Heavyweight boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA will win his eagerly-anticipated heavyweight title unification fight with Tyson Fury by knockout, according to his former opponent Eric Molina.
The long-awaited Battle of Britain is close to being finalised, with both parties confident an agreement will be reached in the coming weeks.

Anthony Joshua is on a collision course with Tyson FuryCredit: Getty

Tyson Fury is set to meet Anthony Joshua in a blockbuster heavyweight tit;e unification fight in the summerCredit: PA

The fleet-footed Fury has been tipped by many to run rings around unified heavyweight champion Joshua, who will likely go into their meeting as a huge underdog.
But Molina, who was stopped by AJ five years ago, reckons The Gypsy King could end up being KO’d by the Olympic gold medallist.
He told iFL TV: “I can see Anthony Joshua knocking out Tyson Fury. I can see that happening.
“If you look at Tyson Fury, he does some things similar to me defensively against Wilder, which was to stay away from one or two big shots.

“I’ve always had my strength of when I sparred big punchers, I’ve always said bring me the bigger punchers because I could see one, two, or three shots.
“I could get a read. Wilder gives you a big read like [winding up].
 BEST BETS TODAY: GET THE TOP PRICES AND BOOSTS AVAILABLE

Eric Molina (right) reckons former opponent Joshua could KO FuryCredit: Reuters
“He’s coming hard, but he’s giving me all that. So by the time I see that, I’m moving. I’m not just going to stand there.

“The ones that stand there like this [covering up] against Wilder, you’re going to get hurt.
“I already knew that I wasn’t just going to pick my gloves up to take a shot like that.
“The same way Tyson Fury does not do that. What Joshua does, he doesn’t give you that boom.
“He’s very fluid with his punches. He comes with three, four, five, maybe even a six.”

Negotiations over the blockbuster showdown are set to set to come to an end within the next fortnight.
And Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is hoping to officially announce the biggest fight in the history of British boxing later this month.
He said: “We’ve sent a draft contract, they’ve sent some minor changes – nothing too big, so again we’re moving in the right direction.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve said ‘the next two weeks’, but the next two weeks we hope for an official announcement and then we go out and decide where this thing will take place.”

Anthony Joshua practices new left hook power shot he aims to KO Tyson Fury with as he trains while contract talks go on More

DEONTAY WILDER’s former coach Mark Breland has slammed the American’s wild conspiracy theories following his loss to Tyson Fury.
The former WBC heavyweight champion axed Breland for throwing in the towel in the seventh round of his showdown with Tyson Fury last February.

Mark Breland has hit out at former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay WilderCredit: Getty

Deontay Wilder gave Mark Breland the boot after he threw in the towel in his loss to Tyson FuryCredit: Getty

Wilder levelled several accusations Breland’s way following the fight and suggested the 57-year-old may have spiked his water before the bout.
The Bronze Bomber’s claims baffled Breland, who told The Fight is Right podcast: “I mean, so many people know me, my character speaks for itself.
“Spiked the water? If you’re looking at the tapes or whatever, you don’t ever see that water in my hand. Someone else is giving him the water.
“And regardless of that, I’m there to help you. My attitude is, ‘When you win, I win.’

“I’ve seen some foolish people talking to me about that fight.
“Come on now, only foolish people come out with stuff like that because it’s crazy. If you know me, you know me.”
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

Deontay Wilder suffered a seventh-round TKO loss to Deontay WilderCredit: Getty
Following the first defeat of his professional career, Wilder accused Fury’s team of tampering with The Gypsy King’s gloves before the fight.

That suggestion amused Breland, who said: “I doubt it very much, I don’t know, I never seen nothing.
“But still at the same time – he’s not gonna beat Tyson Fury regardless.
“Jay Deas was standing right there when the man was getting his hands wrapped. If they put something in there, either Jay’s blind or..?
“Jay’s right there when he’s getting his hands wrapped and he didn’t say nothing.

