A hairdresser who swapped scissors for boxing gloves has raised more than £1,600 for a cancer charity.
Samantha Matthews, 35, from North Shore in Blackpool, took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) event at the Village Hotel last November in support of Prostate Cancer UK.
The cause is close to her heart following her father Roy’s diagnosis with stage three prostate cancer nearly three years ago.
Ms Matthews said: "It was a real shock when my dad was diagnosed, and I found it very hard to accept.
"I’m incredibly close to him, he has always been my biggest supporter, so it was very upsetting.
"I wanted to do something to help, even if I couldn’t directly help my dad.
His type of cancer is hereditary, so I wanted to raise awareness and funds to contribute to early diagnosis for other men.
"If I could help protect the men close to me, my brother, nephews, or even my own son, if they were ever diagnosed, that would mean everything to me. That’s why choosing Prostate Cancer UK was a no-brainer."
She raised £1,650 through her efforts in the ring.
Participants in UWCB events are given eight weeks of free professional boxing training before stepping into the ring for a bout in front of a live audience.
Ms Matthews trained at Pure Impact Boxing Gym under coaches Danny Bole and Jack Pemberton.
She said: "The eight-week training period was fantastic, and the coaches were brilliant.
"They slowed things down when we needed to, put us in groups where we felt comfortable and with people of similar ability, and were constantly giving feedback and praise on my technique, which really boosted my confidence."
Her best friend Tammy Stanbridge, who had previously taken part in a UWCB event, joined her in training, and the two were eventually matched to fight each other on the night.
Ms Matthews said: "We were judged to have similar levels of skill, so we were matched to box against each other on the big night, which really added the whole experience for me.
"Because we’ve been friends for over 15 years, it was amazing to compete against someone I knew.
"We both wanted to support each other, and we focused on giving people a show—but it was definitely competitive."
A large group of family and friends travelled from across Anglesey, Warrington, Wolverhampton, Manchester, and Blackpool to cheer her on, including her father.
Ms Matthews said: "I was really looking forward to the night of my contest—I’d trained hard, felt the most confident I had in years, and was ready to show everyone close to me how much progress I had made."
She entered the ring to "Demon in Your Dreams" by Motionless in White, the entrance theme of her favourite wrestler Rhea Ripley.
After a close bout, Ms Matthews emerged victorious.
She said: "I couldn’t be prouder of myself. It was proof that I could do anything, and to have my family there, especially my dad, was just so special and emotional. I’m so glad he got to see me fight."
Ultra Events, the organisation behind UWCB, has raised £41 million for charity to date, with nearly a quarter of a million pounds raised in Blackpool alone.
Ms Matthews was named the event’s top fundraiser, earning the Golden Glove award.
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She said: "I feel so proud of what I achieved—not just in the ring, but in raising money for such an important cause.
"Stepping into the ring pushed me far beyond my comfort zone, and knowing it was all for Prostate Cancer UK made every moment of training and every challenge worth it."
The next UWCB event in Blackpool will take place on April 25, with training beginning on March 2.
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