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      What Tyson Fury told Jake Paul in the ring moments after fight with brother Tommy in behind-the-scenes footage

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      TYSON FURY was captured sharing a brief embrace with Jake Paul after his brother Tommy had beaten him. The WBC heavyweight world champion was ringside in Saudi Arabia to watch the celebrity grudge match.
      Tyson Fury embracing with Jake PaulCredit: Top Rank
      And behind-the-scenes footage from Top Rank caught the moment Tyson, 34, went over to Paul, 26, to congratulate him on the fight.
      He said: “Well done Jake. Good fight, brother. Very, very impressed. Well done.”
      A nervy wait then followed before Tommy was declared the winner via split-decision.
      It ended two years of feuding between the boxing rivals and the two also came together to pay their respect.
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      Tommy, 23, told Paul: “You’re a tough man, you’ll go a long way. You started three years ago, I started when I was six.
      “I’ve got nothing but love and respect for you. Great build-up, great fight.”
      The fight is believed to have been a box office blockbuster, bringing in a reported 775,000 pay-per-view buys.
      And Paul looks set to exercise his right to a rematch, with a second fight rumoured to be eyed for the summer.
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      The YouTuber-turned boxer suffered defeat for the first time in seven professional bouts but vowed to return with revenge on his mind.
      Paul said: “Ladies and gentlemen, don’t worry, I’ll be back. I’m going to come back, work harder, get the rematch and get the W.
      “I love you guys, thank you for the support through the highs and lows. Peace.”
      Tommy Fury and Jake Paul embracing post-fightCredit: Getty More

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      Jake Paul says Tommy Fury ‘didn’t win the fight’ as YouTuber reveals reasons he lost and vows to bounce back in rematch

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      JAKE PAUL claimed Tommy Fury “didn’t win” their fight – and listed a number of reasons why he felt he had “lost it”.Fury returned home from Saudi Arabia with bragging rights and his unbeaten record intact after edging the celebrity grudge match on points.
      Jake Paul was beaten by Tommy Fury on points in their Saudi blockbusterCredit: Getty
      But Paul has come out swinging in defence of his first ever loss, insisted the result was solely down to his own shortcomings in the ring.
      He said on his brother Logan’s podcast: “Tommy didn’t win the fight, I lost it.
      “I was not good, I was not on my A-game. I didn’t implement the gameplan, my legs were weak going into the fight.
      “I think I cut the weight improperly, in a seven-week camp where normally we do a 12-week camp.
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      “We squeezed in this camp, but I don’t want to sit here and make excuses. I lost the fight, I wasn’t at my best and it’s that simple.”
      Paul, 26, saw a point deducted in round five due to punches in the back of the head.
      Fury, 23, was also docked a point in the sixth for holding and was floored in the final round but still won a split decision.
      Paul stepped up to face a recognised professional boxer for the first time in his seven-bout career and admitted he felt the occasion.
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      He said: “I think a little bit of pressure is good but I had a lot of pressure and the stakes kept getting higher and higher each fight.
      “Now there is definitely more relaxation going into the next one. A lot of things played into the [loss], even getting a point deducted in the beginning of the fight.
      “I don’t know, it’s the hardest sport in the world and you have to have a peak moment.
      “You’re only able to show up in that one moment on that one night. Whatever you’re feeling then you can’t really fake it.
      “I was flat, very very flat. I beat him like eight to nine times out of ten, this just happened one of those times. He stepped up to the plate.”
      Paul is set to exercise his rematch clause amid rumours of a sequel after the first fight sold around 775,000 pay-per-views.
      He said: “I don’t see where there is not a reason to run it back at some point.
      “The business side of it was massive, it was one of the biggest events in boxing in recent years. It’ll probably be the biggest fight of this year, it’s massive.”
      Tommy Fury and Jake Paul are set to rematchCredit: Getty More

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      Oleksandr Usyk already has next opponent lined up with Tyson Fury demanding ‘too much money’ as unification faces axe

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      OLEKSANDR USYK already has an alternative opponent lined up with his title unification against Tyson Fury facing collapse. The pair of unbeaten champions have been locked in negotiations for the first ever four-belt undisputed heavyweight fight.
      Tyson Fury’s fight with Oleksandr Usyk faces collapseCredit: REUTERS
      But their purses took a massive hit when the mega-rich Saudi Arabian hosts pulled out of talks, leaving Wembley as frontrunner for the bout.
      Taking the fight from the Middle East to London would see the pot shrink dramatically and leave the two needing to renegotiate terms.
      And according to Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk, Fury is demanding “too much money” leaving the deal hanging by a thread.
      The Ukrainian could now instead be forced to face WBA mandatory challenger and “regular” champion Daniel Dubois, 25.

