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    ‘That’s you in both photos?’ – Elle Brooke shows off incredible body transformation that led to boxing career

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    ELLE BROOKE believes her loss is her gain.But fans were stunned the boxer’s ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures as she shed weight to get fighting fit were both her.-Elle Brooke is proud of the honed technique she’s worked hard forShe has 2m-plus fans on TikTok and nearly 1m on InstagramCredit: @ellebrookeukFans are used to selfies with less on than in the ringCredit: Instagram @thedumbledongBrooke, seen here taking on Andrea Jane, remains fighting fitCredit: GettyThe Misfits fighter and OnlyFans star shared the snaps as she attributed her change to “Hard work and Ozempic”.Weight-loss jabs have a controversial reputation, with some celebrities taking them but medical experts launching warnings.But the influencer is proud of her transformation.However, that’s mainly because she ditched her lifestyle as a “really bad party girl” while also overcoming issues with drugs and depression.READ MORE IN BOXINGBrooke’s’s 962,000 Instagram followers were staggered by her change in appearance – as shown in a clip she posted featuring two mirror selfies.The drastic metamorphosis was no doubt helped by her decision a couple of hears ago to give up alcohol.First Brooke was seen in a typical boxer’s pose, grinning as she flexed her arm muscles, albeit only wearing lacy underwear.Then the video drifts to an image of how she looked before her new holistic lifestyle – a healthy shape in a more modest bikini.Most read in BoxingHere’s how she looked before her transformationThe Brit looked more serious and perhaps less confident in this shot, as she peered down at her phone rather than at the mirror.She summed up the altered images by adding: “Red Bull gives u… wings.”SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr reveals Daniel Dubois’ chances of fighting Joseph Parker ‘look grim’But “speechless” fans focused on her physical change.One said: “That’s you in both photos? Wow!! That’s incredible. Bravo!!”A second wrote: “Wow, great transformation and dedication.” And others praised the Tiktok sensation for her commitment to peak conditioning.One said: “Wow, great transformation and dedication.” Another reckoned: “That’s real motivation.”And a third claimed: “Consistency and determination are sexy as f, and with age, it just gets better and better.”However, Brooke might prefer that her dedication and honed body make sparks fly in the boxing ring.She first picked up her gloves for a victory over AJ Bunker in July 2022 and has since also dabbled with bareknuckle fighting.Brooke has since told the Sun of her emotional and physcial jounrey.She said: “From going out every week to the pub, going clubbing, sniffing tons of cocaine, ketamine… to the other side, watching what you put in your body, dieting, health and exercise, regular routine.“Routine is my favourite thing about boxing. It gives me a reason to wake up in the morning. It gives me structure. Now I just live a boring life. She added: “I was at one point on antidepressants, taking sertraline before I started boxing.READ MORE SUN STORIES“So I was relying on a pill everyday to make me happy and so I didn’t have like dark, suicidal thoughts whereas now I have those good days and I have those bad days but it’s more about training and what I’m focusing on.“So boxing really has changed my life.”She offers fans frills and spills out of the ringCredit: Instagram @thedumbledongNot even Elle can do without white trainersCredit: Instagram / @thedumbledongBrooke has put many problems behind her for a new lifestyleCredit: RexShe was an elegant visitor to WimbledonCredit: Instagram @thedumbledong More

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      in Boxing

      People think Jake Paul’s a trash-talking troll who is ruining boxing – but I’ve seen the REAL man when cameras are off

