Athletes who now have normal jobs after Tysons ex-opponent spotted at Boxpark

Top sportspeople do not always opt to stay in their sport after retiring and choose not to go into coaching or punditry when they end their professional sports careers.

One such athlete, former British boxing champion Julius Francis, has gone viral this week after knocking out an aggressive punter when working as a security guard. Francis fought Mike Tyson in 2000 but now works on the security team at BOXPARK Wembley in London.

He is not the only athlete to also work in a normal job either during or after retirement, though, so here are six more sportspeople working normal jobs.

Mervyn King

Two-time BDO World Darts Championship finalist Mervyn King remains a professional darts player after over 40 years in the sport.

Having joined the PDC in 2007, he is currently ranked number 19 in the world and reached the last eight of the 2022 World Championship at Alexandra Palace.

However, at the start of 2021, King swapped the oche for a second job as an Amazon delivery driver. The Guvnor was earning £120-per-day from his delivery role, according to The Sun.

Philippe Albert

Newcastle United cult hero Philippe Albert is fondly remembered on Tyneside, famously lobbing Peter Schmeichel in a 5-0 home win over Manchester United in October 1996.

He left the Magpies in 1999 to return to his native Belgium and, after retiring a year later, turned his back on football to set up his own fruit and veg business.

Speaking via Planet Football, he explained the career change: “I wanted to have a normal life. I don’t particularly like talking about my football career because that is the past.

“The most important thing is the future. I have been very lucky to have success outside of football. That makes me most proud of myself.”

John Walton

Another iconic darts player, John Walton, also works in a completely different field nowadays. Although he remains active with the WDF, Walton was spotted working in a Co-op in 2020.

Presenter Dan Walker bumped into Walton during a shopping trip in Sheffield and even posed for a photo with the darts legend.

Walker later tweeted: "What a treat to bump into 2001 darts World Champion John 'Boy' Walton at our local @coop_food in Sheffield. Lovely chat in the home baking and canned fish aisle."

Stuart Ripley

Former England international and Premier League champion Stuart Ripley returned to education after hanging up his boots in 2002.

The former Blackburn Rovers winger studied French, criminology and law at the University of Central Lancashire as he prepared for a career change.

Having become a qualified solicitor in 2010, Ripley now has a seat on the FA's Judicial Panel, where his role sees him deal with cases involving doping, safeguarding, agent activity and discrimination.

Marco Gabbiadini

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini scored over 200 league goals during his playing career and has continued to be successful since retiring.

He set up his own bed and breakfast in York in 2003 and the hotel is now recognised as one of the areas best guest houses.

Speaking to The Sun in 2018, he revealed: "My wife and I are both from York. A lot of footballers have that dilemma where their missus is from Liverpool or Southampton, so where do you end up?

"And both are families came from the hotel and guest house business, so I suppose when you roll all those things together it wasn't a bad choice. After all, it's York's biggest industry."

Karl Malone

Basketball hall of famer Karl Malone enjoyed a fierce rivalry with Michael Jordan during the 1990s as his Utah Jazz team competed with the Chicago Bulls for NBA glory.

Malone retired from playing in 2004 and, following a brief coaching career, began working away from basketball in 2011.

He now owns multiple businesses in a range of industries and has also worked as a truck driver at his Louisiana ranch, where he hauls timber using his truck.

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