CAGE FIGHTING
A HIGHAMS Park trained former professional boxer is competing tomorrow in a huge cage-fighting event.
Butch Leslie, who won 27 out of 28 bouts, is taking part in his first mixed martial arts contest at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet.
The super-middleweight, who once fought for the WBU title has been training with martial arts expert Martin Joseph, to compete in an discipline alien to him.
Promotor Alan Mortlock, hopes to make the sport as big in the UK as it is in America where Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is becoming more popular than boxing.
The UFC is sending two officials to watch the event.
Mortlock said: "We hope to set up a link between us and UFC in America, that would be great for British cage-fighting."
Tickets for the event cost £50 for VIP, while other seats in the venue range from £40 and £30.
The evening will also raise money for the Down's Syndrome Association.
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