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      Games of Thrones star Hafthor Bjornsson shows off incredible hulking figure ahead of boxing fight with rival Eddie Hall

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      HAFTHOR BJORNSSON showed off his incredible figure as he prepares to face rival Eddie Hall. The strongmen are set to meet in the ring in September, in what is billed the ‘heaviest boxing match in history’.
      Hafthor Bjornsson showed off his incredible figure as he prepares to face Eddie HallCredit: Instagram / @thorbjornsson
      The two Strongmen rivals meet in the ring in SeptemberCredit: Instagram / @eddiehallwsm
      Both have dropped a significant amount of weight ahead of the fight, and Bjornsson took to Instagram to reveal his latest transformation.
      The Game of Thrones star – known as Thor – boxed in an exhibition against Irish cruiserweight Steven Ward in January.
      But Hall, who was hit with criticism of his boxing skills by UFC legend Joe Rogan, has remained unfazed.
      The Brit has undergone a drastic body transformation of his own, despite still eating 7,000 calories a day during training.
      He revealed he cut down to 25st 5lb in the summer.
      And that is still over two stone heavier than Nikolai Valuev, the heaviest champion in history.
      But punching legend Eric ‘Butterbean’ Esch weighed as heavy as 29st 7lb the night he fought Joe Siciliano in 2007.
      Hall would far outweigh the current crop of heavyweight stars, and his coach wants the former World’s Strongest Man to one day be among them.
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      The trainer, who goes by the name Lydon, said: “I’m seeing massive differences every time Eddie comes to training.
      “I give him something to work on, he comes back and he’s nailed it.
      “We’ve got him from being like a man who is like a steel bar and quite rigid because of his size – the size is still there – but now he’s got a lot of whip in his punches.
      “He’s really punching crisp and hard.
      “I said to Ed that by the time he boxes Thor, I want him in the position where he’s able to box any British heavyweight.
      “He’s doing ringcraft, technique and by the time he’s ready to box this time next year I feel Ed will be able to box any British heavyweight.”
      Eddie Hall decks YouTuber Nile Wilson after he volunteered to take punch from former World’s Strongest Man More

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      Tyson Fury shows off new look lean body transformation as he meets up with Frank Bruno ahead of Anthony Joshua showdown

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      TYSON FURY appears fighting fit as he posed next to Frank Bruno ahead of his proposed super-fight with Anthony Joshua. The current WBC king posed with ex-champion Bruno and captioned the post: “Great to see you my brother.”
      Tyson Fury – pictured with beloved former heavyweight world champ Frank Bruno – has undergone an incredible transformation in recent weeks
      It comes as he closes in on an undisputed title decider with rival AJ, after the pair signed a two-fight deal in March.
      Fury had nobody fooled when he claimed to be drinking 12 pints a day and not bothering training.
      Since then, the unbeaten heavyweight has continued to look better and better, drastically transforming his body since the start of the year.
      AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed the unified champ has already started his training camp.
      And while it appears so has Fury, he is expected to take his squad to Las Vegas.
      There he will link up again with American head trainer SugarHill Steward, nephew to legendary coach Emmanuel Steward.
      Fury will likely set up base in Nevada at his US promoter’s Top Rank private gym, with the help of local trainer Jorge Capetillo.
      He likes how tucked away the gym is – ironically on Business Lane – and how readily available top sparring partners are.

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      The first in the all-English unification is planned for July with the Middle East leading the race to host.
      It must be announced in the next two weeks, due to an agreement made between promoters.
      Fury has already warned he will fight twice this year, with or without Joshua.
      Tyson Fury works on body punches as he prepares for Anthony Joshua More

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      Chris Eubank Jr will bet £10,000 on Canelo Alvarez to KO Billy Joe Saunders and claims only he knows how to beat Mexican

