By Seb McGrath, Fourth Year, Spanish and German
Emma Griffiths, Ed Wallace and Seb McGrath were in for an electrifying evening at The Fighter, where they witnessed the boxers battle to the thundering roar of 2,000 of their peers. Amid the adrenaline and anticipation, I shadowed Bailey “The Bully Boy” Vincent and Orla “Spark’er” Parker, tracing the overwhelming emotions that carried them from the dressing room to the final bell.
The Fighter, University of Bristol’s most established fight night, took place on the 21st November, and was met with wild enthusiasm from the 2,000 students watching. It entailed 15 fights, each consisting of three two-minute rounds, leaving the boxers barely on their feet as the cardiovascular demands of the sport took hold. The standard was impressively high, especially considering these boxers had never fought before when they began their training just eight weeks prior.
Even spectators with little interest in boxing found themselves enthralled: the fire-lit walk-outs of each boxer were a spectacle in their own right—from endearing jigs to muscle-flexing theatrics, each fight was filled with personality. The night was also peppered with shows from the university’s JETS Cheerleading Society, and the Dance Society. I began the evening checking in on the two fighters I’d interviewed a month prior.
Away from the cheers and primal roars sounding from ringside, the dressing room was silent, tense and taut with nerves. Some fighters listened to music; others warmed up, mentally visualising everything they’d learnt from their coaches at the Empire Boxing Gym. Orla “Spark’er” Parker, sporting a pair of blue boxing shorts to go with the headgear she would later don, was first to share her thoughts. Recognising the fight could be anyone’s, she told Epigram “both my opponent and I have worked hard”. She reassured us (and perhaps herself, too) that the twice-weekly training sessions, as well as incessant cardio work, had been enough for her to hold her own.
Bailey “The Bully Boy” Vincent, was also unreasonably composed, and ready to face “Prince” Omar in the ring. With modest confidence, he told us of his pride for “all the work we’ve put in”, and was aware he needed to put on a show: “I’ve got lots of family and friends here, and some have come all the way from Edinburgh.” The lengths that supporters went to to show their support demonstrate exactly what this event means for all those involved. This is not only due to the all-consuming nature of the training, but also because of the wider good that it stands for.
At the time of writing my first article, The Bully Boy’s fundraiser stood at just over £500. Post-fight, it has reached almost £700. He fought and fundraised for Great Ormond Street Hospital, a charity that provided life-changing support to his cousin, who was diagnosed with Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. The success of his fundraiser means that for many, even before stepping into the ring, the Bully Boy was a winner, even if he was just pipped to the post by the Prince.
Similarly, Spark’er has reached a staggering 190% of her fundraising target. The money will go towards essential treatment and research for Mind UK—“something important that I truly believe in,” she said. The knowledge that her determination had helped change lives motivated her journey to boxing victory at the Prospect Building, and the deafening eruption from her throng of fans at the words “blue corner” will stay with her for a long time. The huge smiles that followed showed it had all been worth it.
As the Bully Boy reflected, “there were always going to be 15 winners and 15 losers”. But on a night where passion met generosity and strangers became supporters, it was clear that the results only told half the story.
Have you ever experience the in-person atmosphere of The Fighter?
Featured image: Epigram / Emma Griffiths
