As the NFL Lockout drags on, football player Ray Edwards a defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings made his professional boxing debut on Friday May 20, 2011 at the Grand Casino in Hinckley, Minnesota.
Edwards is the second football player to step into the boxing ring during the 2011 NFL lockout, the other is Tommy Zbikowski of the Baltimore Ravens, but unlike Edwards, Zbikowski has plenty of boxing experience having fought at the amateur level as a youth. Edwards has no amateur boxing experience and only two years of boxing training.
Ray Edwards stood 6-foot-5, and weighed 258 pounds, he had 36 pounds and 7 inches on his opponent former kickboxer T.J. Gibson, but it didn’t stop Gibson from trying to knockout the taller Edwards and even landing a couple of hard shots on his chin which Edwards took well. T.J. Gibson was knocked down twice during the 4-round bout, once in the first and again in the fourth round.
Edwards won on the judges’ scorecards, 40-34, 39-35 and 40-34, long time boxing referee Joe Cortez was the third man in the ring.
After the fight Ray Edwards felt he did well for his pro boxing debut and is eager to get back in the gym to work on improving as a fighter.
Edwards next boxing match is scheduled for June 24, 2011 at Grand Casino in Hinckley. His opponent is TBA.
Watch Minnesota Vikings Ray Edwards vs. Gibson fight video highlights
Video highlights by KARE 11
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