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      Aston Villa report Legia Warsaw to Uefa after chaos saw ‘cop engulfed in flames’ as rivals face ban for ALL away games

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      ASTON VILLA have reported Legia Warsaw to Uefa following the shameful scenes of violence which marred last night’s Europa Conference League clash.And sources close to Uefa claim the Polish side’s fans face being banned from all future away games.
      Police clashed with Legia Warsaw fans on Thursday nightCredit: Rex
      One officer was set on fire by a flareCredit: Rex
      Another officer suffered a hand injuryCredit: Rex
      A police dog and police horse were also injuredCredit: Rex
      West Midlands Police confirmed 46 Legia fans are in custody following last night’s serious disorder outside Villa Park.
      They will be charged with offences including violent disorder, assaulting police officers and possession of weapons.
      The chaos, which lasted for more than 90 minutes, was described by one police officer as “the worst violence I’ve experienced in 28 years.”
      Mounted police joined riot police and dog handlers as they battled to disperse around 2,000 Legia fans who had been penned into a nearby car park prior to kick-off.
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      Four officers were injured in the disorder, which saw them attacked with flares, bricks, metal poles and tree branches.
      A statement issued by West Midlands Police revealed: “One officer’s fluorescent jacket caught fire after they were hit with a flare.
      “Fortunately his jacket was removed quickly and he was not injured.
      “He was later taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after the smoke from the flare made it into his helmet.
      Most read in Football
      Flares were chucked at the PoliceCredit: Reuters
      No away fans were allowed into Villa Park for the matchCredit: Getty
      “Another officer suffered a minor hand injury while a police dog and a police horse were injured in the disorder.”
      Assistant Chief Constable Damian Barratt said: “This was appalling and completely unacceptable disorder.
      “What we saw was 90 minutes of planned violence, with one officer saying it was the worst he had seen in 28 years of policing.
      “Our officers bravely put themselves in harm’s way and I would like to commend each and every one of them for their efforts.
      “We are committed to charging and remanding any and all responsible for attacking our officers and endangering the public.
      “We had no issues with the home fans and would like to thank them and Aston Villa for their support and kind words last night and this morning.
      “The only issues inside the ground last night were from a small number of away fans who had managed to get into home areas.
      “We will be liaising with the club and footballing authorities in the coming days to discuss last night’s appalling scenes.”
      Fans were kept inside the stadium during half timeCredit: Reuters
      Aston Villa won the matchCredit: EPA
      Villa have reacted swiftly to dismiss claims by some Polish media outlets, trying to lay blame on them for failing to provide enough tickets to Legia fans.
      And they have already contacted Uefa to report the unacceptable conduct of Legia Warsaw officials ahead of the high-risk tie.
      A statement from the club said: “This shocking behaviour followed Legia club officials’ complete lack of cooperation with West Midlands Police, Aston Villa and UEFA throughout the day.
      “It started during the standard pre-match operational meeting that commenced at 10.30am on Thursday morning and was attended by UEFA representatives, including UEFA’s security team, as well as West Midlands Police including representatives from both clubs.
      “Legia Warsaw refused to confirm if they would accept their allocation of tickets for the match at that point. This is in stark contrast to normal UEFA operational procedures.
      “They advised the meeting that they would meet with their supporters at 2.30pm and communicate the decision at 3pm but advised there was a possibility that they would not accept the tickets.
      “Despite repeated requests before and after the 3pm deadline for a decision, there was no communication until 4pm when Legia informed Aston Villa that they wished to receive their ticket allocation.
      “These tickets were handed to Legia officials immediately upon their arrival at the stadium at 6.16pm.
      “To reiterate, Legia officials were advised on a call that included a number of UEFA representatives on November 2 that they would receive an allocation of 1002 – exactly four weeks prior to last night’s fixture.”
      Visiting teams to Villa Park would usually receive 5% of capacity which amounts to 2,600 tickets for away supporters.
      However, trouble flared during Legia’s last visit to England when they lost 3-1 to Leicester City two years ago and 20 police officers were injured that night as Polish Ultras ran riot.
      In light of those disturbances, Villa agreed a revised figure of 1700 tickets with Legia officials nearly four weeks ago, with the full approval of Uefa.
      ASTON VILLA’S TIMELINEAccording to Villa the following timeline outlines Legia’s refusal to follow normal procedure.
      10:30am – Match Day meeting during which Legia failed to accept their ticket allocation and informed those in attendance they would not be able to confirm if they would until 2.30pm.
      2.30pm – Legia officials miss the first deadline to report back.
      3.00pm – Legia officials miss the second deadline to report back despite repeated calls to them.
      4.00pm – Legia officials finally confirm they wish to receive their ticket allocation, with a pick-up point arranged at the stadium.
      6.00pm – Villa hand over tickets to Legia to distribute among their fans.
      7.00pm – Police who have penned Legia fans into the Witton Lane car park, close to the Doug Ellis Stand they will occupy, begin to release fans.
      7.05pm – Legia Ultras orchestrate violence and try to storm through police lines to gain access for ticketless fans, four police officers are injured in the ensuing violence.
      8.00pm – The match kicks off – no Legia fans have been allowed into the away section.

