University of Otago student boxers (from left) Tess ‘‘Too Good to be True’’ Goldsmith (23), Richie ‘‘The South Paw’’ Marks (19) and Hanna ‘‘Hour of Power’’ Van der Geissen (23). PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON

Students are packing a punch for a cause of their choice as the second round of the Otago University Students' Association Charity Fight Night approaches.

Four pairs of women and 11 pairs of men have been undergoing gruelling training for weeks at NZ Fight and Fitness to prepare themselves physically and psychologically for their boxing match.

The event will be held on July 12, in the university's Union Hall.

Students - who chose their own fight name and walk-out song - each picked a charity to raise money for, and have set up profiles on Givealittle.

Psychology PhD student Tess "Too Good To Be True" Goldsmith, walking out to Lose Control by Missy Elliot, chose the Mental Health Foundation.

She used mental health services extensively in her first year of university for depression, and wanted to keep mental health in the public view.

Fellow fighters Richie "The South Paw" Marks and Hanna "Hour of Power" van der Geissen were boxing for The Meningitis Foundation and the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation respectively.

Ms Geissen said her father battled with MS all his life, which inspired her to choose the cause, and Mr Marks said he lost someone very close to him to meningitis.

Ms Geissen, who said she had never thrown a punch in her life, said she had experienced "a lot of progression" physically and mentally since she started training.

Mr Marks had never trained in any kind of martial arts before, and his flatmates had now got used to him coming home complaining about
aching muscles.

It would be good to see it pay off, he said.

"It's a really big physical step up," he said. "It's definitely something that I'd start over again if I could."

Last year $26,000 was raised from the event.

Otago University Students' Association events co-ordinator Scott Godsall said two weeks ago the fighters were paired with someone who matched their level of fitness, age, and weight.

Seventy-two students had put their names forward this year, but that number had been whittled down during training.

The event was open to staff, but none had entered. It would be good to see a lecturer v lecturer match sometime - or student and lecturer boxing over exam results, he said.

Tickets for the event are available via the OUSA's Otago Ori website.