TWO EFL icons are set to take to the boxing ring in London this Thursday as part of a significant charity event.

Championship stars Harlee Dean and Leroy Lita will square off at the ‘A Night to Remember III’ charity gala.

Dean’s career came to an end in May due to an injury sustained during a trial with Notts County – he previously captained Brentford and played for Birmingham, Reading, and Sheffield Wednesday.

This presents a fresh challenge for the former centre-back, who is eager to see if his competitive nature can carry over from the football pitch to the boxing ring.

Lita has also graced numerous clubs during his 22-year playing career. The Congolese forward came up through the Chelsea academy before featuring for Bristol City, Reading, Middlesbrough, and Swansea.

Alongside his training, Lita currently serves as a development phase coach at Sunderland’s academy.

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When is Harlee Dean vs Leroy Lita?

• Dean and Lita will battle on Thursday, October 22.
• The event kicks off at 9pm BST, though a specific time for Dean vs Lita has yet to be determined.
• The JW Marriott Grosvenor House in Mayfair, London will host the event.

How to watch Harlee Dean vs Leroy Lita

• Fans can watch live for free on talkSPORT’s boxing YouTube channel.
• SunSport will provide updates via our LIVE blog.

Who else is fighting on the card?

There will be 14 former footballers participating, including Sebastien Bassong, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, and Nile Ranger.

• Sebastien Bassong vs Armand Traore
• Lee Cook vs Martin Woods
• Simon Cox vs David Norris
• Harlee Dean vs Leroy Lita
• Anthony Gardner vs Matthew Briggs
• Gary Madine vs James Sendles-White
• Jay Emmanuel-Thomas vs Nile Ranger

The Home of Boxing in 2026

Anticipate an electrifying year of boxing ahead!

This year has already been action-packed, and the excitement is far from over!

Eyes are set on the ‘Battle of Britain’ clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, as they prepare to finally resolve their decade-long rivalry in December.

Before that, Canelo Alvarez will be back in action against Christian Mbili on Halloween.

Here’s a rundown of all the major fights on the horizon…

October

• Sat 24 – Dalton Smith vs Alberto Puello – DAZN
• Sat 31 – Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbili – DAZN

November

• Sat 7 – Joshua Buatsi vs Willy Hutchinson 2 – DAZN
• Sat 7 – Chris Billam-Smith vs Cheavon Clarke – Sky Sports
• Sat 28 – Agit Kabayel vs Nelson Hysa – DAZN

December

• Fri 11 – Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua – Netflix
• Sat 12 – Dmitry Bivol vs Callum Smith – DAZN
• Sat 19 – Anthony Cacace vs Nick Ball – DAZN