“But to be honest, that’s how much he knows about boxing.
“Hell, he probably could’ve put a cast up in there and he wouldn’t have known!”
Former WBA welterweight champion Breland reckons defeat to Fury has ended Wilder’s days as a top contender in the heavyweight division.
He said: “His career is done now, I’m done and he’s done, I’m done with him.

“He’s got a lot of power but that’s all, I wish him well and that’s it.
“He’s only got his power and we’ll see how far that takes him. That’s all I’m going to say.
“I’d been working with him since he turned pro and nothing had happened until [the defeat].
“Some people can’t take a loss, don’t blame everybody else, go back and think about yourself.”

Deontay Wilder accuses Tyson Fury of cheating in their second fight More

MIKE TYSON and Evander Holyfield’s trilogy is ‘signed, sealed and delivered’, Zab Judah claimed.
Judah, a long-time friend of Tyson’s, also revealed the heavyweight legend is ‘training everyday’ for the second fight in his comeback trail.

Zab Judah pictured with long-time friend Mike Tyson

Evander Holyfield training for his comeback

He told the Metro: “The fight is made, the fight is done, Mike Tyson versus Evander Holyfield part three, amazing.
“Everything about that fight interests me, you just got to look at one and two and there’s no doubt why you wouldn’t want to watch number three, no doubt.
“The fight is signed, sealed and delivered and Mike is training everyday and Evander is training everyday and both men are coming in there to do their job, they are not playing brother, there will be no playing.
“Mike Tyson versus Evander Holyfield part three, it’s going down, it’s going to be real. It’s going to be a great fight for a third time.”

Tyson, 54, returned to the ring last November against Roy Jones Jr, 52, as the pair boxed to a draw over eight exhibition rounds.
The announcement in early 2020 that Tyson would fight again inspired Holyfield, 58, to begin training for his own return.
SunSport in January first revealed the iconic rivals were in talks for a trilogy bout in Dubai.
And 43-year-old former two-weight champion Judah, from New York like Tyson, confirmed fight is heading to the Middle East.

FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE

He said: “It’s going to be in Dubai, that’s what I’m hearing. That’s what the advertisement said.”
Tyson was dramatically beaten by Holyfield, an underdog at the time, in 1996.
But their rematch a year later will forever be remembered for Iron Mike’s disgraceful third round disqualification, as he sunk his teeth into Holyfield’s ear.
The pair later patched things up and even enjoyed a friendship, featuring in a Foot Locker advert together in 2013 where Tyson attempts to give Holyfield’s ear back.

Evander Holyfield beat Mike Tyson in 1996Credit: Reuters

Mike Tyson bite Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997Credit: AFP – Getty

Mike Tyson looks sharp and powerful as 54-year-old shows off brutal power preparing for £200m Evander Holyfield rematch More

TYSON FURY revealed his wife Paris is pregnant with a sixth child as the heavyweight boxing champ opened up on how he keeps his kids grounded.
Fury has three sons, eldest Prince John James, Prince Tyson Fury II and Prince Adonis Amaziah, who was born in 2019.

Tyson Fury and his wife Paris are expecting a sixth child Credit: Free for editorial use

Tyson Fury with his wife Paris and their kids (l-r) Prince Tyson Fury II, Valencia, Venezuela, Prince Adonis Amaziah and Prince John JamesCredit: Refer to Caption

And the WBC champion has two daughters, Valencia and Venezuela – but Fury announced he is expecting a sixth with long-time partner Paris.
He told Gareth A Davies: “Paris is pregnant again and the Lord has blessed us definitely with another child and I’m very thankful.
“Got a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, they’re all healthy. That’s the most important thing, you know, your health and your family.
“Nothing else really matters. Your job, your money, your wealth, your career, none of that really matters because you can get another job, you can start snooker or you can go make more money.

“It doesn’t really matter but the one thing you can’t get back is your family. You can’t get back time lost and that’s the crazy thing about it all.”
Fury – the highest-paid fighter of 2020 with £46million earned – goes on to admit that he does not care for fame or fortune.
But he struggles to keep a low profile due to his 6ft 9in frame and distinctive voice.
Fury – currently in talks to fight Anthony Joshua – lives in Morecambe with his family and enjoys living the local lifestyle, even helping the council clean up litter.

