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    ‘It’s a great fight’ declares Brit world champion as he calls out Deontay Wilder for bout in new weight category

    DEONTAY WILDER has been challenged to a bridgerweight bust-up with a Brit world champion.The Bronze Bomber’s future at heavyweight is in limbo following four defeats in his last five outings, the most recent of which was a brutal sixth-round KO at the hands of Zheili Zhang.Deontay Wilder is currently on the worst run of his careerCredit: GETTYThe American is facing calls to retire following four losses in his last five fightsCredit: GETTYLawrence Okolie wants to welcome The Bronze Bomber to the bridgerweight divisionCredit: RexDespite his brutal and long reign as WBC king, fight fans have long thought the tall and wiry Wilder would be better suited to fighting at lighter weight.The recently formed bridgerweight division would be an ideal new home for the American should he try to breathe new life into his career.And WBC titleholder Lawrence Okolie would happily welcome him to the weight class, telling Betway: “I think it would be a great fightAnd he’ll always have what leaves people late and that’s his punching power and the name – Deontay Wilder.”READ MORE BOXING NEWSUnlike most of Wilder’s opponents, Okolie wants to feel the full force of Wilder’s cannon-like right hand.He continued: “If I’m boxing Wilder, no matter what I say, I’m going to be a little bit apprehensive and think, ‘Okay let’s see what his power is like’.”I think it’s a great fight.”Wilder’s run of form has, understandably, sparked calls for him to hang up his gloves.Most read in SportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSDeontay Wilder’s defeat to Joseph Parker last December scuppered a two-fight series with Anthony JoshuaCredit: GETTYAJ is refusing to call for The Bronze Bomber to retireCredit: REUTERSThe most costly of those losses was last December’s defeat to Joseph Parker, which scuppered a two-fight series with long-time rival Anthony Joshua worth a whopping £100million.AJ, however, refuses to join the growing list of fighters telling the Alabama slammer to call it a day.Worrying new footage shows moment Deontay Wilder gets brutally KO’d by Zhilei Zhang while COMPLAINING to refereeThe former two-time unified heavyweight champion said: “Come again if you want, but he’s got his family and there’s a life outside of boxing for him.”I enjoy fighting in London, I enjoy fighting out here [Saudi Arabia], I enjoy fighting in America.”It’s a blessing, and it doesn’t last forever. “That’s why I say it with Wilder if he wants to go again, give it another crack.”But sooner or later, Father Time will catch up with you – with everyone.” More

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    Terence Crawford beats Israil Madrimov to become four-weight world champ and opens door to Canelo Alvarez super-fight

    TERENCE CRAWFORD became a four-weight world champion after victory over Israil Madrimov – and opened the door to fighting Canelo Alvarez. Crawford, who has won titles from 135lb to 154lb now, was last year accompanied to the ring by rap icon Eminem before he beat Errol Spence Jr. Terence Crawford defeated Israil MadrimovCredit: GettyCrawford became a four-weight champCredit: GettyAnd Slim Shady – real name Marshall Mathers – performed to the Los Angeles crowd. What proceeded were 12 gruelling rounds as Crawford was made to work to retain his undefeated record and belt in a new weight class. He said after victory: “I knew he was going to be tough. “Like I said, I knew all about him when I went to Uzbekistan and they were telling me so much about him. READ MORE IN BOXING”He’s real strong, he’s durable, he took a lot of good shots and he got me to round 12.” Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh revealed an offer is on the table for Mexican superstar Canelo to face Crawford. Canelo first returns in September against Edgar Berlanga while Crawford would need to jump another two divisions and 14lb. But he said: “You know what I say, if the money’s right, we gotta fight.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”But, at the same time he’s got a fight that he’s focussed on I’m going to go back to my family, relax and enjoy this win and enjoy all the accomplishments that I’ve made in the sport of boxing.” Madrimov, beaten for the first time in 13 professional bouts, called for a rematch after his first defeat.Eddie Hearn hints at shock career change as boxing promoter says ‘I’ve been thinking about this for ages’He said: “I fought the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world and I believe that I did enough because I was the champion I was defending the belt. “I was controlling the riddim and felt very comfortable in the ring. I felt like I did very well and at least deserve the rematch.” More

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    Inside Jake Paul’s gruelling race to lose over TWO STONE in weight after cancellation of Mike Tyson fight

