Heavyweight boxing

TYSON FURY has been urged to SACK “Judas” trainer SugarHill Steward by his dad John.The Gypsy King started working with Steward in 2020, with the duo since enjoying great success together.
John Fury poses with SugarHill Steward last AprilCredit: PA
Tyson Fury’s proposed bout with Oleksandr Usyk fell throughCredit: Getty
Fury, 34, had been expected to take on Oleksandr Usyk in a historic heavyweight unification bout on April 29 at Wembley.
The fight fell through last week, however, after promoters failed to agree a deal.
Throughout talks the Gypsy King had appeared to be in training with Steward in the North West.
But the highly-respected trainer has since revealed that he was in the region to work with Lawrence Okolie for his fight with David Light – and that his flight home was also planned for March 28 – suggesting that Team Fury were never anticipating the Usyk bout to come to fruition.
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Steward’s comments have enraged John Fury, who has now called on his son to SACK his trainer.
John told Metro, via Freebets.com: “Tyson knows my opinion and that is all those people wrapped around him want sacking. The full lot.
“If they talk about loyalty, that’s not loyalty as far as I’m concerned. If you are stood by your man, shoulder to shoulder, you take it all.
“You’re not going to pass the blame or distance yourself from him. Tyson is my son and I will stand with him until the day I die.
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“That thing with SugarHill the other day, what the hell was that about? “I’m only here for Okolie.” What was he talking about?
“When I have seen him training Tyson, he was living in Tyson’s house, he had his missus there, he was using the gym and I have seen him working Tyson out.
“And all of a sudden denied him like Judas Iscariot denied Jesus Christ? What the hell was going on there?
“For me, that is a sacking offence. He will be down the road for that charade. It was upsetting.
“Tyson just falls in love with these people and finds out they are not who they seem to be. It is all about pound signs and he has put SugarHill where is.
“He give these guys a chance like the others he has put around him and it has ended in tears. Get rid of them, clear the board. How does the heavyweight champion need all this?
‘GET RID OF THEM ALL’
“It would be easier if he did it all himself and he has got capable people around him to help him do it. Not just me. With sound people around him we can make the right decisions and get on with it.
“Get rid of them all. They all want to be his best mate but as soon as things get a bit sticky and he gets a few bad comments, people want to distance themselves from him.”
John Fury also sought to place the blame for Tyson’s Usyk bout falling through at the hands of promoters Frank Warren and Alex Krassyuk.
The Gypsy King lowballed Usyk with a 70-30 offer… only for the Ukrainian to accept.
But the bout STILL failed to be agreed.
On where the blame should lie, John said: “I’m confused, the country is confused, the world is confused.

“But the only ones not confused are the handlers. The promoters.
“They always seem to put a spanner in the works. But we are where we are. If it is meant to be, it will happen.”
Promoter Frank Warren failed to get the fight madeCredit: Rex More

TYSON FURY’S heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua is still the “biggest fight in the world”.And the long-awaited Battle of Britain could still happen this year, according to Top Rank chief Todd DuBoef.
Anthony Joshua missed out on his Tyson Fury fightCredit: AFP
The Gypsy King has failed to negotiate fights with either AJ or Oleksandr UsykCredit: Getty
Fury and AJ were in talks to settle their score in a mammoth clash at the end of last year – but a deal collapsed and appeared off the table for good.
However, DuBoef – whose Top Rank company oversee Fury’s US promotions – reckons boxing fans could get the one fight they want to see.
DuBoef told Sky Sports: “I’ve always said that that is the fight.
“Both of them have great brands, huge fanbases, and fortunately both of them come from the UK, so it’s wonderful that your country has been able to produce these incredible prizefighters.
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“That fight is always there, and, to me, is the biggest heavyweight match in the world, because of the personalities and the stories.”
When the Fury talks broke down, Joshua planned to make his return to the ring against Jermaine Franklin.
He faces the American at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday desperately hoping to return to winning ways after back-to-back losses to Olesksandr Usyk.
Fury looked on course to face Usyk in a unification bout with all the heavyweight world titles on the line – but again the Gypysy King failed to successfully negotiate.
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But DuBoef incredibly claimed it is still possible for his man to face Usyk and Joshua this year.
He added: “All of us are frustrated.
“And I think timing has been an issue with trying to make this [Usyk] fight happen. I’m not going to say never, but I think we all want to see this unification, and we all have hope.
“Both fighters really know that this is what the sport wants, and what they want.
Credit: SUNSPORT
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“We move with immediacy, and we move trying to figure out and get rationality to a situation.
“I think we’ve always wanted this fight for Fury and Joshua, and we’ve wanted to see Fury and Usyk, and Tyson has wanted that, and the Warrens, and we’ve worked hard in getting this done.
“I would love to see, and you’ve just laid out a great 2023 for the Fury side, if we could do Usyk and Joshua this year, it would be fantastic.” More

