Heavyweight boxing

SHANNON RYAN used to sell phones for O2 – now she will be fighting under lights of the company’s glittering London arena. ‘Kaos’ Ryan admits she feels “emotional” looking back on her meteoric rise from O2 assistant manager in the Watford branch to professional boxer.
Former O2 worker Shannon Ryan takes part in her third pro fight on Saturday
Ryan is signed for Anthony Joshua’s 258 Management agency
The Watford-born 25-year-old used to juggle her part-time job with gruelling boxing training.
But selling sim-only phone deals isn’t normally what boxers do in the build up to the blood and thunder of a professional fight. 
She then switched to training full-time ahead of her second pro fight against fellow Brit Gemma Ruegg in June.
But she still never quite imagined she would be helping to make history on the undercard of Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall’s main event fight at The O2 this Saturday as part of the UK’s first all-female card.

She said: “I go back into the shop which is nice. Some of the colleagues will be watching on Saturday.
“It’s also incredible just to see the journey.
“And video went out recently looking back at the whole five years of the process of where I am today today.
“When I look back on it it’s emotional because I remember the days when I was working and wanting to be where I am now and now I am.”
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Ryan is scheduled to face Spain’s Bucha El Quassi in what will mark the Brit super-flyweight’s third pro bout following points victories over Claudia Ferenczi and Ruegg earlier this year.
She started out at Barnet’s Finchley ABC gym in barnet where Anthony Joshua’s journey to stardom began and it was from there he took her under his wing.
Ryan has since signed for Joshua’s 258 Management agency and bagged a major sponsorship deal with O2.
She added: “It just goes to show that when you do put your mind to something you can achieve anything with the support and the help that you’ve got around you.” More

DEONTAY WILDER said a fight with Anthony Joshua is the biggest in the world… ahead of a unification between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk. AJ and Wilder in the past failed to agree terms for what would have been the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout.
Deontay Wilder said a fight with Anthony Joshua is the biggest in the wordCredit: Stephanie Trapp/TGB Promotions
Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder failed to agree terms in the pastCredit: Splash
Now Fury and Usyk are set to cash in on that piece of history with an undisputed title decider in talks for next year.
But Wilder insisted no fight in the heavyweight division could top what he and Joshua could bring if they finally settle their score.
He said on the Breakfast Club: “Actually, me and Anthony Joshua is still the biggest fight in the world.
“It is. Even bigger than Fury and Usyk. Everywhere I go, they still ask about it, they wanna see that fight.”
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Wilder, 36, returns over the weekend in New York against ex-sparring partner Robert Helenius, 38.
It will be his first fight since losing to Fury, 34, in their epic trilogy bout in Las Vegas.
The Gypsy King is now set to return on December 3 himself and continues talks with Derek Chisora, 38, who he beat in 2011 and 2014.
It came after he failed to negotiate a Battle of Britain with Joshua, 32, who is coming off two losses to Usyk, 35.
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The Ukrainian is currently out until next year after coming back to his war-torn home for the first time following a period away in training.
After Fury and AJ held talks to fight, Usyk turned his attention to Wilder and opened the door to facing the American.
So the Bronze Bomber is still hoping the unified champion will be true to his word.
Wilder told the press: “Many people have said many things to me about wanting to fight, but when the time came, they went another way.
“I’ve asked around about Oleksandr Usyk and I’ve been told he’s a man of his word. Upon me being victorious, we’ll see what happens.”
Deontay Wilder in New York ahead of his return fightCredit: Henry DeLeon/TGB Promotions More

ANTHONY JOSHUA is reportedly in talks to face Tyson Fury’s former opponent Otto Wallin.The Brit, 32, suffered a second defeat in a row and third of his professional career back in August when Oleksandr Usyk defeated him in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Joshua is expected to return to the ring in DecemberCredit: Getty
Wallin’s only defeat in 25 professional bouts came against FuryCredit: Getty
Joshua’s loss left him without any world heavyweight title belts as Usyk retained his IBF, WBA and WBO straps, while Fury holds the WBC.
Yet despite his poor bargaining position, AJ was surprisingly offered the chance to fight Fury in an all-British clash on December 3.
Joshua agreed to a 60/40 split in favour of The Gypsy King, but negotiations then broke down after Fury set a deadline for the fight to be signed.
When it wasn’t, he declared he was moving on to other opponents.
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Fury now appears set to take on Derek Chisora in a trilogy bout in Cardiff on December 3.
Meanwhile, Wallin, who lost to Fury by unanimous decision in September 2019, has claimed his team have been contacted by Joshua’s representatives ahead of a potential clash.
Speaking to iDBoxing, the Swedish heavyweight, 31, said: “They’ve been in touch, Dmitry [Salita] and Eddie Hearn have talked about it.
“I don’t know what the latest is now, but I know they’ve spoken before about it and I think Dmitry was told that they were going to wait for the Fury and Joshua negotiations.
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“I haven’t got any update lately, but I would love that fight, that would be really good for me I think and I know Joshua pretty well, he knows me and that would be a good fight.”
Joshua’s expected return date is December 17 as he searches for a first win in two years.
He has lost three of his last five fights – with wins against Andy Ruiz Jr and Kubrat Pulev coming among defeats to Ruiz and Usyk twice.
Wallin has a record of 24 wins and one defeat – with that blemish coming against Fury.
His best victories have come against the likes of Travis Kauffman and Dominic Breazeale.
Fury is closing in on a bout with Chisora on December 3Credit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

UNIFIED world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has been delivered his shiny new Ring Magazine heavyweight title.Tyson Fury vacated the belt after claiming he had retired in April following his victory over Dillian Whyte, so the title was put on the line in Usyk’s August rematch with Anthony Joshua.
Oleksandr Usyk has been gifted his new Ring Magazine beltCredit: TWITTER / RING MAGAZINE
Usyk captured the vacant title by beating Anthony Joshua in their August rematchCredit: TWITTER / RING MAGAZINE
Tyson Fury vacated the title after claiming he had retired after beating Dillian WhyteCredit: TWITTER / RING MAGAZINE
Usyk holding the old Ring belt in his right hand after beating Joshua in AugustCredit: EPA
Ukrainian fighter Usyk, 35, then captured the belt in his split decision victory over AJ.
And now pictures have emerged of his latest strap, adding to his WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO titles.
The snazzy new belt bears his name on the front, and also has gold plaques on it marking who he beat and the method of victory, as well as the date and venue of the fight.
Fury is a two-time holder of the Ring title, having first won it following his upset win over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.
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The Gypsy King then lost it during his three-year absence from the ring, before landing it again in his first victory over Deontay Wilder in 2020.
But Fury is planning on winning the belt back for a third time.
The 34-year-old WBC champ had been targeting an undisputed bout with Usyk for December, until the Ukrainian put off his return until the New Year.
British boxing fans were teased by the prospect of a mouthwatering clash between Fury and Joshua, until talks between their respective camps broke down.
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Instead the Gypsy King is set for a trilogy fight with old pal Derek Chisora on December 3rd.
He is then eyeing an undisputed meeting with Usyk for early 2023.
And Fury has claimed Chisora is every bit as dangerous as heavyweight champ Usyk.
Fury is eyeing an undisputed bout with Usyk in early 2023Credit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been told there are “two great fights” for him on the table… if he wants them.Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren has challenged AJ to take on either Joe Joyce or Daniel Dubois in his comeback bout.
Anthony Joshua is yet to confirm his next opponentCredit: Getty
Joe Joyce has been tipped as a potential fight for AJCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Frank Warren reckons Daniel Dubois is another candidateCredit: Getty
British boxing fans had been hoping for a mouthwatering clash between Joshua and Fury.
But after talks broke down, Fury is now set for a trilogy bout with Derek Chisora, while AJ’s next opponent remains unconfirmed.

And Warren has told Joshua, 32, to take on either Joyce or Dubois, two potentially dangerous fights.
Warren told iFL TV: “If [Joshua] wants to fight, there’s two great fights there with Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois.
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“Both hold very significant positions in their respective organisations.
“They’re both mandatories. One is the interim champion, that’s Joe Joyce. Daniel is the WBA ‘Regular’ champion.
“There’s another way back if he wants to talk about it.”
Joyce and Dubois have previously faced each other, with the latter taking a knee in the 10th round of their British title fight in 2020.
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Joyce brutally knocked out Joseph Parker last month and is now mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s WBO heavyweight belt.
Dubois meanwhile is reportedly expected to take on South African Kevin Lerena next month.
But Warren reckons both Brits would be good match-ups for AJ, who has lost his last two fights against Usyk.
And a fight with Fury will not happen until Joshua makes himself a mandatory challenger.
Speaking on the failed clash between Fury and Joshua, Warren said: “It’s off the table.
“If you look at it, AJ has to get himself in the mandatory position. To get into the mandatory position, he gets 20 per cent of the purse bid, whereas he would have gotten 40 per cent.”
Warren has said a fight between Joshua and Tyson Fury won’t happen until AJ is mandatory challengerCredit: PA More