A former Tottenham defender got the better of his Arsenal counterpart in a boxing match between ex-Premier League footballers on Friday night.

Founded by former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack, Pro Project Promotions organises events featuring retired professional athletes, including boxing nights, to raise money for charitable causes.

The initiative is also meant to give former footballers a new competitive outlet after retirement, while supporting mental health and community charities as well.

On Thursday, 22 October, Stack’s organisation held a boxing gala where former professional footballers swapped their boots for boxing gloves, aiming to raise funds towards a £500,000 milestone.

Several bouts took place during the event – named ‘A Night to Remember 3’, but one particular contest caught the attention of Tottenham fans.

Sebastien Bassong stops former Arsenal defender Armand Traore

Former Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong, who spent two and a half years in North London between 2009 and 2012, emerged victorious in a boxing bout against former Arsenal left-back Armand Traore.

Bassong wasted little time making his mark, unleashing a flurry of punches in the second round that forced the referee to give Traore a standing count before eventually waving the fight off.

Perhaps Bassong was simply making up for lost time after his own North London derby experiences in lilywhite. The 40-year-old featured in two meetings against Arsenal during his Tottenham career, and lost both.

The first was a 3-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium on 31 October 2009. The second was an even more painful 4-1 loss in the League Cup on 22 September 2010, when Bassong was also responsible for conceding a penalty.

When did Tottenham last beat Arsenal (on the pitch)?

Of course, a boxing victory is hardly a substitute for three Premier League points, and Tottenham supporters would much rather see their team get the better of Arsenal on the pitch.

Unfortunately, recent North London derbies have offered little encouragement. Spurs have failed to win any of their last eight Premier League meetings against Arsenal, drawing once and losing the other seven.

Their last league victory over the Gunners came in May 2022 under Antonio Conte, when Tottenham produced a memorable 3-0 win at home. Harry Kane scored twice before Heung Min Son added a third.

Since Conte’s departure, three more managers have taken charge of Tottenham in Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and Ange Postecoglou, but none has managed to deliver a Premier League derby victory over Arsenal.

With Roberto De Zerbi now at the helm, hopefully he puts an end to that miserable run when the two sides meet at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December. Bassong has done his bit.