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    Anthony Joshua told to fight underdog former champ who embarrassed him as Deontay Wilder fight hangs in balance

    ANTHONY JOSHUA has been urged to pursue a trilogy fight with a former foe amid the uncertainty over his showdown with Deontay Wilder.Negotiations over the pair’s long-overdue grudge match resumed after AJ sparked out short-notice replacement Robert Helenius last month.
    Anthony Joshua is currently pursuing a showdown with Deontay WilderCredit: PA
    The grudge match with The Bronze Bomber is on a knife edge after Saudi withdrew their interestCredit: GETTY
    Tony Bellew reckons Joshua should have a trilogy fight with two-time foe Andy Ruiz JrCredit: GETTY
    The financial side of the deal has been agreed but a venue is frantically being sought for after Saudi boxing chiefs withdrew their interest.
    Joshua, 33, will pursue an end-of-year return if his proposed January joust with Wilder – which has been over five years in the making – fails to come to fruition.
    And fellow Brit Tony Bellew reckons he should face two-time opponent Andy Ruiz Jr in a tasty rubber match.
    When asked who AJ should fight next, the former WBC cruiserweight champion told Carl Froch: “Andy Ruiz. I like that fight.”
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    Ruiz Jr shocked the world in June 2019 by spectacularly ending Joshua’s first reign as unified heavyweight champion on just five weeks’ notice.
    The Californian knocked AJ down a staggering four times on his way to a seventh-round TKO victory, which saw him become Mexico’s first heavyweight king.
    His reign as champion, however, didn’t last long as a lean and mean Joshua comfortably outboxed him in their rematch six months later.
    Joshua repeatedly rattled Ruiz’s dome with punishing right hands from range in their Saudi showdown, so much so that Bellew believes he’ll stop the American third time around.
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    “I think he pulverises Ruiz this time,” The Bomber said.
    “But I would like to have seen the Dillian Whyte fight, that would have been a very good fight.”
    Bellew hopes a win over Ruiz Jr will put AJ on course for a Battle of Britain with current WBC heavyweight king Tyson Fury
    He said: “But [Tyson] Fury, obviously, that’s the one I really want to see.
    “It’s tough, the heavyweight division isn’t as deep as it should be – there are fringe contenders or you’re not very good.”
    Tony Bellew wants to see Anthony Joshua fight Tyson Fury soonCredit: Getty More

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    I hope Tyson Fury fights Oleksandr Usyk as I’m perfect sparring partner for the Gypsy King

    MOSES ITAUMA wants Tyson Fury to secure the Oleksandr Usyk undisputed decider so he can finally tangle with the giant WBC Gypsy King.The 18-year-old Kent ace is a 6ft 3in heavyweight southpaw just like Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO world champion.
    Heavyweight prospect Moses Itauma wants practice rounds with Tyson FuryCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
    Ituma also wants Fury to take on UsykCredit: Getty
    And Anthony Joshua missed a trick by not having the super-skilled teen as his main sparring partner for both his losses to the 36-year-old leftie.
    But Itauma – who used to travel to Joe Joyce’s gym after school and swap his uniform and classes for gloves and hard rounds – hopes his Frank Warren stablemate will draft him straight in for practice rounds.
    Once Fury comes through his October 28 showbiz-circus bout with Francis Ngannou, the four-belt decider with Usyk should be signed and sealed for Saudi Arabia.
    And fearless Itauma – who has done hundreds of practice rounds with monster punchers like Daniel Dubois and Lawrence Okolie – hopes he gets the invite up to Morecambe after he deals with his fifth pro opponent at Wembley arena on Saturday.
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    “I know everyone wants to see the Fury and Usyk fight for all of the belts but I only really want it so I hopefully get the chance to spar Tyson,” the eager student explained.
    “I’m no help with the Ngannou fight but I do think I am ideal for Usyk so hopefully I get to go up there soon and learn from him.
    “Sparring stories always go around, I can’t complain because a lot of my early praise has come from sparring partners like Okolie, 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.”
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    With so much hype and expectation around Itauma, some fickle casual fight fans have been critical of his last two wins going the distance.
    It’s an identical story to super-lightweight ace Adam Azim who at just 21 is about to fight for the European title in just his 10th pro fight.
    Both prodigious talents are learning on the job and are taking on extremely tough men to get them ready for world title runs eventually.
    “The first opponent who took the distance was a Ukrainian and the guy who Adam Azim just outpointed was Ukrainian too,” Itauma , who will take on Belgium’s Amine “The Beast” Boucetta on Saturday barring any mishaps, rightly pointed out.
    “I take my hat off to anyone who is fighting a Ukrainian right now because, for what they are going through, they have so much to fight for.
    “The Ukrainian boxers right now are fighting for their lives and their homes.
    “People will always talk when you don’t win in spectacular fashion, people think I don’t get it but I do.
    “None of us will ever be perfect, us fighters all speak to each other about it and we all get it.
    “You learn so much more by going the distance, blasting people out in one round looks good but it doesn’t”. More

