Heavyweight boxing

TONY BELLEW was furious with Oleksandr Usyk – after the Ukrainian mentioned his 2018 KO of the Scouser in his press conference ahead of his clash with Derek Chisora.
Former heavyweight champ Bellew was put on the canvas by Usyk when they fought at cruiserweight two years ago.

Oleksandr Usyk puts Tony Bellew on the canvas back in 2018Credit: Reuters

The punch from Oleksandr Usyk which put down Tony Bellew in their cruiserweight clash in 2018Credit: PA:Press Association

Bellew reacted badly when Usyk mentioned the knockdown.
Usyk, 33, knocked Bellew sparko with one powerful punch in the eighth round.
The Ukrainian defended his undisputed WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO titles against Bellew in Manchester.
Questions have been asked whether Usyk has the power at heavyweight to step up and beat Chisora tonight.

But Usyk reckoned the way he dispatched Bellew shows he has the power to make the step up.
Promotor Eddie Hearn told Usyk: “David Haye said you don’t have the power at heavyweight.
“Do you believe that you can stop Dereck Chisora on Saturday night and end this fight inside the distance?”
Usyk responded through his translator: “Ask Tony Bellew.”

Bellew, 37, was in the conference room at the time and looked annoyed.
But the Scouser later said: “It doesn’t aggravate me, it’s fact.
“Can’t deny it, can I? The whole world’s seen it. He starched me, for six seconds, then I was back up.”

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DERECK CHISORA is as comfortable mucking out horses as he is knocking out opponents.
After a controversial early career infamous for almost as many rucks outside the ring as in it, the 36-year-old Brit banger has swapped the red mist in the ring, for the green, green grass of home.

Dereck Chisora likes to unwind after gritty fights in the ring at his farmCredit: Mark Robinson

Chisora owns the farm, set just outside of North LondonCredit: Mark Robinson

Chisora, pictured here with David Haye, vowed to have his daughter grow up surrounded by animalsCredit: Mark Robinson

Chisora can unwind on his farm after his heavyweight fightsCredit: Mark Robinson

The Zimbabwe-born heavyweight – who faces Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday –  lives on a farm on the edge of North London after vowing to bring his daughter up surrounded by animals.
Back in 2017, just as he moved into the leafy lair, Old McDel Boy told SunSport: “I live on a farm right now. I have horses, cows, chickens and pigs.
“I grew up on a farm and wanted to make my daughter grow up on one. I look after the horses and animals but I am not a softy.
“I said before we moved there that I could live happily in a little apartment and be like the rest of most people.

“But I can go and live on a farm and give my daughter so much space and one day she can say she grew up on a farm. I am doing that for her.”
The down-to-earth slugger has always been clever with his money and investing in the farm for his pride and joy looks a knockout investment.
Chisora said: “Being a father changed me, my little girl drives me insane.
“She does her own thing, sometimes I think if I left the house she would not even be bothered.

Chisora is happy to relax with his cows after a day of training in the gymCredit: Mark Robinson

“When I am training I don’t need money, I just need my car full of petrol.
“All my meals are prepared and delivered. That’s all I need.
“I still give myself pocket money to keep myself sensible and grounded.
“It used to be £60-a-week but now it’s more like £400. I have upgraded myself.”

Chisora faces Ukrainian great Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Arena on SaturdayCredit: Mark Robinson

Chisora enjoys his farm life away from the ringCredit: Mark Robinson

As well as cows, Chisora has chickens, pigs and horses on his farmCredit: Mark Robinson

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TYSON FURY looks in terrifying shape on the eve of Halloween.
The Gypsy King took to social media to post a clip of him shadow boxing.

Tyson Fury looks in incredible shape five weeks away from his next fight

The Gypsy King took to Instagram to share a video of his shadow boxing in the ring at his gym

And the 6ft 9ins giant was at his menacing best in the video uploaded to his Instagram.
Wearing a vest and shorts with wraps on his hands, the WBC heavyweight king danced around the ring like a lightweight with his trademark footwork.
Fury, 32, wrote: “Working hard. It’s me vs the world. Come get some of this.”
The Gypsy King is getting himself ready for his homecoming fight which is now just five weeks away.

After claiming Deontay Wilder’s WBC throne in spectacular fashion in February, he looks on course to return to English soil.
The trilogy bout with the Bronze Bomber is off the cards and it has been suggested Fury’s bout on December 5 may not even have his WBC belt on the line.
That could mean he faces a relative unknown – or at least none of the high-ranked heavyweights – before Christmas at the Royal Albert Hall.
David Price, Carlos Takam, Razvan Cojanu and Australian pair Lucas Browne and Dempsey McKean have all been touted as potential opponents.

