Former Manchester United captain Patrice Evra has publicly challenged old football rival Luis Suárez to settle their controversial 2011 racism dispute in his upcoming MMA debut at PFL Europe on May 23 in Paris.
“When the PFL asked me who I would like, I said Luis Suárez because I had a beef with him back in the day when I was captain of United and he played for Liverpool”, Evra stated during an interview with Ariel Helwani.
The 43-year-old Frenchman, who has been training in combat sports since 2016, made headlines by posting on social media: “BREAKING: I’m officially training for my first fight with @PFLEurope. They will pick my opponent … They asked who I wanna face. I said: Luis Suárez. I’ll pay out of pocket. He can even bite me.”
In a surprising development, Evra claims Suárez’s manager contacted PFL and suggested the Inter Miami forward could be in attendance at the Accor Arena for the Paris event, though no official bout has been confirmed.
The rivalry dates back to an infamous incident in October 2011 when Suárez received an eight-match ban and £40,000 fine for racially abusing Evra during a Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United. While Evra has stated he’s forgiven Suárez, the opportunity to settle their differences in combat sports has reignited public interest.
Evra, who retired from professional football in 2019, will compete in a showcase bout at the PFL Europe Paris event. The PFL has yet to announce his official opponent for the Accor Arena showdown.
“I’ve been training alongside the best in the world for years, and they’ll also tell you I’m ready for this. I’m going to put on a show at the Accor Arena on 23 May” , Evra told Helwani, promising an entertaining debut for French MMA fans.
