World champ Alan is boxing clever for holiday centre

A world boxing champion will be raising vital funds for Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre when he brings his next fight to Vaillant Live.

World middleweight champion Alan Graves Jr is set to take on Germany’s David Kerkmann in a super middleweight bout on 20 December.

Alan, who is originally from Alvaston, is promising to donate £10,000 to the holiday centre if the event is a sell-out, as well as donating £1 to the charity for every share of his promotional training video.

The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre provides seaside stays at its specialist centre in Skegness for children in the county who would otherwise not get a break.

Due to rising costs, it paused operations this year for a big fundraising campaign so it could open up again in 2026.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that the centre would now be able to open next year – but chief executive Janine Holmes said fundraising is still just as important in order to create a sustainable future for the charity.

Alan explained that the holiday centre was a cause close to his heart as someone Derby born and bred whose grandma Joyce enjoyed a stay there when she was a child.

He said: “I hadn’t realised the centre was struggling this year. When my mother informed me, I felt I needed to do something about that.

“I think there are lots of different reasons why the charity is really worth supporting.

“It’s a nice break for the children who go. We are in the UK, a supposedly first world country.

“When these children go to school and start to socialise, they will hear about other kids who will be going on breaks and holidays.

“I don’t think it’s the children’s fault if they are born into poorer families and they can’t go away and have a break.

“I’m proud to be staging this fight and I feel I owe Derby as well. I’m Derby born and bred and it’s only right that I give back.”

To share Alan’s promotional training video, click here.

For more information and to book tickets for Alan’s fight at Vaillant Live click here.