Heavyweight boxing

BEN ASKREN expects Jake Paul to gas out after he takes him deep into the trenches in their boxing match.The former UFC welterweight will throw down with the YouTuber at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Atlanta in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Jake Paul will clash with former UFC welterweight Ben Askren this weekendCredit: Getty
Ben Askren is expecting Jake Paul to cry after he beats him this weekendCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ex-Disney actor Paul goes into his clash with the Olympic wrestler as a huge favourite, despite only having two fights to his name.
But Askren believes the 24-year-old will tire himself out due to a lack of experience.
When the possibility of Paul gassing out was put to him during a Reddit AMA, Askren said: “Yes.”
Funky was then asked how he expects Paul to handle the loss and simply replied: “Cry.”
Askren, 36, believes he’ll stop Paul, telling ESPN: “TKO [in] round seven.”
He added: “Because I don’t have a huge amount of power. It’ll take me some time to wear him down and make him hate his life.
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“And then eventually he’s gonna say, ‘Hey look, I’m a rich celebrity.
“I don’t need to get f–king punched anymore. I’m just gonna roll over.'”
Askren’s prediction amused Paul, who reckons the former Bellator and ONE Championship welterweight king won’t lay a glove on him.
He told ESPN: “Go Google Ben Askren’s striking. Hahaha.
“It’s not going to go that long, it’s not going to go that long.
Jake Paul is cutting no corners with his diet

“I don’t even think he’ll hit me. I haven’t been hit one time in the face in my past two fights.
“So I haven’t even been punched as pro boxer one time. Nate Robinson landed one body shot in a clinch.
“I don’t think Ben Askren will even hit me. That’s my prediction.”
The social media star is confident of adding Askren’s name to his victim list, saying: “These MMA guys think because they throw punches they know how to box.
Jake Paul and Ben Askren will throw down in the early hours of Sunday morningCredit: TRILLER
“The world complained because I knocked out a basketball player and not a real fighter.
“So now I’m giving the people what they want by taking on a ‘real fighter.’
“After Ben Askren is added to my knockout meme collection, what can anybody say?
“This is why I’m confident in my ability to destroy this guy.
“They have no head movement, they’re slow, they aren’t going to the gym every day and boxing.”
Jake Paul claims he’s an ‘elite’ boxer but admits many see him as a ‘s****y amateur’ ahead of Ben Askren clash More

ANTHONY JOSHUA’s physicality will guide him to victory in his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Tyson Fury, according to former champ David Haye.The long-awaited Battle of Britain is on course to take place in the summer after the pair agreed on a venue for the first of their two showdowns.
Anthony Joshua is gearing up for his eagerly-anticipated showdown with Tyson FurryCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA
Tyson Fury has been tipped by many to get the better of Anthony JoshuaCredit: Reuters
WBC king Fury has been tipped by many to run rings around Joshua following his emphatic dethroning of Deontay Wilder last February.
But Haye doesn’t foresee The Gypsy King getting the better of AJ, telling Sky Sports: “Joshua will win the fight.
“His loss against Andy Ruiz Jr taught him a valuable lesson about complacency and believing your own hype.
“I think Fury is flying so high after his victory in Las Vegas [over Deontay Wilder] and believes he is unbeatable. For good reason – if I were him, I’d think so too.
“Joshua has tasted defeat and will have a different mindset.
“He is so athletically gifted, an Olympic gold medallist who has had so many world title fights, he is newer to the game and is still learning.
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“I think that Fury believes he is the finished article.
“Whereas Joshua doesn’t – he is learning. Fury has been celebrating for a long time.
“This isn’t a bodybuilding competition but I like the mindset and discipline of Joshua.
“In the long term of a physical game like boxing, the dedication and nutrition of Joshua [will come out on top].
“He is an underdog but I like the underdog.
“Joshua is physically superior. If they did any sport outside of boxing, Joshua would win.

David Haye reckons Anthony Joshua will get the better of Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
“A boxing match is skill-based and people believe Fury’s skills supersede Joshua’s.
“But the skilled boxer doesn’t always win. The boxer with speed, endurance, will to win, strategy, who has trained correctly?
“There a million elements that go into winning a boxing match but people ignore everything except skills.”
Joshua’s physique is certainly far more intimidating than Fury’s, although the latter could care less about looking like a cover model.
Fury said last year: “I have been going in there bald, fat and hairy and I have knocked out Adonis after Adonis.

