“I loved everything about it.”
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has been looking back on his amateur boxing career when he was a youngster growing up in Cork.
The ex Ireland captain obviously dedicated his life to football from an early age but like all young people growing up with a fascination of sports, he tried his hand at most things.
Given his combative and aggressive style as a footballer, it’s no surprise to anyone that the Irishman has a history in the squared circle and an interest in the sport.
When boxing promotor Eddie Hearn was a guest on the Stick to Football podcast, alongside Gary Neville, Jill Scott, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Roy Keane, the conversation naturally was dominated by boxing.
When Keane was asked if he had ever participated in the sport before he revealed that he had, and that his brother was quite good at it also.
“When I was a kid when I was 11 or 12 years of age just for a few years as you do when you’re back in Ireland to keep out of trouble.
“My brother had about 50 amateur fights but had about four fights. I was unbeaten, you know what I mean. It was great, brilliant when you were younger with training,
“I loved everything about it and the discipline. These lads going into the right to fight and their mindset.”
The panel also showed clips of Wright taking part in a charity boxing match, and Neville and Carrier taking one another on the pads, but if you had to put your money on who the best pugilist would be out of the whole panel, you would have to say Keane.
Related links:
- Roy Keane gives his side of that Katie Taylor call after Olympics heartbreak
- Andy Townsend on what stands between Roy Keane and Ireland job
- Roy Keane has perfect “Kermit sipping tea” moment when discussing Liverpool
