Former Manchester United and France defender Patrice Evra will make his mixed martial arts debut in Paris next month.
The 43-year-old will compete in a bout at Professional Fighters League Europe’s Paris event on May 23 at the Accor Arena in Bercy.
Evra has been doing combat training for nearly a decade and has been preparing for his competitive bow alongside friend and PFL star Cedric Doumbe.
It has not yet been announced who Evra will fight against, and he said: “You guys should know by now, I love this game too.
“I’ve performed on the world’s biggest stages, won every major trophy in football, but PFL Europe Paris will be an incredibly special night for me.
“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on May 23, so come watch the spectacle.”
Evra spent eight-and-a-half years at Manchester United, winning five Premier League titles among a host of honours.
He moved on to Juventus in 2014 and retired six years ago, with his final appearances coming in a brief spell for West Ham.
Meanwhile, Evra has cheekily called out former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who was found guilty of racially abusing the Frenchman in 2011.
“BREAKING: I’m officially training for my first fight with @PFLEurope. They will pick my opponent…,” Evra tweeted on Friday.
“They asked who I wanna face. I said:
Luis Suarez. I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”
Suarez was banned for eight matches after he was charged with racially abusing Evra during an English Premier League match between Manchester United and Liverpool at Anfield 14 years ago.
With agency report
