Wayne Rooney has been called on to step into the boxing ring with Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos, by his former Manchester United teammate Wes Brown.
Rooney is a long-time boxing fan, often spotted ringside at fights and walked out with legendary former world champion Ricky Hatton during his pro career.
Ramos has trained in the boxing gym, donning the gloves with UFC star Ilia Topuria and the iconic defender has been linked with having a genuine bout.
The 39-year-old was still playing professionally with Mexican side Monterrey last year, but left at the end of his contract.
Suggested to Brown that if Ramos wants to take up boxing then old rival Mo Salah could be an ideal opponent, after their Champions League final clashes.
However, Brown had other ideas, telling Betting Lounge: ‘Mohamed Salah vs Sergio Ramos rematch in the ring? I don’t think so but Wayne Rooney would be good to take on Sergio Ramos.
‘He’s always been into it and I think that’s the first thing you need to think about. Do you like it? Have you got any sort of background in it? I always think that helps.’
Brown also talked up the pugilistic potential of some other former teammates, adding: ‘Rio [Ferdinand] was looking at getting into boxing a while ago. He’s always had the physique. He’d be an interesting one.
‘Danny Simpson has done it. It’s good fun. The lads love it. It gets them back into shape because sometimes you miss the hard work and that buzz you get from it. It’s good to keep fit first of all and it’s just something different to be doing, and you want to win. You want to train your hardest and you want to do well.
‘I go boxing training. I love it. It’s different to football. There’s nothing wrong with taking a few punches out on a bag.’
Rooney revealed in 2024 that he had been approached by promoters over the possibility of a boxing match, but was sticking to pursuing a career in management.
‘They’ve been in touch and asked the question but I think at the minute I want to focus on getting back into management, not boxing,’ he said on The Overlap.
‘There’s been a few [offers] and obviously Misfits have been in and that’s been all over the news. But listen I want to focus on getting back into management, that’s my focus.’
Ramos has other things going on away from combat sports as he is fronting a consortium trying to buy his former club Sevilla.
The Athletic reported last month that the investment group had entered a ‘a period of exclusivity’ to buy the La Liga club.
However, Spanish publication AS reports that Ramos has also offered to play for Sevilla again, returning to the club for a third spell after starting his career there and re-joining for the 2023/24 season.
