TWO women from a boxing club near Didcot are stepping into the ring in public for the first time to raise money for injured troops.

Carol Carter, from Steventon, and Sarah Green, from Didcot, are members of South Moreton Boxing Club, the county’s only white collar boxing club, for fighters with little or no experience.

They have been sparring partners for the past year, but on December 4 they face off at the Regal Centre in Wallingford.

There will be 10 bouts in aid of the Care for Casualties charity, which is raising money for injured servicemen from The Rifles regiment, based in Abingdon.

They will fight three two-minute rounds in front of a crowd of 500 supporters.

Mrs Carter, 50, from Steventon, an office manager for an environmental consultancy, said: “I weigh 10 stone 5lb and Sarah, who is 32, is about the same height and weight so it should be a fair fight.

“Sarah and I have done lots of sparring but this will be the first time we have boxed in a public arena.

“The adrenalin will get going and I know we will be a bit nervous on the night.

“I don’t think there will be a knockout – our boxing is more about technique and discipline.

“My husband Steve is an ex-rugby player so he supports what I am doing and wouldn’t try to stop me from doing it.”

Her opponent, of Fleet Meadow, Didcot, said she was looking forward to the fight.

The consultant at computer firm RM at Milton Park, Didcot, said: “It is a really good opportunity for us to show women can box just as well as any men and put on a great show.

“I am so proud to be in the first women’s match. It is incredibly empowering and the feeling you get when you are in the ring – it is like nothing else. It is such a buzz.”

Organiser and club head coach John Houston said: “This is the first time we have had women in a bout, and it takes a lot of guts to fight in public like that.

“They have been training for just over a year and their sparring is looking good – I am sure they will put on a good show.

“We raised £10,000 for Care for Casualties in May and we are looking to beat that amount this time.”

l For ticket information, visit southmoretonboxingclub.com