      Krassyuk told iD Boxing: “This is actually what’s next for Usyk. So what can I say? We have to comply with it.
      “It’s probably not the worst fight for the UK. Dubois is English.Usyk fought a couple times here, so he’s probably a bit known.
      “This is a fight where an Englishman is fighting for three belts at heavyweight. It’s a bit more than just a normal heavyweight fight.
      “Because Usyk and Tyson and all this stuff occurred, that’s why it doesn’t look that big because we have something to compare with. On the other hand, it’s still huge.”
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      Fury, 34, and Usyk, 36, were heading towards an April 29 unification bout at Wembley’s 90,000-plus stadium.
      But Krassyuk claimed their opposition is asking for inconceivable sums which looks to KO the fight before it even gets started.
      He said: “I can tell you only the words that I hear from my negotiators, my partners, Frank and George Warren.
      “According to their reports Tyson Fury was asking for too much money. Even if Usyk would get zero for the fight, it would still not be sufficient for Tyson to cover what he wants.
      “That’s actually the point. Normally, when the fighter doesn’t want the fight, he asks for something impossible and then it’s not happening.
      “That’s according to my experience. I’ve been in boxing for a while, almost 20 years, and that’s what I’ve seen so many times.”
      Daniel Dubois could be next in line for Oleksandr UsykCredit: Jamie McPhilimey More

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      Boxing cult hero looks unrecognisable in throwback snap with long flowing locks and cheeky smile wearing dungarees

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      A former heavyweight boxer has stunned fans by looking unrecognisable in a brilliant old photo.The sport’s blue-riband division was thriving in the 1990s and early 2000s with the likes of Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Riddick Bowe and Mike Tyson.
      Eric Esch, known as Butterbean, was a fan-favourite heavyweightCredit: Getty
      He was a hard-hitting fighter with a KO ratio of 63 per centCredit: AFP
      But one man who gained a cult following for his short, stocky physique was American Eric Esch – better known as Butterbean.
      Standing at 5ft 11 1/2in, the large bald heavyweight never won a version of the world title.
      But that did not stop fans flocking to support the unconventionally-built fighter – who came up short against the legendary Larry Holmes in 2002.
      Now he has caught the public’s attention once more – a decade after hanging up the gloves.
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      Butterbean shared an old photo from back in the day which showed him with long, blonde hair and dungarees.
      And he added the hilarious caption: “Me in high school. Yes I had hair.”
      Reacting to the image, one fan said: “Who would’ve thought that this guy would turn out to be the heaviest hitter in boxing history next to Mike Tyson himself.”
      While another added: “Now imagine him fighting with that hair!”
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      Butterbean shared this brilliant picture on his social mediaCredit: Instagram @butterbeanboxer
      Butterbean retired from professional boxing with a record of 77 wins, 10 defeats and four draws.
      He was linked with a return to the ring in 2021 when Tyson was looking for an opponent to face in an exhibition bout.
      And before Iron Mike landed on Roy Jones Jr, Butterbean came out to quash the rumours.
      Speaking to Fred Talks Fighting, he said: “No! I’m totally retired.
      “There’s a lot of talk about me being in that fight with Tyson, [it] was all actually offered to me [as] an exhibition.
      “But I know when it’s time, I know I’m old, I’ve got grandkids, I’ve got nine grandkids.
      “I’m just enjoying my life right now.”
      Butterbean came up short in his pursuit of a world titleCredit: AFP More

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      Mike Tyson ‘vomited two YEARS’ worth of food’ after taking brutal punch from boxing legend

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      MIKE TYSON claimed to have vomited everything he’d eaten for the “last two years” after taking a punch from his former mentor.Iron Mike met legendary former boxer Bobby Stewart while at New York juvenile home Tryon School for Boys as a kid.
      Mike Tyson recalled his tough early sparring sessionsCredit: Getty
      Following his meeting with Stewart, Tyson relayed his desire to become a pro boxer.
      But Stewart wasn’t immediately convinced that the would-be fighter had the work ethic it would take to succeed.
      Nonetheless he introduced Tyson to iconic trainer Cus D’Amato, who also played an integral role in his development.
      Before he’d honed his fight craft, Iron Mike was able to step into the ring with Stewart, but was outfoxed by the older man.
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      With Tyson throwing a high volume of aimless punches, Stewart waited for his moment to pounce.
      The wily veteran landed a brutal body shot that left his young protege reeling.
      Recounting the incident in his autobiography, Tyson, now 56, wrote: “I threw up everything I had eaten for the last two years.
      “What the f*** was that? I was thinking.”
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      Although his protege’s skills were raw, Stewart also thought the world of Tyson’s raw talent.
      Recalling a training session with a 13-year-old Tyson, he said: “Mike and I were sparring one time. He hit me with a jab that almost knocked me down.
      “Luckily, I had the next week off from Tryon, because my nose was broken, my eyes were all black.”
      Iron Mike would earn heavyweight champion status just seven years later – becoming the youngest title holder in the division’s history aged just 20 by beating Trevor Berbick in Las Vegas.
      Mike Tyson became the youngest ever heavyweight champion in 1986Credit: AFP More

