A CAGE fighter will take on 30 different opponents in a row in a charity effort after his mother was diagnosed with cancer.

Sam Morrison will fight them for two-minutes each in a mixture of boxing, kick-boxing, mixed martial arts (MMA) and Thai boxing.

The 26-year-old from Bournemouth was inspired to raise money after mum Elaine, 59, from Winton, contracted cancer of the gall bladder.

Sam, a scaffolder from Southbourne, trains at The Phoenix Gym in Moordown, and will stage his marathon bout there.

He said: “The MMA will probably be the most tiring but it depends who I am fighting.

“I’ll be fighting people from the gym, friends, and some people who haven’t even fought before.

“So I’ll be mixing up hard rounds with easy ones. Everyone at the gym wants to fight me in round 29 or 30!”

Sam fights competitively and won an MMA knockout win at the 82kg (180 pound) limit in April.

His boxing trainer, Joe Morano, a former US Air Force Boxing Champion, said: “Sam has a tremendous skill level now.

“He should start thinking about professional fights.

“I have seen him train five or six sessions in a week and he has got all the tools.

“A normal person would find three rounds strenuous. Anything beyond the professional limit of 12 rounds is extremely difficult.

“But it’s more about the charity and the people that want to help Sam and his cause, because he is such a genuine bloke.”

Sam is planing the bouts for June. To watch, and for donations and sponsorship, contact him courtesy of The Phoenix Gym.

Visit http://phoenixmmauk.co.uk, call 01202 469 039, or write to 725 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH9 2AX.