The famous IPL “slapgate” controversy is back in the headlines once again. Well, this time, former Indian fast bowler S Sreesanth has openly challenged his former teammate Harbhajan Singh to settle their score inside a boxing ring.
Sreesanth admitted that the old “slapgate” controversy is still being talked about and has now called for a real face-off instead of more discussions and debates. Later, Harbhajan Singh took a veiled dig at Sreesanth after the boxing challenge.
Sreesanth wants a Harbhajan Singh face-off inside Boxing Ring
S Sreesanth has directly challenged Harbhajan Singh to face him in the ring during a podcast. The former pacer, who is currently involved in combat sports, said he is ready for the fight and eager to know whether Harbhajan will accept the challenge.
Sreesanth said on Lallantop, “This same scene, do you have the guts? Do you have the guts to come into the ring with me? Can you sign and come? I am asking him. Wearing these same gloves? This is not acting. I am smiling. You are not even smiling; I don’t know what you are doing. Let’s see. This is an open challenge.”
Sreesanth’s comments came after he was upset with a recent advertisement featuring Harbhajan Singh. He felt the ad indirectly reminded people of the 2008 IPL controversy and decided to respond publicly.
The former Rajasthan Royals bowler also pointed to an old promotional picture where both cricketers were seen wearing boxing gloves. He questioned whether Harbhajan would be willing to face him in a real contest.
The former World Cup winner added, “I am currently in the bare-knuckle fight league. I am challenging you, Bhajji. If you have this much of a problem with the slap thing and me, and you earn this much… let me earn too. Come into the ring. I am calling you from my heart. If we have some self-respect, let’s not do ads and all that. In a genuine way, for all the Malayalis and all the Sardars, please come. I am waiting.”
Sreesanth’s open challenge to Harbhajan for a ring fight 💀
If you’ve got the guts, Bhajji, step into the ring. Enough with the ads.. pic.twitter.com/VQV5f7E1La
— Kohlistic🔥 (@Kohlistic18) June 18, 2026
The famous IPL “slapgate” controversy of 2008
The fight between Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth remains one of the most controversial incidents in IPL history. It happened during the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 when Harbhajan was playing for Mumbai Indians and Sreesanth was representing Kings XI Punjab.
After the match, an argument broke out between Sreesanth and Harbhajan. The situation turned ugly when the former Indian spinner slapped the former fast bowler. Soon after, an emotional Sreesanth was seen in tears on the field, and the incident became one of the biggest controversies of that IPL season. Harbhajan later faced strict punishment for his actions.
Over the years, Harbhajan publicly apologized several times, and both former cricketers were also seen together in TV shows, advertisements, and other events. However, Sreesanth recently revealed that he no longer wants any personal connection with Harbhajan.
Sreesanth, who also recalled his Tihar Jail days said he has blocked the former spinner and has moved on from the issue, saying he does not wish to continue any relationship with Harbhajan following that ad, which reopened the old wounds.
5 Cricketers who stepped into combat sports
Interestingly, Sreesanth is not the first cricketer to show interest in combat sports. Over the years, several well-known cricketers have stepped into boxing rings and MMA cages.
Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff surprised many fans when he became a professional boxer after retirement. Apart from Flintoff, England’s Johnny Douglas and Adam Hollioake, as well as former Australia and South Africa batter Kepler Wessels, made a name for themselves in the game.
Andrew Flintoff
Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff surprised many when he became a professional boxer in 2012 after retirement from the game in 2010 because of a persistent knee injury. He trained hard, lost significant weight, and prepared seriously for his professional boxing debut.
In his first fight at Manchester, Flintoff fought American heavyweight Richard Dawson. The legendary England all-rounder showed courage and discipline throughout the contest and eventually won on points with a 39-38 referee scorecard. Later, Flintoff returned to cricket and then made a successful broadcasting career.
Adam Hollioake
Another former England captain, Adam Hollioake, also made his mark in the world of fighting after retiring from the game of cricket. He returned to Australia and got involved in mixed martial arts (MMA) and took part in professional cage-fighting contests.
Hollioake had loved boxing since childhood and even dreamed of becoming a professional boxer. He had once shared as quoted by ESPNCricinfo: “I’ve pretty much boxed since I was 12. I wanted to be a professional boxer back when I was playing cricket, but Mom and Dad wouldn’t let me.”
The former England ODI captain had made his professional boxing debut in Brisbane back in 2012. He won the fight by TKO in the fourth round after knocking down Leigh Blacka twice. He later finished his boxing career with 3 wins and 2 losses.
Johnny Douglas
Former England captain Johnny Douglas had already made history long before Flintoff and Hollioake. Apart from playing Test cricket, Douglas won a middleweight gold medal in boxing at the 1908 Olympic Games in London, making his journey more special.
Douglas also won the famous ABA middleweight boxing title in 1905 while representing Belsize Amateur Boxing Club. He was known for his aggressive style and as a fierce puncher in boxing, but on the cricket field, he was completely different—a defensive batsman who scored runs very slowly.
Bill Alley
Bill Alley was a successful and fiery boxer in Australia before becoming a cricket legend. Alley remained unbeaten throughout his boxing career. He fought 28 professional bouts and won all 28. He was set to fight for a world title, but his boxing career ended in a shocking way.
During a cricket practice session in Adelaide in 1946, a ball struck Alley hard in the face after passing through the nets. The impact badly damaged his jaw, left him in a coma for two days, and required major surgery and 60 stitches. However, Alley recovered and made a successful cricket career, but could not return to the ring.
Gerry Grant
Gerry Grant was a rare West Indian captain. Before leading the West Indies on their 1939 tour of England, Grant had already made a name for himself as Trinidad’s heavyweight boxing champion.
He was also a talented football goalkeeper and represented England’s amateur team while studying at Cambridge University. Grant remains one of the rare sportsmen to shine in cricket, boxing, and football.
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Author: Rashmi Wasnik
