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      Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders fight could be announced with rivals in ring after Mexican’s bout against Yildirim

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      BILLY JOE SAUNDERS finally looks set to end the talking and fight Canelo Alvarez in May.
      The Brit boxer is desperate to land a super-middleweight unification bout with the Mexican having called him out on social media.

      Billy Joe Saunders is set to be handed his shot at glory against Mexican superstar Canelo AlvarezCredit: PA:Press Association

      Canelo, 30, will put his belts on the line against Turkish opponent Avni Yildirim on February 27.
      And assuming he makes Yildirim his 55th victim in 58 bouts, his scrap with BJS could be announced immediately afterwards inside the ring.
      TalkSPORT’s boxing editor Michael Benson wrote on Twitter: “Eddie Hearn has stated Canelo vs Billy Joe Saunders could be officially announced with both face-to-face in the ring immediately after Canelo vs Avni Yildirim next weekend, so long as he wins and comes through unscathed.
      “Canelo vs BJS is May 8th.”

      Canelo dethroned Brit Callum Smith in December to win the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight belts.
      Joe Saunders, who has an unblemished record of 30 consecutive wins, last fought in December 2020 when he beat Martin Murray to defend his WBO belt.
      And the 31-year-old has described his potential scrap with Canelo as the ‘biggest’ of his life.
      He said: “It’s the biggest fight of my life. It’s been my dream since I was a kid. This is what dreams are made of and I can make my biggest dream come true here.

      Canelo will fight Turk Avni Yildirim on February 27Credit: Handout – Getty

      “My life for the next three months is absolutely hell.
      “I’m putting myself through hell and back and I’m prepared to live in hell every single day to win.
      “Forget about the money. I want to win, I need to win and it’s a must thing for me to win.”

      Watch Andy Ruiz Jr hone explosive left hook that KOd Anthony Joshua as fans declare boxer looks beast mode More

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      Jake Paul picks up black eye in sparring for Ben Askren fight & hints he will have surgery on face if he’s bashed up

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      JAKE PAUL is wearing his battle scars with pride after picking up a black eye in a sparring session.
      And he’s not afraid of ruining his otherwise pretty face as he plans for a long stint in the sport of boxing, hinting top surgeons can mend any lasting damage.

      Jake Paul hinted top surgeons can mend any lasting damage in boxingCredit: Instagram @jakepaul

      Jake Paul pictured with ex-world champion Anthony Dirrell

      Paul broke his nose while meditating in the lead up to his last fight, where he knocked out ex-NBA point guard Nate Robinson.
      The YouTuber joked the accidental injury worked in his favour as he admitted to not fearing for his looks.
      Paul, 24, told SunSport: “It doesn’t worry me, there’s some great doctors out there nowadays and great dentists. I broke my nose two months ago.
      “But what’s funny is that when I broke it, it actually got straighter. So it was actually more crooked before I broke it.

      “I actually have a black eye right now from training and from sparring. But you know, it’s it’s it’s all it’s all part of the business and girls love.
      “Girls love black eyes. So that’s, you know, it’s actually working in my benefit.”
      Paul made his professional debut in 2020, as he beat internet rival ‘AnEsonGib’.
      He then enhanced his knockout record to two in as many fights last November, leaving Robinson, 36, flattened in two rounds and into a meme.

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      Before boxing Paul, and his older brother Logan, 25, were renowned only for their viral videos and online antics.
      The pair also featured as small screen stars on the Disney Channel show Bizaardvark for two years.
      Paul’s next opponent, retired UFC welterweight Ben Askren, was quick to mock the American for his prior career ahead of their April 17 headliner.
      And Robinson too made a point of the multimillionaire’s upbringing and questioned whether he had the determination to make it as a fighter.
      Paul now warned Askren, 36, that he his words can come back to haunt him, like was the case with Robinson, who was dropped THREE TIMES.
      He predicted the former MMA champion will be made to look only more foolish every time he refers to him as a ‘Disney kid’.

