Heavyweight boxing

EDDIE HEARN has revealed he is in ongoing talks with Deontay Wilder’s manager over a fight with Anthony Joshua next year. Wilder’s Hall of Fame manager Shelly Finkel welcomed discussions with Hearn in an interview with SunSport.
Anthony Joshua pictured with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
Boxing manager Shelly Finkel with Deontay Wilder in 2018Credit: AFP or licensors
And despite previous animosity with the pair, they have now started talking again over a potential heavyweight super-fight next year.
Hearn told iD Boxing: “I’ve had a couple of very nice conversations with Shelly recently.
“I think we all made mistakes last time and I’m not going to make that mistake again.
“So I’m saying nothing but the communication lines and clear and open, which is great news for everybody.
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“I don’t know what’s next but what I can tell you is, the relationship and communication is good enough to have hope.”
Joshua and Wilder failed to agree terms for what at the time would have been an undisputed fight between a pair of then-unbeaten champions.
The verbal back and forth between the opposing teams also soured the relationship to an almost unsavable degree.
But after recent talks, Hearn said: “First things first, there’s a lot of stuff that needed to be cleared up between the two of us.
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“I made mistakes, I was arrogant, I think he made mistakes, maybe he said some things.
“I think we got to a point, he doesn’t need to grow up because he’s been in the game a long time.
“I probably did need to grow up a little bit and I think hand on heart, I was probably sometimes speaking with my heart and my b****s rather than my brain.”
Joshua, 33, is set to return in early 2023 after taking time off following consecutive points defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, 35.
Meanwhile Wilder, 37, knocked out Robert Helenius, 38, in round one of his October comeback fight.
Hearn lined up AJ to rematch Dillian Whyte, 34, who he knocked out in 2015, for his first fight back.
But Finkel called on Joshua’s camp to look in Wilder’s direction instead.
Anthony Joshua speaking with Shelly Finkel in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty More

OLEKSANDR USYK’S promoter hopes Tyson Fury is “brave enough” to accept an undisputed title fight next year. Fury returns on Saturday at Tottenham’s stadium in a trilogy bout against Derek Chisora, who he beat in 2011 and 2014.
Promoter Alex Krassyuk with Oleksandr UsykCredit: @alex.krassyuk
Tyson Fury ahead of his trilogy fight with Derek ChisoraCredit: Reuters
But behind the scenes, talks are already underway for the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification.
Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk told Sky Sports: “We all hope [Fury] is brave enough to take this challenge.
“To accept the challenge of fighting a small “middleweight” rabbit from Ukraine who’s going to take his green belt away.”
Fury faces Chisora after failing to get Usyk or British rival Anthony Joshua in the ring.
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WBA, IBF and WBO boss Usyk, 35, ruled himself out of the unification until 2023 after beating Joshua, 33, for a second time.
The Ukrainian will be in London on a scouting mission as Fury, 34, defends his WBC title against Chisora, 38.
Promoter Bob Arum said: “He’ll be ringside to watch with his manager and promoter.
“We all know each other. There’ll be no nonsense and posturing. We’ll be able to put it together right away.

Fury vs Chisora 3: Date, live stream and TV info for huge heavyweight bout
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“[Usyk] told us that he isn’t ready to fight until ’23. If Fury is successful we would look to make that fight some time in February, beginning of March.
“But again he’s got to beat Chisora for that to happen.”
Fury is just a win away from the historic unification next year, set for Saudi Arabia.
But Hall of Famer Arum has warned not to rule Chisora out as he expects a knockout either way.
He said: “Chisora’s not an easy out. Tough, tough guy.
“These are two no nonsense guys, they’re going to go in and they’re going to try to knock each other’s block off.
“We’re going to see a knockout. We may see a lot of knockdowns. It’s going to be an exciting fight.”
Oleksandr Usyk, promoter Bob Arum and Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More

