AS a city councillor, he's used to trading verbal blows with opposition politicians.
But Chris Sumpton will be boxing for real this weekend when he steps into the ring for a charity bout.
The Labour councillor will also have a political heavyweight as his cornerman in the shape of ex-Hull East MP Lord Prescott.
Saturday's Rugby League Rumble event at the KC Stadium features eight three-minute round fights between current or former amateur rugby league players.
The bouts will be staged in front of a 450-strong sell-out crowd.
Councillor Sumpton said: "I've sparred three times but the lad I'm up against has sparred 16 or 17 times so that tells a story in itself.
"I was quite confident after my first sparring session but in the last one I was all over the place.
"Saying that, I've been training steadily for about two months to get my fitness levels up.
"I've never boxed before so I'm hoping for a victory so I can then retire undefeated!"
He will be sporting protective headgear for the fight with opponent Fred Wardell, who is boxing under the nickname The Hot Stepper.
Councillor Sumpton, who is a teacher at Kingswood High School, has adopted the nickname of Bedtime for the bout – a tradition at the fundraising event.
"I'm aiming to put my opponent to bed – at least, that's the idea."
Famous for throwing a punch at an egg-throwing protester during the 2001 General Election campaign, Lord Prescott will be giving tips from outside the ring.
"I'm delighted to have him as my cornerman," said Councillor Sumpton.
"I asked him a while ago and didn't think he would agree.
"Hopefully, he can pass on a few tips from when he did a bit of amateur boxing in his younger days."
Two other Kingswood teachers – Ian Russell and Brendan Downes – are also squaring up to each other on the night.
The bill also features is ex-Kingswood student Alex Moody who is fighting Chris Rhodes, who is a parent of a current student at the school.
Councillor Sumpton, who represents the Holderness ward in east Hull on the city council, said: "The kids have been talking about it for weeks.
"Some have been taking the Mickey, saying I won't last the distance but the main thing is to raise a lot of money for the two charities."
Proceeds from Rumble will be split between the Life For A Kid Foundation and the Special Times charity.
The charity boxing series recently confirmed a bout between former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe and ex-Hull FC star Lee Radford at Hull's Walton Street Club on July 25 at the Walton Street Club.
