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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Sophie McLaughlin

Valentines Day Massacre: Charity boxing event sells out in five minutes as NI comedians go face-to-face at press conference

Prepare for a night of exhilarating fights and serious laughs as some of the biggest names on the Northern Irish comedy stage take to the ring for a one-off charity boxing event.

Local comedians will battle it out at the Ulster Hall on February 11 with all proceeds will go to PIPS, Suicide Prevention in Ireland.

As tickets sold-out almost immediately after their release, it was all go at Limelight Belfast where the official press conference got underway, having fighters go face-to-face for the first time.

Read more: Northern Irish comedians to face off in a huge charity boxing event

Taking to the stage to promote the event and give a taster of what is to come next month, comedians Paddy McDonnell, Ronan Boyle, Shane Todd, Johnny Bow, Sarah Jade Davison and Heather Anderson showed no mercy at the conference on Friday.

On the card for the Valentine's Day Massacre:

Speaking to Belfast Live, Shane Todd, complete with leather jacket, chain and sunglasses, ensured that he "not taking it seriously".

The Holywood comedian joked: "I keep forgetting we're doing it and I'm definitely not training seven days a week at high altitude.

"I've been doing a little bit here and there - Johnny's probably taking it a wee bit more seriously than me and he should be."

He added: "Talks have been rumbling on for a long time - there was a big hold up with my image rights - we've got there, we've got it over the line and now it's real.

"The crazy thing is when you book a stand-up gig, you normally have a nine months run up to it, maybe more, this is happening in five weeks."

Lurgan man Mickey Bartlett, who will go head-to-head with Mark McCarney, shared the secret to his pre-boxing routine with Guinness being the only protein shake he needs.

When asked if he has any previous boxing experience, Mickey laughed: "One time I got punched in the face outside a pub - it wasn't my fault but yeah, that was a pretty close one.

"I can't wait. It's a great thing to get everyone together and good for us to get hanging out properly as we are all normally working by ourselves and it is a fantastic cause."

Shea Doherty from PIPS thanked everyone for getting involved in the event and explained how important all the money raised would mean to suicide prevention across the country.

Shea said: "It's absolutely fantastic and I take my hats off to the guys and the work they are doing. We really appreciate the fact that they've chosen PIPS as the charity for the event."

To donate to the charity boxing fundraiser for PIPS, see here.

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