YORK boxing legend Henry Wharton is to make a rare reappearance in the ring this month - to take on Leeds Rhinos boss Brian McDermott in a showcase fundraising fight.

McDermott, 45, a former Marine and professional boxer himself, has trained for previous charity bouts in recent years under Wharton's watchful eye at Henry's Gym in Acomb.

This time, however, the esteemed rugby league boss - whose side won the treble last year - will be taking on Wharton himself, as the former light heavyweight world championship contender goes between the ropes again, bringing back memories of his epic televised battles with Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank two decades ago.

The fight will be top of the bill in a show at Henry's Gym on Friday, February 12, which has been organised to raise funds for the club and, in particular, for its young boxers who are to compete at an international show in Denmark next month.

There will be ten bouts in total, starting at 7pm, with Yorkshire's former light middleweight world champion, Paul 'Silky' Jones, also involved, fighting a Henry's Gym coach, Dave Morrell.

Said Wharton of his ring return: "Brian's a friend of ours and he's trained here before. He's also a gentleman, and he agreed to it.

"I could have picked on someone smaller than Brian, but there you go.

"It's an exhibition fight really. We want to raise funds to help these kids get to Denmark and turn it into something memorable for them.

"We're not funded by anyone or by any government funding so we have to do it all ourselves.

"Hopefully some of the rugby players will come down as well and it will be a successful night."

Tickets cost £20 and are available from Henry's Gym by phoning 07543 636424 or emailing info@henrywharton.co.uk.

The gym will also host their own show this Saturday, February 6, where 18 of the club's boxers will take on fighters from all around the country.

Tickets for this cost £15 or £7.50 for juniors.

While McDermott has a boxing pedigree, Wharton too has links with rugby league.

He has held training sessions with both Leeds and York City Knights in the recent past, and indeed was a guest at the Knights' plush sportsman's dinner last weekend, at which Super League legend Jamie Peacock was the main speaker and his old Rhinos team-mate Jamie Jones-Buchanan the compere.

* THE Knights' sportsman's dinner saw three men inducted into the York RL Legends roll of honour.

They were Roger Dixon, who was one of the men who relaunched the Knights following the demise of York Wasps and became the club's first chairman; John Stabler, a former Wasps chairman, a long-time sponsor and a lifelong fan of York; and the late Pete Warters, who was known as Mr York Rugby League after his efforts as a player, coach and administrator at various levels of the game, most notably at York Acorn ARLC, whom he helped to launch.

Warters' award was picked up by grandson Tom Hill, the current Acorn captain, while former Knights star Jonny Liddell, another of his grandsons along with ex-England winger Peter Fox, also came back to York for the occasion.