      However, when Legia fans again fought with Dutch police during their recent tie in Alkmaar, Uefa banned their fans from their next away tie against Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia.
      At that point, the UK Safety Advisory Group – which passes safety certificates for major events – refused to sanction the full 1700 allocation and slashed it by almost 700 to 1002 tickets.
      That decision was completely out of Villa’s control and was ratified by Uefa.
      Villa claim Legia failed to convey that message to their fans immediately, which led to around 1,000 ticketless fans travelling to the UK.
      Furthermore, Villa have accused Legia of being obstructive during a Match Day meeting on the morning of the match.
      At the customary meeting attended by representatives of both clubs, Uefa, broadcasters, security staff, police and emergency services, Legia stunned Villa representatives by refusing to confirm if they would accept the reduced ticket allocation.
      SunSport understands Legia representatives seemed determined to adopt and endorse their Ultras motto of: ‘Don’t leave anyone behind,’ and were reluctant to accept the reduced allocation.
      Uefa observers were present at the Witton Lane car park and witnessed the shocking scenes of violence which followed.
      They immediately launched an investigation into the shocking scenes but were quick to praise West Midlands Police and Villa for their handling of the explosive situation.
      It now appears certain Legia will face a lengthy ban from travelling to away fixtures after “off the scale violence,” erupted for the third time in recent away trips.
      At the height of the violence Villa raced to collect fire extinguishers from the stadium and nearby supporters hall and supplied police with them to try and douse the flames from hundreds of flares.
      At one flashpoint Legia thugs tried to overturn a police van which was blocking their route.

      SunSport understands some Legia fans arrived in the UK hell-bent on causing mayhem and spoiling for a fight with police or Villa fans. 
      We understand border police found Mixed Martial Arts mitts and gum shields in the luggage of some fans, who had clearly come prepared to battle. More

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      Police officer set on FIRE and three more injured in violent clashes with Polish yob fans before Aston Villa game

