Boxing

MIKE TYSON has given a blunt response to Tyson Fury’s disappointment with his decision to coach Francis Ngannou.Iron Mike has teamed up with the former UFC heavyweight champion ahead of his controversial crossover clash with the Gypsy King next month.
Tyson Fury will take on former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou next monthCredit: REX
Fury was left saddened after learning that boxing legend Mike Tyson will train Ngannou for the fightCredit: INSTAGRAM@FRANCISNAGNNOU
Tyson has dismissed Fury’s comments, insisting it’s just ‘business’Credit: INSTAGRAM@FRANCISNAGNNOU
Fury was left saddened by Tyson – whom he was named after – opting to plot his downfall in the Saudi showdown – but the boxing veteran couldn’t care less.
The former undisputed heavyweight champion told TNT Sports: “This is business, and he understands.”
Ngannou’s martial arts journey began with boxing but he was convinced to try his hand at mixed martial arts by his former coach Fernand Lopez.
The Cameroonian clubber – who has never boxed in a professional capacity – has won 70 per cent of his MMA fights via brutal knockout.
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And Tyson believes The Predator has the skill set to give Fury a real run for his money.
He said: “I think he’s gonna do very well.
“Listen, it’s all experience, he’s fighting, he just has to remember not to use his feet, which he never really did actually.
“He’s a real power puncher. Real fast for a big guy, 260[lbs].
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“I just think he’s gonna do better than most people believe.”
Fury and Ngannou’s Saudi slugfest will be a professionally sanctioned bout, although the former’s WBC heavyweight title won’t be on the line.
Wythenshawe warrior Fury, 35, will enter the ten-rounder on the back of a one-sided beatdown of fellow Brit Derek Chisora last December.
Ngannou, meanwhile, goes into the lucrative showdown following a 21-month layoff after his final defence of the UFC heavyweight throne against Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. More

MOSES ITAUMA worries he may never get a Tyson Fury spar after he accidentally cursed some of Britain’s top heavyweight crop.The freakishly-talented 18-year-old is a 6ft 3in silky southpaw, just like WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk.
Moses Itauma is 5-0 as a professional and has sparred almost all of Britain’s best heavyweightsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
So it was wise when Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois drafted him into their camps to prepare for their bouts with the Ukraine genius.
And Joe Joyce called upon the services of the 5-0 Chatham ace in the build-ups to his back-to-back bouts with another rare leftie in Zhilei Zhang.
All three of those brave Londoners lost their bouts, leaving Tyson Fury at the top of the pile and free to have a Saudi showdown with MMA powerhouse Francis Ngannou.
Hopefully it will tee-up an undisputed decider between Usyk and the WBC Gypsy King and Itauma hopes his red-hot form does not deter the Morecambe giant from calling him.
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“I hope the Fury and Usyk fight gets made because then I’m hopeful of getting some rounds in with him,” the Kent wonderkid said.
“But I have started to notice that everyone I have sparred lately for big fights have lost.
“I sparred AJ and Dubois for Usyk and Joyce for Zhang and all five fights have gone the wrong way.
“I don’t know if I am bad luck or if I’m leaving them with a bit of trauma but I hope it doesn’t stop me getting invited anywhere else”
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When Dubois burst onto the scene in 2017 his reputation was boosted by rumours of flooring Joshua in sparring during their days on Team GB in Sheffield.
The hype around Itauma is similar – he started sparring 6ft 6in 38-year-old Joe Joyce when he was still a schoolboy and had to change out of his uniform in the gym.
But rather than boast about beating people in practice rounds, Itauma quietly earns rave reviews from rival fighters and trainers all over the country.
“Sparring stories always go around,” he said.
“I can’t complain because a lot of my early praise has come from sparring partners like Lawrence Okolie, Joshua, Joyce and Dubois bigging me up.
“Sparring is not fighting but it still shows skills and is the best way to learn so I want to mix with everyone and Fury is really the only big one I haven’t sparred.
“I get tips from everyone I work with, I appreciate everyone who invites me in because they are all ahead of me in their careers so far but I want to get where they are.” More

CANELO ALVAREZ revealed his five-year-old son is already dreaming of following in his footsteps – but first he needs to learn to take a punch. The Mexican superstar was inspired into a career of fighting after watching his older brothers in action.
Canelo Alvarez with his son Saul JrCredit: INSTAGRAM @canelo
Canelo’s eldest daughter Emily, son Saul Jr and little girl MiaCredit: Getty
Canelo with his son and daughterCredit: Getty
And amazingly, by 15 Canelo was a professional knocking out fully grown men.
Now, his young son Saul Adiel wants to continue the family trade and is already convinced he will headline in Las Vegas like his famous father.
In an exclusive interview with SunSport, Canelo said: “He loves boxing. He told me, ‘Hey, when am I going to fight in Vegas?’ 
“I said, ‘OK, take it easy. When you grow up and you’re 18 years old, maybe you can fight in Vegas. First you’re going to take the first punch and then let me know if you want to be a boxer or not.’”
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Canelo, a doting dad also to his daughters Emily, Mia and Maria, has sacrificed half his life to the sport that has made him millions.
And he warned his son would have to be willing to show that same dedication in order to get his blessing to box.
Canelo said: “He needs to love boxing, he needs to have that discipline. He needs to be able to handle that sacrifice that comes with boxing. 
“Plus that talent, because if you don’t have talent, find another sport.”
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For Canelo, boxing is a family affair with older brothers Ramon, Ricardo and Rigoberto all fighters.
So for as difficult and nerve-wracking as it could be as a father, the four-division champion will not stand in Saul Jr’s way of doing the same.
He said: “Boxing is hard and you have your kid there who loves boxing it’s hard, it’s going to be hard for me. 
“But if he loves boxing that much then I need to support him no matter what.” 
Canelo last year topped Forbes’ sporting rich list as the highest-paid fighter on the planet after earning £90MILLION.
And in 2021, he cemented his place further by winning all four super-middleweight belts to become undisputed 168lb king.

