A former Premier League striker is set to pick the gloves up and make a boxing debut on action packed card in Liverpool
A former Premier League international player is set to make his debut in the sport of boxing.
Football and boxing are sports that have overlapped throughout the years, with many fighters associating themselves with their boyhood club, adopting their fan base in the process.
A prime example of this was the late great Ricky Hatton, who wore the Manchester City badge with pride, and went on to fight at their stadium against Juan Lazcano.
More recent examples include Tony Bellew with Everton FC, Leigh Wood with Nottingham Forest and Josh Warrington with Leeds United FC.
However, very few footballers decide to step into the squared circle.
Rio Ferdinand famously applied for a professional license in 2019, but his request was denied by the British Boxing Board of Control.
A former Premier League footballer is set to enter the ring as part of a charity white collar event in Liverpool.
Ross McCormack, who scored over 150 career goals, is set to face former Leeds defender Matthew Kilgallon.
McCormack began his professional career with Rangers, coming through the youth system before gaining first-team experience during loan spells.
In search of regular football, he moved south to England, where he would spend the majority of his career.
During his time at Leeds United that McCormack arguably enjoyed the most prolific spell of his career. He became the club’s leading scorer and captain, finishing as one of the Championship’s top goalscorers in the 2013–14 season.
His performances earned him a high-profile move to Fulham in 2014 for a then club-record fee.
At Fulham, he continued to find the net regularly, further cementing his reputation as one of the Championship’s most reliable forwards.
Whether he can hit the target in boxing as well he could in football is yet to be seen.
McCormack stated: “I am looking forward to the training, getting back in a routine, having some structure back for the next 12 weeks and reconnecting with lads I played with and against”.
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