When Rooney Met Calzaghe

Wayne Rooney’s fierce competitiveness is legendary, but few could imagine it surfacing in the middle of a wedding. The Manchester United great recently revisited a story that perfectly captures his mischievous edge — the time he jokingly squared up to unbeaten boxing champion Joe Calzaghe at agent Paul Stretford’s wedding.

On The Wayne Rooney Show, joined by Stretford, Tony Bellew, and the BBC, Rooney relived the moment with laughter. Stretford recalled the surreal scene: the music playing, guests chatting, and suddenly Rooney — full of energy and good spirits — challenging Calzaghe to a friendly spar. The atmosphere shifted from elegant to electric as the football icon stepped onto the lawn, shadowboxing in his suit while guests watched in disbelief.

With his trademark grin, Rooney remembered the light-hearted scuffle, saying, “I seen him, he was a bit vulnerable, he’d had a few drinks. Might give him his first defeat.” It was a tongue-in-cheek nod to Calzaghe’s flawless 46-0 career record, and everyone burst out laughing. Even Calzaghe took it in good humor, proving that champions can share a joke as easily as a jab.

Calzaghe, who retired in 2009 after defending his world titles 21 times across an unbroken reign, remains one of Britain’s greatest fighters. Rooney, meanwhile, insists that while he admires the discipline of boxing, he has no plans to swap his boots for gloves. Despite the rise of celebrity bouts and crossover fights, he prefers to keep his battles confined to the football pitch — where his fighting spirit first made him a legend.