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    Tyson Fury LEAKS Francis Ngannou’s purse for Saudi showdown just weeks before ex-UFC champ makes boxing debut

    TYSON FURY has seemingly leaked Francis Ngannou’s payday for their controversial crossover clash.The Gypsy King is just over four weeks away from locking horns with the former UFC heavyweight champion in a lucrative ten-round Saudi showdown.
    Francis Ngannou will lock horns with Tyson Fury in a ten-round exhibition next monthCredit: REUTERS
    The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to earn a pretty penny for the fightCredit: GETTY
    Fury claims Ngannou will receive a minimum of £8.1million for their fightCredit: GETTY
    Ngannou bagged the biggest fight of his career a mere six months after seemingly walking away from a guaranteed £6.5million ($8m) to face MMA icon Jon Jones.
    Saudi chiefs have shelled out the big bucks to get Fury and Ngannou to share the ring.
    And Fury claims the Cameroonian clubber will bag a minimum of £8.1million ($10m) as soon as he steps in the ring for their much-maligned desert dust-up.
    The WBC heavyweight champion said: “Everyone said he was an idiot for walking away from the UFC and now all of a sudden he’s a genius, isn’t he?”
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    “Guy’s about to make $10 million (£8.1m). Come on! Egg in their face! Francis is going to make that bag. Rich!”
    Ngannou, 37, will make considerably more than the figure being publicly touted by Fury.
    His guaranteed purse will be topped up by his respective cut of the fight’s pay-per-view sales – as well as sponsorship money.
    The hard-hitting Ngannou goes into his professional boxing debut as a huge underdog.
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    But he’s adamant he’ll shock the world and hand the undefeated Fury his first-ever loss.
    He told The LadBible earlier this year: “He’s a great boxer.
    “One of the best to ever do it. Personally, I think he’s a show guy.
    “He’s a good show guy. He likes to have fun. He’s cool. And what I love about him, he’s a free man. He speaks free. He lives free.
    “He’s not caged. And I like that attitude.
    “Ten years ago, I wasn’t in the picture. Not even in the corner, like a dot. So I have my own chance.” More

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    KSI vows to ruin Tommy Fury’s life and makes rude threat to his dad John ahead of bitter grudge fight

    KSI has vowed to ruin Tommy Fury’s life by handing him a disastrous defeat – while making a rude threat to his dad John. The celebrity boxing stars clash in a massive Battle of Britain bout on October 14 in Manchester.
    KSI has vowed to ruin Tommy Fury’s life by handing him a disastrous defeatCredit: Getty
    John Fury with his son TommyCredit: Rex
    But before the DAZN pay-per-view showdown, KSI was on promotional duty ahead of the next Misfists Boxing event.
    Talk soon turned to the biggest fight of his life and he warned Fury to expect
    KSI said: “I’ve said several stuff to him and he knows that October 14th he’s the b*****d child.
    “He’s the child that no one really cared about in the Fury family and when I come through and knock him out repeatedly, it’s over man.
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    “Like when I literally ruin your life bro, it’s done. And I’ll be the man to do it, and I can’t wait. And I’ll do it with a smile.”
    KSI, 30, was also quick to take aim at Fury’s father and coach John as he added: “Hopefully I’ll get to slap your dad as well after I beat you.
    “Or maybe I’ll slap his t**s. Both t**s. We’ll see anyway.”
    It comes after KSI, Fury and John all bizarrely took their tops off to flex their muscles on a live stream with Adin Ross.
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    Fury, 24, said: “This man is going to get destroyed badly, I’m telling you now. He’s going to get destroyed.”
    Meanwhile KSI – without a top on – yelled: “I want you to see all the abs. Yeah, I see you dieting. You dieting right now, man.
    “Aye, yo how’s the steak, bro? How’s the tiny little ass steak that you’re eating. Bro, I’m f***ing huge.
    “I’m a f***ing athlete. I’m a machine motherf***er.”
    KSI and Tommy Fury face off ahead of their fightCredit: PA More

