Boxing

EDDIE HEARN has revealed he expects the purse bids for Tyson Fury’s fight with Dillian Whyte will be delayed for a THIRD time.The Gypsy King is in talks to face Oleksandr Usyk over an undisputed match-up which will take place in the Middle East.
Tyson Fury is in talks to face WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk
British banger Dillian Whyte is the mandatory challenger for Fury’s WBC beltCredit: Getty
Should that fight materialise, Whyte and Anthony Joshua, who is preparing for his rematch against the unbeaten Ukrainian, will have to be paid money to step aside.
Incredibly, the pair could demand as much as £20million between them – with £15m of that going to AJ and just £5m to Whyte.
Fury’s WBC mandatory challenger Whyte, meanwhile, is still locked in a legal battle with the WBC regarding the purse split for his title shot.
Purse bids for the domestic dust-up were initially scheduled to take place on January 11 before being put back to January 18.
And now Hearn, who is desperate to make a substantial bid for the fight, has revealed he believes Friday’s purse bid will be pushed back.
Speaking to the Mirror, the Matchroom promoter said: “I doubt we’re going to see it. We’re ready but I doubt we’re going to see it.”
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Commenting on step-aside money, Hearn – who promotes both Joshua and Whyte – added: “There are substantial amount of money available.
“And there are people who want to try and make this route happen.
“But it’s not just about the money, it’s about the plan – AJ doesn’t want someone to come and give him money and saying ‘right, see you later, mate’.
“He wants to know what the actual plan is, and that’s the same with Dillian Whyte, he’s been waiting a long time and if he has to wait a couple of more months that’s OK but how does it work?
“Right now, I still think the favourite is the two fights, but we’ll see what happens.
“It’s all very complicated, and that’s why it’s taking such a long time and sometimes it will go quiet and then resurface.”
Anthony Joshua is preparing for his rematch against Usyk, but he could be paid step aside money so the Ukrainian could face FuryCredit: Reuters More

FORMER UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley has sarcastically claimed he took a ‘dive’ in his rematch with Jake Paul.The Chosen One was on the receiving end of a viral KO in the sixth round of his second clash with the YouTuber, which some observers thought was fixed.
Tyron Woodley was on the receiving end of a viral KO from Jake Paul last monthCredit: AP
The Chosen One was accused of taking a ‘dive’ after the fightCredit: AP
But Woodley insists his ‘dive’ was the result of Paul’s vicious overhand rightCredit: REUTERS
Woodley, 39, has seen the claims he was paid to take a ‘dive’ and has jokingly concurred with his detractors.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour, he jokingly said: “Yeah, I took a motherf***in’ dive.
“But it wasn’t on purpose, that motherf***er hit me with some shit.”
Woodley became the butt of several jokes after the first clean KO loss of his combat sports career, with some of his fellow MMA fighters also firing shots.
But the Missouri mauler insists Paul would get the better of a lot of them.
He said: “A lot of people are saying that, ‘Oh, you lost to him again. You got knocked out.’
“He would literally f**k a lot of y’all up.
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“MMA fighters and other people that are just bumping at the gums. He’s an athletic kid that don’t have no job beyond this.
“He don’t have no kids, he don’t have no businesses he’s running.
“He can have the best trainer, the best coaches, the best nutrition, the most focus – he can separate himself.
“He don’t have the financial burden. Most MMA fighters, when we first start, we don’t have money. We do what we can do.
“We get whatever training we get can help us out to see a future in this.”
Woodley has already made peace with his spectacular defeat to the former Disney star but still can’t help lament the split-second he dropped his left hand in the sixth stanza.
He asked: “Why, man? Why did I drop my hand at that moment time.”
The former Strikeforce star later said: “Had I not dropped that hand, had I continued to fight the way it was going, we would’ve been looking at something different.
“So I just gotta, you know, take the bitter with the sweet and keep it moving.”
Woodley has vowed not to hang up his competitive gloves following the brutal loss and is currently targeting a showdown with former UFC welterweight title challenger Dan Hardy.
Tyron Woodley plans to compete again this year and is targeting a showdown with Dan HardyCredit: AFP
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TYSON FURY joked he cannot remember ‘ever looking in shape’ as he hit back at fears over his physique. Fury responded to concerned fans who claimed the WBC champion looked heavy in a recent training video.
Tyson Fury joked he cannot remember ‘ever looking in shape’Credit: Instagram
Tyson Fury sparring Joseph ParkerCredit: Instagram
But in response, he posted on Instagram: “I don’t remember ever looking in shape!
