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      Francis Ngannou’s secret football link revealed… but MMA star won’t switch sports again with cage return set

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU has a secret link to football back home in Cameroon – but he will not be switching sports again. Ngannou walked out on the UFC last year to swap MMA for boxing – but did so after signing with the Professional Fighters League.Francis Ngannou playing football for a local Cameroonian teamCredit: @francisngannouNgannou even has ownership in a football teamCredit: @francisngannouThe MMA star went back to Cameroon on holiday after his recent boxing lossCredit: @francisngannouThe PFL gave the green light for the move to boxing and the ex-UFC champion faced Tyson Fury, 35, in October.He sensationally dropped the unbeaten heavyweight boxer only to lose a controversial split-decision.Ngannou then faced Fury’s British rival Anthony Joshua, 34, in March but it ended in a sickening second-round knockout loss.And the successive boxing defeat looks to have sent the heavyweight hero, 37, back to MMA for his next bout.READ MORE IN BOXINGBut first he went back to Cameroon for a holiday and took the chance to play some local football for Sable F.C de Batie.And PFL CEO Peter Murray revealed Ngannou is such a big fan that he co-owns a football side in his homeland. But he does not fear losing the 6ft 4in powerhouse to an all-new sport for a second time. Murray told SunSport: “I don’t think he’s going to hit the pitch. He does have ownership in a Cameroonian football club.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”He’s quite passionate about it, he may be quiet about it but he definitely supports that franchise.”Brazilian Renan Ferreira, 34, knocked out ex-UFC heavyweight Ryan Bader, 40, in 20 seconds in February.Anthony Joshua gets grilled by a nine year old in interviewNgannou was in attendance in Saudi Arabia for the lightning-quick finish – where it was announced he will face Ferreira in his cage comeback. It will mark Ngannou’s debut fight for the PFL and his first in MMA since January 2022 – with September in Saudi eyed for the occasion. More

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      Elle Brooke announces huge next fight and vows to ‘RETIRE’ ex-UFC superstar on May 25

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      ELLE BROOKE has announced her next fight against Paige VanZant – and vowed to “RETIRE” the ex-UFC star on May 25.The bout was confirmed on social media after it was accidentally leaked by DAZN just days earlier. Elle Brooke is set to fight Paige VanZanr in a boxing matchCredit: Instagram / @thedumbledongPaige VanZant is set to make her boxing debutCredit: INSTAGRAM/paigevanzantBrooke posted on X: “When they call, I accept. About to retire a UFC star.”The OnlyFans star is now 4-1 in the ring and most recently stopped ex-Love Islander AJ Bunker in Leeds. Meanwhile, VanZant has not fought since 2021 when she lost a bare-knuckle boxing rematch against MMA rival Rachael Ostovich. VanZant left the UFC at 8-5 in the cage for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. READ MORE IN BOXINGBut she lost both her BKFC bouts and has not returned to the ring since – despite teasing a boxing switch in February. VanZant, 30, told MMAFighting: “Accepted a boxing match, that will be my next fight. It’s really, really exciting.”The American revealed her boxing debut was set for March but had to be backdated to the summer.And Brooke, 26, has long named VanZant among her list of dream opponents.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSWhen probed by talkSPORT, she said: “A really huge fight like Paige VanZant or Ronda Rousey.”Now the two collide in Houston, Texas at Misfits 15 – which marks the first time the crossover boxing promotion has been headlined by women. Seven sports stars who started an OnlyFans including ex-footballer and British boxing icon More

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      Paige VanZant looks ready to destroy Elle Brooke tomorrow as she shows off stunning physique in poolside snaps