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      HE is the self-proclaimed Problem Child and bad boy of boxing – but away from the cameras Jake Paul is a TOTALLY different man.The YouTuber-turned-prizefighter might ruffle feathers with his outspoken persona but I’ve had a behind-the-scenes insight into the man.Jake Paul is the self-proclaimed Problem Child and bad boy of boxingCredit: GettySunSport’s Jack Figg has seen the real Jake – the humble man behind the bravadoJake is perceived as a trash-talking troll, flaunting his enormous wealthHe has made £80m from boxing alone, on top of his YouTube earningsIt’s given me a first-hand view of the REAL Jake – the secret side he’s kept hidden as he embarks on his trash-talking boxing career.Before earning £80MILLION from just 12 fights, Jake shot to fame as a controversial social media influencer and the internet’s favourite enemy.But that is not the man I’ve got to know.Admittedly, in our first interview – in May 2021 – he told me he was on track to become a BILLIONAIRE through boxing.And he had no problem bragging about being an evil troll behind his iPhone – rage-baiting fans into buying his pay-per-view fights.Jake has never been far away from controversy.He once drew widespread criticism for publicly calling Conor McGregor’s partner, Dee Devlin, a “four out of ten” in one sexist rant. But he later told us that was out of immaturity and wanting to make a name for himself.And he also announced the birth of Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague’s baby before the Love Island couple even had the chance to.But, actually being around Jake in the lead up to his bouts – from America to Saudi Arabia – has allowed me to see a wildly contrasting character to that of the online villain.Jake Paul renovates boxing gym in Puerto Rico for charityOne that he probably doesn’t want the public to see, as it would ruin the bad-guy persona he’s spent years honing and made millions from.Jake knows how to control his public image, angering fans enough to pay a hefty PPV fee – in the hope he’ll be on the wrong end of a vicious knockout.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut it’s how the 28-year-old acts off-camera which stood out most.Before his February 2023 fight with Fury in Saudi, I was invited to Jake’s hotel suite at the Four Seasons for an exclusive one-on-one interview.He came in with his entourage of friends, family and team members, greeting everyone with fist bumps.I was taken aback at how calm Jake seemed – reclining comfortably on the sofa just days before his biggest and toughest fight to date.He is known for his controversial remarks and traded insults with Tommy Fury before punchesCredit: AFPThings threatened to boil over before their grudge matchCredit: ReutersTommy won the fight on points – Jake’s only professional lossCredit: GettyTruthfully, I expected to have to tip-toe through an interview with a prima donna.But he put me at ease instantly.He remembered my name, asked how I was doing, made small talk with everyone in the room – he was just a normal guy.Then, the second the cameras started rolling and the dictaphone turned on, the OTHER Jake arrived.The former TV actor jumped up, straightened his back and worked his magic.He vowed to prove his critics wrong and knock the professional boxer out.He fired a brutal dig at Tommy over his claims he’d retire if he lost.And he warned Molly-Mae to stay at home – as “nobody wants to see her cry”.Jake made controversial comments about Fury’s partner Molly-Mae Hague before the boutSunSport spoke to Jake in an exclusive sit down before his 2023 fight with Fury – and our reporter was shocked by his real-life personaAs soon as the interview stopped, so did Jake’s arrogance and bullish demeanour, as if he could stop the act at the drop of a hat.He even thanked me for MY time.Like many boxers and celebrities, you always see Jake surrounded by a large crew in public.But far from being full of security or hangers-on, Jake’s is made up of life-long friends who keep him grounded as he jets across the world.He remembered my name, asked how I was doing, made small talk with everyone in the room – he was just a normal guy. Then, the second the cameras started rolling and the dictaphone turned on, the OTHER Jake arrived.One new face in the entourage is glamorous Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam, who Jake has been dating since April 2023.After a few failed celeb romances – including a fake marriage to Tana Mongeau in 2017 – Jake seems totally loved-up, regularly seen cheering her on in the stands at ice rinks around the world.He is a doting uncle after brother Logan and model fiancee Nina Agdal welcomed his niece Esme into the world in September.And the former Disney star – who once only cared about fame and money – is now talking about having kids of his own.Jake is in a relationship with glamorous Dutch speedskater Jutta LeerdamCredit: InstagramThe couple are loved-up with Jake regularly supporting her in events across the worldCredit: Instagram / @juttaleerdamJake is now a doting uncle – and wants a family of his ownBrother Logan welcomed baby daughter Esme into the worldThe last time I spoke to Jake was in August of last year alongside members of the MMA media – who he is less familiar with.I watched as Jake gave more reserved answers until it got to myself and another journalist who he recognised.And then BAM.Gone were the soft-spoken replies and on the front-foot he went – insulting the likes of KSI and Fury, who had just publicly split up with Molly-Mae.He seemed far more comfortable mocking his rivals than he did talking about his charitable side – which the media by then had cottoned on to.Jake launched Boxing Bullies in 2021, a foundation encouraging kids to take up the sport.As part of that, he bought and renovated gyms in Puerto Rico – where he now lives – and once even donated his entire fight purse to charity.In January 2020, the night Jake made his pro debut, Puerto Rican women’s boxing legend Amanda Serrano was fighting on the undercard for under £5,000.Jake launched his Boxing Bullies charity in 2021Credit: Boxing BulliesThe charity aims to gets kids into boxingCredit: Boxing BulliesJake has donated millions to charity – a side of him not known to the general publicCredit: Boxing BulliesJake addresses youngsters in the gymCredit: Boxing BulliesWhen Jake caught wind of how disgracefully little the seven-division great was being paid, he signed her to his Most Valuable Promotions banner.Jake told us in 2022: “That’s why I was so baffled when I first met her about how much money she was making.“And how she was being mistreated and how she didn’t have that much of a big following online.“It didn’t make sense to me, I was like, ‘You’re one of the greatest fighters of all time, you should be getting paid millions of dollars’.”Jake is still known to splash the cash, never shy to show off his collection of Ferraris, private jet or expensive watches to his millions of followers. But he also likes to share his wealth, treating his team and even OPPONENTSSerrano is now a multi-millionaire having fought on some of boxing’s biggest cards – including a thrilling rematch against Katie Taylor as the co-main event for Jake’s infamous Netflix clash with heavyweight legend Mike Tyson.Gyms in Puerto Rico are now full of young women, inspired by Serrano’s story.Humble Jake – who is advocating for equal pay in boxing – insists that while he gave her a platform, the success is all down to Serrano.He’s on record saying: “All I did was shine a spotlight. And pretty much, Amanda Serrano did the rest.”This is a gym Jake renovated in Carolina, Puerto Rico, for champion women’s boxer Amanda SerranoCredit: Boxing BulliesHe fixed it up, adding a mural of Serrano in the gymCredit: Boxing BulliesIt was a surprise for the seven-weight world championCredit: Boxing BulliesJake was stunned at how little Serrano was earning per fight and has made it his goal to get equal pay in boxingCredit: Boxing BulliesJake is still known to splash the cash, never shy to show off his collection of Ferraris, private jet or expensive watches to his millions of followers.But he also likes to share his wealth, treating his team and even OPPONENTS.Four years ago, he beat ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley and was due to face Love Islander Fury – brother to the legendary Tyson – in his next bout.But when Fury pulled out with a rib injury, Woodley filled in on short notice just before Christmas that year.In the festive spirit, Jake had already gifted his entire team Rolex watches worth £9,000 each – and shocked Woodley by saving one for him.But his villainous reputation preceded him to the point that Woodley took the timepiece to a jeweller to check if it was fake and if it had a TRACKER in it.Woodley revealed the watch was real and did not have a device to monitor his every move.Fury would again pull out of fighting Jake for a second time in August 2022 amid a US visa problem – and the whole event got cancelled.Jake gifted Tyron Woodley a Rolex before their December 2021 rematchA stunned Woodley had to take the watch to a jeweller to confirm it was realBut Jake paid the entire undercard half of their promised purses out of his own pocket to ensure that they were not left empty-handed.His generosity is a far-cry from the foul-mouthed punk celebrity who shot to fame on six-second social media app Vine and later YouTube.Misdemeanours and wild parties all helped Jake get sacked from his role on Disney Channel show Bizaardvark in 2017 after just two series.And the out-of-control youngster admitted to spinning down a spiral of drink and drugs while living the high life in Los Angeles.And, despite the threat of a boring cliché, Jake insists boxing really did save him from a life of degeneracy.He sold his £5m LA mansion and instead moved to Puerto Rico to focus on boxing and escape dangerous distractions.Jake bought a stunning eight-bedroom pad for £13m on the Caribbean island as well as building his own £3m two-storey gym with brother Logan.Even Jake’s biggest detractors can’t take away the commitment he has shown for boxing – spending a fortune on his training camps.Paul bought a £13m mansion in Puerto RicoCredit: Instagram @jakapaulThe vast plot contains eight bedroomsCredit: Youtube – Jake PaulJake built his own £3m gym in Puerto RicoCredit: YouTubeHe’s even got himself a private jetHe pays top-quality sparring partners so well that one told me he even bought a house with the money he made from Jake’s camp.Jake now has 11 wins and one loss on his record – with his first and so far only defeat coming against Fury.He is poised to announce his next fight and will do so after regaining his position as boxing’s most hated man.Jake had all generations of fans up in arms having brought 58-year-old great Tyson out of retirement in November.He took home £30million for 16 minutes of work and had over 100 MILLION people tuning in to watch on Netflix.But not even letting the beloved heavyweight legend see the final bell was enough to stop fans from praying for Jake’s downfall.What fans might not know is Jake invited a seven-year old cancer patient – Owen Obey – to watch the fight from ringside.Owen tragically passed the month after, but he did so after getting to watch his two heroes up close – and Jake made it happen.And while it’s clear his loyal crowd of critics won’t be going away any time soon – Jake will happily welcome them along for the ride.But he’ll do so laughing all the way to the bank – as he always does.Jake invited cancer patient Owen Obey to his fight against Mike Tyson More

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      in Soccer

      I was going to the toilet 40 times a day, it nearly finished my career – FA Cup star opens up on horror bowel disease

