Nacho Novo and Scott Brown were no strangers to a feisty battle on the pitch – but what if they pulled on the gloves and went at it in the boxing ring?
That’s the proposal that was put to the Rangers hero and he certainly wasn’t ruling it out, telling his former Celtic rival he’d be in his ‘back pocket’ once again. Novo’s infamous charity bout with TikToker Caz Milligan was scheduled for the Hydro in August but it was called off more than a month in advance. Milligan admitted he went ‘too big too early’ in targeting the biggest arena in Glasgow and “bit off more than he could chew”.
But there would likely be no shortage of interest in a Novo vs Brown bout. The two went at it hammer and tong throughout their three-year overlap in Glasgow, facing off eight times in Old Firm derbies – and winning four apiece when both were on the pitch. So how about the ultimate tiebreaker in the boxing ring?
Novo was speaking to Gambling.com, who rank and review the best online casinos and betting sites. And he was asked about his love of boxing before attention turned to a possible bout with Brown.
The 45-year-old said: “I really love boxing. When you stop playing you think, ‘what am I going to do now?’. Because I need to do something all the time, it doesn’t matter what.
“Years before I’d gone into a big depression. These things happen to players, probably more than people think. For me, boxing was the best thing I ever did. Just to start getting fit, healthier and eating properly. And to say to myself, ‘I’m going to compete’, because that’s what you miss the most. And now I just keep doing it.”
He was then asked if there were any former footballers he’d like to get in the ring with…Celtic legend Brown, maybe? “Scott Brown I have in my back pocket all the time anyway,” Novo said. “No, no, Scott is a good player. I met him a couple times for dinner. On the pitch, like me, he just wants to win. He’s a winner and he wants to play his best. He’s had a great career and he was a great player.”