Lincoln’s hugely popular student boxing event returns for a third-year running – but what is it?
Wilder fight night was established in late 2021 in Durham as a student led, black tie boxing event and came to Lincoln in 2024, with the first event being held in the Drill Hall.
Following the success of the first series of bouts, it now takes places in the Engine Shed, with last year’s spectacle having 16 fights that managed to raise over £7000.
The goal of the event is to raise money and awareness for the OddBalls foundation, which helps those with testicular cancer.
Wilder Fight Night and the OddBalls foundation is one of Europe’s biggest student fundraisers, raising over £300,000 last academic year.
Social media is heavily used to encourage students to join in many different roles from fighting, presenting and being ring girls/boys. This helps to encapsulate the student identity of Wilder Fight Night and appeal to a student audience.
Wilder Fight Night now runs across 24 different cities in the UK, being ran in Lincoln last year by Inez Spence and this year by Millie Johnston.
Fighters are able to apply online and are given ten weeks of free training from coaches at Lincoln Fight Factory.
This year, there will be 13 fights, consisting of ten male fights and three female fights, all taking place on February 28.
The event will have two student presenters, as well as there being a press conference for the first time in Lincoln, which took place on Sunday, February 8.
The success of the previous two events has allowed for this year’s creative innovation, making it a bigger spectacle with more hype and social media involvement.