Eight AFL greats are set to line up in the squared circle for the first time ahead of the league’s Gather Round in Adelaide.
Mitch Robinson and Kane Pettifer, Kane Cornes and Nathan Brown, Dane Swan and Dale Thomas, and Anthony Rocca and Corey McKernan are all set for their first time in the boxing ring.
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The fights are no doubt going to draw some attention but it’s a legitimate card featuring Jackson England fighting Jamal Herring for the WBO global super featherweight crown.
The night will also see the likes of Jack Brubaker, Joel Camilleri and the debut of Alex Leapai Jr., the son of former heavyweight contender Alex Leapai.
The card starts at 7pm AEDT (6.30pm local time in Adelaide). The fight night is a Stan exclusive pay per view ($50) and requires an active Stan subscription to purchase the event.
Note: All times in AEDT
6pm — ‘Got to pay’: Swan’s threat for Pies defector
The pair may be friends and 2010 premiership teammates, but 2011 Brownlow medallist Dane Swan has vowed to make Dale Thomas “pay for his sins” after the latter finished his career at Carlton.
It’s just one of four fights between former AFL stars in Stan Sports’ The Gathering fight night on Wednesday.
Thomas’ departure from Collingwood was seen as a betrayal by Pies fans at the time, leaving the club he’d won a premiership win under free agency.
Thomas played 101 games for the Blues between 2014 and 2019 for 258-games all up.
Swan, who coincidentally also played 258 games but all for the Pies between 2002 and 2016, said his ex-teammate, who is affectionately known as “Daisy”, shouldn’t have left the side.
“I’m not a hateful person, I’m not an angry person but he’s got to pay for his sins for going to Carlton,” Swan told Wide World of Sports.
“We’re mates and we’ll have quite a few beers after the fight, but once the bell goes I’m looking forward to punching him in the head.”
All four of the AFL fights are four two-minute rounds, which suits Swan well.
He admitted he “can’t run that well but I can bounce around for eight minutes”.
Swan also revealed he lost 5kg when he went to Vegas for his 40th birthday, which interrupted his training.
But he added he’s boxed for a long time, saying he hates running, hasn’t lifted weights since he finished playing in the AFL and “swimming bores me”.
“I can do four rounds comfortably, its just how many times I get hit. But I’m ready to go,” Swan told The Daily Mail.
“I lost five kilograms in Vegas … I played at 95kg, I’m at 88-89kg now. I’m as lean as I’ve been since I got out of the jungle (on I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2017).”
The Gathering — full card
Jamal Herring (24-4-0) Vs Jackson England (15-3-0) for WBO Global Super Featherweight title
Mitch Robinson (debut) Vs Kayne Pettifer (debut)
Jack Brubaker (17-5-2) Vs In Duck Seo (15-3-2)
Kane Cornes (debut, 78.8kg) Vs Nathan Brown (debut, 83.9kg)
Joel Camilleri (27-8-1) Vs Joel Pavlides (5-2-1)
Dane Swan (debut, 92.6kg) Vs Dale Thomas (debut, 93.3kg)
Alex Leapal Jnr (debut) Vs Joe Ageli (2-1-0)
Anthony Rocca (debut) Vs Corey McKernan (debut)
Sergei Vorobev (20-2-0) Vs Wes Capper (22-5-1)
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