      Nate Robinson was knocked out by Jake PaulCredit: ZUMA

      Ex-UFC welterweight Ben Askren will fight Jake PaulCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Paul said: “You know, I think he’s doing a good job of promoting the fight and talking smack.
      “You know, I’m embracing the fact that I’m a Disney teen actor.
      “I’m completely embracing that I actually made a side by side comparison of my stats and his stats as as a fighter.
      “You know, he’s a two time NCAA champion Olympic wrestler. He’s defeated MMA legends he has a better record than Conor McGregor.
      “And me on the other hand, I put Disney actor YouTuber virgin, the list goes on.
      “But this is why it’s embarrassing for him is because he’s going to get beat up by a kid who was on Disney Channel.
      “So you know, he can keep on promoting that I’m a Disney actor, but when I knock him out that just gonna make him look even more stupid.”

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      Pregnant Paris Fury pictured for first time since baby news as husband Tyson surprises her with a Valentine’s Day dinner

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      PREGNANT Paris Fury was pictured for the first time since her baby news as husband Tyson surprised her with a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner.
      The pair took to social media on Sunday to give fans a glimpse of their celebrations.

      Paris shared a photo with her hubby sitting down for food at their Morecambe home, with the table complete with red roses and candles.
      The WBC heavyweight king appeared to go for steak and potatoes while his wife had chicken and pasta.
      She wrote: “Happy valentines @gypsyking101 love you now love you always. Thanks for dinner.”
      Fury also posted a snap on his timeline of the happy couple in Miami.

      He caption the picture: “@parisfury1 happy valentines babe.
      “We started this journey together in 2005 and we March together in 2021. #BonnieandClyde2021
      “The best wife a man could wish for, a very strong woman and mother. God bless u.”
      For presents, the Gypsy King treated Paris to a box of strawberries and cream Lindt chocolates, red velvet cupcake flavour Baileys and a Yankee candle.

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      He also got her a mug which read: “I can’t believe I’m not bored of you yet.”
      The Furys got together 16 years ago and have five children – with No6 on the way.
      They have three sons, eldest Prince John James, Prince Tyson Fury II and Prince Adonis Amaziah, who was born in 2019 as well as two daughters, Valencia and Venezuela.
      However, the gender of their upcoming arrival is still unknown.
      The boxing icon told Gareth A Davies: “Paris is pregnant again and the Lord has blessed us definitely with another child and I’m very thankful.
      “Got a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, they’re all healthy. That’s the most important thing, you know, your health and your family.
      “Nothing else really matters. Your job, your money, your wealth, your career, none of that really matters because you can get another job, you can start snooker or you can go make more money.
      “It doesn’t really matter but the one thing you can’t get back is your family. You can’t get back time lost and that’s the crazy thing about it all.”

      Tyson treated Paris to a collection of presents on Valentine’s DayCredit: Instagram

      They enjoyed a romantic candle-lit dinner with a bunch of red roses on the tableCredit: Instagram

      The boxing champ appeared to go for steak and potatoes while Paris had chicken and pastaCredit: Instagram

      Tyson Fury’s wife Paris pregnant with sixth child as boxer reveals he refuses to splash cash to keep kids grounded More

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      Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s secret friendship revealed from midnight texts and FaceTimes to Marbella meet-ups

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA vs Tyson Fury; a spiteful throwback rivalry to boxing’s dark age, a secretly scripted WWE-like ruse to sell tickets or a perfect blend of both?
      The to-and-fro relationship between the two English giants has been almost as exciting as their separate rises to the top of the sport.

      Tyson Fury pulled over for a chat with Anthony Joshua in Merbella last yearCredit: Refer to Caption

      Eleven years ago, after their first ever meeting at AJ’s Finchley ABC gym, Fury gushed about his potential, his personality and his uppercut.
      In the decade since, Gypsy King has also labelled AJ a ‘big stiff idiot’, dragged up the criminal record he accrewd as a wayward teen, dismissed him as ‘just another bare bum in the shower’ ripe for slapping and nothing more than a bodybuilder he could box rings around.
      But he has also heaped praise on the WBA, IBF and WBO king.
      Fury, the 32-year-old undefeated WBC boss, has praised his rival for securing the financial security of his family for generations in a sport he only picked up around 18.