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      A POLICE officer was set on FIRE in violent clashes with Polish football yobs.Legia Warsaw fans went on the rampage just minutes before Aston Villa’s 2-1 Europa Conference League win on Thursday night.
      Legia Warsaw fans rioted with police as three officers were injuredCredit: Reuters
      Police battled the fans as flares were lit by the travelling supportCredit: Reuters
      It was a chaotic scene outside Villa ParkCredit: Reuters
      Legia supporters were furious they could not enter the groundCredit: PA
      Four police officers were injured in the violenceCredit: PA
      One cop was set on fire by a flare and taken to hospitalCredit: Getty
      The away section of Villa Park was completely empty as Legia fans were denied entryCredit: Reuters
      It made for a bizarre atmosphere inside the stadiumCredit: Reuters
      Police in riot gear met fans and kettled them into a car park near the stadium but could not prevent trouble breaking out before kick-off.
      Four cops were injured – as well as two police horses and two dogs – as Legia fans hurled missiles at an army of police.
      One officer, who was hit by a flare, was taken to hospital after suffering burns.
      Police later confirmed than none of the injuries were serious.
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      Legia followers were furious after they had their ticket allocation cut from 1,700 to 1,002 after violent clashes between Warsaw fans and Dutch police in Alkmaar.
      Almost 1,000 ticketless Polish fans tried to gatecrash the turnstiles as NO away supporters were allowed in.
      West Midlands Police mounted a huge security operation but violent scenes broke out when police began to move those Legia fans who did have tickets from their compound to march them to the stadium.
      As a result, the match kicked off with the entire away section empty.
      Most read in Football
      Birmingham Police issued a statement on X to confirm: “We’re currently unable to allow away fans into Villa Park following disorder outside the stadium which has seen missiles thrown at officers.
      “Three officers have already been injured and a significant police operation continues. Please avoid Witton Lane where possible.”
      A later statement from West Midlands police confirmed 39 people had been arrested on suspicion of offences including violent disorder and assaulting a police officer.
      They slammed the “disgusting and highly dangerous scenes”.
      A statement from Villa added: “Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that no away fans were allowed into Villa Park for this evening’s UEFA Europa Conference League fixture with Legia Warsaw on the advice of West Midlands Police following large-scale disorder outside the stadium caused by visiting supporters.”
      It continued: “In spite of numerous requests for cooperation from Legia Warsaw concerning their travelling supporters, especially in the last two days, no assistance on the serious safety matter of away fans attending Villa Park was forthcoming from the visiting club.
      Legia had their ticket allocation cut following violence with Dutch police last monthCredit: PA
      The police endured a horrid night in the MidlandsCredit: Reuters
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      “The club has repeatedly, including this morning, raised concerns in conjunction with UEFA and all the relevant authorities to Legia that ticketless away supporters were attempting to attend Villa Park.
      “Approximately an hour before kick-off, Legia fans engaged in planned and systematic violent acts against West Midlands Police officers and a decision was then made by West Midlands Police to exclude all Legia supporters.
      “Aston Villa strongly condemns the behaviour of those visiting supporters and would like to thank West Midlands Police for their professionalism in very difficult circumstances.”
      A statement released by Legia incredibly blamed Villa for “exacerbating the situation”.
      They wrote: “Instead of diffusing potential pre-match tensions, restrictive measures of Aston Villa FC as the host club needlessly exacerbate the atmosphere. In our view, such measures are counterproductive and unfounded.”
      Legia boss Kosta Runjaic added: “For sure we have great fans. They support us at home and away.
      “They are travelling with us and we can always rely on them and count on them. 
      “So far, since I’ve been at Legia I’ve had a massively nice and good experience with our fans. 
      “It would have been good for sure. (to have fans present) 
      “But as I said, I don’t know the content of all the happenings – I dont know the details.
      “So that’s why it is better I do not speak about it.
      “Unfortunately our fans weren’t in the stadium – and the atmosphere in general would have been much better if they were.
      Plans had already been put in place with both teams using different stadium entrances to the ones normally used to protect the safety of the players.
      And no away fans at all were able to enter the stadium as police continued to battle to restore control of the rioting Polish supporters.
      Footage on social media appeared to show missiles being lobbed at Villa fans from outside the stadium.
      While some Polish fans were ejected from the home end by stewards.
      On the field, it did not take long for Villa to go in front as Moussa Diaby tucked home the opener after just four minutes.
      Read More on The Sun
      Ernest Muci levelled things up for the visitor’s midway through the first half, before Alex Moreno put Villa 2-1 in front 13 minutes into the second period.
      And that’s how it stayed as Unai Emery’s men moved three points clear at the top of their group. More

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      I was ‘raped by a Premier League star’ – you don’t get to say no… FOUR others claim they were sexually abused

