Duncan Ferguson admitted that he got ‘battered’ by a current England and Premier League star when they took part in a training ground boxing match.
Ferguson, 53, was a talented striker and played for huge clubs such as Everton, Rangers and Newcastle United during his playing career.
However, he was arguably best known for his hardman persona and even became the first British footballer to serve a prison sentence for something he did on the pitch.
Even the toughest of players tried to avoid Ferguson, with former Manchester United skipper Roy Keane once admitting that he “used to stay away from him” during matches.
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And despite his reputation, a current England star still mustered up the courage to take him on in a behind-closed-doors boxing match.
The player in question is former Everton and current Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, who Ferguson gave his Toffees debut during a Europa League tie in December 2017.
“I made sure Gordon got his debut at Limassol," Ferguson said in his book ‘Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography'.
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“I then gave Anthony his second game against Leicester… I loved his appetite to improve, he wanted to learn and practice, practice, practice.
“He was as fit as a fiddle and took diet seriously but was still going to different boxing gyms and sparring. ‘You have to stop,’ I told Anthony, ‘You can’t go to them, you’ll get hurt’.
“He battered me once in the Finch Farm (Everton training ground) gym. I had a pair of boxing gloves on, he didn’t. And I didn't do it again. Anthony’s a bright lad, knows what he wants and is dedicated and lightning quick.”
Gordon, 24, spoke about his love for boxing during an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live during Euro 2024.
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"I think everyone in Liverpool likes boxing,” Gordon claimed. “I think every kid just finds themselves in the local boxing club.
"You grow up watching it as well. On the pitch, I think it makes me more aggressive, play with more tenacity.
"Before I started [boxing], I was down a lot. I would get pushed off the ball a lot.
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"And then when I started doing it, it brought out a different side of me, aggression, and just wanting to win, more desire in those battles."
Topics: Anthony Gordon, Everton, Boxing, Premier League, Football, Newcastle United
Luke Davies