He may have once been more at home on a rugby pitch, but former Welsh international Andy Powell swapped all that for a pair of boxing gloves on Saturday night.
While the Wales side he played for 23 times gets ready for their first Rugby World Cup match in Japan, Powell spent his night taking part in his first boxing match in a purpose-built metal-roofed barn in the middle of Penmaenau Farm in Builth Wells, which otherwise hosts agricultural events like the Royal Welsh Show.
And he only went and won.
There was a raucous atmosphere throughout the night as the drinks flowed and between 500 and 600 people surrounded the ring dressed in their finest, making their voices heard with chanting and singing.
The former Welsh international, whose clubs included Scarlets, Cardiff Blues, Wasps and Sale, took on event organiser Danny Davies, after the pair agreed to fight after sharing a pint in Brecon rugby club.
Dressed in white shorts displaying the Welsh dragon and white gloves, fans chanted “There’s only one Andy Powell” and held their camera phones aloft as he came out swinging, putting his opponent on the floor in the first round.
But early into the second round, Mr Davies took a knee and his corner waved the fight off, declaring Powell the victor.
He paraded the ring waving and applauding the crowd who all cheered his victory, though some booed due to the short duration of the bout.
The fight ended prematurely as Mr Davies received an uncomfortable blow to his ribs.
Speaking to WalesOnline before he stepped into the ring, Powell said: “I had a phone call asking 'Do you want to do it?' and thought it would be a piece of piss but now I’m here I’m thinking sh*t.
“In rugby, after a tackle you can get up but in the ring it only takes one punch and who knows what is going to happen. It could be goodnight, Irene. You could be sleeping. I’ve always watched boxing but I’ve never wanted to get into the ring. Training was going well but I’ve had a few mad ones in the last couple of weeks."
“My mum is ringing me all the time saying 'Are you alright? Cover that chin'. They weren’t too keen on it but hopefully we both come out safe. It takes a lot of courage to get into the ring. Whatever happens, we’ll have a pint afterwards and shake hands.
“Running out in a rugby stadium in front of 80,000 people I didn’t feel nervous but tonight my heart has been going."
Powell hit the headlines back in 2010 after he was arrested for driving a golf buggy on the M4.
The buggy had been taken from Wales' training base at the Vale Resort, where the team was based before a match against Scotland. Mr Davies said it had been hoped the buggy could have been incorporated into Powell's boxing debut.
He said: “We had tried to get a golf cart for him to make his way down to the ring on but it was too tight.”
The evening was in aid of two special causes, the Local Brecon Trust and Cancer Research, with a 23-lot silent auction held between the fights. Previous events had raised between £6,000 and £7,000 for charity.
