Wayne Rooney in talks over Misfits Boxing debut after Jake Paul fight talk

Manchester United and England football legend Wayne Rooney is in talks over making his debut in the boxing ring.

According to a report in the Mirror, Rooney has held talks about having a fight on a Misfits boxing card promoted by the Sauerland brothers, Kalle and Nisse, and YouTube star KSI.

The platform has seen the likes of KSI and Logan Paul compete for huge sums of money, as well as a whole host of other famous YouTubers, social media stars and celebrities.

Rooney could be the latest to join them as he plots his next move away from football after recent managerial roles with Birmingham City, DC United and Derby County.

And Misfits is said to be seen as a serious option for his next move as Rooney, who has always been a huge boxing fan, looks to take his first steps into the ring.

Rooney has previously been linked with a Jake Paul fight

The news won’t come as a huge surprise, given Rooney’s previous flirtations with the sport. The former Manchester United and England captain used to box as a kid and has previously walked out Ricky Hatton into the ring.

KSI revealed he messaged him offering to face him in a fight in 2022, while Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn talked up a Jake Paul fight after Rooney messaged him to get on one of his fight cards.

“After every big fight, especially with a YouTuber, sometimes Wayne Rooney will fire me a message,” said Hearn when appearing on Stick to Football.

Topic starts straight away

“I’ve said to Wayne, who had a very limited amateur pedigree but could still fight, imagine the shape you’d get in. I told him: ‘Wayne Rooney against Jake Paul at Old Trafford’, imagine that.” 

Discussions are still said to be at an early stage but Misfits is not under the rules of the British Boxing Board of Control so Rooney wouldn’t be competing in professional boxing.