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    Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith undercard: Who is fighting on Manchester bill?

    CHRIS EUBANK JR is back in the ring this weekend for the first time since his fight with Conor Benn was cancelled. Next Gen will take on the experienced Liam Smith in a middleweight bout in Manchester.
    Chris Eubank faces Liam Smith in the main event on Saturday nightCredit: PA
    The pair have been trading verbal jabs throughout the build-up to their fight on Saturday.
    Eubank Jr and Smith will finally be able to settle their beef in a brilliant fight to kick off the new year in British boxing.
    On the undercard there are some fantastic fights for fans to feast their eyes on.
    The likes of Joseph Parker, Chris Kongo and Richard Riakporhe are all in action.
    Eubank Jr vs Smith full card
    Though Eubank Jr vs Smith will headline the card, there are some cracking fights to come before it.
    Richard Riakporhe is in the co-main against Krysztof Glowacki as he looks to kick on towards a world title shot.
    Chris Kongo faces Ekow Essuman for the British and Commonwealth titles.
    And Joseph Parker is back in action for the first time since his loss to Joe Joyce as he takes on Brit Jack Massey.
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    Frazer Clarke and Matty Harris are also in fights of their own on the card.
    Joseph Parker is in action on the Eubank Jr-Smith undercardCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun

    Chris Eubank Jr. vs. Liam Smith
    Richard Riakporhe vs. Krzysztof Głowacki
    Joseph Parker vs. Jack Massey
    Ekow Essuman vs. Chris Kongo
    Frazer Clarke vs. Kevin Espindola
    Matty Harris vs. Jiri Surmaj
    Scott Forrest vs. Amine Boucetta More

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    I was mercilessly trolled over my Tyson Fury tattoo but I don’t care, the Gypsy King says he loves the tribute

    A MUM who was trolled viciously online after getting a Tyson Fury tattoo – has shut the haters up after her hero gave the tribute his seal of approval. Mother-of-two Anna Sinclair got the tattoo on her arm to pay homage to the heavyweight champ – who she says is her “idol” and even inspired her to quit booze.
    Anna meeting her hero Tyson Fury earlier this weekCredit: Anna Sinclair
    She said the boxer loved her tattooCredit: Anna Sinclair
    A close-up of the tattooCredit: The Sun
    But she was bombarded with mean comments when she posted it on a Tyson Fury fan page on Facebook with people saying the inking looks nothing like the Gypsy King and she should have it removed.
    However, Anna has had the last laugh after bumping into Fury earlier this week as the champion enjoyed a relaxing break with wife Paris and their kids at an all-inclusive resort in Tenerife.
    Anna even met Paris too, who also liked the tattoo.
    Anna, 34, who lives in Tenerife, told The Sun: “I heard he might be staying at this hotel and I only live 10 minutes up the road. So I booked a room and came here with my mother and kids.
    Read more on Tyson Fury
    “While we were standing at the check-in desk my eldest spotted Tyson walking by with another guy.
    “I went up to him and said, ‘Hi, it’s me,’ and showed him my tattoo.
    “I don’t really remember my words because when I actually saw him in real life my words started scrambling!
    “He asked me if I was a guest at the hotel and I said yes, but I told him I heard he was coming.
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    “He really liked my tattoo. It was hard for me to even find the camera button as my hands were shaking.
    “I never felt so excited and happy and shy. I just can’t believe I couldn’t squeeze a word when I saw him because I wanted to ask him so many things.”
    Anna first got her tattoo last May just days after days after the Gypsy King knocked out fellow Brit Dillian Whyte at Wembley Stadium.
    After posting online she was shocked by the horrible comments, with one fan saying: “It looks like the guy Barry down the road who sells the cheap backy [sic]” and another claimed it looked like his milkman.
    Fans claimed the tattoo resembled “Harvey Price with a skinhead”, “Ross Kemp” – and even “Boy George without his hat on”.
    ‘BE KIND’
    At the time Anna clapped back saying she doesn’t care what her “haters” say – and loves the tattoo, urging the online trolls to be kind and stay positive.
    And Anna, who lives with her two children in Tenerife, while her boyfriend Ryan Hudson lives in London, has a message for her haters.
    “Some of the haters think it’s weird to have his tattoo and think I’m trying it on with Tyson or something like that but I’m getting engaged to my boyfriend and I am in love with him,” she said.
    “I met Tyson’s wife Paris at the hotel and I told her ‘I have a tattoo of your husband but I don’t mean it in a weird way, I just support him and he was been my inspiration’, and she totally understood.
    “She was a wonderful lady and I told her how happy I am to meet her. I really am lucky to have met the both of them and I think my life will change for the better.
    “No more sad days, only happy days because if this can happen then anything can happen.
    “I hope the haters will change and learn to be kind.”
    I went and got the tattoo just because I want to wake up and see his face.”Anna Sinclair
    Anna said she wasn’t even a boxing fan before she watched her first Fury fight – but became hooked and started watching his previous matches and interviews online.
    “He became such an inspiration to me that I went and got the tattoo just because I want to wake up and see his face,” she said.
    “I just loved everything about him – his whole energy, his look and his attitude.
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    “I liked the way he talked openly about his mental health struggles with anxiety because I can relate to that.”
    Emma Parry Exclusive. Pictured Anna SinclairCredit: Anna Sinclair
    Trolls said the tattoo looks nothing like FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
    Anna after getting the tattoo of her idol on her armCredit: The Sun
    Anna in the tattoo parlorCredit: The Sun
    The original artwork for the design More

