“I have a long road ahead and a lot of work in front of me. The stakes are high.” -Photo by AP

LONDON: Having knocked down many an off stump during his time as England cricket captain, Andrew Flintoff hopes to do the same to opponents when he takes to the boxing ring later this year.

Flintoff's preparations for his debut fight, scheduled for Nov. 30 at the Manchester Arena, are to be televised in a documentary 'The Gloves Are Off'.

The 6ft 4ins sportsman, who would box as a heavyweight, has yet to apply to the British Boxing Board of Control for a licence, but is being trained by former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan and the Irishman's son Shane.

“This is an amazing opportunity to try a sport that I love, to be tutored by a man I respect and admire and, at the age of 34, the chance to become a professional sportsman again,” Flintoff was quoted as saying by British media.

“It's a huge challenge - probably the biggest I have ever undertaken, especially in such a short time frame.

“I have a long road ahead and a lot of work in front of me. The stakes are high.”

Flintoff played in 79 tests for England as an all-rounder before retiring from cricket in 2010 because of injury.

He transcended sporting fame to become a national treasure by leading England to a famous Ashes victory in 2005 - their first test series win over Australia in almost two decades.

He has made numerous media appearances since on sports panel shows and was a guest commentator during some matches of the 2011 Darts world championship in England.

Robert Smith, the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said obtaining a licence was not a foregone conclusion.

“An application can take three to four weeks or longer depending on the circumstances. He will have to pass medicals and there are measures in place to see whether an applicant can actually box.”

Should Flintoff's boxing career take off, a fight against another multi-sport titan could be in the offing - All Black World Cup winning rugby player Sonny Bill Williams is the reigning New Zealand heavyweight champion.

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
Updated 06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

If the judiciary had the power to self-regulate, it ought to have exercised it instead of involving the legislature.
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....