, people can contact the PlayFootball Indoor Arena on 01793 297233 or log on to the Team KO Swindon’s Facebook page.

The VIP tables have already sold out, so Gary and Kenny are expecting it to be one hell of a night.