    JAKE PAUL was left in a race to lose over TWO STONE after his fight with Mike Tyson got cancelled. The YouTuber-turned-boxer was due to make his heavyweight debut against Tyson on July 20. Coach Larry Wade helped Jake Paul lose over two stonePaul got down to the cruiserweight limitCredit: GettyAnd he bulked all the way up to 238lb – the equivalent of 17 STONE – in training for the controversial clash. But disaster struck when Tyson, 58, was forced to pull out amid a health precaution with the bout rescheduled to November 15. Paul, 27, chose to instead fight replacement Mike Perry, 32, at the 200lb cruiserweight limit of 14st 4lb. It left him and strength and conditioning coach Larry Wade with the task of shifting the huge amount of weight with only five weeks to spare. READ MORE IN BOXINGWade told Most Valuable Promotions: “Jake had got up to around 238lb. “And we were looking at five weeks and I asked him what weight class, I was like, ‘Are we gonna be 210 maybe?’ “And he was like, ‘200.’ So we had to lose 38lbs in five weeks. We lost 38lb in five weeks.” Paul dropped Perry three times on the way to a sixth-round stoppage and moves onto his postponed bout with Tyson. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSAnd Wade opened up on how he got the American down to the cruiserweight limit in just over a month’s time. He said: “The entire training changed. “From bulking up and getting more muscle and getting stronger to leaning out, trying to lose some fat and at the same time a little muscle because it’s hard to separate the two. “We got to the finish line and that’s what true professionals know how to do.” Jake Paul reveals stunning three-fight plan including Tommy Fury rematch before shock cruiserweight WORLD TITLE shot More

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    Former Anthony Joshua rival Jarrell Miller shows off insane body transformation ahead of Andy Ruiz Jr fight

    JARRELL MILLER looks to be in the shape of his life ahead of fighting Andy Ruiz Jr. The disgraced drugs cheat faces former heavyweight world champion Ruiz on August 3 in Los Angeles. Lucas Browne after defeat to Jarrell MillerMiller is nicknamed Big BabyThe disgraced drugs cheat has transformed his bodyWelterweight world champ Jaron Ennis with MillerCredit: @moremediahitsMiller – who infamously blew his chance to fight Anthony Joshua after his 2019 doping scandal – has earned the nickname Big Baby over the years. For his last bout against Daniel Dubois in December he weighed 23 STONE. But in recent pictures circulating online, Miller appears to have dramatically transformed his body. The controversial American, 36, flexed a trimmer chest and midsection just two weeks out from his bout with Ruiz. READ MORE IN BOXINGMiller actually gave Ruiz the chance to beat AJ for the world titles after his drugs bust. He blamed the failed tests on a tainted supplement and stem cell shots in his elbow.He then received a contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank stable but again tested positive for a banned substance.This time the ex-kickboxer put it down to a SEX PILL and was handed a two-year suspension.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSMiller returned in 2022 and won three on the spin including a stoppage over ex-champ Lucas Browne, 43, last year. But he was beaten by Brit Dubois, 26, last time out while Ruiz, 34, is back after two years out. Jake Paul is going to Paris Olympics after bursting onto boxing scene with just one defeat on pro recordThe Mexican-American stunned Joshua, 34, in June 2019 but lost the rematch on points six years later. He beat Chris Arreola, 43, and Luis Ortiz, 45, but has faced a spell on the sidelines as promoter Eddie Hearn predicted a tough bout with Miller. Hearn told Matchroom Boxing: “I actually think this is a really tough fight for Andy Ruiz. It’s going to be all action.“Jarrell Miller is always going to be on the front foot, always comes to fight, and Andy is a very sharp counter-puncher as well, but he’s been out of the ring for a long time. “There’s going to be huge support for him in Los Angeles, but he better have hunger in his belly for this fight because otherwise, he’ll get overrun by Jarrell Miller.”Andy Ruiz Jr with Miller ahead of their fightCredit: Getty More

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    KSI faced with accepting Jake Paul’s ‘outrageous’ and ‘unfair’ terms to secure huge £100m YouTube grudge fight