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      PAIGE VANZANT showed Elle Brooke what she hopes the Brit influencer will be missing – her toned body.The ex-UFC star aims to stop Elle raining blows on her tanned torso when they finally meet in in a boxing ring on May 25.Paige VanZant has sent a visual warning to Elle BrookeCredit: Instagram @paigevanzantThe American still has a month before the big fightCredit: Instagram @paigevanzantFellow influencer Elle is lying in wait for PaigeCredit: InstagramAnd judging by her rippling physique, mean look and enthusiastic  backing from fans, the renowned wrestler is already in perfect nick.Nonetheless many of Paige’s admirers preferred to focus on other factors as they assessed the pool-side pics she shared in a bikini.Verdicts such as “just perfect” … “beautiful” … damn” … and “omg” flew in faster than Oleksandr Usyk in peak jabbing mode.And one follower seemed to miss the point of Paige’s display of bulging biceps.READ MORE TOP STORIESHe posted: “No need to flex. You’re so much sexier when you don’t.”Another said: “Paige I love you, you’re so amazing.”In one sense, upcoming rival Brooke feels the same The Brit has long regarded Paige or fellow American MMA icon Ronda Rousey as her dream opponents – and now that’s coming true.Most read in BoxingBrooke, 26, and 30-year-old VanZant have one major thing in common – both having earned financial riches as OnlyFans creators.But the Manchester City fan from Surrey is building up a useful record in the ring.Elle Brooke’s 10 most liked Instagram postsElle’s five fights include four wins – two by knockout – and just one defeat.Her last victim, in January, was AJ Bunker.And she will again come out swinging against Paige next month.VanZant, of course, has a greater fighting pedigree, albeit not in boxing.She’s recorded eight wins and seven losses across UFC and the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.And if her current physique is anything to go by, she’s shaping up to give her influencer-rival a painful lesson.The social media star isn’t looking for peace against ElleCredit: Not known, clear with picture deskPaige has amassed 3.1m Instagram followersCredit: Instagram @paigevanzantPaige hopes she doesn’t freeze on the nightCredit: Instagram @paigevanzant More

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      ‘Winners do what they have to do’, says Ryan Garcia as he suggests he missed weight on PURPOSE for Devin Haney fight

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      RYAN GARCIA appeared to suggest he missed weight on PURPOSE for his fight against Devin Haney. Garcia was due to challenge for the 140lb WBC belt on Saturday night in New York.Ryan Garcia appeared to suggest he missed weight on purpose for his fight against Devin HaneyCredit: GettyHaney made the 140lb limitCredit: GettyBut at the behind-closed-doors weigh in a day beforehand, the controversial American MISSED the championship weight.He hit the scales at 143.2lb and was denied the chance to cut the extra 3.2lb, meaning he could no longer contest for the strap.Haney, the undefeated two-division champ, successfully made the weight but the bout remained in doubt.But the grudge bout was salvaged after the two camps agreed a financial compensation for Haney.READ MORE IN BOXINGGarcia spoke out online following his missed weight debacle to hint it was all part of a masterplan. He posted on X: “I feel great and I got a 3 pound advantage. Let’s gooo hahahahaa. Winners do what they have to do, I’m still sharp.”Garcia added separately: “Why would I force myself to make weight so I can be weak. Nah, I’m here to win. That’s it.”The 24-1 boxer looked to rub salt in the wounds later at the public weigh in as he walked on stage with a bottle in hand and chucked from it.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSWhen asked what he was drinking, he told DAZN: “I was drinking a nice ass beer. That s*** was fire.”Only 24 hours earlier at the press conference, the two shook on a $500,000 wager that Garcia would not hit the 140lb limit.He even agreed to $500,000 per lb – meaning he would have owed Haney a whopping $1.5MILLION for his weigh-in disaster.But according to Dan Rafael, the two sides reached a financial compensation to allow the fight to go ahead.Garcia will pay a penalty – believed to be $600,000, or £485,000 – much lower than the deal they brazenly agreed on stage which was not contractually binding.But he then claimed on stage: “I had to give him $1.5million but that’s light work for me. Come on now.”Probed on why he missed weight, Garcia said: “I did my best to make this weight. I put myself through hell.”Garcia, 25, and Haney, also 25, stared down for the final time on stage, which was described by a commentator as the “most intense face-off ever”.Garcia appeared to down a bottle of beer on stageCredit: GettyThe two faced off for the final time before the grudge fightCredit: Getty More

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      Ryan Garcia appears to down bottle of BEER and has ‘most intense face-off ever’ with Devin Haney after missing weight