JORDAN FLYNN plans to announce himself to the world this weekend with a statement victory on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s comeback fight.AJ will bid to bounce back from consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk and prove he’s still a force to be reckoned with in the heavyweight division at The O2 on Saturday night against Jermaine Franklin.
Undefeated lightweight prospect Jordan Flynn is back in action on Saturday nightCredit: INSTAGRAM@RITESHVYAS
The 27-year-old faces American Kane Baker on the undercard of Anthony Joshua vs Jermain FranklinCredit: MATCHROOM BOXING
Flynn plans to announce himself to the world with a statement victory at The O2Credit: Instagram / @riteshvyas
A host of rising stars will take to the ring before the poster boy of British boxing returns, including undefeated lightweight Flynn – who recently inked a deal with Joshua’s 258 management company.
And the 27-year-old – who has quietly built a perfect 8-0 record in the last two years – plans to grasp the golden opportunity to showcase his skills with both hands against Brummie Kane Baker.
He told SunSport: “It’s a massive opportunity, man. This is the biggest card you can be on really.
“In boxing, there is no other fighter [than Joshua] with that kind of following.
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“So all eyes of boxing are going to be on that card.
“So everyone is going to know who I am on this card.
“I’m gonna announce myself on the scene there properly. People will finally get to see what I’m about.”
Lighting up the O2 is something Flynn has long dreamed of, although he envisaged fighting at the North Greenwich dome a lot sooner.
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He revealed: “I’ve always imagined fighting here.
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“Even back in the day watching any fights on TV, I’ve always imagined myself fighting there and hearing Michael Buffer say my name.
“These big events, you always imagined that.
“But to be honest, I thought I’d be doing these kind of events sooner because I’ve always seen myself as better as some of the guys I’ve seen on TV.”
Despite knowing what a win on a highly-watched AJ card will do for his career, Flynn isn’t taking Baker or the opportunity lightly.
He said: “It’s important for me to perform and enjoy it and soak it all in.”
Flynn believes his spot on arguably the biggest card of the year so far is a testament to his new management team’s faith in him.
Lightweight prospect Flynn knows the magnitude of a win on the biggest card of the year so farCredit: SPLASH
Flynn isn’t looking past Baker but has big plans for 2023Credit: MATCHROOM BOXING
Flynn believes now is his time to shine after having his career delayed by CovidCredit: GETTY
He said: “It goes to show them what my new management team think of me to put me in that position.
“I was happy and I saw it as a big opportunity to perform and get to get where I need to be getting.”
A big win could lay the groundwork for a massive 2023 for the Steel City Gym slugger, whose sights are set on winning his first title by year’s end.
He said: “I really need to announce myself on the scene.
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“By the end of this year, people will know who I am in the boxing world and elsewhere as well.
“Announce myself on the scene, win my first title and start climbing the ranks and set myself up for a good 2024.” More

HEAVYWEIGHT giants Anthony Joshua and Lennox Lewis have been feuding for years.Joshua, 33, is preparing to return to the ring on Saturday night when he takes on Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena.
Anthony Joshua flew out to see Lennox Lewis after winning gold at the OlympicsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
He ended up snubbing Lewis’ coaching offer when he turned professionalCredit: Getty
The Olympic gold medallist is attempting to bounce back from successive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
But irrespective of the outcome against Franklin, one man AJ is unlikely to impress is British legend Lewis.
The 57-year-old is widely regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.
Lewis beat the likes of Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Frank Bruno and Vitali Kitschko during his sensational reign at the top of the division in the 1990s and early 2000s.
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And he could have remained in the sport as a coach following Joshua’s gold medal win at London 2012.
AJ flew to Jamaica to meet Lewis as he prepared to turn professional the following year.

