Boxing

TIM TOMASHEK still holds the honour of being the unlikeliest heavyweight title challenger having been plucked from the crowd just hours before competing for the WBO belt.Tomashek found himself going from spectator to challenger for Tommy Morrison’s dark brown and gold belt on a warm August night in Kansas in 1993.
Tommy Morrison was due to defend his WBO heavyweight title against Mike Williams in 1993Credit: AP
The Rocky V star was left without an opponent just hours before the fight when Williams got cold feetCredit: GETTY
Tim Tomashek – who was drinking beer in the crowd – stepped up on just a few hours’ notice to fight for the WBO strapCredit: ESPN
Morrison – who had starred in Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Rocky V’ three years earlier – was set to defend his title against Mike Williams.
But Williams, who had promoters fearing the worst due to several missed media obligations, put the main event in jeopardy by refusing to leave his dressing room.
Keen to ensure Morrison’s title defence went ahead, well-respected manager Bruce Trampler frantically sought after a late replacement.
And he quickly turned his attention to Tomashek, who was in the crowd as a fan and a potential backup.
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When recalling the circumstances in which he came to be the backup fighter, Tomashek told the Chicago Tribune: “He says, ‘Hey, do you wanna fight Tommy Morrison?’
“Well, I’ve heard that kind of thing before, so I said, ‘Naw, I want to go to the Packers tailgate party.’
“He says, ‘They’ll pay you $2,500 just for showing up here.’ I’m out the door.”
Tomashek didn’t expect to get the call to lace up his gloves, so much so he was chugging beers and enjoying hotdogs in the stands.
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Morrison wasn’t aware of Williams’ withdrawal until he got to the arenaCredit: GETTY
But the call did come, prompting him to go backstage and do what little warm-up he could while under the influence and re-emerge two hours later for what would be the biggest fight of his career.
Tomashek put up as much of a challenge as one would expect an intoxicated short-notice replacement to, suffering a fourth-round TKO defeat.
‘Doughboy’ retired on the stool but insisted he was “okay” as the referee waved off the fight, which sparked a chorus of boos from the frustrated crowd.
Tomashek wowed viewers across the world with several witty one-liners in his post-fight interview.
When asked how he trained for the fight, he said: “They beat me up at work.”
Asked for his thoughts on why he got the call to replace Williams, he replied: “They knew I’d put up a good tussle – or else they like bloodshed.”
Tomashek had viewers in stitches when quizzed about the best part of the short-notice showdown.
He replied: “Not having to wait in line to get tickets.”
Morrison, who would go on to lose his WBO strap in sensational fashion less than two months later, was completely clueless about the switcheroo of opponents until he arrived at the Kemper Arena.
He revealed: “I didn’t know I was fighting Whatsisname until I got out there.
“It wasn’t difficult. The guy was basically in there to survive.”
Tomashek would go on to fight 20 more times before calling time on his career in 1996 with a TKO victory over Ken Doss.
Morrison would go on to lose his title to Michael Bennett two months laterCredit: GETTY More

DEONTAY WILDER has taken a swipe at Anthony Joshua by claiming the Brit’s been told to keep schtum on boxing matters.That’s because “he keeps slipping up” and leaving a mess for his own team to clean up.
Deontay Wilder has aimed a swipe at Anthony Joshua ahead of their potential meetingCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
AJ and Wilder could meet in Saudi Arabia next year for a heavyweight battle provided they each come through their respective test on December 23.
Joshua will travel to the Middle East to fight Otto Wallin before Christmas.
Meanwhile, Wilder will take on Joseph Parker after the date was freed up by Tyson Fury’s decision to fight Oleksandr Usyk in February.
And the stage is now set for Joshua and Wilder to battle each other next year, with both men favourites for their December clashes.
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However, American ace Wilder has upped the stakes by claiming Joshua’s mouth is getting him in trouble.
Wilder claims the Brit’s promotional team are frustrated with his choice of words when talking about boxing matters.
But he can’t wait to eventually fight Joshua in 2024 after claiming talks for a bout have been ongoing for SIX years.
Wilder told The Hook: “What I wouldn’t say it’s down to is money because he asked for $50million and we provided that for him. 
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“He did not take it, and and the only way you disregard that is try to make a mockery of it, try to make a joke of it, try to make it seem to the public that it is not real.
‘They came up with $50m because he spoke, that’s why they don’t have Joshua speaking a lot on his own behalf and if he does speak, Joshua always slips up and says things that aren’t appealing to his people. 
“They had to play clean up. But most of all I think is his management promotion that has really helped it.
“Actually I don’t think, I know for a fact, that it’s been management, it’s been promotion that have held him back from fighting me because you know, he’s a fighter.
“Of course, many times we get to the point where we say no, but then that peer pressure of people kicks in. ‘When you gonna fight Wilder? When you gonna fight?’ It’s been over six years.
“He wanted to fight, he wanted to accept it, but his handler didn’t want it because Joshua is the money-maker for the company.
“And if he goes down, so does the business.”

