People sometimes describe Varsity as things that relate to the rivalry of universities, especially sports or teams.
However just one sport will attract the fierce rivalry between UCLAN and Edge Hill, in a boxing match where hundreds of students will come together from the two Universities to compete across 15 fights.
Rivalries can be a real revelation. When you have rivals, you need to stand out from the crowd.
Having a competitor means you must find creative ways to make an impact.
Competition lets you understand what you are good at and pushes you to excel and that is what these two bring out each other.
Since 2013 the two institutions have been battling it out. This year is the first time ever they will compete for ODDBALLS charity in bouts.
The event is huge and will be competitive. The battle of Lancashire will see both men and women competing the biggest white collar boxing event in the northwest and the rivalry makes it even more exciting.
On March 20th at six o'clock the first fight will commence with thousands of people watching and supporting their favored university. Both teams have had eight weeks of hard long thought training in preparation for the fight.
Who's coming out on top?
UCLAN
EDGE HILL
Coach Mike Lynn has been training team UCLAN and said he feels strongly that UCLAN will come out on top.
“I am very confident in all the boxers; they have put in the effort and the hard work. They have put it in the sparring and the training has been hard so I am very confident the hard work will pay off.”
“And as long as everyone has fun that's all I care about. But at the end of the day, we are coming to win and to have a clean sweep of edge hill.”
“Its great, it's for charity at the end of the day and for everyone who is turning up has shown the bottle. They have put themselves out there and that is a real big achievement for everyone who is a part of it, wins, loses or draws whatever they are raising money for charity, and they have trained hard for weeks.”
“They have got healthier, and fitter and they are going to put it all on the line and try and beat someone Infront of their mates and have a good night. But it is important to win and they have done really well and I'm really proud,”
“I've got no doubt in my mind what I have taught everyone will bring it to the fight and that they are going to win their fights. I have got no worries at all.”
Fights are being announced left and right. Coming closer to the fight nerves should be showing but headline fighter Dom Parry is showing its not effecting him.
“I'm very confident. There's extra motivation to win knowing that you are fighting someone from Edge Hill as we have not won a Varsity game against them since I joined university.”
“Seeing everyone train and the work everyone is putting in, I'm confident UCLAN will come out on top and hopefully my fight helps contribute to a UCLAN win.”
Parry is fighting Edge Hill’s Anthony Hawksford. Parry, the most experienced boxer for team UCLAN, has not fought since before lockdown 2019.
The first fight announced on the card was UCLAN’s Josh Ryan vs Edge Hill’s Sean Carling. Both fighters on the card are the only ones to weigh over 100kg. With the heaviest fight on the cards Ryan said,
“With both of us being complete amateurs and not knowing each other's fighting abilities, it's impossible to know each other's strengths and weaknesses.”
“That being said i know much work i have put in and improved over the last 8 weeks and how much team UCLAN have as well, so i am confident we can come out on top.
“It's exciting for me to challenge myself to something completely new and different,”
“Boxing has definitely been hard work, but I am looking forward to my fight night. The rivalry between Edge Hill and UCLAN has always been massive in my years at university, so obviously going into it there is an added edge."
However, I am just excited to enjoy the fight and the night ahead.”
The Varsity will be held at Fusion Nightclub, Liverpool.
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