    KSI could be forced into accepting “outrageous” and “unfair” terms in order to finally fight Jake Paul. The pair of YouTube sensations-turned-boxers have rivalled for well over half a decade – fuelling demand for a bitter grudge match. KSI could have to accept ‘outrageous’ and ‘unfair’ terms to fight Jake PaulCredit: PAJake Paul has fought as high as 200lbCredit: @jakepaulBut the latest hurdle in talks looks to be the weight difference between the feuding duo. KSI has fought as light as 175lb whereas Paul’s last two bouts have been at the 200lb cruiserweight limit. Both lost to Tommy Fury and scaled around the 183lb mark. Paul has since moved up in weight and claimed his body is too naturally big to suck back down to a 185lb catchweight. READ MORE IN BOXINGWhereas KSI’s team argue the British superstar is already way out of his comfort zone by bulking up to 185lb as it is. But, his boxing coach Alexis Demetriades insisted they would be willing to make the compromise in order to at last face Paul. Demetriades told SunSport: “I can be brutally honest with you, we’ve asked for that fight a lot. “It was offered 175, 180, cool no problem let’s do it. (Jake) didn’t want to do it. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“Remember, JJ’s fought at 170, he’s gone up to 175, 182 for Tommy, we’ll go up to 185. How much more do you want JJ to go up in weight? “So let’s meet in the middle, Jake’s fought at 183, we’ll go up to 185. So we’ll go up past what he fought Tommy Fury at, which is outrageous. KSI targets revenge fight against Floyd Mayweather and wants to ‘KILL’ boxing legend for how he treated brother Deji“That’s 15-20lb more than JJ fights at. So we’re giving up that much plus a weight cut. And Jake still doesn’t want to do it. “What do you want JJ to do? Put dumbbells in his pockets when he weighs in? Literally, I don’t know what else to offer.”Since losing to Fury, 25, Paul, 27, has gone on to win three more times and returns on July 20.He does so against ex-UFC star-turned-bare-knuckle-boxer Mike Perry, 32, after his heavyweight showdown against Mike Tyson, 58, was postponed.KSI, 31, meanwhile has not fought since suffering his first defeat last October to Fury via controversial decision. He makes his comeback on August 31 in Dublin in a wild two-on-one handicap bout against Anthony Taylor, 34, and Slim Albaher, 29. But the biggest blockbuster remains between KSI and Paul – which Demetriades admitted in the past could be worth £100MILLION. And despite believing his man will have to fight way beyond his natural weight class – they are ready to make the sacrifice. Demetriades said: “There’s an element where there’s an unfair safety advantage. “Weight divisions are there for a reason, right? So at what point do we stop? “I said to JJ, we want to get this kid, OK let’s go up to 185. He fought at 183, we’ll go up to 185 which is nuts because JJ is not naturally that heavy.“He’s not a natural 185er, the second he gets into camp he comes down. But for that fight, how huge it is and the magnitude of it. “And, stylistically as well I think we have this guy’s number. That’s just what fighting is about. READ MORE SUN STORIES”So we’ll give up the weight and the hydration clause, we’ll figure it out.“We’ll meet in the middle so everyone is comfortable, winner-takes-all, what’s the problem?”   KSI training with coach Alexis DemetriadesCredit: Getty More

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    England fan looks unrecognisable after shedding SIX STONE in five months to become bodybuilder and Team GB prospect

