Some interesting footgear was on display on the night.

The Armoury Boxing Club hosted its 5th “White Collar” Fight Night on Friday night. I went along partly to cover the event for ILW and partly out of morbid fascination, not really knowing what to expect. A quick glance at the Armoury’s impressive website laid to rest any ideas I may have had of seeing a sociopath ad. exec. version of Brad Pit with bare knuckles beating someone senseless. These guys were into traditional boxing and took themselves seriously as boxing coaches. But still I had reservations on just how real this fight night will be. Will it be a bunch of yuppies pussyfooting around, feeling each other out – a kind of ‘display fight’?

The crowd get lubricated on tall stories and Black Label.

From the moment the first fight started any reservations were laid to rest. The level of intensity caught me by surprise and I gathered from the cheers and ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ that the rest of the audience was similarly enthralled. I have been to Dragon Power Muay Thai events before and the party vibe and format was similar, although this time imbued with a distinct boxing flavour. Tough looking guys in suits mingled with the trendy Cape Town (or should I say Woodstock?) crowd while fighters battled it out in the ring.

In the warm-up room the tension shows on the faces of the waiting pugilists.

Only these fighters are ordinary Joe’s like you and me, taking on a bout in the ring for the thrill of an adventure or a challenge beyond what can be experienced in the office environment. The volunteer fighters get to train for 3 months and then experience a white collar bout, 3 rounds of 2 minutes each. Protective gear is worn and no winners are declared. Everyone who has the guts to step into the ring is considered a winner.

Left: Warming up. Right: Anne-Sophie strikes a pose

Anne-Sophie Leens, a graphic designer, had commented on Facebook that she was training for such an event and I arranged to chat to her after her fight. It turned out that she had only been training for the last 6 weeks running up to the fight, one week of which she was sick. The trainers asked her if she was interested in competing, since matric student Donna Blagus needed an opponent. Anne-Sophie was subsequently put through a crash course in physical fitness and boxing training to prepare her for the match. Before you get upset with Anne-Sophie for beating up on schoolgirls, let me remind you that little Donna had already been training for a year, and may have been itching to beat up someone old enough to be her school teacher.

Donna Blagus experiences a blood bin moment.

As soon as the match started the girls went for each other like two angry cobras, and by the second round both sported bloody noses. This was no posing fight indeed. At the end of the match both embraced and had their arms raised as winners. I caught up with them in the restroom where they were excitedly swapping stories of “I did this, and you did that…” , clearly both still cruising on the high of the moment.

Afterwards the ladies embrace each other before swapping war stories.

Although only 3 rounds of 2 minutes, your fitness will be tested to the max.

The Armoury fashion gear hangs like a suit display in the Bat Cave. Be warned… you have to earn the right to wear these.

50% of the people training at the club are women.

The Fight Night experience is a near authentic version of a real boxing match.

Contemporary boxing icons adorn the mens’ and ladies’ doors respectively.

Gargle and spit! Coaches also discuss tactics during breaks.

Everyone who steps into the ring is a winner on Fight Night.

DJ Darren “The Tunemaster” Todd dishes out beatings of a different kind on the night.

The Armoury Boxing Club is situated in the Armoury building, Buchanon Square, Sir Lowry Road. The next Fight Night is on 25 November 2011. Visit their site for more info on classes and fees.