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    Tyson Fury’s dad urges fans to get behind Anthony Joshua and wants British super-fight after Oleksandr Usyk unification

    ANTHONY JOSHUA has received shock support from Tyson Fury’s dad John – who is still holding out for a super-fight with his son. Joshua returns on April 1 against Jermaine Franklin following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
    John Fury has urged fans to get behind Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty
    Anthony Joshua returns on April 1Credit: Rex
    It has left AJ out of the title picture and fighting to revive his career, while Fury is in talks to unify the belts against Usyk.
    But his dad John urged British fans to get behind Joshua, 33, so he can bounce back and set up the bout the nation wants most.
    He told The Express, via Free Bets: “Listen, AJ’s a great kid, fans shouldn’t be turning against him and if they’re, then it’s wrong.
    “AJ has given the public some great nights and they should support the man.
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    “Let me tell you this, the best is yet to come from AJ, so the fans should get behind him and let’s get him back to winning ways again and make the super fight once Tyson is done with the Ukrainian rabbit.
    “It’s the biggest fight in boxing, absolutely. It’s bigger than Usyk. Joshua and Tyson is still a great fight.
    “So, I urge fans, get behind the man don’t kick him when he’s down.”
    Fury, 34, is still in talks to face Usyk, 36, on April 29 at Wembley, which would be the first four-belt unification in heavyweight history.
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    Meanwhile, weeks beforehand Joshua returns against American Franklin, 29, who was beaten by Dillian Whyte, 34, in November.
    It is the first step in AJ’s confidence-building comeback but John is no fan of the choice of opponent.
    He said: “If his name was Anthony Fury, he’d be selling them out, wouldn’t he? But unfortunately, his name is Anthony Joshua and it’s a s*** fight.
    “I’m only being honest. You know, who knows Jermaine Franklin over here? He’s a good fighter but he’s got no name and it’s a D-level fight.”
    Anthony Joshua, Eddie Hearn and Jermaine FranklinCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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    Anthony Joshua training harder for Jermaine Franklin fight than Oleksandr Usyk clash ahead of ring return

    ANTHONY JOSHUA is training even harder for the fight against Jermaine Franklin than he did for the bout versus Oleksandr Usyk.The 33-year-old London 2012 legend lost his WBA, IBF and WBO world titles to the Ukraine ace in 2021 and failed to regain them with a much-improved 2022 rematch performance.
    Anthony Joshua [left] will not underestimate Jermaine Franklin [right]Credit: Alamy
    Oleksandr Usyk beat Anthony Joshua twiceCredit: PA
    The rebuild begins at the O2 on April 1 and AJ admits he would be a fool to ever underestimate an opponent again.
    He said “I have to take Franklin even more seriously than I did Usyk.
    “Not comparing them, but now I just know better.
    “What I went through and how I trained was not enough, so I now know that I have to put even more pressure on myself to perform better.
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    “As long as I am fighting, I am going to have this level of self-expectation to improve as a fighter.
    “I know Jermaine Franklin is working in the trenches right now, so I have to remember that this is still a real fight.
    “Just because Jermaine Franklin is not yet a big-name brand, it does not mean he cannot perform.”
    New trainer Derrick James, who is rebuilding AJ at his Dallas gym, has been impressed with everything he has seen from his new student.
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    James said: “The first thing I noticed was his athleticism and how fast he is.
    “He’s a real guy, genuine and cool to be around. I told him at the start I would not be his cheerleader and he has never had a problem with that.” More

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    Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang: Date, UK start time, live stream, TV channel and undercard for big heavyweight fight