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      JACK FITZWATER has revealed how he thought his football career was in jeopardy when he was forced to visit the toilet 40 times a day.The defender hopes to help League One club Exeter topple Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup at St James Park on Tuesday.Jack Fitzwater has opened up on his struggles with colitisCredit: RexThe Exeter defender revealed he was playing through pain and discomfort to hide itCredit: RexColitis is an inflammatory bowel diseaseCredit: GettyThe 27-year-old thought his career was in jeopardyCredit: RexBut two years ago his health and career were in peril when he started suffering from colitis — an inflammatory bowel disease.Fitzwater, 27, admits he was so embarrassed by his increasing visits to the loo he tried to hide his problem from everyone before telling family, close friends and eventually team-mates.He told SunSport: “It came out of the blue in February 2023. The symptoms steadily got worse.“As a man you try to hide it so I didn’t get seen until that summer, after the season had finished, and by that time the symptoms were terrible.“It’s only then I discovered I had colitis, which is an inflammation of the bowel and you can get it at any age, any time.“When you’re a footballer people think you’re young, fit and healthy. But privately I was struggling.“Symptoms can be blood in your stools, huge fatigue and feeling generally unwell.“I went to the toilet 40 times a day at the worst point. People think you’ve got to be making that up but anyone with colitis or Crohn’s disease will understand it’s a real problem.“It’s not only draining mentally but physically as well.”Fitzwater managed to get through most training sessions and games despite suffering discomfort — so to his team-mates everything would have appeared normal.What is Ischemic ColitisBut he admitted: “I would have to on occasion during the warm up run off and go to the toilet.“I was still able to perform at a decent level in games despite the pain but there were times I had been up during the night for hours so getting up in the morning was a nightmare.”Although he was able to hide his problem from team-mates for some time, it was impossible to do so in his personal life.His toilet visits were far too regular at home.He said: “My fiancee and family started noticing so I had to tell them.“We all deal with things in different ways. I hid it because I’m a man — and you don’t want to show weakness to anyone or anything.“Yet you later realise when you do and speak to the people you need, the problem gets fixed quicker than if you were to hide it all the time.“It was hard and embarrassing for me but anyone who has had it will understand how horrible it is.“Thankfully, I finally listened to what my body was telling me and went to see doctors and got the right treatment. Being comfortable with being vulnerable was something that helped me out hugely.”Fitzwater says listening to medical specialists must always be the priority because once treated the problem can be sorted.Colitis: All you need to knowWhat is colitis and what are the symptoms?Colitis is a condition where the colon and rectum become inflamed.The colon is the large intestine, or bowel, and the rectum is the end of the bowel where stools are stored. Ulcers can develop on the colon’s lining and bleed and produce pus.Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis that is caused by autoimmune inflammation (the body attacking itself), whereas colitis can be caused by a number of factors including infection.Ulcerative colitis is similar to another condition which causes inflammation of the gut – Crohn’s disease.Symptoms can often be very mild for weeks or months but flare ups with extreme symptoms can cause a lot of pain and trouble for sufferers.Flare ups can include painful and swollen joints, mouth ulcers, areas of painful, red and swollen skin and irritated and red eyes.In addition to this people will often need to empty their bowels six or more times a day and have shortness of breath, a fast or irregular heartbeat, high temperature and blood in stools.Stress can be a factor as can a gut infection.Who can be affected by colitis and how does it differ from Crohn’s disease?It is thought that about one in every 420 people in the UK has ulcerative colitis.It is more common in people of European descent, especially those descended from Ashkenazi Jewish communities and black people.The condition is rarer in people from Asian background, although the reasons for this are unclear.The difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is that colitis is limited to the colon, while Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere between the mouth and the anus.In Crohn’s disease, there are healthy parts of the intestine mixed in between inflamed areas, on the other hand, ulcerative colitis, is continuous inflammation of the colon.Former Chelsea midfielder Ray Wilkins, who died aged 61 after suffering a heart attack, battled poor health including ulcerative colitis.The defender advises against going online to search for the symptoms and take the results as gospel.He said: “The worst thing was going on to Google and doing a search. I found some accounts on Instagram of people who have had it and shared their experiences.“You end up fearing the worst-case scenario but, once you get to know what it’s about, you come to terms with it and understand it can be effectively treated.”Fitzwater was overwhelmed by the support he received from the club and later the wider public when he decided to let everyone know on social media that he was suffering with colitis.He said: “I told people on my private Instagram account and got so much good feedback — and then made it public by explaining what it was and what I was doing about it. It gained lots of traction.“It’s helped a lot of people. So many people in sport and other walks of life have messaged me since then gone and got treatment.“The club, management, coaches and team-mates have been massive. Only the physios and doctors knew at first.“They have all been helpful and asked me questions about what it was. They didn’t have a clue about it.“And then, as is the case in football, everything moves on to the next thing and life is back to normal.”Fitzwater battled the condition for 18 months and is now feeling fit and healthy.The Grecians ace is back in the team and has been an important part of the club’s run to the fourth round to set up this tie against the Premier League big guns.He said: “I must take medication daily and will do so for the rest of my life. It’s part of my morning routine now. I take it with my vitamins.“It’s all about staying as healthy as possible and enjoying my football.”Fitzwater recalled how he had to go to the toilet 40 times in one day at its worstCredit: GettyHe said the worst thing someone can do is searching the internet and taking results as gospelCredit: GettyHe hopes speaking out will help others who have been hit by the diseaseCredit: Rex More

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      in Soccer

      Vinnie Jones buried my tortoise alive while landscaping our back garden… he told me ‘play on son, the ref didn’t see it’

