Boxing

DILLIAN WHYTE has admitted that his proposed rematch with Anthony Joshua “doesn’t seem real”.The British duo have been linked with a huge summer bout, with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claiming that an offer has been made for an August 12 dust up.
Anthony Joshua fought Dillian Whyte at the 02 Arena back in 2015Credit: AFP
Nearly a fortnight on nothing has been signed, with Whyte claiming that Joshua and his team “aren’t serious” about getting the fight on.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Body Snatcher said: “It’s a big fight, it’s eight weeks away and there’s no communication, nothing.
“Just nothing. Nothing at all. They’re just wasting time messing about.
“It just doesn’t seem real. They’re trying to put me in the same position they did a few years ago, saying: ‘Oh, we’re trying to make the Joshua fight.
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“These big fights take time. There’s lots of things that go on, there’s lots of small print and this team want that and that team want this.
“There’s a lot of things that go on. It takes a long time to make these big fights.
“This fight should have been made a month after it [the Jermaine Franklin fight].”
Joshua, 33, was last in action in April when he defeated American Franklin via decision.
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Anthony Joshua sat ringside with Eddie Hearn at Whyte’s last fightCredit: PA
In addition to a Whyte fight, AJ has also been linked with a mouthwatering battle of former heavyweight champs against Deontay Wilder.
And Whyte, 35, reckons this may factor into why his rematch with Joshua is yet to be signed.
He added: “No, I’m not surprised. I don’t blame them, if he is going to get £50million to fight Wilder in Saudi in December, why would they take the chance of fighting me? It doesn’t make sense.”
Whyte was also last in action against Franklin, moving to 29-3 by outpointing him at Wembley Arena last November.
The former title contender last fought Joshua in December 2015, when both men were undefeated in the professional ranks.
Whyte had won their amateur battle in 2009, and their war of words led to a much-anticipated 02 Arena bout – with Joshua coming out on top via seventh-round TKO.
Should they meet again in August, the 02 is expected to be the venue once again.
Hearn said earlier this month: “Our plan, which we’ve stressed, is for AJ to box on 12 August and in December again against Deontay.”
Whyte, 35, reckons that AJ and his team aren’t ‘serious’ about getting their summer rematch onCredit: Getty More

TEOFIMO LOPEZ has vacated the WBO super-lightweight title – just days after seemingly retiring from boxing.The former unified lightweight champion revealed his intention to hang up his gloves just minutes after ripping the WBO and Ring Magazine 140lbs titles from Josh Taylor’s clutches.
Teofimo Lopez ripped the WBO and Ring super-lightweight titles from Josh Taylor last weekendCredit: AP
The American teased retirement immediately after becoming a two-weight championCredit: GETTY
The Takeover has vacated the WBO 140lbs titleCredit: GETTY
And The Takeover is seemingly taking the steps to walk away from the sport by relinquishing his newly-claimed WBO strap.
WBO chief Paco Valcarcel tweeted on Thursday: “Just now @TeofimoLopez is texting me that he relinquished his Jr welterweight title.
“We should respect his decision.
“If he come[s] back, WBO doors will be always open for him.”
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Lopez, 25, shortly confirmed Valcarcel’s update on his career with a tweet of his own.
He wrote: “Thank you, everyone, for making the greatest moments in my career a GREAT ONE.
“Thank you Top Rank and ESPN for creating ‘THE TAKEOVER’ into a real thing!
“I am forever grateful for all of the sanctioning bodies in Boxing for showing me I can and am more than Boxing!
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“What a career.”
Lopez, whose mental health has been a concern for boxing fans, laid out his shock retirement plans minutes after leaving the ring at the Theater at Madison Square Garden last weekend.
And he appeared to follow through on his vow less than 24 hours later, writing on Instagram alongside a picture of himself as a child with his dad: “What a relief!
“Retired at the Top.
“Thank you boxing for the amazing life you’ve provided for myself and my entire loved ones!
“THE DOUBLE-GREATEST #JesusIsKing.” More