“I used to worry about things that had never happened, probably never would happen.
“But now I am not embarrassed to take my top off, I am not trying to get a six-pack, I am just a happy, fat, bald guy.”
Despite the delay in finalising the biggest fight in the history of British boxing, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is confident their two-fight series is still on track.
When asked if the first fight will take place in the summer, the Matchroom Boxing chief told Behind the Gloves: “One hundred per cent.
“That’s the thing. Everybody wants this fight as soon as possible.

“There is no option for this fight to go at the back end of the year, and I’ve made that clear.
“The hardest thing about securing the site is in this world we live in today, most people would like to kick it to November, December.
“That’s not available. It was never available.
“What was available was a summer fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship. That is what you’re going to get.
“Both guys want two fights this year. One will be in the summer and one will be in December.”
Eddie Hearn confirms Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed on venue More

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS will bid to shock the world next month by dethroning pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez.The Welwyn warrior will throw down with the hard-hitting Mexican in an eagerly-anticipated super-middleweight title unification bout on May 8.
Billy Joe Saunders will face Canelo Alvarez on May 8Credit: MATCHROOM BOXING
The hard-hitting Canelo is the favourite to win the super-middleweight showdownCredit: EPA
Saunders, 31, goes into his showdown with Canelo as a huge underdog – despite never having tasted defeat.
But some fight fans are predicting the slick southpaw to win the Dallas dust-up, which will take place in front of a capacity crowd at Cowboys Stadium.
Here, SunSport reveals predictions for the tasty 168lb affair from some of the biggest names in boxing.
Mike Tyson
Iron Mike has tipped Canelo to run through Saunders, backing the Mexican to get the Brit out of the ring in TWO rounds.
He told ES News: “Two rounds. He (Billy Joe Saunders) might run though. I think he’s gonna run a little.
“He has good moves, but Canelo might wear him down.”
Prediction: Canelo
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How the two stars shape-up head-to-headCredit: The Sun
Tyson Fury
The Gypsy King reckons WBO 168lb champ Saunders will put on a clinic on May 8, telling Behind The Gloves: “I think Billy Joe gives him a boxing lesson.
“That’s what I’m here to see and that’s what I think will happen.
“I think everyone raves on about Canelo and how good he is and how he’s such a great guy but I just think every time Billy Joe steps into the pressure cooker he delivers, much like myself.”
He added: “Canelo’s tasted defeat and we know he can be outboxed because we’ve seen it. [Floyd] Mayweather outboxed him convincingly.
Tyson Fury is backing Billy Joe Saunders to get the job done against CaneloCredit: Instagram / @gypsyking101
“He’s had a couple of sticky fights, struggled in a couple of southpaw fights. He struggled with [Erislandy] Lara.
“If Lara was a bit more of a name, a bit more of a draw, he probably would’ve got the decision.
“Billy Joe is a very good boxer, a very slick southpaw, and I know he’ll fancy this one.
“What’s on the line here is him [Saunders] being a world champion twice or going down as a great in the sport.
“This is what’s on the line here. He’s going to shock a lot of people and it’s going to be an easier fight then people think it is.”
Prediction: Saunders

Demetrius Andrade
WBO middleweight champ Andrade reckons Saunders will be bounced from the ranks of the unbeaten if he fights the same way he did against Martin Murray last December.
He told Boxing Scene: “May the best man win.
“Canelo showed that he was maybe able to carry a little power [up to the 168-pound division].
“He’s trying to be a little more agile and mobile, or whatever.
“Just going off the last fight, Saunders looked like s**t when he fought Martin Murray. He couldn’t do anything.
“He really didn’t dominate him in the way that he should’ve, the way somebody supposedly that good, that talented, should’ve done against Martin Murray, who’s been out the ring for however many years.
“If he brings that same type of fight to Canelo, I think Canelo’s gonna beat him.”
Prediction: Canelo
Demetrius Andrade wasn’t impressed by what he saw of Billy Joe Saunders against Martin MurrayCredit: Matchroom Boxing

Chris Eubank Jr
Saunders’ bitter rival is expecting his fellow Brit to be brutally dismantled by the imperious Canelo.
When asked to give his prediction for the fight, Eubankr Jr told the Sport Bible: “That’s an execution.”
Prediction: Canelo
Is Billy Joe Saunders Britain’s best hope to defeat Canelo Alvarez? More

