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      Anthony Joshua branded a LIAR over fight date as Dillian Whyte says ‘he thinks he’s a mystery man but he’s just strange’

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has “lied” by claiming he will not fight until December, says heavyweight rival Dillian Whyte.AJ, 33, returned to the ring earlier this month with a points victory over Jermaine Franklin.
      Anthony Joshua has claimed he will not return to the ring until DecemberCredit: Getty
      Dillian Whyte does not believe Joshua will wait until the end of the yearCredit: Getty
      After his comeback win, the plan for Joshua was to fight in the summer and at the end of the year as his team eyed an active 2023.
      But then last week the Olympic gold medallist revealed on social media he does not plan to step back into the ring until December.
      However, Whyte, 35, who has been linked with a fight against Joshua, is unconvinced AJ will wait until the end of the year.
      When discussing Joshua’s plan to return in December, he told iFL TV: “That’s a lie. Joshua ain’t gonna wait until December to fight. If he’s not injured, why would he wait until December to fight?
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      “Joshua just thinks he’s some sort of mystery man nowadays. He thinks he’s f*****g Martin Luther King or something, you know.
      “No-one believes it. Anyone that believes that is an idiot. Why would he not fight until December when he can potentially get three fights this year?”
      Asked why Joshua would claim he was not fighting until December, Whyte added: “He’s just trying to create some sort of mystery.
      “He’s a strange guy. He’s just doing some strange stuff, man.
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      “He’s definitely going to fight before December, 100 per cent.”
      Whyte went on to insist he is open to a third fight with Joshua – with the pair having met previously in the amateur and professional ranks.
      Whyte beat AJ when the pair battled it out in the amateurs.
      Then in 2015, Joshua got his revenge by stopping his British rival in the seventh round of their grudge match at the O2.
      Since then, Joshua has gone on to become a two-time world heavyweight champion, before suffering back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
      Whyte has also secured some impressive victories against the likes of Derek Chisora, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin.
      But he was outclassed and knocked out by Tyson Fury in April last year.
      He returned to the ring in November, clinching a majority decision win over Franklin. More

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      Mike Tyson reveals he ‘felt himself dying’ as boxing legend opens up on his biggest health fear

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      MIKE TYSON has revealed that he “felt himself dying” after he had piled on the pounds following retirement.And the “Baddest Man on the Planet” has also shed light on his biggest health fear.
      Mike Tyson, pictured in 2008, piled on the pounds after retiring from boxingCredit: Getty
      The now shredded legend has revealed how he felt like he was dyingCredit: Getty
      Tyson took the boxing world by storm in the 1980s with his explosive style and lethal power earning him the nickname “Iron Mike”.
      He still holds the record as the youngest world boxing champion, having won his title at the age of 20.
      The American became WBC world champion in 1986 and soon added the WBA and IBF titles to his WBC crown, making him the undisputed champion of the world.
      In 1990, he suffered his first defeat when he lost to James “Buster” Douglas in Tokyo and then his boxing career was put on hold in 1991 when he was sentenced to six years in prison for a sexual assault.
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      When he returned to the ring in 1996 he won the WBC and WBA titles with wins over Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon.
      The two-time heavyweight champion lost successive fights to Evander Holyfield in 1996 and 1997 before a crushing defeat to Lennox Lewis in 2002.
      Two further back-to-back defeats against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride led to Mike Tyson calling time on his boxing career in 2005 with a record of 50 wins and 6 losses, with 44 of these victories coming by knockout.
      He went on to star in Hollywood films The Hangover and The Hangover Part 2, starring alongside Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifianakis but during that time away from the ring he piled on the pounds and says he was at the 400lb mark.
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      And during his latest episode of Hotboxin with Mike Tyson podcast he opened up about the time he was obese.
      He said: “I felt myself dying. You know I know what it’s like. I’ve been 400 pounds before.
      “I had family members that died of obesity and stuff like that.
      “I’m scared of that stuff, I stopped eating, I’m scared, I saw what people in my family went through. That’s my biggest fear. Obesity.”
      Tyson, who made a stunning return and got in incredible shape for an exhibition bout with Roy Jones Jr in 2020, also recently open up about death.
      He said: “We are all going to die, one day, of course. When I look in the mirror, I see those little spots on my face. And say wow that my expiration date is coming close really soon.”
      Iron Mike is now back in incredible shapeCredit: Instagram More