    ENGLAND fan Dan Clibbon shed a staggering SIX STONE in FIVE MONTHS and cut his body fat by 88 PER CENT to bag a national bodybuilding medal.And despite downing 10 pints-a-day in Germany supporting the Three Lions, the first-time-father-to-be is targeting a Team GB spot for October’s world championship.Dan Clibbon underwent a dramatic body transformation to compete in a bodybuilding contestThe England fan shed a staggering six stone in five months and reduced his body fat by 88 per centAnd the Stoke-born 25-year-old spoke exclusively to SunSport while supporting the Three Lions in GermanySelf-proclaimed “fat lad” Dan, 25, revealed guzzling lager and scoffing pizzas and kebabs left him with a body fat percentage of 40 and weighing 17st 4lbs before his drastic body transformation. But sobriety, a super strict diet and a gruelling daily regime of 4am weightlifting sessions, 10,000-step dog walks and 40 minute night-time cardio workouts left him unrecognisable with just five per cent body fat.Dan, who is 5ft 7in, weighed in at 11st 5lbs as he claimed bronze at last month’s Physical Culture Association (PCA) ‘Naturals’ contest in Telford.And at a streetside bar in Dusseldorf the day after England’s dramatic Euro 2024 quarter-final penalties win over Switzerland, hungover Dan told SunSport: “I’ve always been a big fat lad.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“But I’ve been doing powerlifting training for 11 years so I’ve always been strong too. “I’d always wanted to do a bodybuilding show so when I found out my girlfriend was pregnant in January, I thought ‘I’ll never have the chance to do it with a baby’.“So I entered the competition, knuckled down for five months, got on the cardio, got in good shape, won bronze and now I’m back on the beers again!”CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSSun reader Dan is ‘back on the beers’ after going sober for five months while trainingBut he says the intense regime was well worth it for the bronze medal he bagged at last month’s PCA Naturals in TelfordDan was virtually unrecognisable after five months of eating clean and training for up to three hours a dayThe 25-year-old has put on 1st 8lbs in the month since the competition but still looks fantastic in these pictures he posed for SunSport for in DusseldorfHaving returned from a holiday to Gran Canaria with girlfriend Kirah Barnes, 23, the couple learned their daughter was due on September 1.Most read in Euro 2024And that kicked structural engineer Dan into gear as his diet switched from junk food and pints of lager to protein and vegetables and eight litres of water-a-day. Stoke-born Dan said: “I was drinking a lot of beer. And although I was eating OK during the week, at weekends it was kebabs, pizzas, anything I wanted really. “But then I started training and all I was doing every day was going to work, walking 10,000 steps, doing cardio, lifting and eating a little bit of food.“I was shredded to the bone in the space of five months. I didn’t have a drink and ate chicken and lettuce basically the whole time.“My daily routine was wake up at 4am, 20 minutes of posing practice, weights sessions at the gym, go to work, go home, 40 minutes of cardio on the cross trainer, get my 10,000 steps in with the dog, more posing practice, back to bed and repeat the next day. For FIVE MONTHS.”Dan woke up at 4am every day to lift weights before workThe structural engineer told SunSport competitors apply fake tan to emphasise their definition under the artificial stage lightsDan said bagging bronze was ‘surreal’ after five months of sacrificeDan is expecting his first child in September as him and girlfriend Kirah prepare to welcome a daughterDespite joking that his girlfriend “hated” him during his intense regime, Southam-based Dan said it did not affect his social life. The Port Vale fan said: “My girlfriend is pregnant so there wasn’t an issue with me not drinking because she wasn’t drinking either.“And I’d still go out with the boys and do exactly what I wanted, I just wouldn’t be drinking.“But the eating was 100 per cent the hardest bit. And you’re doing it for so long, you get to a point where you only want chocolate. “I was so hungry it was ridiculous.“But I ate so much after the show. Burgers, chocolate, sweets, crisps, everything was gone!”Dan spent 40 minutes-a-night on his cross trainer at homeAnd he was drinking eight litres of water-a-day in the week before the competitionPort Vale fan Dan joked his girlfriend Kirah ‘hated’ him during his intense training periodDan was spurred on by the news he was going to have his first baby in SeptemberAfter five months of clean eating this post-competition donut went down a treatDan added: “In the week leading up to the show, I was drinking eight litres of water a day to get rid of all water weight from my system. “I was also taking Peak Max, which is a natural diuretic. And then it was just low carbs, high protein and s*** tons of cardio!“But it was definitely worth it. “When they called my name out and I got third place it was surreal because I had spent five months thinking about getting a medal.”Dan’s bronze last month qualified him to compete for Team GB in the PCA SuperSeries Natural final on October 6 in Seoul, South Korea. A world championship event.But the imminent arrival of his baby girl and the cost of the trip means he may be unable to accept the spot.Dan went from 40 per cent body fat to five in just five monthsDan travelled to Dusseldorf with mates Tom Vousden and Toby Poole who gleefully told SunSport how he had been making up for all the beers he missed out on when training. Especially as the trio watched England beat Switzerland on penalties in Saturday’s quarter-final in a pub packed with fellow Three Lions supporters.And despite putting on 1st 8lbs in the month since the show, Dan is desperate to make it to South Korea. He explained: “I said before Telford I would only do one show. But I’ve got the itch now and would like to do one more in Seoul. “I want to go again because I want to get some gold medals!READ MORE SUN STORIES“Maybe The Sun can sponsor me!”Dan has started an online coaching business to help others get into shape and he can be contacted via his Instagram page.Dan is hoping to travel to South Korea in October to compete for Team GB but needs a sponsor to cover the costs More

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    Abdu Rozik shows off body transformation as he claims boxing has helped him grow TALLER ahead of debut fight vs Erali

