The Fighting Chance

What The Fighting Chance does

The Fighting Chance is a UK-registered charitable non-profit founded in 2015 by Imran Khalil and headquartered in London. It uses structured, non-contact boxing training as an engagement vehicle to deliver health, wellbeing, and employability outcomes for vulnerable populations, including Armed Forces veterans, people with mental health issues, individuals with criminal justice system experience, those with substance misuse problems, and people facing barriers to employment. Programmes are run at partner boxing venues across London, including Rival Boxing Gym (King's Cross), Fitzroy Lodge Boxing Club, and the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and combine physical training with advocacy, mentoring, socialisation, and structured employability support such as the Thrive Together London programme. The organization also operates an England Boxing qualification pathway (Activator Course, Level 1, Level 2 coaching certifications) that enables veterans to work professionally in gyms and boxing clubs.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than commercial: all programmes are free to participants and there is no fee-for-service revenue. The principal income sources are the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (core funder of Thrive Together London), the National Lottery Community Fund, and H3O Digital, which provides in-kind equipment, fundraising support, and IT services. Go-to-market is community-led through referrals from veteran charities, healthcare providers, and government agencies, with delivery anchored at trusted venues. Reported impact metrics include 95% of participants reporting improved wellbeing and 50% entering sustainable employment, though these figures are self-reported and not independently audited in the supplied data. Headcount stands at 7 employees, and the operation is geographically concentrated in London.

Name

The Fighting Chance

Legal name

The Fighting Chance

Website

https://thefightingchance.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Fighting Chance is a UK charitable non-profit founded in 2015 that uses non-contact boxing training to improve health, wellbeing, and employability outcomes for vulnerable populations including Armed Forces veterans, people with mental health issues, and those facing employment barriers, operating across London.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran and Vulnerable Population Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Combat Sports Gyms (Boxing, Kickboxing, Muay Thai) (HSADADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Boxing & Kickboxing Fitness Classes (HSADABAF)

Keywords

• Veteran support services
• Non-contact boxing training
• Mental health programmes
• Employability programmes
• Community charity services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: The charity operates primarily through grant funding from government and military support organisations including the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for programmes such as Thrive Together London.
2. Donations and Sponsorship: H3O Digital provides core sponsorship including boxing training equipment, fundraising support, and IT services. Additional donations from supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Fighting Chance delivers free non-contact boxing training programmes combined with personalised support services (advocacy, mentoring, socialisation, employability assistance) to hard-to-reach populations across London, including Armed Forces veterans, people with mental health issues, individuals with criminal justice experience, and those facing employment barriers. Programmes are delivered at partner boxing gym venues and include the Strong Voices, Strong Women women-only veteran initiative and the Thrive Together London employability pathway, which provides England Boxing recognised coaching qualifications.