      When the 6ft 9in ace has shocked AJ with FaceTime calls, he has asked about his young son JJ and wished the whole Joshua family well.
      Fury has the ability to confuse opponents outside the ring just as well as he can bamboozle them in it and Joshua knows that all too well.
      ‘He changes like the weather, you can’t take anything he says too seriously’ is the usual line AJ uses when pressed about the flirting that occasionally occurs between the pair.
      When they met face-to-face in Marbella, Spain last summer – Fury and wife Paris pulling up alongside AJ walking along the pavement – the chit chat was painfully dull with Josh even admitting to waving to Mrs Fury and saying “hello”.

      In filming for his ITV documentary Fury called up Joshua on FaceTimeCredit: ITV

      Despite the apparent ‘bad b lood’ the pair usually seem fairly amicableCredit: ITV

      It was hardly the lines Roberto Duran has since denied uttering to Sugar Ray Leonard’s wife before their sensational first 1980 fight.
      Poor Juanita was supposedly told her husband would be murdered in the Montreal ring and then Duran would take her to bed to celebrate.
      Mr Hands of Stone has tried to erase those quotes from history but Mike Tyson credits him as the Alexander the Great of psychological warfare – and the Planet’s Baddest Man should know.
      Despite being a very different fighter to those two menaces, who had most of their early fights won before the opening bell, Fury has also made mindgames a crucial part of his arsenal.
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      Tyson Fury is seen by man as the best heavyweight on the planetCredit: Reuters
      Wladimir Klitschko must have thought he was getting into the ring with an unhinged maniac by the time their 2015 Dusseldorf bout came around.
      Fury had recounted brilliant stories about beating Klitschko in a sauna stand-off five years earlier and having Klitschko’s iconic trainer at the time Emanuel Steward wanting to take the Brit on but being wary it would upset the Kazakhstan-born powerhouse.
      But he had also arrived at one UK press conference a couple of months out from their November fight dressed as Batman – completely without reason or context – and faked a fight with an extra actor dressed as The Joker.
      When it came to Deontay Wilder, Fury was again a master manipulator, jabbing away with praise and cajoling, while occasionally thundering in a backhanded insult to knock his rival off balance.

      Joshua holds all the other heavyweight belts that Fury doesn’t haveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      AJ has rarely had to handle such needle and, when he has, it has definitely brought out a change in him.
      The Dillian Whyte rivalry was brilliant to watch and almost cost AJ everything before he had really got started.
      Following an unmissable build-up, AJ decided to trade with his fellow Londoner and former amateur opponent and was really wobbled before outgunning the Brixton man who, back in 2015, was expected to be a walk-over against the Olympic champ.
      American pretender Dominic Breazeale dared to goad AJ and was brutally punished six months later, when Joshua showed he had learned to keep a cooler head under provocation.
      Since then AJ’s scalp count has been long lost of respectful and foreign opponents who did not have the mean streak or language skills to ruffle his feathers.

      Joshua and Fury have previously wished their respective families wellCredit: Rex Features
      Carlos Takam, Alexander Povetkin, Joseph Parker all sang Joshua’s praises, the build-to the magnificent 2018 win over Klitschko was almost sickly sweet.
      Andy Ruiz Jr did the same even after stunning him with a New York KO.
      Shameless doper Jarrell Miller – who Ruiz Jr was brought in to replace – definitely caused a stir when he landed in London in 2019, making lurid and unfounded accusations about AJ being a drug cheat and a fake.
      The Sky Sports episode of The Gloves Are Off between the pair, was allegedly so spiteful it has never been aired or leaked and that says plenty in a sport where all publicity is good promotion.
      But Miller’s laughable list of doping bans before and since that UK trip just make it a crying shame Joshua never got his heavy hands on him.

