Well, that was short-lived.
Rio Ferdinand has revealed that his professional boxing debut will not be taking place as the British Boxing Board of Control confirmed that they wouldn’t provide him with a licence to fight.
Last September, Ferdinand announced that he was to take to the ring and he had been training diligently but it was all in vain as he’s been forced to hang up his gloves.
The former Manchester United and England defender had planned to debut earlier this year and compete once again in the summer however the BBBofC take their licensing seriously and the 39-year-old is now coming to terms with the disappointment of having his application rejected.
Having been training 4-5 times a week since announcing the aim of achieving a professional boxing licence & stepping into the ring, it is with a heavy heart that I am hanging up my gloves on @Betfair #DefendertoContender challenge.
See more below 👇🏽https://t.co/UlpcHRq8PA pic.twitter.com/pIu0GzhcoP
— Rio Ferdinand (@rioferdy5) May 3, 2018
A statement from Ferdinand read:
“Having been training 4-5 times a week since announcing the aim of achieving a professional boxing licence and stepping into the ring, it is with a heavy heart that I am hanging up my gloves on Betfair’s Defender to Contender challenge. Despite having never felt better physically or mentally, after notifying the British Boxing Board of Control of my intention to apply for a licence, I have received confirmation that they would not be reviewing my application at this point in time.
“To say I’m disappointed by this decision is an understatement. To not be given the chance to demonstrate my ability to the BBBofC through the standard assessment afforded to others is hard to take, not only for me, but also to Richie, Mel and the countless others who have dedicated their time to my boxing development over the past six months.
“Boxing is a physically tough, demanding and dangerous sport. I always gave it my utmost respect and never underestimated how difficult it would be. I wanted to show people that it’s OK to have a goal and strive to reach it. It’s important to approach everything with success in mind, and to give it your all, but sometimes things work against you.
“This sport has given me a new focus & drive and is something I will continue to do as part of my fitness regime. I’d like to say thank you to Betfair, Richie Woodhall, Duke McKenzie, my team at New Era Global Sports, the guys at GB Boxing and everyone who has supported me so far. It’s been a great journey.”
