A payroll administrator from Edmonton has stepped into the ring to raise funds for Mental Health and Cancer charities.
Buse Sevimli, 24, took part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) event at The Troxy in London in March.
Her decision to step into the ring was motivated by the devastating passing of her father, Umit Sevimli, from cancer last year.
“I experienced a tragedy last year with the loss of my father and it really took its toll on me. I’d always been an active person – it was my Dad who would often take me to play sports – but I really lost my motivation and got into a bit of a dark place.”
Wanting to lift herself out of the struggle she found herself in, Buse saw Ultra White Collar Boxing, read some great reviews, and decided to sign up: “I knew I needed something to focus on and training for a boxing match felt like the sort of opportunity I was looking for.
“I saw that participants were asked to raise money for charity, so I decided I wanted to support a cancer charity to honour my Dad, and a mental health charity to reflect what I had been through over the last year. It made me realise how important looking after your mental health is.”
Buse chose to raise money for Cancer Research UK and The Mental Health Foundation.
Participants like Buse are given the opportunity to take part in eight weeks of free professional boxing training at gyms, before a showcase event in front of hundreds of spectators.
Buse trained at KO Boxing Gym under the guidance of respected coach UG.
Talking about the experience, Buse said, “After a period of inactivity the training was tough. But over the eight weeks I really noticed my fitness returning and I realised I was doing really well which was great for my confidence. I’ve never been much of a runner so the cardio was tough but it was very rewarding. I loved it so much I signed up for additional training sessions.”
Buse was observing Ramadan during training so also had fasting to contend with, adding: “Not only was training harder than ever, my eating routines were different to usual. Luckily as training was in the evening, I was able to break my fast before that, to at least get some energy inside me.”
On the night of the contest, Buse was supported by a group of friends who saw Buse open the evening, being the first contest of the night.
Talking of the experience, Buse said “The night before I was a nervous wreck – it was hard to sleep thinking about walking out in front of a huge crowd. But on the day of, I found out I was competing first, and that helped as I knew I wouldn’t have too much waiting around.
“I tried to keep my cool in the build up and once I put on my head guard and gum shield, I just got in the zone and locked in. I was so focused I didn’t even see the crowd during the ring walk – just the ring.”
On the night, Buse was victorious against her opponent Ashely Murkin, winning by decision after three rounds. Talking of the contest, Buse added: “My coach really helped me. During training we worked hard on learning combinations and during the fight, I kept trying to land my straight 1-2 shots. The tactic worked and I couldn’t believe it when I was announced the winner – I was delighted. The training really paid off.”
Asked if she would encourage others to sign up, Buse said: “One hundred per cent. I already have! Two of my friends were really inspired by my experience and are planning to sign up.”
Reflecting on the experience, she added: “Doing something like Ultra really allows you to find out how hard you can push yourself and what you’re capable of. Boxing might seem like another world, but it’s a brilliant thing to do, regardless of experience.”
So far, Ultra Events – the company behind the UWCB events – has raised a staggering £44 million for charity – over a million pounds of which has been raised in London.
Participants like Buse are asked to raise at least £50 for their chosen charity – a target she comfortably surpassed.
For anyone inspired by Buse’s story to take part in Ultra White Collar Boxing, the next UWCB event in London takes place at the Troxy on 12 September with training beginning 20 July. More information can be found here: https://ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk/london
