Boxing

JOE FOURNIER claimed he gave David Haye a ‘broken nose’ in a sparring session with ‘blood literally everywhere’. Fournier is a close friend of British boxing legend Haye, who even managed and promoted him.
Joe Fournier claimed he gave David Haye a ‘broken nose’ in a sparring session
The millioniare nightclub mogul, who is 10-0 as a boxer officially having debuted in 2015, used to spar with the Haymaker.
And one such secret session saw Haye, 40, left with a suprising nose break, Fournier, 38, insisted ahead of their fight on Saturday night.
He told Switchbox TV: “About five years ago me and David were sparring a lot. I was his sparring partner, but nobody really knows that.
“I was the first sparring partner he used for his fights with Bellew because I was so light.
“He always gets his eyes back first so just does volume, then works on cardio and then he starts working with cruiserweights and heavyweights.
“So there was one occasion in Miami where I’ve hit him with a left hook and bang – broken nose – blood literally everywhere.

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“Imagine if that was a 10oz glove without headgear, what would really have happened? You do think about it.
“He’s going 70 per cent, I’m going flat out trying to survive but it’s been six years I’ve been active and four where he hasn’t and you have to think, this is a real match-up!”
Despite the pair’s friendship and bond, an arguement in Mykonos over who would win currently has led to a fight being scheduled between them.
Haye, who retired after two consecutive losses to Tony Bellew, will make his comeback against Fournier over eight rounds.
How David Haye and Joe Fournier stack up ahead of their clash
And he refused to admit he was ever rocked in their prior sparring sessions, despite the bloodied nose.
Haye said: “He’s never hurt me, I’ve felt his power.
“I think when he bloodied up my nose one time, he caught me with a shot, and it busted my nose a little bit. I think that’s his claim to fame.”
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CANELO ALVAREZ will aim to become undisputed super-middleweight world champ when he fights Caleb Plant on November 6.And if he manages to beat the American, you won’t find many arguing against him being the pound-for-pound best.

The Mexican is already four-weight world champ – you wouldn’t be surprised if he fancies a crack at cruiser or even heavy in the future.
Here’ SunSport gives its pound-for-pound top 10 boxers – and it wasn’t an easy task.
1 Canelo Alvarez
Mexican hero Alvarez has quickly taken over as boxing’s biggest star since former foe Floyd Mayweather walked away from the sport.
With only a sole loss – to Mayweather in 2013 aged 23 – Canelo has gone on to rule the super-welterweight and middleweight divisions as well as winning a world title at super-middleweight.
Last time out he crushed Billy Joe Saunders’ dreams, as well as his eye socket, with a stoppage win.
Next up is the unification blockbuster against Caleb Plant – but the Mexican looks unbeatable right now.
Canelo Alvarez is a four-weight world champCredit: Reuters