      Boxing fans are desperate to see the two Brit champions fight for all the beltsCredit: ITV
      The upshot is Fury maintains the element of surprise when these two British heroes meet.
      The clash in cultures will be thrilling as the AJBoxing brand – made up of marketing masterminds and backed by dozens of high-end sponsors – goes toe-to-toe with the no-nonsense Fury family comprised of fighting men like Fury’s dad Big John and even-bigger-little-brother Shane.
      Both men could look across the press conference table and see a kindred spirit who has bravely signed up for a two-fight deal that will etch their names in history and keep even their great-grandchildren in designer clothes.
      Or they could drag up dark long-glossed-over elements of the other’s past and lay them bare for the world to remember, in a bid to lure them into making a mistake once the bell goes.
      Let’s just hope we find out either way.

      Tyson Fury strips down and dives into sea in Morecambe on bitter 3C day as he trains for Anthony Joshua fight More

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      How Anthony Joshua went from humble Watford council estate to having £110m in the bank from boxing and sponsors

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has cleverly doubled his fortune in the past year through smart sponsorship deals and boxing clever.
      The heavyweight champ’s firm Sparta Promotions Ltd has £109,109,481 in the bank, according to new documents filed for the company.

      Anthony Joshua is sitting pretty on a £110 million fortuneCredit: PA:Press Association

      Sponsorship deals with the likes of Hugo Boss have added to his wealthCredit: PA:Press Association

      And that’s a massive increase on the numbers crunched the year prior, with his worth said to be £49,032,751.
      The 31-year-old, originally from a council estate in Watford, has seen the £60million rise thanks to lucrative contracts with huge brands, as well as picking his fights smartly.
      He may have only fought once in the past year, defeating Kubrat Pulev back in December, but in truth Joshua has never been out of our sights.
      Whether it’s showing us his North London lifestyle in a Google ad, or posing in the latest Under Armour campaign – AJ is a brand’s dream with his good looks and his prowess in the ring.

      The humble sports star is also known to be frugal with his cash – buying his mum Yeta Odusanya an ex-council estate home, as well as a property for his ex-girlfriend Nicola Osbourne, who is the mother of his son Joshua.
      NO LOSS IN DEFEAT
      In the financial year up to February 29, 2020 Joshua suffered the first blip in his career when he was shocked by Andy Ruiz Jr.
      But, if you learn from defeat you haven’t really lost.
      AJ exercised his right for a rematch with the Mexican brawler in a blockbuster fight in Saudi Arabia six months later and got revenge.

      AJ’s rematch with Andy Ruiz played a big factor in doubling his worth from £49mCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      His reputation was restored and Joshua won back his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts.Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Reports at the time suggested he earned the biggest ever pay day in British boxing history – a whopping £46million purse.
      More importantly, Joshua won back his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO heavyweight belts.
      Not only did it mean his reputation was restored quickly, he was still an attractive option to brands.
      POSTER BOY
      With a physique to envy and his boy-next-door looks, Joshua’s marketing appeal is obvious.
      That’s why, over the years, the likes of Hugo Boss, Jaguar, Land Rover, Audemars Piguet, JD Sports, William Hill, Lucozade and Beats By Dre have put the poster boy of boxing front and centre of their campaigns.
      And on the TV, he’s equally as busy.
      He threw his weight behind local businesses in Golders Green by teaming up with Google for one ad.

      Joshua has become a poster boy for brands, as seen here in a Lynx advertCredit: @lynx

      Google included Joshua in their campaign to support local businessesCredit: YouTube

      JD Sports have Joshua signed up on an exclusive dealCredit: JD Sports

      Under Armour and Lucozade endorse JoshuaCredit: PA:Press Association

      William Hill is one of several companies who want Joshua to front their brandCredit: PR Handout
      While for Lynx, he happily sprays their Africa scent on his chiselled torso in another promo and washes himself with their shower gel.
      It is estimated that AJ earns around £10million-per-year through sponsorships.
      Last year, Anthony also launched content studio and production house, SBX Studios.
      They will develop and produce long-from sports and entertainment documentaries, brand campaigns, YouTube channels, live event content creation, as well as podcasts.
      Crucially, they will have access to Joshua’s archived behind-the-scenes footage dating all the way back to his first professional fight in 2013. That means Joshua can have greater control of his own media going forward.
      LIVES FRUGALLY
      As his right-hand man and marketing manager, Freddie Cunningham revealed despite having “a lot of money,” Joshua “doesn’t live the life that he could.”
      “From the outside, it probably looks like he does. He’s seen in private jets, wearing expensive watches, and driving around in nice cars,” he told Business Insider.