“They say he looks out of shape I say I’ve never been in shape.”
Fury, who most recently weighed 19st 11lbs before knocking out Deontay Wilder in their trilogy, has often made light of his frame.
He even posted a side-by-side with hulking heavyweight rival Anthony Joshua, 32, and claimed while AJ has six abs and two losses, he has ‘all the belts’ and zero defeats.
Ex-opponents Wladimir Klitschko, 45, and Wilder, 33, were also mocked by the Gypsy King for losing despite their ripped bodies.
Fury is now training again for his return, which his promoters Frank Warren and Bob Arum targeted for March 26 in the UK.
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He is due to face mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte, 33, with purse bids for the defence set for Friday.
But in a shock twist, Arum revealed there are still ongoing talks for Fury to fight Oleksandr Usyk, 35, in an undisputed title decider in the Middle East.
Usyk is due to rematch Anthony Joshua, 32, having initially won the belts in September, leaving the situation up in the air.
Arum told talkSPORT: “It is total chaos.
“What’s happening is just promises coming out of the Middle East about doing a unified fight with Usyk and Fury, and is Dillian Whyte gonna step aside.
“And people that have absolutely no contractual ties – like Frank Warren’s Queensberry and our Top Rank do – are getting involved.
“It’s a typical terrible kind of situation, but hopefully it’ll get sorted out and probably it will get sorted out with a purse bid on Friday.”
Oleksandr Usyk, Bob Arum and Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY is in talks for an undisputed decider with Oleksandr Usyk BUT it would mean mega-money step aside promises for Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte.AJ, 32, activated his rematch clause after the 35-year-old Ukraine genius schooled him for the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in September.
Anthony Joshua (left) has activated a rematch clause to fight Oleksandr UsykCredit: Getty
Tyson Fury is keen on fighting Usyk in a unification boutCredit: Getty
Dillian Whyte wants to fight Fury next but a deal is not close to being reached according to Eddie HearnCredit: Reuters
And Brixton Body Snatcher Whyte, 33, is the long-time mandatory challenger for the 33-year-old Gypsy King’s WBC crown.
But the undefeated Morecambe giant and his southpaw counterpart fancy parking their immediate challenges and meeting in the Middle East for all four of the major belts and a desert windfall.
The moving pieces and outrageous cash required to convince the two Londoners to wait their turn for world title cracks make the coup unlikely.
And the painstaking planning it would take to decide whether two-time former champ Joshua or frustrated challenger Whyte got their crack first makes it seem almost impossible.
But Joshua and Whyte’s shared promoter Eddie Hearn confirms the complicated cogs are slowly turning in a bid to make the multifaceted deal.
The Matchroom boss said: “We are all still moving toward Joshua vs Usyk, in a London stadium in April, and Fury vs Whyte.
@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Sport.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
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“But there are still people who would like to see Fury vs Usyk for the undisputed and would be willing to pay a lot of money for it.
“If there is a lot of money in the pot and there can be a plan put in place to make all the fighters happy then there is a chance it can happen, but the problem is time.
“A lot of things are needed to happen for that fight to take place. These conversations started a month ago but they are very complex.”
The order of the queue to face the winner of Fury vs Usyk would be a problem.
As would guaranteeing the newly crowned undisputed king did not retire at the very top and scatter all the belts around the division.
So even if Saudi Arabia or Dubai can stump up the tens of millions needed to pay Joshua and Whyte to step aside, it will take watertight contracts and military level planning to pull it off.
And with an already delayed Fury vs Whyte purse bid set to happen on Friday – and most likely be delayed again – Hearn admits time is another fearsome opponent.
“It is not just about compensation for the fighters”, he said. “It is about a plan.
“We would want Joshua and Dillian to be happy with the whole scenario.
“It is boxing, it is messy and there is a lot of money involved so it is getting even messier.
“We are not really nearing a deal for Whyte vs Fury, everybody knows that there are arbitrations and legal cases and appeals into various things and that explains the delay.
“The next purse bid is expected for Whyte and Fury on Friday but I expect that to be delayed again.” More

LAWRENCE OKOLIE reckons it’s a ‘sad’ state of affairs that Mairis Breidis has had Jake Paul’s name tattooed on himself to try and bag a fight with the social media star.IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight champ Breidis has been chasing a showdown with the YouTuber for the best part of a year and recently inked his name on his left leg.