JAKE PAUL has claimed he’s showing ‘early signs’ of the brain disease CTE ahead of his showdown with Ben Askren.The YouTuber will lock horns with the former UFC welterweight in a boxing match in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Jake Paul has claimed to be showing ‘early signs’ of CTECredit: Getty
Jake Paul will box former UFC welterweight Ben Askren early on Sunday morningCredit: Getty
And he’s sparked further uproar ahead of the crossover fight by claiming to be exhibiting symptoms of CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy).
He said: “It’s a dangerous sport.
“That’s why, when people question my dedication to it, it’s like, I’m showing up every single day.
“I’m putting my mental health on the line, my brain is on the line.
“Like you said, I’ve gone and gotten brain scans and [I] have early signs of CTE.
“But, I love this sport and wouldn’t trade it for anything else.
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“I’m a fighter and people will see that whether it’s after Saturday night or whether it’s a year from now they will see that I’m a fighter.”
CTE is a degenerative brain disease that is caused by repeated head trauma.
But it can only be diagnosed by studying sections of the brain after death.
There are currently no scans or tests available to catch the disease in its infancy other than a surface diagnosis from a neurologist.
Paul’s claim to be suffering from the early effects of CTE could come back to haunt him in the future as athletic commissions may refuse to license him.

Paul, 24, goes into his clash with Askren as a huge favourite – despite only having two professional fights to his name.
And the former Disney star is confident of adding the former ONE Championship and Bellator 170lb champ’s name to his victim list.
He said: “These MMA guys think because they throw punches they know how to box.
“The world complained because I knocked out a basketball player and not a real fighter.
Jake Paul is cutting no corners with his diet
“So now I’m giving the people what they want by taking on a ‘real fighter.’
“After Ben Askren is added to my knockout meme collection, what can anybody say?
“This is why I’m confident in my ability to destroy this guy.
“They have no head movement, they’re slow, they aren’t going to the gym every day and boxing.”
Jake Paul claims he’s an ‘elite’ boxer but admits many see him as a ‘s****y amateur’ ahead of Ben Askren clash More

TYSON FURY had a face-to-face meeting with Eddie Hearn in Las Vegas earlier this week to discuss his blockbuster showdown with Anthony Joshua.The biggest fight in the history of British boxing is on the verge of coming to fruition after both fighters agreed on a venue for the bout.
Eddie Hearn paid Tyson Fury a visit during his stay in Las VegasCredit: GETTY
Tyson Fury is currently in Las Vegas preparing for his showdown with Anthony JoshuaCredit: INSTAGRAM
And Hearn is confident there’ll be no further roadblocks for the long-awaited Battle of Britain after having a brief meeting with The Gypsy King.
He told Behind The Gloves: “Both sides have approved the site offer that they want to go with, and now we’re just finalising the site deal and we’re in a great place.
“I saw Tyson Fury yesterday, it was good. I just messaged him and said, ‘I’m in Vegas if you fancy a cuppa.’
“We just had 5/10 minutes. What he basically cemented in my mind was that this [Anthony Joshua] is the only fight he wants.
“It just good to say, right we’ve got the offer, we all approve.
“We’re moving forward now. We’re good.
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“It has been agreed by both sides, the option that we will take, and you’ll get the date very soon and the official announcement.”
The first instalment of Joshua vs Fury is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia as coronavirus restrictions currently prevent Wembley Stadium from being at full capacity.
Despite the delay in announcing the multi-million-pound bout, Hearn insists the two-fight series is still on course to take place as scheduled.
When asked if the first fight will take place in the summer, the Matchroom Boxing chief said: “One hundred per cent.
Eddie Hearn is confident Anthony Joshua will share the ring with Tyson Fury this summerCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
“That’s the thing. Everybody wants this fight as soon as possible.
“There is no option for this fight to go at the back end of the year, and I’ve made that clear.
“The hardest thing about securing the site is in this world we live in today, most people would like to kick it to November, December.
“That’s not available. It was never available.

“What was available was a summer fight for the undisputed world heavyweight championship. That is what you’re going to get.
“Both guys want two fights this year. One will be in the summer and one will be in December.”
Joshua has been quiet in the build-up to the announcement of the undisputed showdown but recently vowed to kick Fury’s ‘a**e’.
He said: “We’re expecting me to be a week better with my skills, a week stronger with my mentality, a week wiser and I’m gonna be a week closer to the date where I get to kick Tyson Fury’s a**e.”
Eddie Hearn confirms Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed on venue More

ANTHONY JOSHUA doesn’t give a s*** about Tyson Fury’s deadlines over their summer undisputed decider.The WBC Gypsy King claimed on Sunday that he would walk away from the mega-money talks over a Saudi Arabia showdown if it wasn’t completed by Tuesday.
Anthony Joshua remains blase about Tyson Fury’s fight deadline
Gypsy King Fury threatened to pull out of talks
That deadline has now passed but AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn insists he is still getting aspects of the deal done and a major announcement is coming.
And Watford’s WBA, IBF and WBO king, 31, is tired of hearing his 32-year-old rival talk down the biggest fight in British boxing history.
The champ told Pep Talk TV: “I don’t think that’s the right mindset to have. I would wait until the end of the year if I had to.
“It’s the fight we both want, it’s the fight the world wants, the promoters and the TV networks, so putting a time limit isn’t right.
“If people are clearly working on something and they need a little extra time, you want the job done right then you sit tight for a little bit.
“As long as things are getting done I will wait til next Tuesday or the Tuesday after.

