Flintoff Hits Out at Boxing Critics

Former England cricket hero Andrew Flintoff has hit back at claims his switch to boxing is a publicity stunt.

Flintoff will make his professional boxing debut over four rounds against novice American Richard Dawson in Manchester on November 30.

His training camp has been filmed for a three-part Sky1HD series to be screened on November 22 and criticism of the project has been strong within boxing.

Promoters Frank Maloney and Frank Warren say Flintoff's sporting switch is a "joke" but both Flintoff and his trainer Barry McGuigan say the project is good for boxing.

"You couldn't go through this for a TV stunt," Flintoff said. "If I was looking for a publicity stunt I'd have picked something easier. There's other things I could have done.

"We want to show the sport in the best possible light because ultimately I'm a boxing fan as well."

McGuigan said: "You'll see the sort of pain and anguish that you go through to get ready for fights. How can that be negative for the sport? It promotes the sport. (The criticism) is a complete and utter load of nonsense."

Flintoff admits the transition from cricket all-rounder to boxer has been a serious challenge.

"One of the things I had to overcome is that I'm not the most confrontational bloke," he said.

"When I played cricket every now and then I would be, but it didn't bring out the best in me. There has to be a ruthless streak in the ring, so there's been a change mentally to achieve that.

"In cricket the mental aspect was tough but this has taken that to a whole new level. You're up and down all the time, you get nervous before a sparring session, you're on a high when you're in there and then an hour later you're flat.

"The diet's had its' moments....eating steak at 530am isn't the easiest. Giving up booze has been all right though. It's been a lifestyle change."

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Cyclone Switches Freddie into Ring

Former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff has announced his intention to become a professional boxer and make his debut in Manchester in November.

The 34-year-old Flintoff is planning to fight in a heavyweight bout at the city's MEN Arena on November 30, although he must first be granted a licence by the British Boxing Board of Control.

Flintoff is being trained by former world featherweight champion Barry McGuigan and McGuigan's son Shane, and his preparations are set to be turned into a two-part television documentary.

Flintoff said: "This is an amazing opportunity to try a sport that I love, to be tutored by a man I respect and admire and, at the age of 34, the chance to become a professional sportsman again.

"It's a huge challenge – probably the biggest I have ever undertaken, especially in such a short time-frame.

"I have a long road ahead and a lot of work in front of me. The stakes are high."

McGuigan added: "It is an enormous undertaking to have a professional fight having no experience whatsoever. It is even more demanding when you're a legend in another sport.

"The pressure for Freddie, myself and my son is phenomenal given the little time we have. But I'm convinced Freddie will make a successful pro debut as a boxer."

Robert Smith, the general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, said Flintoff had not yet applied for a licence, and the Board had not received an application for the show in question.

However, the licence application process normally lasts anything up to six weeks, giving Flintoff enough time to apply in the near future and fight – if his application is successful – on the November date.

Smith said: "Andrew Flintoff has not applied, nor has he been interviewed by anyone from the British Boxing Board of Control.

"An application can take three to four weeks or longer depending on the circumstances. He will have to pass medicals and there are measures in place to see whether an applicant can actually box."

Flintoff's preparations for the fight are to be documented in a two-part programme called 'The Gloves Are Off ...' to be showed on Sky 1 and the bout at will also be shown on boxing channel BoxNation.

Flintoff would not be the first professional sportsman to undertake a boxing career with no experience. Former Sheffield United footballer Curtis Woodhouse made his boxing debut in 2002 and has won 16 of his 20 contests.

Smith added: "It is quite unusual. We haven't had many people apply with no experience at all, but there is a history of footballers and rugby league players taking up boxing, and Curtis Woodhouse has done so very well."

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Andrew Flintoff, the former England and Lancashire all-rounder, has revealed he suffered from depression during the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash in Australia, and that he was drinking too much during the 2007 World Cup.

Speaking in an upcoming BBC1 documentary, Freddie Flintoff, Hidden Side of Sport, he admits: "I was having a quiet drink with my dad Colin on Christmas Eve 2006 and as we made our way home I started crying my eyes out. I told him I'd tried my best but that I couldn't do it any more, I couldn't keep playing. We talked and, of course, I dusted myself down and carried on. But I was never the same player again.

"I was captain of England and financially successful. Yet instead of walking out confidently to face Australia in one of the world's biggest sporting events, I didn't want to get out of bed, never mind face people."

Talking about the 2007 World Cup, during which time he was stripped of the captaincy following the infamous pedalo incident, Flintoff added: "The whole time I was on the field and throughout that World Cup all I could think about was that I wanted to retire. I didn't understand what was happening to me. I knew when I got back to my room I couldn't shut off, which is why I started having a drink. It got to the stage where I was probably drinking more than I should.

"All I wanted was for the doctor to tell me what was wrong but no one suggested it was depression. There's a certain sense of shame when I remember sitting in the dressing room after winning a one-day international in the West Indies. The lads were celebrating and I didn't want to be a part of it, I didn't want to do anything but sit on my own in the corner."

Freddie Flintoff, Hidden Side of Sport is on BBC1 on 11 January