A CHARITY boxing match held in memory of “the most incredible guy in the world” is set to be a knock-out.

Rich Luke, of Buckley, was 38 when he died suddenly in September 2017. He has been greatly missed by his two young step-daughters and his fiancée, Sarah Sadler, who he was due to marry in September this year.

Sarah said: “Rich was the most incredible guy in the world, so intelligent, fun, and loved by all. He was just one of those guys that could do everything.

“He was my most amazing man. He was a beautiful gentleman, and absolutely adored by us three girls. He loved playing guitar, and he absolutely loved boxing, it was his world. Before he passed away he said he wanted to do ‘one last fight’ and was then training for a charity boxing match.”

But Sarah took his dying wish and was prepared to fulfill it for him after he died. With the support of the Buckley boxing community, family and friends, a charity boxing match will take place on Sunday, May 27, at The Tivoli under the name ‘Rich’s One Last Round’

Having struggled with mental health for many years, the charity Mind was very close to Rich’s heart and was the obvious charity of choice. Sarah explained that Rich’s job in pharmaceutical sales was extremely demanding, and although many commented he was “the youngest person to get to such a high position”, the stress took its toll on his physical and mental state.

Sarah said: “He had bipolar, so one positive part of that is that he was very driven and focused. But there are bad parts too. Rich lived in Australia but had to come back to look after his father, who was paralysed. With a stressful job and the issues with his dad, his bipolar got worse.

“I just hope this raises awareness of mental health - it’s more common than you think. Mental health is the biggest killer of men under 45, and my beautiful man is now within this statistic. Every two hours in the UK someone under 45 intentionally overdoses.

“It’s the secret illness that no one is talking about. There are more young men dying from mental health than anything else. Men don’t talk - women often go to the doctors or have a chat with friends - but men keep it in. The more we talk about it, the more lives it could save.”

Sarah is eager to highlight however, that mental health issues do not necessarily lead to suicide. She said: “His body had just taken too much of a strain after years of self abuse. Self abuse brought on as in a coping mechanism to the bipolar, which he was not diagnosed with until the age of 36. With illnesses like bipolar, you have it all your life. There is no cure, just ongoing treatment.

“So people assume he made a decision, but it was his body that gave up. The body can’t always sustain itself, livers fail, and blood pressures can go through the roof.

Sarah said that boxing is more than a sport, and even she has taken it on in the run up to the boxing match and it has helped her feel better and brought her closer to some “amazing people.”

She said: “Everyone in the community is involved, and when I started organising this I never thought I’d get so much support. Buckley Boxing Gym are amazing for opening their doors and letting our fighters train there. The work they do there is amazing. They’re the only boxing gym in the UK to actively support mental health. Boxing has given us so much, and the saying in the community is that you just have to give back. There’s a real family sense there.”

“Rich would love this, everyone getting together for a big fight. He’d be picking his own music by now.”

The event will take place at 5pm on the second bank holiday Sunday in May. Tickets will go directly to Mind charity, and to purchase one for £20, visit www.tivolivenue.com/product/one-last-fight-charity-boxing-event-for-mind/