Premier League fans will have enjoyed a feast of football after the conclusion of the international break. However, a former player in England’s top-flight calling out Jake Paul may not have been on their bingo card this weekend!
Former Premier League star Curtis Davies claims KO victory over Paddy Kenny
Boxing is a sport that has seen plenty of high-profile crossovers in recent years. On Saturday night, it was the turn of former Hull City defender Curtis Davies and ex-Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to pull on the gloves for charity.
The Sun report that Graham Stack was behind the event, one that also saw Jody Morris and David Bentley go head-to-head, among other bouts involving Leroy Lita, Lee Trundle and Greg Halford, but Davies and Kenny grabbed the headlines due to a turn of events in Mayfair that has garnered social media attention.
With both ex-footballers fighting it out looking to raise money for Playskill, Willow Foundation, Helping Hands and Sport In Mind, Davies took the victory ruthlessly, knocking out Kenny in the first round to claim a resounding victory.
Despite showing admirable bravery to carry on after his opponent landed a series of blows, Kenny, a former Republic of Ireland international, was eventually downed after a standing count took place moments earlier, in footage that can be seen below courtesy of The Daily Mail.
Unfortunately, the Sheffield United favourite needed oxygen after suffering the knockout blow. Hopefully, he can recover well following a bruising affair with some noble causes at the heart of the event.
Davies said after the fight: “Really pleased, I’ve worked hard for this, it’s bittersweet, I love Paddy to bits, I didn’t want to have to knock him about, but that’s what we’re here to do. It’s all for charity, yes, but I enjoyed that win.”
Curtis Davies calls out Jake Paul after victory over Paddy Kenny
Later on, Davies took the surprise step of calling out world-renowned influencer and professional fighter Jake Paul, alongside signalling his intention to enter the Misfits boxing scene.
Whether his comments were tongue-in-cheek or not remains to be seen, but he said after speaking about his victory:
“Misfits and Jake Paul, whoever wants it!”
Full list of results of charity fight card
Jody Morris vs David Bentley
Winner: Jody Morris (decision)
Leroy Lita vs David Noble
Winner: Leroy Lita (decision)
Anthony Gardner vs Lee Trundle
Winner: Anthony Gardner (decision)
Marvin Elliott vs Greg Halford
Winner: Marvin Elliott (decision)
Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny
Winner: Curtis Davies (KO)
In his heyday, Davies was a dominant central defender who would offer a physical challenge to any striker in the English football pyramid, and it appears he may have found a new calling in boxing, becoming part of a growing trend of ex-players who have swapped boots for gloves.
Curtis Woodhouse has carved out a successful career in the sport. At the same time, Danny Simpson have been involved in Misfits, creating some intriguing match-ups in a different setting to test out their competitive nature.
Either way, charity was the real winner on this occasion, and money raised will go towards helping vital causes after a momentous night of action in Mayfair.