Arissa is a StreetGames Young Advisor and a member of the team that worked on developing our Youth Manifesto. Here, she tells us in her own words about her experience of an opportunity that StreetGames were able to offer as part of our Inspiration campaign thanks to Matchroom Boxing.
Having become involved with StreetGames last year through my role as a Young Advisor, recently I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Matchroom Boxing event at Manchester’s AO Arena where I got to go backstage and meet some incredible people that I idolise and look up to. I was honoured to meet some amazing people, including one of the night’s winners Rhiannon Dixon as well as Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn, Manchester City player John Stones, The Stomping Ground founder Charlie Parsons, commentator Steve Bunce and boxers Sunny Edwards and Anthony Crolla.
The entire night was a dream. I saw some fantastic fights, and being backstage and getting to see how everything is so well thought out made me enjoy the experience even more. I was grateful for all the fighters and people who I spoke to for taking time out of their day to have a chat.
Rhiannon Dixon became world champion that night, and seeing it happen with my own eyes made me want to dream and aim for the same thing. I met people who I know will be a part of my life in the future and will help me achieve everything I want to.
None of this would have been possible without StreetGames and Alex Le Guevel at Matchroom Boxing and I would like to thank them for giving me this opportunity. My love for boxing has only grown and as a Young Advisor for StreetGames I have many new ideas which include boxing that I would love to share.
It was definitely a night I will never forget and I’m forever thankful to everybody who made it happen. I look forward to working with StreetGames and Alex in the future to see how far I can get. That night proved that anything is possible if you are committed enough and have enough passion.