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      A WOMAN who claims she was raped by a Premier League star is one of five people to come forward to say they were sexually abused.The women – whose names have been changed to protect their anonymity – say they were victims of rape, sexual assault or controlling behaviour since April 2021.
      A total of five women have come forward to make allegations against the top-flight footballer (stock image)Credit: Getty
      ‘Leah’ reported the player to the police in July 2022 and he was arrested at his home.
      Not long afterwards he was also arrested for an earlier allegation of rape made by ‘Kira’.
      Both women claim they were raped by the player and experienced controlling behaviour by him.
      ‘Kira’ told the BBC: “It was clear that he thought he was that important, you don’t get to say ‘no’ to him.”
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      Having made a report to the cops in August 2021, ‘Kira’ then emailed the FA, Premier League and the club regarding the allegations the following month as she was “in desperation” and concerned about the footballer continuing to play while he was being investigated.
      She had worries that while he was being promoted by his club, his position would give him access to other women who may not be aware of the allegations against him.
      ‘Kira’ said: “I hoped that they would intervene in some way to prevent it from maybe happening again.”
      The club told her it could not discuss the allegations due to legal reason.
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      Shortly afterwards, ‘Kira’ spotted a social media post from the club celebrating the footballer.
      Meanwhile, the Premier League directed her to the FA.
      It was the response from the FA that she said was the most shocking.
      More than four months after she initially contacted the footballing body, it told her in emails that it could take “no further action” as the alleged behaviour did not breach its regulations.
      It also said there was “no evidence” to suggest that the player “poses a risk of harm to children or adults at risk”.
      The FA also sent her a PDF document called Football’s Safeguarding Children policy” which did not apply to her situation.
      ‘Kira’ said: “They were hiding behind their lack of policies whilst knowing that the regulations they did have set up were meant to protect profits, not victims.”
      Responding to the BBC, the FA said it was comfortable ‘Kira’s complaint had been dealt with appropriately.
      A third woman, ‘Mia’ told the corporation the pair had begun chatting after the play had messaged her on Instagram in February 2022.
      She visited his house with pals, where she claims he sexually assaulted her.
      ‘Mai’ reported him to the police in July 2022, having learned that a footballer had been arrested for rape and thought it might be the same person.
      She said this made her feel less scared to come forward because she felt she wasn’t alone.
      Referring to the club and authorities’ response to the earlier complaint made by ‘Kira’, ‘Mia’ said if the footballer hadn’t still been playing for the club, it would have raised a red flag when he approached her.
      ‘Mia’ said: “If they had decided to take the first allegation seriously… if they had suspended him, I never would have been in that situation that I was in that day.
      “Their decision caused me to suffer.”
      The player was questioned by police in February 2023 regarding ‘Mia’s allegation and was released under investigation.
      He also remains under police investigation for the rape allegations made by ‘Kira’ and ‘Leah’
      It’s thought the player has denied all the allegations.
      ‘Emma’ has also claimed she experienced controlling behaviour by the player earlier this year, including being pressured to have sex.
      She has accused him of forcibly continuing sex by pinning her hands after she tried to push him off because she was in pain.
      ‘Emma’ recently reported her account to the cops.
      She said that when she first started talking to the footballer, she dismissed rumours of allegations against him because he had not been suspended by his club.
      ‘Emma’ said: “Him playing was the absolute thing that made me think they were fake and not true.
      “It sent the message of we don’t believe them and we support him.”
      “What happened to me could have been prevented.”
      ‘Bella’ has also told the BBC that the player forced himself on her at a party by pinning her to a bed and trying to pressure her into have sex, while in a room with others, in April 2021.
      The corporation also says it has spoken to someone else who claims they witnessed the incident.
      ‘Bella’ has not reported what is alleged to have happened to the police.
      The footballer’s club and the Premier League both told the broadcaster they were unable to comment due to an ongoing police investigation.
      A spokesman for the FA said: “Our safeguarding policies and procedures allow us to support and protect children and adults at risk within a football-related environment.”
      In June this year, The Sun revealed a boss of a Premier League side has been quizzed under caution over a historical allegation of rape.
      The well-known footballing figure is accused of raping a teenage girl a number of years ago.
      He was interviewed under caution but not arrested.
      Further enquiries are being carried out before a decision is made whether to charge him or take no further action.
      The Sun is unable to identify the man for legal reasons. It is understood he denies the rape claim.
      One source told The Sun: “He is shocked by the allegation and totally refutes it.”
      The accused man is said to have met the complainant when she applied to work for an organisation he was involved with at the time.
      The source stressed it had no connection to the Premier League club the man is currently involved with.
      Meanwhile, Manchester United winger Anthony is facing assault allegations from his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin – leading to separate police probes in Sao Paulo and Manchester.
      Antony has strongly denied the “false allegations”.
      Separately, banker Ingrid Lana, 33, has also accused the World Cup ace of physical violence, claiming an alleged attack took place at Antony’s Manchester home last October.
      Antony is on paid leave from Man United until further notice.
      Read More on The Sun
      His ex, Cavallin, has accused the Brazilian star of physical aggression towards her on a number of occasions in bombshell claims.
      A total of four alleged attacks are described in a police report seen by respected sports news site ESPN.
      The footballer remains under police investigation (stock image)Credit: Getty More