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    Rising boxing superman asks Conor McGregor to sponsor Dublin homecoming

    PIERCE O’LEARY is appealing to fellow Dubliner Conor McGregor to help him secure a dream homecoming bout.The Notorious MMA superstar sponsored Irish legend Katie Taylor’s Three Arena fight against Chantelle Cameron last May and his new stout brand has backed the Saturday night Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang rematch at Wembley Arena.
    Super-lightweight Dubliner Pierce O’Leary is climbing the rankings and dreaming of an iconic homecoming.Credit: Sportsfile
    Super-lightweight 23-year-old O’Leary is on the London undercard this weekend but a fight at the iconic arena, just a few steps from his family home, is what he keeps dreaming of and he hopes McGregor can assist with.
    “Let’s do Paddy’s Day, March 17, that weekend, let’s give everyone a bit of excitement for that weekend.” he grinned.
    “The Three Arena is 200 yards from my house, I used to do laps around it as a kid to get fit and cut weight.
    “Katie Taylor has got boxing back in there now, her fans packed it out from 5:30pm and that gives me hope I can get there soon.
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    “I am reaching out to Conor and the Forged Stout company to sponsor a show there for us.
    “Conor is an honourable man and when I have a bad day I watch loads of old Conor McGregor fights and footage, it helps me when I am alone in training camps over here in London away from my family.
    “A lot of my girlfriend’s family, cousins and uncles, are close friends with Conor so it would be great to work together on something back in Dublin.”
    O’Leary was a decorated amateur and could very comfortably still be living at home with his partner and three-year-old daughter while he adds to his undefeated early record.
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    But he has dragged himself away to set up a tough solitary existence in a lonely flat close to trainer Al Smith’s excellent i-box gym in Bromley.
    Zoom calls home can be torturous for the dedicated daddy but he believes he is toughening himself up now for the challenges to come.
    “I think I am building the hardship,” he said.
    “I want to have a different mentality to everybody else, when the going gets tough I still want to be hanging in there.
    “Everytime I leave my family it feels like I am being stabbed with a sword and as it’s pulled out I am deflated.
    “Every moment is sink-or-swim for me, Al has to throw me out of the gym every day and tell me to stop training.
    “But this is my work ethic, I am not going to leave my family – who depend on me – to come over here and mess about.
    “I am regimented, I am away from all distractions, I am lucky to have great grandparents on both sides back home helping with my daughter.”
    Conor McGregor has sponsored a few boxing events recently and could add to that with Pierce O’LearyCredit: Instagram @ebaniebridges
    O’Leary’s dashing good looks, designer spectacles and superpower have his manager Francis Warren plotting a Superman-style ring walk soon, complete with a flowing cape.
    But the down-to-earth fighter feels like unnecessary attention is his kryptonite and hopes to laugh off the gimmick.
    “I am telling you we are not doing it,” he laughed.
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    “It keeps getting mentioned but it’s not my character. I don’t mind keeping my glasses on for the weigh-in scales but that’s all I need.
    “If it really works for the media, then maybe but I don’t like messing around, these fights are where I earn my dough, how I feed my family, so there is no messing around for me.” More

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    CBS Sports star Kate Abdo spars with Deontay Wilder’s coach leaving him in awe of her hips and heavy hands

