Hugo’s mother, author Sophie Kinsella, died in December 2025 of glioblastoma. In her memory, Hugo joined hundreds of other walkers at The Twilight Walk in London during Brain Tumour Awareness Month – part of the family’s continued support of The Charity.
Not to be outdone by his younger brother Oscar’s recent half marathon, Hugo has upped the stakes by putting on the gloves for a boxing fundraiser at The Troxy in Limehouse, London, on 19 June.
Lacing up his gloves is definitely out of his comfort zone: “I’ve never loved cardio training, I’m more of a weight training guy; doing stuff like training for halves or marathons (ahem, Oscar) is a popular route but it’s not me. When training for an event like this, it’s easier to stay motivated and on track than knowing that, regardless of cause or fundraising or anything like that, if I slack off I will get punished for it with a punch in the face. Nothing focuses the mind quite like that!”
It’s been a big fitness challenge get match ready as the bout gets ever closer. “The organisation I’m doing this with (White Collar Boxing London) is very rigorous in ensuring everyone who fights is physically up to the task. Part of this is a pair of bleep tests (the ones most of us did in school) near the start and end of the camp, as well as a very nasty ‘Sprint Test’ in the middle, which is like the bleep but much worse. The longest 12 minutes of my life!”
As yet, Hugo’s opponent is the biggest unknown.
“I’ve been told his name, but besides that I know nothing yet about him; his height/reach, his weight (significantly lighter or heavier than me?), his fitness compared to mine. All these things can help me with my strategy – the way I’d prepare for someone four inches shorter than me is very different to how I’d prepare for someone four inches taller.
“In my first fight, due to late dropouts changing up the matchups, I didn’t know who I was fighting until the afternoon of the event. That was nerve-wracking, especially for a first time!”
As part of his fundraising efforts, Hugo has developed some innovative tactics for an auction that included: the right to design his boxing gown (won by his “ever-supporting” girlfriend), the right to design his shorts, and the right to choose his walkout song.
These prizes have thrown up an opportunity for fresh humiliation it seems…
“Those supporting friends have taken it upon themselves to create the most embarrassing and/or bizarre and incoherent clothes for me to fight in. The combination of camo, leopard print and neon tassels on the shorts was particularly fine work.
“I also have yet to be informed what I’m walking out to, but “Barbie Girl”, “Crazy Frog” and “Fergalicious” have been floated as potential contenders.”