      Joshua’s Land Rover was included in his sponsorship deal with the car giantCredit: Instagram

      Despite being worth millions and seemingly living a life of luxury, AJ is frugal with his cashCredit: Instagram, @anthony_joshua

      Joshua travels on a £45million private jet provided by one of his sponsorsCredit: Instagram, @anthony_Joshua

      In 2013, Joshua bought his mum her ex-council flat for £175,000
      “But the jets are all sponsored. We’ve never paid for a private jet, or a helicopter, in our life. He gets a signature car from Land Rover.
      “He’s not spending that money. He’s accumulating money. He’s living a lifestyle that probably everyone wants him to live, or see him live, but he’s doing it in a smart way. Tactful.”
      And when he has spent money, he’s frugal with it.
      AJ is believed to have a small two-bed flat in Sheffield that he uses when training.
      In 2013, he bought a local authority flat for mother Yeta for £175,000 in North London, and splashed £500,000 on a penthouse for his former lover, Nicola and his four-year-old son, Joseph.
      But when it comes to himself, he isn’t so flash. AJ did rent a £20,000 per-week mansion when he was preparing to fight Wladimir Klitschko, but after the bout reportedly moved back to his mum’s flat.
      MORE TO COME
      Come next financial year, AJ could double the £110million wealth he boasts today.
      If, as is expected, he fights Tyson Fury – in what will be dubbed ‘The Battle of Britain’ – it has been suggested he could be due a £150m windfall.

      Joshua could be set for a £150m windfall for fighting Tyson FuryCredit: PA:Press Association

      This time next year Joshua could be worth double what he is todayCredit: PA:Press Association

      According to reports, the fight of the century is just weeks away from being finalised with only a “handful of issues” left to be ironed out.
      Contracts between AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn have been exchanged with Fury’s backers Bob Arum and Frank Warren.

      And for the first time in heavyweight history, all four of the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO belts are set to be at stake.
      A deal will be cut down the middle 50/50 but a venue is still being discussed – with the Middle East and Asia being suggested as hosts.
      Even so, with pay-per-view figures taken into account, expect Sparta Promotions Ltd to file financial results much greater than £109,109,481 this time next year.

      Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury ‘close’ to official announcement More

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      Paris Fury shows off growing baby bump for first time and accidentally swears live on Loose Women amid her excitement

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      PARIS FURY showed off her growing baby bump for the first time on Loose Women as her and husband Tyson prepare to welcome their sixth child.
      Unbeaten WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson first announced the news in early February.

      Paris Fury showed off her growing baby bump for first time on Loose WomenCredit: Rex Features

      Tyson Fury with his wife Paris and their kids (l-r) Prince Tyson Fury II, Valencia, Venezuela, Prince Adonis Amaziah and Prince John JamesCredit: Refer to Caption

      And his long-time partner made her first public appearance since the reveal on ITV’s hit daytime TV show, where Paris is becoming a regular guest.
      The mother-of-five was so excited about discussing the latest addition to the Fury family she accidentally swore on telly. 
      Paris said: “It was great news.
      “We were planning this one. It came at a great time until lockdown and there’s no school.

      “It was a great idea until the s*** hit the fan and it’s not going too well.”
      The childhood sweethearts have three sons, eldest Prince John James, Prince Tyson Fury II and Prince Adonis Amaziah.
      They also have two daughters, Valencia and Venezuela.
      The Furys – who won the nation’s hearts during their documentary series last year – have been sent several congratulatory messages.

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      The couple are childhood sweetheartsCredit: Instagram @parisfury1

      Tyson Fury and his wife Paris are expecting a sixth childCredit: Refer to Caption

      Paris revealed she actually had planned to announce her pregnancy on Loose Woman.
      But Tyson, 32, got there first while he candidly told journalist and friend Gareth A Davies about their incoming newborn.
      Paris said: “Yes, what happened was, I was intending to announce my own news.
      “I usually try and do this but in the five or six times now, Tyson’s always beat me to the punchline.
      “So this time he was doing an interview but he knew the interviewer, so I think he just kind of spilled it out knowing the person.
      “And once he said it obviously it couldn’t come back in, so Tyson beat me to the post again.”