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      WBC has lost all credibility by elevating Tommy Fury to top 40 – his win over Jake Paul was as real as WWE

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      NINE-FIGHT novice Tommy Fury’s absurd WBC elevation to a top-40 cruiserweight unsurprisingly got the derision it deserves.It’s Fury’s outrageous reward for a points victory against over-hyped YouTube star Jake Paul — who is barely a half-decent amateur — in Riyadh a couple of weeks ago.
      Promoting reality TV star Tommy Fury to the top 40 for beating YouTuber Jake Paul is a bizarre decision from the WBCCredit: AFP
      Even Conor Benn was stunned when the WBC announced the banned women’s fertility drug found in his system came from eating too many eggsCredit: Getty
      I suggested anyone who took the meeting between these two celebrity learner fighters seriously must believe WrestleMania is for real.
      Obviously the WBC has. It’s a wonder it didn’t make Love Island’s Tommy mandatory challenger to world champion Ilunga Makabu.
      It not only lost what little credibility it had left but also enraged many leading boxing personalities.
      John H Stracey, one of Britain’s most respected ex-world champions, was a national hero when he went to Mexico City and beat the legendary Jose Napoles in six rounds to win the WBC welterweight title in 1975.
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      When he retired three years later Stracey was invited to be a WBC ambassador — a role he has held conscientiously and with pride.
      But that hasn’t inhibited him from fearlessly attacking the organisation he represents over the Fury fiasco.
      Fuming John told me: “I have been in touch with several ex-fighters and they all agree it’s shameful the way the WBC has made a complete mockery of its rankings system.
      “I certainly won’t be pulling any punches when I let the WBC president know how angry I am      when    I next speak to him.
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      “What has happened is laughable. But I don’t suppose young fighters sweating their guts out, winning meaningful fights having been overlooked in favour of Fury will find it funny.”
      The WBC certainly didn’t cover itself in glory last month over Conor Benn’s failed drug test.
      It ruled the banned women’s fertility drug clomiphene found in his system was the result of his eating too many eggs.
      Being facetious, it’s a pity the WBC didn’t reveal if Conor liked his eggs fried, boiled, poached or scrambled.
      Thomas Jefferson, America’s third President, said: “Ridicule is the only weapon which can be used against unintelligible propositions.”
      Even Conor was embarrassed by the WBC’s reasoning.
      He said: “At no point did I indicate that I failed any tests because of contaminated eggs.”
      When it comes to brass neck ingenuity the Oscar goes to Dennis Mitchell.
      Tyson Fury blamed eating uncastrated wild boar for nandrolone being found in his dope test while Canelo Alvarez put clenbuterol being found in his urine down to eating contaminated beef.
      Among other bizarre excuses was Sheffield’s former IBF world featherweight champion Kid Galahad blaming his brother for spiking his drink after he refused to give him money.
      Jarrell Miller pulled out of a clash with Anthony Joshua a few years ago blaming  a stem-cell shot in his elbow as the cause of his drug downfall.
      But when it comes to brass neck ingenuity the Oscar goes to Dennis Mitchell, 1992 Olympic gold-winning American sprinter, who was found to have extraordinarily high levels of  testosterone in his bloodstream.
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      Mitchell said: “I had sex four times with my wife yesterday. It was her birthday — the lady deserved a treat.”
      It didn’t wash with the unromantic athletic authorities — Dennis was banned for two years. More

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      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk ‘UNLIKELY’ to happen admits Ukrainian’s promoter with another Brit lined up to fight

