Heavyweight boxing

NATHAN HEANEY is the most popular British boxer you have probably never heard of.The 33-year-old middleweight has just sold another stunning 1,300 tickets for his Saturday night showdown, making the former PE teacher one of the nation’s biggest boxing stars.
Nathan Heaney, Stoke’s middleweight sensation, sells 1,300 tickets single handed.Credit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpS8vtTLZLu/?hl=en
The ticket-selling sensation has a huge following thanks to his life-long links to Stoke City football club and has made the Telford International centre a new and surprise boxing hotbed.
The popular ace takes die-hard supporters an hour down the M6 to watch his all-action displays and his iconic entrance to Potters anthem Delilah has become a viral hit.
Heaney boxed throughout most of his childhood but only turned professional at 27, with hall-of-fame promoter Frank Warren.
And between them the plan is to take a huge fight to the Bet365 stadium – an incredible turnaround after he revealed he only flogged 60 tickets for his 2017 debut.
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Ahead of his rematch with Jack Flatley – after the original September clash was cut short after five rounds due to Heaney suffering a horro cut, following an accidental clash of heads – Heaney explained his unlikely stardom.
He told SunSport: “I boxed in Bolton in my third fight, the show went out on Channel 5 but my bout was too early so wasn’t even televised.
“But my supporters stayed there to watch the televised part of the card and apparently all you could hear on the TV was ‘Delilah’ being sung over and over again.
“My social media support grew overnight then and it hasn’t really stopped. It has gone mad.
“Almost all of my fans are Stoke supporters too, so early on my manager Errol Johnson made sure most of my fights have been when we have been playing at home, so everyone can do both.”
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Heaney won his last bout on a technical decision after this horror cutCredit: Reuters
Heaney started boxing under the guidance of his father Joseph, who tragically lost his battle with mental health in 2019.
Joseph’s prominent place in the Stoke City supporters’ association has contributed to Nathan’s popularity booming. 
And he also made a touching prediction that has proved wonderfully poignant.
He told us: “If my dad just hung around for just a few weeks longer he would have seen us achieve so much.
“He used to tell all of his mates that I would get signed by Frank Warren, they probably all thought he was silly and so did I probably.
“But I have done it, I achieved the dream and it’s just a shame that he won’t be here to see it.
“Hopefully now I can go on to represent Stoke well, which is how my dad brought me up, then I can have a positive effect on people.
“It’s something that is private and personal to me but I would like to suggest to people suffering with mental health is that you have to try to keep going because you never know what could happen to turn things around.” More

LAWRENCE OKOLIE has backed new training partner Tyson Fury to beat Oleksandr Usyk – but he will need “a nice small ring” to do so. Fury is lined up to unify all four world titles for the first time in heavyweight history against Usyk on April 29 at Wembley.
Oleksandr Usyk facing off with Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
And he has now been joined by coach Sugarhill Steward, who has flown over to the UK for Okolie’s next fight.
Cruiserweight world champion Okolie – who defends his WBO belt against David Light – has been welcomed into Fury’s Morecombe gym.
And he offered a word of advice to the Gypsy King by urging him to minimise Usyk’s ability to box and move when they share the ring.
Okolie told talkSPORT: “I think Tyson Fury will win by points or late stoppage just because of the physicality, especially if they make it a small ring.
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“In a big ring I think Usyk will be able to dance and pop left hands to the body.
“A nice small ring, Tyson gets hold of him, lays on him a bit, push and pulls him around.
“As well as it will be very difficult for Usyk to get past the length of Tyson. I think Tyson Fury wins that one.”
Fury has started training camp in Lancaster despite the historic undisputed title fight not yet being announced.
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It comes after Usyk accepted his “greedy” offer of 70/30 in a bid to get the bout over the line.
But the Ukrainian hinted at negotiations hitting a snag in a worrying tweet to fans.
Although Fury’s promoter Frank Warren seemed to suggest otherwise as he celebrated Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace.
Warren tweeted: “Arsenal 8 points clear! Even bigger news to come!”
Tyson Fury pictured with Lawrence Okolie in 2018 More

