A FORMER world champion boxer paid a surprise visit to Catterick Garrison last week to be the VIP at The Royal Lancers Boxing Championship, The Peto Cup.

Amir Khan attended the event and presented prizes to winners on the night, including best boxer and most gallant boxer.

Mr Khan said, “I’ve been to many boxing events across the country, but this is some of the best I’ve seen.”

Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Mudd, Commanding Officer of The Royal Lancers: “The Peto Cup was named after late Brigadier Sir Christopher Henry Maxwell Peto DSO, 3rd Baronet of Barnstable who served in the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers between 1915 and 1945 seeing service in two World Wars."

Lieutenant Colonel Mudd, who also holds a Distinguished Service Order for his service in Afghanistan, went on to praise the boxers that night for their efforts.

He said: “Peto encapsulated all that is great about a Lancer: courageous, ruthlessly professional, tough, resilient and innovative, whilst imbued with a sense of cavalry and style that has defined us over three centuries”

Staff Sergeant Tony Davies, from Newcastle, who organised the night, said it was one of the best feelings in the world to see the boxers he had trained fight.

He added: “Even with all their other duties as a soldier, these guys and girls have put in 110 per cent for four months to make sure they are ready for tonight.”

The night was sponsored by many organisations including Sodexo, Tom Willoughby and John Bull.

The Royal Lancers, who are an amalgamation of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers and The Queen’s Royal Lancers, are a North Yorkshire based regiment.