Stephen Smith offered to train Wayne Rooney should he move into boxing to fight Jake Paul.
Rooney is currently without a role in football after leaving Birmingham City as manager, and has been a huge fan of boxing for years, going so far as to carry Ricky Hatton’s world championship belt into a fight before,
Still only 38, Rooney has been linked with a chance to fight influencers, and also professional boxer Paul.
It would be a huge event, and former British and Commonwealth champion Smith is keen to see Rooney get into the ring.
He told Betway : “I would have to see Wayne in the gym again, but I have seen him in the past and he has come to the gym with us years ago and did some pads and stuff, he looked good. Wayne boxed when he was younger and is from a boxing family, his whole family have been around boxing.
“Wayne is definitely capable of doing it. Everyone has seen the market there now with the Misfits and how much money is being generated in boxing.
“Wayne is a superstar and if he puts his name to boxing then it does numbers. If it is something he wants to do, then great but I’ve only ever seen him speaking about it. I know personally that Wayne loves boxing, and it is certainly something he would consider but it has to be right for him. But if it is, then I fully back him and believe has a great chance of doing well in it.
“Again, he is from a boxing background and has done it before so it would be interesting to see whether he wants to do it but if he does, I’m fully confident he can surprise quite a few people if he does have that fight.”
Should Rooney take up the offer of a fight, then Smith said, “Of course I would train him. If Wayne rings me and says he is going to do boxing and I have a chance to coach him I’d help him out anyway, but I’d jump at it.
“He is a really big name but take all of that away from it, he is a really good lad and if he does want to get into boxing then it’s a good story to be a part of.”
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