AN ARMED Forces veteran is set to step into the boxing ring for the third time in a bid to raise funds for the Stroke Association.

David Nettleton, 58, of Thurlstone, was in the Armed Forces for 23-and-a-half years before he was medically discharged in 2017.

He has since been diagnosed with with PTSD and Adjustment Disorder, among other conditions.

He admits he had ‘let himself go’ to the point where he weighed 18 stone and was struggling with both his mental and physical health.

But after attending an NHS Talking Therapies mental health sessions and learning about Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB), he says he hasn’t looked back.

He said: “Through dedicated training and discipline, I joined the Combat Academy in Barnsley and transformed my life.

“I have since dropped to 13 stone, and my mental health has improved massively.

“This journey has been about more than just physical fitness - it’s about reclaiming my well-being and proving that it’s never too late to turn things around.

“I continue to work hard on both my physical and mental health every day.”

This will be David’s third bout - and although he’s lost the previous two, he says it’s all about raising money for good causes.

“I did one in December 2023 for Cancer Research and then one last summer for BIADS,”he said.

“I’m now doing this one for the Stroke Association as I’ve had a few friends that have had strokes.

“It’s not about the winning.

“I’m 58 so I know it might raise a few eyebrows - but it’s really helped me.”

A link to the fundraiser can be found here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/david-nettleton-3