2 Josh Taylor
Incredibly, Taylor still doesn’t seem to get the respect he deserves.
Along his path to becoming UNDISPUTED super-lightweight champion, the 30-year-old Scott has battered some real warriors.
Taylor is now the face of Sky Sports’ new boxing era without Eddie Hearn – and it’s about time.
Josh Taylor is the undisputed super-lightweight kingCredit: PA
3 Terence Crawford
Crawford is as classy in the ring as he is outside it.
Possibly the best switch-hitter in the game right now, he has the ability to overwhelm any foe with his combination punching.
The American has great balance allowing him to work as a counter-puncher – as Julius Indongo knows – though he is equally as deadly as an aggressive box-puncher, which often comes out in the later rounds.
Crawford has won world titles at lightweight, super-lightweight and currently reigns as WBO welterweight king – having held undisputed gold at 140lbs.
Crawford is possibly the best switch-hitter in the game right nowCredit: Getty Images – Getty
4 Anthony Joshua
Joshua make it into this list for his boxing skillset learned from his amateur days and also his bouncebackability.
The sport was stunned when Joshua was flattened by the unfancied late stand-in Andy Ruiz Jr – but went back to the drawing board, came back, and scored an easy rematch victory.
Critics will argue that AJ could well be the complete heavyweight, but not pound-for-pound for his transferrable skills.
But he has never shirked a challenge and the list of his conquests is very impressive.
Anthony Joshua has lost only once – but went on to avenge that defeat to Andy Ruiz JrCredit: PA
5 Naoya Inoue
The Americans now know all about Inoue.
He has secured two KO victories in his last two fights in Las Vegas – demonstrating his phenomenal power at bantamweight.
Having began his career at 108 lbs the Japanese banger went on to claim titles at super-flyweight, junior-bantamweight champion and bantamweight.
The heavy-handed 28-year-old has flown under the radar having campaigned at the lighter weights.
But beating fighting legend Nonito Donaire in the World Boxing Super Series final had everyone sitting up and taking notice.
Naoya Inoue has ferocious power and often leaves his opponents crumpled in painCredit: Getty
6 Teofimo Lopez
Lopez became lightweight world champ in only his 15th bout – three fights before Mayweather – as he knocked out Richard Commey for the IBF belt in December 2019.
The 24 year old was still rightfully an outsider against masterful southpaw Lomachenko in October 2020, where all the titles were at stake.
But Lopez silenced the doubters and became an overnight sensation, knocking the P4P No1 off his perch.
It also made him only the fifth man – behind Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor, Terence Crawford and Oleksandr Usyk – to hold all four undisputed titles.
Teofimo Lopez stunned Vasiliy Lomachenko to be crowned unified lightweight champCredit: Handout – Getty
7 Tyson Fury
The Gypsy King completed the most memorable of journeys back to the top when he battered Deontay Wilder to be crowned WBC heavyweight champ.
Even at his heaviest back in the boxing ring, Fury moves like the wind and is several steps ahead of his opponent before a punch is even thrown.
Fury is still undefeated as a pro – 30 wins and one draw, with 21 KOs.
He has his trilogy fight against Deontay Wilder on October 4 – and providing he gets through that, all eyes will switch to FINALLY getting him in the ring against AJ.
Tyson Fury will rematch Deontay Wilder on October 9Credit: PA
8 Vasiliy Lomachenko
Leaving the amateur game with a record of 396-1 – with the one loss to Albert Selimov later avenged – the simple question was could the boxing maestro transcend his skill-set to 12 rounds.
An early loss to Orlando Salido – for the WBO featherweight title in Lomachenko’s second pro fight – was a clear reminder that the unpaid ranks are a completely different game.
But after being roughed up and out-muscled by a veteran and overweight Salido, Loma became the quickest three-weight world champion in history.
A contentious points defeat by Lopez saw the proud Ukrainian take a hit and he is desperate for the rematch.
But he bounced back brilliant, completely outclassing Masayoshi Nakatani before KO’ing the Japanese fighter in the ninth
Lomachenko is back to winning waysCredit: Getty Images – Getty
9 Oleksandr Usyk
Usyk reigned as undisputed cruiserweight king having won the WBSS – which involved all the divisions belts – and has now stamped his authority at heavyweight.
His nimble footwork, consistent punching rate and heavy hands made him no match for anyone at 200lbs – with his most high-profile win coming against Tony Bellew in Manchester.
The Ukrainian maestro hasn’t had it all his own way at heavyweight – notable Derek Chisora caused him all sorts of problems.
And now next up is Joshua on September 24 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
If he hands the Brit his second defeat and snatches the WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles, he would have every chance to be rivalling Canelo at the top of this list.
Oleksand Usyk is bidding to become a two-weight world champCredit: Getty
10 Artur Beterbiev
Russian powerhouse Beterbiev cemented his place as the man at 175lbs after stopping Oleksandr Gvozdyk to add the WBC title to his IBF belt and then defending those against Adam Deines.
The now unified light-heavyweight puncher stayed resilient in the Eastern European affair and kept his 100 per cent KO rate intact.
A unification clash against WBA ruler Dmitry Bivol has now been mentioned in what would be another clash of two heavy hitters.
But a potential meeting with Kovalev or even Canelo would do more to enhance Beterbiev’s already scary profile.
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