DEREK CHISORA has denied being handed a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury because they are mates – but does plan to knock out his old friend. Chisora, beaten by Fury in 2011 and 2014, gets a shock trilogy clash with the Gypsy King on Saturday, nearly a decade after their rematch.
Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora ahead of their trilgy fightCredit: Getty
It as the WBC champion failed to get heavyweight rivals Oleksandr Usyk, 35, or Anthony Joshua, 33, in the ring with him.
Many have slammed the fight at Tottenham’s 62,000-seat stadium as nothing more than a paydays for the pair of pals.
But Chisora, 38, told the Daily Mail: “Tyson is not going with me because we’re friends but because he knows I always come to fight.
“Win or lose there’s no doubt that together we will give the fans a great night. We’ve proved that before.”
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Much has changed since the two last shared the ring in London.
Fury, 34, has twice reigned as world heavyweight champion, beating Wladimir Klitschko, 46, and Deontay Wilder, 37, for the honour.
Meanwhile Chisora went from villain to hero in the eyes of fans, becoming a pay-per-view star in the process.
It has seen the veteran face the best in the division, from both young and old, winning just once in his last four.

Fury vs Chisora 3: Date, live stream and TV info for huge heavyweight bout
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But that recently came against Kubrat Pulev, 41, in a July barnburner and Chisora claims he is better than ever.
He said: “Tyson is extremely agile for 6ft 9in. Of course he’s dangerous, we both are.
“But right now, as well as him, I’m the best boxer I’ve ever been. We’ve both discovered the older you get the more you understand boxing.
“Technically the two of us are the best we will ever be, even though we are not as young as we used to be.
“Tyson’s in his 30s too but he wouldn’t be world champion if he wasn’t so good technically.”
Chisora has nothing to lose when the bell rings against Fury and said: “I have no regrets. None.
“Why should I? My kids are happy. I love them and my wife and I love to box, win or lose.
“If it’s to be lose this time, I will collect my money and go home, to be happy with my family, smoking a cigar on my way out of the arena. Be happy for me. ”
Derek Chisora poses after the press conferenceCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY credits the man he is named after — Mike Tyson — with life advice that has helped him handle family tragedy.The 34-year-old WBC heavyweight world champion lost his cousin Rico Burton in August when he was murdered in a knife attack.
Tyson Fury credits Mike Tyson for helping him cope with the death of his cousinCredit: Social Media
And Fury’s wife Paris has bravely spoken out about losing two babies, one through a difficult stillbirth.
Personal pain and punches all seem to bounce off the 6ft 9in Gypsy King but he has revealed some wise words from the 56-year-old reformed “baddest man on the planet” Mike Tyson helped him cope with grief.
The 32-0-1 superstar said: “It’s very traumatic for any parent to lose a child and recovering is just a process. I look at it as the circle of life.
“Some people just get longer than others. Some people live to 100 and some young children are called away very young.
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“Routine helps, dwelling can drag you down.
“Life moves on and time is a good healer, you need to look at the positives and not dwell on anything. With miscarriages, baby losses and any family  tragedies, you have to let things go.
“I had a cousin murdered back in August, we were really close, slept in the same bed as kids and that was depressing when I realised I would never see him again.
“But life goes on and you have to appreciate the good times that you have had.
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“I was with Mike Tyson once and he said he was looking forward to death.
“He said that life had been so great that surely death would be too. And I thought he had a valid point.”
Tomorrow’s trilogy dance with Derek Chisora, 38, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should springboard Fury into an undisputed March decider with WBA, IBF and WBO boss Oleksandr Usyk. 
The Anthony Joshua mega-fight could always be his pension plan after that clash.
But with movie offers flying in from Hollywood, we can expect to see him on the silver screen very soon, following on from Vinnie Jones’ switch from sporting hardman to movie villain.
He said: “I am sure there will be a luxurious and fancy career for me after boxing. I have the likes of Sylvester Stallone and Guy Ritchie calling me up and offering me films, movie parts.
“I have been offered Jason Statham and Mark Wahlberg films. I am doing a Netflix series and there might be another series after that.
My dream was to be heavyweight championTyson Fury
“Stallone’s dream was to make the Rocky movies and he is still doing them now when he is in his seventies.
“My dream was to be heavyweight champion and I am still doing it in my thirties.”
Fury takes inspiration from golden oldies like Larry Holmes and George Foreman, who were still starring in heavyweight world title clashes well into their forties.
But he has an eye on out-of-work Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent decline and recognises his wild life outside of the ring might count against him having similar longevity to the Portugal ace or his American heroes.
He said: “I am 34 and I have plenty of miles on the clock. It’s hard getting through these camps.
“All the top athletes are pretty worn out by this age, even footballers.
“Ronaldo is 37 but he has lived an unbelievably professional lifestyle, had the best of everything, doctors, physios, and even he is still declining.
I am the wily old veteran who can scrape through nowTyson Fury
“I have done nothing but drink alcohol and use recreational drugs. I burned the candle at both ends.
“I am not the hungry young lion any more, I am the wily old veteran who can scrape through now.”
Although, if he can stave off injury for a few more years, though, there is a growing chance he could end up being a world champion grandad!
Daughter Venezuela, his first of six children, recently turned 13 and Fury seems to like the idea of being a young grandpa who can still beat up all the young bucks in his forties.
He revealed: “Time has been an obsession for me for a long time but right now I can really enjoy it and being in Morecambe helps that.
“I can sit by the window in my house, overlooking the bay and not realise that an hour has gone by.
“I have been a professional for 14 years now. My daughter was born a year later. Where the hell has that time gone? My daughter is now 13. She has gone from being a tiny baby to half a lady.
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“She was a little girl just a couple of years ago and now I know we are not far away from her having boyfriends, moving out and having a family of her own.
“In our culture we get married very young so in a few years she could be gone and married and I could be grandad Tyson before 40.” More