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      VINNIE JONES buried my tortoise alive.It’s not exactly “Freddie Starr ate my hamster” – thankfully dear little Lightning was swiftly dug up, suffering nothing more than a dose of shell shock. But it’s a very true tale.Jones was part of the legendary Wimbledon team who caused one of football’s biggest upsets by beating Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup finalCredit: GettyThe team lived up to their Crazy Gang tag on and off the pitchCredit: GettyVinnie with Wally Downes Snr after joining Wimbledon in 1986 and then burying his team-mate’s tortoiseLightning enjoying happier times above groundIn 1986, Watford hod carrier Vincent Peter Jones was signed by newly-promoted top-flight side Wimbledon as a young but raw prospect with oodles of potential.In one of the many debacles that plagued Harry Bassett’s magnificent and underrated career, he put the shy Hertfordshire bumpkin under the wing of my dad, midfielder Wally Downes Sr, and said: “Look after him.”With Bassett’s Crazy Gang being a successful rabble of local working-class lads, when the Downes family swapped Shepherds Bush for Kingston-Upon-Thames, my old man didn’t check the Yellow Pages for landscape gardeners.Instead, established first-team pros Mark Morris and Brian Gayle were made project managers – with Jones and a couple of young apprentices roped in to do the leg work.Vin, full of the boundless enthusiasm that would later help him complete the most magnificent FA Cup upset, was eager to impress and set about building the patio.Typically keen to graduate from the cement mixer to more architectural duties, the baby-faced and curly-haired midfielder installed the membrane with expert precision.And then he organised the Dons’ apprentices to rapidly lay the paving slabs to help build new mentor Wally a bespoke BBQ and bar under the glorious weeping willow beloved by the previous owner.Unfortunately, the ex-tenant had also left behind Lightning – a beautiful tortoise who was hibernating throughout the course of the property’s sale.It was agreed after the deeds were exchanged that my mum, Mary, would be in touch as soon as the ancient reptile emerged from its slumber.However, in the weeks after we had the new patio laid, the dinky dinosaur never showed up.Vinnie Jones and Gazza reunited 30 years on from THAT grab And, after repeated visits to the mock-Tudor home, the deflated former owner eventually accepted the loss, along with the estate agents’ fees.Then we realised…And, thankfully before the RSPCA cottoned on, animal-loving Vinnie took a sledgehammer to his freshly laid paving and rescued the bemused Lightning – who is somehow still going today – from the most miserable of deaths.Christ knows what the new neighbours thought, having watched the equivalent of a Premier League side strolling through the allotments and alleyways to build a garden.Lightning, with Wally Jr’s son, also Wally, has somehow survived up to this todayVinnie attacked the rescue mission with the same gusto with which he attacked gamesCredit: GettyThe ball-playing hardman was never afraid to get his hands dirty, as this iconic image of him embracing Paul Gascoigne from 1988 provesCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdAnd he certainly never shied away from a challengeCredit: AP:Associated PressAnd then watching them rip into the ground like desperate pirates looking for treasure, while screaming: “Where the f*** has he buried it?… Get the f***ing thing up before it suffocates!”The patio was eventually re-laid – but the Downes family never did make it on to the Neighbourhood Watch committee.After nine Wales caps and big-money moves to Leeds and Chelsea, plus the odd scandal here and there, Vinnie remains a great family friend.Books and documentaries about the phenomenal feats the Dons achieved – including that 1988 “Crazy Gang beating the Culture Club” FA Cup final upset against Liverpool – regularly pop up, anniversaries come and go.Legends like London youth-football stalwart Geoff Taylor and the Dons’ unlicensed physio/licenced cab driver Derek French are still alive, kicking and screaming from London to Sheffield.I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record timeTeetotal Vinnie is now, of course, a movie star with over 100 film credits to his name, swapping his bad-boy antics for roles in hit shows such as The Gentlemen and on stage in the West End.The fearsome image of a scrotum-squeezing maniac scything through the divisions – which earned Vinnie a reputation that overshadowed his technical ability and dedication as a player – is a black-and-white one for the ages.He will probably always be the owner of the fastest yellow card in British football history for his caution after just FIVE SECONDS for Sheffield United against Manchester City in 1992.But he is also a brilliantly relatable advocate for men’s mental health, showing a vulnerable side few people would ever have thought possible, following the heartbreaking death of wife Tanya.He may now be starring in Hollywood movies with the likes of Brad Pitt, Sly Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I will always remember Jonah as the man who ripped up that patio in record time.A future football star obliterating bricks and mortar in a frantic search for a tortoise who didn’t have a clue why her charmed little life on a Surrey lawn had suddenly descended into a living hell.Even when I pinged him a WhatsApp message to ask for his memories of the foul-up, he told me, in typical style: “Play on, son. The ref didn’t see it.”Vinnie, seen here in his breakthrough Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels film from 1998, is now a bonafide Hollywood starCredit: AlamyVinnie in his dressing room with Wally Snr during his recent stint in Only Fools and Horses The Musical in London’s West EndHis football talents should not be forgotten though, with the midfielder earning big money moves to Chelsea and Leeds, among othersCredit: GettyHe also represented Wales nine timesCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd More

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      in Boxing

      Confessions of a ring girl: You get covered in blood, sweat & tears – and the way my boxer lover two-timed me was brutal

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      GEMMA Jones has wowed fight fans as a ring girl for seven years and worked at around 700 events – but she has revealed it is far from the glamorous life people might think it is.From cheating boxers to wardrobe malfunctions and insane pre-fight diets, Gemma tells The Sun the truth about life in the ring. Gemma has worked as a ring girl for seven yearsShe has performed at over 700 fights and still loves it at the age of 37The stunning 37-year-old can perform at up to two events every weekend, sometimes working from 1pm until midnight.She earns up to £500 every time, covering mainly MMA, cage fighting and bare knuckle bouts – and juggles her work with being a mum-of-three and another job as a skin treatment expert.Here she lifts the lid on why the life of a ring girl is definitely not all superstars and stilettos….Why I’ll never date another boxerI’ve got a lovely boyfriend, he works in fashion and we were friends for five years before we started going out last year.But four years ago I did date a boxer for a few months until I found out in the worst way possible that he was a cheat.I love boxing and was in the audience for a fight when my friendtold me not to look behind me.I did and right behind me was my boyfriend and anotherwoman who it transpired was actually his girlfriend of years.It all kicked off and he even blamed me and tried to accuse me of causing problems – and it turned out I wasn’t the only woman he’d cheated with.While some of the boxers are lovely, others think they’re God’s gift to women and are very arrogant. I’m never going to risk getting one of the bad ones again.We’re a knockoutPart of the job description is looking great. I’m not one for make-up most of the time, but I’ll spend a good hour or more doing my hair and make-up before I go into the ring. I get my nails done regularly too and go on sunbeds.I carry a huge bag full of everything I need with me – including spare tights as they often get laddered getting into the ring.But it’s not glamorous, the big changing rooms are rightly reserved for the fighters, so sometimes we have a small dressing room, but others we’re doing it in the loos.Conor McGregor parties with his army of ring girls in club just weeks before comeback at UFC 303 vs Michael ChandleThere have been times when other girls have been sent away as they don’t look as good as their photographs.I have to look smiley even when I’ve got a huge wedgie up my bottomIt might sound awful, but I think it’s fine – the bottom line is it is about looking gorgeous in the ring. It would be like someone wanting to be an accountant who can’t do maths.I used to be a model before my best friend asked me to join her doing this. I love my job and don’t think it’s exploitative at all.There are boxers who for religious reasons don’t want us in the ring with them and that’s fine.And if there are going to be children at the show we cover up more and wear leggings rather than skimpy shorts and long sleeves.Gemma admits it’s ‘all about looking gorgeous in the ring’Suffer to be beautifulThere are days when I don’t feel my best. When I first started I used to only drink water for two days before a fight.I can’t do that any more but I’m fairly careful with what I eat. I start my day with a cup of tea, but then I drink lemon water for the rest of the day.I have a meal replacement shake and then a healthy supper. And I work out in the gym too.If I do have a day when I feel bloated, I’ll wear not one but two pairs of shapewear pants.I have to be up there looking smiley, while it feels like I’ve got a huge wedgie up my bottom.I’m just grateful we aren’t allowed to wear stilettos – there’s a worry they’d pierce the floor of the ring so we either wear block heels or trainers.Crowd pleasing… or notWe aren’t only there to announce the round they’re on. We lead in the boxers and get into the ring with them.And we get the crowd enthused, so we might blow kisses back to men who blow them at us, or go in and mingle with people who want to take selfies with us.We are often in front of an audience of over a thousand – the smallest venue I do is around 700.I’ve held the wrong number up or held it upside down, even though I never drink on the jobGenerally, they are pretty good. If women are there they are much more likely to shout abuse like calling us s**gs. I can only remember one occasion when a man shouted abuse at me, and then his girlfriend came and sat down next to him and I realised why.If that happens though, I can talk to one of the promoters and people will get removed – there’s no reason why we should put up with abuse for doing our job.Gemma has worked in most types of combat sports including MMAShe has also worked at bareknuckle bouts and cagefighting eventsBut it’s often far from glamorous, with the girls having to get ready in the toilets sometimesDanger zoneYou have to be prepared to be covered in blood, particularly at a bare knuckle fight – and then at the end you often get hugged by the fighters, and covered in sweat, and the loser sometimes ends up crying so you get soggy from their tears.I always feel sorry for the loser, they’ll have trained for months and it’s such a blow to their pride.The crowd can kick off in a fight and I’ve nearly been hit by a beer bottle.But my worst injury was during a cage fight. I was in there while they warmed up and one of the fighters accidentally pushed me and I ended up with my face pressed against the bar.The outfits are extremely revealing and risk wardrobe malfunctionsMishaps and mayhemI’ve made so many mistakes in my years. I’ve fallen down the stairs leading boxers in and got stuck getting into the ring.The first time I did it, I was so nervous. The other girl waslovely and very experienced and told me just to copy her walk. I looked like Bambi on ice skates, but I soon got used to it and now sashay like a pro.I’ve also held up the wrong number for the round, or held it upside down or even the wrong way round – despite the fact that I never drink on the job, though some girls can, it’s notgenerally forbidden.I live in fear of my boobs popping out when I bend over to get in the ring, so though I wear push up bras, I make sure they’re sturdy ones that will hold me in whatever.My other nightmare is when I’m on my period – our bottoms are so skimpy we cut the strings off our Tampax so they can’t accidentally be seen.For the love of itUnless you’re an absolute top ring girl, there isn’t a lot of money in it.I top up my income by being an aesthetics practitioner, though I don’t do my own Botox and lip fillers.Some ring girls are with agents, but my best friend and I have got great contacts so we sort our own bookings and I could work every weekend if I wanted to.If you use an agency, you might get to the bigger fights, but there’s loads of competition.And of course your agent takes a big slice of your money and you don’t get much unless it’s a massive fight.I usually get paid between £120 and £500. And the vast majority of ring girls are on the same as me.But I love doing the job, so don’t have any plans to give up.And though I’m 37, I’m by no means the oldest ring girl – some do it well into their 40s.It’s a huge buzz standing in the ring with everyone cheering and clapping and the atmosphere is great.And I’ve been doing it for so long that I’m friends with some of thepromoters and even the boxers. One of them I know really well and he finds it funny to lick my face after he’s won. And I love boxing too.Gemma juggles her ring girl work with another job and raising three girls, including Kacy, who is disabledFriends of daughter Caitlan, left, tease her about her ‘foxy’ mumGemma, with youngest daughter Olivia, says her kids are her ‘everything’Kid glovesLike any working single mum it’s a constant juggling act. But I’m incredibly lucky with their fathers.Caitlan, 18, and Kacy, 16, have the same father and Olivia, 10, has another one, but both dads are brilliant.And their mums have always been happy to help too – they have “nan fun” weekends. I’ve been estranged from my own mum though since I was 11 so she’s not part of their lives.I find it funny that my daughter’s friends found my Instagram and always go on about me being foxySome promoters are happy for your kids to come along, but I’ve never done that.The crowds can get unruly and I don’t want to risk their safety, however unlikely it is that they’d be hurt.But I have always made quality time for them, they are my everything and when I’m there, I’m 100 per cent present for them.I have them all through the week and try to have one weekend amonth with them. And if they are ever ill or need me, I’ll cancel my work to be with them.Kacy is disabled. She was 10 weeks premature and at six weeks old she got septicaemia and meningitis.So we have carers that help with her as she needs someone with her 24 hours a day.I don’t know whether Caitlan or Olivia will follow in my footsteps and be ring girls – at the moment neither of them are keen, but they think it’s a “cool” job.I find it funny that Caitlan’s friends found my Instagram and always go on about me being foxy.She isn’t embarrassed though, she’s good at banter and gives as good as she gets.Party timeI’m friendly with some of the boxers and know their ways.For example some of them hate being spoken to before a fight – they’re getting in the zone and focusing only on the fight. Others are nervous and want to chat.I’m actually really boring – I barely drink and have got three daughters, so I’m not up for partying after a fight. I’m usually knackered from all the adrenaline and often have a three-hour drive home to Wrexham from the fight.You do hear about wild parties and girls targeting boxers. But I don’t really experience that scene, the most I’ve done is go for a couple of drinks afterwards.And generally speaking, these men are athletes who don’t want to undo all their hard training by getting legless.At the end of the day we’ve all worked hard and want to get home to our beds… alone!Gemma doesn’t use an agent but still earns up to £500 a showGemma, on the right, said she is friends with some of the fighters but would never date one again More

