Boxing

MIKE TYSON showed off his incredible physique during a meet-and-great event in the US over the weekend.Iron Mike, 57, is set to dust off his gloves to face Jake Paul, 27, in Texas on July 20, live on Netflix.Mike Tyson signed autographs at an event in VirginiaCredit: X/FitermanSportsIron Mike shook hands with a fan while shirtlessCredit: X/FitermanSportsTyson revealed his incredible physiqueCredit: X/FitermanSportsThe 57-year-old is set to return to the ring in JulyCredit: X/FitermanSportsThe 30-year age gap has sparked controversy ahead of the inter-generational bout.But former champ Tyson, who claims “adversity” sparked him to success during his heyday, is looking in phenomenal shape three months out from the event.The American was in Chantilly, Virginia over the weekend to take part in a meet-and-greet for the Fiterman Sports Group.During his appearance, Tyson posed shirtless with fans – showing off his impressive physique in the process.READ MORE BOXINGJoking about his attire with his six-pack on display, he said: “I don’t need a shirt.”I have to show them what they are betting on!”Tyson then continued: “I want to show off how good I look, how in shape I am!”The boxing icon first claimed heavyweight gold all the way back in 1986 aged 20, becoming the youngest star to ever do so.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERCredit: The SunHe last fought professionally in 2005, but did take on Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition back in 2020.Tyson has admitted to being “scared to death” of his fight with Paul – but thinks this is precisely what can spur him to success.Mike Tyson issues chilling warning to over-excited fan who gets carried away while sparring with heavyweight legendHe told FoxNews: “I have a weird personality – I don’t think it’s weird though.”Whatever I’m afraid to do, I do it. That’s how it is. I was afraid of the Roy fight. “I was 100lbs overweight, I was however old, 54, 53, and I said, ‘Let’s do it.'”Anything I’m afraid of, I confront it. That’s my personality. Right now, I’m scared to death.”I always believed that adversity and nervousness pretty much catapulted me into success.”If I didn’t have these feelings, I wouldn’t go into this fight. I have to have these feelings to fight. Without them, I would never go in the ring.”During the event in Chantilly, Tyson posed for a snap with Panamanian former four-weight champ Roberto Duran.READ MORE SUN STORIESPosting the picture to Instagram, the 72-year-old wrote: “Here I am sharing with my friend that I love very much @miketyson.”Next time I’ll go shirtless.”Iron Mike posed with boxing legend Roberto DuranCredit: Instagram @fitermansportsTyson and Jake Paul are set to do battle in JulyCredit: @jakepaul More

ANTHONY JOSHUA showed off his kicking skills in his latest behind-the-scenes training footage.The former heavyweight champion, 34, has strung together four wins on the bounce to haul himself back into the title conversation.Anthony Joshua showed off his kicking skills in trainingCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshuaThe former heavyweight champ, 34, posted the clip to his Instagram accountCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshuaJoshua brutally knocked out Francis Ngannou last monthCredit: GettyJoshua was last in action on March 8, when he brutally dispatched Francis Ngannou in Riyadh via second round knockout.The British superstar recently confirmed that he is likely to return to action in September, despite having hoped for an earlier date.After Joshua shared footage of himself working on his kicking on Instagram, fans began to speculate that he could sensationally rematch Ngannou in the Cameroonian’s specialist discipline, MMA.One wrote on social media: “Might as well go beat Francis in MMA too.”READ MORE IN SPORTWhile a second joked: “Might as well go to MMA and KO Ngannou.”And a third added: “Bro is coming to finish Ngannou off in MMA.”Fans of MMA, however, took a different angle.One scoffed: “Yeah buddy stick to boxing you’re good at that.”Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERAnd a second huffed: “People start doing good in their sport then think they just gonna be able to do anything.”A further social media user reasonably pointed out: “All the keyboard warriors aren’t realising he’s just getting a new style of training in for other muscle activators that he’s never used before. Chill.”Eddie Hearn explains how AJ vs Tyson Fury happens next Asked by Jonathan Ross when his next fight will be, Joshua recently said: “Around September is when I’ve been told. I was hoping June.”I’ve got some time to go on dates now and mingle a little bit. I’m training at the minute, I’ve got two months before I get into training camp.”Derek Chisora reckons that Joshua’s return to action will be at Wembley against the winner of the upcoming bout between Daniel Dubois and Filip Hrgovic.Dubois and Hrgovic are set to do battle on June 1 on the undercard of the undisputed bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol in Saudi Arabia.Chisora, 40, told iFL TV of AJ’s plans: “He will fight the winner of Daniel Dubois and Hrgovic in Wembley. F*** it, I’ve got a big mouth.”That’s the plan. It’s gonna be a sick, a little adventure for Turki Alalshikh to bring it back to London.”Alternatively, the September date could see Joshua finally face rival Tyson Fury under the Wembley arch.Lifting the lid on how a deal to make the mega-fight happen could come to pass, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn told Piers Morgan: “I never thought I would be okay saying I am not the most powerful man in boxing but I am not, Turki Alalshikh is.READ MORE SUN STORIES“He is the biggest fight fan I have ever met and all he wants is the biggest fights and the biggest moments.“Fury and Usyk have a two-fight deal. But if Tyson Fury beats Oleksandr Usyk in the first fight, the whole world is going to say ‘please don’t do the second fight’.”Will AJ vs Fury actually happen?SunSport boxing correspondent Wally Downes Jr answers the big questions around Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury finally facing each other…
Could we finally see Fury vs AJ this year?