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      Tyson Fury to hold talks over Zhilei Zhang fight in mega-money deal with two venues in China being touted

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      TYSON FURY could be lured out of his latest retirement lull with a mega-money trip to China.The cash-crazed 34-year-old WBC champ blew the undisputed decider with WBA, IBF and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk by moving the goalposts over money.
      Zhilei Zhang produced a career-best performance to stop Joe Joyce at the Cooper BoxCredit: GETTY
      The Chinese clubber left Joe Joyce with a horrific eye injuryCredit: GETTY
      A fight with WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury could be on the cards for ZhangCredit: Getty
      And the undefeated 6ft 9in showman has been missing in action ever since that rank disappointment stunk out the sport, taking in trips to Italy and Monaco.
      But following his ruthless six-round slashing of Joe Joyce,Chinese southpaw sensation Zhilei Zhang is now a major heavyweight draw and overdue a fight in his home nation.
      The 39-year-old 2008 Olympic silver winner used his monstrous left hand to leave the Juggernaut’s right eye a bloody mess and earn himself a promotional deal with Fury’s hall-of-fame matchmaker Frank Warren.
      The Putney ace – who was finally getting the praise and profile he deserves – does have the right to a rematch and thankfully did not suffer any fractures to his swollen face.
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      But ‘Big Bang’ instantly turned his attention to a showdown with his new stablemate, with the 80,000-seater Beijing Bird’s Nest or the MGM casino in Macau possible venues for the giant showdown.
      Zhang, who gets around 60 million compatriots watching his fights on TikTok, said: “If my team can get me the Fury fight, then let’s do that.
      “Fury or the rematch, either way, I can do whatever they want.
      “I believe I can beat Fury, I believe I can knock him out.
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      “He doesn’t have the same chin that Joyce has, he will go down.”
      It was horrible watching granite-chinned Joyce, 37, take such punishment right from the opening bell.
      His freakish resilience meant he kept coming back for more and more of 19st Zhang’s savage left hands.
      Dillian Whyte was ringside and the plan seemed to be for the Brixton Body Snatcher and Joyce to build a summer showdown.
      But now the 2016 Rio silver winner – who was cruelly robbed of gold by corrupt judging – will have to rebuild after his infamously slow starts finally caught up with him.
      Zhilei Zhang is confident he can hand Tyson Fury his first professional lossCredit: REX
      Zhang is now a red-hot heavyweight commodity and should have an unbeaten record after a very dodgy Saudi Arabia decision cost him another high-profile win against Filip Hrgovic in August.
      After a night of deserved celebrating and a trip to the London Stadium to watch West Ham vs Arsenal, Zhang manager Tommy Lane, son of American refereeing legend Miles, said: “Zhang Zhilei has taken on two really tough tests in the past year,
      “That most top heavyweights have shied away from,and he beat both of them up.
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      “He deserves to be in the top five heavyweights in the world because he’s a real fighter who ducks no one.
      “Tyson Fury should start acting seriously and put up or shut up. Let’s get it on!” More

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      Did Joe Joyce’s ring entrance before Zhilei Zhang fight predict Brit’s horrific eye injury which forced him to lose?

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      BOXING fans reckon Joe Joyce jinxed himself with his Terminator-themed entrance for his clash with Zhilei Zhang.The former interim WBO heavyweight champion had a montage of himself as the Terminator play ahead of his Copper Box clash with Zhang on Saturday night.
      Joe Joyce made a Terminator-themed entrance to the ring ahead of his clash with Zhilei ZangCredit: BT SPORT
      Joyce ended up with a completely closed and red eye after the fightCredit: GETTY
      Boxing fans reckon Joyce’s entrance foreshadowed his eye injuryCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
      The iconic theme tune for the legendary Hollywood film bellowed throughout the arena as images of Joyce battering his previous opponents with the red eye of a T-800 played on the big screen.
      Joyce’s red eye in the video proved to be the same one Zhang closed shut with his piston left hand.
      And it didn’t go unnoticed by fight fans, with one tweeting: “Some mad foreshadowing in that ring walk.”
      Another said: “I thought the Terminator part of the intro was really cringy and in hindsight is looking to be a bit of a jinx.”
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      And another said: “Really cool to see Joe Joyce walking out to the Terminator theme.
      “At the end of the fight, he probably needed to cut his own eye out too.”
      One remarked: “Joe Joyce ring walk was the terminator. But he left with his eye terminated.”
      Another chimed in: “Joe Joyce came out to the Terminator.
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      “Zhang came out as John Connor and made the Terminator malfunction.”
      After the fight, a dejected Joyce – who broke Daniel Dubois’ orbital socket in their 2020 showdown said: “It’s an eye for an eye again now, I got my eye done.
      “It’s like what I did, I got a bit of payback from Dubois I guess. Maybe it’s karma.
      “He just kept on getting my eye.
      “I’m fine, I’m completely fine, but now it’s closed up and I can’t see out of it now.
      “I haven’t fought a southpaw for a long time, so I need to look over the tape.
      “I thought I could have carried on, I was taking his shots fine, but it’s just unfortunate that the eye closed up. But I’ll be back.” More