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    ‘Science saved me fighting the hulk’ – Chris Eubank Jr hits back at Conor Benn’s Instagram post after doping scandal

    CHRIS EUBANK JR has claimed he would’ve fought the “Hulk” had Conor Benn not failed two drug tests.Surging welterweight contender Benn tested positive for the banned anti-estrogen drug Clomiphene twice in the build-up to his historic clash with Eubank Jr – the son of his old man’s bitter rival.
    Conor Benn failed two drug tests ahead of his cancelled clash with Chris Eubank JrCredit: GETTY
    Conor Benn has maintained his innocence from the get-go and recently hinted at exonerationCredit: INSTAGRAM@CONORBENNOFFICIAL
    But Eubank Jr has claimed he would’ve fought ‘the hulk’ if it was not for ‘science’Credit: GETTY
    The eagerly-anticipated showdown – which was set for last October – ended up being cancelled and Benn has since found himself in a battle to prove his innocence.
    Benn and his team believe potential contamination is to blame for the two positive tests, with the 26-year-old writing on Instagram on Monday: “Been through hell and back.
    “Thank God for science. The evidence doesn’t lie. No holes in the truth.”
    It didn’t take long for Eubank Jr to respond to Benn’s post, which he mocked as he shared it to his own Instagram page.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    Next Gen wrote: “I’m pretty sure it was science that detected the illegal substances in your system on two separate occasions Conor.
    “So yes absolutely thank god for science… otherwise I would of been fighting the hulk a few months ago!!”
    Benn’s protestations of his innocence have been supported by the fact he returned two negative tests.
    The Destroyer has yet to be sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control or the World Boxing Council for his pair of failed tests – which were conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency.
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    But he’s sent over a whopping 270-page report to the WBC which he hopes will clear his name and shine a light on an alleged contamination of his sample by VADA.
    Promoter Eddie Hearn has remained steadfast in his support of Benn, who he believes will be back in the ring “sooner” than expected.
    He told iD Boxing: “I can’t wait because I think a lot of people will be surprised by what’s about to come out about Conor Benn.
    “I think he’s going to be fighting sooner than you think.
    “If he does receive a ban, which from the information that we have, I don’t think it’s necessarily it’s fair.
    “But if it is, I don’t think it’s going to be a long ban at all.
    “I don’t want to be too cocksure, but I think it’s going to be really interesting about what comes out here.
    “I think there’s a very good chance that he won’t be receiving a ban.” More

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    Francis Ngannou warned he ‘will not survive in boxing ring’ as UFC legend is linked with huge Tyson Fury fight

