Boxing

JULIUS FRANCIS has broken his silence after virally knocking out a rowdy man – to say he is up for a rematch with Mike Tyson. The retired boxer-turned bouncer hit the headlines after punching a confrontational man to the floor outside BoxPark Wembley.
Julius Francis is ready to rematch Mike TysonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Mike Tyson beat Julius Francis in 2000Credit: Getty
Francis last fought professionally in 2006 but his two-round loss to Tyson six years earlier is among his most memorable bouts.
And now, 22 years on, the former British and Commonwealth champion admitted he would do it again with the American icon.
Francis, 57, told TMZ Sport: “I’m going to put it out there, I’ve never liked talking about money but they could put up with a decent offer then, who knows. 
“I’m going to put it out there. I’m going to say, yes. Yes, we can have a rematch. I don’t know if anybody will watch it, but I’m going to say, yes.”
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Tyson, 55, retired in 2005 but made a remarkable comeback in November 2020.
He drew over eight exhibition rounds with Roy Jones Jr, 53, and has since been linked with a fight against Jake Paul, 25.
But Francis warned neither the YouTube star or his brother Logan, 27, would be worth coming back to the ring for.
He said: “I have a daughter that tells me, ‘You’re not going to fight again,’ and I think to myself, ‘Who would I fight?’
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“Obviously people name Jake Paul or the other Paul or whatever and it’s a mega fight blah blah blah.
“But them guys, they’re not in my category.”
Francis only this month boxed Dan Cadman in a charity bout to raise money for Mark Potter, a 47-year-old personal trainer from Essex who is battling cancer.
And after his KO punch became a sensation overnight, BoxPark CEO Robert Wade leapt to the security worker’s defence.
Wade posted on LinkedIn: “Julius Francis is ex-UK heavyweight boxing champion, he is one of the nicest people I have ever met and helps train young underprivileged kids boxing in his spare time.”
The Met Police later confirmed no further action will be taken in relation to the incident.
But unfortunately for Francis, the UK’s Security Industry Authority have suspended his licence.
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He said: “What actually has happened, the SIA – they have actually suspended my license to work, so I can’t work at the moment anyway.
“So I’m just trying to get that sorted, and then hopefully [I’ll be] back on the doors as soon as possible you know, get back to work.”
Julius Francis’ viral punch of a rowdy manCredit: pixel8000
Mike Tyson beat Julius Francis in two roundsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

RICHARD RIAKPORHE is ready to challenge for Lawrence Okolie’s world title – even if it does leave Anthony Joshua in an awkward situation.The cruiserweight contender is 15-0, with 11 knockouts and finds himself on the cusp of world honours.
Anthony Joshua pictured with training partner Richard RiakporheCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Anthony Joshua manages Lawrence OkolieCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
And there would be no bigger fight than against domestic rival Okolie, the unbeaten WBO champion.
The pair of Londoners, one managed by AJ and the other a training partner, are the two biggest hitters in the division.
And it leaves Riakporhe calling to make the fight happen before they inevitably outgrow the 14st 4lb limit and move up to heavyweight.
He told SunSport: “If it makes sense, of course 100 per cent, money talks and we’re prizefighters. If the numbers are right it has to happen.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-xpuujo{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-tqcu81{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(149,199,208,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-bq4915{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,97,108,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-bq4915:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}BOSH JOSH .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Joshua says he’s the comeback king as he admits he got his ‘a*** bust’ by Usyk
“May the best man win, it will be war during that period of time for however long the fight lasts for, we’ll come out and shake hands after.
“It’s a bit tricky because you have to bear in mind this guy is a world champion and he’s calling for unifications.
“We’re also finding it difficult to make the weight, we have to cut down to get to the weight, we walk around over 100kg, heavyweight basically.
“That’s why these guys feel the strength, once you get in the ring with me it’s different, we’re physically strong and we can punch.
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“Eventually, we’re going to have to move up and go to heavyweight. I guess it’s going to just come down to the financial element.”
Riakporhe, 32, has been making huge strides under trainer Angel Fernandez in their Loughborough base.
They are also joined in the gym by Joshua, 32, currently in camp for his August 20 rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, 35, in Saudi Arabia.
AJ’s 258 Management stable coincidently has Okolie on their books, making Riakporhe’s title ambition appear tricky.
But as an old friend and now gym-mate of Joshua’s, he is adamant there will be no conflict of interest.
Riakporhe said: “We don’t speak on nothing like that, to be fair, I’ve known him for a very long time, probably longer than Okolie and them guys.
“You see with AJ, he’s more focussed on his fights, he’s not involved with the management-side like people think he is.
“He’s got a team that do everything, 258 Management, and he does his own thing, currently he’s boxing and focussing on his career.
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“I believe you can only focus on one thing at a time, people who try and divide their attention, something else is going to be affected.
“The way AJ kind of conducts himself in that way is really good. He can focus solely on boxing.”
Richard Riakporhe is on the cusp of a world title shotCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua training with cruiserweight champion Lawrence OkolieCredit: Instagram / @lawrenceokolie More