Eberechi Eze packs punch as he goes boxing training 

Nigeria born Crystal Palace star Eberchi Eze proved he packs a punch on and off the pitch as he gloved up with Craig Richards.

The Crystal Palace winger joined WBA international light-heavyweight champion Richards, 32, in Essex as he prepares for his 02 Arena clash with undefeated Joshua Buatsi on May 21.

Eze, 23, donned gloves in Palace colours on Tuesday and was put through his paces by Croydon-born ‘Spider’ after arranging the session at church.

And the England Under-21 ace reckons boxing training is a whole different ball game to football.

Boxing fan Eze, whose team travel to Aston Villa on Sunday, said: “I have done a bit of boxing at the training ground.

“But this is the first time doing something serious like this and it is not a game.”

Patrick Vieira’s side sit tenth on 44 points and meet 11th-placed Villa in a battle for a top-half finish as they chase a club-record Premiership points total of 50.

Eze is likely to start alongside Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher who Eagles chairman Steve Parish said the south Londoners have not given up on signing permanently.

The midfielder, 22, has been a revelation this season, scoring eight goals and providing five assists since his summer switch.

And the three-cap England international, whose loan expires at the end of this season, was named Palace’s player-of-the-year on Tuesday.

Eze will be hoping Richards can spring a shock when he fights Joshua Buatsi.