    FRANCIS NGANNOU should forget about fighting Tyson Fury in a boxing ring, says former world champion Tony Bellew.Ngannou, 36, won the UFC heavyweight championship by defeating Stipe Miocic in March 2021.
    Francis Ngannou held the UFC heavyweight title for nearly two yearsCredit: Getty
    Tyson Fury is widely considered to be the best heavyweight in the worldCredit: Getty
    Ever since, he has been heavily linked with a crossover bout against boxing’s heavyweight king – WBC champion Fury, 34.
    Now the prospect of a clash with The Gypsy King has gained even more traction following confirmation of Ngannou’s departure from the UFC last week.
    It comes after Ngannou sat ringside for Fury’s win over Derek Chisora last month.
    He then called for a bout with Fury, saying: “I don’t really care about what [it] would be. I just think it’ll be a fight against Tyson Fury.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    “It can be in a phone booth or wherever [but] that fight will happen, or (even) in the rooftop – that fight will happen.
    “Obviously, he will not compete in MMA. That’s not something that could happen. He would get killed.”
    Crossover bouts have taken place in the past – most notably when Conor McGregor fought Floyd Mayweather and lost by 10th round stoppage.
    But former boxing world champion Bellew, 40, believes stepping into the ring with Fury would be bad news for Ngannou.
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    Combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani tweeted a poll asking fans whether they would like to see Fury vs Ngannou in Bellator, PFL, boxing or BKFC.
    When boxing claimed the most votes, Bellew then replied: “Terrible shame! He will not survive in a boxing ring against anyone of any note.
    “He’s the best MMA heavyweight in the world right now and he needs to stay within his discipline..🤞.”
    Fury has not lost in 34 professional contests, a run which stretches back to his debut in 2008.
    The only blemish on the Brit’s record came in a controversial draw with Deontay Wilder in 2018 – with Fury subsequently going on to stop the American in their following two fights.
    Ngannou has a professional MMA record of 17 wins and three defeats but has not lost since 2018.
    He has never had a pro boxing bout.
    When asked in April 2022 about a possible clash with Ngannou, Fury told BT Sport: “Definitely sometime next year. 2023. That fight will happen!
    Read More on The Sun
    “Because by the end of the year, to know exactly [where I stand], we’re going to sort it and get settled and ready to go.”
    He then added: “Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou in Africa, that would be the best one. The Rumble in the Jungle 2!”
    Tony Bellew won the WBC cruiserweight title in 2016Credit: Getty More

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    Elle Brooke posts defiant message on social media after stunning first round KO of Faith Ordway on KSI undercard

    ELLE BROOKE has insisted she is “here to stay” after beating Faith Ordway by TKO.The OnlyFans star won the boxing match between the two after a storming first round performance on Saturday night.
    Elle Brooke beat Faith Ordway by TKOCredit: Getty
    The OnlyFans star recently got into the festive spiritCredit: Instagram @thedumbledong
    Elle celebrates her winCredit: Getty
    Brooke overcame a height disadvantage as she quickly dispatched the American influencer in the undercard to KSI’s fight against Faze Temperrr.
    After the fight, the 25-year-old admitted that she believes that she is the best influencer boxer.
    She said: “Guys, that is what you call a TKO.
    “You guys are lucky to see the best two influencer boxers in that ring tonight – me No 1, Faith No 2.”
    READ MORE ON BOXING
    Following the event, Brooke took to social media to reveal that she is planning to be involved in boxing for a lot longer.
    She wrote: “They will still hate, but the real ones now know I am here to stay.”
    The OnlyFans star started boxing in 2022, and her aim is to compete on the same card as YouTuber and boxer Jake Paul.
    She made her debut in the ring against Love Island star AJ Bunker, who she beat in four rounds.
    Most read in Boxing
    Brooke is also a big fan of bantamweight champion Ebanie Bridges, as she praised her ahead of the fight against Ordway.
    She told Boxing Social: “She’s always there for me, and it is so nice.
    “You know, I get to work alongside my idol. My literal idol!
    “I’m so grateful. And even this week, she has been so caring and attentive. I adore her, and I love her so much.”
    The pair celebrated the win over Ordway together in the ring.
    The 25-year-old dominated her TikTok opponentCredit: Getty
    Elle had enjoyed herself at the weigh-inCredit: PA
    The social media star has over 600k Instagram FollowersCredit: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbledong/ More