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      in Boxing

      Boxing is full of scumbags but I love them… you don’t come into it if you’re a good man, says Derek Chisora

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      DEREK CHISORA will soon leave this scumbag sport of boxing behind – even though he loves us.At 41, he has announced his 49th professional bout against Otto Wallin on Saturday in Manchester will be his penultimate battle.Derek Chisora is set for action against Otto Wallin – last time out he beat fellow Brit Joe JoyceCredit: PAChisora is planning to retire after his 50th boxing fightCredit: PAChisora issued an honest assessment of boxing – then had an ice bath with SunSport reporter Wally Downes JrCredit: The SunThe 50th that follows – no doubt against a seriously dangerous rival – will be the swansong for the warrior who ducked nobody.In a brutal 18-year career, Chisora has been robbed by foreign judges and beaten by drug cheats, on numerous occasions.But he somehow refuses to be bitter, as he has built brilliant lives for daughters Angelina and Harare and looked after adored mum Violet.When he calls us – the reporters, the fighters, the promoters and the managers – scumbags, it’s not said out of spite.Read More on BoxingIt’s out of a bizarre love for the hurt business that only usually attracts the destitute or damaged and can make influential millionaires out of hopeless young offenders.“It’s a scumbag sport,” he told us with the trademark sort of grin he uses when he’s going to ruffle feathers. “But we love it.“It’s crazy, it’s full of scumbags, but we love the scumbags in it.“Whoever is in boxing is a scumbag and we love the scumbags. There’s no two ways about it.Most read in Boxing“You don’t come into boxing because you’re a good man.“If you’re a good man, you go work for a preacher or church or in a mosque. You’re a good man because you want to help.My champagne lunch date with Derek Chisora turned into a naked chat in a Russian sauna as he was whipped with leavesChisora fights Otto Wallin in his 49th fightCredit: Getty“But if you are working in boxing, you’re a scumbag. It is what it is. It’s God’s honest truth.“Let’s all be honest about it, boxing is the most f***ing wealthy sport, but it’s a poor man’s sport.“If your son or your daughter wants to play tennis, or be a jockey, it will cost you money, you’ve got to train and buy a horse. Those are rich men’s sports.“But if you want to become a boxer, it’s cheap, it’s a game of scumbags. Boxing is a scumbag sport.”For almost a decade now, British fight fans have been worried about Del Boy and wishing he would hang up his gloves.While his courage and durability are superpowers in the ring against fellow violent giants, they will be useless against the threat of boxing’s most dangerous opponent, dementia pugilistica.Chisora addresses retirement callsHeavyweight world titles are long beyond his grasp, but his cult-hero status is secured, his fortune is safe and his daughters’ futures are bright.So when everybody – from the depths of the industry in the away corner at York Hall, to the casual row-Z seats at an Anthony Joshua show – wishes the veteran brawler would call time on his career, we do so out of genuine concern and gratitude.Typically, he is fighting back at our empathy.“Everybody always says, ‘Retire, retire, retire’,” he said. “But let’s be honest; nobody cares. It’s bulls***.“When people tell me to retire, because they care, It’s bulls***.“I care about me, my kids care about me. The only people who care for me are my mother and my kids.’I will retire when I want to retire’“Nobody cares, they’re only saying because it makes them feel good.“I will retire when I want to retire.  Nobody tells me: ‘You should retire. You should do this’. No, no, no, no, no, no.“I know when it’s time for me to hang them up. And, when I hang them up, they will stay up.”SunSport speaks on behalf of British boxing when we end the interview by promising Chisora that we honestly do care.“You f***ing liar!” he says.READ MORE SUN STORIES“Pay for my taxi home then.”Steady, Del, we love you but that’s not fare. More