Mairis Breidis has been chasing a fight with Jake Paul for nearly a yearCredit: GETTY
The IBF cruiserweight champ has even tattooed Paul’s name on him to try and land the fightCredit: INSTAGRAM@MAIRISBREIDIS
WBO cruiserweight champ was left baffled by Breidis’ latest bid to get Jake Paul’s attention
The bizarre tatt stunned WBO 200lb champ Okolie, who reckons the Latvian is chasing ‘clout’ from The Problem Child.
The boohooMan ambassador told SunSport: “I agree with you [that it’s a sad state of affairs].
“But I’m under the impression it’s fake. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
“If it’s real, it is a shame that a world champion tattooed another man’s name, that is an inexperienced boxer, former YouTuber, all for clout.”
Okolie, 29, can’t understand why Breidis is chasing a showdown with a YouTuber when big-money unification fights with himself and Ilunga Makabu are on the table.
He continued: “It’s sad, especially when there are several bigger paydays on the table with other boxers.
@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Regular.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Medium.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:500;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:400;font-stretch:semi-condensed;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-Bold.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:normal;font-display:swap;}@font-face{font-family:’The Sun’;src:url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff2’) format(‘woff2’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.woff’) format(‘woff’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.ttf’) format(‘truetype’),url(‘/assets/fonts/the-sun/TheSun-HeavyNarrow.svg#’) format(‘svg’);font-style:normal;font-weight:700;font-stretch:condensed;font-display:swap;}.css-qu9fel{border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-b9nmbi{margin-bottom:16px;border-top:1px solid #dcdddd;}.css-1qsre5o{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;}.css-q8gelu{margin-bottom:24px;}.css-7ysxcx{padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-7ysxcx:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;justify-content:space-between;padding:0;text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-jkwlot:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-zkaekv{font-family:The Sun;font-size:24px;line-height:1.1666666666666667;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:semi-condensed;padding:1px 0px;}.css-zkaekv::before{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-bottom:calc(-0.24520833333333342em + -1px);}.css-zkaekv::after{content:”;display:block;height:0;width:0;margin-top:-0.2333333333333334em;}.css-1lobn43{display:inline;font:inherit;margin:0;color:rgba(0,0,0,1);}.css-1lobn43 svg{fill:rgba(0,0,0,1);}Most read in Boxing.css-1gojmfd{margin-bottom:16px;}.css-zdjvqv{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;-webkit-align-items:flex-start;-webkit-box-align:flex-start;-ms-flex-align:flex-start;align-items:flex-start;-webkit-align-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-line-pack:flex-start;align-content:flex-start;-webkit-box-flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex-direction:column;-ms-flex-direction:column;flex-direction:column;-webkit-box-pack:space-around;-ms-flex-pack:space-around;-webkit-justify-content:space-around;justify-content:space-around;margin-top:calc(-12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(-12px/2);}.css-zdjvqv:before,.css-zdjvqv:after{content:”;display:block;}.css-1meuhfk{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;margin-top:calc(12px/2);margin-bottom:calc(12px/2);}
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“It’s a bit of a weird one, a bit bizarre, but everyone has their own intentions in life and their own way of looking at stuff.”
Paul, 24, has so far not acknowledged Briedis’ attempts to entice him into a fight.
And Okolie reckons his numerous bids to convince the former Disney star to throw down have been a complete bust.
He continued: “I think he’s probably thinking about after boxing in terms of some sort of career maybe. I don’t know, really, it’s weird.
“Maybe he wants to boost his social media. I honestly don’t know the reason behind it.
“It did get everyone talking, which is good. But what is the end result of that?”
Hackney hitman Okolie is currently gearing up for his second defence of the WBO strap against Poland’s Michael Cieslak.
The pair’s clash will top the bill of a stacked card at the O2 Arena on February 27.
Lawrence Okolie is a boohooMan ambassadorCredit: BOOHOO
The WBO cruiserweight champ hopes to see people ‘reppin” the new activewear rangeCredit: BOOHOO
Lawrence Okolie spoke to SunSport ahead of the launch of boohooMan’s ‘Lightweight’ Activewear range, which is available now.
He said: ‘‘I’m really happy with this new Activewear range! The campaign pics look sick and it was really fun to shoot.
“The guys at boohooMAN have really upped the quality of the product recently and I think this range, along with a lot of recent releases, can easily match the big performance brands in the world.
“I hope to see everyone reppin’ the collection once it launches, either in the gym, outdoor training, or boxing!”
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