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      RYAN GARCIA appeared to down a bottle of BEER on stage – despite missing weight for his fight with Devin Haney. Garcia was due to challenge for the 140lb WBC belt on Saturday night in New York.Ryan Garcia appeared to down a bottle of beer on stageCredit: AlamyBut at the behind-closed-doors weigh in a day beforehand, the controversial American MISSED the championship weight.He hit the scales at 143.2lb and was denied the chance to cut the extra 3.2lb meaning he could no longer contest for the strap.Haney, the undefeated two-division champ, successfully made the weight but the bout remained in doubt.But the grudge bout was salvaged after the two camps agreed a financial compensation for Haney. READ MORE IN BOXINGGarcia looked to rub salt in the wounds at the public weigh-in as he walked on stage with a bottle in hand and chugged from it.When asked what he was drinking, he told DAZN: “I was drinking a nice ass beer. That s*** was fire.” Only 24 hours earlier at the press conference, the two shook on a $500,000 wager that Garcia would not hit the 140lb limit.He even agreed to $500,000 per lb – meaning he would have owed Haney a whopping $1.5MILLION for his weigh-in disaster.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut according to Dan Rafael, the two sides reached a financial compensation to allow the fight to go ahead.Garcia will pay a penalty – believed to be around $600,000, or £485,000 and much lower than the deal they brazenly agreed on stage which was not contractually binding.But he then claimed on stage: “I had to give him $1.5million but that’s light work for me. Come on now.” Probed on why he missed weight, Garcia said: “I did my best to make this weight. I put myself through hell.” Garcia, 25, and Haney, also 25, stared down for the final time on stage, which was described by a commentator as the “most intense face-off ever”. Devin Haney and Garcia facing off for the final timeCredit: Alamy More

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      Ryan Garcia LOSES shot at world title after missing weight for Devin Haney fight and has to pay champ huge compensation

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      RYAN GARCIA has lost his shot at Devin Haney’s world title – without a punch even being thrown. Garcia was due to challenge for the 140lb WBC belt on Saturday night in New York. This was Ryan Garcia before the weigh inHaney will receive financial compensation from GarciaCredit: GettyBut at the behind-closed-doors weigh in a day beforehand, the controversial American MISSED the championship weight. He hit the scales at 143.2lb and was denied the chance to cut the extra 3.2lb meaning he could no longer contest for the strap. Haney, the undefeated two-division champ, successfully made the weight but the bout remained in doubt. Only 24 hours earlier at the press conference, the two shook on a $500,000 wager that Garcia would not hit the 140lb limit. READ MORE IN BOXINGHe even agreed to $500,000 per lb – meaning he would have owed Haney a whopping $1.5MILLION for his weigh-in disaster. But according to Dan Rafael, the two camps reached a financial compensation to allow the fight to go ahead. Garcia will pay a penalty – believed to be $600,000 – much lower than the deal they brazenly agreed on stage which was not contractually binding.But it will allow the grudge fight to remain on but Garcia has lost his chance to win the title. Most read in BoxingGarcia spoke out on X to suggest he missed the weight on PURPOSE to give him an edge in the ring. He posted: “I feel great and I got a 3 pound advantage Let’s gooo hahahahaa. Winners do what they have to do I’m still sharp.” How Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney turned pro in Mexico as teens fighting in tiny halls before turning into star rivals Garcia added separately: “Why would I force my self to make weight so I can be weak. Nah I’m here to win That’s it.”The 24-1 boxer marred the build up to the bout in controversy with erratic behaviour online and in the public.Garcia launched a foul-mouthed rant at the press conference to a member of the crowd causing only further concern for his wellbeing.But in a social media post on the week of the fight, Garcia claimed he was cleared by the commission to fight after being mentally evaluated and tested for drugs. Both Garcia and Haney came face-to-face for the final time at the ceremonial weigh in before finally sharing the ring on Saturday.And tensions were high on stage as the bitter enemies traded verbal blows before being separated by security. READ MORE SUN STORIESIt was described as “the most intense face-off ever” by one of the DAZN commentators. And Garcia appeared to down a bottle of BEER as he flexed on stage after his missed weight debacle.Garcia appeared to down a bottle of beer on stageCredit: GettyThe two faced off for the final time before the grudge fightCredit: Getty More

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      I swapped £60k hotel rooms and training A-list celebs to reignite British title bid and coach influencer boxers