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      in Soccer

      I jumped in front of a lorry after blowing my life savings at casino – now it’s a joy to be alive, says Clarke Carlisle

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      AFTER being released from his club ten years ago, former footballer Clarke Carlisle lost a £100,000-a-year TV job and blew much of his life savings in one trip to a casino.The same night as that loss, the ex-Premier League star, who was battling depression, went missing before jumping in front of a truck in an attempt to end his life.Ex-Premier League star Clarke Carlisle and wife CarrieCredit: Richard WalkerClarke went missing in 2015 before jumping in front of a truck in an attempt to end his lifeCredit: *Clarke in action for football club BurnleyCredit: PA:Empics SportBut today, the 45-year-old speaks of the joy of being alive — and explains that instead of turning to gambling in his dark days, he now seeks solace . . . by hiding behind the fridge.Clarke and his wife Carrie work to help others facing suicidal thoughts, holding online talks and courses for people dealing with mental health issues.The defender, whose clubs included Blackpool, Burnley and QPR, said: “I have been to the edge of existence.”Now I can proudly say I’ve not had an episode of depression for years. I’ve not needed meds for three years. I am the most well I’ve ever been.”Read more on Clarke CarlisleCarrie added of one of his new coping mechanisms: “He literally goes and hides behind the fridge. He goes there and takes a little moment.“I won’t even know he’s there, and I’ll open the fridge and the fridge light will go on and I’ll see the ears from his Batman onesie.”Clarke, who has two children with Carrie and three from previous relationships, added: “I know when I start coming down and I need to withdraw. I would stand in the dark, on my own and in my own thoughts.“So I would stand there when I needed to with-draw. The key part of it, it is also where the radiator is. When I do experience depression, I physically get cold. It’s about finding the way for you to deal with things.”Most read in FootballClarke, who was chairman of the Professional Footballers’ Association and has also appeared as a contestant on TV game show Countdown, said: “I was a perfectionist as a footballer, critical of things that I would do.“I was in an environment where it is about wins and losses. I tried to replicate that in normal life and in my relationships. My self-worth was governed by results and performances on this pitch.Clarke Carlisle joined Jim White on talkSPORT to discuss mental health and his own battles“So if we won, I felt great. I was a good human and then that would give me positivity going into all my wider interactions, because in my head, that makes me a good dad, a good husband, a good son.“If we lost, that meant I was a terrible human because other people were sad and I’d let them down, which made me a bad dad, a bad husband, a bad brother.“Now I prioritise the things that matter. I meditate a lot, I pray, I prioritise family. I make sure I put the kids to bed at least once a week.“I make sure that they can come into my bedroom and jump on me in the morning. And Carrie and I make sure we have monthly date nights.”With the annual mental health awareness Time To Talk Day next Thursday, Clarke said he still finds exercise triggers pressures he felt in his playing days and gets PTSD around the anniversary of his suicide bid.He is now calling for an independent body to oversee the mental health of all footballers in the UK.‘Terrible human’Ex-TV presenter Carrie, a former alcoholic, said starting the process of writing a series of self-help material, such as Shut Up, Alcohol, played a part in helping Clarke get better.Clarke was released by Burnley in 2012 and in 2014 lost his £100,000-a- year ITV Champions League pundit role before that fateful trip to the casino. He then went missing before throwing himself in front of a lorry on the A64 Leeds to York dual carriageway.Clarke was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary. He suffered cuts, bruises, internal bleeding, a broken rib and a shattered left knee.On Christmas Day 2014, he was admitted as an in-patient to a psychiatric unit in Harrogate and placed on suicide watch.He remained there until he was discharged in February 2015, when, shortly after, he did an interview with The Sun.Ten years on, Clarke said: “After that, I knew I was very unwell. In the lead-up to that, I was being very negative, hypercritical, insular.“I’d never done anything about my depression, and I was clinically depressed.Clarke and Carrie getting married in 2016Credit: SuppliedClarke revealing superman-style vest in game for QPR in 2002Credit: Getty”I didn’t take medication for a myriad of reasons but predominantly because I thought, ‘I’m a man and a Premier League footballer’. I didn’t understand that my thoughts were different or dangerous.“A lot of it was tied into self-worth. I do have an analytical mind. I was using alcohol so that my brain stopped thinking. I was using gambling so that my brain was thinking about something else.“I’m really blessed I never got into drugs. If I had I would be dead now.“Football was pretty much the only thing I thought gave me value. So when I left, I was totally bereft of anything that anyone else valued about me.“I brought my football home, the perfectionism, the autistic portion, compulsive aspect, the need for everything to happen at this time, at this pace, immediate success or failure. There’s no middle ground.I knew then he was an amazing, handsome man. And I know that even more to this dayCarrie“And it’s a dynamic that is ingrained within you, and everything falls into these two categories.”For the first year of my therapy, I had to discover this middle ground of things just being OK, being good enough.“Because in football that had never been good enough, because it’s not the best, it’s not perfect. This transferred into relationships. It was so, so destructive. It was dangerous.”In 2016, Clarke met Carrie, who worked as an ambassador at football anti-racism charity Kick It Out.She said: “It was a whirlwind romance. We gave each other our business cards and I don’t think we ever thought we’d see each other again.‘Dead by tomorrow’”But he emailed and we went for dinner. Within five minutes of sitting down for dinner, he was like, ‘We are gonna get married, have babies’. On the second date he brought his psychiatric papers.“We moved in together three weeks later. Then we got engaged a few months later. And then nine weeks after, we got married.“I knew then he was an amazing, handsome man. And I know that even more to this day. I’m obsessed with him.”The pair worked with each other to support their needs, Carrie with her anxiety and Clarke with his depression.But in 2017, Clarke went missing again and was eventually found in Liverpool before being taken to a psychiatric facility in Blackburn.Carrie said: “When Clarke was found, I wanted to bring him home. I was six months pregnant and I was like, ‘Let’s just go back to this place’, because up to 24 hours ago, I didn’t know anything was wrong.“Luckily, someone took me aside and said, ‘OK, Mrs Carlisle, if you take him home, he’ll be dead by tomorrow’. And that was a slap in the face that I needed.”Clarke then began counselling. He said: “I started to dig deeper and realised I needed to be well.Clarke on TV’s Countdown in 2010Credit: Channel 4“I needed to be alive. I wanted to be here.”Carrie asked him to read through some thoughts she had around her Shut Up, Alcohol method, which she developed in 2006.Clarke said: “The incredible thing about my awesome wife is that she’s been able to put that into a clear and really quite simple process of self-progression and self-accountability, and it brings the power back when you’re talking about your mental health.”You’re not waiting on the NHS to come and fix you.“She asked me to read something she was writing about other issues and it helped me with my attitude to gambling.”Using her Shut Up method, Carrie has written more than 20 books, as well as devising courses to accompany each one.The pair offer online talks and courses for issues such as alcohol, gambling and suicidal thoughts.Carrie said: “Most people don’t want to die.“They just can’t live like this any more. We aim to guide them on their own journey out of it.“We both see it as a great opportunity to pay our own lived experiences forward.”I do miss certain moments of footballClarke CarlisleClarke, who now has a degree in psychology, says he is in the best shape mentally he has been for years. He is “finally able” to enjoy watching football again.But he said: “I can’t go and do a simple run without thinking, ‘Oh, you’re only cheating yourself. You can go faster than this’, or ‘You should have been in the Olympics next year’.”“But I do miss certain moments of football — the first day of the season, a magnificent end of the season, a successful season.”Last week, ex-Premier League referee David Coote said he would be prioritising his mental health after a series of scandals led to him being stripped of his job.And Clarke now wants an independent advisory board for players and referees to help them deal with mental health.He said: “It would great to see a new independent body. They need to stop acting in silos, whether it’s the individual organisations — EFL, Premier League, the WSL, the Championship, the PFA, the FA.“They’re all individual things and giving cursory nods to each other’s activities.“But there is no continuation of care. We need an external third party, an advisory board.“But everyone, even if you are not in football, should be aware that there is help out there.“I have a professional coach. I have the people who I trust. I prioritise the things that make me feel good and keep me well, irrespective of what’s going on.“I am proof that you find a path. You just need to talk to the right people.”READ MORE SUN STORIES Find out more about Clarke and Carrie’s work at clarkeandcarrie.com.Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.Help for mental healthIf you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support.The following are free to contact and confidential:Mind, www.mind.org, provide information about types of mental health problems and where to get help for them. Email info@mind.org.uk or call the infoline on 0300 123 3393 (UK landline calls are charged at local rates, and charges from mobile phones will vary).YoungMinds run a free, confidential parents helpline on 0808 802 5544 for parents or carers worried about how a child or young person is feeling or behaving. The website has a chat option too.Rethink Mental Illness, www.rethink.org, gives advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits, and carers rights. Use its website or call 0300 5000 927 (calls are charged at your local rate).Heads Together, www.headstogether.org.uk, is the a mental health initiative spearheaded by The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales. More

