Boxing

JAKE PAUL said KSI is ‘scared’ to fight and accused his YouTube rival of using coronavirus as excuse not to face him.
The internet stars looked primed to meet in a grudge match after KSI beat eldest of the Pauls, Logan, but split-decision in November 2019.

Jake Paul, left, pictured next to older brother LoganCredit: Instagram @jakepaul

KSI beat Logan Paul by split-decision in November 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Jake then added fuel the the fire after he stopped KSI’s close friend ‘AnEsonGib’ in round one of his January pro debut last year.
The American has since enhanced his record to 2-0 after he brutally knocked out ex-NBA point guard Nate Robinson in November.
Meanwhile, KSI is yet to return to the ring, focussing on his music career instead, while maintaining he cannot train amid lockdown restrictions in the UK.
But Jake has blasted the Brit – real name Olajide William Olatunji – and claimed KSI’s reasons to not fight ‘don’t add up’.

He told SunSport: “We’re starting to realise you know that KSI doesn’t want this fight.
“After he beat my brother, he said he wanted to do the fight but he was like hey fight my friend first fight my friend.
“OK, I fight give I’m not give out in the first round. So after that, the fight was perfectly set up.
“But then KSI says, ‘Oh, I’m focusing on my music right now. I don’t know if I could fight’.

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“But KSI’s music isn’t doing anything worthy at all unless he has a feature on the track.
“He’s never dropped a single where he is by himself that’s done well at all. And he’s not making money from the music space.
“Because where you make money in music is touring.
“But you can’t tour because of Covid but then, you know he is blaming not being able to train on Covid.
“But meanwhile, Anthony Joshua is from the UK. And he’s training and fighting people. So just like his storylines don’t add up.”
In Britain, only ‘elite’ athletes are allowed to train and compete under Covid-19 guidelines, applying to professional boxers.
But as KSI, 27, does not have a British Board of Boxing Control license, he does not fall under that category, having only fought in exhibitions in the UK.

Jake Paul beat ‘AnEsonGib’ in his pro debutCredit: Getty Images – Getty

KSI is yet to fight again since beating Logan PaulCredit: Getty Images – Getty
He was licensed professionally in California, where he won his debut against Logan, 25, but is yet to obtain one in Britain.
Despite the fallout from coronavirus, Jake is willing to give in to any of KSI’s demands to ensure they finally fight.
But the former vlogger doubts they will ever get to share the ring, and reckons KSI’s fear of facing him will be exposed.
Jake, 24, said: “He’s not giving the fans what they want. Because that’s the fight that everyone wants to see. He wants to be the A side of the fight.
“And he kept on talking about how I want to be a side I want to be a side and he wants to do it in London and blah, blah, blah, blah, cool.
“OK, so we could do it wherever you want. You could be the A side. It doesn’t matter to me. Let’s just get the fight done.
“But the longer that he waits to fight me, the more asks will be in it’s going to be fortunately for him, but I just don’t think the fights gonna happen.
“I said it before I fought Gib. And I’m saying and now he’s just scared and I think people are starting to realise it.”

Trainer Viddal Riley admits KSI needs two or three bouts before ultimate fight against YouTube rival Jake Paul More

CANELO ALVAREZ has snubbed long-term rival Gennady Golovkin by naming Jose Miguel Cotto as his most important fight.
The pound-for-pound king bounced back from his sole career defeat to Floyd Mayweather to claim the WBC middleweight title over Cotto.

Canelo Alvarez has not named Gennady Golovkin as his most important fightCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The Mexican captured the vacant middleweight title over Miguel CottoCredit: AFP – Getty

Canelo boxed his way to a twelve-round decision over the Puerto Rican in 2015 but many believe his clashes with GGG to be his most significant.
The Mexican, 30, fought to a contentious draw against Golovkin, 38, in 2017 with several feeling Alvarez was fortunate to avoid defeat.
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But in their equally thrilling rematch a year later, Canelo prevailed with another razor thin set of scorecards.