Simply: Yes.
Before the Saudi takeover of boxing – spearheaded by Turki Alalshikh, would we have seen Fury vs Francis Ngannou, AJ vs Ngannou, Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker, Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn working together and shaking hands for photos?
Simply: No.
The rules, rankings, sanctioning bodies and broadcast and promotional disputes are all irrelevant when this much money is thrown at prize fighting.
How would it work?
It feels like the winner of Fury vs Usyk on May 18 will fight AJ as soon after as possible.
There is a rematch clause in the current deal for Britain’s WBC champ and Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO king to meet and decide the first undisputed ruler for 25 years.
But it seems certain the belts will fragment afterwards – with a string of mandatory challengers due their crack at the four separate belts – so the clamour for AJ vs the winner might be bigger than the demand for a rerun for fewer belts.
Where would it happen?
It feels like every major fight is now going to happen in Saudi Arabia.
But don’t rule out a potential Fury vs Ngannou clash taking place at Wembley stadium.
It seems like the Saudis are keen to eventually host shows in the UK and that fight, at the home of football, would be some debut.
If Usyk topples the Gypsy King then the hype for him to face AJ for a third time will be far less intense.
Why this time?
It feels like we have twice come close to seeing the clash but there were simply too many hurdles and disputes in the way – similar to the way AJ vs Wilder still hasn’t happened.
But with Alalshikh now making Hearn’s Matchroom and Warren’s Queensberry play nice and letting Sky Sports, TNT and DAZN share the shows, there is far less to fight over in the boardroom and loads on to battle for in the ring.
And if Fury beats Usyk and rightfully demands a huge percentage of an overdue Joshua meeting, then the Saudi’s have the cash and the clout to hand him 99 per cent of the pie – to massage his ego and bank balance – and hand AJ as much extra dough as needed to keep everyone sweet.
Who wins?
If Fury sets up an AJ clash by beating Oleksandr Usyk – the mathematics and stats make it clear only a maniac would back Joshua to triumph in the all-English clash.
Usyk dominated AJ over two one-sided fights, on foreign soil.
The Watford man has enjoyed a spike in form and respect since linking up with new trainer Ben Davison but a 20st 6ft 9in Fury – who has just slayed the gap-toothed southpaw – would be almost invincible.