DEREK CHISORA can shock the world and end Tyson Fury’s reign as WBC heavyweight champion, according to the Gypsy King’s former coach.Del Boy will bid to become a world champion at the second time of asking in his Tottenham trilogy fight with Fury on Saturday night.
Derek Chisora will renew his rivalry with Tyson Fury on Saturday nightCredit: Getty
Chisora’s chances of avenging his 2011 and 2014 defeats to Fury have been written off by manyCredit: PA
But Fury’s former coach Ben Davison is adamant Del Boy can shock the worldCredit: GETTY
Chisora’s chances of avenging his two losses to the Wythenshawe warrior have been written off by many, although former Fury trainer Ben Davison reckons he can come out on top if he nullifies Fury’s reach advantage.
He said: “The first thing you’d say, it’s difficult with Derek’s age.
“But it would be, ‘You’re boxing a tall fighter you want to make yourself low and have Tyson punching down at you.’
“That actually will take away someone’s reach if they’re punching down.
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“If you’re reaching out to something that’s head height you can reach farther than if you’re going downwards, obviously.
“So you try and take away an element of his reach by doing that, make yourself a harder target.
“Often when someone is lower they’re chasing the head with a jab you’ve got more of an opportunity of going over the top of it.”
Fury, 33, boxed brilliantly in his 2014 and 2014 domestic dust-ups with Chisora – the latter of which he won via tenth-round retirement.
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And Davison believes the outcome of their third showdown will depend on the approach adopted by his former charge.
He said: “It’s a hard task [for Chisora] and it massively depends on how Tyson approached the fight, which I don’t think any of us actually know at this moment in time.
“If he looks to maintain distance with small steps and maintain the distance and bring Derek on to the shots, it’s a difficult, difficult night for Derek.
“But if Tyson wants to go out there and make it entertaining and have a scrap, it becomes a lot more of a competitive fight as silly as that may sound.
“He may clip Derek early, but there’s a chance the vice-versa Derek can get something off as well.”

Fury vs Chisora 3: Date, live stream and TV info for huge heavyweight bout
Fury, 34, enters his third clash with Chisora on the back of a brutal sixth-round TKO victory over Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April.
Chisora, meanwhile, defeated Kubrat Pulev via split decision in their rematch in July. More