Rio Ferdinand gets surprise support from Tyson Fury who offers to help with boxing training
Undefeated former heavyweight champion is one of the few current boxing stars not against the footballer joining the pro ranks
RIO FERDINAND has been offered boxing tips by former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
The ex-Manchester United and England defender is diving headfirst though the ropes into the professional fight game, funded by a betting company.
And the dethroned Gyspy King has offered the 38-year-old novice some expert tips on how to be a very specific type of boxer.
Fury sent him a message saying: “Looking forward to seeing this. From Football star to boxing star, if you need any tips on being a bad ass call me.”
Undefeated Fury had no problems being a boxing star but his personal life and mental health unravelled after he took over the game with a shock win against Wladimir Klitschko.
But the giant claims to be back in training and shifting some of the weight that he piled on during his enforced hiatus.
The fighter is begging the British Boxing Board of Control to address his case and either return his licence or ban him forever.
Middleweight world champion and fellow Traveller Billy Joe Saunders fears Fury will consider suicide if he does not get closure on what looked set to be a glittering career.
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Saunders said: “Tyson has come a long way from when this all started.
"He has got over mental health issues.
“At one stage, I was a bit worried about him.
"He was talking about suicide on the phone. I had to give him a wake-up call.
"Thank God, the last eight months he has seen a light at the end of the tunnel, he has seen hope, he has overcome all that.
“He has really knuckled down, he has lost two stone, he is mentally in a good place and if anything happens with Tyson's life I will be blaming the British Boxing Board of Control because boxing is his life.
“He doesn't know how to do anything else. He can’t go and get a normal job.
"He can’t go and keep his mind occupied. He is a born fighter through and through.
"It is all he has ever known to do and people are stopping him doing it for no apparent reason.
"Let’s give him his licence back, let him crack on and get on with his life.”
Ferdinand still does not have an official license of his own – despite announcing his pro career and initially vowing to fight for titles.
And footballer-turned-world-champion Curtis Woodhouse has warned the boxer that he could die ‘playing boxing’ but gave him plenty of encouragement.
He said: “This is no joke, you can die ‘playing’ boxing.”
“Don't ever write a man off.
“We don't know what Rio's got. It might be the second coming of Muhammad Ali. I very much doubt it.
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“But a lot of the stuff I'm hearing comes from jealousy. People don't want to give people a chance.
“If Rio is willing to dedicate his life to it and do it properly then who are we pour scorn on it.
“A lot of stuff annoys me and I had it directed at myself. I became a champion of England and Britain.
"Good luck to him. He's going to go through hell and 99 per cent of people fail and quit, but he might be the one per cent.
"One problem is going to be getting his license from the British Boxing Board of Control.
"They're going to want to have a chat with him and see him sparring.”