Gloves On: Meet the girls fighting At Durham’s Wilder Fight Night

This Sunday, Wilder Fight Night, “Durham’s most electric black tie sporting event”, returns for Round 11. Partnered with the OddBalls Foundation Charity, focused on raising awareness for and destigmatising conversation around testicular cancer, the event promises a night of exhilarating fights and brilliant entertainment. We spoke to the women who are fighting for this great cause and here’s what they said:

Taliah “Pocket-Rocket” Spencer-Jacobs vs. Gia “See Ya” Sanderson

The Tab’s own Taliah is a second year from John Snow studying English literature. She is representing Phoenix Cheer, the cheer team for John Snow and Stephenson, and The Durham Tab. Taliah’s friends supported her doing Fight Night because quite loves a rowdy night out… And because she wanted to get back into fitness. Expect a cheer-themed walkout with great choreography and a surprise song. When asked what she would like to say to her opponent, she said “if I speak, I’m in big trouble.”

Gia, a sports and exercise student from Collingwood will be representing Collingwood Cheer, Collingwood College Fashion Show, and DU Troupe. Gia, who is graduating this year, decided to add Fight Night to her impressive portfolio of achievements during her time at university. She’s done the “fashion shows”, “theatre productions”, and now she’s ready to put in her best performance on Sunday. Walking out to Beyoncé, Gia added, “may the best cheerleader win.” Tyler Mackenzie, an exceptional boxing coach who has worked closely with both Gia and Taliah, told The Durham Tab of his anticipation for this fight and all the hard work put in by both girls – this fight is certainly one to look forward to!

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Donate to Taliah

Donate to Gia

Lauren Shaw-Breaker vs. Pip “em to the post” LLoyd-Williams

Ready to challenge herself and representing DU Women’s Lax and Grey College Hockey Club, Pip is a geography student at Grey College who is getting involved because she wanted to try something new and meet new people. Her lacrosse team’s warmup song, Pip’s walkout song is a homage to her sport. Pip is going to “wipe the floor with Lauren Shaw.” Lauren, her opponent is representing Hatfield Hockey.

Donate to Lauren

Donate to Pip

Dara “Dead Shot” Selway vs. Lucy “Skull-Crusher” Smith

Representing the OddBalls Foundation Charity, Grey’s Dara decided to do Fight Night as she is a finalist and “thought [she’d] go out with a bang.” For her walkout, she will be joined by her girl housemates and wearing a fun, red fur coat. Her message for Lucy? “Done it once, I’ll do it again.” Boxing coach Tyler said that Dara is one of the most improved fighters and has “come along so much since the start of the course.”

Lucy is a Grey College history student representing Grey College Boat Club as she challenges herself by trying a new area of fitness. She is excited to try something new – and is especially excited to support a really great cause. Whilst you’ll have to wait and see Lucy’s walkout, she is certainly feeling ready to see her opponent on ring-side.

Donate to Dara

Donate to Lucy

Sienna “The Killer” Folkes-Miller vs. Lizzie “make ’em Dizzy”

Representing CCBC, Collingwood’s rowing club, and DU Lifting Club, Sienna is a weightlifter and physics student at Collingwood. After seeing posts about previous Fight Nights, Sienna was inspired to fight herself. This term, Sienna has decided Fight Night was for her, and says Lizzie is the best opponent she could have asked for.

A philosophy student from Hild Bede, Lizzie is representing DU Lacrosse. Inspired by her dad, who used to box, and her brother, who is a fourth year and big fan of Fight Night, Lizzie has enjoyed the free lessons and the opportunity to fight for a good cause. Walking out to Dizzee Rascal’s Bonkers and hoping Sienna “[doesn’t] mind having a black eye,” Lizzie is certainly ready to “make ‘em dizzy.” Yeah Hild Bede!

Donate to Sienna

Donate to Lizzie

Francesca “The Mauler Malcolm vs. Annabel Dyson “Fury”

Grey College’s Cesca is a psychology student representing DU Women’s Lacrosse. Inspired by her Lacrosse captain who did Fight Night before, Cesca is looking for a good fitness challenge during lacrosse’s off-season. Cesca’s “high-energy” walkout to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck is inspired by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders show on Netflix, and the perfect song for her to enter the ring. Of her opponent she told The Durham Tab: “The overlap between horse riders and boxers isn’t very strong so we’ll see how Annabel Dyson holds up in that boxing ring.”

Doing an LLM in law, Hatfielder Annabel is representing DU Equestrian. Annabel wanted to take part in Fight Night because the work of the OddBalls Foundation means a lot to her, as her dad was diagnosed with testicular cancer before she was born. Inspired by her upbringing in Hong Kong, Annabel will be walking out to Hong Kong Kids – an iconic song and tribute to everyone back home. Annabel wishes her opponent good luck – “she’s gonna need it.” Alongside Dara, Tyler highlighted Annabel as one of the most improved fighters, saying she “has been improving week by week.”