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      Norwich striker Hwang Ui-jo SUSPENDED by South Korea over claims he filmed illegal sex tape with ex-partner

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      NORWICH forward Hwang Ui-jo has been suspended from the South Korean national team after an allegation was made that he illegally filmed a sex tape with his ex-girlfriend without her consent.Hwang, 31, who denies the allegation, will not be selected for his country pending a police inquiry into the matter.
      Hwang Ui-jo will not be selected by South Korea pending a police inquiryCredit: Getty
      A short statement from the Korea Football Association’s ethics committee confirmed Hwang’s suspension.
      It read: “We have decided not to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team until a clear conclusion is reached on the facts.”
      Norwich, who signed Hwang on loan from Nottingham Forest at the beginning of the season, are aware of the allegations and will continue to monitor developments.
      The Asian Cup gets underway on January 12 in Qatar, with South Korea’s first game coming against Bahrain three days later.
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      And it will be a blow to South Korea that Hwang is unavailable until further notice.
      Lee Youn-nam, head of the KSA’s ethics committe, said: “Considering the fact that the player is being investigated as a suspect, it is difficult for him to carry out normal national team activities.
      “Football fans have high expectations for the national team, (so) we have deemed it inappropriate to select Hwang Ui-jo for the national team.”
      South Korea manager Jurgen Klinsmann added: “I fully understand the current situation and will respect the decision of the Korea Football Association.”
      Most read in Football
      Hwang has scored 18 goals in 60 caps for South Korea.
      He came off the bench in their two World Cup qualifiers earlier this month, scoring in the first against Singapore.
      At club level, he has scored three goals and provided one assists in 14 games for Norwich. More

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      Two teens arrested at football match for ‘aiming disgusting misogynistic chants at female ref’

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      TWO teenagers were arrested at a football match yesterday for allegedly aiming misogynistic chants at a woman ref.Police said they heard the 17-year-olds insulting Rebecca Welch, 39.
      Rebecca Welsh had misogynistic chants aimed at her by two teenagers during a football matchCredit: Alamy
      She was reffing Birmingham City’s home clash against Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.
      West Midlands cops said they arrested the pair on suspicion of a public order offence.
      A spokesperson said: “We’ve arrested two boys for misogynistic chanting at the female referee.
      “Our officers heard the chants being directed at the official.”
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      Ms Welch, of Washington, Tyne and Wear, was the first woman to referee a Championship game.
      Welch took up football refereeing while she was still working in the health service. 
      The former NHS admin officer started her life as a ref in university football clashes and Sunday League games. 
      And while the college football encounters involving teams of female students were a “doddle”, her experience of refereeing men’s Sunday division fixtures was less straightforward.
      Most read in Football
      Welch told the FA’s web site: “The first couple (of matches) I did were women’s university games and the players weren’t really that bothered about so it was a doddle.  More

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      Barcelona legend Dani Alves faces nine years in jail after being accused of rape

