Mike boxes on for charity

FIGHTING FIT: Mike Lovegrove is pulling on the gloves and learning all the right moves in a bid to raise funds to fight cancer. PHOTO/ELAINA MOULDS

A former John Paul College student is doing a Sonny-Bill Williams - switching codes from rugby to boxing - but for charity.

Rotorua-raised Mike Lovegrove, studying sports science in Auckland, has decided to ditch rugby and jump in the ring for Fight Night, a charity boxing event in November.

While he is only two months into his training, the 21-year-old says the switch has been more difficult than anticipated.

"I definitely underestimated how hard it is," he said. "Footwork and certain punches are things that don't just come naturally, but I'm getting there."

Lovegrove has had to eat almost 5000 calories a day to put on the 10kg he needs to be effective in the ring. Standing at 1.9 metres (6ft 3in), he now weighs in at 102kg.

Lovegrove was previously the starting loose forward for the University of Auckland team but quit at the beginning of this year to focus on his studies.

Then a close family friend - who Lovegrove considered to be a second mother - died of cancer, prompting his decision to take on boxing to raise funds for CanTeen, Fight Night's charity of choice.

"It was my way of dealing with it," he says. "It's not just about preventing someone from going through cancer, it's the people they leave behind. That pain of losing someone is really why I'm doing this."

Lovegrove has almost 550 likes on his Facebook page, which has been flooded with messages of support, including a tweet from All Black Dan Carter.

Boxing coach Terrence Batchelor said he felt confident in Lovegrove's chances at winning his fight in November, despite it being early days.

"He has started early in his training and is keen to learn and explore different techniques."

Batchelor said Lovegrove was ahead of where he was expected to be in his training, sparring with more experienced boxers after only two months.

"These guys are fast and can hit hard, and Mike's actually keeping up with them really well," Batchelor said.

"You can never predict a win in the ring but he's training to have a better percentage at making it happen on the day."

As a student, Lovegrove said it was difficult paying for the cost of his training.

He was hoping to raise $2000 to pay for training costs by hosting a fundraising party last night at Little Easy, a new bar in Ponsonby.