James McClean said he wants to step into the boxing ring after his recent departure from Derry City. Reuters said McClean spoke following the release of his autobiography, 'The Walls'.
McClean outlines boxing ambition
McClean told Reuters: "Sparring is great, pads are great, bags are great, but there's only one way to find out (how good I am), and that's stepping in the ring. Boxing's new to me, so of course there's something I want to prove for myself because it's not something that I've excelled at before ... if that is what's next then, obviously, it's exciting."
Professional route ruled out
McClean told Reuters: "I'm almost 38 soon so for me to start a professional boxing career and go down that route, starting from scratch, it's just not plausible, given my age and having to do that. It gives you the opportunity to fight people who aren't pro boxers and they make a decent earning on a couple of fights that probably most professional fighters never make throughout their whole career."
Freedom after leaving Derry City
McClean said: "I'm happy now in the last 24 hours because I'm a free man, and for the first time in 20 years, I'm excited about what's next because I can decide what I want to do, and I'm not tied to football or anything else."
View on his football ending
McClean said: "If I never kick a ball again, that's where I'll see the ending of my football career. And what a way to go - I'm from Derry but I actually see that club, because of the bond that we had, as kind of my adopted home, it's unbelievable."
