'I trained world champion boxer – here's how Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo fight would go'
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the twilight of their glittering careers with many questioning what could come next for the pair when they retire from professional football one day
Deontay Wilder's former trainer, Malik Scott, has weighed in on who would be a better fighter between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo are widely regarded as two of the greatest footballers of all time.
The pair regularly led the goalscoring charts in Spain's La Liga and the Champions League across a decade for Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Ronaldo also enjoying success at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson in the 2000s. Both players are now coming towards the end of their glittering careers with Messi now 38 and playing for Inter Miami while Ronaldo, 40, plys his trade in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.
Many will be questioning what could come next for the legendary pair when they eventually hang up their boots. Both players are set to feature for their countries in next summer's World Cup finals in the United States - a tournament which could herald the swansong of their international careers.
And Scott, who trained former world champion boxer Wilder between 2021 and 2025, has now had his say on a potential future career in the ring for two of football's most iconic names.
"Messi [is more equipped for a second career as a fighter than Ronaldo]. Messi’s character comes across just a little bit rougher for boxing, in his demeanour," he said, via Jackpot City Casino.
"The other fella [Ronaldo] to me, he has a competitive, but a very, like, soft demeanour when he's not playing. And there's nothing wrong with that, but to me, Messi always looks like he's on go-time.
"He always looks like, if you say the wrong thing or disrespect him the wrong way he will mess you up."
Former world champion Amir Khan has also admitted he would like to see Messi and Ronaldo go toe-to-toe between the ropes.
“That would be a great fight," he told Instant Casino. "I’d buy a ticket for that.
"We don’t know who the number one is. I like both - Ronaldo’s a great ambassador, so is Messi. But with the kind of money those guys are on, I don’t think they’d ever actually fight. They don’t need to.”
Messi is out of contract with Inter Miami at the end of the year. While there has been talks of the forward extending the duration of his stay with the club, nothing has been put in writing as of yet.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has been quiet on a potential retirement date but recently signed a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr, which will keep him playing until at least 2027.
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