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      in Boxing

      My champagne lunch date with Derek Chisora turned into a naked chat in scorching sauna as he was whipped with leaves

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      “YOU know I do this s*** BUTT-NAKED, Wally.”That’s what Derek Chisora said to me as he peeled off his trunks and carefully arranged ALL of himself face-down on the massage table.SunSport’s Wally Downes Jr shared a sauna with Derek ChisoraCredit: The SunChisora braves an ice bath, which he uses to aid recovery in trainingCredit: The SunChisora is a regular at the the luxurious bathhouse BanyaCredit: The SunIt was not how I expected a champagne-and-oysters Frank Warren and Chisora media lunch to peak.But when the generous hall-of-fame promoter suffered a diary clash and had to cancel his presence at the event to promote Del Boy’s February 8 clash with Otto Wallin, things took a turn.The trademark meal Warren regularly and generously hosts at Milos’ stunning fish restaurant at No1 Regent Street was canned.But Queensberry’s quick-thinking PR team and 41-year-old Chisora’s manager arranged for a trip to Banya, the luxurious bathhouse and spa in Belgravia.READ MORE IN BOXINGZimbabwe-born millionaire Chisora is a regular at the health club, usually enjoying caviar and dumplings when he is not in training camp for a fight – but always avoiding their potent vodka now he is a teetotal athlete.His explanation for loving the exhilarating experience is simple: “This place is unbelievable, you jump from being in the scorching hot, to the freezing cold.“It keeps the heart attack away, it keeps so many problems away from your body and makes you feel great afterwards.“It keeps me young as well, it helps me keep up with all these young guys.”Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSunSport jokes that he is doing well considering he is 48 and he sticks a giant middle finger up at my face and reminds us age is just a number.“When I come here after a hard session, I come here for an hour and, instead of feeling tired and beat up, I come back the next day totally normal.Derek Chisora unveils plan for shock career change once he’s retired from boxing but plans dream 50TH fight first “I am the guy who controls the heat levels in here. Nobody can beat my record.“I have four guys in there hitting me with the leaves and it gets so hot that everybody else runs out.“When you are fit your body can take more heat, so I know the more heat I can take, the better condition I am in.”Most of the reporters in attendance had never stripped off with the 18st powerhouse, followed him into a pitch-black sauna and been battered with prickly bouquets of birch, oak and eucalyptus leaves, known as veniks, in unbearable heats, while wearing unflattering hats.I have four guys in there hitting me with the leaves and it gets so hot that everybody else runs out.Derek ChisoraI don’t think I would have gone through with the challenge for any other British boxer but – outside of the financial and world title riches Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have brought us – I struggle to think of a fighter who has given more of himself to fight fans.Journalists and fans – even Warren – have been calling for Chisora to retire with his fortune and faculties intact – for almost a decade.Because we know he has suffered 14 punishing losses, done hundreds of thousands of hard sparring rounds and has two beautiful little girls at home who deserve a coherent daddy to grow up with.Chisora beat Joe Joyce in his last fightCredit: GettyHe has refused to retireCredit: PABut the fearless b*****d defies us time and time again with incredible performances and shock wins, most recently over the likes of David Price, Kubrat Pulev and Joe Joyce.The tone of the introduction gave no indication of how the afternoon would later turn.Once we sat down in a private room we were told there was water on the way and a basic round-table interview would take place.Then Del Boy strolled in and stunned us all, in a way that shouldn’t really surprise us anymore.Thanks to our mutual friend, the Daily Mail’s photographer Kevin Quigley, Chisora pointed across the room and congratulated me on a recent charity white collar bout I won for the Valencia Monroe Ward, at the Royal Brompton hospital.He went around the room and greeted everyone in his own very unique way, some got an unpublishable insult delivered with genuine affection and humour, one poor cameraman who had never met Chisora was suddenly having his long ginger hair praised.The complimentary mineral water order, placed before his arrival, was ramped up rapidly too, as Chisora demanded everyone be treated to traditional soup borscht, beef and chicken mince dumplings and an incredible caviar platter.Chisora and David Haye were involved in an infamous press conference brawlCredit: ReutersChisora infamously threw a table at Dillian WhyteCredit: ReutersChisora’s generosity does not only extend to promotional tours to flog his 49th fight.The bad-boy persona he played perfectly at the modest start of his career left a few fans thinking the mask had eaten into his face.The face-off spits and kisses, the table thrown at Dilllian Whyte, the backstage brawl with David Haye, all painted Chisora as a violent maniac.But when you are climbing your way up the amateur and small-hall circuit as an African unknown, while the likes of Fury and David Price are miles ahead of you on the circuit, you need to do something to catch the eye.Nobody as unhinged as Chisora has sometimes appeared to be could be as popular as he is.Billy Joe Saunders and Chris Eubank Jr loathe each other, Fury and Joshua are in a vicious rivalry and Tony Bellew and Haye were as spiteful as sport can get.Guess who can break bread with all of those guys – as well as all of his former opponents – Del Boy.Derek Chisora’s last ten fights Joe Joyce, points win Gerald Washington, points win Tyson Fury, stoppage loss Kubrat Pulev, points win Joseph Parker, points loss Joseph Parker, points loss Oleksandr Usyk, points loss David Price, stoppage win Artur Szpilka, KO win Senad Gashi, points win Away from the cameras he regularly asks the boxing press pack how the family of much-missed colleague Ron Lewis is coping following his 2023 passing.That is another reason I jumped into the steaming underground unknown with the hulk nicknamed War, I feel like I owe him and every moment spent in his company – nude or otherwise – will be well spent.I also fear that, in ten or twenty years time, Chisora will start showing heartbreaking signs of CTE and dementia and the guilt I will feel at having benefited professionally from covering it all might be slightly softened by lighter memories of time spent together.Another reason Chisora loves the space run by Alex Lazarev, is his passionate hatred for GOLF.“Most men go to play golf,” he pointed out. “I hate golf.“I went to a charity match once and I went to hit my first ball and completely missed it.“I thought ‘f*** this s***’, gave them the kit back and tried to leave. I hate golf, I gave them some money for the charity and left.’He tells me to f*** off’“This is my golf and this is great.”Chisora has spread the gospel too, Oleksandr Usyk visits on his UK trips and Del Boy has grown the gang outside of the hurt business.Every Sunday he is joined in the pits of humidity hell by Lethal Bizzle – the steamed-up superstars call themselves the Skint Gang and challenge each other to hotter heats and colder plunges.Chisora and his pals taking over the private rooms of these palatial rooms – where far daintier Eastern Europeans and uber-rich locals quietly try to rejuvenate – has not scared anyone off.Banya director Lazarev explained to us: “Derek has been coming to The Bath House since we opened in late 2019.“I remember very well receiving a call and someone saying ‘Derek Chisora would like to visit your place’.“Derek likes the relaxed atmosphere and we hope he feels at home here. He is a part of the family now and we are good friends.When I come here after a hard session, I come here for an hour and, instead of feeling tired and beat up, I come back the next day totally normal.Derek Chisora “Banya is not a competitive exercise, but Derek can certainly absorb a lot of heat and is one of the top guys at The Bath House.”When he does our parenie treatment, he typically does four-hands hands parenie which is when two guys as opposed to just one are warming you through at the same time.“I think he values banya and parenie in particular for the recovery it offers.“It’s not about beating or whipping. Aromatic oak and birch leaves are used to move the steam around and warm your body and muscles through fully.“Sitting in the sauna is one thing, but parenie takes it to another level.”And, of course, Chisora takes it to another level when he whips off his last small layer of clothing and tells us to sit at the highest and hottest point while he gets his eight-handed horticultural hammering on his back.Chisora can break bread with boxing’s top stars like Anthony JoshuaCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunFury and Chisora fought three timesOleksandr Usyk also beat FuryCredit: GettyI took a risk and said: “You’ve been coming here for so long now, Del, I thought they would have cut a hole in the middle of that table for you by now.”He tells me to f*** off.There have been – and will be – millions of better British boxers than Derek Chisora.We have had – and are due – more choreographed and mainstream-appeal showmen in the sport.But I am not sure we have had too many better blokes.I hope his 50th fight later this year is his last.READ MORE SUN STORIESI hope little Angelina and Harare get to enjoy their dad as much as I have been lucky enough to, before the ravages of time and such a punishing career take their toll.And I hope he knows how grateful we are to have had him, his blood and brain cells and caviar and body, every last bit of it. More

