Freddie Flintoff turning pro!

[slapbangwhallop]

I aint joking.

Word floating about Manchester is that he is turning pro on a Hatton bill at the MEN in November which will also feature Mr. Hatton himself and be aired on ITV. Being trained by Shane McGuigan and managed by Barry. All allegedly of course.

Bit of a Sonny Boy Williams type freak show but surely good for boxing, no?

[Craig14]

I would love to see this Freddies a bit of a hero of mine. Adam Hollioake is having his 2nd pro fight in Australia this month coincidentally.

[Bronxbull666]

Daily Mail are reporting this story! He's going to be featured in a two part documentary 'The Gloves Are Off' aired on Sky One in the build up to his debut. Then Sky One are doing a post fight special, Allegedly Channel covering the fight from the MEN Arena in Manchester. Quotes from Freddie, McGuigan as well. 30th November, tickets go on sale Friday, Heavyweight contest, unnamed opponent. ITV are on the story now too.

[el_grande_mauro_mina]

Oh God!

He can't even handle a pedalo - how is he going to handle a heavyweight opponent in the ring?

I would watch it though to see the beating that ensures.

[youngrell]

People are actually happy this is happening? The guy is hardly known for his dedication, and that was playing bloody cricket. And he's 34, what's the point?

[Craig14]

Hopefully he gets to fight an Aussie. He's good at giving them a hiding.

[jimcook]

he could fight a couple of no hopers to get his record respectable before audley harrison comes out of the woodwork again mooting an eliminator for a WB bullshit crack at a 45 year old klitscho. alternatively he could be a future cleverly opponent.

[yiddo14]

People are actually happy this is happening? The guy is hardly known for his dedication, and that was playing bloody cricket. And he's 34, what's the point?

Good point!

Good luck to him although having seen him on the bag and pads, safe to say the Klitschko boys can sleep easy!

[leforge]

He got to pass a board medical he 34. Luxembourg anyone? He had to retire from cricket due to injury. I don't think he should get a licence. Would any of us the same age get one?

[Camcas]

What a freakshow of a show

[mickey1975]

He got to pass a board medical he 34. Luxembourg anyone? He had to retire from cricket due to injury. I don't think he should get a licence. Would any of us the same age get one?

He will get one. David Matthews got one to write his book 'Looking for a fight'. Loads get one with no amateur experience, he will have to spar in front of The Board. It was a knee injury that forced him out of Cricket, probably the worst sort of injury a fast bowler could get, Boxing wont be as harsh on the knee.

[milpool]

I hope this doesn't happen. We don't need this type of joke event in boxing.

[Bronxbull666]

I think it's good for boxing, it opens up the sport to a new audience and generates interest in any card he fights on. If it's something Freddie wants to do and thinks he can do then good luck to him. Not as if he's going to get put in with David Haye or anyone like that, and he will sell tickets. Let's face it, he's doing something many of us would love to do.

[dondada]

Perhaps the worst odds I've ever seen (Ladbrokes) - he's 50/1 to win the British title and 250/1 to win a world title.

FFS.

[Craig14]

Perhaps the worst odds I've ever seen (Ladbrokes) - he's 50/1 to win the British title and 250/1 to win a world title.

FFS.

Liverpool are 50-1 to win the premier league. Freddie is a better bet than that.

[whiskey]

Good luck to him

[dookus]

He's surely not a Heavyweight, not in fighting shape

[Newport Daz]

I thought a knee injury ended his cricket career? If he's not fit enough to compete at cricket how the hell is he going to do anything in boxing? People called Audley Vs Haye a circus, this is a million times worse.

[deadpan]

Surely they'll match him nearly as cynically as they do Cleverly.

Beware the fate of James Cracknell, who was fighting another novice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=No_z9NyIf8s

[yiddo14]

Cracknell was taken advantage of that night.

It was supposed to be a charity exhibition wasn't it?

[ILikeBeer]

People are actually happy this is happening? The guy is hardly known for his dedication, and that was playing bloody cricket. And he's 34, what's the point?

Publicity, I guess.

It should be noticed that he hasn't asked the British Boeard for a license, so it's not definite. But a two-part Sky One show is following his progress in training. Assuming he's not just doing it to get the Sky 1 shows viewers, allegedly is hoping to screen the fight. Another example of Allegedly putting something that will sell over something that is quality. People will tune in to see this that have never watched boxing in their life, and Frank Spank will be laughing at the money that rolls in.

[Deserter]

When Flintoff was living in Dubai about three years ago my mate, who'd just done white collar, took him down to the gym to do a couple of sessions... would be funny if that was what gave him the 'taste' for it. Interestingly he said that Freddie was blowing out of his arse at first, but he could see his mentality come through as he started stepping it up in subsequent sessions.
Having said all of that, the whole thing sounds a bit ridiculous...

[gobbles]

"Proving" himself to the Board and getting a licence will surely be one of the drama moments of the doc. They don't want t get that through on a quick nod, they will want to build up some suspense.

[earsjohn]

Tickets go on sale tomorrow, so those involved must be fairl confident that licensing won't be an issue. To be fair, a career athlete who seems in decent shape (relatively speaking), receiving proper training and guidance wanting to fight, he should have no problem getting a licence. There'll be less danger with him being in a ring than with some fighters on the circuit.

Can't see how the build up and aftermath will be on Sky, but the fight will be on BN? That would be great for Channel Fwank but ridiculous from a Sky perspective.

[twenty six]

The sport we love taken down another notch.
Get Michael McIntyre to ref.
Thought Comedy Channel would have snapped this up.