Two years after retiring from professional football, Rio Ferdinand announced on Tuesday that he was launching a new career as a professional boxer. The former England captain lost his wife, Rebecca to breast cancer shortly before retiring and also lost his mother shortly after that to cancer liekwise. He told reporters recently that “I’ve been through quite a few things in my life. This is a way of trying to channel that aggression, that anger sometimes, into something I can really be focused on.”
Nevertheless, Ferdinand is not guaranteed a professional license by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC). He said, “I’ve utmost respect for the boxing fraternity and I’m not saying I’m going to be a world champion. I’m saying there are loads of hurdles to get over and I’m going to meet them head on. I’m not going into this without thinking about the dangers. I don’t look at this like a circus. I’m not trying to disrespect anyone. I’m taking it seriously.”
The former Manchester United star won Six Premier League titles, and the Champions League once during his spell at Old Trafford. Ferdinand misses the competitive edge and has been searching for it since he retired. With the situation of things at the moment, he’s likely to follow the footsteps of former Birmingham City midfielder, Curtis Woodhouse and former Crystal Palace forward Leon MacKenzie, who became professional boxers after retiring as soccer players.
