Ashley Cain continues the fight for daughter Azaylia - in the boxing ring

An inspirational dad who heartbreakingly lost his daughter to leukaemia is putting the finishing touches to his preparations for a boxing match in her memory.

Heroic former footballer and reality TV star Ashley Cain – whose daughter Azaylia was cared for at Birmingham Children’s Hospital before losing her battle against a rare form of leukaemia aged eight months – is stepping into the ring in her honour on Saturday.

This will be the first of eight fights – one for each month of inspirational Azaylia’s life - which Ashley will take on and he is raring to go as he continues to dedicate his life to commemorating his daughter’s life.

‘I am fighting for Azaylia and for all of the heroic children battling cancer’

Ashley said: “I told you I’d forever fight for my daughter. I told you I’d fight for these children. I told you I’d fight for everyone out there suffering loss.

“I am not fighting for recognition, I am fighting for Azaylia and for all of the heroic children battling cancer.

“In my daughter and her legacy, I have found something worth dying for, so fighting in the ring to raise awareness and funds for a cause embedded in my heart was an easy choice to make.”

Speaking yesterday (Tuesday), he added: “I had a lot of people from the boxing association to the promoters doubting that I would make weight this Friday.

“I love that, because my will to prove what I CAN DO in life always outweighs any doubt surrounding what I can’t. Four days out, 0.8kg to go and feeling in great shape mentally and physically for this fight.

“The only thing I’m hungry for right now is to go head-to-head on Saturday night.”

Ashley, 31, will be fighting American YouTuber prankster Andreas Eskander, 23, at the SSE Arena, Wembley to raise awareness of The Azaylia Foundation, which highlights childhood cancer and supports families who are fund-raising for treatments that may not be readily available on the NHS.

The foundation, which also provides children with memorable experiences throughout their journey, was launched by Ashley and girlfriend Safiyya Vorajee before Azaylia’s death in April 2021 - using proceeds from more than £1.6m in GoFundMe donations pledged towards treatment for Azaylia in Singapore.

When they were told their daughter’s condition was too rare for treatment to work, the couple used the funds to set up the charity and since then former Coventry City footballer Ashley has embarked on a series of fund-raisers.

Ashley’s fund-raising – which has included a 1,040-mile cycle ride with his brother Matty - is backed by celebrities including Ant Middleton and Fearne Cotton.

In September last year, Ashley and Safiyya returned to Birmingham Children’s Hospital to donate £20,000 in Azaylia’s honour.

Ticket and pay per view details for Saturday’s fight are available at the link in Ashley’s Instagram bio @mrashleycain. To find out more about The Azaylia Foundation, head to bit.ly/3mIaBl9.

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