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      Tyson Fury in talks over return fight at Wembley on July 22 with Andy Ruiz Jr targeted as opponent

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      TYSON FURY is in line for a July 22 return fight at Wembley Stadium – with Andy Ruiz Jr a potential opponent. Fury’s team have been forced to go back to the drawing board after talks for a title unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk broke down.
      Tyson Fury could make his return on June 22Credit: Getty

      Talks are scheduled for next week and George Warren, son of promoter Frank, was probed on a July 22 date at Wembley.
      Speaking to International Boxing News, Warren said: “It could be. It could be.”
      Fury saw his four-belt undisputed decider – the first in heavyweight history – collapse at the 11th hour of talks.
      The deal was KO’d amid a row over financials for a potential rematch, with Usyk, 36, set to face mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, 25.
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      So it leaves Fury, 34, without an opponent and US promoter Bob Arum named ex-champion Ruiz, 33, as a likely alternative.
      But Joe Joyce, 37, was another leading name in the running before his return against China’s Zhilei Zhang, 39.
      And Joyce went on to suffer a shock defeat over six rounds, being pulled out due to severe swelling suffered to his eye.
      He does have a rematch clause in his contract but Zhang has now upset his way into a potential WBC title fight with Fury.
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      Warren said: “Joe’s got that rematch clause, if he takes it, it’s obviously going to be a complication with anything to discuss alternative fights for him right now.
      “And at the end of the day, Tyson’s the boss when it comes down to what he wants to do.
      “If he wants to fight this summer, he’ll let us know, we’ll try to make it happen. We need to know pretty quickly to invoke something in the during the summer.
      “Especially if we’re going to try and do something in a stadium in the UK, which is where he would need to fight to try and make it work here.
      “But yeah, opponents, choices, that will all come down to a conversation with Tyson.”
      Andy Ruiz Jr is a name linked with fighting Tyson FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Joe Joyce lost to Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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      Jake Paul set to make huge change to his team by rehiring boxing legend and former coach following Tommy Fury defeat

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      JAKE PAUL is set to make a huge change to his team by rehiring a boxing legend and former coach of his. The YouTuber-turned boxer suffered defeat for the first time in his seven-bout prizefighting career in February.
      Jake Paul is set to recruit a new training teamCredit: Getty
      He lost a split-decision to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia and has since revealed he will make additions to his camp.
      And it appears one of those will be bringing back three-division champion Shane Mosley into the fray.
      Mosley posted a picture with Paul on Instagram and hinted at a reunion between the two.
      He captioned the post: “This is where the understanding of boxing for @jakepaul started now it’s time to blossom in boxing to another level. We are about to level up.”
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      Paul turned professional with Mosley in 2020 – training in Big Bear California – and went onto beat online rival AnEsonGib in one round.
      But the relationship ended there as former cruiserweight title challenger BJ Flores took the reins.
      Flores led Paul to five wins, against the likes of ex-MMA champions Ben Askren, 38, Tyron Woodley, 40, and Anderson Silva, 47.
      But when the social media sensation faced a recognised boxer for the first time in Fury, 23, he was beaten.
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      Paul has snubbed a rematch to instead return against former UFC contender Nate Diaz, 37, on August 5 in Texas.
      And he confirmed there will be casualties within his setup with Flores and assistant coach Danny Smith facing the axe.
      Bob Santos – the 2022 trainer of the year – has since been pictured in Paul’s Puerto Rico training base.
      Jake Paul’s former coach Shane Mosley has hinted at a reunion
      Coach Bob Santos pictured in Jake Paul’s gym More

