Rio Ferdinand to become pro boxer at 38

[mickey1975]

Good luck to him. He's lost his wife & mum to cancer & this might be the therapy he needs.

He's also from SE London so obviously as hard as nails

Love that attitude, taken York kids all over the country and some genuinely think because we are from a nice city, they'll be wimps! A ring is a ring, that's what all our lads get taught.

The most important thing to teach them is not to take jokey posts on the internet too seriously

Well played... But I genuinely think because we are from here we are soft! Never lost an unlicensed fight I've cornered, against "hard men" with "hard fans". I think when you come from a decent place, it's irrelevant to you. Like I say, a ring is a ring.

[Mimmy]

'It is understood Ferdinand’s training will be filmed for a TV documentary series and that he will aim to have his first fight as its concluding episode.'



This is just another reality show, another sports man doing a docu with his first fight in the last episode.

I'm not knocking Rio for doing this but its just going to be another Flintoff spin off that will end with a win for Rio. I know hes had tragedy in his life and glad he is channeling his energy into another sport rather than go into depression like many sports stars including Clark Carlisle who seems to be having a rough time of late.

I hope this is done better than the Flintoff documentary which I watched but ended as a damp squib when it was possibly a case that the fight was rigged.

Richie Woodhall looks like the trainer and it looks like just a one fight, again like flintoff. This bout is likey to be on an undercard of AJ as they are mates too.

Good luck to him!

[Alba]

So it's a publicity stunt for Betfair.

Im assuming he will be licensed by the BIBA lot

[Mimmy]

So it's a publicity stunt for Betfair.

Im assuming he will be licensed by the BIBA lot

Not the case if Richie Woodhall is training him plus this will be another high profile fight card. As ive said Rio is big mates with Anthony Joshua so this will possibly on his next defense after this fight in October. I'm sure Rio has already started training so I guess this fight will be early next year. The fight will more likely be in Cardiff or Wembley possibly?

[Coco]

Why doesn't he have an amateur fight?

[mickey1975]

Why doesn't he have an amateur fight?

ABA? Because he'll get hammered.

[Coco]

Why doesn't he have an amateur fight?

ABA? Because he'll get hammered.

Exactly that! It will be imported opposition and the farce will be an embarrassment. The board need to take a look at themselves.

[Taansend]

Love that attitude, taken York kids all over the country and some genuinely think because we are from a nice city, they'll be wimps! A ring is a ring, that's what all our lads get taught.

The most important thing to teach them is not to take jokey posts on the internet too seriously

Well played... But I genuinely think because we are from here we are soft! Never lost an unlicensed fight I've cornered, against "hard men" with "hard fans". I think when you come from a decent place, it's irrelevant to you. Like I say, a ring is a ring.

A tough person is a tough person. Doesn't matter where you're from.

[Loftgroov]

We'll probably see him in with Anthony Yarde at this rate.

[Taansend]

Why doesn't he have an amateur fight?

ABA? Because he'll get hammered.

Exactly that! It will be imported opposition and the farce will be an embarrassment. The board need to take a look at themselves.

Has he been licensed?

[Stuarty]

Good grief you pervert!

I just like a nice shapely female arse in my face fam Really seems to turn me on

I love how the biffins bridge works perfectly as a chin rest for both holes.

Respek bruv

[Taansend]

I heard Ferdinand decked Anthony Joshua in sparring

[gp.]

I heard Ferdinand decked Anthony Joshua in sparring

If only he were taller....with six months training he could take on the world.

[Coco]

ABA? Because he'll get hammered.

Exactly that! It will be imported opposition and the farce will be an embarrassment. The board need to take a look at themselves.

Has he been licensed?

No reports of yet so the board could put a stop to this but I fear they won't.
If he was serious about boxing he should do a year at his local ABC

[banjo]

The most important thing to teach them is not to take jokey posts on the internet too seriously

Well played... But I genuinely think because we are from here we are soft! Never lost an unlicensed fight I've cornered, against "hard men" with "hard fans". I think when you come from a decent place, it's irrelevant to you. Like I say, a ring is a ring.

A tough person is a tough person. Doesn't matter where you're from.

The toughest people I know all seem to be rural bumpkins who say "Oh aye" a lot, got strength like a fooking mule.

[Mimmy]

Exactly that! It will be imported opposition and the farce will be an embarrassment. The board need to take a look at themselves.

Has he been licensed?

No reports of yet so the board could put a stop to this but I fear they won't.
If he was serious about boxing he should do a year at his local ABC

Its not a series venture into boxing though, its a one off reality tv production with 1 fight against someone carefully selected.

If Rio passes the BBBoC series of tests he will be licenced, however that will have already been granted as some production tv company will not spend if he was refused.