But in any major football derby or cup final the formbook is often aimed out of the window. And perhaps a rejuvenated hungry AJ could be too much for an undisputed and fulfilled Fury to handle. More

FRANK WARREN has told Tyson Fury how he can beat Oleksandr Usyk.Fury and Usyk are due to face off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on May 18 for their rescheduled undisputed heavyweight championship fight.Frank Warren has revealed how Tyson Fury will be looking to exploit Oleksandr Usyk’s weaknessesCredit: GettyFury and Usyk are set to face off on May 18Credit: EPABut Warren has warned Usyk will be looking to exploit Fury’s weaknesses tooCredit: ReutersThe Gypsy King goes into the fight in shaky form after his scare against crossover UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October.Meanwhile, Usyk’s last fight in August saw him KO Daniel Dubois in round nine, but not before he was sent crashing to the canvas in the fifth round with a shot judged to be a low blow.Promoter Warren has revealed that Fury has uncovered a weakness in the Ukrainian’s game and insists the 35-year-old will exploit it next month. Speaking to Sky Sports, Warren said: “One thing about Tyson, if he senses a crack or sees any weakness, he’s the biggest exploiter of it and that’s why it’s going to be such an exciting fight.READ MORE IN BOXING”On the other hand, Usyk might feel from the [Francis] Ngannou fight there are some things that he can exploit and I’m sure he will. He’s a competitor.”He’s a competitor from amateur days right up until the present day. He’s done everything that’s been asked of him.”His Achilles’ heel, as I’ve said, and I’m surprised the so-called experts never picked up on it, has always been his body.”Daniel Dubois, that’s what he was trained for, to go and exploit that and he nearly pulled it off.”Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSWarren highlighted that Usyk, 37, be eyeing up Fury’s own weakpoints, including the cut above his right eye that caused the fight to be delayed in the first place.He added: “Well, I would. Of course he will [try to exploit the cut].Inside Tyson Fury’s Morecambe mansion”He had a worse cut against [Otto] Wallin. Tyson had a dreadful cut in that fight and won the fight convincingly with a bad cut, a real bad cut.”He’s got plan A, plan B and a plan C and more importantly, he’s got a big heart.”With three months to recover from the injury, a further pull out from either fighter will result in the opposing fighter being paid a £7.9million penalty fee.It is the first time since Lennox Lewis in 1999 that an undisputed crown of the heavyweight division will be crowned, with the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line. More

BAREKNUCKLE boxing legend Big Joe Joyce has turned his back on the game, saying: “It’s only trouble.”The King of the Travellers — who counts world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury among his admirers — made his name in “fair-play” fights across Ireland and the UK.Bareknuckle boxing legend Big Joe Joyce has turned his back on the gameCredit: APXBig Joe now believes bareknuckle boxing is ‘only trouble’Joe counts world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury among his admirersCredit: Getty Images – GettyJoe with son Davy JoyceCredit: APXAnd Joyce became a cult hero in recent years with his colourful ­outbursts on YouTube.Big Joe boasted online about ­dipping his hands in petrol before fights to make them “hard as rocks” — and leaving his opponents’ faces “like a butcher’s block”.But the 71-year-old and his pro boxer grandson Joe Ward were interviewed on The Rocky Road ­podcast this week — where Joyce admitted the old ways are finished in his view.Instead of being a form of conflict resolution, Joyce believes such fights nowadays only serve to create ­long-running feuds.The Co Westmeath ‘Hulk’ — who claims to have never lost a fight in his life — said: “The bareknuckle fighting is nothing only trouble. Trouble.“Be a good boxer in the ring. You’ll earn yourself plenty of money out of it if you come good, you’re enjoying yourself. Bareknuckle fighting is only trouble.“You could go out and fight a ­bareknuckle fight now, Travellers among one another, and you’re ­bringing every side into it.“All other fellas challenging maybe your sons, your sons challenging some of them. It is only trouble. I don’t believe in bareknuckle fighting.Most read in Boxing“In my time, you could go out and fight and that was it. You were only fighting one man.“Now if you got up on a video and said ‘you’re the best man’ now everybody’s against your family and all. So I don’t believe in bareknuckle fighting no more for my family.”Brutal bareknuckle street fight sees two travellers boxes next to primary school and family homes in OxfordshireBig Joe’s sons Davey and Joe Jr were distinguished amateur boxers who also took part in the country’s bareknuckle scene.But grandson Joe Ward was kept away from these fights to focus on his flourishing boxing career. He won multiple medals in the amateur ranks before turning pro in 2019.And in his latest victory, he knocked out American Derrick Webster at New York’s Madison Square Garden on St Patrick’s weekend to move ever closer towards a world title shot.For his grandad, Ward’s progress — and the road paved by fellow ­Travellers Francie Barrett and Andy Lee — shows that organised boxing is the only way to go now.No ring fighting available Big Joe added: “Back in my time there was no ring fighting for the Travelling people.“We were going around from camp to camp in old wagons, going here and there in the country, and all the little Travelling young fellas would be out fighting on the land.