LONDON: Former England football captain Rio Ferdinand confirmed on Tuesday he will train to become a professional boxer with the ultimate aim of challenging for a title belt.

The 38-year-old former Manchester United star, who retired from football in May 2015, is taking part in online betting firm Betfair’s “Defender to Contender” project and will be training with former WBC super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall.

Ferdinand will be seeking to qualify for a British Boxing Board of Control licence before starting training and competing for a title belt.

“Boxing is an amazing sport for the mind and the body,” said Ferdinand. “I have always had a passion for it and this challenge is the perfect opportunity to show people what’s possible.

“It’s a challenge I’m not taking lightly — clearly not everyone can become a professional boxer — but with the team of experts Betfair are putting together and the drive I have to succeed, anything is possible.”

Betfair are renowned for stunts. It was forced to apologise in Monday after offering odds on whether a dead coach Ugo Ehiogu would be hired as the next manager of second-tier team Birmingham.

Ferdinand, the ex-West Ham United, Leeds United, Manchester United and Queens Park Rangers defender, currently works as a pundit with BT Sport and the BBC.

Woodhall, a former Olympic bronze medallist turned Team GB trainer, believes Ferdinand has the ability to turn professional.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2017