Yahoo Sports Gary Neville lends support to former Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand's move into boxing
Gary Neville has leant his support to Rio Ferdinand after his former Manchester United team-mate announced that he is to attempt to become a professional boxer.
Ferdinand, who ended his playing career in 2015, revealed on Tuesday that he is being trained by the former WBC super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall as he prepares to take to the ring for the first time.
The 38-year-old’s new chapter in his sporting career will be followed in a documentary and though there are no guarantees that Ferdinand will enter a professional bout, the move has been met by criticism in some quarters.
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Neville, however, believes Ferdinand's decision aligns with a key piece of advice that Sir Alex Ferguson, his and Ferdinand's former United manager, would always give his players.
“I talked before about Sir Alex Ferguson's mantra: taking risks. [Ferdinand's] taken a risk. He's challenging himself,” Neville told The Independent at the announcement of the Class of 92’s proposed university UA92, which is to be based in Trafford.
“He's not standing still, he's doing something different and you have to admire that,” he added.
“People can be negative about anything: ‘Why is he doing it? He shouldn't be doing it, it mocks this…’ It's rubbish.
“Push yourself, do the maximum, take a risk and I wish him all the best. He's braver than I am. I'd rather go into an education project than a boxing ring.”