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      CHRIS EUBANK JR is so confident Canelo Alvarez will knock out Billy Joe Saunders he will bet £10,000 on it. Saunders unifies his WBO super-middleweight title against Canelo’s WBC and WBA belts on May 8.
      Chris Eubank Jr will bet £10,000 on Canelo Alvarez to KO Billy Joe SaundersCredit: PA
      But Eubank – beaten by his British rival in 2014 – gives the southpaw no chance of dethroning Alvarez and will be willing to put his money where his mouth is.
      He told talkSPORT: “Saunders is going to get hurt. I’m going to be putting a £10,000 bet on Canelo to knock Saunders out.
      “That’s what I think is going to happen; I think Saunders is going to get knocked out.”
      Eubank, 31, has long campaigned to challenge Canelo, 30, and claimed he has the answer to the pound-for-pound star.
      But 31-year-old Saunders’ world title proved pivotal in winning the race to face Alvarez, who wants to become undisputed champion.
      Eubank insists he sees no improvement in the man who handed him his first loss, but will patiently will for his shot at Canelo.
      He said: “I don’t really feel like Saunders has improved since he last fought me.
      “I think he is the same guy. I am levels and levels above what I was when I first got into the ring with Saunders.
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      “I feel like he is the same guy; that guy can’t beat someone like Canelo.
      “Somebody who is going to be successful against Canelo, you have to have a very different mind-set, a very different approach to the average boxer.
      “I don’t think Saunders has what it takes. I have what it takes, I know the way to beat Canelo.
      “I’m sure I will get my shot within the next couple of years. But it is a very bad fight for Saunders and, if it happens, he is going to get knocked out.”
      Canelo Alvarez fights Billy Joe Saunders on May 8Credit: AFP
      Chris Eubank Jr was beaten by Billy Joe Saunders in 2014Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Canelo Alvarez slams YouTuber fights after Jake Paul ‘left Nate Robinson half dead’ with brutal KO More

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      Ben Askren says ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighter as ‘level of his competition was so low’

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      BEN ASKREN reckons it is ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighter because his level of competition ‘was so low’. Paul has won both his fights by knockout since turning pro in January 2020.
      Ben Askren reckons it is ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighterCredit: Getty
      YouTuber Jake Paul is 2-0 as a proCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      But those have come only against online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA star Nate Robinson.
      His biggest challenge comes on April 17, against retired UFC welterweight Askren.
      And the former Olympic wrestler admitted he is still in the dark about what to expect, having seen Paul untested in his boxing career.
      Askren, 36, told The Metro: “We haven’t seen anything.
      “The level of his competition was so low that it was almost impossible to tell if he is actually good at this.
      “If there is one thing people respect about all fighters it’s the toughness to deal with adversity in battle and we have not seen that out of him.
      “I don’t think he was hit hard by either one of those guys. They were so incredibly terrible at boxing. So we haven’t seen anything out of him yet.”
      Askren was considered one of the best talents outside of the UFC before he finally signed with Dana White in 2018.

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      He divided opinions due to his wrestling-based style, and hung up his gloves after just one win and two losses in the UFC.
      But as Askren heads into his unprecedented boxing match with Paul, 24, he finds himself in an unusual position – as the more popular headliner.
      He said: “I didn’t realise how much people didn’t like Jake Paul until I tuned in and started listening to what people were saying about him.
      “At best for me, it’s like 50 percent positive comments and 50 percent negative comments.
      “That’s my persona. But everyone freaking hates Jake Paul.
      “One of the things you have to realise about prize fighting is that the more recognition and scrutiny you can bring to yourself, the faster you are going to move up the ranks.
      “When you look at the job, you have to look at all parts of the job. Is part of the job being good at fighting? Absolutely.
      “But a part of the job is also figuring out how to promote yourself so you can advance much quicker.”
      Watch Ben Askren train with legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach as ex-UFC star prepares for Jake Paul fight More

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      Anthony Joshua cleared to face Francis Ngannou but Eddie Hearn prefers two-fight boxing and UFC deal with Dillian Whyte 

