Fourteen former Premier League footballers are set to swap their boots for boxing gloves at A Night to Remember III, a seven-fight event headlined by a grudge match between Nile Ranger and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas. Organiser Graham Stack, a former Arsenal goalkeeper, said the rivalry between the two is genuine: “Let me tell you these two want to punch each other’s heads in.”
High-profile main event
Ranger, a former Newcastle forward, and Emmanuel-Thomas, an ex-Arsenal prospect, have both served prison sentences — Ranger for online bank fraud and Emmanuel-Thomas for his role in a £600,000 cannabis smuggling scheme. The loser of their bout will forfeit a £500 charitable donation, adding extra stakes to the contest.
Emmanuel-Thomas, now playing for Whitehawk in the Isthmian League Premier Division, said he is motivated by the cause: “If all of us coming together to get in the ring and to fight one another would help a child and a family... then I’ve got no reason to not get in the ring over and over again.”
Full card and charity goal
Stack’s company, Pro Project Promotions, aims to raise £500,000 for charity through the event, giving former stars another moment in the spotlight. The card also includes a derby clash between former Arsenal full-back Armand Traore and ex-Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong, plus bouts featuring Lee Cook vs Martin Woods, Leroy Lita vs Harlee Dean, Simon Cox vs David Norris, Gary Madine vs Jamie Sendles-White, and Anthony Gardner vs Matthew Briggs.
Briggs, a former Fulham full-back, told Daily Star Sport that retirement “hits you like a sledgehammer,” but he and his fellow retirees will get another chance to entertain a crowd. Knockouts may be banned on the pitch, but they will be encouraged when the action takes place in London on Thursday, October 22.
