The rumours are true - retired AFL premiership ruckman Shane Mumford is stepping into the boxing ring.
The former Geelong, Sydney and Greater Western Sydney big man has revealed he is looking at having his first fight in June.
Mumford said an opponent for the bout was yet to be decided.
An intimidating on-field presence during his 172 AFL games, the 31-year-old said he was serious about his new sporting venture.
Mumford, a ruck coach with the Giants after retiring in October, was showing a training wound above his left eye when speaking to reporters in Canberra.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"It's a new challenge for me and it's something I'm attacking with everything I've got, as I have with my football career in the past," Mumford said on Tuesday.
"I'll hopefully have my first fight in late June, but there's a lot of training to do between now and then.
"As you can see by the black eye, I'm obviously hitting a few punches."
The 2012 premiership player has been given the all-clear by the Giants to try his hand in the ring.
Standing at 197cm and weighing 105kgs, Mumford's only previous boxing experience has been sparring during football training.
While an opponent for his debut fight is yet to be locked in, it seems unlikely to be a AFL-NRL showdown with Cronulla rugby league captain Paul Gallen.
"I've had no phone call or any offer from anyone to fight. It's all news to me," the NRL hardman told News Corp Australia.