    JOE JOYCE is back in heavyweight action as he faces Chinese heavyweight Zhilei Zhang next. The Juggernaut hasn’t been in the ring since he dismantled Joseph Parker in 11 rounds back in their September slugfest.
    Joyce is undefeated but is still looking for his first world title shotCredit: Getty
    Zhang has only lost once as a professional against Filip HrgovicCredit: Getty
    Undefeated as a pro and with some beefy names on his resume, Joyce is still looking for his first world title shot.
    And he’s set to wait a little longer as he faces all-action fighter Zhang at the Copper Box in London.
    The winner, however, is expected to be ordered by the WBO to face the winner of Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk.
    With Zhang standing in Joyce’s way, the Putney man will have to be switched on if he wants to compete for his first world honours as a pro.
    When is Joyce vs Zhang?
    Joyce’s clash with Zhang will take place on Saturday, April 15.
    The main card gets underway from 7pm, with ring-walks for the main event expected at around 10pm UK time.
    Joyce vs Zhang will be held at the Copper Box Arena in London.
    What channel is it and can it be live streamed?
    Joyce vs Zhang will be shown live on BT Sport 1 in the UK.
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    You can live stream the action from the BT Sport app, which is available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
    Joyce vs Zhang full card

    Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang
    Mikael Mayer vs. Christina Linardatou
    Denzel Bentley vs. Kieran Smith
    Dennis McCann vs. TBA
    Sam Noakes vs. TBA
    Eithan James vs. TBA
    Sonny Liston Ali vs. TBA
    Joel Kodua vs. TBA

    What has been said?
    “He bangs so I will have to watch out for it,” Joyce said. “As Hrgovic and I have a similar style, they had a great fight, so when we fight it should be entertaining.
    “It will be carnage in the centre of the ring! I have lost my temper a few times in sparring and once was against a come-forward southpaw who was trying to knock me out. It was an exciting spar.
    “I think with me and Zhang there will be real heavy punches exchanged and I am sure it will be a good fight.”
    “I am always up for the challenge and when the opportunity rings the bell,” Zhang said.
    “Joe Joyce and I share a lot in common – we both are Olympic silver medalists, both are big punchers, and are nearly the same size. This is going to be an explosive, epic and tremendous fight.” More

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    Oleksandr Usyk’s wife sends chilling warning to Tyson Fury on Instagram ahead of world title fight

    OLEKSANDR USYK’S wife has sent a bold message to Tyson Fury ahead of his undisputed clash with her husband.Fury, 34, and Usyk, 36, are trying to finalise a fight for all four world title belts at Wembley Stadium on April 29.
    Tyson Fury is expected to face Oleksandr Usyk nextCredit: PA
    Yekaterina Usyk has sent a chilling message to FuryCredit: Instagram
    This is the meme Yekaterina has shared on social mediaCredit: Twitter / MichaelBensonn
    But while the finer details are sorted out between both teams, Usyk’s partner Yekaterina posted a chilling Instagram story addressing Fury.
    Yekaterina, who has three children with Usyk – Kyrylo, Mykhalio and Yelizaveta – shared a boxing meme showing four doors with British boxers on the front of each.
    Usyk, pictured as the grim reaper, has opened three of the doors with Tony Bellew, Derek Chisora and Anthony Joshua behind them.
    And trails of blood depict his victories over them – which came between 2018 and 2022.
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    There is then one final door with Fury’s face on it that Usyk is shown to be knocking on.
    However, the door remains closed, perhaps signifying that the Ukrainian is still waiting for Fury to accept the fight.
    Usyk retained his undisputed cruiserweight crown by knocking out Bellew in 2018.
    He then moved to heavyweight and won by unanimous decision against Chisora.
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    🥊 Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
    Next, the Olympic gold medallist went and challenged Joshua in London for three versions of the heavyweight crown.
    And he outboxed the Brit to become a two-weight world champion, before defending them successfully against AJ in Saudi Arabia in August.
    But many still argue Fury is the best in the division following his wins over Wladimir Klitschko, Deontay Wilder, Chisora and Dillian Whyte.

