Well-known Eastern Bay residents are preparing for their first boxing matches.

Fight for Life Ed is being held in Whakatane's War Memorial Hall this weekend.

The night's raising money for the Life Education charity, with the aim of buying two new vehicles: a truck to pull the classroom, and a staff car.

The bouts will be between first-time fighters, who've been training since April.

Organiser Shelley Morgan's been monitoring the progress of the contestants.

She says it's been a bit of a journey, and they're all very nervous and focussed on the night at hand.

She says they're never going to be like Mohammed Ali, because boxing was a full-time job for him, so these guys that have full-time jobs and are preparing for the fight have done unbelievably well.