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    Tyson Fury has ‘everything Oleksandr Usyk has and more’ as Ricky Hatton makes his fight prediction ahead of title fight

    OLEKSANDR USYK has been warned Tyson Fury has got “everything” he’s got “and a little bit more” ahead of their historic showdown.The undefeated heavyweights are on course to throw down in a blockbuster undisputed title fight in March, although a venue for the bout has not yet been finalised.
    Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are on course to throw down in MarchCredit: REUTERS
    Slick southpaw Usyk is viewed by many to be the toughest test of Furys careerCredit: GETTY
    But British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes The Gypsy King has the beating of the UkrainianCredit: REX
    Boxing fans are purring at the prospect of the two most-skilled and elusive heavyweights of the last twenty years duking it out.
    Many believe the footwork and set-ups of former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk will pose the biggest test of Fury’s career, although British boxing great Ricky Hatton believes The Gypsy King is adequately equipped to take out the Ukrainian.
    He told Mega Casino: “You know, you can’t dismiss Usyk, you know Olympic gold medalist, cruiserweight world champion, heavyweight world champion, you know what I mean?
    “And I don’t want to write him off, I can’t write him off because obviously he is so talented and he might just have the style to beat Tyson.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    “Personally, I don’t think so. I think Tyson is just so versatile and so much better in every area.
    “He can fight southpaw, he can fight orthodox, he can stand tall, he can fight at close quarters, do you know what I mean?
    “He has a wonderful defense, he has hand speed, he switches hits.
    He’s got speed and movement and boxing ability. He’s everything.
    Most read in Boxing
    “He’s got everything Usyk has got and maybe a little bit more, and he’s bigger and he’s taller and he’s got the reach.”
    Fury’s notable height and reach advantages over Uysk have Hatton seeing no other outcome than the Brit having his hand raised.
    The Hitman continued: “For that reason, it’s very hard to see anything other than a Tyson win.”
    That being said, he’s refusing to rule out slick southpaw Usyk handing Fury the first loss of his professional career.
    He said: “But I think all of us, if you turn around— If you put your hand on your heart and said, ‘Usyk’s got no chance’, I don’t think we could say he’s got no chance, but you’d have to favour Tyson, wouldn’t you?”
    Fury and Usyk went face to face with one another last December following the latter’s lopsided beatdown of Derek Chisora in their Tottenham trilogy.
    And the WBC king has sensationally claimed he’ll have an easier night at the office at than his Tottenham trilogy with Del Boy.
    He told iFL TV: “I don’t think it is a tough fight. I don’t think it’s nowhere near as tough as old Del Boy.”
    “He will not stand up to those punches that Derek did against me.” More

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    Anthony Joshua’s team slammed for letting him have meltdown after Usyk loss as Brit targets April fight with new trainer

