PREMIER LEAGUE winner Danny Simpson is set for his boxing debut after joining KSI’s Misfits league.
As first revealed by SunSport, the former Manchester United and Leicester star has been in talks for his first bout.
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And it has now been announced that he will take on YouTuber Danny Aarons on August 31 in Dublin.
Aarons was due to fight TikToker Brandon “Beavo” Beavis – known for filming himself swallowing food whole.
But Beavis pulled out with an injury allowing Simpson to step in as replacement.
YouTuber-turned-boxer KSI and music mogul Mams Taylor co-founded the Misfits platform as a home to celeb-style crossover bouts.
And promoter Taylor talked up the possibility of welcoming footballers into the Misfits scene.
Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney admitted he was even in talks to do so – before turning it down to focus on management.
But his former United team-mate Simpson becomes the first to take the step into the ring.
The event was due to be headlined by KSI – until hand injury also forced him to withdraw.
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Instead, KSI will perform to the sold-out 3Arena crowd with a new main-event to be announced.
Simpson, 37, recently confirmed his retirement from football to now focus on his first fight.
As of last year, he was training with non-league Macclesfield while also returning to United to work on his coaching badges.
He is a regular on MUTV having come through their academy before spending four years there as a professional between 2006–2010.
In that period under the great Sir Alex Ferguson, the full-back only made eight appearances and spent time out on loan.
But Simpson was part of the famous Leicester side that beat 5,000-1 odds to win the Premier League title in 2016.
The defender was playing for Bristol City until his contract was ripped up by mutual consent in March 2022.
Misfits have had stars from the social media, MMA and boxing world compete on their shows
And Simpson will not be the first to trade the pitch for the ring.
Curtis Woodhouse played in the Prem but switched to boxing in 2006 despite having no amateur background.
He had 31 pro bouts – even winning the English and British light-welterweight titles – while playing football part-time.
Footballers-turned-boxers
Woodhouse’s last fight was in 2017 beating renowned and celebrated journeyman Lewis van Poetsch.
Leon McKenzie was another to have played in the English top-flight for the likes of Crystal Palace and Norwich.
McKenzie is the son of British and European title holder Clinton and nephew of three-time world champ Duke.
So after his playing days stopped in 2013, he also moved into boxing making his super-middleweight debut that year.
McKenzie amassed a record of eight wins, two losses and one draw before hanging up the gloves in 2017 aged 39.
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing currently have former Accrington Stanley midfielder Paddy Lacey signed.
Lacey still plays for Welsh top-tier side Flint Town United but is 10-0 as a middleweight boxer.
Despite the successful switches – it does not work out for everyone.
Rio Ferdinand infamously tried to turn pro aged 39 but was denied a British Boxing Board of Control licence in 2018.
Ferdinand’s former team-mates Wes Brown and Simpson both train at the same Punchline Boxing Gym in Macclesfield.
Simpson has been in boxing training as far back as 2020 with his eyes on a debut bout.