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      PROSECUTORS will accuse footballer Dani Alves of rape and demand he spends nine years in jail, paying his victim £130,000, court papers have revealed.The married 40-year-old former Brazil and Barcelona defender has been held in custody without bail since his arrest in January.
      Dani Alves faces nine years in jail after being accused of rapeCredit: Getty
      Claims against him had been referred to as a “sexual assault” until the seven-page pre-trial indictment was released in Spain yesterday.
      The dad-of-two has previously confirmed he had sex with a woman in a private toilet at a ­Barcelona nightclub last December, but insisted it was consensual.
      She said he refused to let her leave the cubicle and slapped her face.
      He has publicly apologised to his wife, model Joana Sanz, for cheating on her.
      Read More on Football
      A trial date is still to be set.
      In an exclusive interview from his prison cell he claimed: “The only person I have to ask for forgiveness is my wife, Joana Sanz.
      “I have already done that here in prison, but I have to do it publicly.
      “Because the story is public, the offence I caused her is public and she deserves that public apology.”
      Most read in Football
      Last December in Qatar he became the oldest player to represent Brazil at the World Cup. More

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      Football saved my life after a prison sentence at 19, I was a plasterer and bricklayer before making it, says Ian Wright

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      IAN WRIGHT owes his life to a two-week prison sentence as a “lost” 19-year-old.What followed was a glittering career for club and country before becoming a beloved TV pundit.
      Ian Wright visited Pentonville Prison yesterdayCredit: The Sun
      Ian Wright set up the Twinning Project alongside ex-Arsenal chairman David Dein for Premier League clubs to work with prisonersCredit: The Sun
      Wright hopes the initiative can inspire prisoners to turn their lives aroundCredit: The Sun
      But Wright, who turned 60 this month, is now working hard to ensure football helps prison inmates forge a new path on the outside.
      Ex-Arsenal chairman David Dein set up the Twinning Project in October 2018, linking football clubs and prisons to provide education and support.
      Dein’s first recruit was Wright, who he signed for the Gunners from Crystal Palace for a then club record £2.5million fee in 1991.
      There are now 73 English clubs partnered to local jails.
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      Wright has previously recalled how he broke down in tears after being put in a cell in Chelmsford Prison in 1982 for non-payment of driving fines.
      He later became a plasterer and bricklayer before his football career took off.
      During a visit yesterday to Pentonville Prison — a mile’s walk from the Emirates Stadium — with Dein and Justice Minister Edward Argar, he took part in a graduation ceremony for 15 inmates who had completed an FA coaching qualification alongside the Arsenal Foundation.
      Wright said: “Football saved my life but people are still in two minds about giving an offender a chance.
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      Wright was David Dein’s first signing at ArsenalCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
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      “By the time I got my opportunity at Palace at 22, I was ready because I clawed myself away from the bad elements in my life, doing silly things.
      “People say the straight and narrow, it’s not straight and narrow, it’s twisty, it’s a nightmare, storms and hurricanes. What I would say to them now is: ‘You’re choosing to go on this path. It’s not easy but you have to stick with it’.”
      Asked if Wright’s conviction made him think twice about signing him 32 years ago, Dein said: “No.
      “He served his time. Going to prison is the punishment, losing your job and self-respect. Being in prison should be for rehabilitation.” More

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      Mike Tyson called me the world’s toughest white guy but my boxing dream died…I was broke & almost killed by machete gang