The two have since reportedly held talks over a trilogy fight but the four-weight champion still considers Cotto as his biggest scalp to date.
He told TUDN: “Without a doubt, the most important was when I fought against Miguel Cotto.
“When I beat Miguel Cotto… that was the most important.”
SunSport previously reported that Canelo is planning four world title fights this year and wants to unify the super-middleweight division.

He is back in action next month when he fights mandatory challenger Avni Yildirim in Miami and he has also vowed to to carry on boxing until he’s 37.

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He told TUDN: “We’ll see, but we’ll still be being a nuisance in six or seven years’ time.
“[Two months between fights] is enough time, to be honest, and I’m very ready to fight.
“I feel very happy, thankful and motivated to go to Miami – a new place for my fights.”

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TEOFIMO LOPEZ is the biggest star in America since Floyd Mayweather and is primed to make history, his legendary promoter Bob Arum said.
Mayweather was promoted by Arum when he turned pro in 1996 until he famously bought out his Top Rank contract to go on his own.

Teofimo Lopez is the undisputed lightweight king

Promoter Bob Arum with Floyd Mayweather in 2005Credit: AP:Associated Press

The all-time great emerged as both the pound-for-pound and pay-per-view king right up to his retirement in 2017.
Boxing in the States is yet to have a successor.
But veteran promoter Arum has seen no one shine more than Lopez, who dethroned lightweight ruler Vasiliy Lomachenko in 2020’s biggest upset.
He told SunSport: “Floyd Mayweather was the last American fighter who made that kind of impact as Teofimo did with the Lomachenko fight and will do in the future.

“But again, it’s all periodic, before Mayweather, Americans had Oscar De La Hoya, we had Sugar Ray Leonard.
“Again, boxing is such by its very nature, the talent keeps changing but doesn’t necessarily become diminished.”
Lopez became 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 23-year-old was still rightfully an outsider against masterful southpaw Lomachenko last October, 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.
Lopez is the youngest of the five, but can enhance his legacy further by becoming the first ever two-weight undisputed champion of the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO, four-belt era.
Unified super-lightweight pair Josh Taylor and Jose Ramirez are set to put all the straps on the line this summer.
And with the duo both signed to Top Rank, Lopez is already being talked up as a future opponent for the winner.
Arum, 89, said: “Recently I talked to Lopez’s father, and they’re looking forward to moving to 140.

Vasiliy Lomachenko was beaten by Teofimo Lopez in 2020Credit: Handout – Getty

Josh Taylor is set to fight Jose Ramirez in an undisputed title fightCredit: Reuters
“And I’m hoping the winner of Jose Ramirez and Josh Taylor, which we hope to do in May, the winner of that fight will be matched with Teofimo before long.
“Then he would have accomplished something great, becoming so far as I know, the first fighter in the modern era to be the undisputed champion of two different divisions.”
Arum is also confident Lopez will move as high as welterweight as his promising career progresses.
The unbeaten New Yorker has already admitted to struggling to shrink his body down to the 9st 9lb lightweight limit.
But with fellow box office rivals like Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney, both 22, as well as Gervonta Davis, 26, Lopez plans to stick around at the weight.
First, he has been ordered by the IBF to face 19-0 mandatory challenger George Kambosos Jr, a former sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao’s. More

TOMMY FURY is returning to the ring on February 27 – and his world champion brother Tyson has urged him to ‘throw those bombs’.
The 21-year-old will compete on the undercard of Jamel Herring vs Carl Frampton in London against an as yet unconfirmed opponent.

Tommy Fury is returning to the ring on February 27Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

He’ll be looking to stretch his undefeated run to 5-0 against an as yet unconfirmed opponentCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

And he is already hard at work for his fifth professional fight, with his older brother only too happy to show off his sibling’s talents.
The WBC heavyweight champ, who is still in talks for a blockbuster £200m unification showdown with Anthony Joshua, shared a clip of Tommy hitting the pads in the ring during training,
And he captioned it with:  “GO ON TOMMY THROW THOSE BOMBS!!”
The 2019 Love Island star extended his record to 4-0 in November as he took out journeyman Genadij Krajevskij in two rounds.

