Boxing

JAKE PAUL and Nate Diaz have both been slapped with medical suspensions following their boxing match.The duo, 26 and 39 respectively, locked horns with one another last weekend in front of a packed crowd at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Jake Paul threw down with UFC legend Nate Diaz in Dallas last weekendCredit: GETTY
The YouTuber-turned-boxer edged the ten-rounder via unanimous decisionCredit: Alamy
Both men have been hit with 31-day medical suspensionsCredit: ALAMY
YouTuber Paul returned to the win column courtesy of a unanimous decision victory, which he sealed in no small part thanks to a fifth-round knockdown.
Neither man took any serious punishment or suffered any horrific cuts.
But that hasn’t stopped the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation from suspending them on medical grounds.
The TDLR have slapped the duo with 31-day suspensions, although they have yet to reveal the specifics for the ban.
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It is customary for athletic commissions and regulatory bodies to hand out medical suspensions after fights.
The longest suspension issued by the TDLR to the fighters on the card went to William Silva.
Silva suffered a fourth-round KO loss to Ashton Sylve on the undercard and has been hit with a 61-day suspension.
Victory over Diaz saw Paul somewhat remove the bitter taste of defeat to long-time rival Tommy Fury, who go the better of him in their Saudi showdown in February.
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In his post-fight interview, he said: “I knocked him down, won basically every round.
“I think he won one round but he’s a warrior.
“I had him hurt in the first round, he kept on coming.
“All credit to my team, my conditioning, going ten rounds in my eighth fight, it’s unheard of.
“I’ve only been boxing for three years, he’s a UFC legend, I was watching this kid growing up.”
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ANTHONY JOSHUA’s immediate reaction to Dillian Whyte’s latest doping scandal has been revealed by Eddie Hearn.Joshua’s rematch with his long-time rival went up in smoke last weekend when it emerged the Brixton Body Snatcher had failed multiple pre-fight drug tests.
Dillian Whyte was removed from his clash with Anthony Joshua due to a failed drug testCredit: REUTERS
Robert Helenius has been drafted in to face Joshua on six day’s noticeCredit: PA
AJ text promoter Eddie Hearn immediately after news of Whyte’s failed testCredit: ALAMY
A frantic scramble to find a new opponent for AJ resulted in Matchroom Boxing and promoter Hearn drafting in “Nordic Nightmare” Robert Helenius on six days’ notice.
Joshua, 33, had nothing but sympathy for Hearn after Whyte’s potential third-career anti-doping violation and conveyed that in a text message shortly after learning of the news.
When asked what the former unified heavyweight champion’s reaction was, Hearn told Boxing Social: “Great Morning.
“I can only imagine the time and effort you and your team have put into organising a fight night.
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“Just to say sorry about the news.
“Thank you for all you and Matchroom do for me, it’s appreciated and I never take it for granted.”
Joshua broke his silence on the scandal after Helenius was confirmed as his short-notice opponent, although he didn’t reveal his full thoughts on Whyte’s potentially career-threatening failed drug tests.
He said: “This wasn’t in the script. I respect Helenius and may I say, I respect any male or female who steps into the ring.
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“I am laser-focused on the win.
“I can make steps forward to bigger and better things but the road map has a checkpoint, Saturday night.
“May the best man win.”
Brit fan favourite Whyte is facing a third and potentially career-marring battle to clear himself.
And the former WBC heavyweight title challenger, 35, has vowed to prove his innocence and clear his name.

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He said: “I am shocked and devastated to learn of a report by VADA of adverse findings relating to me.
“I only learned of it this morning and am still reacting to it.
“I have also just seen the fight is being cancelled without having any chance to demonstrate my innocence before the decision was taken.
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“I can confirm without a shadow of a doubt that I have not taken the reported substance, in this camp or at any point in my life.
“I am completely innocent and ask to be given the time to go through the process of proving this without anybody jumping to conclusions or a trial by media.” More

TYSON FURY fears he cannot pay Anthony Joshua enough money to ever fight him. The British heavyweight rivals have failed to ever get a deal over the line despite coming desperately close.
Tyson Fury fears he cannot pay Anthony Joshua enough money to ever fight himCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua has failed in talks to fight Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
They had terms agreed for an undisputed super-fight in August 2020 until Fury was ordered into a contracted trilogy with Deontay Wilder, 37.
Joshua, 33, then went on to fight Oleksandr Usyk twice, losing both on points to leave his career at an impasse.
Following the double defeat, AJ returned in April by beating Jermaine Franklin, 29, having turned down a December date with Fury.
The Gypsy King also claimed he sent an offer Joshua’s way to fight for his WBC title in September.
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So when Fury spoke out to promote his new Netflix docu-series, he conceded that the domestic dust-up may never happen.
He said: “I cannot get him in the ring for any amount of money.
“I’ve offered him world title shots and extremely large amounts of money, but he ain’t going to make the fight.
“Me and my team, my lawyers, have come to the conclusion and accepted the fact that AJ won’t fight me for any money or any titles.
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“I saw footage of him recently training by punching a mattress – I’m not sure if it was taken off TikTok or one of his social media accounts, but I’ve no idea what was going on there.”
Joshua now returns on Saturday against Robert Helenius, 39, after Dillian Whyte, 35, was withdrawn amid a failed drug test.
Meanwhile, Fury, 34, faces ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 36, next on October 28 in Saudi Arabia.
It comes after he failed to agree terms for a title unification earlier in the year with Usyk, 36, who now fights Daniel Dubois, 25, instead.
Fury said: “Usyk was supposed to be fighting me at Wembley last April, but that never happened.
“There was talk of me making all sorts of demands but there was nothing to back it up.
“The only conditions on my part were that there would be no rematch and he’d get 30 per cent – which he agreed to, only to try and worm his way out of it.
“Now he’s fighting Daniel Dubois in a three-title unification fight for a purse of $8million, which makes no sense because 30 per cent of the purse for fighting me would have been worth around £13 million to him, so he’s passing up more than twice as much money.
“As for the cheap talk of Tyson Fury avoiding Usyk, I would smash him to smithereens.
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“I don’t rate him at all, I’ll go through him like a hot knife through a block of cheese – not a problem.
“But he can’t expect to make around £6m to fight Dubois and then make £13m to step in the ring with me. Not happening.”
Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois ahead of their fightCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