But even after 63 fights and 18 years in the ring, Canelo still continues to make history.
As on Saturday he will take on American Jermell Charlo, 33, marking the first time two current undisputed champions have fought.
Charlo moves up TWO divisions to do so and Canelo has vowed to make the light-middleweight champ pay for his previous trash-talk.
Ahead of the Showtime PPV fight, he said: “I love boxing and I love these kind of fights. 
“And it motivates me more and more because he never believed in my skills, he’s always calling me out, always talking s*** about me. 
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“He never believed in my skills and right now, I’m able to show him my skills and why I’m here. That motivates me. 
“And I love boxing. I love being in training camp, I love training so my routine is something I enjoy a lot.” 
Canelo and Jermell Charlo with their belts More

EDDIE HEARN has insisted fighting Anthony Joshua would be “dangerous” for Joe Joyce after defeat to Zhilei Zhang. Joyce suffered the first loss of his career in April when Zhang battered his eye to the point of no return after six rounds.
Anthony Joshua’s promoter opened the door to a Zhilei Zhang fightCredit: AFP
Zhilei Zhang after knocking out Joe JoyceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
And he bravely jumped right into a rematch knowing his career at the top level would be on the line.
This time around, it was an even more devastating finish as a lead southpaw right hook in the third left Joyce, 38, out for the count.
It leaves Joshua’s promoter Hearn talking down the chance of the 2016 Olympian ever fighting AJ.
He told iFL TV: “That would be dangerous. Honestly, he shouldn’t be boxing.
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“He’s had a great career, he should’ve been Olympic champion, he won the interim world heavyweight title and I’m sure he’s made a lot of money as well.
“AJ punches as hard as Zhang with much more speed. It’s not the right fight to make, you have to protect these guys.
“It’s a car crash that fight. A car crash.”
Zhang, 40, is still the WBO “interim” champion and thus the mandatory challenger for the belt held by Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
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But Hearn has welcomed a massive fight between the Chinese star and Joshua, 33, in the Far East or at Wembley Stadium.
He said: “AJ has always fancied that fight.
“He beat him in the amateurs, it was a good fight. Of course, [we’d do it in China]. Money talks, we can do it at Wembley.
“We want to make the Wilder fight. I think Zhang is an easier fight, it’s still dangerous, but why not?”
Joshua beat Zhang in the 2012 OlympicsCredit: Getty More

CONOR BENN stormed to an impressive comeback win but then admitted: “I feared for my future”.The Essex fighter last stepped into the ring in April 2022 after his proposed dust-up with arch-rival Chris Eubank Jr. was canned last October following a failed drugs test.
Conor Benn won on his boxing returnCredit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
The Brit beat Rodolfo Orozco on points in OrlandoCredit: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom.
Benn, 26, was cleared to return by the National Anti-Doping Panel in July even and blew off the cobwebs with a brutal, unanimous points win over tough Mexican Rodolfo Orozco.
But an emotional Benn told SunSport afterwards, with a tear in his eye, that “months of hell” had “killed him” and left him contemplating his career.
British Boxing Board of Control chief Robert Smith blasted before the 10-rounder in Orlando that Benn shouldn’t have been allowed back in the ring until he was cleared by all the regulators.
The BBBofC and VADA – who failed Benn twice in the lead-up to the original Eubank fight – both appealed his reinstatement.
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But Brighton-based Benn, who tested positive for fertility drug clomifene, which is a banned substance, has always insisted his innocence.
He told SunSport:” I can’t begin to tell you how bad it’s been, It’s been hell.
“I didn’t think I was going to fight anymore and it killed me. It broke my heart so I am just over the moon to be back.” British boxing boss Smith says that Benn is still not cleared to fight in the UK, leaving the prospect of rescheduling the crunch with Eubank in the air for now.
Benn, though, lashed out at the doubters.
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He added:” How can you tell me this isn’t politics, ego, or money when I’m just the one in the middle of it.
“The wrong questions are being asked but I’m willing to answer all the questions that need to be answered.
“You’ve got to remember this, it ain’t the truth. It’s not the truth. But what’s seen in darkness always comes to light, and clean hearts always win.I am hiding from nothing.”
This clash was a late addition to the card put on by Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn but Benn revealed the BBBofC did their best to scupper his return over the pond.
He explained: “It’s been really challenging to get to where I am now. There needs to be more care for British fighters with their own commission, their own governing body.” Benn was a class above Orozco, pummeling him with a series of crushing blows in a one-sided yet lively battle.
He looked razor sharp and was on the front foot straight from the off.
It was a testament to the Mexican’s heart that he was still standing at the end of 10 brutal rounds.
Benn knows the noise around a meeting with Eubank will only get louder.
But the son of the legendary Dark Destroyer, Nigel Benn, who was here in Florida, has been through so much just being able to fight another day is enough for now.
He said: “Whatever’s meant to be will be. I can’t do any more than I am.
“This is the card I’ve been dealt and it’s the card I’ve got to play, irrelevant of how it looks, how it’s pushed. I just do the best I can and try and stay in the best frame of mind, because it hasn’t been easy to stay in a good frame of mind.
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“It’s been so hard, but I fought hard this fight, you know, I was down and out, I almost lost this fight. Almost lost. You know, I almost didn’t get back up. So, whatever happens, happens. And wherever doors open, open. And wherever doors shut, shut.
“This guy seemed a lot tougher than Eubank would. This was at 154 lbs and was probably was at 165 lbs in the ring so I’ll happily again come up to 160 lbs and smash Eubank.” More