Heavyweight boxing

OLEKSANDR USYK has agreed to a blockbuster showdown with Tyson Fury next year.A multi-million-pound undisputed bout between the pair was on course to take place in Saudi Arabia on December 17 until Usyk revealed he was struggling with multiple injuries.
Tyson Fury is set to face Oleksandr Usyk in a blockbuster undisputed title fight next yearCredit: GETTY
The undefeated Ukranian has finalised his part of the mega-fightCredit: EPA
Usyk retained his unified heavyweight title with a decision win over Anthony Joshua in AugustCredit: GETTY
Negotiations, however, continued and Team Usyk has agreed to the proposed terms for the historic dust-up.
The Ukrainian’s manager Egis Klimas told SecondsOut: “Everything is done from our side – everything, absolutely.
“So, there’s only one guy who can say, ‘Yes, we’re going [ahead];’ that’s Fury.”
Usyk, 34, holds four of the heavyweight marbles following spectacular back-to-back displays against Brit Anthony Joshua.
READ MORE IN BOXING
But the former undisputed cruiserweight king will likely be the underdog against 6’9 man-mountain Fury.
Klimas admitted: “Size difference, of course, it’s not in Usyk’s favour.
“[Fury] is a giant. Also, he’s a good fighter. He’s a talented fighter first of all; Second, he has a good boxing IQ.
“So, he is a very, very dangerous fighter.”
Most read in Boxing
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Fury, 34, will defend his WBC crown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3 in a trilogy fight with fellow Brit Derek Chisora.
And Usyk has no problem rematching 38-year-old Chisora for the belts should he shock the world and dethrone The Gypsy King.
When asked about Chisora potentially throwing a spanner into the works, Klimas said: “Then we’re gonna go and unify the titles with Chisora.
“We [beat him comfortably in 2020], but again: Boxing is boxing; one time you beat them, one time you can lose, one time you can draw – and all kind of different things happen.”
Usyk was left baffled by Fury’s choice of Chisora for his voluntary defence of the WBC title.
Read More on The Sun
The London 2012 Olympic gold medallist asked ESPN: “Why is he doing this?
“I think we already agreed with him to fight and now he’s running and saying that I don’t want to fight him … I know that [he’s scared of me.]” More

JERMAINE FRANKLIN claims sparring with Tyson Fury shows he won’t be “f***ing around” against Dillian Whyte.The unbeaten American aims to wreck Whyte’s bid for a belated rematch with Anthony Joshua by toppling him at Wembley on November 26.
Jermaine Franklin brought in Tyson Fury and David Adeleye as he prepared to take on their fellow Brit Dillian Whyte at Wembley on November 26Credit: INSTAGRAM
Former world heavyweight king Anthony Joshua might be waiting for a message from the winner of Jermaine Franklin vs Dillian WhyteCredit: Reuters
And he reckons going through his paces with WBC heavyweight king Fury plus fast-rising Londoner David Adeleye is the perfect preparation.
Franklin, 29, shared a picture on Twitter of himself with his two giant sparring partners.
Alongside was the menacing message: “I’m not f***ing around!
“Thanks Tyson Fury and David Adeleye for letting me spar. 
READ MORE IN BOXING
“The champ don’t mess around and David is a beast. Time to catch another body Nov 26.
“Make sure you watch the fight on the DAZN and in UK, come to the fight.”
Fury knocked out Whyte with a stunning uppercut six rounds into their sell-out clash at Wembley in April this year.
But the Body Snatcher is desperate to beat Franklin to revive his bid for another lucrative all-British fight – against ex-world champ Joshua.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
AJ stopped Whyte after seven rounds at the at the O2 Arena in December 2015.
But he said: “I can’t wait to get into the ring and show the world that, when push comes to shove, I can get right back up in Wembley and remind everyone why I was WBC number one for over four years. 
“As an undefeated heavyweight, Franklin is a dangerous guy, but I’m going to teach him quite a few lessons.
“Most importantly, I’m going to teach him how to lose.” More

RICKY HATTON has urged fans not to worry about his comeback fight against Marco Antonio Barrera. The British boxing hero faces Mexican icon Barrera in an exhibition bout on November 12 in Manchester.
Ricky Hatton training alongside his son CampbellCredit: @rickyhitmanhatton
It will be his first time in the ring for ten years but Hatton put fans at ease who are worried about his health and safety.
He told Sky Sports: “My fighting days are behind me.
“There’s very little risk involved. I think that’s what fight fans worry about when fighters make comebacks.
“They’re worried about seeing their heroes get beat or hurt. They don’t want to see the champions of yesteryear getting bashed up.
READ MORE in BOXING
“With an exhibition, there’s very little chance of that happening.
“You’ve got the big gloves, less rounds and there’s an understanding with two professionals. It’s a celebration.”
Hatton, 44, is one of the most celebrated fighters from UK shores and lost only three times in 48 fights.
Two of those were against all-time greats Floyd Mayweather, now 45, and Manny Pacquiao, 43.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
But the final fight in his career came two years after defeat to Pacquiao, losing to Vyacheslav Senchenko, 45, in 2012.
Now a decade later, he will return to the same Manchester arena where he became beloved by fans.
Hatton said: “My ringwalks are always very special. The ringwalk was the one thing that I miss from boxing.
“For any boxer when he comes out the changing room and does that walk to the ring, it’s the most nerve-wracking thing.
“When you retire, that’s the one thing you miss. That adrenalin rush, the roar from the crowd, that nervousness as you’re making your ringwalk.
“It’s the most nerve-wracking thing of any fighter’s preparation before the fight.
“But when it’s gone you miss it and I’m going to get the chance to feel it again so I can’t wait.”
Marco Antonio Barrera and Ricky Hatton ahead of their exhibitionCredit: Mark Robinson More

