AFL great Brendan Fevola revealed a stunning three-week weight loss as he prepares to step into a boxing ring for the first time.
Fevola is set to throw down with fellow retired footy star Cameron Mooney to headline the inaugural Footy Fight Night in Melbourne in August.
One-time Brownlow Medallists Adam Cooney and Dane Swan are also locked in to fight, while other former AFL players will be announced in the coming weeks.
READ MORE: World Cup in sight as Socceroos win thriller
READ MORE: Stinging sledge that sparked teammates’ brawl
READ MORE: Tigers explain Maguire sacking
ULTIMATE GUIDE: State of Origin Game 1
For Fevola, 41, the two months leading up to the event will be tougher than the six-minute fight itself.
He is the first to admit he has let his fitness slide since retiring from the professional game in 2010.
“I’ve dropped about 10 kilos (in the last three weeks), which is great. I was very large,” Fevola told Wide World of Sports.
“I’ve just cut out all bread and stuff. I’ve been training and eating really healthy, and it’s stripped off me.
“I want to get down to under 110 – so I was 128 or something beforehand, and I want to get down to just under 110. So if I can lose 17kg in the two or three months it would be good.
Watch State of Origin exclusively live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now.
“I haven’t been under 110 since I got out of the jungle, which was seven years ago.”
The “jungle” Fevola refers to is when he won reality television show I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here in 2016.
His opponent, on the other hand, has kept himself in good shape since retiring in 2011.
Fevola described Mooney as “an Adonis”.
“He walked in the gym today with his top off and I nearly ran out the door,” he said of the Geelong great.
Mooney was much more humble when asked about his fitness.
“(I’ve kept) fit enough… but after doing an hour’s boxing last night I’ve realised not enough,” Mooney told Wide World of Sports.
“I’ve got a long way to go to get to some kind of fitness level that will get me through.
“We’re wearing 18-ounce gloves so it’s not going to be too much… I think it will be more of a tickle fight by the end of it, I think we’ll be cooked.
“It doesn’t matter how much preparation we’ve got, it’s probably not going to be enough.”
They aren’t the first AFL greats to step into a boxing ring post-footy career.
Barry Hall fought a majority draw against Paul Gallen in 2019, and has since been knocked out by Sonny Bill Williams, too.
Hall was goaded into a pre-fight war of words with Gallen, who is the master at hyping up events like this.
But don’t expect a slanging match between Fevola and Mooney, who both passed on the opportunity to sledge the other.
“I think they want us to trash talk, but we’re footy players, we aren’t boxers,” Fevola said.
“He’s got a lethal right, and I’ve got a pretty heavy right. If one of them connect, one of us is going to be lights out which will be good fun.
“I don’t reckon it will get to the third round.”
Tickets to the fight night are available through Ticketek.
For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!