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has been given the green light to fight Francis Ngannou – but Dillian Whyte is first in line for the UFC champion. Ngannou first set his sights on a boxing career aged 22 but, after moving to France, he instead embarked on an MMA career as it was easier to find fights.
      Anthony Joshua has been given the green light to fight UFC champ Francis NgannouCredit: Instagram
      Francis Ngannou is the current UFC heavyweight championCredit: Getty
      Fast-forward 12 years and Ngannou is the UFC heavyweight king after knocking out Stipe Miocic.
      But he has not given up hope of reaching the boxing summit, and recently called to fight Tyson Fury, 32 and Joshua, 31.
      AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn is on board and threw out the possibility of UFC legends Amanda Nunes or Cris Cyborg challenging Irish boxing champion Katie Taylor.
      Hearn told SiriusXM: “AJ wants to be the best, but he also wants to do different things once he meets his goals.
      “So a fight with Francis Ngannou isn’t impossible. Just like Katie Taylor vs Cyborg or Nunes, potentially.”
      Hearn last year had plans for Whyte, a former European kickboxing champion, to face Ngannou in a two-fight deal.
      It would have seen one bout in the ring and the other in the cage, as both have experience in the rivalling sports.
      Hearn even filmed an explosive online press conference between the pair, but it never aired as the UFC were not aware of the recording.
      Dillian Whyte was in line to fight Francis NgannouCredit: Dave Thompson Matchroom Boxing
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      The promoter has still not given up on the idea of the historic cross promotion alongside the UFC between Ngannou, 34, and Whyte, 32.
      Hearn said: “I love Francis NGannou. We almost had a presser with Dillian Whyte and him, but the UFC shut that down after we taped it.
      “We do have the footage, though. I would love to see a double matchup with Ngannou and Dillian Whyte.
      “One in the cage and one out of it. Ditto for Taylor and Nunes.”
      Anthony Joshua partners with Revolut to raise money for grassroots sport More

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      Dillian Whyte offers to fight Deontay Wilder in his own HOME in desperate bid to ‘get hold of him and hurt him’

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      DILLIAN WHYTE is so desperate to fight Deontay Wilder he says he would even fight the American in his own HOME.The Bodysnatcher gave his career the shot in the arm it needed when he KO’d Alexander Povetkin in their rematch last month.
      Dillian Whyte won back the WBC Diamond belt – and now wants to finally get his hands on Deontay WilderCredit: Dave Thompson Matchroom Boxing
      Whyte spent more than 1,000 days as the WBC’s mandatory challenger – but never got the title shot before Wilder lost the belt to Tyson Fury.
      But he has put himself firmly back into world title contention following his sensational stoppage of Povetkin.
      However there is clearly still bad blood for Whyte and he is desperate to finally nail the Wilder scrap recently labelling the Bronze Bomber a ‘fraud clown’.
      Speaking to Sky Sports, the 32-year-old said: “I think the public demand for the Wilder fight is already there, to be honest.
      “There’s a lot of demand for it already. But fighting in America doesn’t hurt and it does increase the profile and the interest, and a different fan base and following. It would be good to get a big fight in America in the summer.
      “I’ll fight Wilder in Alabama, if that’s what is going to make him feel secure and safe enough to take the fight. If he wants, he can have the home judges, his hometown, whatever. I don’t care.
      “I’d even fight him in his own home, the kitchen, the garage, the garden, wherever. I just want to get hold of him and hurt him.
      “I’m going to go to fight, I’m going to give it my all, and be the best I can be. I always come to fight and leave it all in the ring.
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      Wilder has not fought since he was battered by Tyson FuryCredit: Rex

      “I’m coming for war. I’m coming to put on a destructive display. Wherever the fight is, whatever is going on, I’m cool.”
      Wilder, 35, is yet to fight since his first career defeat to Fury, and was signed to a trilogy bout with the Gypsy King having drawn the first.
      But the immediate rematch clause expired in October, with the Bronze Bomber now fighting his case in court.
      Meanwhile, Fury, 32, has signed to fight Anthony Joshua, 31, in an undisputed title decider. More

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      Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou tale of the tape: How knockout artists would compare with UFC champ open to fight

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA could one day share the ring with Francis Ngannou after his promoter refused to rule out a fight with the UFC’s heavyweight champion.The fearsome Ngannou claimed the UFC’s heavyweight throne last month with a brutal second-round KO victory over Stipe Miocic.
      How Anthony Joshua stacks up against Francis Ngannou
      UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also wants to conquer the boxing worldCredit: Getty
      And in the weeks following his historic victory, the Cameroonian clubber has reiterated his desire to compete in boxing.
      Ngannou, 34, is open to blockbuster crossover bouts with Joshua and WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who are set to meet one another in the summer.
      He told ESPN: “This is in the future, it’s somewhere, definitely. I’m going to box; I have to box in my career.
      “My main dream has always been the noble art and even though I deviated into MMA, which I love, I still have to fulfil something in boxing.”
      And Matchroom Boxing chief Eddie Hearn is open to making the bout, telling Sirius XM: “AJ wants to be the best, but he also wants to do different things once he meets his goals.
      “So a fight with Francis Ngannou isn’t impossible. Just like Katie Taylor vs [Cris] Cyborg or [Amanda] Nunes, potentially.”
      But how does the UFC’s first African heavyweight champion stack up against AJ?
      SunSport is on hand to give you all the details on a potential showdown between the pair.
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      Eddie Hearn has refused to rule out a showdown between Anthony Joshua and Francis NgannouCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
      Age
      Unified heavyweight champion Joshua has a significant advantage in the age department.
      AJ is the younger man at 31, while Ngannou is 34 going on 35.
      Experience
      Joshua has significantly more fights to his name than his UFC counterpart having taken to the ring 25 times.
      Ngannou, meanwhile, only has 19 professional mixed martial arts fights to his name.