Fury is trained by his dad John – who revealed his boy plans to have five fights in 2021.
Prior to this confirmation, he said: “He’s potentially going to fight in February sometime, all being well there’s no guarantee with the state of the world at the minute.
“He’s looking to get at least four or five fights behind him, we’ve got to step his opponents up, get him a bit better class and just see where he goes from there.
“He’s a work in progress, he’s a kid and he’s 21.”

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After enjoying a winter break in Dubai with girlfriend Molly Mae, Tommy declared his intention not to just live off his fame from the screen.
He said: “Fighting isn’t about just picking up gloves and fighting, you have to train for three to four months before each fight and watch your diet.
“It’s not just a case of people thinking, ‘Tommy’s fighting. He has decided to have a fight.’ There is so much more.
“Boxing is my life. All I do is train and get myself on the road running.”
His promoter Frank Warren added: “We have put together a strong supporting cast for Carl’s big night where he is seeking to make history in what should be a compelling clash against Jamel Herring with the WBO world title at stake.

Fury is dating his fellow Love Island star Molly MaeCredit: Rex Features

The couple recently enjoyed a winter break to DubaiCredit: Instagram

Tommy is the younger brother WBC champ Tyson FuryCredit: PA:Press Association
“We are making it an even bigger night for Belfast by adding Anthony Cacace’s first defence of his British title against Lyon Woodstock.
“Everybody seems to be looking forward to this one because it has the makings of a fantastic fight with both men happy to go to war.
“2021 is a year to keep Tommy Fury busy and get him the experience he needs to push on in the light heavyweight division.
“Boxing is what he wants to do and we will be sure to get him the right fights at the right time.”

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CARL FRAMPTON will attempt to make history when he steps up to challenge super-featherweight champion Jamel Herring.
No fighter from Ireland has won world titles in THREE divisions.

How Carl Frampton and Jamel Herring compare

Former super-bamtam and featherweight champ Frampton has his eyes on Herring’s WBO belt with the pair headlining on February 27.
But the Jackal will have his work cut out, with his rival boasting a superior physical height and weight advantage.
Here SunSport details how Frampton and Herring compare.
Carl Frampton
The Belfast man turned pro in 2009 off the back of a stellar amateur career where he won a European silver medal and turned over with a 114-11 record.

Frampton became world champion in 2014 beating Kiko Martinez and two years later he unified with the WBA belt after a win over rival Scott Quigg.
In the same year, 2016, he moved up to featherweight and dethroned Mexican star Leo Santa Cruz, but lost the rematch six months later.
Frampton has since been on the road back to the title but lost in an IBF challenge against Josh Warrington in 2018.
The two-division king has won two since at featherweight but will step up to 130lb for the first time ever when he faces Herring.

Frampton is only 5ft 5in – giving away FIVE INCHES – to the American and also has just a 62in reach.
But he is an exceptional inside fighter, which will eliminate Herring’s reach, as well as a lethal body puncher, a taller fighter’s worst nightmare.
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Carl Frampton is a two-weight championCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

Jamel Herring
Herring juggled his amateur run with military duty, where he served two tours of Iraq in the Marines.
He qualified for the London Olympic Games in 2012 but was beaten in the first round.
Afterwards, Herring finished up his service with the US Marine Corps and turned professional.
After 21 fights and only two losses, he beat Masayuki Ito for the world title, making two defences since.
At 5ft 10in tall, Herring is a big super-featherweight but his best work comes on the inside, where he fires off short uppercuts and hooks.
It promises to gel well with Frampton’s style of holding his feet in mid or close range and trading shots.
Herring has ten knockouts to his name and 11 by decision, proving he can both hit and box the full 12-round distance.
He was ringside for Frampton’s win over Tyler McCreary in Las Vegas in November 2019 and afterwards the two embraced.

Jamel Herring next to Bob Arum and Carl FramptonCredit: Mikey Williams/ Top Rank

Carl Frampton shows off his super fast boxing moves as he trains in the ring More