Later they got to talking about whether they'd been scared, and what would really scare them.
"I said, 'Getting in the ring, that would scare me'. I think it's good for everyone to be scared, to get out of their comfort zone.''
Watson made up his mind to take up boxing. When he heard about the charity fight, he figured it was a chance to put what he'd learnt into practice.
He had been training for the past 18 months and was surprised by how much skill and thought boxing required. Those skills hadn't come on as fast as he had hoped, "so I'll be relying on a bit of mongrel on the night", he said.
The event is being organised by the Bay of Islands/Far North branch of the Certified Builders Association. Proceeds will go to the Kerikeri-based Pink and Steel Pilates Trust, which provides rehabilitation for patients recovering from cancer surgery.