    Usyk and Fury are set to meet for the undisputed crown this yearCredit: Getty More

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    Tyson Fury’s trainer SugarHill Steward flies to UK and links up with Gypsy King for Oleksandr Usyk training camp

    SUGARHILL STEWARD has jetted into the UK to link up with Tyson Fury for his fight camp ahead of the clash with Oleksandr Usyk.The Gypsy King, who holds the WBC title, has vowed to end his reign of online terror by going on a social media blackout after declaring that the unification bout is ON.
    Tyson Fury and SugarHill Steward have linked back up ahead of the Oleksandr Usyk fightCredit: Alamy
    The Gypsy King posted this snap of them together earlier today in MorecambeCredit: Instagram
    The unbeaten champions have been going back and forth on Instagram, seemingly negotiating their title unification in the open.
    And Usyk’s team believe they have called Fury’s bluff by accepting his “greedy” offer of 70/30 to fight on April 29 at Wembley.
    The Ukrainian’s camp even doubt whether the undisputed title decider will go ahead as the clock ticks on.
    But Fury, 34, has attempted to ease up on Usyk, 36, and cool concerns as he promised to focus solely on training and not trash-talking.
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    He has now started training for the showdown with the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine champ in his hometown of Morecambe.
    And his trusted trainer is now in town to prepare the undefeated star.
    Fury confirmed the American’s arrival by posting a snap of them together on Instagram, with the Gypsy King posing in an England football shirt.
    “The Brothers Of Destruction,” he wrote in the caption, before following it up with: “Name a more dynamic boxing duo…”
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    The Kronk gym mastermind – who turned the WBC champ from a cautious jab-and-mover to a Gypsy KO King – is now running the six-week plan for undisputed glory.
    Steward arrived in the UK on Thursday from Florida, where he has been training Hackney’s WBO cruiserweight champ Lawrence Okolie.
    The 30-year-old defends his crown on March 25 in Manchester so Steward will have a busy month in England.
    Fury has previously let American Steward, who is a former Detroit police officer and the nephew of legendary boxing trainer Emanuel Steward, stay in his Las Vegas mansion RENT-FREE.
    Fury previously revealed how he hired Steward, the mastermind of Detroit’s notorious Kronk Gym, to help reinvent himself.
    He said: “When I brought Sugar in for the last few fights, he made me feel like a rank novice.
    “He made me feel like a piece of s***. He made me feel a terrible boxer. He took the undefeated lineal heavyweight champion of the world and made me feel like a bum — like I had never had a fight in my life.
    “He’s the only man in the world who could ever have done it. It takes a special mentality to strip it all back to basics and start again.”

    🥊 Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout More

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    Dramatic moment ‘really scared’ Amir Khan robbed of £72k diamond-encrusted watch at gunpoint as wife Faryal cries

    THE dramatic moment Amir Khan was robbed of his £72,000 watch at gunpoint has been shown in court.The boxer, 36, was left terrified as a masked man allegedly ran at him and demanded he “take off the watch”.
    Amir Khan has a gun pointed at him in footage shown to jurorsCredit: Central News
    The boxer was targeted while out with his wife FaryalCredit: Central News
    Khan had been out for dinner with wife Faryal, 31, and friend Omar Khalid at the Sahara Grill in Leyton, East London, when the robbery took place.
    Ahmed Bana, Nurul Amin and Ismail Mohammed, all 25, deny conspiracy to commit robbery while jurors heard Dante Campbell, 21, has admitted to being the gunman.
    CCTV played to jurors shows the former world boxing champion smiling as he leaves the restaurant with his wife.
    He then crosses the road to get in a car driven by Omar when two men get out of a silver Mercedes coupe.
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    A hooded man then runs towards Khan and raises his arm to point the gun at the boxer, who hands over his watch.
    Khan previously told Snaresbrook Crown Court how he was left staring down the barrel of the gun.
    He added: “I am a sportsman, a fighter, I have been put in the toughest situations but this is something different, this is really really scary.
    “When he put the gun to my face I couldn’t recognise him because he had a mask on. I looked away because I didn’t want him to pull the trigger.
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    “I didn’t know what he wanted at first, then he said ‘take off your watch’. When he said ‘take off your watch’ that’s when he hit me straight away.
    “I took it off straight away and that’s when I handed it to him.”
    Khan also told how Faryal was left “screaming and crying” following the horror.
    Bana, of Hale Gardens, Tottenham, Amin, of Cavendish Road, Finsbury Park, and Mohammed, of Edmonton, all deny conspiracy to commit robbery.
    Bana also denies having an imitation firearm.
    Campbell, of Hornsey, has admitted conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.
    The trial continues.
    Khan can be seen smiling as he leaves the restaurant moments before the robberyCredit: Central News
    He said his wife was ‘screaming and crying’Credit: Central News
    His £72k diamond-encrusted watch was takenCredit: Central News More

