Why Did Freddie Flintoff Turn Down the WWE in Favour of Boxing?

Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff is one of the most famous names in modern English cricket. Despite retiring on two separate occasions, once in September 2010 for medical reasons, and again in 2015, after briefly coming out of retirement to play only T20 (Twenty20) cricket, he has remained a popular figure in British culture and the cricket world. 

At one point, Flintoff was offered a lucrative contract to feature in the WWE, but instead, chose boxing, and ultimately declined the ‘obscene’ amount of money that he was offered. 

The question being asked here is, why did Freddie Flintoff turn down the WWE in favour of boxing? Let’s dive straight in to find out. 

What were the key reasons cited for Flintoff’s decision to turn down the lucrative offer to feature in the WWE in favour of stepping into the boxing ring?

According to various reputable sources, Flintoff included, the former England cricketer turned down a lucrative offer to wrestle in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) because some of his family members had their heart set on playing cricket in England. 

They didn’t want to relocate to the United States so that Flintoff could feature in the WWE. He was initially offered a fast-tracked, highly lucrative contract which included an obscene amount of money that would include appearances at some of WWE’s biggest events, such as the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. 

Here is a closer look at exactly what occurred:

• Flintoff’s interest in the WWE– according to MSN, Flintoff was considering looking for a way into the WWE to try and rekindle his childhood dream of being a wrestler, but that it would also be the perfect way for him to get back to peak physical fitness since retiring from the sport he loved the most. Apparently, Flintoff was even said to have pitched the idea to step into the ring against The Undertaker in Manchester
• WWE lucrative offer – a multi-year contract that would last for at least three years was offered to Flintoff by the WWE, which would include a faster and more direct route to some of the sport’s most notable events, such as the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania. If he has accepted it, he would have benefited significantly from a huge financial gain
• Family decision – the decision not to accept the contract to become a WWE wrestler came after Flintoff’s children wanted to return to England and play cricket. In other words, he prioritised his family over personal career choices
• Boxing over WWE – instead of becoming a face in the WWE, Flintoff instead chose the route of becoming a boxer, which meant he and his family could remain in England and that he could physically compete in another sport that he was also passionate about

If Flintoff had become a WWE wrestler, some sources, such as The Sun, claim that the WWE name he would have gone by was ‘Big Fred.’ 

How did Flintoff’s boxing career turn out?

Flintoff only had one professional boxing fight. On November 30, 2012, he fought American boxer Richard Dawson in Manchester and ended up winning the bout on a points decision. 

At the time, on many of the iGaming industry’s most trusted sports betting platforms with boxing and cricket betting markets, such as the official 10CRIC (https://www.10cricklive.com/cricket/) website, Flintoff was the slight odds-on favourite going into the fight, and he didn’t disappoint his fans or sports bettors who wagered on him in this now-iconic heavyweight division fight. 

Facts about Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff

Here are a few quick facts about Freddie Flintoff:

• Full name: Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff
• Date of birth/age: December 6, 1977 (47 years old)
• Place of birth: Preston, Lancashire, England
• Cricket batting: Right-handed
• Cricket bowling: Right-arm (fast-medium)
• Cricket role: All-rounder
• Domestic teams played for: Lancashire, Chennai Super Kings, Brisbane Heat
• National team playing years: England, from 1998 to 2009

His Test cricket debut came on July 23, 1998, against South Africa, and his last Test match was against Australia on August 20, 2009. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Pakistan on April 7, 2009, and his last ODI appearance was against the West Indies on April 3, 2009. 

His T20 International debut was against Australia on June 13, 2005, and his last was against Indian on September 19, 2007. 

Biggest WWE events still to come in 2025

Here are some of the most hotly anticipated WWE events that are still to come in 2025. On August 31, it’s the Clash in Paris, in Paris, France. 

You then have the Crown Jewel event in Perth, Australia, on October 11, followed by the Survivor Series: War Games, in San Diego, California, on November 29, to name just a few upcoming WWE events. 

Are there any major cricket competitions still to come in 2025?

If you are a cricket fan and want to catch some action over the coming months, there’s plenty to choose from. If it’s ODIs that you’re interested in, you have the current Pakistan in the West Indies ODI series (August 2025), as well as the South Africa in Australia ODI series, and the Sri Lanka in Zimbabwe series. 

In September, you can look forward to the South Africa in England ODI series and the England in Ireland ODI series. 

Some of the biggest upcoming T20 International series are the Viking Cup, South Africa in Australia, the Norway Tri-Nation T20I Series, and the United Arab Emirates T20I Tri-Series. 

That’s not forgetting the Sri Lanka in Zimbabwe T20I Series, the Men’s T20 Asia Cup, and the South Africa in England T20I Series, to name just a few. 

Final thoughts

Freddie Flintoff will remain one of England’s all-time sporting heroes, and he will no doubt continue to work in television. In 2022, Flintoff almost died while filming an episode of Top Gear. 

He was airlifted to hospital and suffered life-changing injuries. Flintoff was eventually compensated with a £9 million financial settlement for the injuries he sustained. 

Since then, he has appeared in several sports documentaries and documentaries about his life, and he will no doubt continue to appear on the small screen in various capacities over the coming years. 

He is the current presenter of the hit television game show, Bullseye. The former England cricketer and one-time boxer has also written several books that you might like to check out, some of which include Being Freddie, Ashes to Ashes, Freddie, Good Times, Bad Times, Andrew Flintoff: My Life in Pictures, and Right, Said Fred.