Heavyweight boxing

EDDIE HEARN warned not to rule out Tyson Fury fighting Anthony Joshua INSTEAD of Oleksandr Usyk. Fury, who returns against Derek Chisora on December 3, is already in talks for a historic undisputed super-fight with Usyk next year.
Anthony Joshua is set to return in 2023Credit: Getty
Tyson Fury returns against Derek Chisora on December 3Credit: Getty
But he said it would be a “dying travesty” if he never fought AJ and admitted he could not retire without fighting him.
Although in trademark style, Fury made a U-turn and claimed he had no interest in facing Joshua, who he called a “coward”.
Hearn was quick to point out the contradiction and believes the pair of heavyweights can still fight, possibly sooner than most think.
He told iFL TV: “Two or three days ago, he said he couldn’t retire unless he fought AJ, and he needs that fight badly.
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“You’re seeing now from the social media responses people are starting to come to terms with it doesn’t make sense what he’s saying.
“Let him go on. Maybe he fights AJ instead of Usyk? I wouldn’t even be surprised.
“That fight is so big with AJ that sometimes you just get together, and you make the fight instantly.
“I think Fury wants legacy, and he knows the AJ fight is legacy because it’s the biggest fight of all time.
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“And despite him maybe saying that he doesn’t rate Anthony Joshua, he does, and he knows it’s a real fight and we have to see that fight.
“But you’ve also got the Usyk fight. You have Chisora coming up. We’ll see what happens.”
Fury, 34, faces Chisora, 38, the man he beat in 2011 and 2014 in a trilogy bout after talks with AJ collapsed.
Joshua, 33, is instead set to return next year following a break after two straight points losses to Usyk, 35.
The Ukrainian is also ruled out until next year but negotiations for a first four-belt heavyweight unification in Saudi Arabia is already underway.
It leaves AJ frozen out of the title picture for now, but Hearn wants to see the two-time champion in a hat-trick of bouts in 2023.
He said: “For me, AJ should be fighting three times a year every year.
“But, because of his commercial responsibilities, because of the size of his events, sometimes it ends up being two.
“And then with Covid, sometimes it’s one. So we must make sure that 2023 sees him box three times. It’s really important, and the activity is key.”
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie HearnCredit: Getty More

EX-HEAVYWEIGHT boxing champion Chris Byrd looks almost unrecognisable after his stunning FOUR STONE body transformation. The American defeated some of the division’s greatest, including Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko.
Two-time heavyweight boxing champion Chris ByrdCredit: AP:Associated Press
Chris Byrd sensationally lost four stone in retirement
And he did so weighing 15 stone in the prime of his career, later retiring in 2009.
But after hanging up his gloves, Byrd underwent a dramatic body transformation and wanted to return at MIDDLEWEIGHT.
At one point, he weighed 11st after slimming down on a plant-based diet and eyed a boxing comeback after turning 50.
He said: “What am I known for? Slickness, speed and reflexes.
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“It’s still there. I’m telling you. At 50 years old, look at my body. It’s on.
“Who is going to hang with the old man? Nobody can hang with the old man. I got energy all day.
“I will be a middleweight champion definitely. Let’s get it.”
Now 52, Byrd appears to have cooled off on talk of a comeback.
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During his heyday, he reigned as a two-time heavyweight champ but actually competed at middleweight during his amateur career.
It was only after lacking willing contenders did Byrd physically chew his way up to heavyweight.
He said: “Nobody wanted to fight me at middleweight, so I ate my weight up to heavyweight.
“Due to this, I paid for it. I went through eleven years of suffering. A few years ago, I couldn’t even move my feet apart.
“The pain in my left leg was so bad that I just wanted to cut the whole off some day.
“I had to make drastic changes and choices in life to get where I am today.”
The American beat Evander Holyfield and Vitali KlitschkoCredit: Reuters
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DILLIAN WHYTE is out for redemption in a pair of rematches against Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. The British heavyweight returns on Saturday against unbeaten American Jermaine Franklin.
Anthony Joshua beat Dillian Whyte in 2015Credit: Getty Images – Getty
Tyson Fury knocked out Dillian WhyteCredit: Getty
It is his first fight since a knockout loss to Fury in April, failing in his challenge for the WBC title.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has dangled a fight with Joshua, the man who Whyte lost to in 2015, as the reward for the weekend’s winner.
That would fall right into Whyte’s plan, as he looks to secure revenge on Fury and AJ, like he did in his rematch KO against Alexander Povetkin.
Whyte said: “I want to become heavyweight champion of the world, and I’d love to get the opportunity to avenge my two losses.
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“I’ve already avenged one; I’d love to get the opportunity to avenge the other two.”
Joshua, 33, is primed to return early next year having taken a break following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 35.
And Whyte, 34, remains the most likely candidate to welcome his old rival back, should he beat Franklin, 29, at Wembley Arena.
But Hearn named Deontay Wilder, 37, Joe Joyce, 37, and Daniel Dubois, 24, among the other options that lay in await for Whyte.
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He told The Metro: “The winner of the Franklin fight is probably frontrunner to take on Anthony Joshua in the first fight of 2023.
“He wants to fight Deontay Wilder, he would love another crack at Fury, he wants Usyk, Joyce, Dubois.
“You’ve got four or five fights left, really, and he just wants to face all of those guys, but he needs to have a big win against Franklin and he needs to impress and show he has a lot left.”
Dillian Whyte, promoter Eddie Hearn and Jermaine FranklinCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY’S undisputed super-fight against Oleksandr Usyk has been given the green light by the WBC. The pair of unbeaten heavyweight champions are already being lined up for the division’s first four-belt unification bout next year.
Tyson Fury’s undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk has been given the green light by the WBCCredit: Getty
Oleksandr Usyk is in talks to fight Tyson Fury next yearCredit: EPA
And the WBC will be in support of it while already ordering Deontay Wilder, 37, to face Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, in a final eliminator.
It means the winner of the all-American showdown would be in line to challenge for the undisputed title.
WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman told Sky Sports: “There has been real interest in having Fury against Usyk take place.
“That would be a great possibility and then the winner would have to fight the WBC mandatory once that is confirmed.”
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Usyk, 35, is ready to return next year following consecutive points wins over Anthony Joshua, 33.
Meanwhile Fury, 34, faces Derek Chisora, 38, on December 3 in a trilogy bout against the man he beat in 2011 and 2014.
It is set to give the Gypsy King valuable ring time ahead of his proposed unficiation with Usyk next year, eyed for Saudi Arabia.
But the IBF threw a spanner in the works when they ordered Filip Hrgovic, 30, to challenge for Usyk’s belt.