TRASH-TALKING is one thing but when fighters make serious-sounding death threats, boxing chiefs should take the severest disciplinary action.Teofimo Lopez made such a depraved statement in a TV interview before challenging Scotland’s Josh Taylor for his WBO world super-lightweight title, the fight last Saturday was in danger of being called off.
Teofimo Lopez said he wanted to ‘kill’ Josh TaylorCredit: AP
Brooklyn’s Lopez, who has suffered mental health problems, said: “I say it like it is — I wanna kill Josh Taylor.
“The only way I can make a statement is by taking his life.”
Horrified executives at ESPN, the TV cable company showing the Madison Square Garden fight, realised Lopez wasn’t kidding around.
After much soul-searching they decided to let the show go on.
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Though Taylor was well beaten on points, losing his unbeaten record and his belt, only his pride was hurt.
Can you imagine the dire consequences  if Taylor had ended up fighting for his life?
At least Lopez publicly apologised to the Edinburgh man, claiming he’d allowed his emotions to get the better of him.
But the New York State Athletic Commission should still have punished Lopez with a hefty fine because his kind of rhetoric doesn’t do boxing any favours.
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Unfortunately, I’ve seen too many ring tragedies in my time. Boxers feel they have to hype their fights to create interest.
But I get sick to my stomach when I hear them talk about putting rivals in hospital or coffins.
Mike Tyson used to make the flesh crawl with some of his ambitions.
Before fighting Jesse Ferguson he said he wanted to punch him on the tip of his nose and drive it into his brain.
Then there was Marvin Hagler.
He was once asked  if he was worried one of his punches might blind Sugar Ray Leonard, who’d had surgery for a detached retina.
His disgraceful reply? “I want to knock it out and watch it roll across the canvas.”
I was there — he meant it.
It must never be forgotten that boxing is life-threatening at every level.
Two weeks ago we were reminded  again of this when South African featherweight Ludumo Lamati, 31, collapsed in a coma with a bleed on the brain after being stopped in the 12th round by Nick Ball in Belfast.
Promoter Frank Warren flew in his mother and girlfriend to be at his hospital bedside and they were there when he regained consciousness and began talking.
Hopefully, he’s on his way to a full recovery.
Malicious pre-fight talk  should be made an offence by the authorities.
Banter can be very humorous and Muhammad Ali was the master.
Before one of his fights with Floyd Patterson, he said: “I’ll beat him so bad he’ll need a shoehorn to put on his hat.”
And about his biggest rival he quipped: “Joe Frazier’s so ugly, when he cries the tears turn around and go down the back of his head.”
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While  Ali  also revealed: “I’ve seen George Foreman shadow box — and the shadow won.”
Boxing can do without Lopez’s vile contribution. More

TYSON FURY won’t fight Oleksandr Usyk until the Ukranian APOLOGISES for the collapse of their undisputed showdown.The duo were on course to throw down for all the heavyweight marbles in the spring before Team Usyk got sick of Fury’s demands and pulled the plug on the historic bout.
Tyson Fury was due to face Oleksandr Usyk in a spring showdown at WembleyCredit: REUTERS
But the pairs historic undisputed bout fell throughCredit: GETTY
John Fury insists Tyson won’t fight the Ukranian until issues a public apologyCredit: GETTY
Saudi boxing chiefs are hoping to stage the fight in December, but Fury’s dad – John – insists his son won’t take part in it unless Usyk issues a grovelling apology.
He told Seconds Out: “Until he gets on and makes a proper video explaining what he did and tells the truth, he may never get the fight with Tyson.
“It’s gone past money now with Tyson, it’s gone past everything with us. They are taking the p**s.
“He’s a nobody, Usyk. Yes, he’s won a few belts off AJ.
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“But you’ve seen how AJ has been performing. AJ has not performed for a while now. And they’re judging what he done to AJ.
“Tyson will iron him out and everybody in the game knows it.”
John has accused Usyk of trying to pin the blame for the undisputed bout falling through solely on Tyson, saying: “He’s trying to do is kill two birds with one stone.
“Turn the public against Tyson, which they’ve done a good job of because the public is daft anyway. Aren’t they?
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“They believe all this rubbish [but] if they knew as much as we do, they’d be a lot better off.
“The bottom line is they never wanted the fight. Anthony Joshua never wanted the fight, Usyk never wanted the fight.
“All he wants to, him, is think that Saudi is gonna pay him silly money.
“Well I got news for you, you’re going to wait a long time.
“Unless he gets on the video and tells the truth of what he did, there’ll never be a fight for Usyk, never be. We’ll just move on.”
Usyk, 36, walked away from a 30 per cent split of the pie for Wembley war with Tyson earlier this year – which John claims would’ve earned him a whopping £17million.