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    Joe Joyce gives hilariously awkward response after opponent Zhilei Zhang storms interview for intense face-off

    JOE JOYCE reacted in hysterical fashion after his upcoming opponent Zhilei Zhang stormed into his gym during an interview.Briton Joyce, 37, will take on Chinese heavyweight Zhang, 39, at the Copper Box Arena on April 15.
    Joe Joyce was conducting an interview when Zhilei Zhang turned up at his gymCredit: Twitter @Queensberry

    Zhang confronted Joyce but the pair were soon laughing at one anotherCredit: Twitter @Queensberry
    Neither man is particularly known for his trash talking outside of the ring.
    But Zhang, nicknamed Big Bang, attempted to whip up a bit of attention on Wednesday when he turned up uninvited to Joyce’s training facility.
    Olympic silver medallist Joyce was being interviewed by Queensbury Promotions when Zhang bowled into the room.
    A perplexed Joyce looked over and said: “Oh, here he is!”
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    Zhang then proceeded to rather confrontationally ask the Brit: “Big Bang is here. Are you ready?”
    But Joyce did not quite understand the remark as he hilariously responded: “I don’t know what you said, but yeah, let’s go!”
    Zhang then awkwardly said: “You’re ready? I’m ready.”
    Before Joyce added: “You’re here. You flew over here? And you’re ready for action, yeah?”
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    The pair were then urged to move closer together as they took part in a face-off for the cameras.
    Joyce has won all 15 of his professional fights to date – the last of which came against Joseph Parker in September.
    And he has his sights firmly set on the winner of the undisputed fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk – which is expected to take place in the first half of 2023.
    Meanwhile, Zhang suffered his first pro loss last time out against Filip Hrgovic, losing a close decision on the undercard of Usyk’s win over Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia in August.
    Before that, he had won 24 and drawn one of his 25 contests.
    And Zhang will be hoping he can spring a surprise on Joyce in what would be a devastating blow to the Brit’s world title ambitions. More

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    Ebanie Bridges shares bath video on Instagram as she teases ‘weight cut shenanigans’ on OnlyFans

    ONLYFANS star and boxing champ Ebanie Bridges knocked out her admirers with a clean blow after posting a steamy bath clip.Bridges has taken social media by storm and amassed more than 731,000 followers in the process.
    Ebanie Bridges teased her fans with a bath clip on social mediaCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp0jk2nDGU5/?hl=en
    Bridges shares a series of glam pics on Instagram and OnlyFansCredit: @ebanie_bridges
    Bridges often teases saucy content on her personal Instagram accountCredit: Instagram @ebanie_bridges
    Ebanie Bridges has amassed a huge following on social mediaCredit: Instagram @ebanie_bridges
    The world bantamweight champion has managed those numbers by starring in the ring and sharing a series of glam pics on her personal Instagram.
    The 36-year-old Aussie boxer also shares some saucy content on her OnlyFans account.
    This time, the10-1 Blonde Bomber shared a backstage video of her taking a bath with a bikini on.
    The Sydney native also fooled around with some “weight cut shenanigans” as she tried and failed to create a bubble foam beard.
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    Bridges issued the following caption: “Some behind the scenes weight cut shenanigans.
    “Im not normal, Head to my OnlyFans to see even more BTS and exclusive content.”
    Fans rushed to the comments’ section to join in on all the fun and shenanigans.
    One follower commented: “Who gets in the bath in a bikini?”
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    Another posted: “The old Santa Clause.”
    A third wrote: “Stunning as f and funny as f.”
    This fan said: “Pre fight Bath.”
    And that one commented: “Your face and smile cheer me up.”
    Bridges also tried and failed to create a bath foam beardCredit: Instagram ebanie_bridges
    Bridges has almost one million followers on InstagramCredit: Twitter @EbanieBridges
    Bridges is the world bantamweight championCredit: Alamy More