    KATE ABDO left Deontay Wilder’s coach Malik Scott hailing her hips and power after the pair trained together.Abdo has presented boxing for Fox and DAZN but she proved she can do more than just talk the talk.
    Kate Abdo training with Deontay Wilder’s coach Malik ScottCredit: INSTAGRAM @KATEABDO
    Abdo’s power was hailed by ScottCredit: INSTAGRAM @KATEABDO
    The CBS Sports star has been training with Scott in the famous Brickhouse Boxing Club in North Hollywood.
    And the trainer – who currently works with ex-heavyweight champion Wilder – was left mightily impressed.
    Scott, 42, said on talkSPORT: “She’s much better than I give her credit for every day.
    “I’m like hard on Kate at times, with the training but for her size she’s extremely heavy-handed.
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    “She has a very good right hand, she turns her hips very well.”
    Abdo, 42, has been in the house for some of boxing biggest bouts Stateside over the last few years and clearly it has paid off.
    Scott added: “What I’m impressed with the most is she’s a sponge for knowledge.
    “She’s not one of these people that has this type of certain job but don’t actually want to be in the mix of boxing – and not just from behind the mic.
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    “She wants to be in the gym, she wants to ask questions, she wants to film study, she wants to know what fight is next.
    “If you ask me, that’s more important than the physical aspect. Someone that wants to know the language, the real language of boxing, just not from a casual stand point.
    “She materialised that over into the physical and we go hard four or five days out the week.”
    Despite the praise, Abdo admitted she cannot always duck out of constructive criticism from Scott.
    She said: “He’ll tell me I have slow feet!”
    Abdo has worked at some of boxing’s biggest fightsCredit: Alamy
    Abdo on stage with Tyson Fury and Deontay WilderCredit: Getty More

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    Elle Brooke poses completely naked with just boxing belt to cover modesty after gatecrashing Misfits boxing face-off

    ELLE BROOKE has wowed fans by posing with a boxing belt completely naked.The OnlyFans star has become one of the most recognisable faces in the influencer boxing scene.
    Elle Brooke has posed naked with the Misfits Boxing beltCredit: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbledong/
    She also matched the belt with some pink pantsCredit: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbledong/
    She shared the snaps on InstagramCredit: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbledong/
    Elle has almost 800k followers on the platformCredit: https://www.instagram.com/thedumbledong/
    Elle, 25, regularly stuns her fans with her glamorous pictures and has built up a large online following.
    Now she has done it again as she posed with the Misfits Boxing belt.
    In one image, Elle lay on a bed naked with the belt as the only item covering her modesty.
    In the other snaps, she matched the pink belt with some knickers as she sat up on the bed.
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    The pictures come after she was dragged off a stage during a Misfits boxing press conference that she gatecrashed.
    Her fans loved the pictures posted to Instagram as they flocked to the comment section.
    One fan gushed: “You go champ.”
    A second commented: “Fricking queen yesss🫶🏻🫶🏻.”
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    Elle is one of the most recognisable faces in influencer boxingCredit: Instagram / @thedumbledong
    She is also an OnlyFans starCredit: INSTAGRAM
    A third wrote: “You are perfect.”
    A fourth said: “Well done beautiful.”
    A fifth added: “Look beautiful.”
    Another pined: “She’s the champion of everything.”
    She regularly posts sexy snaps to the delight of her fansCredit: twitter @ellebrookUK
    Elle also shared another social media post in which she showed off the belt.
    She said: “Finally, I am the rightful owner of this. This belongs to me.”
    Elle recently earned praise from fans for showing off her bum on a motorcycle.
    She also wowed others as she donned a barely-there bikini, cowboy hat and boots.
    The influencer has recently been on holiday in Mexico. More

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    Who is Prichard Colon and what happened to him?

    PRICHARD “Digget” Colon Melendez is a former Puerto Rican boxing WBC World Champion.The impressive boxer was a respected superwelterweight, claiming victory at his opening 16 professional fights and headed for a promising career.
    Prichard Colon exchanged punches with Terrel Williams in the 2015 fight that would sadly leave him with life-changing injuriesCredit: Getty
    Who is Prichard Colon?
    Prichard Colon Melendez was born on September 19, 1992, in Maitland, Florida, but moved to Puerto Rico at the age of 10 to represent the island in competitions.
    He also studied Business Administration at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan.
    The rising star earned the nickname “Digget”, which comes from the word “digger”, due to his 6ft height.
    He is an honorary WBC World Champion and bagged a gold medal in the 64kg category at the 2010 Pan American Youth Championship.