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      DAN MORLEY is aiming to win titles as he prepares to make his return to boxing after two years out of the ring.The Epsom-based fighter has had a rollercoaster career which saw him defeat Louis Isaacs in a fight of the year contender in 2021.Dan Morley is preparing to return to professional boxing after quitting two years agoCredit: RexHe coached Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown during his time thereThe Epsom-based fighter boasts an 8-0 recordCredit: PROVIDED BY DANIEL MORLEYMorley called a halt to his pro career to teach boxing in the MaldivesFast forward a few more months and Morley faced Ivan Njegac, which proved to be his last fight after the 27-year-old quit amid growing pressures and rising costs.Morley suffered a broken nose and broken hand which derailed his progress while fights that earned him £500 did little to cover the £1500 medical tests needed for each fight.He told SunSport: “I was looking at the next five years of my life when I was 25-26 thinking ‘how quickly can I get through these?’ Which is not a way to live your life.”So the Chelsea fan hung up his gloves and set off around the world for coaching opportunities which saw him train clients in Switzerland and the Maldives.READ MORE IN BOXINGHe brushed shoulders with ex-England rugby stars Jason Robinson and Ben Cohen, as well as fitness guru Joe Wicks.Morley even trained members of the Qatar royal family and a then 15-year-old Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame on the Maldives island of Huvafen Fushi where he stayed in hotel rooms costing £60,000 a night.Time away from the spotlight gave Morley a much-needed break both physically and mentally and he got his love back for boxing, sharing his knowledge first-hand and online.He quickly began to build his fanbase and now boasts 400,000 fans across his social media platforms, including Snoop Dogg, Sugar Ray Leonard and Johnny Knoxville, who recently appeared on his podcast.Most read in BoxingAnthony Joshua gets grilled by a nine year old in interviewMorley is hopeful his new-found following will boost his profile when he makes his return to the ring, which he anticipates could be in the summer.The 8-0 boxer aims to fight at British level but is happy to have discovered balance in his life, which has rid him of the pressures that pro boxing put on him previously.He added: “I’m very optimistic and excited. Before I took the break I was looking at those five years with dread. Now in the ring I’m excited to get back, I can see myself winning titles, going up to British level and beyond.”I’m looking at stuff outside too. Continue training abroad and I can get more opportunities like that. I would love to break through as a pundit, have a book published, travel the world with boxing. And build experiences in and out of the ring.”It’s been a much better balance. Before I was obsessive about it to the point where its being fuelled by fear and paranoia. Just like the pressure of having to do it because it was my identity.”Whereas taking a step away from it has given me the clarity to say ‘you know what, there are so many other things I can do – I do this simply because I love it’ and that’s the thing that always drove me, the love, but the pressure was killing me.”Book plansAlong with his return to the ring, Morley wants to publish a book and is still keen to continue coaching.He trained TikTok sensation and world champion football freestyler Andrew Henderson, who boasts two million followers, for a few months and is open to training other influencers – or even fighting one himself.Morley said: “I’m more than willing to help people within the influencer scene. I’m not massively fussed about fighting in it myself unless they offered me a load of money to beat one of them up.”These influencer guys are going in with no experience and earning 50,60 times – even the lower level ones – the amount pro boxers will be earning in hard fights.READ MORE SUN STORIES”It is frustrating to a certain degree but I looked at it and thought ‘how can I learn from what they’ve done?’ And do that in my own way without selling my soul.”Morley is yet to decide on his next opponent but is hopeful of having a fight lined up for July – so watch this space.Morley’s clash with Louis Isaacs was nominated for 2021 fight of the yearMorley has amassed 400,000 followers across his social media platforms More

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      Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney wager $500k on world title fight weigh-in after ‘fat boy’ jibe during tense press conference

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      RYAN Garcia and Devin Haney have agreed to shell out $500,000 PER POUND if they miss weight.Haney, 25, will defend his super-lightweight world title against Garcia in New York on Saturday.Devin Haney has called Ryan Garcia unprofessional in the build-upCredit: GettyGarcia has faced questions about his weightCredit: AlamyBill Haney has been vocal in the build-upCredit: GettyHe has accused his opponent of lacking professionalism over his social media antics and tempers flared in the press conference.Garcia, also 25, has fended off questions about his weight for much of this week and Haney has claimed he will struggle to make the 140lb limit.”Fat boy you coming in overweight, whoever comes in overweight is paying $500,000,” mocked Haney’s outspoken dad Bill.”$500,000. How much, bet? It’s a bet,” Garcia replied before lifting his T-shirt to flaunt his six pack.Devin then upped the stakes by adding: “Let’s do $500,000 per pound.” Garcia agreed with a handshake.”The time is very close, it’s been a long time coming. The talking is almost done,” said two-weight world champ Haney.”The antics are almost done, this is not an easy fight but it’s a fight that I will make look easy. Most read in Boxing”Through all the antics and everything, I kept my blinders on and remained focused. “All the stuff he’s been doing will betray and show.” How Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney turned pro in Mexico as teens fighting in tiny halls before turning into star rivals Garcia suffered his first pro defeat to Gervonta Davis a year ago but KO’d Oscar Duarte in his last outing.He thanked Jesus Christ 13 times before launching into a rant.”What do you guys want me to say? I’ve already said everything and done it all,” he roared.”Now I’m ready to kick a**, I’m going to go in there and f*** him up. “You guys don’t know what I’ve been training like and the vision I’ve had. I’m strong and fired up.” More