EDDIE HEARN claimed Tyson Fury “physically doesn’t look ready” to fight Oleksandr Usyk but challenged him to prove everyone wrong again.The Gypsy King is lined up for the heavyweight division’s first four-belt unification bout against Usyk on April 29.
Tyson Fury is in talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk stillCredit: Rex
Anthony Joshua, promoter Eddie Hearn and Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters
But with the scheduled fight date just six weeks away, promoter Hearn cast doubt on Fury’s fighting shape.
He told iD Boxing: “I don’t think you need the time to promote it – it’s a big enough fight – but time to get ready.
“Tyson Fury physically doesn’t look ready for six weeks. But he never has done really, and he’s proved everybody wrong before.
“So maybe he takes the fight. I think when you see a tweet like you saw tonight [Usyk’s deadline] it’s not a good sign, but anything’s possible. I hope it gets made.”
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Fury has started training camp in his Morecombe base despite the historic undisputed title fight not being announced.
It comes after Usyk accepted his “greedy” offer of 70/30 in a bid to get the bout over the line.
But the Ukrainian hinted at negotiations hitting a snag in a worrying tweet to fans.
Usyk posted: “The points for agreement were sent to Fury’s side. The deadline is set. The clock is ticking.
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“The ball is on #Greedybelly’s side now. We did everything in our power to make it happen.”
But Fury’s promoter Frank Warren seemed to suggest otherwise as he celebrated Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace.
Warren tweeted: “Arsenal 8 points clear! Even bigger news to come!”
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS More

OLEKSANDR USYK provided a worrying update on talks to fight Tyson Fury with the clock ticking down. The Ukrainian accepted Fury’s “greedy” offer to unify all four heavyweight belts for the first time in history on April 29 at Wembley.
Oleksandr Usyk provided a worrying update on talks to fight Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
Tyson Fury’s talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk are dragging onCredit: Getty
But boxing manager Egis Klimas has vented his frustration with no deal yet agreed and Usyk himself hinted at negotiations hitting a snag.
He tweeted: “The points for agreement were sent to Fury’s side. The deadline is set. The clock is ticking.
“The ball is on #Greedybelly’s side now. We did everything in our power to make it happen.”
As talks dragged on, the WBA had ordered Usyk, 36, to agree terms for the unification or else face mandatory Daniel Dubois, 25.
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But the governing body were informed that both sides had settled on a split and wanted to press ahead with the historic title clash.
Although manager Klimas warned they could now face Dubois instead as they stand their ground on just six weeks time.
Klimas told SNAC: “If this fight is going to happen, only April 29th. Or it’s just going to be cancelled, and we’ll go with the mandatory.”
Fury’s US promotional team Top Rank are now involved to try and smooth over discussions.
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But Klimas claimed the current unified heavyweight and ex-undisputed cruiserweight champion is being treated unfairly.
He said: “It’s changed, Top Rank got more involved in it, but not too much.
“They’re still treating Oleksandr Usyk like they did with Derek Chisora, or Dillian Whyte.
“They act like it’s just a regular Fury fight in the UK, and everything has to be by Fury’s rules.”
Fury, 34, spoke out to demand NO rematch clause in the contract but Usyk’s side claimed his team were the ones asking for it.
Klimas said: “So what’s it going to be tomorrow? You can not fight with right hand? Only one hand?
“What’s going to be next? We don’t know what’s going to be next from this guy.”
Klimas has previously maintained Usyk’s acceptance of 70/30 is only valid for a fight on April 29, just six weeks away.
And any postponement will cause a renegotiation of 50/50 split between the unbeaten pair.
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters More

JARRELL “Big Baby” Miller bawled out Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois after destroying Lucas Browne.Miller screamed to take on one of the British heavyweights following a chilling 26th win in 26 fights.
KO specialist Jarrell Miller reckons it’s time he had a shot at a world-class BritCredit: Getty

The ref saved Miller’s victim Lucas Browne from further punishment
The American floored Browne and when the Aussie got up pummelled him in the face for a sixth-round stoppage, with the losing slumping for comfort in the referee’s arms.
Miller now has 22 KO victories by KO – powered by a 23st 7lb frame.
And after dispatching 19st 7lb Browne, he insisted he’s ready for Joshua.
He said: “If I wanted an easy fight back, I’d fight Jermain Franklin, coming off a loss, though I thought he beat Dillian Whyte. So AJ let’s get it on.”
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German rival Manuel Charr then entered the ring to demand a shot at Miller.
But the Big Baby cried back with: “You need more fights, you haven’t got a belt, I’m going for Dubois.”
Miller hopes his battering of Browne – forcing the referee to wave the fight off – means he is finally shrugging off a doping scandal.
He blew the chance of a world heavyweight title shot at then champ Joshua in 2019 after failing a series of drug tests.
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He blamed the results on a tainted supplement and stem cell shots in his elbow.
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And he again tested positive for a banned substance after signing for Bob Arum’s Top Rank stable.
His excuse that time was a sex pill and his two-year ban rocked his career.
Miller enrolled in VADA testing in December 2020 and having returned clean tests he regained his fight licence in Las Vegas. More