She thought he was a knock-out when she met him and now they are matched for life.

Kerri Mathews was in for a big surprise when she went to watch her partner Daniel Almond competing in the WCFC4 (White Collar Fight Club) boxing event at Lordswood Leisure Centre.

The mother assumed she would just be cheering on her man, not realising he had cooked up a plan to propose to her after his bout.

He enlisted the help of WCFC chairman and promoter Daniel Towers and they came up with the idea of staging a fake raffle, with the only winner being his future wife.

Plumber Mr Almond said: “I had been thinking about proposing for a long time and thought the boxing event would be the best opportunity, as both our families were there.”

The pair put up signs stating it was a free raffle with just one lucky winner and, when Miss Mathews’ number was called she went to collect her prize.

Mr Almond, 27, said: “I was behind her and she kept saying to the MC, where is my prize?

“I then told her there was no raffle, but she kept saying, ‘No, I’ve won’, but then she realised when I got down on one knee and proposed.

“She held her finger out and I put the ring on, then she said yes, she would. I’m so glad we managed to pull it off.”

The couple started dating five and a half years ago and live in Princes Park with children Dulcey, three, and Danny, eight months.

“I had been thinking about proposing for a long time and thought the boxing event would be the best opportunity" - Daniel Almond

Miss Mathews said: “I’d been hinting for a while I wanted to get married, but he’d had a busy week at work with his exams and the boxing, so I can’t believe he manage to plan all that too, it was very romantic. We’ve not chosen a date yet as we would like our son to play a part in it.”

Mr Towers, 36, added: “When Daniel asked me about proposing to Kerri I was really pleased as I had read about another boxer doing it in the ring.

“He smashed through his opponent on the night before popping the question and he was more nervous about the proposal than the fight.”