The boxer getting back in the ring aged 64 - and it's all for charity

So much so, that at the age of 64, he’s squaring up for another one and all in the name of charity.

It is, of course, the case the Scott does his fighting with gloves on, having been an established boxer in his younger days, competing in England and Africa before making the move to Australia where he then lived for 30 years.

Now, having made the move back home and residing in Leighton Buzzard, he’s decided to get back in the ring and compete at one of the popular white-collar boxing events that take place across the UK, raising money for charities.

And as Scott explains, he probably carries a lot more experience in the sport than many of those that will take part.

He said: “I had 22 fights as an amateur, won 16 and lost six. Three of the defeats were down to me not preparing and being fit enough, the other three I absolutely deserved to lose!

"I started quite late, aged 21, as my mum wouldn’t let me do it when I was younger, but once I got going I did it for about nine or ten years – even competing in South Africa and Namibia and getting to the semis of the South West African Boxing Championships.

"I was initially with South Oxhey Boxing Club and also boxed for the Home Counties team, then when I went to Australia I was part of a Police Citizens Youth Club as many of the police stations have those kind of clubs attached to them to try and keep kids off the streets.

"But I trained for 20-odd years without competing really just for the fitness aspect. Nigel Benn even trained in our gym [on the outskirts of Sydney] for five months as he wanted to help the youngsters.”

Brumwell earned an apprenticeship with Rolls Royce as a youngster, gaining him a skillset that would take him to many countries in Africa and the Middle East, including working on De Beers gold mines in South Africa, then eventually to Australia where he gained citizenship but had 12 months to use his initial visa.

He said: "As money was running out and I was on the verge of coming home, I was in bar in town and rang a guy I’d met whilst in Egypt who was from Australia, telling him I was there, and to cut a long story short I ended up house-sitting for him for three months, got a job and stayed in the country for 30 years!

"We did come back home for three years at one point as I wanted my parents to see my kids growing up a bit, but eventually went back.

"We then opted to come home around the time when Covid hit, as we feared we’d end up getting stuck there and wouldn’t see my parents – who were in their late 80s/90s again – so we came back and are still here, with my parents still going strong!

"We’ve bought a place in Sicily that I’ll eventually move to with my wife. I worked as a correctional officer in jails out in Australia and although I initially retired here, I deal in gold and silver and also own a windscreen repair franchise, but I also have a lot of time doing not much, which is where the boxing came in.”

Brumwell decided to get fit once again. A friend recommended white collar boxing and, knowing what it takes to be a boxer, he immediately began training much earlier than many others in order to get in shape.

He said: “It started with running, shadow boxing, squats and sit-ups, but has progressed right through to punches with weights, shoulder presses, all of which I could do at home.

"Then I got in the gym where I did more of the same for a few weeks before starting sparring. I’ve been working on the moves and punches again which I knew from before, but have gone down from 60kg to 54kg and although I say so myself, I’m very fast, which I have to be!

"I’m likely to be up against someone in their 20s as there aren’t many at my age who are my weight, but the boxing has been really good and the instructors fantastic and all know their stuff in a very professional and controlled environment where nobody gets hurt.”

Brumwell will be raising money for the mental health charity MIND, and has an online fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/ronald-brumwell-boxing-challenge, where he is aiming to raise at least £500.

The white collar event will take place in Milton Keynes on Saturday, October 19, with Scott set to fight under the name of Ronnie ‘the nail’ Brumwell – Ronald being his first name and Scott his primarily used middle name – with him adding: “That nickname comes from Australia, where the other correctional officers felt that when I had a hat on, I looked like a roofing nail!”​