Heavyweight boxing

DEONTAY WILDER’s head coach has denied suggestions of a fourth fight with Tyson Fury being in the pipeline.Reports this week claimed the Gypsy King had lined up a shock quadrilogy fight with former WBC champion in case his historic undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk fell through.
Reports this week claimed Tyson Fury had lined up a shock fourth fight with Deontay WilderCredit: ALAMY
Fury was said to have eyed a fourth clash with Wilder in case his bout with Oleksandr Usyk fell throughCredit: REUTERS
But Wilder’s coach Malik Scott insists there have been no talksCredit: INSTAGRAM@MALIKKINGSCOTT
But Team Wilder insists that’s not the case, with coach Malik Scott telling ES News: “No, not at all. There’s no talks.
“When I say that there is no talks, I’m coming from Deontay’s perspective.
“Because that is who I am hands-on with, every other day. From his perspective, it is all just hoopla.”
Scott, however, is refusing to rule out the prospect of Fury and Wilder sharing the ring again, although he’d prefer his man to fight Usyk.
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He said: “Fury-Wilder 4 is an option, but it is more realistic to say Usyk-Wilder.
“I would want that to happen before Fury-Wilder.”
Usyk’s promoter and manager Alexander Krassyuk flew into London this week for last-ditch talks to finalise the first undisputed heavyweight dust-up in nearly 25 years.
April 29 is the targeted date for the clash, which could potentially take place at Wembley.
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Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren told talkSPORT his week: “We are very, very close to getting this [Fury vs Usyk] done. Very, very close.
“His people are coming in tomorrow and I’m hoping we’re gonna get some news for everybody. We’re close to getting it done.
“Tomorrow we’re gonna meet up. Alex Krassyuk, his promoter, is coming to the Arsenal vs Man City game with me.
“I’m hoping that if I can get enough wine down him that we can do the deal.
“We’re meeting him to get an agreement on the various scenarios to make it happen.
“There’s a few more hurdles for both sides to get over. They’re not [insurmountable], not at all. Location is the main thing.
“If we go abroad, then you go there for a premium, that’s the reason you do it.

When is Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk? Date, TV channel – everything we know so far
“If not, then we get down to the reality of what it’ll be at Wembley where the numbers are what they are.
“We broke the box office record with the fight vs Dillian Whyte last April. If we get this one on, I think that will break that record.
“I think it’s well in excess of a million [UK PPV] buys, one-and-a-half million.
“It’s not like we’ve got to go and sell Usyk, he’s beaten Anthony Joshua twice, the public know who he is. It’s not a tough sell at all.
“We’ve got a pencil on it [April 29] for obvious reasons, just in case, we’ve gotta make sure we’ve got some insurance. So there’s a pencil on the date.
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“In a perverse way, I would like to see it at Wembley because I’d like to see all the records broken and obviously see the fight in the UK.
“But from the boxers and their bank managers’ point of view, they would like to maximise what they can earn for an historic fight.” More

JOHN FURY is worried that his heavyweight champion son Tyson could KILL rival Deontay Wilder if they fight for a fourth time.Tyson and Wilder fought three times for the WBC world title between 2018 and 2021.
Secret talks between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder over a FOURTH fight have taken placeCredit: AP
John Fury is worried son Tyson could KILL WilderCredit: Getty
The first fight ended a draw despite many feeling Fury should’ve been the only man to have his hand raised.
Tyson made sure to get the job done in the next two fights, though, winning both with brutal knockouts.
A unification bout with WBA, IBF, and WBO champ Oleksandr Usyk is expected to take place later this year, but reports suggest secret talks have been held with Wilder over a fourth fight at Wembley IF negotiations fall through.
Dad John believes a fourth meeting would be a bad idea, fearing son Tyson could KILL Wilder.
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John told Freebets.com: “I’m worried about him fighting Wilder because I’m afraid of him killing Wilder.
“Wilder’s got a cracked skull, his skull is cracked like an egg.
“That kind of thing can’t be repaired so if Tyson hits him again he could kill him.
“So I’ve said ‘unless you want a funeral on your hands and the death of Deontay Wilder keep from him’.
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” He’s beat him three times, massacred him each time.
“He beat him [in the controversial draw] when he’d just lost eight stone and been out of the ring for three years.
“He poses no threat, the only danger he poses is Tyson killing him.
“That danger and smoke, we don’t want, let him go faff about with these blokes he can hit once and they’ll lay on the floor and carry on, he’s no good to Tyson.
“I don’t want to go to my grave knowing that my son’s killed somebody.”

