Ex-Tottenham Defender Sebastien Bassong Could Have Been Boxing Champio

Ex-Tottenham Defender Sebastien Bassong Could Have Been Boxing Champion, Says Trainer

Trainer Don Charles claims former Tottenham star Sebastien Bassong would have reached world champion status if he had pursued boxing instead of football.

NationPulse Desk

Oct 26, 2026 · 9:39 PM 2 min read

Key takeaways

Trainer Don Charles said Sebastien Bassong could have been a world champion boxer if he started earlier.

Bassong defeated former Arsenal full-back Armand Traore in the third round at A Night to Remember III.

The charity event took place last week after Nile Ranger failed a pre-fight medical.

Bassong retired from professional football in 2019 and began taking boxing seriously two years ago.

Trainer Don Charles believes Sebastien Bassong could have achieved world champion status in boxing had he not chosen a football career. Charles stepped away from preparing two-time heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois last week to work in Bassong's corner during A Night to Remember III.

The charity fundraising competition featured former footballers facing each other inside the ring. Bassong headlined the event against former Arsenal full-back Armand Traore following the cancellation of the original main bout between Nile Ranger and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas due to Ranger failing a pre-fight medical.

Organisers billed the match as a North London encounter between ex-Tottenham player Bassong and former Gunner Traore. Bassong, whose Premier League career also included stints at Newcastle, Wolves and Norwich, delivered an impressive performance, controlling the fight before officials stopped it in the third round.

Speaking from inside the ring, Charles stated, "It was very impressive. I knew he would do it. This guy is so driven and he's such a competitor." Charles added, "He spars me and he gives me a bloody hard time."

When questioned about whether Bassong possessed world title potential if trained from a young age, Charles replied, "Without a shadow of a doubt. Because of his competitiveness. He's very, very competitive. Someone who has got that can do anything."

Bassong entered the Pro Project Promotions event possessing prior boxing background, having built a passion for the sport following his retirement from football in 2019.

Speaking at a press conference in September, the former Cameroon international told SunSport, "I've been boxing for quite a while. I've been sparring. I was supposed to have a couple of fights by now. I got into it because of my competitiveness. I started taking it seriously two years ago. I'm an athlete so I was looking for something very intense. Nothing can replace football or get to the level of playing in front of 60,000 people. I was looking for something different, and that is what boxing gave me."

Questions and answers