🥊 Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
He said: “There’s only one liar and it’s him and his team.
“Because he didn’t want the fight. He thought he was going to tread where the grass is low.
“He heard through the grapevine that Tyson was injured from some other bulls***t source. And when Tyson offered him the fight, 30 per cent was too much for him.
“He still stood to make £17million at Wembley.
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“And it shows how much of a liar and a coward he is when he’s boxing Daniel Dubois for peanuts compared to it. Does that make sense?
“Tyson will fight anybody anywhere in the world if the business sense is right. They’re the ones, my friend, [that are scared].” More

TYSON FURY has been slammed by boxing fans for entertaining showdowns with MMA superstars Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou.The Gypsy King is seemingly champing at the bit to get back in the ring, which he hasn’t graced in over six months.
Tyson Fury recently called out mixed martial arts stars Jon Jones and Francis NgannouCredit: INSTAGRAM@TYSONFURY
Jones has entertained the prospect of facing The Gypsy KingCredit: GETTY
Boxing fans aren’t happy with Fury’s callouts of Jones and NgannouCredit: Getty
Since the collapse of his undisputed showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, Fury has entertained fights with current and former UFC heavyweight champions Jones and Ngannou.
And he recently vowed to fight them back-to-back, saying on Instagram: “I hear that Jon Jones is looking for a fight. Me. I’m your man.”
He added: “Here’s a thought. How about this… How about I fight Jon Jones and Francis Ngannou on the same night?
“How about that? That’s how much I value them two bums. Get up! Let’s go, boys.”
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Fury’s latest screaming session at his iPhone quickly did the rounds on social media and drew the ire of many boxing fans.
One tweeted: “More boring bull***t. Just fight a boxer with some credibility rather than spouting bollocks.
“No one cares.”
Another said: “The fella is a doughnut. He’s a boxer and he’s asking two UFC fighters for a boxing fight FFS.
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“Grow up. Grow some b******s and fight Usyk.”
And another said: “Tyson needs his social media platforms took of him, he’s embarrassing himself at this point.”
One remarked: “Jesus, this is beyond a joke now!
“F**k it, I’ll fight Fury this weekend. And I’ll take five per cent!!”
Fury, 34, hasn’t fought since his one-sided Tottenham trilogy fight with Derek Chisora last December.
The Wythenshawe warrior was in talks to face Usyk in an historic undisputed fight in the spring but the Ukrainian walked away over whart he felt were unfair demands.
Tyson Fury hasn’t set foot inside the ring since last DecemberCredit: GETTY
Fury was briefly linked with voluntary title defences against Aussie duo Jai Opetaia and Dempsey McKean.
Both fights, however, have gone cold, although promoter Frank Warren is adamant the Brit will be back in action before the end of the year.
The Queensberry Promotions chief told talkSPORT: “He is fighting in September.”
When asked who he will fight, Warren, 71, said: “I hope we can get the contract signed.
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“We have got a couple of options there with one of the guys we are negotiating with, we will announce it in due course.
“Because what do we keep doing? Putting out names and then it doesn’t happen.” More