Cancer Research UK has ended its exclusive partnership with a company that organises boxing events after the deaths of three fighters who participated in fundraising matches for the charity.
Ultra White Collar Boxing, which is part of the Ultra Events conglomerate, offers eight weeks’ free training and match opportunities for amateur fighters who want to raise money for charity.
CRUK formed a partnership with Ultra Events in 2013, but ended its exclusive arrangement with Ultra White Collar Boxing in July this year – a decision the charity said was “mutually agreed”.
Simon Ledsham, fundraising director at CRUK, said ending the exclusive partnership would allow Ultra White Collar Boxing participants to fundraise for the charity of their choice, including CRUK if they wanted.
During the charity’s decade-long exclusive partnership with the boxing firm, £30m was raised for CRUK.
But the charity faced pressure to distance itself from the firm after three fighters died due to match injuries.
Alastair Peck died two days after a fundraising match in Harrogate in 2017, with a coroner ruling that head injuries sustained during the fight caused his death.
Peck was raising money for CRUK in memory of his three-year-old niece Lauren Morgan, who died from kidney cancer in 2008.
Two other men also died following UWCB and CRUK boxing matches – Dominic Chapman, aged 26, died after a match in 2022 and Jubal Reji Kurian, aged 23, died after a bout this year.
Ledsham said: “Our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies remain with the family and friends of those affected.”
He added that although CRUK was ending its partnership with Ultra White Collar Boxing, it planned to retain exclusivity with Ultra Events across its other challenge activities.
This includes Ultra Ballroom, which offers fundraising opportunities through dancing training and shows, and Ultra Adventures, which enables fundraising through world trips and experiences.
Ledsam said: “We’d like to thank Ultra Events and the support from over 100,000 people who’ve participated in Ultra White Collar Boxing. Their efforts represent a major contribution to the charity’s mission to beat cancer sooner.”
In 2019, UWCB stopped employing women in revealing outfits to hold up signs during its fundraising matches for CRUK after Third Sector raised supporters’ concerns with the charity.
The company said that after discussions with the charity the “ring girls” would wear evening dress instead of leotards and other revealing outfits.
Ultra White Collar Boxing has been contacted for comment.