Pictured above: (l-r) Tony McDaid (No5 Practice Director)
Earl Pinnock (No5 barrister with the Ralph Lewis QC Memorial
Cup), Paul Bleasdale QC (No5 Head of Chambers) and Gary
Newbon
Boxing fans dressed in black tie converged on The Burlington
Hotel in Birmingham on Friday, 8th July, for No5 Chambers' Ralph
Lewis QC Memorial Cup. Compered by respected TV sports' commentator
and presenter, Gary Newbon, the 8-bout event raised in the region
of £25,000 for Marie Curie.
The lure of the newest prize in white collar boxing tempted
barristers, solicitors, clerks, police and clients out of their
sharp suits and into shorts and boxing gloves. No5 Chambers won the
overall team title, while fight of the night was between Brett
Moloney of No5 Chambers and Gavin Tansley of Shakespeares.
Earl Pinnock, a barrister at No5 Chambers who specialises in
criminal cases, collected the Ralph Lewis QC Memorial Cup on behalf
of the No5 Chambers' team.
"Six months ago, a stable of 30 fighters, men and women began a
fitness and boxing training programme at the Fighting Fit City Gym
in Lionel Street, Birmingham," says Tony McDaid, Practice Director
at No5 Chambers, promoters of the event.
"The 30 were whittled down to half that number and these
fighters, carefully matched on skill and fitness, were on the card
of the headline event at The Burlington Hotel. They slugged it out
in 8 bouts across the evening, each of 3 two-minute-rounds, and the
winner was the fighter who received the most points."
The main sponsor of the event was Wesleyan for Lawyers and Gary
Newbon also chaired the charity auction and drew the raffle.
Former Head of No5 Chambers, Ralph Lewis QC, was a promising
boxer while at Oxford University and it remained one of his twin
sporting loves, the other being Welsh Rugby. He died in July 2010
after a short but courageously fought battle with cancer. His
friends and colleagues at No5 Chambers decided that a charity
boxing event would be a fitting memorial, with all proceeds going
to Marie Curie.
"This was a sell-out event and I should like to thank everyone
for their generosity, from those who donated lots for the auction
and prizes for the raffle to those who attended the dinner and, of
course, the trainers and boxers who gave their all," continues
Tony.
"Each hard-fought bout was a splendid example of the noble art,
competitive and sporting, and the fighters earned the respect of
their peers. Everyone who competed was a winner in my eyes,
particularly given the gruelling training regime they underwent. My
congratulations and thanks go to everyone who climbed into the
ring, from those who began training six months ago to those who
fought at The Burlington Hotel event."
The Card
Bout 1: John Maher, Commitments Protection vs Michael Duck QC,
No5
Bout 2: Michael Wingrave, No5 vs Joseph Kotrie-Monson, Mary
Monson Solicitors
Bout 3: Earl Pinnock, No5 Chambers vs Lee Dawe, BDG
Manufacturing Ltd
Bout 4: Gavin Tansley, Shakespeares vs Brett Moloney, No5
Chambers
Bout 5: Matthew Brunning, No5 Chambers vs Andy Jones of SCC
Bout 6: Jinder Boora, No5 Chambers vs Aaron Bell, West Midlands
Police
Bout 7: Richard Cooke, No5 Chambers vs Andrew Evans, Gateley
LLP
Bout 8: Richard Cusworth, Mott MacDonald vs Tim Pole, No5
Chambers
Anyone wanting more information about this event or looking to
make a donation to Marie Curie please visit www.no5.com/boxing or
call the No5 Chambers Marketing Team 0845 210 5555.