Donate to Cesca

Donate to Annabel

Amy Strode “into battle” vs. Charlotte “the Devon Demon” Davis

A Collingwood business student, Amy is representing DU Water Polo as she takes on this challenge. Amy’s friend was supposed to do Fight Night last term but was injured just before the fight, so she is hoping to take home the win for her. Whilst she doesn’t want to give too much away, Amy told us there’s going to be some “cool outfits and some pretty good moves.” Her message to Charlotte is: “I hope you’re ready.”

Charlotte is a Hild Bede student representing her college boat club. Charlotte, “the Devon Demon,” promises a “very patriotic” walkout. When asked about why she decided to do Fight Night, Charlotte replied, “I ask myself the same question after every training session”. Nonetheless, after weeks of hard work and sheer dedication, she is certainly more than ready to face her opponent. Her message for Amy? “You may have ‘strode’ into battle, but you will be limping away from it.”

Donate to Amy

Donate to Charlotte

Freya “push ‘em off a” Clift vs. Xanthe “Mayhem” Mitchell

Representing DU Women’s Football, Freya is a natural sciences student at Collingwood hoping to keep up with her fitness and take on a new challenge while football is finished for the term. Whilst Freya’s walkout is a surprise, she told us she would like to wish her opponent good luck for their fight.

Xanthe is a Chad’s engineering student representing St. Chad’s Hockey. After watching lots of her friends taking part in Fight Night, she decided it’d be a good, fun challenge and a great way to keep up with sport during her exams. As she is from Scotland, Xanthe will be walking out to a Proclaimers song with the Scottish flag. Whilst she would love to win, she is more focused on enjoying the experience, acknowledging the hard work of her opponent and looking forward to a fair fight.

Donate to Xanthe

Donate to Freya

Léa Lay “em out” Graham vs. Immy “the Hammer” Hamp

Léa is an anthropology student at Cuths, representing Cuth’s Women’s Hockey. Léa wanted to keep up a routine and stay active during the exam season and last few weeks of term. After much deliberation, Léa will be walking out with her housemates to Kanye’s All of the Lights. Léa says she is excited to put her skills to the test in her fight with Immy, saying they’re well-matched and she is looking forward to entering the ring.

Immy, a third year John Snow history student representing John Snow Hockey, was eager to step outside of her comfort zone and get involved in Fight Night before she graduates. She told The Durham Tab her walkout will be World Cup-themed and “not too serious.” Her message to her opponent: “good luck, but watch out as well.”

Donate to Lea

Donate to Immy

Emily “The Kinky Possum” Crighton vs. Izzy “whack-em” Warner

As the president of Paint and Sip, Emily is a business management student from Cuth’s representing her society. She looks forward to Fight Night as an opportunity to get all her friends together, as well as meeting new people. Emily tells us she is really excited and can’t wait to get in the ring with Izzy. And, her walkout will include some maybe drunken backflips…

Izzy is a Hatfield student, she studies maths, and is representing Hatfield Netball Club. Izzy wanted to end an exceptionally challenging year on a high by fully embracing Fight Night and the intense preparation it requires as an opportunity to do something new. Izzy’s walkout is “out of [her] hands” as her housemates will be taking the reins, but we are sure that they’ll deliver something impressive. On her opponent, Izzy told The Durham Tab: “I’d say it’s all to play for, but Emily shouldn’t underestimate me” – this fight is certainly one to get excited for.

Donate to Emily

Donate to Izzy

Becca “The Beast” Easterbrook vs. Lottie “Liability” Gribbon

As part of the Fight Night exec, Becca is a liberal arts student from Grey College representing Fight Night Durham. She has been helping to run Fight Night from the other side of the ring for the last two years, and has decided that it is finally time to step in and show them how it’s done. Although her walkout will be a surprise, Becca’s message for Lottie is: “Lottie, you’ve called yourself a liability, but I’m not liable for any injuries you get on the night.”

Lottie is an engineering student from Cuth’s representing Cuth’s Badminton. She decided to do Fight Night to improve her fitness, have a bit of fun, and raise money and awareness for testicular cancer. She wishes Becca the best “and a speedy recovery.” Lottie will be walking out to the iconic Country Girl (Shake It For Me) by Luke Bryan – and will be balanced on her friends’ shoulders. Plus, we have heard that a pink cowboy hats will be involved…

Donate to Becca (the exec)

Donate to Lottie

This week’s Fight Night is definitely one you won’t want to miss – we hope you’re as excited as we are for an evening of brilliant fights for an incredible cause.