Champion boxer Ekow Essuman visits Newark Academy to talk to students about discipline

Students had the chance to box with a champion when he visited their school to give a talk.

British, European and Commonwealth welterweight champion Ekow Essuman went to Newark Academy to talk to students about resilience, drive and his journey to becoming a professional boxer.

The students also had a chance to spar with him, testing their skills with a combination of uppercuts, blocks and hooks.

Ekow said: “In light of covid, lots of kids are coming back to education and their behaviour is wayward.

“Boxing is one of the best sports for discipline and sticking to a routine.”

Ekow runs KO Interventions, using boxing and coaching to empower students and help improve their behaviour.

He hopes his titles as a boxing champion will give the students he visits something to aspire to and encourage them to listen to his message.

The boxer held two sessions at the academy, the first for students in years seven and nine, and a second for years eight and ten.

Student Jake Blant said: “It’s great. I watched him at Wembley. It’s a bit weird he’s actually in my school.”

Rhys Alexander added: “It feels good to have a champion in our school.”

The students had a chance to ask Ekow about his recent win at Wembley Stadium on Tyson Fury’s undercard, where he defended his title.

They were also able to get their hands on three of his belts from his career.