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      STEPPING into the ring, 17-year-old Joe Egan stood his ground as blow after blow rained down on him from his ‘ferocious’ sparring partner Mike Tyson.It was the start of a lifelong friendship – and a promising boxing career – with the heavyweight champ, who dubbed the Irish fighter “the toughest white man on the planet” .
      Big Joe Egan was a champion amateur fighter dubbed the ‘toughest white man on the planet’Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      The Irish fighter is a close pal of Mike Tyson and was his sparring partner
      But after 80 wins in US Golden Gloves bouts and seven Irish titles, Joe’s dreams were cut short by a horrific car accident, sending him into a downward spiral that saw him shot twice in a gang attack, accused of attempted murder and jailed for shipping stolen cars abroad.
      Now ‘Big’ Joe, who made his boxing comeback at the age of 38 and went on to star in a Hollywood movie, tells The Sun about his incredible life – from being bullied at school to losing his girlfriend to Michael Flatley.
      While few would mess with the 6ft 1in hardman now, Joe – the eldest of seven kids – was mercilessly bullied by older kids in the Ringsend suburb of Dublin and in the UK, where his dad moved to find work.
      “When I was seven or eight, I made my Holy Communion, and two of the bully boys, who were 15 or 16, tried to take away my Communion medal,” he says.
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      “I held on to it and I got my two front teeth knocked out. 
      “When I got bullied it was physical, and when you got an arm broken or a nose broken the doctors would say ‘It’ll heal in a week’.
      “In all my years in boxing I only ever had one tooth knocked out. The boxing ring literally was a safe place for me, compared to the years of bullying.”
      Joe’s dad encouraged him into the ring as a young boy and in his first fight, at 12, he was pitted against future middleweight champ Steve Collins, who he says “pounded me to a pulp, absolutely hammered me. I lost on points but I went the distance.”
      Most read in Boxing
      Tyson even visited Joe’s late mother several timesCredit: YouTube
      At 17, he travelled to the US to train with the Irish Boxing Team and met heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson who asked him to stay on in the States as a sparring partner for a new heavyweight hope, Mike Tyson.
      The pair – who remain close friends 40 years on – bonded over their experiences of being bullied, sharing the ring for over two years and living together in New York’s Catskill Gym. 
      Tyson gave him his flattering “toughest man” title after their first sparring session, when he was the fourth fighter in the ring and the only one to stay standing after three minutes.
      “If you are going to get battered you might as well get battered by the best,” Joe says. “I got battered by Mike Tyson and I got battered by Lennox Lewis when I fought him in 1985. 
      “It was a privilege to share the ring with both of them and it is an honour to say Mike Tyson has been my close friend for 40 years now. He visited my mother at home in Ireland four times.”
      Shot by machete-wielding gang 
      As well as going the distance with champion Lewis, and wearing the green vest of the Irish boxing team 11 times, Joe’s proudest achievement was a win against World Heavyweight Champion Bruce Seldon in 1988.
      But after going pro in 1990, his promising career was cut short by injuries sustained in a car accident and his life began to “spiral out of control”.
      Joe ploughed his money into the Lyndhurst pub in Erdington, Birmingham, where he says he upped takings from £1,000 a week to £16,000 a week.
      But it was here the brawler faced his most terrifying opponents yet, in the summer of 1998.
      “I had a demand for £500 a week protection money from a racketeering gang in Birmingham,” he says. “I bow down to royalty only out of respect but no man out of fear. After telling them no, the following week, on July 26, 1998, they attacked my pub. 
      “There were 37 of them armed with handguns, shotguns, machetes. It was a horrific day. 
      “It was savage. I got shot twice while trying to help a man who had fought in World War II, only to get shot at in a pub in a Birmingham housing estate by scum. It was a nasty 25-minute experience.”
      Joe took over the Lyndhurst in BirminghamCredit: Frank Peters
      The war veteran was shot in the hip and Joe was shot in the arm and nose, but says he was “lucky nobody died”.
      He adds: “The gang that attacked me had burned down some pubs before in the Birmingham area. They even burned down the pub  belonging to my old boss, Harry.
      “Then afterwards I got charged with attempted murder. I was defending myself.” 
      Dumped for dance millionaire
      Faced with jail, Joe ran up huge legal bills as he fought the charge, and his business went under. He was eventually tried for attempted murder and found not guilty.
