Can he float like a butterfly and sting like a bee?
Probably not but he’s having a go for charity.
Next Friday night August 14th, Nova Entertainment’s National Newsroom Manager Matt De Groot will step into the ring in a fight against depression.
Pitch2Punch is a marketing and media industry sporting challenge raising funds and awareness for Beyond Blue.
“Anyone in this industry is privileged to be able to help charities,” says Matt. “Beyond Blue in particular is a cause whose reach is growing – it’s sad that’s the case, but it makes any help even more vital.”
Matt’s no Anthony Mundine but he’s taking the bout very seriously.
“There’s a 12 week training program, 6 days a week often twice a day.”
Since making his foray into television appearing on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show, is he worried about destroying those chiseled features?
“That’s a liberal application of chiseled but I’ll take it. Ultimately it’s a bucket list item that I can tick off while also doing some good – it’s the ultimate physical challenge. Although every time I get hit in the face (too often) I question why I put it on the list.”
Nova’s Tim Blackwell will host the night, with Fitzy and Wippa on hand to offer moral support.
“If this is my only fight in my life I would like to go undefeated, or at the very least not embarrassing myself in front of family and friends.”
Any boxer worth their salt knows how to trash talk, goading your opponent is part of the theatre.
Like this from David “Haymaker” Hayes about Nikolai Valuev:
“He is the ugliest thing I have ever seen. I have watched Lord of the Rings and films with strange looking people, but for a human being to look like he does is pretty shocking.”
Or this from Floyd Mayweather:
When I retire, I’ll get Ricky Hatton to wash my clothes and cut my lawn and buckle my shoes. Ricky Hatton ain’t nothing but a fat man. I’m going to punch him in his beer belly. He ain’t good enough to be my sparring partner.”
And finally this from Matt “The Big Rig” De Groot:
“The fight isn’t about winning and losing, it’s about charity. And by charity I’m going to hit him so hard his grand kiddies will have a black eye.”
Go get ’em Matt.
