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      World champion boxer, 34, relinquishes title after ‘cold notification with arguments too ridiculous to discuss’

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      DAVID BENAVIDEZ has been crowned the WBC light-heavyweight champion – without even throwing a punch.It comes after WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman lashed out at Dmitry Bivol for vacating the 175lb belt. Dmitry Bivol has vacated the WBC light-heavyweight titleCredit: GettyDavid Benavidez has been crowned the new WBC light-heavyweight championCredit: @benavidez300Sulaiman posted: “I have just received a cold and impersonal notification from Dmitry Bivol lawyer, Patrick English, with arguments that are so ridiculous that I rather not discuss informing the WBC that Dmitry Bivol has decided to relinquish his WBC light heavyweight championship. “We wish Bivol success and hereby confirm David Benavidez as WBC world light heavyweight champion.” Bivol won the WBC belt – along with the undisputed WBA, IBF and WBO belts – in February following rematch victory over Artur Beterbiev. And with the two Russian rivals tied at one apiece, the trilogy decider looked destined to settle the score. READ MORE IN BOXINGBut the WBC mandated Bivol to defend his title against unbeaten American Benavidez – or else lose the strap. So 28-year-old Benavidez was elevated from interim champ to the full world title – without having to fight for it. He posted on Instagram: “Just got the news that Bivol decided to vacate his title, instead of fighting me. “Now that makes me the WBC world champion at light heavyweight. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”This is not the ideal way for me to become world champion but nevertheless I am now the WBC light heavyweight champion of the world, and I intend on putting the best fights.” Benavidez – who is 30-0 with 24 knockouts – twice held the WBC super-middleweight world title. Jarrell Miller ‘loses it’ as he SLAPS Fabio Wardley after accusing him of making diss track at first press conference And he moved up to light-heavyweight and beat David Morrell in February to also claim the WBA “interim” title. Powerful Saudi Arabian powerbroker Turki Alalshikh fronted the money for Bivol, 34, and Beterbiev, 40, to fight in two instant classics. But he publicly opted out of bidding for the right to stage a fight between Bivol and Benavidez. He told Ring Magazine, which he now owns: “I am no longer interested in Bivol-Benavidez and I will not bid on it. “I think Bivol knows who has delivered for him and who hasn’t. My advice to Bivol: don’t be late because every day something changes.”Bivol beat Artur Beterbiev in their rematchCredit: Getty More

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      ‘He has to know that’ – Chris Eubank Jr’s former trainer reveals what Conor Benn must do to win grudge fight

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      CONOR BENN has been given a word of advice by Chris Eubank Jr’s former coach heading into their grudge fight.The born rivals renew their family feud and look to settle their own score on April 26 at Tottenham’s stadium. Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn facing offCredit: GettyEubank with former coach Roy Jones JrCredit: GettyThey were due to first fight in October 2022 – until Benn’s two failed drug tests saw the 157lb catchweight clash scrapped. At the time, Eubank was coached by boxing great Roy Jones Jr but they parted ways after his January 2023 loss to Liam Smith. And Jones said on the George Groves Boxing Club: “Chris learned in the Liam Smith fight that you can’t understimate nobody. “Liam Smith was not known as a knockout puncher and he got a win over Chris. READ MORE IN BOXING”That woke him up and prepared him for this fight. He takes his lesson and applies it to this fight, he’ll be fine.“Conor, on the other hand, has to take a page out of his dad’s book. The only way he’s gonna beat Eubank is if he’s flat on his back.“‘I’m not gonna outbox him, he’s bigger than me. I can’t move around and stay away from him cause he’s the bigger guy. “‘I can’t let the bigger guy stop me. I have to stop him, because my family’s known for punching power. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”‘I’ve got to be true to the sport, my goal is to land a big left hook, or overhand right.’“He has to know that. Chris’ job is to just go out there and be Chris, but Conor has to try to gamble and make something happen.”Chris Eubank Jr abruptly walks out of Piers Morgan interview after awkward exchange with TV hostEubank avenged his loss to Smith with a tenth-round stoppage seven months later and most recently beat Kamil Szeremeta last October. Benn meanwhile took his career to American for two wins at the 154lb light-middleweight limit. But he later saw his provisional UK Anti-Doping ban lifted – bringing and to his doping saga. He is now free to fight on a British Boxing Board of Control licence again having protested his innocence throughout. But Eubank, 35, is not buying it and slapped Benn, 28, with an EGG at their pre-fight press conference. It was in reference to the WBC infamously suggesting Benn’s positive test for clomifene could have been down to egg consumption. Read More on The SunAnd Eubank told Ariel Helwani: “I bought the cheapest, oldest, crustiest eggs I could find from the worst store I could find. “That’s what this kid deserves, the worst of the worst.”Eubank slapping Benn with an eggCredit: Getty More