    During his amateur career, Colon won five national championships in both the 141 and 152-pound divisions.
    By the end of his amateur fights, he had a staggering 170-15 record behind him.
    Colon turned professional in 2012 and boxed his way to glory in his first 16 fights, before losing one and drawing another.
    He was known for his fast-paced career, jumping into the ring five times in 2013, and a whopping seven times in 2014.
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    The fight that put him on the map came in 2015 when he went up against more experienced fighter, Vivian Harris.
    Colon knocked Harris out in the fourth round.
    This impressive record set the 31-year-old up for a promising career in the sport.
    What happened to Prichard Colon?
    Just months after his victory against Harris, Colon boxed Terrel Williams.
    The fight had not been scheduled but went ahead due to another boxer, Andre Dirrell, cancelling his fight with Blake Caparello.
    In the ninth round, Colon was hit repeatedly in the back of the head by Williams, which is illegal in the high-risk sport.
    When Colon protested to the referee he was allegedly told: “You take care of it.”
    Shortly afterward, Colon collapsed to the shock of his fans, after leading in the first five rounds.
    He complained about feeling dizzy and nauseous but continued to throw punches after the ringside doctor deemed him fit to go on.
    The young athlete vomited and collapsed in the dressing room afterwards before being rushed to hospital.
    What was Prichard Colon’s diagnosis?
    The boxer was diagnosed with a bleed on the brain, more specifically a left-sided subdural haematoma measuring 1.5cm wide.
    He underwent a complex emergency hemicraniectomy to reduce brain swelling and clear the haematoma.
    Colon remained in a coma for 221 days, but is now awake and slowly recovering.
    In 2021, the World Boxing Council (WBC) released a statement about Colon’s surgery.
    The WBC told Boxing Insider: “In recent weeks it was found a collapse of his skull was pressing on the brain, for which a fragment had to be removed to be replaced by a plate.
    “Fortunately, the operation went well.”
    Who are Prichard Colon’s parents?
    His parents are mom Nieves, a retired waitress, and Richard Colon, a retired serviceman.
    Nieves regularly provides updates on YouTube on the boxer’s progress.
    She recently posted a video celebrating the former boxer’s 31st birthday.
    Colon is seen smiling in response to his cake, and he was also gifted a signed boxing glove from rapper Daddy Yankee.
    Fans reacted to the heartwarming clip by offering up well wishes for his birthday and his recovery.
    In February 2023, the devoted mother posted a video titled “Prichard Colon-Melendez 5K run for the woods” which showed Colon on a trail in a specially adapted mobility chair.
    Another clip showed him standing with support.
    In 2017 the devastated parents filed a lawsuit seeking damages from the ringside doctor and the promoters of the fight for more than $50million.
    In 2021, promoters DiBella Entertainment and Headbangers, Inc, were dismissed from the suit.
    As of April 2023, the lawsuit has not yet been settled.
    Where is Prichard Colon now?
    Colon’s recovery is being handled by specialists at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Orange Park, Florida, reports thenetline.com.
    It is unclear how much the former sportsman will recover but so far he is showing good progress.
    In June 2021 Nieves posted to Facebook updates of her son’s progress and thanked people for their prayers and support.
    She said: “God bless you lots of blessings.”
    Prichard Colon celebrates after defeating Daniel Calzada in a TKO during the Premier Boxing Champions Junior Middleweight bout at Barclays Center on April 11, 2015Credit: Getty
    What did Deontay Wilder say about Prichard Colon?
    Deontay Wilder discussed the dangers of boxing in a press conference in October 2022 after his fight with Robert Helenius.
    The Bronze Bomber broke down and cried when discussing Colon at his post-fight presser.
    The boxer had just won the fight in New York with a first-round KO of Helenius.
    Talk Sport reported he said: “Look at Colon, Prichard Colon.
    “This man didn’t have no kids – –
    “Y’all don’t f****** understand what we go through man.
    “And I don’t even know him like that, but I’ll always be an advocate for us.
    “This man will never know what it feels like to be somebody’s father and that’s the most precious thing in the world to be somebody’s father.
    “But he’ll never be nobody’s father man.
    “This man will never have a natural living again because he got in the ring to support his family.
    “Now his family have gotta take care of him for the rest of his life.”
    This comes as Tyson Fury has taken credit for Deontay Wilder’s emotional post-fight speech after beating Robert Helenius.
    Fury, who drew and twice knocked out Wilder, reacted by suggesting he was the one who humbled his heavyweight rival.
    He told True Geordie: “Maybe I knocked a bit of sense into him and maybe he’s been humbled from the three beatings I gave the sucker.
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    “He’s a former knockout victim of the Gypsy King.”
    Meanwhile, Dillian Whyte slammed Wilder and accused him of fake crying after his fight with Helenius. More