But things did not work out, with Lewis telling the Undefeated Podcast: “We talked about my career and he loved listening to the stories and all the different things that I went through.
“I said, ‘I’d love to help you,’ I don’t want to be his promoter, I’m not a promoter, but there’s things I can teach him.
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Joshua and Lewis meeting in 2013Credit: Instagram / @anthonyjoshua
“He phoned me, he said, ‘I really want you to help me.’ I said, ‘Okay, good.’
“Then I didn’t hear from him again. I heard that he picked some other people to help him, he was doing his professional career and that was it.”
Joshua snubbed Lewis for Tony Sims as he embarked on his pro career with the Essex-based coach.
Sims would help AJ claim his first world title, before he was replaced by Rob McCracken in 2016.
And in 2017, after Joshua’s win over Wladimir Klitschko, Lewis took his first public swipe at his fellow countryman.
He said: “Me and Evander Holyfield were there actually [at Wembley] for German TV when he boxed Klitschko.
“We were outside the dressing room [after the fight]. We wanted to big him up as first champion after the Olympics. Now he’s beat the big man, we’re there to congratulate him.
“Security brushed us out of the way and brushed him in there. He was like, ‘Len–’ and gone. They pushed him in.
“I said, ‘Okay, cool. They don’t want me around. They don’t want me near to him.’ The promoter, [Eddie Hearn] definitely the promoter, no doubt about that.
“You allow your promoter to do that to the last undisputed, to me and Holyfield, and we’re there to big him up.
“You’ve showed me your position, I’m not gonna be running after a person if I know their position.”
He also criticised Joshua’s inability to make a fight with then WBC champion Deontay Wilder, saying to Boxing Scene: “He wants to go around making money.
Joshua was with coach Tony Sims, far right, for the first 17 pro fights of his careerCredit: Action Images – Reuters
“I think that’s going to be a downfall for him. He has to stay with it, he can’t be in the background.
“If he wants to be champion, he has to act like a champion.”
Since then, Joshua has suffered three professional losses – to Andy Ruiz and Usyk twice.
And it was after the Ruiz defeat when his rivalry with Lewis bubbled to the surface once more.
Speaking about Joshua, Lewis suggested he should change trainer again, tweeting: “Too many things went wrong in that fight to say he was properly prepared for Ruiz or the situation he found himself in.
“AJ found himself asking questions with no answers. They couldn’t make the adjustments…
“I say you can’t go to university with your third-grade teacher.
“They won’t have the answers you need at that level. You need a professor by then.”
Joshua labelled Lewis a clown in a 2019 interviewCredit: Sky Sports via Twitter
This time Joshua responded, telling Sky Sports: “Lennox is a clown. I don’t respect Lennox. Me and Lennox are not the same.
“My legacy is to sit back and enjoy the younger generation coming up, and not to be involved.
“Just to appreciate what it takes to get there. Lennox isn’t like that. Me and Lennox are cut from a different cloth.”
Lewis did not take these comments lying down, replying on social media by pointing out that he became undisputed champion – something Joshua is still yet to achieve.
He said: “Wow! He’s right! We ARE cut from a different cloth.
“Undisputed wasn’t something I ‘worried’ about. It was something I went after until it was accomplished!
“Disappointed in AJ’s words but I understand that this ‘jealousy’ narrative was only fabricated AFTER I criticised them for Wilder negotiations. All of a sudden I’m a hater.
“Ask who benefits from such a simple-minded narrative? Not AJ. Not me.”
Not one to back down, Joshua posted his own message on Instagram.
He said: “Always say it how it is. A clown is a clown. He can wipe his make-up off, but his heart remains the same.
“No squares in my circle, cuz. G s*** only.”
Lewis commented that his “door remains open” to Joshua despite the beef, but that “disrespect is not the answer to his frustrations”.
After a month of quiet, Joshua then reflected on the back and forth with Lewis.
He said: “Lewis has never reached out… The only times I’ve ever heard of Lewis making contact is via the internet.
“Who does take time to call me, and is not so much involved in the internet stuff, is Wladimir Klitschko.
“Calls me, advises me. He’s not doing it for the clout. He just calls me man-to-man.
“I just feel like, when it comes to me, it’s kind of different, ‘Anthony’s dodging, Anthony Joshua’s not this, he needs to do that.’
“Why are you always attacking me, rather than reaching out like Klitschko and giving a young man advice when I need it?