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      Shocking moment Jake Paul drops 20 STONE heavyweight as fans say he would ‘end Anthony Joshua’s career’

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      FOOTAGE has emerged of Jake Paul dropping a heavyweight in sparring – off the heels of his talks to fight Anthony Joshua.YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul brazenly called out two-time heavyweight champion AJ on his podcast. Footage has emerged of Jake Pau dropping a heavyweight in sparringThe sparring came before his fight with Mike TysonAnd the two later shared a phone call and struck a shock agreement to fight in 2026. Amid the unlikely negotiations between the pair, footage uploaded on social media showed Paul dropping a heavyweight sparring partner. In the short clip, the American floors his sparring partner with an overhand right – leaving fans divided. One said: “Please put him there with AJ so he can end AJ’s career.”READ MORE IN BOXINGAnother added: “Jake Paul showing his power.”One argued: “It’s sparring. Happens to and from everyone.”Another slammed: “Of course he dropped him look where his left hand is at.”Despite the clip only just resurfacing, it comes from a video uploaded to Paul’s YouTube channel in November before his fight against Mike Tyson. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSAnd SunSport can reveal the sparring partner in question is DeAndre Savage – who is 10-0 all by knockout. He is known to fight anywhere around the 265lb-300lb mark (18st 9lb-21st 4lb) and spent a couple weeks in Paul’s Puerto Rico camp last year. Anthony Joshua vs Jake Paul is ‘five times’ bigger than Tyson Fury boutAnd 34-year-old Savage – who is ranked by the WBA – was forced to admit to being dropped by Paul. He told Pro Boxing Fans: “Yeah, that was me. “Jake caught me with a good right hand and I just went down to my knee and got back up. That was it.”Paul, 28, bulked up to 16st 2lb as a heavyweight for the first time for his controversial fight with Tyson, who came out of retirement aged 58. He won an eight-round decision with over 100 MILLION watching on Netflix – despite the scrutiny surrounding the age gap. But Paul was preparing to move back down to the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb to face Canelo Alvarez in his return. Talks were advanced for a May 3 mega-fight in Las Vegas – until Canelo walked away from the deal to instead sign with Saudi’s Turki Alalshikh. So Paul was forced to go back to the drawing board and called out Joshua, 35, who is yet to return since his KO loss to Daniel Dubois, 27, in September. And Paul’s promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian claimed the fight is “100 per cent realistic” for next year. Bidarian told SunSport: “Jake realises he needs some more in-ring experience to be in the best position to hold his own against Anthony Joshua. “So we’re not rushing into a fight against Joshua. We’re not financially dependent on Jake having a fight against Anthony Joshua for 2025 for our business to flourish.”We’re gonna do at least two Jake Paul fights in 2025, and then we’ll definitely sit down with the appropriate parties to look at Jake Paul versus Anthony Joshua in 2026.”Bidarian revealed Paul is also targeting up to three bouts in 2026. He said: “We’re actively working on putting together Jake’s fight for this summer. And we’ll announce it as soon as we’re ready.Read More on The Sun”And then we’re actively working on figuring out Jake’s next fight – call it October to December time frame.”So the plan is for Jake to fight twice in 2025 and two to three times in 2026.”Anthony Joshua pictured with Jake Paul in 2022 More

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      KSI, 31, issues worrying statement on health battle and gives major update on boxing career after latest fight collapse

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      KSI has thrown his boxing future into doubt by refusing to confirm whether he will retire or not.The YouTuber-turned-boxer was set to return to the ring on March 29 in Manchester against Dillon Danis. KSI has thrown his boxing future into doubtBut he pulled out due to illness with just a week to go and vowed to reschedule the Misfits Boxing bout. However, there has been no sign of a new date and KSI emotionally refused to rule out the idea of retiring from boxing. He said on his YouTube channel: “When I told Mams [Taylor] and everybody else that I wasn’t going to be able to do this fight, I broke down.”I was there crying in my room because I felt I let everybody down. I know how the internet works, I know how this game goes.READ MORE IN BOXING”If I tried to fight and got into the ring and had a s*** performance, no one would care that I was sick.”My boxing career since I have come back has been problem after problem, and just being unlucky over and over again.”And it is a shame. The amount of stress I have gone through over the last few years. Even with Misfits in general, it’s been stressful.“I feel like I’ve aged in these two and a half years of Misfits being created.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”So, where am I in terms of Boxing? I don’t know. Am I going to retire? I don’t know. Am I going to fight again? I don’t know.”It marks the second pay-per-view fight in a row that KSI has had to withdraw from. Watch the moment BGT’s terrified KSI discovers who tormented him in creepy audition – and it’s someone close to homeHe was due to face YouTuber Slim Albaher and MMA fighter Anthony Taylor in a two-on-one HANDICAP bout last August. But KSI pulled out with an injured hand before scheduling his return against Danis, who is 2-0 in MMA and lost his boxing debut to Logan Paul in 2023. KSI revealed he picked up a viral infection in training and was taking antibiotics. But Danis trolled his rival after footage appeared to show KSI at an Usher concert at the O2 on the night their fight was set to take place. Danis, 31, posted online: “KSI canceled the fight to go to an Usher concert. I’m done.”KSI, 31, is yet to return since suffering his first defeat in the ring, losing a controversial decision to Tommy Fury, 25, in October 2025. Meanwhile Danis now looks set to focus on his MMA return against Tony Ferguson in May. KSI was probed on his boxing future while commentating on Ballers League in a live stream. Read More on The SunAnd he said: “I don’t need to fight, if we’re being honest. Do I really need to fight? Is money low? “Is there a fight that really needs to happen? ‘But Jake Paul.’ Well, I don’t think that’s ever going to happen so besides that what else is there?” KSI has yet to reschedule his fight with Dillon DanisCredit: PA More

