Bradford boxer Eddie Meskry will have an extra inspiration as he steps into the ring next month as part of ‘The Pride of Yorkshire’ event.

Meskry’s grandmother Kulthoom recently passed away from cancer and the 28-year-old has decided to acknowledge her in his own special way. He said: “I’m donating a percentage of my personal purse to Marie Curie cancer research as a tribute. It was very upsetting but she went peacefully and didn’t suffer.”

Meskry explained that his grandmother had been an especially important figure in his life.

He said: “I am very close to my family. Coming from an African background, we didn’t really call her grandma. We called her our older mum and my older sister is my younger mum. She was a big figure for us all, an inspiration.”

Boxing runs in the family for Meskry, who said: “My dad boxed in the army and my younger brother’s a good boxer. I had a few amateur bouts and thought ‘hang on, I’m doing all right here’ and I eventually became Yorkshire champion and Northern Champion and got into the final four in England.”

Meskry – who lives in Little Germany in Bradford city centre – won’t know who he is fighting at the Pride of Yorkshire event, held at Elland Road on February 26, until the day itself.

But the featherweight is confident he can soon be competing for a national title.

“I turned pro about 18 months ago so it will only be my third professional fight, but I think I’m good enough to be competing for British honours in a year’s time.

“I have quite an awkward and unorthodox style. I can switch between southpaw and orthodox, so I can be quite unpredictable.”