      Pregnant Paris Fury pictured for first time since baby news as Tyson surprises her with romantic Valentine’s Day dinner More

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      Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury moves one step closer as WBO order AJ’s mandatory challenger Usyk to fight Joe Joyce

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA’S blockbuster heavyweight title unification fight with Tyson Fury has moved a huge step closer to coming to fruition as the WBO have ordered Oleksandr Usyk to face Joe Joyce.
      Former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk was the mandatory challenger for Joshua’s WBO title.

      Anthony Joshua is a on a collision course with Tyson FuryCredit: AFP

      Tyson Fury celebrates his momentous victory over Deontay Wilder last FebruaryCredit: PA:Press Association

      But the WBO have paved the way for the biggest fight in the history of British boxing to take place this summer by ordering an interim title fight between Usyk and his former foe Joyce.
      Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, announced the news on Wednesday afternoon.
      AJ, who scored a brutal ninth-round KO victory over Kubrat Pulev last December, was hoping the WBO would do their utmost to allow his long-awaited Battle of Britain with Fury to take place.
      He told Sports Illustrated: “In my heart of hearts, I don’t want to drop a belt.

      “I’ll fight Usyk first if I have to. But I think the governing body should overrule a mandatory if they have a fight for an undisputed champion, which they could. 
      “If they were keen on this unification fight they [the WBO] would say to Usyk ‘right, we have this undisputed title fight coming up which overrules a mandatory challenge’.
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      “What I mean is that I’ve worked hard to put together fights towards an undisputed heavyweight champion over the last few years, except this year which has obviously been a bit up and down.

      “But if I can get past Pulev, hopefully me and Fury can finally get it on in 2021, if the governing bodies are willing to override the mandatory positions in order to get one undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.”
      With Usyk’s mandatory crack at the WBO title now in the rearview mirror, all that remains for Joshua vs Fury to come to fruition is for Deontay Wilder to end his bid for a trilogy fight with the latter.
      The American is adamant he’s contractually entitled to a third fight with The Gypsy King, who ended his reign as WBC heavyweight champion last February.
      Team Fury, however, insist the Olympian’s rematch clause expired last October.

      Joe Joyce is on course to rematch Oleksander UsykCredit: Getty

      Deontay Wilder is trying his utmost to land a trilogy fight with Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
      Joshua and Fury’s respective representatives are confident Wilder’s bid to land a third bout – which he’s sought mediation for – won’t derail the fight.
      Negotiations over the blockbuster showdown resumed after Joshua sparked Pulev last December.
      And Hearn is confident the most-anticipated fight in the history of British boxing will be announced in the coming weeks.
      The 41-year-old said: “All moving in the right direction.
      “When we put the contract together it took time because we were trying to work to a contract that wouldn’t come back with hundreds of comments and it didn’t.

      Eddie Hearn is confident Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury will be announced before the end of the monthCredit: PA

      “There are still minor details to iron out but we have Top Rank’s comments and are working through those now.
      “There’s no deadline. We expect the fight to take place in June, I wouldn’t rule out early July but June is where we want to be.”
      The Matchroom Boxing chief, however, has revealed there a few minor details that need to be ironed out before the bout can be announced, including whose name will be first on the fight poster.
      He told Boxing Scene: “Still to be discussed. I’m looking forward to that one.
      “I suppose you have whose name is first, who goes to the ring first, who has the first changing room, who will weigh in first.
      “Jokes aside, that’s not something that will necessarily be solved in one phone call. But it will be a discussion point over the next week or so.”
      Hearn added: “I can’t imagine a Zoom coin flip. It’s better to paper it and discuss it and come to an amicable agreement.
      “For me AJ is the bigger draw globally. But again, we are not interested in a debate where the fight falls apart because of things like that.
      “We just need to box that off. In any unification fight, this is always a conversation that can be arduous.”

      Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury ‘close’ to official announcement More

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      Manny Pacquiao will ‘obliterate’ Errol Spence Jr with American ‘not same guy’ after horror crash, says Filipino’s coach

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      MANNY PACQUIAO has been backed by one of his coaches to ‘obliterate’ Errol Spence Jr – amid claims he is ‘not the same guy’ after his car crash.
      Spence cheated death in October 2019 when his Ferrari flipped following a horror high-speed collision.

      Justin Fortune pictured on Manny Pacquiao’s right

      Errol Spence Jr in his last fight with Danny GarciaCredit: Ryan Hafey

      Amazingly, the WBC and IBF welterweight champion returned to the ring in December, beating Danny Garcia on points over 12 rounds.
      Afterwards he called out Pacquiao, but the Filipino icon’s strength and conditioning trainer Justin Fortune thinks it was ill-advised.
      Fortune told SunSport: “Spence is a great fighter and a good champion, but he’s not the same guy that he was before, not at all.
      “We saw that when he fought Danny Garcia. Everyone raves about how hard Spence punches, well Danny Garcia came through 12 rounds.

      “Danny Garcia also never pulled the trigger that night, or else Danny would probably have beaten him, I think.
      “You put Spence in there with someone like Pacquiao now, Pacquiao obliterates him, even a 42-years-old.
      “He’s still the No1 guy and he has been the champion for the last 18 years, that in itself is a phenomenal f***ing feat as an athlete in sport.”
      Spence, 30, was hospitalised and suffered swelling and bruises to his face, but escaped any lasting injuries as a result of the near-miss.

      Errol Spence Jr pictured after his horror crash

      The boxer’s Ferrari flipped following the accident

      He was hit with a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and claimed the accident gave him a new lease on life, to focus only on his boxing career.
      After a near-flawless victory over Garcia, 32, on the cards, where he kept his unified crown, Spence set his sights on PacMan and Terence Crawford.
      But Fortune – an ex-heavyweight contender who lost to Lennox Lewis in 1995 – is adamant the 27-0 Texan looked a shadow of himself.
      And he advised the unbeaten American to ease his way back into the big time, believing his car crash ordeal will soon catch up on him physically.
      Fortune said: “You’d want to give Spence two or three fights to get his s*** back together, that’s for sure.
      “Manny’s too fast and too strong, he uses too many angles.

      Errol Spence Jr pictured before his comeback fightCredit: Ryan Hafey

      Manny Pacquiao is hoping to return in April or MayCredit: Sean Michael Ham
      “We don’t know how Spence will pull through, his comeback fight with Danny Garcia wasn’t impressive, at all.
      “I’m so glad he survived the crash, but that does a lot of damage to your head and body.
      “He came out of a Lamborghini or whatever it was at 120mph, thank god he’s not dead, but the ligament damage, hand damage, it’s long-term, it doesn’t go away overnight.”
      Pacquiao is yet to return since he beat Keith Thurman for the WBA title in July 2019.
      His inactivity even saw him stripped of the belt, with Cuban Yordenis Ugas, 34, elevated to champion.
      Pacquiao is targeting a comeback for April or May, before a swift turnaround to fight again in September.
      It would allow him to make a run in the 2022 Philippine Presidential election, which concludes in May next year.

      Manny Pacquiao with coach Justin Fortune

      Manny Pacquiao with coaches Freddie Roach, left, Justin Fortune, middle and Buboy Fernandez
      UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 32, was in line to face PacMan after his return to the octagon.
      But following Dustin Poirier’s shock KO win at UFC 257 in January, the Irishman is instead focusing on the immediate rematch.
      Talks then moved to 22-year-old lightweight sensation Ryan Garcia, but Fortune – who owns his own gym in California – revealed the discussions were short-lived.
      He said: “It came up fast and left just as fast. 
      “Nothing on Ryan Garica, but this is Pacquiao, and Ryan Garcia’s had a handful of fights. 
      “Pacquiao obliterates the guy. It took some balls for Ryan to say, ‘Yeah, I’ll fight him’. 
      “Losing to Manny Pacquiao is no cross on your career, either.” 

      Ryan Garcia pictured with Manny PacquiaoCredit: Instagram @mannypacquiao More