A SALES manager from Cleckheaton will step into the boxing ring in memory of his friend and to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Abdel Camara will fight at an Ultra White Collar Boxing event at Bradford City’s stadium next month. The whole event is in aid of the charity.

The 32-year-old, who is originally from Portugal, said one of the main reasons he was doing it was for his friend, Lee Johnson, who died from cancer aged 16.

“I lost a friend of mine a few years ago to cancer,” said Mr Camara, who is an international sales manager at Kahn Design in Bradford.

“Then my friend and colleague at work told me about this event and I said ‘Yes, I am going to do it’.

“It is for cancer and you get to raise money for people in that situation.

“I thought it would be a good way to pay tribute to the memory of Lee. I know he would be proud of me for doing it for such a good cause.

“He was 16. I was 16 or 17 at the time. We were at school in Portugal at the time.”

Mr Camara is into the fourth week of an eight-week training camp at Abusins Muay Thai gym in Thornbury for the bout. He expects to fight in the 85kg category, but will not know his opponent until a week before.

Mr Camara said he did kickboxing training for a year about five years ago, but had done nothing since.

“This event is made for people that have never done boxing before,” he said. “My training is going all right and I am enjoying it. It has been really nice.

“I am feeling excitement - I am quite excited to be fair. Also, it is making me step out my comfort zone because I like challenges.”

On raising money for the charity, father-of-one Mr Camara, whose partner Lucia Maria Correia is expecting their second child, said: “For me it is very important. At the end of the day it is about helping people.

“Even though I have this cause and this friend of mine I want to pay tribute to, my other reason is kids.

“Can you imagine kids with cancer at the age of three, five, seven, ten - that is the other thing that really affects me.”

The boxing event is at Valley Parade on March 25. Mr Camara said: “I need to raise as much money as I can and I would like to have your support on this big and noble cause.”

Search for Abdel Camara at justgiving.com to donate.

For more information on the event, or to buy tickets, visit ultrawhitecollar boxing.co.uk/bradford/.