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      TYSON FURY’S heavyweight unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk is in danger of collapsing.An April 29 Wembley date has been pencilled in for the duo to tussle for all of the heavyweight belts.
      Tyson Fury’s bout with Oleksandr Usyk is in serious danger of falling throughCredit: Reuters
      But with the Gypsy King’s camp claimed to not be willing to budge on their demands, the fight fans all want to see could fall apart.
      Speaking to iD Boxing, Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk revealed that the Fury fight is now “unlikely” to happen in April.
      The Ukrainian’s camp went into talks asking for a 50-50 purse split, but Team Fury reportedly want more.
      Krassyuk claims that the Gypsy King is demanding “too much money” for the fight to be signed.
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      Usyk, 36, is in training and still wants to fight, however, and another Brit could be roped in.
      Daniel Dubois is the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBA title, and Krassyuk revealed that the Greenwich bruiser is the first in line to fight his man, if the Fury bout falls through.
      Dubois, 25, boasts an impressive 19-1 record and is coming off a four-fight win streak.
      He was last in action on the Fury-Derek Chisora undercard, when he beat Kevin Lerena at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
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      Daniel Dubois could be next up for UsykCredit: Getty
      His one previous conqueror is WBO mandatory challenger Joe Joyce, who beat him in November 2020.
      But the Juggernaut already has a fight booked for April, taking on China’s Zhang Zhilei at London’s Copper Box Arena.
      With Fury demanding more than a 50-50 purse split, Krassyuk claims that Usyk’s side were willing to offer a 60-40 for the winner breakdown.
      But this has been rejected by Fury’s camp.
      Krassyuk also revealed Usyk’s frustration at talks dragging on.
      He told Seconds Out: “Usyk is in training camp since December, so he’s in great shape. Before coming to London I visited him there – perfect condition mental and physical.
      “He’s ready to go, and when he heard that the fight can be jeopardised, well he was upset a bit because he was getting prepared for the biggest fight in the history of heavyweight boxing. But it doesn’t take him deep because he’s very professional.”
      He then added: “We’re all very extremely tired of talks. We want to do something considerable. We want to know if Tyson is in or not.
      “During negotiations actually, I asked [Fury’s team] to give me Tyson for five minutes – a personal conversation. And I bet we would be having a fight.”
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      Talks over a bout between Fury and Anthony Joshua also broke down last September, when a deal for a December could not be agreed.
      An uninspiring trilogy bout with Chisora was made instead, with Fury securing a comfortable victory in a low-key affair.

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      ‘I have double respect for him’ – Usyk reveals Anthony Joshua’s classy phone call to Wladimir Klitschko

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      OLEKSANDR USYK has lifted the lid on Anthony Joshua’s classy call to Wladimir Klitschko.Usyk, 36, twice beat Joshua for the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles, and has plenty of respect for his former opponent – in and out of the ring.
      Anthony Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2017Credit: PA:Press Association
      The Brit has plenty of respect for his Ukrainian counterpartCredit: Getty
      The Cat’s native Ukraine has been at war since being invaded by Russia just over 12 months ago.
      And Joshua, 33, reached out to Usyk’s Ukrainian compatriot and another of his former opponents Klitschko to see if he could help in any way.
      Speaking to Parimatch Ukraine, Usyk revealed: “Anthony Joshua called Wladimir Klitschko and asked him how he could be useful to Ukraine and help.
      “I have double respect for him for that.”
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      After the war broke out, Usyk immediately joined the frontline to serve his country.
      The southpaw held a machine gun as he patrolled with the Ukraine Defence Battalion, but prayed he would never have to kill a Russian invader.
      A devout husband and father of three, Usyk only left to start his training camp for the Joshua rematch when injured victims in military hospitals urged him to head for Saudi Arabia to defend his heavyweight belts.
      Ahead of their Jeddah clash last August, AJ spoke of his respect for Usyk.
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      Usyk wielded a machine gun on the front line
      He said: “If it was me, yes, it would definitely have an impact and I don’t know if it would be positive or negative.
      “I don’t know how I would deal with it but I know it would be tough. I have never lived in anything like a conflict like that, so I don’t know the sort of ramifications it would have on me.
      “I respect what he has done 100 per cent. It’s his home, isn’t it — you have to defend your home.
      “It is such a shame that civilians get the worst end of the bargain in wars, when it is a political issue. He is just trying to defend his community so I respect him.
      “I think I would have done the same, not as a boxer or a warrior, just as a general person.
      “People have decided not to leave and to defend their homes. That has nothing to do with being a warrior. I respect what he has done.”
      Usyk’s team are currently in talks with Tyson Fury’s representatives regarding a historic heavyweight unification bout.
      A deal is not yet close for the targeted April 29 bout, however, with Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk claiming that Fury’s camp have rejected a 60/40 for the winner offer.

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