Alan Shearer responds to calls for boxing fight with Roy Keane

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Premier League greats Alan Shearer and Roy Keane had a few run-ins during their playing days

Alan Shearer
Neither Alan Shearer or Roy Keane were shy of confrontation during their playing days (Image credit: Getty Images)

Could Alan Shearer and Roy Keane one day face off in a celebrity boxing match?

Newcastle United icon vs Manchester United legend? BBC vs ITV? The Rest Is Football vs Stick To Football? It has the potential to be a showdown for the ages.

The two were often at loggerheads during their playing days, most memorably in September 2001 during Newcastle's 4-3 win over Keane's side at St James Park.

With only minutes left to play and the Magpies winning, Shearer and Keane had a confrontation in the corner. Words were exchanged, a ball was thrown and Keane was eventually sent off for throwing a punch that failed to connect.

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Shearer recalled on the Match of the Day: Top 10 podcast last year: "I had loads of rucks with him and I wasn't the only one. It was a throw-in in the far corner where I stopped him taking an early throw.

"We were beating them at St. James' Park and he wanted to take a quick throw-in and he'd been at me all game as he normally was.

"It was about three of four minutes before the end of the game. I can't remember exactly what I said, I called him some sort of name.

"He got the red card and I remember having a little smile and thought, 'I've done you like a kipper here'. I can't believe you've fallen into that little trap."

Gary Lineker, Danny Murphy, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer working on BBC coverage of the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Liverpool at Wembley in April 2022.

Shearer alongside The Rest Is Football co-hosts Gary Lineker and Micah Richards (Image credit: Getty Images)

Shearer's verdict on whether a boxing match between him and Keane could happen

On an episode of Shearer's The Rest Of Football podcast, co-host Gary Lineker posed the idea of a meeting between the two inside the squared circle.

The former Barcelona and Tottenham striker said: "I think I’d back you against him, Al. Even now. I think that people would pay to see that. 

"You get all of these celebrity fights now – get the two of you in UFC gloves or boxing gloves."

But sadly for those who would be interested in the potential bout, Shearer isn't interested.

"I wouldn’t. I’m too old for that s***, Gaz," he laughed. 

As it stands a match-up between the two seems unlikely. The best we can hope for appears to be a podcast crossover - maybe Shearer appearing on Stick To Football.

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Jack Lacey-Hatton
Jack Lacey-Hatton
Freelance writer

Jack has worked as a sports reporter full-time since 2021. He previously worked as the Chief Women’s Football Writer at the Mirror, covering the England Women’s national team and the Women’s Super League. Jack has reported on a number of major sporting events in recent years including the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on the ground in Australia. When not writing about the game, he can often spotted playing at a pitch somewhere in the west London area.