Rio Ferdinand to become a professional boxer

Is that serious?

So Messi is conditioned to take punches and land punches with his feet planted?

Has he the defensive skills to keep a top level boxer from pushing him around the rind and bullying him?

Footwork or not, he'd be destroyed.
:lol:
 
Is that serious?

So Messi is conditioned to take punches and land punches with his feet planted?

Has he the defensive skills to keep a top level boxer from pushing him around the rind and bullying him?

Footwork or not, he'd be destroyed.

Oh come on, he's clearly saying Mayweather would be worse at Football than Messi at boxing. One lucky punch is all he needs, and being short he can get inside with his unorthodox style and do some damage. Mayweather has never faced anyone like that.
 
It's like a boxing version of soccer aid, or whatever it's called. It's not dragging boxing through the mud, though Rio obviously needs to be aware of the potential consequences. It will be a watered down version though where he's heavily protected by the ref if he gets in trouble.
 
Is that serious?

So Messi is conditioned to take punches and land punches with his feet planted?

Has he the defensive skills to keep a top level boxer from pushing him around the rind and bullying him?

Footwork or not, he'd be destroyed.
Deadly serious clearly.

In that sense though I think Ronaldo would be clearly better. His abs would make bodyshots feel like punching concrete breezeblocks.

His strength and conditioning would be very well suited to boxing, and the fact he would never want to ruin his pretty face would make his dodge/weaving almost unstoppable.
 
Does he have financial issues we don't know about? Why would you do this?
 
I'm all for this. I'd happily pay to see Rio get punched in the face continuously.

Seriously though as an ex amateur boxer I hope he's not going into it willy nilly, not taking it serious could end up with him being very embarrassed and possibly badly hurt. He's the same age as me and I wouldn't relish going back in the ring with someone that's still in fighting condition and experience so I'd worry for someone that's no experience at all (assuming he hasn't?).

If he's fighting some other celebrity, Ksi VS Weller style he'll be ok. Any half decent proper fighter will rip him to pieces though, can't emphasise how long it takes to train and learn even the fundamentals.
 
'Hey Rio, what do you think you are missing in your career?'
'Brain concussions.'
'Say no more, fam.'
 
Can't help thinking this is him trying to fill the void left by his wife and replace the rush from playing football. Hope he sorts his mind out sooner or later because he will get battered in a boxing ring. He won't be in the light weight categories either.
 
Can't help thinking this is him trying to fill the void left by his wife and replace the rush from playing football. Hope he sorts his mind out sooner or later because he will get battered in a boxing ring. He won't be in the light weight categories either.

Yep. I don't blame him though, good luck to the man.
 
I'm all for this. I'd happily pay to see Rio get punched in the face continuously.

Seriously though as an ex amateur boxer I hope he's not going into it willy nilly, not taking it serious could end up with him being very embarrassed and possibly badly hurt. He's the same age as me and I wouldn't relish going back in the ring with someone that's still in fighting condition and experience so I'd worry for someone that's no experience at all (assuming he hasn't?).

If he's fighting some other celebrity, Ksi VS Weller style he'll be ok. Any half decent proper fighter will rip him to pieces though, can't emphasise how long it takes to train and learn even the fundamentals.

I'm sure the opponent will be chosen carefully. It will be like that Flintoff fight. Or when Idris Elba had a "professional" Thai boxing fight. There's an element of risk but they'll put him up against some patsy who's extremely unlikely to do any real damage, with a referee who will do everything possible to make sure nobody gets hurt.
 
I'd like to see footballers in boxing matches against other footballers;

Suarez vs Zlatan
Neymar vs Jaap Stam
Gerrard vs Tim Wiese

I'd watch that all day.
 
Last edited:
Is that serious?

So Messi is conditioned to take punches and land punches with his feet planted?

Has he the defensive skills to keep a top level boxer from pushing him around the rind and bullying him?

Footwork or not, he'd be destroyed.
FFS.

:lol::lol::lol:
 
It makes a joke of the sport though, I'm an avid boxing fan and I hate all these circus shows.
As former avid boxing fan, I'm confident farcical decisions like the one that plagued the GGG/Canelo fight do far more damage to the credibility of the sport than celebrity exhibition fights but that's just me.
 
This is a fun little side project to make some cash from Betfair.
 
Can't help thinking this is him trying to fill the void left by his wife and replace the rush from playing football. Hope he sorts his mind out sooner or later because he will get battered in a boxing ring. He won't be in the light weight categories either.
Agreed. Had seen an interview of him regarding him coping with the loss, and he had stated how difficult of a time it was for him.

Anyways, i don't see any problem with this. I mean, he isn't going to get a match with the champion or something, he is obviously going to start at the bottom. So i don't see whats the problem.
 
anyone know what weight class he'd be in, he'd probably be around the 14 stone mark I'd imagine, that would be cruiserwieght these days, unless he gets down to light heavy. Whatever weight class he fits, he's in the big boys. He'd need to be careful, a 14 stone haymaker from some journeyman looking for his 15 mins of fame could do damage
 
Jesus, let the man fight! It beats getting fat and lazy like many ex-pros.
 
If Rio needs a great coach, I know a good one who can bring him up to Mike Tyson levels in short time...

2ffad875bc4858a693b5e68b5007b323
 
Jesus, let the man fight! It beats getting fat and lazy like many ex-pros.

Like it SirAF!
I also think go for it man just don't complain if you get hurt, just take it on the chin! :)

More seriously he said he wants to win a belt so it's good he has an objective though we both know that means he has to beat at least one decent fighter. I bet he gives up before he gets a title fight though respect to him for giving it go, assuming he follows through.
 
Is that serious?

So Messi is conditioned to take punches and land punches with his feet planted?

Has he the defensive skills to keep a top level boxer from pushing him around the rind and bullying him?

Footwork or not, he'd be destroyed.
:lol:
 
I'm not that arsed if it's a one off like Flintoff but he looks like complete crap on the pads.
 
Give Mayweather a big enough financial incentive and he would have KO-ed Mcgregor in the first round instead of playing around.
Nah.

Mcgregor got to the point he could barely stand up due to faituge, Floyd was hitting him with power shot after power shot, and he still didn't go down. How's he getting him out of there in 1 when he's fresh?
 
If he wants competition then join a Sunday league team. If he is serious about boxing then fight Flintoff. I'd pay to see that just for the giggles but at his age, back issue this just sounds like a bad idea.