Marketing company ClickOut Media has made a donation of £5,000 to former world champion boxer Tony Bellew, representative of the Rotunda Amateur Boxing Club.
Bellew has become a prominent figure in the sports media world and following a chat with marketing agency Clickout Media, the firm decided to make a donation to the Rotunda ABC.
The Rotunda is a listed charity though and relies on donations from donors in order to continue to offer a place for youngsters to start their careers, train and gain a sense of self and belonging through sport.
Speaking to ClickOut Media Bellew said of the Rotunda: “It’s an amazing gym, without those four walls and without Jimmy Albertina coming into my life when he did I would never have achieved what I have.
“It’s a cliche but boxing 100% saved my life. I don’t know what else I would have been doing. I was doing anything to make ends meet because I had this dream of one day becoming a world champion boxer.
“Apart from that dream I only dreamed of having nice things and let’s be honest I didn’t have the education behind me or the brain power to achieve those nice things and a kid coming from where I come from – that was only going to end one way.
“That’s the way it goes but thankfully I found Rotunda, I found Jimmy [Albertina]. I had good parents behind me and it worked out in the end. But without those four walls I don’t know what would have happened with my life.”
Since his retirement, Bellew has worked closely with ClickOut Media as a boxing analyst and pundit and the generous donation will help Rotunda ABC fund more champions.
He added: “All the amateur boxing coaches are unpaid. They’re doing it out of the kindness of their own heart. They’re doing it because they want to help kids, develop kids. And also they want to make national champions.
“The Rotunda ABC turns out national champions every single year. We really do so. And the coaches, as I said before, they’re not paid. So the least we can do is try and help them with their expenses. You know, traveling isn’t cheap.
“Whether it’s driving a bus, whether it’s getting on trains, these guys are going to different shows every day of the week. So, I’m so grateful to the guys and Clickout Media, I can’t thank them enough. It goes such a long way.”
Owen Fulda, head of Press Content at Clickout Media, added: “Rotunda Amateur Boxing Club is synonymous with boxing champions and we are delighted to play a small part in funding more.
“The donation is the first of a series we plan to make and he [Tony Bellew] suggested the Rotunda as it is a place that is dear to him. It’s helped keep kids off the street and has trained numerous former champions including Bellew himself.
“As an agency we have worked with numerous boxers who represent brands we work with. We listened to them about causes that are important and they have all said that grassroots sport is the most important, especially given the current climate and rise in cost of living.”
