Richie Woodhall throws weight behind fund to bring Telford boy home from hospital

The former super-middleweight world champion will next month auction off a large signed photograph of his friend and fellow fighter Joe Calzaghe to raise money for the appeal in aid of Matthew Cooper.

Last week the Shropshire Star revealed how supporters had set up a fund to pay for modifications to the family house in Telford, which would allow Matthew to return home for the first time since August last year.

Former world boxing champion Richie Woodhall spoke of his delight as he handed over the first charity auction cheque over to the charity which helped care for his father shortly before he died.

Richie raised £120 for the Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund, netted from the sale of a boxing glove signed by Mike Tyson.

The sale, last month, was the first in a series of charity auctions he is holding to raise money for different cancer charities following the death of his father Len in July last year.

Len, who was 75, was treated at the £5 million Lingen Davies centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital shortly before his death.

"It is really nice to see the money going to a good cause," said Richie as he handed over the cheque yesterday. "Lingen Davies does fantastic work. When my dad was in there they really made him comfortable."

The charity will put the money towards an appeal to raise £750,000 for a linear accelerator which will deliver radiotherapy to patients.

The glove was bought by John Hamer, who runs Telford-based Hamer Leisure.

"I had read about it in the Shropshire Star, but I thought I might have been too late," says the 30-year-old, from The Rock, Telford, who only registered his bid half an hour before the start of the auction. "I was really pleased to have won."

So far the fund stands at more than £11,500, and former world super-middleweight champion Richie, who also lives in Telford, has decided to dedicate his next charity auction to Matthew.

The auction will take place on February 10, starting at 10am. Richie's lot, No. 11, is expected to go under the hammer between 10.45am and 11am.

The appeal to raise money for Matthew has been organised through Wrockwardine Wood Junior School, where the youngster is a pupil. Headteacher Julie Henry said she was thrilled Richie had pledged his support. "It really is amazing for such a big local name like Richie to hear about Matthew's fund, but for him wanting to help us is just incredible," she said. "I really am overwhelmed by all of the support."

It will be the second auction since Richie joined forces with the Shropshire Star and Shrewsbury-based Halls auctioneers to raise money for cancer charities in memory of his father Len.

Len, who was 75, died in July last year following an eight-year battle with the disease. He handed over a collection of boxing memorabilia to the Shropshire Star which will be sold in a series of monthly auctions to raise money for cancer charities.

The first auction last month saw a boxing glove signed by Mike Tyson raise £120 for the Lingen Davies Cancer Relief Fund.

Richie said: "I have been at so many events when I have seen so many of these items going for thousands of pounds. I thought it was time to do something in memory of my dad and to help raise money for cancer charities.

"These are all items I personally got from the fighters themselves."

For his next auction, Richie will be selling a large canvas depicting Calzaghe's memorable 2006 'Judgement Day' title fight against American rival Jeff Lacy.

Richie retired from the sport following his defeat to Calzaghe in 2000, and the Welshman went on to become the longest-reigning super-middleweight world champion in history.

Richie, who grew up in Woodside, said the 2006 fight with Lacy, depicted on the canvas, was particularly memorable. "

It was a massive shock in the way Joe won, he really slayed him. It was probably the best fight of Joe's career."

How to bid for canvas:

There are alternative three ways to bid:

• Turn up on the day and register at the cash office from 9.30am

• Make an absentee bid. Simply call Halls on (01743) 450700 and indicate the maximum you are willing to pay.

• Bid live over the internet. Register online at www.the-saleroom.com/halls at least one day before the auction begins.