Inspiring Boxing Stories: Andrew Flintoff and Curtis Woodhouse

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Written by Murrey Williams

Few people will disagree that boxing is one of the most unique sports on the planet and it's not just mere physical ability that results in a fighter becoming successful. There is incredible mental strength involved and the immense combination of the two means that the sport is only suited to some athletes.
All of the above means that it is very surprising to see any athlete from any other sport even attempt to switch to boxing. However, over recent time there has been a surge in the headlines after cricketer Andrew Flintoff decided to try his hand in the ring. Following on from this, we'll now take a look at Flintoff and another man who attempted the switch to boxing, Curtis Woodhouse, to see how some cope with the switch.

Andrew Flintoff

Considering his fantastic career in cricket, many people were absolutely amazed to see Andew Flintoff's decision to turn to boxing following his retirement. Moreover, after being forced to retire from cricket due to a series of nasty injuries, there were some doubts if his body would be able to cope with a sport as rigorous as boxing.
However, on first view it looks as though Flintoff’s switch is proving rather successful. Admittedly, it’s still early days, but the fact he won his first professional fight against Richard Dawson gives him a good base to build on. Nobody quite knows if ‘Freddy’ will be in boxing for the long haul, but after managing to beat an accomplished fighter there are suggestions that with the right training, some athletes can make the switch to the ring.

Curtis Woodhouse

While Flintoff might be the most high-profile man to make the switch, perhaps a better example can be attributed to Curtis Woodhouse. It could be said that Woodhouse experienced a much less glamorous career than Flintoff, with the former Sheffield United midfielder deciding to quit football after claiming he had simply fallen out of love with the sport.
While Woodhouse may not have been a revelation on the football field, in the ring he had a very successful career. In total he recorded seventeen wins and four losses – quite remarkable for an athlete who had not been brought up in a boxing environment. Unfortunately, his boxing career was blighted by disciplinary problems and some have stated that he couldn’t realise his potential after having his boxing license suspended on at least one occasion.