      Physical
      Joshua may not be as physically imposing as The Predator, but he is the bigger man.
      The Olympic gold medallist stands at a whopping 6’6, while Ngannou comes in at 6’4.
      Ngannou does, however, have a marked weight advantage over AJ, weighing nearly TWO STONE more than the Brit.
      Anthony Joshua is two inches taller than UFC heavyweight champion Francis NgannouCredit: Instagram
      Joshua tipped the scales at 240lbs for his clash with Kubrat Pulev last December, while Ngannou weighed in at 263lbs for his rematch with Miocic.
      Despite being the shorter man, Ngannou also edges out Joshua in the reach department.
      The Batie brawler has an 83-inch reach while the taller Joshua has an 82-inch reach.
      Records
      Francis Ngannou nearly weighs two stone more than Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty

      Joshua has only tasted defeat once in his illustrious career, losing to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
      Ngannou, meanwhile, has three defeats on his mixed martial arts record, the most recent of which came at the hands of Derrick Lewis in July 2018.
      Joshua avenged his sole career loss in a rematch in December 2019, which he won via unanimous decision.
      Although Ngannou has yet to exact revenge on Lewis or Zoumana Cisse, he did level his series with Miocic in brutal fashion.
      Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou worth $50m and ‘easily’ as big as a Floyd Mayweather fight, claims UFC coach More

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      Mike Tyson returns live on AEW TONIGHT as Iron Mike is unleashed in WrestleMania week ratings war hit

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      MIKE TYSON will be returning to AEW Dynamite on Wednesday in his first appearance since clashing with Chris Jericho in May 2020.The 54-year-old first appeared at AEW Double or Nothing where he ripped off his shirt before presenting Cody Rhodes with the new TNT Championship belt.
      Mike Tyson will make his first AEW appearance since clashing with Chris Jericho in May 2020Credit: @TSN_Sports
      The Baddest Man on the Planet stole the show at AEW Dynamite last year on his second appearace
      He then took his shirt off again the following week where he was involved in a scuffle with Jericho which turned into a mass brawl inside the ring.
      And he could be set to reignite his rivalry with his American compatriot with Jericho to also feature in tonight’s event as he returns with The Inner Circle.
      Speaking of Tyson’s comeback, AEW president – and Fulham co-owner Tony Khan – told Sports Illustrated: “There are many reasons I wanted Mike to come back.
      “He made a huge impact last year at Double or Nothing, and we’re at a point where we can bring him back in front of our fans.
      “The fans who have come to the shows in Jacksonville have added so much to AEW, and it’s important for me that our fans get to see him live. We’re excited to have Mike back.
       “This is going to be a big deal. With Mike coming to town, he’s going to have a real impact on Dynamite.”
      With WrestleMania to take place on Sunday, Khan insists Tyson’s appearance on AEW is not his way of looking to capitalise off WWE’s flagship event.
      AEW are also having their first-ever non-televised event this Friday in Florida – the same state WrestleMania takes place in.
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      Mike Tyson’s incredible bodyweight workout routine
      Khan stated: “It’s a great chance for our talent to get in reps, and for some of our young talent to get in a match in front of a great crowd.
      “It’s also going to be meaningful since we’re going to count the wins and losses as part of our records.”
      Tyson revealed last month that he is set to fight Evander Holyfield in their eagerly-awaited trilogy bout on May 29.
      Mike Tyson joins up with three of his greatest boxers Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns and Shane Mosley More