Baddest run on the planet: Aspinall leads special Manchester edition of the Fight Day 5K

The Fight Day 5K returned to Manchester this week, bringing together the city’s boxing and running communities for the latest instalment of the series – this time with a notable addition at the front.

Starting and finishing at House of Social Manchester, located within the First Street district, the Easter Bank Holiday edition drew a huge turnout from across Greater Manchester.

The concept is now well established as part of fight day – a social, inclusive 5K run held on the morning of every Matchroom show globally, promoting healthy lifestyles, community sport and giving people a way to feel part of the event from the outset.

Leading the run was Tom Aspinall, recently announced as Matchroom Talent Agency’s first signing, who spent time meeting participants and welcoming the crowd before joining the run itself.

He was joined by fan favourite Conah Walker, who returns to action on May 2 against Sam Eggington in Wolverhampton – and his gym mate Dave Allen, also back in his hometown of Doncaster for the biggest fight of his career against Filip Hrgovic on May 16. Completing the line-up was Manchester’s own, highly regarded light heavyweight prospect, Conner Tudsbury.

Proceedings began with a short welcome inside House of Social from Frank Smith and Head of Community Development Alex Le Guével, before participants moved outside for a group warm-up with Head of Fitness & Wellbeing Kai Peacock.

From there, the runners set off on a route expertly mapped by Thomas Lewis and his Manchester Road Runners team, taking in Hulme Park and stretches around the University of Manchester before looping back towards the start point.

Run The Streets MCR once again handled pacing and marshalling, setting the tone throughout with their trademark energy and a Manchester-themed soundtrack that added to the feel of the morning.

The run itself settled into a relaxed, conversational pace from the off, with fighters and fans mixing naturally throughout rather than splitting into groups. It was as much about the interaction as the run – people chatting as they moved, sharing the route and the morning together.

More than anything, it set the tone for the day: a chance to get up, get out and do something positive alongside others who’d made the same choice.

Back at the finish, runners made their way back into House of Social, easing out of the run and into a more relaxed setting. People stayed on to catch up, take photos with the fighters and enjoy the venue’s wide variety of street food and refreshments, with a DJ set carrying the atmosphere through as things naturally shifted into the next part of the morning.

With plenty still keen to test themselves, focus soon turned to a press-up competition, with VIP tickets for the evening’s event in Altrincham up for grabs. Open to all, it quickly drew a large crowd – people of all ages and abilities stepping forward, with a strong level of commitment on display throughout. Tom Aspinall took part himself, while Conah Walker joined Matchroom Multisport CEO Emily Frazer on judging duties alongside Kai Peacock.

With the challenge set to “Flower” by Moby, the field gradually narrowed as the song went on, eventually coming down to a final three. Ultimately, amateur boxer Milosz Cieslak came out on top, with Daniel Huynh and Joseph Cochrane, the youngest competitor by far, finishing second and third respectively.

Throughout the morning, partners played a central role in the overall experience. Participants were able to refuel with protein brownies from FuelHub, alongside hydration from Drip and electrolytes from Ten Percent Club, while Everlast t-shirts were worn across the venue. These were small touches that added to the feel of the event and were well received by those involved.

The Fight Day 5K continues to build with each event – growing in scale and becoming a consistent part of fight week across cities globally.

What began as a simple addition now carries real weight, bringing together local communities and giving each show a starting point that sits outside the arena, but still feels closely connected to it.

Attention now turns to fight night, where Pat Brown tops the bill in Altrincham against Vasil Ducár. Brown returns to familiar surroundings looking to build momentum, while Ducár arrives as a durable and experienced operator, bringing a different kind of test.

The fight headlines a stacked card live on DAZN – rounding off a day that had already begun with a knockout success on the streets of Manchester, with Brown now aiming to deliver one of his own when the lights come on.