Kieron Jarvis is preparing for his first-ever bout of ultra white collar boxing in aid of Cancer Research UK.

PEOPLE find all sorts of ways to raise money for good causes, but most of us would shy away from climbing into a boxing ring and trading blows to do it.

Kieron Jarvis is made of sterner stuff. Kieron and wife Sarah own Mamma White’s Pancake Parlour in Cartergate, Newark, but come June 15, Kieron is hoping he won’t be flat out after going three rounds in his first-ever bout of ultra white collar boxing.

He said: “I had a sparring session and it was very interesting, getting hit properly for the first time. It was quite a shock ­— you get a great adrenalin rush but it does hurt the next day.”

Kieron, 27, is collecting sponsorship for his bout in aid of Cancer Research UK and has already raised more than £100 with an extra £50 to come in sponsorship from Newark Cue Club and the promise of a share of the takings at Mamma White’s on the weekend of the fight, which takes place at the Village Hotel in Nottingham.

A friend has also pledged to donate £1 for every pound in weight that Kieron loses in his run-up to the fight.

Kieron admits he isn’t yet at the peak of physical fitness but he is certainly making progress.

“It’s a massive challenge. I’m a big lad ­— I’m quite overweight to be honest. I’m five foot eight or nine and was 20stone 4lbs before I started training,” he said.

“I am halfway through the training now and I have lost 20 pounds.”

He said he was nervous, as the fight approached, but it was all for a good cause.

“I have a bit of fear, but at the same time I don’t mind the pain. It’s for a good cause. It’s three rounds, two minutes each round, so just get over that and you have raised good money for charity.”

At the start of the eight-week training regime, Kieron worked through three sessions a week at Rebels Gym in Radford, Nottingham, but this has now been stepped up with extra ring work adding two more sessions a week, sparring with Nottingham-based professional fighter Nathan Kirk.

Kieron doesn’t yet know who his opponent will be on fight night.

“There are about 60 people on the course but that will dwindle down, especially when people start sparring,” he said.

“When they get hit people think ‘no, I’m not going to do this.’ For the actual fight they match you against someone with a similar skills level.”

Fundraising apart, Kieron hopes the training regime will help him switch to a healthier lifestyle long-term.

“I’m hoping it will be a life-changer. I don’t just eat everything in sight any more. I’m much more careful about what I eat and drink,” he said.

“I’m lucky because my wife does Weight Watchers, so it’s been very helpful to me to follow her regime. Sarah has already lost 25 pounds. I stick to 1,700 calories a day, along with all the exercise.”

Tickets for Kieron’s debut bout and all the other fights on the night start at £25 and are available from https://www.ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk/locations/nottingham/