A young supermum has raised over £3,500 for a cancer charity after winning a boxing match – just six months after giving birth.
Alice Scutchey, 26, had just eight weeks to train for the Ultra White Collar Boxing match, which she took on whilst on maternity leave.
She decided to take up the challenge to raise money for Cancer Research UK after having her son Luca, who is now six months old.
But after returning to work in London as a senior executive assistant for a bank at the beginning of November, Alice was forced to juggle a four-hour commute, a young baby and training four times a week.
Her hard work paid off on Sunday, when she won the match at Priestfield Stadium in Gillingham, Kent, by just one point.
Alice said: “It was the best and worst experience of my life.
“There were 25 fights throughout the night and I was second, so there wasn’t really time to get nervous, which was definitely a good thing.
“We fought three rounds of two minutes each and it was really close but I won by 29 points to 28.
“Everyone was super proud – my husband Joe didn’t want me to do it to start with, but he helped me train at home and came round a bit.
“I don’t think he watched much of the fight because he was so worried but my mum and dad were down the front cheering.”
Alice gave birth to Luca on May 25, and began training just eight weeks before the fight.
Alongside the two weekly sessions which Ultra White Collar Boxing provide participants for free, she also visited a local gym twice a week.
Alice added: “I’d really like to keep it up.
“It’s such hard work, it’s the hardest workout I’ve done.
“I started it to get fit and it’s so intense.
“I’m not a very strong willed person and I normally get bored, but because I knew I had to fight, I put as much effort in as I could.
“I’m really competitive and I didn’t wanna be embarrassed or let down people who sponsored me.”
Alice has smashed her fundraising target, which was initially £300, and has now raised an incredible £3,700, with donations still coming in.
She has now reached the top fundraising leaderboard for Ultra White Collar Boxing, sitting at 10th place for the most money ever raised.
Alice said: “The reason I chose to support Cancer Research UK is because I know lots of people who have battled the disease.
“My mother in law had breast cancer, a close family friend passed away from a brain tumour back in 2014 and my first ever boss who remains a close friend has fought cancer 3 times now.
“I think the work they do is amazing.”
The fight has spurred on her competitive spirit, and she hopes to complete more challenges in future.
Alice added: “I’ve not got any more challenges lined up, and I’ve told my husband to stop me if I try anything like this again.
“But when I was in the park the other day I spotted a notice for women’s rugby and thought of trying that.
“I’m very determined and I always do things when I set my mind to them.
“I’m always on the lookout for a challenge.”