Fury worked up a sweat as he continued to put the hard yards in

Then British boxing fans will be desperate to see Fury go head to head with Anthony Joshua in a massive heavyweight showdown.
At the start of coronavirus lockdown, WBC heavyweight champ Fury announced that he had ‘agreed’ two fights with WBA, WBO and IBF king Joshua.
Provided neither fighter loses their respective titles – AJ faces Kubrat Pulev on December 12 – all the belts could be on the line in 2021.
And Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has already worked out when the mouthwatering fights will happen – and wants both to take place in the UK.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Matchroom boss said: “You break them up into probably April, May, June, and then November, December [for the rematch].
“I think it’s about where and of course they’re two British heavyweight world champions, and if one of those fights at least didn’t take place in the UK it would be a shame.”

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NUMBER CRUNCHER Oleksandr Usyk believes he gets Derek Chisora counted out on Saturday.
The mysterious Ukrainian whipped out a notepad and pen at the Thursday press conference with the London heavyweight and started jotting down figures with a puzzled look.

Oleksandr Usyk was practising his maths during his press conference with Derek Chisora

Usyk pits his wits against Chisora at Wembley Arena on Saturday night

The mind game was similar to when former super-middleweight champ George Groves rapidly completed a Rubix cube before his rematch with Carl Froch.
Usyk’s team refused to let anyone see the sums but the undefeated, undisputed cruiserweight ace, 33, revealed it is more brain training homework to help him KO the Brit banger.
The gap-toothed maverick said: “My team set me mathematical equations during the week to do for training. 
“I hadn’t finished one of them and I thought this was the perfect time to do it.”

Chisora, 36, once again used his final interview to ask the British Boxing Board of Control officials not to meddle too much in the onslaught he will throw at silky southpaw.
And he was in no way worried about Usyk’s maths counting against him when they go to war.
He said: “He is going to try to box. I can’t box. It’s going to be a shoot-out.
“When I hit him, he’ll be hit, there is nowhere for him to hide.

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“I’ve no idea what he’s writing. It doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t faze me. No idea. It’s a fight, we are in a fight.”
Chisora has been warned by Usyk that he can knock him out without landing his hardest punch.
He told Sky Sports: “Be ready to stand tall and you don’t need to get [hit by] punches, then your chin will be alright.
“Every man has the same chin. You cannot work it out somehow in the gym.
“The shot should not be really hard to make a man fall down.”

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DAVE ALLEN’S fight with Christopher Lovejoy is in doubt after contract issues with Don King emerged ahead of the Dereck Chisora vs Oleksandr Usyk undercard clash.
Eddie Hearn revealed he was up until 4am trying to find a solution after receiving a call from fuming American promoter Don King, who suggested he has Lovejoy, 36, under contract.

British heavyweight Dave Allen is due to fight Christopher Lovejoy on SaturdayCredit: ©Mark Robinson Ltd

Christopher Lovejoy and Eddie Hearn pose together

Hearn explained Lovejoy was asked if he was signed to any promotional organisation – which he denied – and was then flown over and signed a deal to fight Allen, 28, on the Sky Sports Box Office undercard.
Speaking on Matchroom’s YouTube channel, Hearn said: “We had a late night last night. I had a note from Mr Don King last night who said ‘I have Mr Lovejoy under contract’.
“He was not happy at all, he was fuming. But obviously we respect that position so I spoke to Don last night, I was grafting away. Four o’clock in the morning was the last phone call and we are trying to find a solution.
“He’ll get paid from Mr Lovejoy. He said Mr Lovejoy was meant to be fighting Trevor Bryan later in the year, he didn’t have a date for that, he doesn’t have any TV.

“So I’ve come out and I’ve said ‘I will give Trevor Bryan a fight in December on Matchroom Boxing USA’ – so we are trying everything.
“But at the moment he’s not happy and he doesn’t want Mr Lovejoy to fight but we are trying to resolve it with 48 hours to go.”
Allen and Lovejoy were scheduled to get it on in the build-up to Allen’s fellow Brit Dereck Chisora’s heavyweight fight against former unified cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk at Wembley Arena on Saturday.
Hearn said he won’t ‘give up’ in attempts to win over ‘long in the tooth’ King to get the fight on, but will look at a number of last-minute British replacements to give Allen a chance to box.

Promoter Don King, right, with legendary boxer Mike TysonCredit: AP:Associated Press

Oleksandr Usyk and Dereck Chisora will headline Hearn’s promotionCredit: ©Mark Robinson Ltd

Matchroom chief Hearn made a personal plea with legendary American promoter King.
He added: “So Don King, legend of the game, hall of fame promoter. You’re going to make your money, we are going to give your American star Trevor Bryan a fight.
“And we can all go home smiling. That’s on you big man. So we will see.”
Hearn confirmed the WBA are happy for the fight to go ahead.
Allen – known as ‘The White Rhino’ – has an 18-5-2 record and last fought in February when he KO’d compatriot Dorian Darch.

Allen’s most notable win came in 2019 when he delivered a stunning third-round KO over former world champ Lucas Browne.
But his career hit a stumbling block with defeat to Liverpudlian David Price in July later that year.
American opponent Lovejoy boast an unbeaten 18-0 record with an incredible 100 per cent KO rate.
However, the calibre of opponent in his previous contests is way below Allen’s standard, with Lovejoy largely fighting out of Tijuana, Mexico.

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