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DERRICK JAMES couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Anthony Joshua’s strategy for his rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.The former two-time heavyweight champion went into his rematch with the Ukrainian last August lamenting the tactics employed for their Tottenham tussle in September 2021.
Anthony Joshua rematch Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia last AugustCredit: REUTERS
AJ suffered a second successive defeat to the UkranianCredit: Getty
His tactics for the Saudi showdown baffled new coach Derrick JamesCredit: PA
Joshua, 33, was more aggressive under now-former trainer Robert Garcia but once again failed to utilise his strengths, much to the surprise of new coach James.
During an appearance on the DAZN Boxing Show, he said: “When I saw him in the Usyk fight, I thought, ‘What the heck is he doing?’
“I’m laughing.”
James, the trainer of world champions Jermall Charlo and Erroll Spence Jr, wouldn’t have had Joshua try to outbox slick southpaw Usyk.
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When asked if he believed he would’ve coached AJ to victory, he said: “Yeah because I train two left-hand fighters.”
Joshua has upped sticks to Texas to train with James for his crunch comeback fight with Jermaine Franklin on April 1.
And James believes working in close proximity to Spence will do wonders for helping Joshua get his mojo back.
James said of the pair: “They’re good, they talk.
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“Errol asks him a couple of questions.
“When Errol is hitting the bag, working out, AJ is watching him.
“It’s like a mutual respect.
“That’s what most guys need to get to the next level or get that thing back that they had before.
“Even with Errol, he sees him doing some things, and they both work off each other.
“In the last four years, there’s been no gym with two unified champs, especially with an undisputed champ, especially with two champs period in the same gym.
Credit: SUNSPORT
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“Frank [Martin] is right there at #1 [at lightweight], so he’s right there to be inspired by all that stuff right there.”
Joshua is hoping to showcase his hard work with James against American gunslinger Franklin.
He said: “I’m looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London.
“Mentally and physically I feel ready.
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“I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards.
“Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights.” More

BRITISH cruiserweights Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakphore almost came to blows at the Creed III premiere.The pair were two of several big names to hit the red carpet at Cineworld Leicester Square on Wednesday night for the early screening of the Hollywood movie.

WBO cruiserweight king Lawrence Okolie looked dapper at the Creed III premiereCredit: SPLASH
Richard Riakporhe was also in attendanceCredit: SPLASH
The pair almost came to blows by the snack stand in the concourseCredit: https://twitter.com/MichaelBensonn
But they almost gave attendees a real fight to watch after clashing at the snack stand at the concourse.
A fired-up Riakphore twice lunged at the WBO cruiserweight champion as he was being held back by a mystery man.
Okolie, who was holding his jacket in one hand, managed to frame off the advancing Riakphore and create space.
Boxing pundit and podcaster Spencer Fearon ended up keeping the peace, holding Okolie back from his fellow Brit.
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He shouted: “Stop, stop, stop! Stop this. Not here, man.”
The pair’s clash comes just under a week after the pair did a joint interview, in which they were both cordial when talking about the prospect of facing one another.
When pressed on the fight, Okolie told Sky Sports: “Don’t say my name ’til you actually want to fight.
“It’s as easy as this. I will fight that man any time. Any time.
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“Then it’s done. You’ve got a world champion who doesn’t need to – Richard’s not my mandatory.
“But, he’s in my country saying he’s the best? See you soon.”
The pair’s promoter, BOXXER’s Ben Shalom, is open to making the fight later this year, telling talkSPORT: “[Riakporhe] is going to fight for a world title.
“He’s going to fight Lawrence Okolie in one of the biggest fights, not just in this country, but in the world cruiserweight division.
“They both want to move up to heavyweight. It’s a massive year.
“I think we’re going to watch Lawrence Okolie go and unify and win more world titles.
“I think we’re going to see Richard Riakporhe win his first world title and then I think we’re going to see them meet at the end of the year.” More

TYSON FURY has closed the door on a fight between him and Anthony Joshua because he is “dead in his eyes”.The heavyweight stars were on course for a Battle of Britain showdown in December but the blockbuster fight failed to come to fruition.
Tyson Fury has closed the door to a blockbuster clash with Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua almost faced Tyson Fury in December but talks collapsedCredit: Alamy
Fury now has his sights set on a historic undisputed heavyweight clash with fellow undefeated boxing star Oleksandr Usyk.
And the Gypsy King insists he has “no interest” in facing off against AJ in the near future.
Fury said: “I don’t even go there anymore.
“No interest in any AJ questions. Zero. Man’s dead in my eyes.
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“There’s no business between me and him to be done. Finished.”
Joshua has also turned his attention elsewhere as he is looking to rebuild his career following two consecutive losses to Usyk.
The 33-year-old is set to face off against Jermaine Franklin in his April 1 return.
But the British star’s promoter Eddie Hearn insists his client will be ready to face Fury in the summer if the Gypsy King’s talks with Usyk collapse.
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Hearn said: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen with this Usyk thing. He may fight Fury next.
“We’d be open to that fight. If Usyk doesn’t fight Fury, AJ will fight Fury next, in the summer if he gets through Franklin.
“How about that? Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. He will.” More