‘He battered me’ – Ex-Everton hardman Duncan Ferguson reveals current England star beat him up in training fight

DUNCAN FERGUSON has revealed he was "battered" in a training fight by a current England player.

The former striker built a hardman image during his career and it is a reputation he is still known for.

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Ferguson has previously fought off intruders in his own home and picked up nine red cards, often for thuggery, but one England star got the better of him.

The Scot fought Anthony Gordon in a boxing match while the pair were at Everton.

Ferguson was a big admirer of the youngster and handed Gordon his Everton debut while interim manager, but he wanted to teach the winger a lesson to persuade him to quit sparring - one of his big hobbies.

But after donning the gloves to take on Gordon, Ferguson was taught a lesson of his own - not to challenge the quick and nimble winger.

Ferguson revealed the incident in his book, Big Dunc: The Upfront Autobiography.

He said: "I made sure Gordon got his debut at Limassol, I then gave Anthony his second game against Leicester,' Ferguson wrote.

"I loved his appetite to improve, he wanted to learn and practice, practice, practice.

"He was as fit as a fiddle and took diet seriously but was still going to different boxing gyms and sparring. 'You have to stop,' I told Anthony, "You can't go to them, you'll get hurt".

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"He battered me once in the Finch Farm gym. I had a pair of boxing gloves on, he didn't. And I didn't do it again.

"Anthony's a bright lad, knows what he wants and is dedicated and lightning quick."