Highest-earning fighters of 2020

Part of his everyman attitude is refraining from spoiling his kids, with the unbeaten heavyweight keen to give them a true understanding of money.
The Gypsy King wants his children to grow up working for their fortune and has made sure to normalise their lives as much as possible.
Fury, 32, said: “For me it’s very important to stay close to my grassroots as I’ve got a lot of kids coming up, I’ve got five kids, very important for them to know the value of money.
“It’s very important for them to know how to earn money.
“So, if they see me splashing out all the time and living a move stars’ lifestyle they grow up thinking that’s the only way they can live.
“To earn from a normal job, £200-300-a-week, however much they’re going to get, they might think that’s no good if they’ve been spoiled rotten by multimillionaire parents.
“So I don’t do that. My kids don’t go to private school, I don’t have any private education, they just go to normal school, everyone does normal stuff.”

Tyson Fury and Paris are long-time partnersCredit: Instagram @parisfury1

Tyson Fury pictured with his wife Paris Credit: Tyson Fury Instagram

Tyson Fury pictured with his wife Paris and their five kids Credit: Instagram

Tyson Fury breaks down Conor McGregor’s defeat to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 and agrees he lost due to ‘inactivity’ More

FORMER undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks has died at the age of 67.
The man who shocked the world when he beat the legendary Muhammad Ali in just his eighth pro fight had been battling prostate cancer for the last five years.

Leon Spinks has died at the age of 67 after a long battle against cancerCredit: Getty – Contributor

Spinks famously fought, and beat, the great Muhammad AliCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Spinks’ management firm said in a statement that he died on Friday evening with his wife Brenda Glur Spinks by his side, and with ‘only a few close friends and other family’ allowed to be present due to coronavirus restrictions.
Tributes have flooded in for the American who competed between 1977 and 1995.
President of the World Boxing Council Mauricio Sulaiman tweeted: “Rest in peace, Leon Spinks.
“Olympic medalist, Pan American medalist, and of course, WBC heavyweight champion.”

WBC lightweight champ Devin Haney posted “RIP Leon Spinks.”
American US boxing manager Lou DiBella tweeted: “Rest In Peace, Neon Leon, a heavyweight champion and a nice man.
“Condolences to @MikeSpinksjinx and the Spinks family. Rest In Peace and Power, Leon Spinks.”
Spinks served in the United States Marine Corps, who he proudly represented when he won a gold medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

But he cemented his place in boxing history on February 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada, when he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in history by beating Ali to become the undisputed world heavyweight champ.
Leon entered that fight with only seven prior professional fights, weighing only 197 pounds and being outweighed by over 25 pounds.

Spinks wrote his own story of the underdog triumphing in 1978 when he beat AliCredit: AP:Associated Press

He was not successful in the rematch, losing the belts via unanimous decision at the Louisiana Superdome on September 15, 1978.
Spinks, famous for his characteristic gap-toothed grin, never reached such highs again as he retired in 1995 with a record 26 wins, 17 defeats and three draws.
In 2014 Spinks was hospitalised and suffered major damage to his intestines caused by a piece of bone from a chicken wing.

Spinks was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2017.Credit: Getty Images
After several surgeries he then spent a number of weeks at a rehabilitation centre.
In August 2017, along with his brother Michael Spinks, Thomas Hearns and Ken Norton, Leon was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame.
His son Cory Spinks also enjoyed success inside the ring, becoming undisputed welterweight champion.
His other son Leon Calvin was tragically shot dead in 1990 while travelling to his girlfriend’s in East St. Louis.

Top Rank joins the boxing community in mourning the passing of Leon Spinks – A true legend, who pulled off one of the greatest Heavyweight upsets of all time in 1978. pic.twitter.com/i3xHjkKNti
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) February 7, 2021

Boxing legend Leon Spinks ‘fighting for life’ in Vegas hospital More

JAKE PAUL is adamant Floyd Mayweather has ‘lost his mind’ after the legendary boxer challenged him to an exhibition fight.
Earlier this week, the former four-division world champion revealed his intention to face the YouTuber and his friend turned enemy 50 Cent.

