Premier League star reveals he was secretly a boxer as a kid as he throws support to heavyweight Fabio Wardley
Wardley is a huge Ipswich fan and returns to the ring on Saturday at his beloved Portman Road against Australian Justis Huni.
And he will have the backing of the Ipswich faithful and squad - including captain Sam Morsy - who knows a thing or two about boxing himself.
Morsy revealed: "It's going to be amazing, I can't wait to watch it and I'm buzzing for him.
"It's going to be an historic event and historic moment for him. I used to box as a kid, I had an amateur fight and won, back in the day.
"I enjoyed it, boxing as a kid every summer – six weeks' holiday and I'd be in the boxing gym.
'So I really enjoyed it, I enjoy watching it and it's amazing to see Fab do his thing as part of the Ipswich family – and hopefully he wins!'
Morsy, 33, joined Ipswich in 2021 from Middlesbrough and was named captain soon after.
The midfielder helped the Tractor Boys gain back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.
But they were relegated this season along with Southampton and Leicester.
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Morsy has given plenty motivational speeches in the dressing room and revealed what he would tell Wardley on fight night.
He said: 'I'd say 'look, you're living your dream," Morsy revealed. "Be brave, be bold, trust yourself – you've got it. Simple."
Fabio Wardley faces off with Justis Huni ahead of his homecoming fight
Over 20,000 are expected to be at Portman Road on the weekend and Wardley added: 'The support of the club as a whole is something that's hard to put into words.
"It's not just been the odd player here or there, or the odd staff member, everyone around the club has been so supportive and invested in me, wanting this to come off in the years beforehand.
'From the players to everyone that's around the club and Mark (Ashton) himself, who has been a massive advocate and massive pusher of pulling this off… ultimately this doesn't come together without him being keen on it and him really wanting it to go ahead.
'So I could not be more thankful to him and the club as whole for their backing, their support – and ultimately just, at the crux of it, looking after one of their own.
'And I think that's the strong ethos of this club. We support and get behind our own.'
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