Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has played down rumours he could be about to step into the boxing ring, stating his focus remains firmly on football management.
Social media went into overdrive last week when it was reported that there had been talks between Rooney and Misfits Boxing about a potential deal that would see the former England ace lace up the gloves.
‘Wazza’ was a keen boxer in his youth, and has been in attendance at a host of big fights on British soil over the past two decades.
And though he professed his love for the spot and did not completely rule out entering between the ropes in the future, he admitted his attention was still very much on football.
Appearing on The Overlap, Rooney also confirmed that Misfits had been in touch.
Wayne Rooney is reportedly in early talks with Misfits Boxing as he is contemplating having a one-off fight. [According to @MirrorSport]
— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) February 14, 2024
“You never know. They have been in touch and asked the question. But at the moment, I want to focus on getting back into management, not boxing.
“There have been a few people in contact, Misfits have been in. But I want to focus on getting back into management. I have seen the headlines but my main focus is getting back into football.
“My dad boxed, my uncle still runs the gym, I absolutely love it. But right now, I want to get back into management.”
‼️ Here is footage from 2015 of Wayne Rooney sparring his friend Phil Bardsley 😳🤫 pic.twitter.com/Kj7G4jTd3M
— IFN (@IfnBoxing) February 14, 2024
Following the rumours about talks with Misfits, Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn stated that he too had had a host of informal chats with Rooney over the years about a foray into boxing, though admitted that these had usually been after a class or two of red wine.
Rooney is now looking for his fourth job in management having started out at Derby County before moving to the US to manage DC United.
