Boxing

TYSON FURY’s historic showdown with Oleksandr Usyk could still land at Wembley – despite fierce interest from the Middle East.The pair’s mouthwatering undisputed heavyweight title fight is on the verge of being signed, sealed and delivered – although the fine details have yet to be ironed out.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are on course for a historic undisputed showdownCredit: Reuters
A venue for the bout has yet to be finalisedCredit: JAMIE MCPHILIMEY
Fury’s co-promoter bob Arum has revealed the pair could clash at WembleyCredit: GETTY
Saudi Arabia are currently the frontrunners to bag the monumental showdown, although Fury co-promoter Bom Arum admits Wembley is still very much a contender to stage the bout.
When asked about the venue for the clash, Arum told Sky Sports: “It depends what the deals are and so forth.
“There are a number of us that would prefer the fight to be in Wembley, but again it depends on the money.
“The fighters have a very short limit of their careers and they have to make whatever money.
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“Particularly large amounts of money, because in a few years it’s not going to be available.
“I just think it’s going to be a tremendous fight.”
Arum is hoping to announce the first undisputed heavyweight title fight in nearly 24 years – which is still on course for the spring – next week.
The 91-year-old said: “I think both of the fighters have agreed to the fight.
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“I think the question is where the site will be.
“That will be sorted out hopefully next week and we’ll have an announcement shortly.
“If the fight goes to the Middle East it will be sometime after Ramadan and if the fight is in the UK it will be the beginning of April.”
Fury and Usyk, 34 and 36 respectively, have traded several verbal jabs since their heated face-off last December.
Fury vs Usyk will crown the first undisputed heavyweight champ in 24 yearsCredit: REUTERS
Undefeated Ukranian Uysk recently question The Gypsy King’s honour, writing on social media: “Fury, you talk about greatness in boxing but, at the same time, you say, ‘Give me a lot of money.’
“Greatness in boxing is not determined by money. Greatness comes from a victorious path.
“You say that I avoid you, but I never have. In fact, I have even come to you.
“I am ready to box you even without any prize money.” More

MOSES ITAUMA has told Tyson Fury to hit him up for Oleksandr Usyk sparring and not make the same mistake Anthony Joshua did.The 18-year-old heavyweight prodigy is 6ft 3in southpaw with mind-boggling movement and angles – just like Ukraine’s 36-year-old WBA, IBF and WBO world champion.
Moses ‘Enriko’ Itauma believes he is the perfect sparring partner for Tyson FuryCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
He has offered to spar with the Gypsy King ahead of his fight with Oleksandr UyskCredit: Reuters
But he only did a few rounds with the London 2012 Olympic legend ahead of the first points loss – by accident – and none for the second.
Over 24 rounds, AJ – who admitted to hating lefties – could work out the timing and techniques of the gap-toothed genius and – having seen some of his preparation – Itauma was not surprised.
So he has been asking Frank Warren and BT sport stablemate Tyson Fury to take up an offer for ideal sparring sessions before his possible April 29 undisputed showdown with Usyk.
Ahead of his pro debut against Marcel Bode at Wembley arena on Saturday night, the Kent wonderkid told SunSport: “The sparring that AJ had for the Usyk fight seemed wrong.
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“When I was there, he had a 6ft 10in German southpaw, and I’m thinking ‘why would you have that?’ 
“But he would only spar six rounds, then do three rounds on the bag, three rounds on the pads. He didn’t really do a full 12-round spar. 
“But the sparring he had was mediocre. 
“I didn’t get called back for the second fight but I wasn’t really meant to spar him for the first one, it was coincidental.
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“I was training up in Sheffield when he was training, then when his team asked me if I wanted to spar. I said, ‘why not?'”
Itauma’s freakish talents have already earned him priceless training sessions with British stars like Lawrence Okolie, Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce, often he would arrive at their London gyms still in his school uniform, before schooling them.
It’s a nightmare finding right-leading heavyweights around the world, let alone in England.
So he was baffled AJ spurned him and hopes the 34-year–old Gypsy King snaps up his offer.
He revealed: “I was quite confused Joshua’s team never brought me back, because around that time I was always struggling to get fights and good sparring. But I am not stressing about that.  
“I want to spar Fury, if he gets the Usyk fight, definitely. 
“I’ve been asking to do a few rounds with Fury, so that would be good.”
Itauma turned 18 on December 28 and trained at mentor Dan Woledge’s Chatham gym, with SunSport and providing balloons and bunting.
Itauma wanted to spar with Anthony Joshua before his loss to UsykCredit: Getty
The red-hot prospect signed pro terms with manager Francis Warren that day and has dreams of beating Mike Tyson’s record of becoming history’s youngest-ever heavyweight king, at 22 years and four months.
Everyone inside the sport is excited about the boy-in-a-man’s-body who blitzed the most recent European Youth Champions with four first-round knockouts.
But he’s taking everything in his giant southpaw stride.
In his baritone boom, with deadpan delivery, he said: “I don’t feel any different to when I was 17, I feel exactly the same.
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“I am not one for parties, nightclubs or drinking, so it won’t make any difference to me.
“My new year resolution was to stick to exactly what I did last year. It’s an easy one to stick to.” More

