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A charity boxing event bringing together 10 retired professional footballers has raised £127,500 for four causes.
The funds were split between Helping Hands, supporting the Royal Free Charity (£25,500), Playskill (£25,500), The Willow Foundation (£51,000) and Sport in Mind (£25,500).
Professional project promotionsfounded by former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, hosted the inaugural event at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Mayfair on October 18, 2025. The show was broadcast live on the Boxing News YouTube Channel.
With their boots long hung up, former footballers who donned the gloves included Curtis Davies, Paddy Kenny, Leroy Lita, David Noble, Anthony Gardner, Lee Trundle, Greg Halford, Marvin Elliott, Jody Morris and David Bentley.
Stack, CEO of Pro Project Promotions, paid tribute to the participants and thanked several former professional boxers who supported the event.
“Seeing former elite footballers step into the ring and step out of their comfort zone for the cause was truly inspiring.
“We could not have achieved this without the tremendous support of the wider boxing community, including former world champions Roy Jones Jr., Michael Watson, George Groves, Darren Barker, John Ryder and David Haye.
“I am extremely grateful for the support from the sports and media world that has helped make this dream a reality.”
Former Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies beat former Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny in the first heavyweight fight. Davies, 40, reflected on the experience and its impact.
“I’ve done lots of different things for charity, but did I ever think boxing would be one of them…absolutely not! The personal effect it’s had on me and the band has been huge.
“As retired former professional footballers, we all still aspire to this goal. This event gave me that goal.”
Two more events are confirmed for 2026, starting on April 17 at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool before a return to London’s Grosvenor House on September 16. Stack now hopes to hit a target of £500,000 raised for charity.