    ANTHONY JOSHUA’s team have been slammed for letting him have a “breakdown” after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk.A dejected Joshua, 33, went on an impassionated rant after his second successive points defeat to the pound-for-pound king last August.
    Anthony Joshua went on a fiery rant after his second loss to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY
    The former two-time heavyweight champ exploded with rage after the verdictCredit: GETTY
    British boxing legend Ricky Hatton has slammed AJ’s team for not protecting him from himselfCredit: Rex
    The Watford warrior took the belts from the undefeated Ukrainian and threw them on the floor before delivering an out-of-character and expletive-laden post-fight speech.
    None of Joshua’s team on the night tried to intervene, which British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes was a failure on their part.
    The Hitman told Mega Casino: “I was a little bit disappointed with his last team because when he got beat by Usyk.
    “Poor Anthony, he looked like he was having a bit of a breakdown in the ring.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    “You know what I mean? He got the belts and he threw them out the ring.
    “And he was going to the opposite corner to congratulate them and giving a fist bump and he was a little bit aggressive.
    “And I thought to myself, somebody needs to get a grip of him maybe, he doesn’t look like he’s handling this really well.
    “And then he got the microphone.
    Most read in Boxing
    “And I was watching it in Tenerife with my mates, and I was practically screaming at the TV saying, ‘Somebody get the mic off him.’
    “Get the mic off him and put your arm around him and say, ‘Come on, AJ, son, come on, come on, let’s get back to the changing room.
    “‘Let’s regroup, mate.’You know what I mean? But they didn’t.”
    Hatton believes some of the blame for Joshua’s post-fight antics lies at the feet of his coaching team on the night – which consisted of the recently-departed Robert Garcia and long-time trainer Angel Fernandez.
    He said: “Your job as a coach is not just to do what those 12 three-minute rounds and when the final bell goes, that’s it your job’s done.
    “No, your job is to look after your fighter until he leaves the venue.
    “People don’t realise how much pressure you’re on at that high, bigger stage of a high-profile of a fight.
    “So, he’s obviously not taken it well, which sometimes we don’t.
    “And I just think his team has just stood there and just let him carry on and carry on, carry on.
    “Of course, I wish I could have jumped in the TV myself. “
    Former two-time unified heavyweight champ Joshua is set to return to the ring in April, although an opponent has not yet been finalised.
    And promoter Eddie Hearn admits a third straight defeat could bring the curtain down on the Olympian’s glittering career.
    The Matchroom Boxing chief told iFL TV: “You go into that fight in April and you know that defeat, it’s all over, really.
    “It would be a third back-to-back defeat and yet a great performance and a showroom knockout will get everyone saying, ‘We’re back, baby.’
    Read More on The Sun
    “That’s what I can’t wait for because I love it when our backs are against the wall.
    “I’m excited. I’m really excited. This is the most excited I’ve been in Joshua’s journey so far.”
    Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring in AprilCredit: Getty More

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    Conor Benn free to fight with WBC in no rush to settle case after Eubank Jr clash was axed following failed drug test§

    CONOR BENN remains free to fight with the WBC in no rush to settle his case.The 26-year-old son of British ring legend Nigel has been sidelined since his October catchweight clash with Chris Eubank Jr was cancelled over two failed VADA doping tests.
    Conor Benn failed two drug tests in the build-up to his cancelled bout with Chris Eubank JrCredit: Getty
    Benn has yet to be sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control or the World Boxing CouncilCredit: PA
    WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman insists Benn is eligible to compete in their ranksCredit: AFP
    Benn insists he is innocent and has his case supported by a pair of passed UKAD tests taken around the same time.
    He has sent the Mexican sanctioning body a 270-page document SunSport understands will explain the contamination of his sample by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency as the cause.
    Eubank Jr, 33, has moved on with his middleweight career with a fight on Saturday night against Liam Smith.
    But Benn – who ripped up his British Boxing Board of Control licence over their handling of the farce – has refused to fight until his case is heard and his name is cleared by the WBC.
    READ MORE IN BOXING
    Frustratingly WBC boss Mauricio Sulaiman has outlined the painstaking process of investigating how Benn’s sample could have been tainted by the doping agency that his organisation employs to patrol the fighters boxing under their banner.
    But he has confirmed that the 21-0 ace is under no suspension and the lack of a more thorough public explanation is down to legal protocols.
    Sulaiman told The Boxing Voice: “He can fight.
    “He is free to fight. He is not in any way suspended.
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    “The WBC is going through the process.
    “We received a document from his team of 270 pages and within that document, there are many matters that need further investigation and action.
    “This is not a matter that can be simply resolved with sympathy or saying ‘X, Y and Z’.
    “We have to go into the facts because there are legal implications.
    “We will have to take all the time necessary.”
    Conor Benn has maintained his innocence and is adamant he didn’t intentionally dopeCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
    Eubank Jr, like a lot of Benn’s critics and doubters inside the sport, are taking his silence as an admission of guilt.
    But Sulaiman has confirmed that until the WBC has completed their own internal investigation, that SunSport believes does not even include Benn, the details will remain annoyingly vague.
    He said: “We received their document, we sent a letter back to their lawyers and it took three weeks for them to respond. 
    Read More on The Sun
    “It is not that we have stalled the case, we are actively working on it and following the protocol.
    “There are lots of things I cannot respond to because there are legal implications so a complete investigation has to take place.” More