    ABDU ROZIK showed off his remarkable body transformation ahead of his upcoming boxing clash.The three-foot tall social media sensation will be lacing up his gloves to take on rival Erali Boyqobilov as part of the Social Knockout 3 bill in Dubai – with long-term foe Hasbulla Magomedov waiting in the wings.Abdu Rozik has undergone a body transformation ahead of his boxing fightHe claims boxing has made his bones strongerCredit: Stewart WilliamsRozik spoke to fans ahead of the showdown and claimed to have undergone a significant body transformation thanks to his hard work training.Rozik – from Tajikistan but now based in the UAE – has increased his body mass in training.And he even claims to have grown significantly TALLER!He said in an Instagram video showing off his transformation: “Hey guys! On July 6 I have my boxing debut and so many people are questioning if I am disabled and why I am doing boxing.READ MORE IN BOXING”No guys! Before I came to Dubai I was 97cm. Now [I am] 115cm, because I’m doing boxing. I am training.”Boxing made my bones bigger and boxing means I am feeling [like] a man.”Please guys, so many people are not giving their own children a chance to make their dream come true.”Please give them a chance, they can do it. They want to show the whole world they are human beings. Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”Please support us, give us some love. I love all of you.”A lot of people think I can’t marry, I can’t drive a car, I can’t fight. Why? I am the same as all of you guys, a human being.Who is Abdu Rozik? Meet Hasbulla’s rival boxing Erali Boyqobilov in Social Knockout 3 matchThe fight headlines the Social Knockout 3 card”And I can do anything I want in my life.”Rozik, 20, was diagnosed with dwarfism as a child and has had to postpone his wedding to mystery fiancee Amira to train for the bout. More

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    Jack Fincham wants Love Island showdown with Tommy Fury after ‘winning in life again’ with boxing return and weight loss

    JACK FINCHAM is eyeing a Love Island showdown against Tommy Fury after getting himself fighting fit mentally and physically. The reality TV star – who won the hit ITV show in 2018 – boxed as an amateur before walking away from the sport in his 20s. Love Island winner Jack Fincham is eyeing a fight with Tommy FuryCredit: Instagram @jack_charlesfTommy Fury also starred on Love IslandCredit: SplashBut amid the boom in celebrity-style crossover bouts, Fincham is back in boxing and returns at Crypto Fight Night on Saturday. He faces Isaac Taylor, the brother of his former opponent Anthony who he shared four exhibition rounds with in 2022. Fincham won his last fight in Dubai in April against influencer Ahmed Mousa and now has the likes of Fury and KSI in his sights. He told SunSport: “They were struggling to find me an opponent at first but then Anthony actually messaged me himself asking, ‘Would you fight my brother?’READ MORE IN BOXING”I said, ‘Yeah, course. No problem.’ I want to leave a mark on this type of boxing because I want to eventually fight Tommy Fury.”I could easily fight KSI, easily. They’re the sort of people that I want to be boxing and I know I’m more than capable of beating them.”I’ve got a lot more self-confidence now since I’ve been training and the quality of sparring I’m having, these people are not as good as me in my opinion.”Fury is unbeaten at 10-0 and last year beat YouTube’s biggest boxing stars in KSI, 30, and Jake Paul, 27. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut the 25-year-old has not returned since – after having hand surgery – as Fincham raised doubts over his boxing aspirations. He said: “I’ve said this in the past, I think Tommy’s great, really nice guy but is his heart really in boxing? I don’t think so.Mike Tyson issues chilling threat to Jake Paul in first message since Netflix showdown fight was postponed”He’s earning a lot of money from other stuff and I don’t think he needs boxing at the minute. I don’t think he’s going to go into any 50-50 fights, why would he?”I don’t think at the minute he wants to go into a fight against anyone who may have a chance of beating him. His excuse is, ‘They’re not bringing money to the table.'”Well, they are. It’s definitely a fight I’d like, have a couple in between and then do that.”Fincham dropped a sensational THREE STONE before his boxing return earlier in the year. It paved the way for the familiar feeling of victory in the ring – but one he had not tasted since his teenager amateur boxing years. Fincham, 32, said: “It felt amazing. I haven’t felt like that in years, the last fight I won was back in the amateurs and obviously I boxed Anthony Taylor in between that.”It was just an amazing feeling. It was a nice, familiar feeling like, ‘Ah this is what it used to f***ing fell like.'”I proved myself right, I wasn’t supposed to fight until this card or even afterwards around September time but I thought, ‘F*** it, I’ll just fight now.'”I took that fight on six-weeks notice and came down from 104 kilos. All round you just feel like you’re winning in life again.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Other stuff starts going right for you, others jobs start coming in, you look healthy, you look fit. Everything is better.”
    Crypto Fight Night ‘Off Chain’ takes place on Saturday 15th June at Indigo at the O2, London – tickets here. Stream it live on Triller TV.
    Fincham is ‘winning in life’ again after his boxing returnCredit: @jack_charlesf More