Jake Paul was left baffled by Floyd Mayweather’s decision to call him outCredit: AP

Mayweather’s call-outs of the pair baffled fight fans, who were supposed to see the boxing great take on Paul’s older brother, Logan, later this month.
Paul was equally as stunned, telling TMZ: “This guy is out of his mind! He just calls me out, out of nowhere — same with 50 Cent!
“I mean, he hasn’t even fought my brother yet. It just seems like he’s losing his marbles … like what the f*** is this guy doing?!”
Paul, 23, reckons the Money man is desperate to box him because he’s strapped for cash.

The former Disney star added: “It just seems like this guy is money hungry. He just wants to fight everyone.”
 BEST BETS TODAY: GET THE TOP PRICES AND BOOSTS AVAILABLE

How Floyd Mayweather and Jake Paul compare
Paul, who entered the boxing world last year, is open to facing Mayweather, but only if the 50-0 legend agrees to a professionally-sanctioned bout.
The YouTube star said: “I’m 2 and 0 with 2 KO’s with pro fights. Floyd wants to do these exhibitions, ya know … cool!

“But, I’m a real fighter. He has to take me seriously and I think the reason he wants to do these exhibitions is because he’s afraid to risk his legacy of his 50 and 0 record in case he were to lose.
“But, I’m not doing the exhibition s**t. It doesn’t interest me. Those are like fake patty-cake fights.”

Paul is currently gearing up to face former UFC welterweight Ben Askren in an exhibition bout on April 17.
And he’s brimming with confidence after scoring back-to-back stoppages in his first two pro fights.
He told ESPN: “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.”

Jake Paul taunts Floyd Mayweather and calls him out for 50-50 split fight and blasts ‘f*** your exhibition proposition’ More

DEONTAY WILDER’s former coach Mark Breland has branded the ex-WBC heavyweight champion a one-trick pony and claimed his career is ‘done’ following his brutal loss to Tyson Fury.
Wilder’s reign as WBC king came to an end last February at the hands of The Gypsy King, who recorded a stunning seventh-round TKO win in Las Vegas.

Deontay Wilder axed Mark Breland for throwing in the towel for in his defeat to Tyson FuryCredit: Getty

Mark Breland has branded Deontay Wilder a one-trick ponyCredit: Getty

After seeing his man take a battering, Breland mercifully threw in the towel – an act which saw Wilder fire him from his team and prompted a wave of allegations.
And nearly a year after that fateful night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, former WBA welterweight champion Breland has fired back at The Bronze Bomber.
During an appearance on the Fight is Right podcast, he said: “My whole thing with Deontay is part of boxing I guess.
“His career is done now, I’m done and he’s done, I’m done with him.”

Breland, like many others, believes Wilder, 35, is a one-dimensional fighter.
The 57-year-old added: “He’s got a lot of power but that’s all, I wish him well and that’s it.
 BEST BETS TODAY: GET THE TOP PRICES AND BOOSTS AVAILABLE

“He’s only got his power and we’ll see how far that takes him. That’s all I’m going to say.

“I’d been working with him since he turned pro and nothing had happened until [the defeat].
“Some people cant take a loss; don’t blame everybody else, go back and think about yourself.”
Wilder hasn’t fought since Fury handed him the first loss of his professional career.

Deontay Wilder suffered a seventh-round TKO loss to Tyson Fury last FebruaryCredit: PA

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the Olympic bronze medallist was set to have a trilogy fight with the Brit.
Fury, however, is now in negotiations over a blockbuster heavyweight title unification bout with Anthony Joshua.
Wilder believes he’s contractually entitled to a third fight, although Team Fury are adamant his rematch clause expired last October.
The Alabama bruiser has sought legal action to try and resolve the situation and secure a third bout.

Deontay Wilder lists five alternative opponents to ‘cheater’ Tyson Fury as he vows to return to ring at start of 2021 More