Harry Edwards, 22 years from Ringwood, is stepping into the boxing ring for the first time, boxing to raise money and awareness for the Lives Not Knives charity following the death of his beloved cousin and friend, Luke gray in July this year. Luke died as a ‘direct result’ of injuries sustained from an attack in October 2021.

Luke, 26 and his best friend Max Maguire, were brutally attacked in Lymington in October 2021. Catastrophically, Max lost his life that night. Luke was stabbed twice in the back, fighting for his own life, he witnessed the murder of his best friend and the serious wounding of another friend with them that night. His heart stopped three times that night. His mum, Sarah Roberts, was told to ‘say her goodbyes’ and as Covid restrictions were in place was told she could only spend an hour with him! For two years Luke underwent repeated operations, multiple infections, and treatments, ultimately, Luke had his kidney removed. Tragically, Luke died in his sleep in August despite the tireless efforts of his devastated mother to revive him, a full two and a half years after that fatal night. Sarah has given us permission to share the coroner’s verdict but is in no doubt that ‘Luke is dead as a direct result of the attack.”

As Luke’s mum says, “This cannot be proven in a court of law, so Luke will never get the justice he deserves.”

Harry, a pall bearer at his cousin’s funeral in August, says “Luke was a complete fighter, he fought for two and half years to get over this hideous, unprovoked attack. I have seen the horrendous impact on his mum and her twin sister, my mum – it has affected us all terribly. I am fighting to raise awareness of Lives Not Knives, in the hope that we can do one small thing to help stop the national epidemic of knife crime.”

Luke’s mum Sarah says “I am tremendously proud of what Harry is doing not only for his cousin my son, but for all the sons and daughters out there that will be lost due to people carrying knives. It must stop. Harry has been training every day and is a real man – I wish everyone that thinks about carrying a knife would think twice, be like Harry and save a life – leave it home or better still hand it in.”

To support Harry please make a donation or buy a ticket to the fight.

Thank you so much for your support.