Boxing

HATHFOR BJORNSSON will throw down with Brit Simon Vallily following Alex Simon’s withdrawal from their heavyweight tussle.Bjornsson, 32, was due to trade leather with Simon next month before a torn bicep ruled his fellow strongman out of the bout.

Hafthor Bjornsson has trimmed down following his venture into the boxing worldCredit: Instagram / @thorbjornsson
But Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vallily has stepped up to ensure the Game of Thrones star will take to the ring in May.
The pair’s titanic tussle will take place at the Conrad Hotel in Dubai on May 28.
A delighted Bjornsson wrote on Facebook: “After Alex Simon’s unfortunate injury, I still wanted to get the experience in.
“Thankfully, Simon Vallily, the heavyweight pro boxer with a 17-3-1 record stepped up and agreed to step into the ring with me in Dubai.”
Bjornsson’s exhibition with the Middlesbrough mauler, who was stopped by heavyweight prospect Fabio Wardley last August, will serve as further preparation for his grudge match with Eddie Hall.
The Mountain is due to throw down with the former World’s Strongest Man this coming September in Las Vegas.
The Mountain is gearing up for a September grudge match with Eddie HallCredit: CORE SPORTS
But a date for their clash, which has been dubbed ‘The Heaviest Boxing Match in History’, has not been finalised.
Bjornsson and Hall used to be on good terms until the former accused the latter of cheating during the Viking Press portion of the 2017 World’s Strongest Man competition.
Hall felt stabbed in the back, recently saying: “This is what people don’t sort of get.
“We used to be good friends. He’s been round my house and we’ve had parties. We’ve travelled around the world together.
“But what happened at World’s Strongest Man 2017 just threw all that friendship out the window.

“It was a big dagger in the back.
“That’s irreparable, three or four years with a cloud over my World’s Strongest Man win.
“What’s that cost me in terms of my career? He just doesn’t care. I still haven’t had an apology from him, he’s not denying it.
“He keeps saying he was robbed, hard done to. At the end of the day, if he’s got solid evidence bring it up. He’s full of c***.
“Thor is not my friend. He was and I can safely say, even with an apology, I don’t want to break bread with this man.”
Hafthor Bjornsson shows off incredible strength in weight lifting workout More

JAKE PAUL is adamant Floyd Mayweather has ‘lost his mind’ after the legendary boxer challenged him to an exhibition fight.Back in February, the former four-division world champion revealed his intention to face the YouTuber and his friend turned enemy 50 Cent.

Jake Paul was left baffled by Floyd Mayweather’s decision to call him outCredit: AP
Mayweather’s call-outs of the pair baffled fight fans, who were supposed to see the boxing great take on Paul’s older brother, Logan, later this month.
Paul was equally as stunned, telling TMZ: “This guy is out of his mind! He just calls me out, out of nowhere — same with 50 Cent!
“I mean, he hasn’t even fought my brother yet. It just seems like he’s losing his marbles … like what the f*** is this guy doing?!”
Paul, 24, reckons the Money man is desperate to box him because he’s strapped for cash.
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The former Disney star added: “It just seems like this guy is money hungry. He just wants to fight everyone.”
Paul, who entered the boxing world last year, is open to facing Mayweather, but only if the 50-0 legend agrees to a professionally-sanctioned bout.
The YouTube star said: “I’m 2 and 0 with 2 KO’s with pro fights. Floyd wants to do these exhibitions, ya know … cool!
“But, I’m a real fighter. He has to take me seriously and I think the reason he wants to do these exhibitions is because he’s afraid to risk his legacy of his 50 and 0 record in case he were to lose.
“But, I’m not doing the exhibition s**t. It doesn’t interest me. Those are like fake patty-cake fights.”

