5th November 2026: A Derby man will make his professional boxing debut this weekend – five years after first stepping into the ring in a charity white collar boxing event.
Charlie Box, 29, from Alvaston, is looking to follow in the footsteps of boxing sensation Fabio Wardley – who fought for the world heavyweight title last month – by making the move from white collar contests to the big time.
Charlie first boxed just five years ago, while taking part in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) match. Having caught the ‘boxing bug’ after his experience, Charlie transitioned into the world of amateur boxing, building up a string of victories.
Now, Charlie will make his first move to potential stardom, by making his professional debut this Saturday [7 November] at Alfreton Leisure Centre – sponsored by Derby-based Ultra White Collar Boxing, which gave him his first opportunity in the ring.
“I’ve always liked boxing – not just because of my name – so when I heard about Ultra, I thought it would be a great thing to do. I could try my hand at the sport and raise money for charity. I’d also had a friend take part who recommended it to me. Once I started training, I just fell in love with it.” Charlie said.
Participants like Charlie taking part in UWCB receive eight weeks of free professional boxing training at local gyms ahead of an evenly matched, three-round contest in front of a huge crowd.
After his white collar contest, Charlie decided to stay on at the gym, which also offered an amateur and professional boxing club, in order to further pursue his budding passion for pugilism.
“I did my Ultra White Collar fight in September 2021 and by October, I was already training for my first amateur fight. Ultra’s training was a really brilliant foundation for strong boxing skills, so it was actually quite a smooth transition into amateur boxing. I did a ‘season’ where I had five or six fights, and then I went on to do four more seasons.”
Charlie continued: “Over that time, I have matured, both as a person and a boxer. This year I turned 29 and I decided now is the time to have a crack at being a pro”
But being a professional doesn’t mean making a living from boxing. Budding pros like Charlie often fit their grueling training schedules around busy work and home lives. Charlie has been training with the support of his wife Louise and his two children Tommy, aged 6 and 11-month old Alfie.
Charlie, who will be competing in the super-featherweight category this weekend, said: “I am currently training ten times a week around a 50 hour-a-week job at the local builders merchants. That’s on top of being a dad to two.
“My work can be quite physically demanding in itself, especially deliveries, but that just helps me build my strength and stamina. I start training at 5am every day before work and then go again after work. It’s a long day, but going pro was never going to be easy. I do it for the love of it and my family is hugely supportive.”
Charlie has been training for his professional debut at One Nation Gym in Derby – where he also did his Ultra training – under the guidance of respected coach Clifton Mitchell, who will be in his corner on the night of his debut.
He is training with financial assistance from Ultra White Collar Boxing, which wanted to support Charlie after finding out their ex-participant would be going pro.
Charlie added: “I got a message out the blue from the owner of Ultra White Collar Boxing. He said everyone at Ultra was really proud to hear I’d be making my professional debut after starting it all with them, and they’d love to jump on board and be my main sponsor. This has really helped ensure I can focus on my training and meant a lot.”
Asked about his feelings ahead of his professional debut, Charlie added: “I don’t know who I am fighting at the moment, as is often the way in early professional fights. But that doesn’t bother me because I am just focusing on myself and doing all I can to get the win and that 1-0 pro record.”
Asked how high he has set his sights, Charlie concluded: “I am going to take it one fight at a time and just give this all my best shot and see what level it can take me to, be that domestic, English, British or higher. I love this sport, and I will give it everything I have.”
For anyone inspired by Charlie’s journey to take part in Ultra White Collar Boxing, the next event in Derby takes place at Arleston Hall, Derby on 20th March 2027. Training starts at One Nation in Stockbrook, Derby from Monday 25th January 2027. More information on upcoming events and registration can be found here: ultrawhitecollarboxing.co.uk/derby.