      At the same time, his relationship with fiancee Lisa Murphy fell apart in bizarre fashion.
      “When Lisa saw that I was a sinking ship, she jumped ship to Michael Flatley,” he says. 
      “He was the biggest star of Irish dancing in the world, earning a million pounds a week. 
      “It doesn’t bother me now but at the time it was very upsetting. 
      “Mike Tyson called me ‘the toughest white man on the planet’, but even my heart has been broken by a woman. 
      “There was a lot of anger there at the time, but it wasn’t always an angry relationship. There was a lot of love at one time. I thought we’d be together forever.
      “But I don’t hold a grudge against Michael or Lisa anymore.”
      After a six-year romance, Lisa split from the Lord of the Dance star who is now battling cancer, and Joe says: “I sincerely hope he wins this fight.”
      Joe with former fiancee LisaCredit: Newsteam
      She went on to a high profile romance with Michael FlatleyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Jail time
      With problems piling up, Joe says he got “involved in criminality” and in 2001, he was jailed for two and half years for his part in an international car-ringing gang.
      “My business was failing and I ran out of money so I got involved with crime to pay for my legal fees,” he says. 
      “I got grassed on and sent to prison. It shouldn’t have happened. I hadn’t been in trouble with the law before but all these things happened in my life. 
      “I don’t believe crime pays. Tragically, I was forced to go down that road but I regret it. 
      “The only time I saw my dad cry was because I was going to prison. The shame I had, the disgust I had for myself, the hurt and pain I had caused him, I was so ashamed of myself. 
      The only time I saw my dad cry was because I was going to prisonBig Joe Egan
      “I told him I’ll never get into trouble again. 
      “It’s not nice being locked up, you’re confined for 23 hours a day. I wouldn’t recommend it. But what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.”
      While in prison, Joe trained in the gym and on his release he announced his comeback, at the age of 38, after a 12-year absence.
      He won in the fifth round, against a pal in Dublin, and says: “It was good to be back as Joe the boxer and not Joe the criminal.” But he went back into retirement after the lone fight.
      New life
      His days in the ring finally over, Joe turned to acting after meeting Brit star Tamer Hassan and signing up with his agent, who sent him to audition for the 2009 Guy Ritchie hit Sherlock Holmes.
      Cast as a boxer who fights Robert Downey Jr’s fictional detective, Ritchie told him, “I’ve been trying to get you in one of my films for a long time,” adding that Downey Jr had also suggested him because of his “fearsome reputation”. 
      “I couldn’t believe that these people even knew me, but they knew me because of my close friendship with Mike Tyson,” he says.  
      “When he told me the amount I was getting paid, it was more than any of my professional fights. 
      “I said, ‘Guy, for that money, Robert Downey Jnr can really hit me if he wants to. I’ve been beaten up for a lot less.”
      Although the fight scene was dropped, the boxer instead filmed a specially-written prison scene as a character named Big Joe. 
      He went on to appear in Prize Fighter with Russell Crowe and has since made guest appearances in numerous TV shows, including Brassic in 2019. 
      Big Joe squares up to Sherlock in the 2009 movieCredit: Warner Bros
      The former boxer (far left) in the 2019 film Once Upon a Time in LondonCredit: Alamy
      Joe with A-lister Robert Downey JrCredit: Twitter
      Joe’s colourful life has earned him some high-profile pals including Ricky Hatton and heavyweight champ Tony Bellew, who is set to enter the I’m A Celebrity camp this week as a late arrival.
      More controversially, he has also been associates with notorious gangsters, including Daniel Kinahan, from the infamous Irish organised crime family, and Gerry Hutch, who was the prime suspect in the 2016 murder of David Byrne at a boxing weigh-in at the Dublin Regency Hotel, which sparked a tit for tat feud amongst rival gangs that left dozens dead.
      He previously told the Irish Mirror the horrific attack was “wrong on every level”.
      He added: “David Byrne was my friend and I know his dad Jaws Byrne since I was a little boy.
      “That room was full of boxing fans and boxers, so to go in and spray a machine-gun in a room full of people that weren’t involved in any criminal activity, that’s so wrong on so many levels.”
      While his career in the ring was short, he had no regrets.
      “I had nothing else to prove to anybody, nothing left to prove to myself,” he says. “I’ve been hit in the chin by some of the best punches in the world but they never once knocked me down – something I can be proud of.” More