PICTURE a ring filled not with traditional boxers but with a bunch of stand-up comedians swapping punchlines for punch-ups.

Last Wednesday evening my fellow comics and I stepped onto the canvas in the historic Ulster Hall to raise money for the Children’s Cancer Unit Charity, a wonderful organisation which supports families of children with cancer throughout their journey. It provides equipment, specialised staff support or home comforts for families and children in hospital during a very challenging time.

When my friend Shane Todd asked me to take part, I figured that if I was going to sacrifice myself on the altar of dignity, at least it was for the worthiest of causes.

It was all extremely well organised, with us fighters split into two teams to be trained by renowned boxers Sean McComb and Tyrone McKenna over 12 weeks. The pairings were made and everyone began to get in shape. That is, everyone except me.

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I was to fight Diona Doherty and though we laughed together about our height difference, my plan was to be like Scrappy........

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