Note: Video removed once the embed code decided it needed to autostart. Go here to watch it.
Minnesota Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards will follow in the footsteps of Tom Zbikowski and enter the pro boxing fold, but unlike Zbikowski, Edwards doesn't have any amateur background. He says he's always been a fighter, however.
"I love it, I love football, I love basketball, I love boxing," said Edwards. "Those are my three favorite sports I love. I beat up a lot of people growing up as well so fighting is just instilled in me because of where I came from, and how I grew up and things like that. So I've always been a fighter."
His trainer is former fighter Jeff Warner, whose career record has all kinds of question marks and oddities. Warner is, uh, enthusiastic about Edwards' potential:
"I mean he's faster than Muhammed Ali, he hits harder than Tyson on the inside and plus he's like a Mayweather," said Warner. "He's a combination of those three fighters, and people have never seen nothing like that. 6'5, 265 pounds, and he can move."
If you find that as ridiculous as I do, well, congratulations. You and I are both sane and live on planet Earth.
Edwards will fight on May 20 against 5'9" former kickboxer TJ Gibson. Here's video of Gibson getting manhandled in MMA. The fight will also be Gibson's pro boxing debut.