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DEREK CHISORA has rowed back on his previous claim that Tyson Fury will beat Oleksandr Usyk.Fury, 35, and Usyk, 36, will face off in Saudi Arabia on February 17 as they bid to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.
Derek Chisora, left, was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk, right, in 2020Credit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Chisora, left, has lost three times to Tyson Fury, rightCredit: PA
He is now unsure about how the undisputed clash will go between Fury and UsykCredit: PA
Chisora, 39, has shared the ring with both men – losing to Fury in 2011 and 2014, before Usyk beat him in 2020.
He then faced Fury for a third time last year and was stopped in the 10th round.
When asked in the past about a Fury-Usyk clash, he said: “Tyson [to win]. He’s the bigger guy, longer reach. Just Tyson.
“This is like a man taking candy out a baby’s hand bro. Tyson’s gonna win. He’s gonna walk through that guy. That’s it.”
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But now, following Fury’s thoroughly unconvincing win over Francis Ngannou last month, Chisora is unsure.
Speaking to iFL TV, he said: “I don’t know. I was with Usyk this afternoon because we love the same Russian sauna so we were together.
“It’s a short camp for both fighters. By the time they get into the rhythm and try and get everything right its going to be hard, there’s going to be injuries.
“There’s already signs, they already postponed it. Both men will train hard, so who knows man. It’s hard to call.”
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Fury, left, and Usyk, right, both boast undefeated professional recordsCredit: EPA
He went on to add: “Tyson has to gee himself up now. His last fight was not a good fight man but he won, he won that fight, simple.
“I said he was going to get knocked down and come back and win the fight. I think that burst some of his bubble.
“Sometimes you can have a bad day but in boxing, you can’t have a bad day and win the fight.”
Fury will get a hefty payday from the fight as he is set to earn £50million.
However, there is also a clause in the deal for a rematch which would see The Gypsy King pocket another £50m.
Usyk goes into the fight undefeated having won all 21 of his pro fights.
Fury also boasts an unbeaten record from 34 bouts, but has one draw which came against Deontay Wilder in 2018. More

THE mastermind behind the brokering of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s fight has shared a picture with some of the greatest boxers of all time.Turki Alalshikh, who helped Fury and Usyk sign off on their heavyweight unification bout on February 17, managed to bring some of the highest-profile names in combat sport for the photo.
Turki Alalshikh posted a stunning boxing photo featuring a host of greatsCredit: Instagram
As the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority he has been key to bringing boxing to the countryCredit: Reuters
The photo, shared to Alalshiskh’s social media pages, featured over 30 people.
Among them were a number of icons known the world over like Mike Tyson, Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.
Former British champion Amir Khan could be seen on the left of the group too.
Other icons including Lennox Lewis, Ricky Hatton Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya and Frank Bruno posed for the snap too.
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Joe Calzaghe and Prince Naseem Hamed were also among those to feature.
Usyk was pictured in the photo as well.
And the photo seemed to break the internet, gaining over one million likes on Instagram alone after just one day.
Alalshiskh is the chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority.
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Under his watch, Saudi hosted Fury’s recent “Battle of the Baddest” clash with Francis Ngannou.
They will also host the stunning “Day of Reckoning” event on December 23.
It will feature a number of top heavyweights including Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua all on the same card.

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