Give it up for Shanghai’s ritziest boxing event – BRAWL ON THE BUND! Held in honour for the Sport for All and Leo’s Foundation charities, it was located in the spectacular Hyatt on the Bund. Everyone was decked out in “black tie” and it was total WOW checking out the very delicious-looking guys in their suits and the myriad of gorgeous girls in their gowns. I’ve never seen this many beautiful (Western) women all together in one place in Shanghai before, where do all these girls come from?! Total eye candy 🙂

It was total sensory overload when we stepped into the grand ballroom. It was LUSH – tables covered with flowers and tableware, gowns swishing all over the place, music, and a giant boxing ring smack in the middle of the room. We were treated to a 4-course meal that was very impressive and all perfectly cooked, considering they were catering for such a huge event.

And of course, the boxing, which is what we were all there for. It’s not professional boxing, it’s what’s called “white collar boxing”, which is basically just office workers like you and I, training intensely for a few months and then getting into the ring. The trainer is my trainer for my Boxing class too 🙂 Except, erm, I am nowhere NEAR the quality of these guys yet…. 😉

There were 7 bouts of boxing with 3 rounds each. The boxers were matched to their height and weight, so it was a fairly even competition. They even had a bout of female boxers, very cool! I’d love to be up there next year, but that’s about 1% likely 😉

We also had a big charity raffle. I was one of the volunteers selling all those tickets and was so impressed with how people generously dug deep and bought the raffle tickets. There were a ton of prizes but sadly, Chris and I didn’t win any – so unlucky!

We had such a fun night. And as my girl friend was saying, it’s so nice to be able to get dressed up and go to a posh dinner sometimes. We should do it more often!

Us 🙂 And me in the Alannah Hill gown I was originally going to wear as my wedding dress!

3 ladies in white. We were so colour coordinated 😉

With one of our favourite couple-friends

The ornate table setting. Our wines of choice were:
Mountain Pass cabernet-shiraz 2004, Mountain Pass chardonnay 2006

Great view of the massive boxing ring!

Vitello tonnato with mixed leaf salad

Cod brandade soup with leek

Roasted lamb rack with mustard and coriander seeds, spinach dauphinoise, green asparagus

Baked orange chocolate mousse cake with vanilla ice cream

Cards of all the boxers. Jeff ‘left hook’ LeBlanc (at the front) is our mate
and the one we were cheering for 😛

My lovely gf and I!

And so the action begins

Jeff entering the ring

Jeff boxing!

Videos of the boxing match

He won…. WOOHOOOOOO! Check out those arms..

Fun night with great company and fab food 🙂