“I’m not two-faced. You poke me, you poke me, sooner or later you’re gonna hear what I have to say about you.”
Lewis again replied that Joshua was “most definitely wrong” and the pair have avoided speaking about each other over the last four years.
Lewis was the last undisputed heavyweight championCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA delivered a vicious verbal jab to a host of legendary British boxers who have criticised him ahead of his comeback.AJ returns to the ring on Saturday hoping to relaunch his career against American Jermaine Franklin at the O2.
Anthony Joshua (left) makes his comeback against Jermaine (right) on SaturdayCredit: PA
Carl Froch is one former star to question whether AJ is coming to the end of his careerCredit: Twitter @Carl_Froch
Amir Khan had a famous fallout with Anthony Joshua in the pastCredit: Doug Seeburg
The star suffered the first defeat of his career when he came up against 25/1 underdog Andy Ruiz Jr in New York back in 2019.
The Englishman was left battered and bruised after he was knocked to the canvas four times by the hard-hitting Mexican before he went on to beat him in the rematch to regain the heavyweight titles and then defended them against Kubrat Pulev.
Joshua was then outpointed by Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he lost his belts for a second time before he suffered a repeat in August against the Ukrainian and now knows nothing but victory over Franklin will do.
He has vowed to put his opponent into “a grave of his own digging” – but he has also come out swinging against his critics.
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Retired icons Johnny Nelson, Tony Bellew, Carl Froch and Amir Khan have all cast doubt on whether Joshua can climb back to the top of the mountain and cast aspersions on whether he is coming to the end of his career.
But AJ blasted back: “These people don’t get me. Not on my wavelength. Not at my level.
“I don’t use boxing as a platform to rant and rave and disrespect other fighters.
“If these people have something to say, say it to me. They have my number. Call me.
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“If I have something to say about you , I’ll say it face to face.
“I won’t talk about my enemies on line. I prefer to stay silent. These people want me to talk back but why should I get dragged in by clowns?”
Joshua continued: “When it was Carl talking s*** about me I messaged him direct to ask what it was all about.
“When it was Amir and that s*** about me with his wife why did he go online? At least message me.
“And then when I see these guys at a fight or somewhere they’re coming up and saying ‘hi AJ how are you?’ How does that work?
“Where I come from it’s not about getting clouts it’s about results.”
Credit: SUNSPORT
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ANTHONY JOSHUA has been told to pick up the phone if he is serious about fighting Joe Joyce.The two-time heavyweight champion returns on Saturday at the O2 Arena against Jermaine Franklin.
Anthony Joshua has been told to pick up the phone if he is serious about fighting Joe JoyceCredit: Rex
Joyce is among the names Joshua wants to fightCredit: Getty
But victory would put him back on track for a massive 2023 and he named Joyce among those he is interested in fighting.
In response, Warren told talkSPORT: “Well he hasn’t got to go far if he wants to fight him, just pick the phone up.
“Provided my man comes through and he comes through, we could do that in the summer. Not a problem.”
Joyce, 37, returns on April 15 against China’s Zhilei Zhang, 39, and is the WBO mandatory challenger.
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Meanwhile Joshua, 33, looks to bounce back from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 36, in his must-win comeback bout.
After Usyk’s title unification against Tyson Fury, 34, collapsed, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn hinted at reviving talks with the Gypsy King.
And American superstar Deontay Wilder, 37, is also a free agent now, leaving Joshua with three super-fights on the table.
He said: “If you were to ask me what my ambitions are, one is to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world.
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“The second is my motivation to make money and the third is to fight Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury and Joe Joyce.”
Despite Hearn’s hopes to kickstart negotiations with Fury’s team, Joshua believes a fight with Wilder is more likely.
He told told Dan Rafael: “It seems like Deontay Wilder’s more realistic, because I just think that the stuff that goes on with Fury is a bit crazy, man.
“I’ve been in this situation for a long time – even with them two I’ve been in this same situation – but I just feel like Deontay’s coming to a stage in his career where he’s realistic.
“It’s not like, ‘I just want this fight’, I think he needs it. So that’s more realistic if I’m honest with you, especially with the place that we’re both at in our careers.”
Joshua ahead of his fight with Jermaine FranklinCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More