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      Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn takes swipe at Joe Joyce following shock TKO loss to Zhilei Zhang

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      EDDIE HEARN seemingly took aim at Joe Joyce moments after the Brit’s first professional loss.The Putney pounder suffered a sixth-round TKO defeat to China’s Zhilei Zhang at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday night, a loss which came courtesy of a referee stoppage due to a completely closed right eye.
      Joe Joyce suffered a sixth-round TKO defeat to Zhilei Zhang on Saturday nightCredit: PA
      Joyce spent the fight week taking a number of shots after former training partner Anthony JoshuaCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
      AJ promoter Eddie Hearn seemingly took aim at Joyce on Instagram shortly after his loss
      Olympic silver medallist Joyce repeatedly hyped up a potential Battle of Britain with Anthony Joshua ahead of his ill-fated clash with Zhang.
      And The Juggernaut’s defeat to the Chinese clubber seemingly prompted Hearn to take a thinly-veiled swipe – which was in the form of a post praising AJ.
      Along with a picture of a muscular Joshua during training, Hearn wrote on his Instagram story: “Been there, done it. Seen it all.”
      Boxing fans were quick to comment, with one saying: “Queensberry as a whole spent the full week having digs & jibes at Joshua, laughing away thinking Joyce would walk through Zhang.
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      “Eddie Hearn throws a wee bomb out there & they lose[s] their s**t.”
      Another said: “Let’s hope Joyce isn’t written off as much as AJ has been after a bad loss- should get behind both.”
      Along with a picture of Joshua dropping Zhang during their London 2012 Olympic clash, another said: “Levels.”
      One remarked: “Should’ve been him to starch Joyce tonight, opportunity missed.”
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      Another chimed in: “Eddie lost has chance to cash in on Joyce fight.”
      Joyce, 37, struggled to deal with slick southpaw Zhang’s piston-like straight left from the get-go and was rocked on several occasions.
      His eye was nearly completely shut after the fifth, which prompted the ringside doctor to take another look at it.
      And he seemingly informed referee Howard Foster that Joyce could no longer see out of the eye, which prompted the official to call a halt to proceedings.
      A dejected Joyce – who broke Daniel Dubois’ orbital socket in their 2020 domestic dust-up said: “It’s an eye for an eye again now, I got my eye done.
      Joe Joyce’s left eye was completely swollen shut after his clash with Zhilei ZhangCredit: GETTY
      “It’s like what I did, I got a bit of payback from Dubois I guess. Maybe it’s karma.
      “He just kept on getting my eye.
      “I’m fine, I’m completely fine, but now it’s closed up and I can’t see out of it now.
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      “I haven’t fought a southpaw for a long time, so I need to look over the tape.
      “I thought I could have carried on, I was taking his shots fine, but it’s just unfortunate that the eye closed up. But I’ll be back.” More

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      Tyson Fury called out by Zhilei Zhang for world title fight in CHINA after shock upset win over Joe Joyce

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      ZHILEI ZHANG wants a homecoming in China after his stunning upset against Joe Joyce on away soil. The 6ft 6in heavyweight returned to London 11 years after losing to Anthony Joshua in the Olympics.
      Zhilei Zhang after beating Joe JoyceCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Tyson Fury has been called out by Zhilei ZhangCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      But he made no mistakes of redemption in the capital as he brutally left Joyce unable to continue following six rounds due to eye swelling.
      Zhang, 39, inherited the WBO interim title and mandatory challenger status for the full belt held by Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
      But it is instead WBC champion Fury, 34, who East Asian star wants after bouncing back from defeat to Filip Hrgovic, 30, in August.
      Asked what he wants next, Zhang told SecondsOut: “Tyson Fury in China.
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      “I feel like people were questioning about my conditioning and stamina after the Hrgovic fight.
      “But for me, I have such a successful training camp. My boxing and conditioning trainers stayed on top of it.
      “I know that Joe Joyce wanted to take this to deep water and drown me, but I’m here.
      “You can drown me if you want, but I’m ready for twelve rounds.”
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      Despite Zhang’s lofty ambitions, it could be out of his hands due to the rematch clause in Joyce’s contract.
      But the 2016 Olympic silver medalist, 37, has not confirmed whether he will active the stipulation, although Zhang has welcomed it.
      He said: “Yeah, I’ll do it if Joe Joyce wants to do it. I’ll do it in London, New York, or China.”
      Joe Joyce was beaten by Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More