Paul is gearing up to face former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in an exhibition bout on April 17.
And he’s brimming with confidence after scoring back-to-back stoppages in his first two pro fights.
He told ESPN: “I don’t even think he’ll hit me. I haven’t been hit one time in the face in my past two fights.
“So I haven’t even been punched as pro boxer one time. Nate Robinson landed one body shot in a clinch.
“I don’t think Ben Askren will even hit me. That’s my prediction.”
Jake Paul taunts Floyd Mayweather and calls him out for 50-50 split fight and blasts ‘f*** your exhibition proposition’ More

WITH 44 KOs across 50 wins in his career, it’s fair to say Mike Tyson will forever be known as one of boxing’s greatest heavyweights ever.Fans forever argue as to who would win in their prime: Iron Mike or Muhammad Ali.
Mike Tyson has revealed how he thinks he would fare against AJ, Wilder and Fury
But Tyson, 54 – who made his comeback against Roy Jones Jr last year – has also had his say on how he’d fare against some of the current best in the heavyweight division.
From British stars Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, to the Bronze Bomber, Deontay Wilder, “The Baddest Man on the Planet” has revealed how each fight would go.
Check out what he makes of the hypothetical super-fights…MIKE TYSON vs TYSON FURY
Tyson reckons he’d have Fury’s number in the ring in his prime
BACK to his dangerous best, 6ft 9in Fury beat Wilder in Las Vegas to clinch the WBC and The Ring magazine belts.
But Tyson has been a fan of Fury’s since before his win – having watched the controversial draw in his first fight with Wilder.
Tyson claimed: “In the first fight I was hoping for Tyson Fury, I always pulled for him because he was named after me, that is the natural thing to do, right?
“He amazed a lot of people by getting up. He showed he is tough, he got up and won the final round.
“I thought it was over, then he got up and it was like Rocky, he then fought back.
“It was amazing, it made me a fan. It takes great fortitude and belief.”
But, as with AJ, Tyson revealed he’d beat his namesake if he was in his prime – while admitting it would have been tough.
The American said: “Listen, if you’re asking me if I was 20 years old, then yes, there’s no doubt.
“They’re really good fighters and I respect all these skills. It would have been very tough fighting them.”

MIKE TYSON vs ANTHONY JOSHUA
Mike Tyson reckons he’d beat Joshua in his prime, but admitted he’s a ‘beautiful’ boxer
THE current WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO champion, AJ bounced back from his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr last summer to regain his belts in December.
Joshua is a fighter with many strengths and very few weaknesses – and Iron Mike knows it.
Earlier this year, Tyson revealed: “Hey, I really like him. You know what he is? He’s really a breath of fresh air.
“He’s really clean, he really looks clean, he’s a clean guy, he’s a clean fighter, he’s a good puncher.
“You just wish the best for him.
“I don’t know. My ego says, ‘nobody would beat you’ – but you look at him and… he just looks beautiful.
“He just looks like a fighter, you know? He looks like he was born to do what he has to do. He needs more experience of course, but that will come in life.”
Despite remaining fairly tight-lipped on that occasion – while speaking on his Hotboxin’ podcast – Tyson had previously claimed he would easily beat Joshua.
When asked if he’d beat AJ or Fury, Tyson replied: “Yes. Listen, if you’re asking me if I was 20 years old, then yes, there’s no doubt.
“They’re really good fighters and I respect all these skills. It would have been very tough fighting them.”
MIKE TYSON vs DEONTAY WILDER
Tyson has no doubts in his mind he’d beat Wilder in his prime
WILDER slumped to a seventh-round defeat in his last fight – at the hands of Fury – to lose his WBC and The Ring magazine belts.
But despite that, the Bronze Bomber recently claimed his hard-hitting style would see him beat Tyson.
Wilder claimed: “Me vs. Tyson in ’86, I’d kick the hell outta that guy.
“Listen, I’ve got to keep it real. I know people always go back to the old school or look at the new school and there’s no school where I’m not No1 on earth.”
Replying to those comments before his recent defeat by Fury, Tyson was typically diplomatic, saying: “I don’t know [whether I’d beat him].
“I love the fact that he thinks that, because that’s the way I would think as well.
“He’s supposed to think that way, he is the heavyweight champion of the world and that’s something very special.”

But Tyson’s former trainer, Jeff Fenech, was in no doubt as to who would win…
Fenech said: “Boxing’s not the same now. I’d guarantee that if Mike Tyson trained for six weeks, he’d knock Wilder out in a minute.
“He would hit them. If these guys are getting knocked out by Tyson Fury – who’s a great fighter, but not a huge puncher – Tyson would kill these guys.
“They’re not on the same level today. Mike today, I reckon if he trained he could still beat these guys.
“Fury’s got these other skills, but Deontay Wilder’s got a punch and nothing else. If you punch him, it’s over.
“And Mike don’t miss.”
Mike Tyson aged 14 breaks down in tears before fight and then wins by spectacular first round knockout More