MISFITS BOXING are so inundated with footballers wanting to fight they are now teasing an all Premier League card.
YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI founded the celebrity-style platform crossover bouts alongside his manager Mams Taylor.
Instagram @iamzlatanibrahimovicZlatan Ibrahimovic is lined up for a shock boxing fight[/caption]
GettyWayne Bridge could also fight on a card[/caption]
GettyDanny Simpson was the first ex-Prem to fight on Misfits[/caption]
Ex-Prem winner Danny Simpson, 38, was the first footballer to make the switch to the ring, drawing with YouTuber Danny Aarons, 22, in August.
His former team-mate Phil Bardsley, 39, is now in talks with Misfits while Wayne Bridge was on the verge of fighting KSI himself.
And promoter Taylor revealed retired superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic – a black belt in taekwondo – is his dream name to join the roster.
He told SunSport: “I’ve got so many footballers – that I’m not gonna name – but I’ve got so many footballers that want to do this.
“I could do a whole Premier League card at this point, which I think could be quite fun.
“But we’ll see, there’s a lot of footballers and international footballers as well. So let’s see, but I’m still chipping away at Zlatan, I want Zlatan!
“I’m determined to get him in that ring.”
Taylor is a friend of 43-year-old Ibrahimovic’s agent and has been trying to convince the AC Milan legend into a boxing debut.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Bridge, 44, was set to fight KSI, 31, on short notice on March 29 in Manchester as Misfits scrambled for a late-notice opponent.
But the ex-Chelsea defender pulled out after KSI referenced his infamous feud with John Terry.
Terry allegedly had an affair with Bridge’s former partner Vanessa Perroncel in 2009 – something both had always denied.
And KSI said when facing off with Bridge: “Aren’t you the guy that let John Terry smash your ex?”
Bridge – who shares an 18-year-old son with Vanessa – withdrew from the fight just days later.
But Taylor hopes the retired left-back – who has boxed in two charity bouts before – will still lace up the Misfits gloves.
He said: “We all like the sensationalism of a beef, we all like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe he said that’ to a degree.
“But I don’t want anyone walking away and feeling like, ‘Oh man, this gave me a horrible feeling or it affected me psychologically in a negative way or or it hurt my family’.
“So I don’t want anyone to feel that way. I want them to have a positive experience from it, so I hope he can put that incident behind him and maybe I’ll match make him with someone who’s not got as much of a gift of the gab.
“And they have similar vulnerability where they agree to go in respectfully.
I’m still chipping away at Zlatan, I want Zlatan! I’m determined to get him in that ring.
Misfits Boxing co-founder Mams Taylor
“But I’d love to see him in the ring and what I’d really like is to have him in the ring to show the fans who were naysayers, that he can actually fight.”
KSI will now fight Dillon Danis, 31, who is 2-0 in MMA and lost his boxing debut to Logan Paul, 29, in October 2023.
And he apologised to Bridge in private for his controversial remark.
Taylor said: “I know JJ the next day felt bad and he’s like, ‘Do you think I should DM him?’
“And I said, yeah, just say what’s in your heart and he goes, ‘Yeah, I’m obviously just trying to promote this and I thought he knows the landscape of Misfits and how it can go left with, with things like that.’
“I think he realised maybe he went a step too far. He acknowledged that he went too far and he didn’t do it publicly to make it a PR thing.
“He personally wanted to actually DM him and just say, ‘Hey man, I’m sorry, doors open if I can make it up, if there’s anything we can do. I didn’t want to upset you. I just wanted to promote the fight.’
“I think Wayne Bridge has spoken about that somewhere, I’m not sure, but I think he acknowledged it and I think we move on.
“Look, Wayne Bridge is a man’s man at the same time, I get it would have put strain on his family, but I think he’s a proper man and he’s moved on.
“I’d like to see him in a Misfits ring and make sure he’s looked after and has a good experience on his next fight.”
KSI facing off with Wayne Bridgemisfits boxing Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
