 Vickery (left) and Fielden would fight according to amateur rules |
Great Britain rugby league prop Stuart Fielden is hoping to fight England and Wasps rugby union prop Phil Vickery in an amateur boxing contest next year. A friend of Fielden's is in the process of trying to arrange three two-minute rounds to take place in 2007.
"I have still to speak directly with Phil but he is aware of it," Wigan Warriors star Fielden told BBC Sport.
"I reckon the chances of it happening are pretty high. Phil is apparently keen as anything."
Fielden, who was recently named in the Super League Dream Team, originally came up with the idea of a boxing match as part of his testimonial year with the Bradford Bulls.
Samoan hooker Trevor Leota was the union player Fielden thought he would initially be fighting.
 | It is something that I have been thinking about for so long - it would be such a good laugh |
"It was Terry Newton and Leota originally but Terry could not do it so he asked me. Then it apparently turned out that Leota was not allowed by Wasps coach Shaun Edwards.
"I had been training and wanted to do it so the promoter rang me and said he had somebody else - lottery winner Michael Carroll.
"Jimmy Moore, a friend of mine who used to be a boxer, said that was a joke. Carroll ended up fighting Rhino from Gladiators."
Fielden's move from Bradford to Wigan in June ended the planned testimonial with the Bulls but he is still keen to try his luck in the ring.
"It is something that I have been thinking about for so long - it would be such a good laugh," Fielden added.
Vickery, a World Cup winner, has had a series of operations on his back, but is closing in on a return after missing the last nine months.
| With 16 ounce gloves and headgear - unless you rock out against Tyson you are going to be alright |
And with England set to defend their World Cup trophy in September 2007 it remains to be seen whether the 31-year-old Wasps prop would be allowed to participate in a boxing match.
But Fielden, 27, is confident he would be allowed to take part as Wigan coach Brian Noble had sanctioned the idea when they were both at Bradford.
And he is determined to take the bouts seriously - with one in the north and the other in the south at venues yet to be decided.
"Me and Phil are novices, it is not like we are trained heavyweights," he said.
"With 16 ounce gloves and headgear - with all respect unless you rock out against Tyson you are going to be alright.
"It is a laugh and will end up being a slogathon but I want to box, as much as I can.
"I will have a lot of reach and I'll be looking to use my jab to keep him at range."
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