“But now in the last 30 years, every Travelling man wants his young lad to go into the ring, they don’t believe in the bareknuckle fighting no more. ‘Tis only bad luck, old bareknuckle fighting. I had two sons there and each of them done it. Bareknuckle fighting, I don’t want my family doing it. My grandsons or my sons.”Joyce’s son Joe Jr is currently serving a ten-year stretch in prison for the murder of 18-year old John Paul McDonagh in 2020, having lost his appeal last year to have the conviction overturned.Petrol tributeMeanwhile, Fury — who said he dipped his own paws in petrol as a tribute to Big Joe before his second bout with American Deontay Wilder in 2020 — will fight Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight crown in May. And Joyce believes Fury’s achievements speak volumes about the progress Travellers have made in the sport of boxing.He added: “Tyson Fury in my eyes is the greatest heavyweight man in the world now.“And I’m very glad to have a Travelling man be the heavyweight champ of the world. You wouldn’t see that back years ago.“For the Travellers getting into boxing now, it’s very good, like Joe Ward there and all the young lads.”First Traveller championAndy Lee was the first Traveller world champion, claiming the WBO middleweight belt ten years ago in Las Vegas. And Big Joe’s grandson, fresh from his second-round knockout win, aims to follow in his fellow Olympian’s footsteps.Ward, 30 — who has an 11-1 record — added: “It all went really well at Madison Square Garden.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Derrick Webster came in with a really good record, 33 fights with 29 wins, fought for a few titles, so we were expecting a tough fight.“But when I got in there, things just started to flow and I got him out of there nice and early, which was very impressive.”Big Joe with Joe Ward and Kenneth EganBig Joe in action during a bareknuckle fight More

TYSON FURY will have to follow a simple tactic to protect his eye cut against Oleksandr Usyk.The Gypsy King’s cutman, Jorge Capetillo, has claimed that the boxer will have to wear headgear in sparring sessions to protect the cut above his eye.Tyson Fury was caught by an elbow during a sparring sessionCredit: X formerly Twitter / @MichaelBensonnThe boxer was left with a nasty cut above his eyeCredit: X @QueensburyFury, 35, suffered a nasty cut above his left eye during a sparring session earlier this year.As a result, his highly anticipated four-belt unification fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with Usyk had to be postponed from February 17 to May 18.Capetillo, however, has come up with a plan to stop Fury’s cut reopening against the Ukranian.He wants the Brit to get his “reach and timing” right otherwise Usyk could get on top in the fight.READ MORE IN BOXINGHe told Betway: “The fight is going to be in May so he should be going back to sparring in two or three weeks’ time.”There’s always a possibility that it could reopen, but Tyson has to do what he is good at with his distance, reach, not trying to knock him out in one punch.””For a heal, it should take like 90 days but it’s been 60 days or more since the cut so I am sure with the right treatment, he should be ready for May 18.”Soon he can start with some light sparring, nothing hard but to get the reach and distance right. It is more important than power punches with reach and timing.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKER”Tyson has to treat the cut well before the fight and do sparring sessions with nice headgear.”He needs to start with nothing crazy to make sure he doesn’t get hit hard, so it doesn’t re-open.Legendary cutman Stitch Duran ready to join Tyson Fury’s camp to protect horror cut in rescheduled Tyson Fury fight “But I’m going to put emphasis on this, he needs his reach and timing right and if they are on point, it is game over for Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson will be on top.”If Fury goes on to defeat Usyk he will be the first fighter to be the undisputed heavyweight champion since 1999 when Lennox Lewis held the title.It is expected that there will be a rematch between the two fighters.However, Fury’s co-promoter Bob Arum has suggested that a fight with Anthony Joshua could be fitted in between the result and the rematch.TYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has given a rare insight into his love life as he opened up on dating. The British boxing superstar has always kept his romantic side private and instead focussed on his career in the ring. Anthony Joshua joked he has ‘some time to go on dates’Credit: ReutersBut during a candid conversation on The Jonathan Ross Show, he said: “I’ve got some time to go on dates now and mingle a little bit.”But Joshua quickly snapped back to reality when asked if he has time to date as he responded: “Yeah, definitely…. “I don’t know what I’m doing actually. Boxing is my priority.” Joshua shares his eight-year-old son with former girlfriend Nicole Osbourne, who he still remains close friends with. READ MORE IN BOXINGBut he has been linked with famous faces in the past, including models Cara Delevingne and Bella Hadid.Joshua, 34, was probed on his dating life by Louis Theroux in a revealing documentary last year. Asked if he has a partner, he said: “No, I don’t.”And he insisted he was not lying, telling Louis: “Imagine me going home to my missus now and she said, ‘You denied me!’. I don’t want the stress.” Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSJoshua was also quick to shut down the rumours about Delevigne and Hadid, saying: “I haven’t been with any of those girls, by the way.”The two-time world champion has four wins on the spin, most recently knocking out ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 37, in March. Anthony Joshua couldn’t sell a bus ticket a year ago.. now I have no doubt he KOs Tyson Fury, Hearn tells Piers MorganHe is now waiting the winner between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed title decider. And Joshua is hoping the face the winner after revealing when he would fight again. He said: “Around September is when I’ve been told. I was hoping June. I’ve got some time to go on dates now and mingle a little bit. “I’m training at the minute, I’ve got two months before I get into training camp.”Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: EPA More