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      Jarrell Miller ‘loses it’ as he SLAPS Fabio Wardley after accusing him of making diss track at first press conference

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      JARRELL MILLER has slapped Fabio Wardley at their first press conference.Big Baby is set to fight huge Ipswich Town fan Wardley at Portman Road on June 7.Jarrell Miller slapped Fabio Wardley during the press conferenceMiller had to be restrained by staffCredit: PAMiller makes a gun gesture towards Wardley’s headCredit: PAWardley, 30, and Miller, 36, met at the home of the Tractor Boys earlier today for their first presser.The British star arrived decked out in an Ipswich shirt.American Miller, meanwhile, wore the jersey of Town’s big rivals Norwich City in a bid to wind Wardley up.As proceedings progressed, however, it was Miller who appeared more and more irate.READ MORE IN SPORTThings reached a boiling point when Big Baby accused Wardley of making a song about him.He said: “We are cut from different cloths. I was being really respectful, then he made a r***** a**** diss song ‘Big Baby Killer’.”Where I come from, that is a death threat. I’m running you down, I’m coming to your face, plain and simple. I’m going to f*** you up.”Wearing a confused expression, Wardley replied: “I don’t know what song you’re taking about.”Most read in BoxingBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UKBoth men were held back as chaos ensuedCredit: PAAs the Brit continued to deny it, Miller grew more and more frustrated.He fumed: “Say one time, Big Baby killer, I dare you.Fabio Wardley destroys Frazer Clarke as he mangles opponents jaw in astonishing first round KO”That’s what fat kids do, they make tracks. I press people. Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua, I pressed them.”I go to people’s gyms and whip their a****. The only person who got over on me was Dubois because I took it on short notice.”F*** him, you’re making a diss track about Big Baby killer, where I come from, it is a death threat.”The huge heavyweight appeared to make a gun gesture towards Wardley’s head, before slapping out at him.At this point chaos descended, with several members of staff keeping the two fighters separated.The press conference then ended without a customary face-off between the two fighters.Wardley, 30, is a huge Ipswich Town fanCredit: Getty More

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      Frank Warren claims Joe Joyce ‘needs to have a serious think’ about retiring with risk of ‘consequences down the road’

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      FRANK WARREN says Joe Joyce needs to consider retirement for the sake of his long-term health after another punishing loss.The 39-year-old Putney heavyweight lost a unanimous decision to Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic, 32, on Saturday night in Manchester.Frank Warren says Joe Joyce needs to consider retirementCredit: GettyJoyce was beaten over 12 rounds by Filip HrgovicCredit: ReutersThere was no shame in the defeat but it was another ten-round exhibition of Joyce’s steadfast determination to use his own face as his only defence.And promoter Warren — who guided The Juggernaut to excellent wins over Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker — is now concerned what permanent damage defeats to Zhilei Zhang, Derek Chisora and now Hrgovic has done.The Queensberry promoter said: “Joe needs to have a serious think about his future “There’s no rush but that is what he has to do now.“He will want to fight, I know he will, but he needs to sit down with his family and have a real serious think about the future, because it will not be an easy road back for him. Whatever he does, we will support him.READ MORE IN BOXING“But, in boxing, as you get older — and you fight the way Joe does — you have to think about what the consequences could be down the road. “He’s a lovely man, one of the best people I have ever worked with And I just want the best for him now.”Worryingly Joyce, who also did thousands of explosive and gruelling rounds with Anthony Joshua when they were on Team GB, is already thinking about his next fight.He said: “I am still enjoying what I am doing and I feel good. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“A lot of people want to see me fight Dillian Whyte, so I will reflect on this fight, with my team, and see what’s coming next. I will reflect and come back.”But ringside pundit and former British super-middleweight champion Paul Smith pleaded with Joyce to hang up his gloves. My dad is Coronation Street legend Des Barnes – now I’ve swapped acting for pro boxingHe said: “I hope I never see Joe Joyce in a boxing ring again.“I felt uncomfortable watching that because this is an unforgiving sport and it’s his health we are all worried about. “I am not being cruel to him but I didn’t like what I saw in there. It was an entertaining fight but only because of how many shots Joe takes and just keeps going.“In boxing you need people around you who care about you and love you, who will say ‘no more’ because you have got to think about your long-term health.”But he refused to retireCredit: PA More

