Symonds v Sreesanth: Gloves Off

An boxing Aussie promoter says Andrew Symonds and Shantha Sreesanth should take their war or words into the boxing ring.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that, in a bizarre twist to the upcoming Australia-India Test series, publicity-hungry boxing promoter Angelo Hyder has said Symonds and Sreesanth should go toe-to-toe at the end of the four Test series.

Hyder’s call to arms comes after his failure to secure a bout between AFL star Barry Hall and human NRL headline Willie Mason.

Unintentionally adding fuel to the fire, in a recent interview with Inside Cricket magazine, Sreesanth said “I am Sreesanth and I’m not scared of any batsman in the world”. How he’d feel about Symonds sans bat but with boxing gloves is not known, but as the SMH points out, talking about himself in the third person certainly makes Sreesanth sound like a boxer.

Unfortunately, “Sugar Ray” Sreesanth has been ruled out of the Australian tour with a shoulder injury, depriving both cricket and fight fans of a fascinating clash with “Sweet Pea” Symonds in February.

Tale of the Tape:

Symonds:
Age 32
Height Not known – hair cut prevents accurate measurement
Weight Burdened by sometimes unfulfilled expectations
Reach(ed) Shore when washed overboard with M Hayden in Qld
Record Number of sixes in a Test match dig at MCG (5)

Sreesanth:
Age 24
Height Rarely achieves lofty ones
Weight Monstrously light
Reach(ed) Notoriety – when overstepped by 2 metres v England
Record Holds Indian break-dancing and sledging titles