EDDIE HALL turned down “big money” fight offers after making “seven-figures” against Hafthor Bjornsson – but ruled out a boxing return.Hall was beaten on points over six rounds by bitter strongman rival Bjornsson – known as Thor – in March in Dubai.
Eddie Hall has ruled out a boxing returnCredit: Instagram
And despite making up to £1million for the super-heavyweight grudge match, the British star doubts he will fight again.
Hall, 35, told The Mirror: “I don’t think so. Doing that fight with Thor was literally the sole reason, it was good timing for me.
“Covid had just kicked off, all the TV production stopped and then I got a contract under my nose for seven-figures to fight Thor.
“I’ve been offered more fights with some big names for big money and I’m just not interested.
READ MORE in BOXING
“I can make more money doing what I do now and I enjoy what I do now, that’s the important thing for me.
“I’m spending time with my wife and my son and I’m enjoying myself.
“Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed boxing but it’s like with the strongman, you’ve got to be dedicated.
“From seven in the morning till 10 at night, you’ve got to be 100 per cent committed.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“I’m just at a point in my life where I want to relax a bit and spend time with my family a bit more.”
Bjornsson, 33, held talks for an exhibition fight with Tyson Fury, 34, but after it was scrapped, he too hung up his gloves.
Thor said on his YouTube channel: “I’ll admit there was a time when there was talks between Tyson Fury and I, his team and my team, there was build-up but that never went through.
“Now I’ve made a hard decision and the reason why it took me so long to make this video was because this is actually a very difficult thing to talk about.
“I’ve made a decision to move on from boxing, to not compete in boxing again, to say goodbye to boxing and just not fight again.
“I had a good run, I did it for two-and-a-half years. It was nice to do so, because when I first started I had a lot of people not believing in me.”
Eddie Hall was beaten by Hafthor BjornssonCredit: Probellum More

OLEKSANDR USYK has been warned there is “no telling” what Tyson Fury will do next – so he should fight Deontay Wilder instead. Usyk, recovering from his latest win over Anthony Joshua, has set Fury a deadline of March 4 to agree a historic unification bout.
Oleksandr Usyk has been urged to fight Deontay Wilder next instead of Tyson FuryCredit: AP
Deontay Wilder during his 2021 loss to Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
The Gypsy King first returns against Derek Chisora in a bout to help him prepare for his Ukrainian rival.
But it was only in April that Fury announced his retirement, a common theme throughout his career.
So Wilder’s coach Malik Scott has advised Usyk to look at the American, who knocked out Robert Helenius in his October return.
Scott told ESNews: “I think he should hold off on Fury and wait for us, just fight us.
READ MORE in BOXING
“One, because there’s no telling what Fury’s going to do. There’s no telling.”
“Plus I’m just greedy, I like the position that my guy, Deontay, is in right now – mentally, physically, spiritually.
“He’s just in a very dangerous space right now, and I want Usyk to fight the most dangerous fighter in the world.
“Like I said, don’t nobody respect Usyk on US soil the way that I do – but I also know who I’m training is the most lethal fighter in the history of the sport.”
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Usyk, 35, ruled himself out of the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed decider having returned to his war-torn home for the first time.
It left Fury, 34, to take an unpopular trilogy bout with Chisora, 38, on December 3, despite his pair of one-sided wins in 2011 and 2014.
Usyk is ready to return next year straight into the super-fight with Fury, but only on his terms.
He said: “Right now my team is in conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is a really unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when.
“For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian.
“During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter.”
Oleksandr Usyk, promoter Bob Arum and Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has reacted to Tyson Fury’s explicit rant with YouTuber True Geordie. Podcaster True Geordie probed Fury on his third fight with Chisora, the man he twice beat in 2011 and 2014.
Anthony Joshua has reacted to Tyson Fury’s explicit rant with YouTuber True GeordieCredit: Getty
And it led to the Gypsy King firing insults at the host – real name Brian Davis.
In response, heavyweight rival Joshua told SPORTbible: “Listen, there’s one thing being the champion of the ring and there’s another being the champion of the people outside of the ring.
“We need to conduct ourselves in better fashion because there’s youngsters that are watching us.
“I’m not the judge who can say what’s right or wrong, we just have to try and conduct ourselves in better fashion when we can, when we’re in front of the camera.
READ MORE in BOXING
“When we can, just try. Try, try, try, that’s for the up-and-coming fighters.”
Fury, 34, faces Chisora, 38, on December 3 at Tottenham’s stadium, in a bout criticised by fans due to his pair one-sided wins in the past.
It came after talks with Joshua, 33, collapsed and Oleksandr Usyk, 35, ruled himself out of a unification until next year.
In the now-viral interview, the Gypsy King was told that fans did not really care about him fighting Chisora.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
Fury signed off the interview by telling True Geordie: “I think you’re a t****r. You little t***pot.
“And I won’t be doing any more interviews with you little t***pot, bearded, bald-headed t***er.
“Kiss my b**ls, you little w**ker. You little s***house.”
True Geordie’s heated podcast with Tyson Fury More