JAKE PAUL is set to head to London to face off with Tommy Fury – after they CONFIRMED their grudge match. The celebrity boxing rivals have announced the latest rescheduling of their pay-per-view bout, on Sunday, February 26 in Saudi Arabia.
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury are set to face off in LondonCredit: Reuters
Tommy Fury and Jake Paul will fight on February 26Credit: Getty
And they will use this Saturday’s unified light-heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev, 38, and Anthony Yarde, 31, to help promote it.
SunSport was the first to reveal Paul will be at Wembley Arena to square up and face off against Fury in the ring.
He tweeted: “I’m coming to London to look at all 3 Fury’s in the eye & shake on that promise.”
A fight announcement came today and marks the third time the two will attempt to put bragging rights and reputations on the line.
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It will be televised on BT Box Office in the UK and ESPN PPV in America.
Fury, 23, was forced to pull out in December 2021 due to a rib injury and then last August amid a US visa issue.

The travel woe still persists today, which left the UK and Saudi as frontrunners to host the bitter bout.
Paul, 26, even offered to travel to Manchester on February 18 and fight Fury in enemy territory.
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But a more lucrative deal in Saudi Arabia a week later was proposed and won the race.
Paul posted: “Tommy has no excuses now… Baby’s born. Money’s massive. Immigration no issue.
“Tyson promises he & Papa will make Tommy retire from boxing & change his last name if he can’t beat the YouTuber.”
Fury hit back: “Jake Paul’s boxing career ends on February 26th and I can finally move on with mine.
“Every time I go out right now, everybody asks me about the Jake Paul fight.
“After this fight is done, everybody will be asking me how it felt to knock Jake Paul out.
“The world is about to see what happens when a proper boxer faces a YouTuber.
Jake Paul’s boxing career ends on February 26th and I can finally move on with mine. Tommy Fury
“I am a professional boxer, I have had eight undefeated bouts, soon to be nine!
“Jake Paul will regret ever thinking he could take me on. I will put him in his place, the canvas.”
Paul and Fury become the latest prizefighters to have been convinced over to the desert.
Anthony Joshua, 33, has twice boxed in Saudi, most recently in defeat in August against Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
And now Usyk is in talks for the heavyweight division’s first ever four belt undisputed title decider in the Middle East with Tommy’s brother Tyson, 34.
The younger Fury last boxed in Dubai in November in a last-minute exhibition against Rolly Lambert, 33.
Paul was a special guest commentator that night and slammed the six-rounder from ringside.
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It came a month after the American beat UFC legend Anderson Silva, 47, over eight rounds to go 6-0.
And it has kept the unbeaten pair on track to finally settle their drawn out score in the ring once and for all.
Tommy Fury and Jake Paul attempt to fight for the third timeCredit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME More