Heavyweight boxing

BOXING legend Erik Morales is mourning the passing of his son Fernando, who has died aged 23.A heartbroken Morales took to social media on Wednesday to announce the tragic death of his second-born child.
Boxing legend Erik Morales in mourning the passing of his son FernandoCredit: INSTAGRAM@TERRIBLE100
A heartbroken Morales paid tribute to his late son on social mediaCredit: INSTAGRAM@TERRIBLE100
In a tribute to the late Fernando, the 45-year-old wrote: “My little boy was only 23 years old!”
He added: “I love you my Fer that God take care of you and have you in his glory!”
Tributes quickly poured in for the late Fernando, including from World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaiman.
A statement from Sulaiman on behalf of the WBC read: “The boxing community of the world joins in prayer and grief for the passing away of Erik Morales’ son Fernando.
“May the grace of God stay close to him and his family during this process.”
Former foe Marco Antonio Barrera also sent a message of support to his countryman.
He tweeted: “My condolences to @terrible100. There are no words. A big hug and a lot of encouragement.

Morales was inundated with messages of condolence from his followers.
One of his followers commented: “May God fill you with strength in this difficult moment champ my deepest condolences.”
Another said: “May God bless his soul and take care of him in his flock. Sorry champion.”
And another said: “Much champion strength. My deepest condolences.”
One told the boxing hero: “Friend I am so sorry.
“I pray for you so that it is as light as possible. And for his soul. May he rest in peace.”
The Morales family have yet to release the cause of Fernando’s tragic passing.
Fernando was the middle of Morales’ three children and is survived by an older brother and a younger sister.
Mexican legend Morales called time on his Hall-of-Fame career in 2012.

Erik Morales was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2018Credit: GETTY
El Terrible is best remembered for his epic trilogy with Marco Antonio BarreraCredit: AFP
The former unified super-featherweight champion is perhaps best remembered for his epic trilogy with Barrera.
El Terrible got the better of Barrera in their first clash, which he won via split decision, but lost their final two meetings via unanimous decision.
The Tijuana titan was due to return to the ring on December 17 for a charity exhibition bout with Orlando Salido in Texas. More

BOXING promoter Bob Arum reckons ‘dozens’ of light-heavyweights would get the better of Tommy Fury.The former Love Island star is preparing for the biggest fight of his life against YouTube star Jake Paul, whom he’ll face in Tampa a fortnight on Saturday.
Tommy Fury will clash with YouTuber Jake Paul a fortnight on SaturdayCredit: INSTAGRAM@JAKEPAUL
Love Island star Fury is eyeing a quick KO of PaulCredit: GETTY
But veteran promoter Bob Arum still has his doubts about the young light-heavyweightCredit: ALAMY
Fury goes into the grudge match as the bookies’ favourite, but Arum – who co-promotes the Brit’s older brother Tyson – still has serious doubts over the 22-year-old.
According to talkSPORT, the 89-year-old said: “We don’t know if Tommy Fury would ever be an elite boxer.
“I mean, I could think of dozens of young light-heavyweights who would beat him.
“So you know, it’s irrelevant to me whether he wins or loses.”
Despite not being sold on Tommy, Arum is rooting for the former reality TV star to get the job done against Paul.
He continued: “Because he’s Tyson Fury’s brother, I absolutely hope that he wins.

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“And I wish him the best. But if he loses, he loses.”
Veteran promoter Arum isn’t the biggest fan of YouTuber fights but reckons they aren’t having a detrimental effect on the sweet science..He said: “You know, I don’t think that really goes to the essence of the sport.
“Obviously, these are not elite fighters. They’re almost like circus acts.
“But again, if people are influenced to watch them, nobody is putting a gun to anybody’s head.
“And I think it’s neither good – nor bad – for the sport of boxing.”
Fury plans to put an end to Paul’s brief foray into the boxing world in double-quick time, saying: “After our last fights on the same card, I rocked up with four people to his after-party.

“I saw him and what did he do? He didn’t [do anything].
“He sent a security man over to say: ‘Please leave’.
“When he gets in the ring with me, he will find his level. He’ll be out in the first round.”
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TYSON FURY took time away from training brother Tommy to take wife Paris out on a birthday date.The WBC heavyweight champion has been helping prepare his younger sibling for his grudge match with Jake Paul a fortnight on Saturday.
Tyson Fury recently took time out of training to take his wife Paris out on a birthday dateCredit: INSTAGRAM@PARISFURY1
The Gypsy King has been training brother Tommy for his showdown with Jake PaulCredit: Instagram
Tommy will throw down with The Problem Child on December 18Credit: INSTAGRAM@JAKEPAUL
But he took time out of their gruelling training schedule to treat Paris to a nice dinner.
Paris shared a snap of their dinner date with her 819,000 Instagram followers on Wednesday night.
The snap’s accompanying caption read: “Early birthday celebration for me. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
Paris’ followers were quick to comment on the adorable snap, with one saying: “Beautiful.”
Another said: “Happy birthday ye are such a fabulous couple.”
And another said: “Everyone’s favourite couple.”

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One remarked: “Lovely photo of a truly perfect couple.”
Fan favourite Fury has been putting his brother through a brutal training regime ahead of his Tampa tussle with Paul.
But YouTuber turned boxer Paul isn’t concerned about Tommy’s sessions with the undefeated Gypsy King.
When asked if he was worried about Tommy being trained by Tyson, Paul told TMZ: “Not at all, not at all. I have coach Druski.
“Floyd Mayweather was in camp with Tyron Woodley to try to get Tyron Woodley to beat me. And Nate Robinson.
“I’m not worried about it all. I think it makes the fight better.
Jake Paul isn’t bothered about Tommy Fury’s training sessions with TysonCredit: INSTAGRAM@JAKEPAUL
“It just promotes the fight more.
“And Tyson can teach Tommy and he can tell him what things are like.
“But he can’t go in there and fight for him.”
The Problem Child added: “The beautiful thing about this fight is the unknown.
“Is he actually a Fury, or will we find out that he’s just a half Fury?
“Does he have the heart like his brother, or is he just living in the shadow of his brother.

“The beautiful thing about this fight is stepping into the unknown, because this is also my first time fighting a real boxer, whatever that means?
“He’s undefeated, he’s young, same age, same weight, same height, so it’s really a perfect match-up.
“We’re just going to see who worked harder, who wants it more and who has that dog inside of them.”
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ANTHONY JOSHUA admits he ‘had to make changes’ to his team following his devastating defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.AJ had the unified heavyweight titles ripped from grasp by the slick southpaw in their September showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Anthony Joshua suffered a lopsided points defeat to Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS
He soon began working with coaches in America not long after the devastating defeatCredit: INSTAGRAM@FUTUREOFBOXING
And he admits he ‘had to make changes’ to his team following his latest setbackCredit: PA
Joshua, 32, has sought the help of coaches in America in preparation for a do-or-die rematch with the Ukrainian and believes a change of approach has been long overdue.
The Watford warrior said: “I had to make changes.
“If you remain the same, you get the same results. I’ve got to look at myself, I can only be accountable for me.”
Two-time heavyweight king Joshua is still livid with the approach he adopted for his Tottenham tussle with the crafty Usk.
He told the BBC: “I’m angry at myself and the only way I can be in a better place is to get myself right by going out there and performing.
“It’s going to be like this for a few months.

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“I do things with a smile on my face, but behind that, there’s a lot of tension brewing and the only way to get it out is by training and performing.”
Defeat to the undefeated Usyk – which has potentially scuppered a multi-million-pound Battle of Britain with Tyson Fury – has lit a fire under Joshua.
He declared: “I know I can be better than that night.
“It’s easier to say than it is to do, but within my heart and soul, my brain and body, I truly feel I’ve got a lot more to give.
“I’m angry. It’s growing, but it’s fuelling me every day.”
SunSport understands Joshua’s shot at redemption and becoming a three-time heavyweight champion is being targeted for late March.
But the bruising Brit admits finalising the rematch has been far from smooth sailing.
AJ is hellbent on exacting revenge on the undefeated UsykCredit: Getty
He said: “When that fight happens. There’s been one hurdle then another.
“I can’t keep chasing what’s not in front of me.
“What’s in front of me is to become three-time heavyweight champion of the world, and that’s the motivation.”
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ANTHONY JOSHUA isn’t contemplating stepping aside and allowing Tyson Fury to face Oleksandr Usyk.Joshua, 32, hinted last week that he’d be open to allowing the WBC Gypsy King to face his conqueror in an undisputed heavyweight title fight next year.
Anthony Joshua suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in SeptemberCredit: GETTY
But AJ recently hinted the Brit could step aside to allow Tyson Fury to face the UkrainianCredit: PA
But promoter Eddie Hearn insists AJ is focused solely on avenging his second defeatCredit: MATCHROOM BOXING
But promoter Eddie Hearn insists the former unified heavyweight champion is still hellbent on settling the score with the slick southpaw.
The Matchroom Boxing chief said: “I don’t think that’s a consideration.
“I think at some point if an offer was presented to someone that would be a situation where it would be difficult to not discuss Joshua stepping aside.
“At the moment, the only focus is on the rematch. Anthony Joshua wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
Until that is presented to him, and it hasn’t been presented to him in terms of stepping aside, that’s all the focus is.”
“I haven’t seen the interview, but speaking to him, all he wants to do is rematch Oleksandr Usyk.”

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Joshua suffered a lopsided points defeat to the undefeated Ukrainian in their September showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
And the defeat – which scuppered a multi-million-pound Battle of Britain with Fury – still weighs heavy on his mind.
He told iFL TV: “A lot of times I wake up in the morning and the fight and fighting is on my mind. After the fight, you sleep on it.
“You sleep on it after the fight and then what happens is you wake up on it and I’m waking up on it and it’s the right thing because you’ve got to use it as fuel for the day.
“I think about it a lot and not just on a physical thing but up here as well. I think about it a lot.”
“That one made me think a lot and I could go on but I just care, I actually care.
“I don’t think, ‘Eh, it’s a loss’. I actually deeply care.”
Joshua is hellbent on exacting revenge on the former undisputed cruiserweight champ, saying: “I’m done with f***ing losing, I’m done with trying to learn the sweet science.
Anthony Joshua wants to have an all-out war with Oleksandr Uysk in their rematchCredit: GETTY
“The referee might get thrown on the floor in the next fight because this is war.
“It’s just straight war, I’m annoyed.
“I’m boiling up even speaking about it – it’s that passion to win.”
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Anthony Joshua admits he would consider stepping aside for Fury vs Usyk if the ‘money’s right’ More

ANTHONY JOSHUA admits he wakes up every morning thinking about his devasting loss to Oleksandr Usyk.The Watford warrior had the unified heavyweight titles ripped from grasp by the slick southpaw in their September showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Anthony Joshua suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in SeptemberCredit: REUTERS
Usyk ripped the unified heavyweight titles from AJ clutches with a masterful points victoryCredit: THE SUN
And AJ admits he wakes up thinking about the loss every dayCredit: GETTY
Joshua, 31, was easily outpointed by the undefeated Ukrainian and the lesson he was taught that fateful night still weighs heavy on his mind.
He told iFL TV: “A lot of times I wake up in the morning and the fight and fighting is on my mind. After the fight, you sleep on it.
“You sleep on it after the fight and then what happens is you wake up on it and I’m waking up on it and it’s the right thing because you’ve got to use it as fuel for the day.
“I think about it a lot and not just on a physical thing but up here as well. I think about it a lot.”
“That one made me think a lot and I could go on but I just care, I actually care. I don’t think, ‘eh, it’s a loss’. I actually deeply care.”
AJ will bid to exact revenge on Uysk in a potentially do-or-die rematch early next year.

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And the Olympian has no intention of trying to outbox his fellow London 2012 gold medallist second time around.
He said: “I’m done with f***ing losing, I’m done with trying to learn the sweet science.
“The referee might get thrown on the floor in the next fight because this is war.
“It’s just straight war, I’m annoyed.
“I’m boiling up even speaking about it – it’s that passion to win.”
Joshua added: “I have one thing in my mind, that’s war, that’s murder, that’s war, let’s go out there and hurt the guy.
“Take his soul to the point where he wants to give up.
Anthony Joshua is hellbent on exacting revenge on Oleksandr Usyk in their rematch next yearCredit: GETTY
“That’s what boxing’s about, I’ve learned that.
“You hit people constantly, keep on applying a certain amount of pressure, before they know it they’ll realise you aren’t going anywhere, you’re here to stay.
“With the game plan, that’s all I have in my mind at the minute, that one track, stay on course, take this guy to places he doesn’t want to go.”
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Anthony Joshua admits he would consider stepping aside for Fury vs Usyk if the ‘money’s right’ More

TYSON FURY’S coach has revealed a remarkable picture of the WBC heavyweight champion when he was 28 STONE.The Gypsy King dethroned Wladimir Klitschko with a superb boxing display in 2015, but then fell into a depression where he became addicted to alcohol and drugs.
Tyson Fury topped the scales at 28 stone when he began is comebackCredit: Instagram
The Gypsy King suffered from depression and an addiction to drugs and alcohol after his win over Wladimir KlitschkoCredit: Refer to Caption
He lost around 140lbs and was back at the top of the heavyweight division just months laterCredit: Getty Images – Getty
He piled on the weight and by the time he plotted his return at the end of 2017 he had around 10 stone to lose.
But within six months Fury was back in the ring and after just two warm-up fights he agreed to face knockout artist Deontay Wilder in December 2018.
The Brit would go on to draw their first fight in Los Angeles in a bout many felt he won.
But the fight will be remembered for Fury somehow climbing off the canvas in the final round.
And Kristian Blacklock, a strength and conditioning coach that has overseen the heavyweight’s return, feels Fury’s ability to lose the weight and return to the top is his greatest achievement.
Alongside three pictures of Fury’s remarkable weight loss, he said on Instagram: “Photo 1: Nov 17. Photo 2 & 3: Nov 18. Weigh in for Wilder 1 and the amazing weight loss and return to fitness as a team we achieved!

“Big shout also to @bendavison_ [Fury’s former boxing coach] don’t think any of us will forget the journey mate!
“Since the 1st fight @gypsyking101 has gone from strength to strength but I still think this was his biggest achievement overcoming everything in his path to get back to big time boxing within 12 months……… unbelievable.”
Despite not having his hand raised as the winner against Wilder in their first fight, he would taste victory 14 months later when he stopped the American inside seven rounds.
Then following a long legal case the pair went to war again in a trilogy fight in October.
And it was Fury who once again prevailed, climbing off the deck once more to knock Wilder out cold in the 11th round of an all-time classic.
Yet despite his astonishing return to the ring, Fury continues to dismiss modern sport science.

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He recently said: “In boxing, computer science, technology… I personally don’t think works.
“Because take me for instance. I’m fat, I’m bald – people say I’m out of shape.
“I don’t do any of that bull**** with computers, numbers on a screen and all that stuff. But yet, I always win. So it obviously means… it means f*** all.” More