[bripez]

So it's a publicity stunt for Betfair.

Im assuming he will be licensed by the BIBA lot

I trust that you will be equally as critical if the BBBofC sanction this than you would if it was the MBC ?

[Ricky_]

Is boxing becoming a popular source for reality television? In what other athletic proffession can you just walk-in to being a pro? He wouldn't be allowed to enter Wimbledon. A retired boxer couldn't just try his hand playing a premier league match for a EPL club.

The orgs should be doing more to protect the integrity of the sport - make it clear pro licences won't be issued to fighters without appropriate amatuer experience.

[Taansend]

Is boxing becoming a popular source for reality television? In what other athletic proffession can you just walk-in to being a pro? He wouldn't be allowed to enter Wimbledon. A retired boxer couldn't just try his hand playing a premier league match for a EPL club.

The orgs should be doing more to protect the integrity of the sport - make it clear pro licences won't be issued to fighters without appropriate amatuer experience.

But he's not going in at the top level like Wimbledon out the Premier League is he.

It will be the equivalent of boxer playing for Welling FC as a sub. Or entering a low level tennis tournament.

[bripez]

Is boxing becoming a popular source for reality television? In what other athletic proffession can you just walk-in to being a pro? He wouldn't be allowed to enter Wimbledon. A retired boxer couldn't just try his hand playing a premier league match for a EPL club.

The orgs should be doing more to protect the integrity of the sport - make it clear pro licences won't be issued to fighters without appropriate amatuer experience.

But he's not going in at the top level like Wimbledon out the Premier League is he.

It will be the equivalent of boxer playing for Welling FC as a sub. Or entering a low level tennis tournament.

True, I know that, you know that, but it would appear that the general public do not know that!

[Ricky_]

Is boxing becoming a popular source for reality television? In what other athletic proffession can you just walk-in to being a pro? He wouldn't be allowed to enter Wimbledon. A retired boxer couldn't just try his hand playing a premier league match for a EPL club.

The orgs should be doing more to protect the integrity of the sport - make it clear pro licences won't be issued to fighters without appropriate amatuer experience.

But he's not going in at the top level like Wimbledon out the Premier League is he.

It will be the equivalent of boxer playing for Welling FC as a sub. Or entering a low level tennis tournament.

Are Welling even a professional outfit? And if they are, i doubt they just employ ex-boxers. Even a few levels below National League, like junior football, is filled with guys who spent their youths in training academies for pro clubs but never made the grade.

As for tennis, again, can you just walk into 'a low-level' professional tournament? I'd imagine you need to compete in amatuer qualifiers to find a route into a "low level" pro tournament.

[Taansend]

Is boxing becoming a popular source for reality television? In what other athletic proffession can you just walk-in to being a pro? He wouldn't be allowed to enter Wimbledon. A retired boxer couldn't just try his hand playing a premier league match for a EPL club.

The orgs should be doing more to protect the integrity of the sport - make it clear pro licences won't be issued to fighters without appropriate amatuer experience.

But he's not going in at the top level like Wimbledon out the Premier League is he.

It will be the equivalent of boxer playing for Welling FC as a sub. Or entering a low level tennis tournament.

Are Welling even a professional outfit? And if they are, i doubt they just employ ex-boxers. Even a few levels below National League, like junior football, is filled with guys who spent their youths in training academies for pro clubs but never made the grade.

As for tennis, again, can you just walk into 'a low-level' professional tournament? I'd imagine you need to compete in amatuer qualifiers to find a route into a "low level" pro tournament.

I'm sure for a one off documentary you could enter a low level tennis tournament.

But point is that your examples of Premier League and Wimbledon are way off

[sammy95]

He hasn't even contacted the board yet regarding a license

[Ricky_]

But he's not going in at the top level like Wimbledon out the Premier League is he.

It will be the equivalent of boxer playing for Welling FC as a sub. Or entering a low level tennis tournament.

Are Welling even a professional outfit? And if they are, i doubt they just employ ex-boxers. Even a few levels below National League, like junior football, is filled with guys who spent their youths in training academies for pro clubs but never made the grade.

As for tennis, again, can you just walk into 'a low-level' professional tournament? I'd imagine you need to compete in amatuer qualifiers to find a route into a "low level" pro tournament.

I'm sure for a one off documentary you could enter a low level tennis tournament.

But point is that your examples of Premier League and Wimbledon are way off

Why are they way off? Flintoff headlined a card. Rio will too. What % of boxers that turn pro headline cards?

[johnswan1]

Hopefully he signs for Eddie and we get Rio vs Tom Dallas as chief support to the next AJ PPV.