Fury vs Chisora 3: Date, live stream and TV info for huge heavyweight bout
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There is still hope the undisputed bout will supersede the mandatory challenge, something the WBC has always been in favour of.
Sulaiman said: “The WBC has been extremely supportive of unification bouts.
“We supported back then Wilder against Joshua, it didn’t happen.
“Then we supported when the time could be for Fury against Joshua again and then we support Fury against Usyk.
“If it happens it will be a tremendous fight for the world and the WBC is supportive of that as long as the rights of the mandatory contender are not infringed.
“So the timing right now looks very good for that to happen.”
Sulaiman also confirmed the winner between Wilder and Ruiz will have the right to fight for the belt, currently held by Fury.
He said: “That fight should prove to be a great, great match and then a very solid mandatory contender for the WBC.”
Deontay Wilder is in line for a WBC final eliminator beltCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY admits his Morecambe mansion might be full of Derek Chisora fans when they clash for a third time next week.The 34-year-old WBC Gypsy King defends his crown against the 38-year-old he has already beaten twice at the Tottenham Stadium on December 3.
Tyson Fury has six children with long-time wife ParisCredit: Instagram
Derek Chisora will be hoping to cause a huge upset against FuryCredit: Splash
And the undefeated father-of-six revealed Chisora’s fearless 33-12 record – and reputation for fighting the biggest and baddest men of his era – means all of his kids usually cheer for his rival.
The 6ft 9in showman said: “Everytime he fights I cheer for Derek, all my kids are Derek Chisora fans, they have all grown up watching him.
“It’s hard not to like him because, in this country, the man has become a folk hero.
“On December 3 it will probably p*** down – and everyone will get wet – but it will still be a great night.”
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Fury outboxed Del Boy to a points win in 2011 and peppered him with digs in 2014 until he retired on his stool.
But since his first stoppage win over Deontay Wilder in 2020, Fury has become a power puncher who can flatten stars like the Bronze Bomber and Dillian Whyte.
And he admits that shootout style could play into the Zimbabwe-born brawler’s giant hands.
“I think it gives him a better chance,” he said. “Years ago I used to box behind my jab and people found it very hard to hit me.
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“But, if you look at my last few fights, people have found it easy to hit me and I have had to get up off the floor a good few times.
“There were 10 knockdowns between me and Wilder in that trilogy, that’s a lot.
“I am being hit more than ever but I am also doing more damage with my punches.”
Chisora – who has lost three of his last four fights – has been written off by the majority of British boxing fans and been made the 11-1 underdog by most bookies.
But he points to Leicester’s 5,000-1 Premier League title win as proof longshot dreams do still come true and you only need a puncher’s chance.
“In this country we have this problem where we write people off,” Chisora said.
“A few years ago we said Leicester didn’t have a chance and then they won it and people were shocked.
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“People kept saying how if you would have bet on Leicester on this day or that day that you would have won £100,000.
“It’s the same with this fight. You never know who has got a chance.”
Fury knocked Whyte out in the sixth round of their heavyweight clash in AprilCredit: Getty More

EDDIE HEARN reckons Tyson Fury’s domestic dust-up with Derek Chisora will be a box office flop.The Gypsy King will make the third defence of his WBC heavyweight title in a Tottenham trilogy bout with his old rival on Saturday week.
Tyson Fury will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Derek Chisora next weekendCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Fury already owns a pair of victories over the veteran heavyweightCredit: PA
And Eddie Hearn reckons their trilogy will flop at the box officeCredit: REX
Boxing fans will have to shell out a whopping £26.95 to watch the fight from home, a price several have slammed during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
And Hearn believes the hefty price will put people off from parting with their hard-earned cash.
He told iD Boxing: “I think it does between 200,000 and 300,000 buys and they probably need between 400,000 and 500,000.
“Listen, Tyson Fury’s a huge star and he’s not going to be boxing for small money.
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“I know what Derek Chisora’s making, I think most people do and if the tickets haven’t quite sold as well as anticipated, you’re under a lot of pressure.
“But that’s the job of the promoter and you put your balls on the line sometimes to hit numbers.
“Sometimes you hit them, and sometimes you don’t hit them. I’ve been on both sides.
“Always ugly, never pretty when you’re on that side.”
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Hearn believes rival promoter Frank Warren and broadcasters BT Sport will be hard-pressed to convince fans to part with nearly £30 for a third fight between the duo.
He continued “I just difficult, Chisora’s a big name, Fury’s a big star, but you’re relying on people to spend that money at a difficult time.”
Fury goes into his third clash with Chisora having handily beaten the veteran in their 2011 and 2014 clashes.
But fan favourite Chisora believes his old foe has REGRESSED since their last meeting eight years ago.

War told BT Sport: “I think he was a better fighter when I last boxed him.
“Last time I fought him he was better, he was good, he was on point.” More