Crolla and Gomez kickstart Matchroom Run Club in Manchester

The streets of Manchester came alive on Friday night with the first Matchroom Run Club, a community-focused event celebrating fitness, boxing and the city’s rich sporting heritage.

The event, delivered alongside Manchester’s own rising stars, William Crolla and Michael Gomez Jr, saw runners of all ages and abilities meet outside Co-op Live – Manchester’s latest state-of-the-art venue – before taking part in a social 5K run, expertly mapped out by our friends at Manchester Road Runners.

The fact that Crolla and Gomez both come from legendary boxing families generated an extra level of excitement for the locals who had gathered on Joe Mercer Way, with William’s older brother and former WBA Lightweight World Champion, Anthony Crolla, also in attendance – reinforcing the city’s love for homegrown talent. Youngsters from local amateur boxing clubs, including Crolla’s Fox ABC, also joined the run, proudly sporting their Matchroom-branded t-shirts.

Following an introductory briefing from Matchroom’s Head of Community Development, Alex Le Guével, the runners set off – heading past the entrance to the Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, before taking a turn towards New Islington, Ancoats and Cutting Room Square. The run circled back across Miles Platting and City Link Way, before finishing back at the ever-evolving Etihad Campus. Bringing upbeat music and good vibes throughout were Run The Streets MCR, adding to the atmosphere and keeping everyone energised.

The event was more than just a run. It was a celebration of Manchester’s sporting culture and a reminder of the importance of local support for the next generation of athletes. With William Crolla and Michael Gomez stepping into the ring in just two weeks’ time, Matchroom Run Club was a fantastic way to build excitement and community spirit ahead of a historic night of boxing.

Tickets to the highly anticipated showdown between Jack Catterall and Regis Prograis on Saturday October 26th – the first boxing event to be held at Co-op Live – are still available, with more information about the event available here.

If you attended Friday’s Matchroom Run Club, you can access all event images here.