David Bentley has by no means been one to show down a problem, even whether it is to his detriment. In 2008, on England obligation, he obtained roped into enjoying what was meant to be a lighthearted sport with Jimmy Bullard, shouting “Postman Pat” at Fabio Capello in coaching, on account of the supervisor's likeness to the kids's character. Capello – maybe unsurprisingly – didn't see the humorous aspect and Bentley by no means performed for England once more.
Bentley has at all times been audacious. When coming by at Arsenal, he by accident sat within the seat of the membership captain, Patrick Vieira, within the canteen. When the Frenchman tapped the then teenager on the shoulder, ordering him to vacate the seat in entrance of the remainder of the squad, Bentley refused as a matter of precept. “I wasn't going to let anybody mug me off,” Bentley says. “If I used to be on the road, no probability. I'm not transferring. There's a hierarchy however I don't know, I'm not having that. However I can really feel his hand on my shoulder now.” He spent the subsequent three months getting kicked in coaching by Vieira and excluded from nights out with the crew.
“I prefer to create chaos however I don't prefer to be surrounded by it,” says Bentley, who retired from soccer aged 29 greater than a decade in the past however has once more put himself within the firing line in signing as much as a charity boxing match in opposition to the previous Chelsea midfielder and coach Jody Morris, with the sold-out battle attributable to happen on Saturday in London.
It's a spectacle notable for its curiosity – no one seems to have requested for this – and regardless of Bentley's remarks on the contrary, an occasion that includes 4 different fights between former footballers on the undercard has a novel but chaotic really feel.
The previous Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny shouldn't be properly sufficient to attend the media day however we're advised he'll get better to battle Curtis Davies. Leroy Lita, a black belt in taekwondo, is one other press convention absentee as a result of he's attending an unspecified course. Lita's opponent, David Noble, is right here however admits his ambition for the battle is “simply to listen to the final bell”. The Soccer League journeyman Greg Halford has been partnered with Marvin Elliott, and the Swansea Metropolis legend Lee Trundle – nonetheless enjoying semi-pro soccer within the Welsh leagues at 49 – may have the unenviable job of flooring the 6ft 5in, one-cap England defender Anthony Gardner.
Bentley v Morris is an intriguing and baffling match-up. The pair wouldn't have any historical past, any beef – the pre-fight press convention is outwardly solely the second time they've met. “I didn't know him from Adam,” says Morris. “He was an excellent, technically gifted footballer. Yeah, I'm hoping his technical capability within the ring shouldn't be the identical.”
They don't appear significantly properly matched and seem to have been thrown collectively: Morris is squat and powerful, a bundle of muscle standing at 5ft 5in, whereas Bentley is taller, leaner and 5 years youthful at 41. “We've been sparring with Danny DeVito, truly,” jokes Bentley's coach, Kevin Mitchell, the famend former British boxer.
Amid the pre-fight barbs, there's a severe undertone. Getting punched within the head is a severe enterprise, even – and maybe particularly – at an beginner degree. Whereas the entire fighters must be praised for voluntarily placing their our bodies on the road, freed from cost, there's a query to be requested over whether or not getting whacked is the easiest way to lift cash for charity, entertain punters or preserve former skilled footballers match and busy of their retirement. A boxing battle has extra at stake than, say, a marathon, the place the principal hazard for middle-aged males is sporting out their knees.
England Boxing, the governing physique, confirmed to the Guardian that it had not been approached by the organisers and mentioned in a press release: “White-collar and different types of unregulated boxing don't fall underneath the remit of England Boxing. At current, white-collar boxing is often organised by non-public promoters and never topic to the protection requirements and oversight that govern beginner or skilled boxing.”
It must be mentioned that the fights – every three two-minute rounds – might be correctly officiated, with medical personnel available, and the boxers have skilled coaches of their nook to guard them – Morris has been assigned the previous IBF middleweight world champion Darren Barker. Not all white-collar boxing occasions can say the identical.
The organiser, the previous Arsenal and Barnet goalkeeper Graham Stack, has promised to lift £500,000 for the charities Playskill, Sport In Thoughts, the Willow Basis and Serving to Arms. That isn't to be sniffed at, and appreciable funding has been made by way of sponsorship, ringside leisure – James DeGale and George Groves might be current and Peter Crouch, Paul Merson and Ray Parlour will participate in a Q&A session between the bouts – and within the venue, the Grosvenor Home lodge in Mayfair.
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Morris grew up just a few miles away on the Cheesemans property in West Kensington, and would stroll to Stamford Bridge to play his first video games for Chelsea in 1996. He was raised as a eager boxing fan: his uncle was an beginner fighter and his mom was keener on boxing than soccer.
Morris is sporting a black eye, proof of his coaching. “I obtained a good hiding in sparring,” he says. “I used to be simply at a health club in Aldgate East they usually obtained a Ukrainian child in, a southpaw. I'm happy to be out the opposite aspect of it, and never go down. This child was punching miles more durable than what Bentley goes to do.”
It's barely more durable to discern why the impeccably groomed Bentley was drawn to this battle, given the previous Tottenham and Blackburn winger is busy together with his bars and companies in Marbella, in addition to a brand new gig on TalkSport. “I've obtained 4 kids that I'm elevating, they most likely assume I can't battle,” Bentley says. “So it's to showcase to them: ‘Look, you are able to do something when you put your thoughts to it and you may step into essentially the most uncomfortable scenario.' It's important to have braveness to even step into that ring, get your head whacked and take it. It gained't be the primary time I've had a row, it's simply the primary time that I've boxed.”
If Morris is the most recent Bentley has squared as much as, Thierry Henry was one of many first, the pair almost coming to blows in Arsenal coaching, which was notoriously powerful underneath Arsène Wenger. “Discuss physicality,” Bentley says. “I've come off black eyes, ripped shirts, bashed up. At the same time as a thin lad, you'd should defend your self and have it. Wenger used to have aggressive small-sided video games, seven-sevens, 21 gamers. He used to maintain the identical groups all week. In the event you obtained beat the day earlier than, you'd be fuming. You're going residence such as you've simply misplaced the World Cup ultimate.
“Certain, Thierry is among the greatest gamers to ever dwell, however he was mugging me off that day, attempting to dictate the session. I'm getting the hump. I had a objective disallowed. He was attempting to make up his personal guidelines and it went off. I had gloves on, so I've whipped my gloves off. ‘Come on, then!' It by no means got here to blows, thank God, as a result of Henry would have laid me out.”
Bentley might be hoping for a special outcome come Saturday evening.
