Prince William reveals assist for boxing charity altering lives amid knife crime epidemic

Boxwise’s battle against knife crime got some Royal approval this week.

Prince William was down at Centrepoint – a great charity that helps homeless young people – where Boxwise runs classes helping out teenagers and young adults. The future king got on the pads and threw a few punches.

It was timely support for Boxwise which is trying to use our sport to tackle knife crime. A few years ago we had a pandemic with Covid-19, now we have an epidemic with knife crime and it is costing lives all over the country.

This week alone we saw a 12-year-old boy stabbed to death by someone just two years older. While the horrors of Southport were revisited as the coward who killed three young girls and damaged many more lives was sentenced.

Children are dying because of knife crime. Mums and dads are being put in positions no parent should ever be and that is burying their own children. Something has to be done about it.

That is why I’m backing Boxwise and Nick Maughan who helped create the project and I am chairman of the charity. Boxing is a great sport at the elite level which I promote but it brings so much value to all walks of life.

And it is one way to get to these kids who are being put under peer pressure to pick up a blade or feel they need one for protection because others carry them. Why? Because boxing is at the heart of so many communities, in some of the toughest inner city areas across the country.

You don’t see many golf and tennis clubs in these areas. Boxing teaches us many things but one of the main benefits is the discipline it instills in kids and allows energy be put onto something positive.

We had over 3,000 kids take part last year and we are hoping for 10,000 in 2025. It is a 10-week course which involves boxing training, interacting with people, promoting healthy lifestyles and growing respect for others.

Those involved are also provided with meals every day. We are not looking to create professional fighters but use the sport of boxing to help.

The kids who have been on it have enjoyed it and learned a lot. This is turning lives around. So it was great that Prince William could give Centrepoint and Boxwise as a result some further promotion.

There’s many other projects out there helping and showing the difference boxing can make.