Product overview

The Fighting Chance operates a portfolio of interconnected non-contact boxing training programmes designed to improve health, wellbeing, and employability. The core offering centres on structured boxing training sessions that serve as a vehicle for behavioral change. Key programmes include the Strong Voices, Strong Women initiative (women-only veteran boxing), the Thrive Together London employability pathway (boxing qualifications for veterans), and standalone Health and Wellbeing and Employability programmes. The company was founded in 2015 by Imran Khalil and operates across London, serving veterans, people with mental health issues, those with criminal justice system experience, and individuals facing employment barriers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non-Contact Boxing Training Programmes Structured, non-contact boxing training sessions delivered at partner boxing gym venues across London, used as a vehicle for behavioural change, improving health, wellbeing, and engagement for hard-to-reach individuals including veterans and those with mental health issues. Delivered free of charge to participants.
• Strong Voices, Strong Women Women-only veterans' boxing training programme combining non-contact boxing sessions in a private space with wraparound support, wellbeing sessions, and social group activities for ex-Servicewomen across London. No prior boxing experience is required.
• Thrive Together London Employability pathway programme funded by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and delivered in partnership with The Poppy Factory, supporting veterans to gain England Boxing recognised qualifications (Boxing Activator Course, Level 1, Level 2) for employment within gyms and boxing clubs.
• Boxing Qualification Pathway Progressive England Boxing coaching qualification pathway including the introductory Boxing Activator Course, Level 1, and Level 2 qualifications, enabling veterans to gain recognised credentials and move into professional coaching roles within gyms and boxing clubs.
• Health and Wellbeing Programmes Programmes for people experiencing mental and physical health issues that use non-contact boxing training to engage and motivate, with additional support including advocacy, mentoring, socialisation, and employability assistance.
• Armed Forces Veterans Support Specialist support programmes for Armed Forces veterans, including those with complex mental health problems such as PTSD, limbless and wounded/injured/sick veterans, and women veterans and families programmes.
• Employability Programmes Programmes designed for people experiencing barriers to employment, focusing on advancing health and wellbeing and delivering intermediate employability outcomes to get participants ready for work, training, or engagement with employers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of participants report improved levels of health and wellbeing
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• The Poppy FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in the Thrive Together project supporting veterans with employment needs. Works collaboratively on employability programmes.
• England BoxingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides recognised qualification pathway for veterans including Boxing Activator Course, Level 1 and Level 2 coaching qualifications enabling participants to work in gyms and boxing clubs.
• BlesmamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans charity partner supporting limbless veterans. Referenced in testimonials praising the organisation's support for veterans.
• CobseomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfederation of Service Suppliers Organisation representing the UK veteran sector. Listed as a partner organisation.
• Royal Hospital ChelseamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for boxing sessions. Hosts regular boxing sessions for Chelsea Pensioners with The Fighting Chance coaches.
• Fitzroy Lodge Boxing ClubmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue for Tuesday veterans boxing programme. Home of Head Coach Mark Reigate who delivers programmes for The Fighting Chance.
• Rival Boxing Gym King's CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for women-only veterans' boxing sessions every Thursday. Private space provides safe, welcoming environment for women veterans.
• VMHASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans Mental Health and Addictions Support organisation listed as a partner.
• CDARS LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCohort programme partnership for veteran support initiatives.
• Rathbone ABCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmateur boxing club where Roy Summers coaches. Part of the network delivering The Fighting Chance programmes.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Walking With The Wounded: UK charity supporting ex-military personnel into employment and independence. Comparable veteran employability outcomes and beneficiary cohort, though delivers through different intervention models.
• Blesma: UK military charity supporting limbless and wounded veterans. Already a TFC partner; shares the wounded-veteran beneficiary segment and UK-focused operating geography.
• The Poppy Factory: UK charity supporting veterans with health conditions into employment. Aligned via Thrive Together project and shared employability outcomes framework for veterans.

Broad incumbents

• Mind: Major UK mental health charity. Broader mental health mission overlapping with TFC's mental health and wellbeing segment, but operates at vastly different scale and scope.
• Help for Heroes: Large UK military charity providing wellbeing, recovery, and employability support to veterans. Overlapping beneficiary base and employability outcomes framework, though with a much broader service portfolio and larger scale.

Direct peers

• Rock Steady Boxing: International non-profit using non-contact boxing training to improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease. Closest methodological match given its non-contact, condition-specific boxing intervention model.
• Fight for Peace: UK-headquartered charity using boxing and martial arts combined with personal development to support young people affected by crime and violence. Most direct operational analogue to TFC's sport-based engagement model.

Emerging players

• Unbroken by Christmas: UK veteran mental health charity using sport-based engagement and challenges. Comparable small-charity profile, sport-led engagement methodology, and veteran mental health focus.
• Reorg: International non-profit using jiu-jitsu to support first responders and military veterans with PTSD. Comparable methodology: structured martial-arts training as a clinically informed mental health intervention for service-related trauma.
• Combat Stress: UK charity providing specialist mental health treatment for veterans with PTSD and other conditions. Comparable target population (UK veterans with complex mental health needs) and overlapping mental health outcomes focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheFightingCha1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfodts1DZJjLsdTYsKLwF4A
• Facebookfacebook.com/thefightingchance.co.uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefightingchance1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-fighting-chance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Fighting Chance