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Rio Ferdinand to become a professional boxer

dagraham

Well-Known Member
Sep 20, 2005
19,115
46,080
The guy has lost his wife and also his mother in the space of two years, if this is what he needs to do to help him work it out, give him a break. I've always found the hate for him so unfounded, he's such an inoffensive bloke.

Agree. The whole thing is a bit strange, but boxing has been a circus for many years. As for him getting an easy way into the sport, I don't think ethics and morals exactly go hand in hand with the boxing world. Never have done.

He's not doing anyone any harm (well apart from the people he intends to punch :D). I must be in the minority as well because I've always quite liked him as a pundit.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
I don't get the hate. He's giving boxing a go for a bit of fun/to stay in shape. What's the issue? Everyone's making out like he's been handed a title bout on a plate but as far as I can tell, he's starting from relatively at the bottom. He'll have a couple of fights (if that) and that'll be the end of it. He might get more publicity than your average new guy but that's not really his fault. Some people take up golf, he's taken up boxing. Stop fucking crying about it.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,345
129,920
I don't get the hate. He's giving boxing a go for a bit of fun/to stay in shape. What's the issue? Everyone's making out like he's been handed a title bout on a plate but as far as I can tell, he's starting from relatively at the bottom. He'll have a couple of fights (if that) and that'll be the end of it. He might get more publicity than your average new guy but that's not really his fault. Some people take up golf, he's taken up boxing. Stop fucking crying about it.
I don't see your problem with people having a problem with it. It's just some words on the internet. Makes little difference at the end of the day. Betfair will be happy people are discussing it. That's the whole point isn't it?

Either way, I'm not bothered. Can barely give you a reason why I'm even discussing it. You caught me at the right moment I guess.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
I don't see your problem with people having a problem with it. It's just some words on the internet. Makes little difference at the end of the day. Betfair will be happy people are discussing it. That's the whole point isn't it?

Either way, I'm not bothered. Can barely give you a reason why I'm even discussing it. You caught me at the right moment I guess.

That's exactly my point. It makes no difference to anyone so why all the hate? If you don't like it, don't watch the fight (if it's even televised)
 

SpaggyBoy

Well-Known Member
Sep 22, 2003
1,303
3,782
That's fantastic news! I've always wanted to see that complete twat get punched in the face repeatedly.
 

mightyspur

Now with lovely smooth balls
Aug 21, 2014
9,760
27,014
I don't see your problem with people having a problem with it. It's just some words on the internet. Makes little difference at the end of the day. Betfair will be happy people are discussing it. That's the whole point isn't it?

Either way, I'm not bothered. Can barely give you a reason why I'm even discussing it. You caught me at the right moment I guess.
I don't see your problem with people having a problem with people having a problem with it. It's just some words on the Internet, makes little difference at the end of the day.

Either way, I'm not bothered about people having a problem with people having a problem with people having a problem with it. You caught me at the right moment as well I guess.
 

montylynch

Fandabeedozee
Jun 23, 2005
5,817
3,988
I think a few more ex-sportsman should take it up......have a prize fighter kind of competition. Audley Harrison could be one.
 

Dougal

Staff
Jun 4, 2004
60,345
129,920
I don't see your problem with people having a problem with people having a problem with it. It's just some words on the Internet, makes little difference at the end of the day.

Either way, I'm not bothered about people having a problem with people having a problem with people having a problem with it. You caught me at the right moment as well I guess.
I don't have a problem. I'm not bothered.
 

Spurrific

Well-Known Member
Jun 2, 2011
13,501
57,356
I don't get the hate. He's giving boxing a go for a bit of fun/to stay in shape. What's the issue? Everyone's making out like he's been handed a title bout on a plate but as far as I can tell, he's starting from relatively at the bottom. He'll have a couple of fights (if that) and that'll be the end of it. He might get more publicity than your average new guy but that's not really his fault. Some people take up golf, he's taken up boxing. Stop fucking crying about it.

Some people take up golf as a leisure activity, not with the goal of becoming a professional in the sport - very obvious difference. He's not just "giving boxing a go" as you (wrongly) describe it. He's being sponsored by Betfair to do it, as a complete publicity stunt, trying to latch on to that McGregor hype.

I don't hate the guy (quite the opposite in fact, have a lot of respect for him as a person), nor is his move to boxing troubling for me - but it is insulting for him to have his move bankrolled for him and supported with PR etc whilst your average scrub has to work his way up, knocking out milkmen and small animals before he gets any sort of recognition.
 

'O Zio

Well-Known Member
Dec 27, 2014
7,405
13,785
Some people take up golf as a leisure activity, not with the goal of becoming a professional in the sport - very obvious difference. He's not just "giving boxing a go" as you (wrongly) describe it. He's being sponsored by Betfair to do it, as a complete publicity stunt, trying to latch on to that McGregor hype.

I don't hate the guy (quite the opposite in fact, have a lot of respect for him as a person), nor is his move to boxing troubling for me - but it is insulting for him to have his move bankrolled for him and supported with PR etc whilst your average scrub has to work his way up, knocking out milkmen and small animals before he gets any sort of recognition.

He is just giving it a go. You don't honestly think he's actually taking this seriously to the point where in 3 years time he'll be taking on AJ etc. Like you say, at most it's just a publicity stunt and at the least it's a bit of a hobby that someone has decided to jump on the back of for the publicity. I'm sure he'll have to work his way up so some extent either way. He's not daft enough to agree to take on a proper high-level boxer right off the bat. He'll presumably do a few low key fights, realise he's a bit shit, and then give it up. At most he does one televised fight against some other celebrity or some shit. No chance he gets in the ring with a proper world class boxer. Just not worth his while because a) it wouldn't earn him some life changing amount of money like the McGregor thing, it'd be some nonsense ITV4 "event" or whatever and b) He's got no reason to put himself through it
 

Insomnia

Twisted Firestarter
Jan 18, 2006
20,199
55,540
I like the guy, it's a hard game boxing, good luck to him. The gum shield joke was a classic imo
 

worcestersauce

"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
Jan 23, 2006
26,891
45,040
People in boxing take it seriously, it matters to them and this strikes at the integrity of the sport so I can understand them not being delighted at this.
That said, he likes a bit of attention and if he takes a beating to get it all well and good.
 

Romulus

Well-Known Member
Jun 14, 2012
6,901
11,081
someone at his age and with as much money as he has doesn't need to be taking hits in the head. this isn't a game. most people are looking to wind it in at 38.
 
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Gassin's finest

C'est diabolique
May 12, 2010
37,353
87,816
Should be good for a laugh at least... I've often thought about him getting punched in the face...
 

LukaMotion

WHL 1899-2017
May 17, 2010
2,883
5,926
Fair play to the fella, if that's what he wants to do then let him do it I say. If he's shit, he won't last more than a few fights before packing it in, if he's any good it'll be interesting to watch and see how well he can do.

People calling him a twat, saying they'd like to see him get his face smashed in etc. need to get a grip IMO. By all accounts he's a decent guy who's had a really hard time over the last few years, plus he gave us the classic, Rio's World Cup Wind-Ups.
 
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