Ex Footballer Rio Ferdinand To Turn Professional in Boxing?
By Andrew “El Magico” Juby
Former England and Manchester United captain, Rio Ferdinand, is expected to announce this afternoon, UK time, that he intends to become a professional boxer at the age of 38. (Actually, it’s nearer 39, which he will be in November).
He announced his retirement from professional football in May 2015. In the same year, he sadly lost his wife to cancer, and claims that his time in the gym helped him through a very difficult period.
In January this year, he uploaded a video of him doing pads, and he (jokingly?) called out Tony Bellew, David Haye, and Anthony Joshua. In June, he teased Tyson Fury, asking him when he was going to get his license back? Suggesting that he might want to take on the heavyweight division.
Is he honestly being realistic? Let’s put aside the obvious implications for a moment, and see if there’s an upside to getting involved in the noble art at his age, and at that level.
Will he be as tough in the ring as an experienced boxer such as David Haye, for example? Haye is two years younger than Rio, has been punched in the head for years, and is still going strong- despite injuring his achilles tendon against Tony Bellew in March this year at London’s O2 Arena. In July, it was stated that he was expected to be fit enough to fight this December.
What about Ferdinand? Since 2008, he has injured his back, groin, knees, hip, calf and thighs, with some of those injuries taking him out for months. And without experience in the ring, he will have his head to worry about too. He won’t know until he is in a ring for twelve rounds just how those injuries might affect him.
I think he is mad. Yes, boxers have fought well in their late thirties, and even later, such as Ken Norton, Bernard Hopkins, and of course James Toney, but they were seasoned fighters.
Does Ferdinand think people will pay to watch him box because of who he is?
Look at the Mayweather, JR./McGregor fiasco. To anybody who knows boxing, the result was a foregone conclusion. It was all about the money. And people paid hundreds of million to watch.
But at least McGregor is a seasoned fighter. All of Ferdinand’s skills and instincts are in his legs. In fact, he excelled in a sport where it is actually AGAINST the rules to use your hands. Unless you play in goal of course.
We will learn more later on today. It will be interesting to find out exactly what his motives are, and exactly what he expects to achieve.
Rio Ferdinand will not be the first British footballer to try his hand at professional boxing. In September 2006, Curtis Woodhouse made his pro debut against Dean Marcantonio, and won. That was a much different set of circumstances though, Woodhouse was a streetfighter too, and often in trouble. Despite showing great promise, after only one professional fight, Woodhouse had his BBBC boxing license suspended due to a conviction for assaulting a police officer in November 2006, and returned to football.
Ferdinand is, of course, a completely different kettle of fish. Maybe he can make his way as a professional heavyweight boxer; after all, he is definitely fast and agile. It’s a question of how hard he can hit and not be hit?
And if those legs can hold up.
One thing is for sure though. The money grabbing promoters will lap him up, even if just for one fight, even if it is his first and last.
Maybe there’s a new trend growing. After all, it’s unlawful to use animals in circuses these days.
We await the official announcement with anticipation here in the UK. I have checked the date time and time again on my newsfeeds. It sure isn’t April Fool’s Day, so maybe the English football legend is serious about this.
If he is, I sincerely hope that he stays safe and is well looked after. And that his judges are from FIFA and UEFA. He will need somebody on his side, ringside.
Prove me wrong Rio.
I would happily eat my words.
Just stay safe.
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