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Nine possible boxing opponents for Wayne Rooney Tom Brady, Jamie Vardy and KSI

Since Wayne Rooney is mulling over a sensational move into boxing, we thought it'd be fun to imagine who he could face in his first fight. Take your pick, Wazza. We'd pay good money to see all of these!

[Wayne Rooney as a boxer]

Wayne Rooney is in talks with Misfits Boxing(Image: Getty Images)

Wayne Rooney might be debuting in Misfits Boxing soon so we thought it'd be fun to suggest a few opponents.

The Manchester United legend is currently 'in talks' with the promotion after his managerial career was left in tatters following his Birmingham City axing last month. Wazza has been a keen boxer all his life, but the only time we've seen him with gloves on is when he got sparked out by Phil Bardsley a few years back, so it's difficult to know just how good, or bad, he'll be between the ropes.

That said, we've cobbled together a list of potential fights for the ex-England skipper to consider, with opponents ranging from friends and former colleagues to old foes and recent enemies. Enjoy!

READ MORE: Phil Bardsley left Wayne Rooney with blood everywhere after infamous boxing knockout

READ MORE: Wayne Rooney in talks with Misfits Boxing with sensational big money fight on the cards

Phil Bardsley

[Wayne Rooney chats to Phil Bardsley]

Wayne Rooney vs Phil Bardsley is a fight nine years in the making(Image: Getty Images)

First thing's first. Rooney vs Bardsley II. It's got to be, right? I mean the story writes itself. Wazza coming for his revenge after being left battered and bloodied on his kitchen floor, in front of his tea cosies. Bardsley looking for the feud-ending second knockout. What's not to love?

Bards is currently working as Macclesfield's assistant manager, but getting a leave of absence shouldn't be hard given that Robbie 'loves a scrap' Savage is his boss.

Which of these nine fights would you like to see most? Let us know in the comments section below.

Jamie Vardy

[Jamie Vardy celebrating a goal]

Jamie Vardy's missus would happily fight Wayne Rooney's missus, so why not let the husbands battle it out?(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Tell me you wouldn't want to see this. Goal machine vs goal machine. "Chat s*** get banged" vs "Hi rio do u want picking up in the morning pal". Wagatha Christie: Husbands' Revenge.

Granted, Wayne and Jamie were simply lawyer-paying pawns in their wives' pathetic litigious squabble, but with Colleen and Rebekah in their respective corners playing the Mickey Goldmill ("Get up, Rock") role, this would be well worth the entry fee. Loser buys the WKD Blues.

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Rio Ferdinand

[Rio Ferdinand in a boxing pose]

Rio Ferdinand knows how to box, and probably fancies giving Wayne Rooney a smack by the sounds of it(Image: Betfair)

This would work for a couple of reasons. One: like Rooney, Rio Ferdinand is into his boxing and tried to make a career of it in 2017, only to be denied a boxing licence.

Two: the pair used to get on each other's nerves during Man United games. Despite being mates, Ferdinand once called Rooney the "worst team-mate I've ever had", revealing that they used to trade verbal blows two or three times every match. Let them settle it between the ropes, we say.

KSI

[KSI in the ring]

KSI says Rooney offered to fight a few years ago(Image: Getty Images)

Who better to kick your Misfits career off against than the founder of the promotion itself? KSI has proven to be surprisingly adept between the ropes for an internet personality, albeit by beating other internet personalities, but he held his own against Tommy Fury in October despite coming up short in the contest.

The groundwork has already partially been laid too. KSI revealed in 2022 that Rooney phoned him up suggesting that they fight. "If Wayne Rooney is down... maybe after [I fight] Jake Paul, but we'll see," the YouTube icon said. Book it.

John Fury

[John Fury during a press conference]

John Fury vs Wayne Rooney would be a spectacle (Image: Getty Images)

You know for a fact Big John would be up for this, and he might even go easy on Wazza considering he's a massive Man United fan. The Fury patriarch was a bare-knuckle fighter back in the day, and despite being retired for years he's clearly still got the appetite for another punch-up.

The fight could even take place in the woods. The loser has to hunt, skin and cook the food they eat by the campfire that night.

Ricky Hatton

[Ricky Hatton]

Manchester City-loving Ricky Hatton wants to get back in the ring after his comeback in 2022(Image: ITV)

Sticking with former boxers, what about Ricky Hatton? For starters he and Rooney are long-time pals (the United legend has walked Hatton to the ring before), plus the Hitman is fighting fit after making a sensational boxing comeback in 2022.

The Man Utd vs Man City narrative would be hard to ignore too. They could fight at Old Trafford, then at the Etihad, and if needed, have a rubber match at the MEN Arena. Manchester locals would be all over that!

Tom Brady

[Tom Brady at St Andrew's]

NFL legend Tom Brady is a minority owner of Birmingham City, and played a part in both the hiring and firing of Rooney(Image: Phil Oldham/REX/Shutterstock)

Think about it. Rooney out for revenge for getting sacked by Birmingham. Brady out for revenge because hiring Wazza made him look like a Grade A dumbass.

They could stage the fight at St Andrew's, or heck, why not in the States? DC United's ground would do, or maybe Tampa Bay Buccaneers'? Brady might not be a fighter, but he must have a heck of strong right hand on him given his career as an NFL quarterback. It'd be a decent punch up at the very least.

Cristiano Ronaldo

[Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating with his shirt off]

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney don't see eye to eye anymore. Time to settle it in the ring perhaps?(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)

There's plenty of narrative for this one. Their rivalry at Man United, the infamous wink at the 2006 World Cup, and what about Ronaldo calling Rooney "jealous" and "worse looking" while chatting to Piers Morgan in 2022?

Cristiano is in far better shape, but Wayne knows how to throw a proper punch. This could be a humdinger. It could be staged in Saudi Arabia too, with a capacity crowd of hundreds of not-so-rowdy fans, just like in most Saudi fights.

Paddy Pimblett

[UFC star Paddy Pimblett ]

UFC star Paddy Pimblett would have no trouble in a boxing match(Image: Getty Images)

Lastly, why not have a good old fashioned scrap between two Scousers? Paddy the Baddy might have the edge in terms of combat training, but Rooney will have a good few pounds on him and with enough prep could be the Floyd Mayweather to Pimblett's Conor McGregor if they had a straight-up boxing match.

And how about this: the loser has to wear the shirt of the other bloke's football team for a week. Imagine it, Pimblett in a Man United top, or Wazza rocking a Liverpool shirt. Delicious.

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