A BOXING fan has described the thrill of being flown in a private jet to take his place in a ringside seat to a showpiece heavyweight world title bout – for a mere 83p.

Nicky Robinson of Thornley, east Durham, made the smallest unique bid through online action website Lifestyle Bids to see the heavyweight world title bout featuring his hero Anthony Joshua.

The 21-year-old bought a VIP package to see Joshua successfully defend his WBA, IBF and IBO world titles and take the WBO belt off Kiwi Joseph Parker.

He chose his best mate Adam Williams, of Middlesbrough, to accompany him on a private jet to Cardiff - a trip made all the more special when he learned two more friends had won a similar package.

He said: “We got everything we were promised. The private jet was really good. By coincidence two of my mates Curtis Ford and Dean Avis-Bennett of Middlesbrough, won a similar package, but without the private jet.

“They were going to get an economy flight, but I pushed for them to jet with us, so we all ended up being flown in Cessna Mustang from Biggin Hill Airport in London to Cardiff.

“We stayed in a five-star hotel for the weekend and got chauffeured to the Principality Stadium for the fight.”

He added: “It was a truly amazing evening. We watched all the pre-fights and the main bout.

“It was funny, we were that close to the ring that I had to sit back to see the boxers. We thought that Joshua would have knocked Parker down in the tenth round, but it ended up going to points. It was still a good fight. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. “After the fight I did shout over at him and I got a photograph of him smiling at me. I was also one of the first people to hold the WBO belt he took off Parker.

“I’m a massive Anthony Joshua fan and to have gone to see him fight for the world championship was truly unbelievable. I also got to touch shoulders with celebs and got to meet Paul Gascoigne.”

Mr Robinson, a bank workers who is also a keen singer, had just a week earlier won a lowest bid to attend the Golden Globes – only to have to cancel because he was snowed in.

He said he had always had an interest in boxing and had recently taken up Thai boxing again, after a break. He trains with the Masters of Fitness and Martial Arts, run by Ryan O’Donnell, at the Wheatley Hill Community Centre.

Curtis won the second package for £3.96.

Lifestyle Bids chief executive Reginald Larry-Cole said: “Nicky Robinson won the VIP package to witness two reigning heavyweight world champions Anthony Joshua and Joseph Parker go head-to-head in one of the biggest heavyweight match-ups.

“After winning the first lot of the auction, Nicky recommended Lifestyle Bids to his friends and family.

“By pure chance one of his closest friend Curtis won the second lot of the auction. So, four friends set off on a once-in a-lifetime experience.

“We have many more exciting reverse auctions coming up, from sold-out events to concerts, dream holidays, luxury goods and more.

“Bidders simply need to pay a small entry fee starting from £1.99 to enter the auction room and then use their daily allocated bids to play. Interestingly, as it is a reverse auctions website, unlike most other auctions, at Lifestyle Bids it is the lowest unique bidder that wins, not the highest.”