A PAIR of aspiring boxers are gearing up to compete for their first major semi-pro titles this weekend.

Brothers Zander and Paddy Calderwood, from Alloa and Stirling, respectively, will enter the ring to face their opponents at Alloa Town Hall this Saturday, June 29.

The brothers got into boxing after taking part in a fundraising charity match two years ago and have now decided to put their skills to the test.

Zander, 36, told Advertiser Sport the duo rediscovered their love of boxing after participating in a charity match.

He said: “A few years ago, we got involved in Ultra White Collar Boxing so we did eight weeks of training then we had a fight to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

“One of the main reasons behind us taking part in the charity match was raising money for a charity close to our hearts – we’ve lost family members from this horrible disease.”

“Mr brother and myself broke the record for individual fundraising – I broke the record and then he broke it right after me!”

Zander and Paddy train with the Scottish Martial Arts Centre in Tullibody and pursued their interest in boxing beyond the charity match to maintain their fitness levels.

Their coaches kept track of their progress and suggested they enter competitive fights, with the possibility of winning titles.

Zander added: “We just continued boxing after that to keep ourselves fit and then the next thing we know, the coaches had recommended us for a few fights.

“We decided to take on a few fights, one thing led to another and now we’re in a position to compete for district titles.”

The brothers will be looking to earn a World Kickboxing and Karate Association (WKA) district titles for their respective weight classes.

Zander will face Colin Blue, while Paddy will face off against John Wright.

“We’re feeling great,” Zander said. “We probably feel the fittest we’ve ever felt and we’re training super hard.

“We’re going out to fight for a title so we’ve stepped up the mark, but we can’t thank our current coaches enough for the gym they’ve given us to push on and go for this.”

Paddy, 38, added: “This is my third fight and my brother’s sixth – this is our first major title fight.”

“We’re feeling ready to go. We’ve been training really hard and, thankfully, had no injuries so we’re feeling pretty good.

“We’re looking at one fight at a time, take things as they come and see how they go.”

Doors open for the event at 5pm on Saturday. Tickets are available from Eventbrite or can be purchased from the brothers directly.