“I know I want it and so does he, maybe he just got his words mixed up.
“With every week that passes I am a week better, a week stronger and a week wiser and a week closer to the day when I kick Tyson Fury’s a***.
“I don’t know what Fury is doing and I don’t give a s*** either, all I know is what I am doing and I am coming.”
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Fury claimed this weekend that even if AJ wins their potential showdown he would not be the best heavyweight of this era, as he is yet to beat Deontay Wilder.
But the London 2012 golden boy has no time for Fury’s point of view and has told the 6ft 9in money grabber to sit tight and wait for his comeuppance.
He said: “In life everyone is entitled to an opinion, everyone has got one, like an a***, really.
“I believe I have beaten some good names and played my part in keeping boxing alive by fighting good champions.
“I did a lot of talking last year about what I wanted and made big offers but I like to do my talking in the ring.
“Everyone that I have fought has had their biggest ever payday.
“There is a lot to benefit so anyone that doesn’t fight me clearly doesn’t want it, because there is so much to gain.
“With the next one coming up, it is a no-brainer. It will be his career-highest payday, the biggest fight in the world and the whole boxing community will benefit from it.”

Eddie Hearn confirms Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have agreed on venue More

JAKE PAUL has been warned by legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach not to pursue a fight with Tommy Fury.Love Island star Fury called out the YouTuber after his two-round demolition of Scott Williams last month.
Tommy Fury called out Jake Paul last monthCredit: Action Images
Jake Paul was seemingly receptive to the idea of fighting Tommy FuryCredit: Getty
Paul, who is set to box former UFC star Ben Askren this weekend, entertained the idea of facing the reality TV star.
But Hall-of-Fame coach Roach believes the former Disney actor would be wise not to step into the ring with TNT.
Roach, speaking via the BonusCodeBets.co.uk blog, said: “Jake has a good jab and he throws long punches.
“Ben will need to be a boss inside the ring – push him around and establish his ground, then crowd him. That will take away Jake’s strength.
“Jake is green. He is a product of good matchmaking. And yes, Jake has several weaknesses we will exploit, and no, I will not share those weaknesses before the fight!
“I think it’s a lot safer for Jake Paul if he sticks with exchanging words instead of punches with Tommy Fury.”
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Freddie Roach has warned Jake Paul against Tommy FuryCredit: Getty
Former ONE Championship and Bellator welterweight champ Askren trained with Roach in the build-up to his clash with Paul.
And Roach has every confidence in Funky putting a beating on The Problem Child.
He added: “I do share Dana’s [White] confidence. I’d really like Ben to win this fight and I’ll be tuning in to watch it.
“I can’t see Jake maintaining the pace Ben will be dictating. And once Jake begins to slow down, Ben will punish him.
“Ben is a pro and a good finisher. That comes from experience at an elite level.
“What has Jake Paul learned from the level of opposition he has faced?
How Logan Paul and little brother Jake compare
“Ben knocking Jake Paul on his ass will be a nice YouTube highlight.
“I told Ben that beating Jake Paul would be more than a victory, it would be a public service.
“Ben has enjoyed success at an elite level against opposition that is far superior to the opponents Jake has faced.
“Ben knows this and it should give him enormous confidence going into this fight.
“Ben’s power and conditioning are miles ahead of Jake. Ben just needs to crowd Jake.
“If Ben fights like Joe Frazier, he’s going to win like Joe Frazier. Ben will need to be on the attack at all times. I think it will be an exciting fight.”
Jake Paul is cutting no corners with his diet

Paul, however, is adamant Askren won’t lay a glove on him, telling ESPN: “Go Google Ben Askren’s striking. Hahaha.
“It’s not going to go that long, it’s not going to go that long.
“I don’t even think he’ll hit me. I haven’t been hit one time in the face in my past two fights.
“So I haven’t even been punched as pro boxer one time. Nate Robinson landed one body shot in a clinch.
“I don’t think Ben Askren will even hit me. That’s my prediction.”
Ben Askren says he has trained not to grab Jake Paul in up coming fight More