TYSON FURY admits he could retire after his controversial crossover clash with Francis Ngannou.The WBC heavyweight champion faces the MMA superstar in a lucrative Saudi showdown in October, although his title won’t be on the line.
Tyson Fury faces former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou in OctoberCredit: ESPN
A historic undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk awaits FuryCredit: Reuters
The Gypsy King admits he could retire after his clash with Francis NgannouCredit: GETTY
A historic and legacy-defining undisputed title fight with former pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk awaits The Gypsy King, although he could very well be done with the fight game after facing Ngannou.
“Age catches up with everybody,” Fury admitted during an appearance on Heart Radio. “And every top-performance athlete at 35 is probably past their best.
“But I just feel like I’m getting better and more intelligent as I’m getting older. So who knows how long I’ve got left?
“Maybe not long, maybe a year, maybe two years. Maybe one fight. Who knows?”
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Fury has flip-flopped on retirement several times over the last few years but has ultimately found it impossible to walk away from the sport.
And the soon-to-be dad of seven plans to make the most of what’s left of his career, saying: “I’m going to enjoy every minute that I have left.
“And every fight that I have left I’m taking it all in and enjoying it.
“I want my kids there – I want my little boys to walk me out and stuff.
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“I’m very happy with where I am in my life and that I’m in a position where I can give them this excitement and things to look forward to.”
Fury’s biggest fear is sticking around past his sell-by date and picking up an injury which prevents him from being the best dad he can be.
He said: “I think every fighter knows when it’s time to walk away.
“But they always leave it too long anyway. I’m sure I’ll make the right decision.
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“I’ve got a lot to do in my life.
“I’ve got a lot of kids and I need to be in the right mind.
“I don’t need to be getting injured or whatever because it would’ve all been for nothing – the whole career.”
Former unified heavyweight champion Fury hasn’t set foot in the ring since his December beatdown of Derek Chisora in their Tottenham trilogy fight, which he won via tenth-round TKO. More

IT’S Britain’s first Viking invasion for almost 1,000 years but ticket refunds are already on offer and the pay-per-view has been cancelled.Robert Helenius, the Sweden-born Finnish beanpole, has accepted the task of stepping in and fighting Anthony Joshua following Dillian Whyte’s late dope test failure.
Anthony Joshua is set to take a financial hit after his fight with Dillian Whyte was cancelledCredit: Getty
DAZN have pulled the PPV for Joshua’s clash with replacement HeleniusCredit: Getty
With just seven days to save the show, it was always going to be a struggle for promoter Eddie Hearn and 33-year-old AJ’s management team to find a suitable replacement.
And they eventually came up with a bloke who boxed just last weekend on the opera stage of a 15th-century castle.
Helenius was also obliterated inside 40 seconds of his last meaningful fight.
With speculation over a £47million Saudi Arabia showdown with Deontay Wilder swirling, Joshua was never going to take on a serious challenger.
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The fact Matchroom are offering punters their cash back on the O2 sell-out while broadcasters DAZN reduced the showdown from a £26.99 fee to its standard subscription is commendable.
Joshua will also take a massive financial hit after opting to fight when he could have cancelled or delayed the event all together.
That has ensured the young prospects on the undercard — who have trained and boiled down their weights — get paid.
This is horrible luck for Joshua, who lost to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019 when the Mexican was drafted in as a late replacement for Jarrell Miller, who was flagged for a shopping list of steroids.
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Last Wednesday, AJ held a conference call with the British press and over-ran the planned time slot, going in depth on a range of topics and laughing with — and at — some of the press pack.
This week — despite his own squeaky clean doping record after hundreds of tests — he will face a stream of questions about Whyte, Vada, Ukad, B-samples, strict liability and confidentiality agreements.
It has been the same since Conor Benn failed two tests and got his October clash with Chris Eubank Jr cancelled.
Even if the fighter protests — or even later proves — his innocence, a dark cloud hangs over the sport and stinks out every following event until the next scandal strikes.
Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk will face the same questions in the next big fight, Liam Smith and Chris Eubank after that.
While the accused parties get the luxury of confidentiality agreements, clean athletes are left to defend their trade.
There is one threat Helenius — who was KO’d by one vicious Wilder punch in 2022 — poses to AJ’s reputation and that’s a stinker of a fight.
On his last trip to the UK in 2017 he ran from Whyte for 12 hard-to-watch rounds and deservedly lost a decision.
Those fans who show up on Saturday will not stand for the caution AJ showed against Jermaine Franklin in April. He suffered boos as early as the eighth round.
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Hopefully he rips through Helenius in his old vicious fashion and can then turn his focus on to a serious challenge.
Otherwise — through no real fault of his own — turning down the Tyson Fury fight in December and taking a pointless match-up with Franklin could come back to haunt him. More