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      Josh Warrington reveals how fans who called him a w***** spurred boxer to retirement U-turn

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      JOSH WARRINGTON will keep fighting for the fans — even those who think he is a w****r.The 34-year-old Leeds legend laid down his gloves after a third consecutive defeat — this time against Anthony Cacace at Wembley Stadium — in September.Josh Warrington will keep fighting for the fans — even those who think he is a w****rCredit: GettyFollowing previous losses to Luis Alberto Lopez and Leigh Wood, the two-time featherweight world champ felt he had reached the end of the Elland Road.But, after a couple of strong gym sessions — and a scan of his X-rated social messages — the latest comeback starts on April 19 against Asad Khan.The Yorkshire hero said: “Something was missing in that last performance.“I told my dad, in my corner, that ten per cent or so just wasn’t there.READ MORE IN BOXING“When I laid down my gloves, I meant it.“I went back in the gym to help a mate and things started to click again.“Then I checked social media, expecting the worst, but I had nothing but support and backing.“Some people even wrote, ‘I have always thought you are a w****r but don’t retire yet, you’ve got loads left to give’.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“I don’t need to retire on a win or a world title.“I need to retire after a performance I can be proud of, one that my fans deserve, after so many years of backing me”I need to retire on my terms. And I will — w* or not.”Josh Warrington’s top-flight boxing career ends after suffering his third fight on the spin More

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      Filip Hrgovic outclasses Joe Joyce in unanimous decision win to leave Brit on brink of retirement

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      JOE JOYCE is finished as a top-tier heavyweight after another punishing defeat to Filip Hrgovic.The 39-year-old Putney man is too tough and decent and brave to keep taking these beatings.Joe Joyce took a pummelling as he was well beaten by Filip HrgovicCredit: GettyThe ace’s time as a top-tier heavyweight is overCredit: GettyHrgovic won on points in a one-sided clashCredit: ReutersJoyce could not keep up with the Croatian’s paceCredit: ReutersAnd he is showing signs of decline which people around him must now address before it is too late.The judges called it: 97-93, 96-95 and 98-92, confirming the fourth loss in five bouts for Joyce, who needs firm but fair advice.Joyce was slow and hittable from the opening Manchester bell, getting tagged from the off.Hrgovic, 32, couldn’t miss with almost every punch he threw but it was the Croatian bookies’ favourite who was cut over his left eye.READ MORE IN BOXINGJoyce’s punch-eating hobby was evident again in the second, when Hrgovic was free to ping his braided skull.But Hrgovic  – whose only previous loss came on cuts against Daniel Dubois – was leaking blood again at an alarming rate.Slow Joe woke up in round three and showed some of his 2016 Olympic silver pedigree.But Hrgovic’s hands were too fast and accurate for our Brit in the fourth.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERSAfter hopes of early KO faded, a quick exit became the second-best outcome but the 10-round fight trudged into the second half.Hrgovic looked deflated and defeated by the start of round eight, after hitting Joyce with his best shots and not making a dent.Boxer flips table as Joe Joyce vs Filip Hrgovic press conference descends into chaos Joyce was battered at the end of round eight but his freakishly tough skull helped him survive again.And the West Londoner was peppered again in the ninth, after his woeful coach insisted he “stop overthinking things”.And the Englishman was smacked and slapped again in the final session, when it had already become hard to watch and only the visitor celebrated at the final bell.After the fight, even Joyce’s own promoter Frank Warren urged him to “have a serious think about his future”.The Queensbury chief said: “Joe has got to go and have a serious think about the future.”He’ll sit down and have a think and we’ll plan for the future whatever he decides.”But when asked about retirement, Joyce joked: “Are you not entertained? It was a good fight and it was tough.”He’s a great fighter, he’s been doing it a long time.”Meanwhile Hrgovic had his sights set on a rematch with IBF champ Daniel Dubois.Read More on The SunThe Croat said: “This guy beat Dubois and I beat him so I want a rematch with Daniel Dubois.”I did really bad in my last fight but congrats to him and he did a great job in his last fight. Of course I want to rematch him one day.” More