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      in Soccer

      From snorting coke to moaning he was ‘too big’ to ref Coventry, nine moments in David Coote’s downfall

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      TWO days after his Klopp comments went viral, The Sun revealed on November 13 Coote snorted cocaine in a video taken on July 6 while he was officiating at the Euros.COOTE: “The drugs happened on an entirely ad-hoc basis. It fills me with a huge sense of shame to sit here and to say that I took that route.”The nine moments in Premier League referee David Coote’s downfallCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd1.The Sun revealed that Coote snorted cocaine in a video taken while he was officiating at the Euros2.Coote said in video chats table toppers Liverpool ‘will not win the Premier League’Credit: GettyCOOTE said in video chats table toppers Liverpool “will not win the Premier League”.COOTE: “I guess I’m a human being who made a mistake in a moment I now deeply regret.”3.He branded the Reds defender Andy Robertson a ‘Scottish p****’Credit: GettyTHE ref branded the Reds defender Andy Robertson a “Scottish p****.”COOTE: “I certainly don’t think that. Everybody who takes to the football field is full of emotion. When we’re involved in the game, things will be said that people don’t mean. Read More on Sport”I’m pretty sure there’s been plenty of players or managers that have said things about me they wouldn’t sit here and say they believe. The same is true of us as match officials.”4.Coote said Everton’s Goodison Park was the worst place to referee, due to the fans ‘shouting abuse so close to the pitch’Credit: GettyHE said Everton’s Goodison Park was the worst place to referee, due to the fans “shouting abuse so close to the pitch”.COOTE: “It’s certainly not the worst place to officiate. Each ground, depending on how the result goes, can be just as difficult as any other. “So there’s no particular ground that’s more difficult than the other because it’s all really circumstance dependent.”Most read in Football5.The ref said he hates officiating at Bournemouth games because it is ‘too far away’Credit: GettyCOOTE said he hates officiating at Bournemouth games because it is “too far away”.COOTE: “We’re asked to go north, south, east and west, and all over Europe. Scandal-hit Premier League ref David Coote SACKED after videos emerged of anti-Klopp rant and snorting white powder”There’s teams of officials that have been as far as Kazakhstan to do games. I was sent to Indonesia, so distance travel is never an issue.”6.He moaned he was ‘too big’ to have to ref at Coventry’s ground for their Championship clash against Oxford UtdCredit: GettyTHE ref moaned he was “too big” to have to ref at Coventry’s ground for their Championship clash against Oxford Utd on August 16.COOTE: “The Championship is a fantastic league and my experience of Coventry and all of the other games in the league have been really good ones — some of the most exciting football you’ll get to see.”7.The ref arranged a drugs party during Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester CityCredit: ReutersCOOTE arranged a drugs party during Tottenham’s Carabao Cup win over Manchester City on October 30. During the interval he messaged his pal to say: “Hope you’re getting ready for me.”COOTE: “It never happened. These kinds of messages were among the behaviours I engaged with in order to escape.“It was almost like a different me and it’s something I really regret doing.“Clearly now I regret entering into those conversations.“I’ve paid the price for having them and that’s been a heavy one from a career and emotional perspective.”8.Coote giving a yellow card to Leeds’ Ezgjan Alioski before a 2019 match against West BromCredit: YouTubeAT the centre of an FA betting probe after he discussed giving a yellow card to Leeds’ Ezgjan Alioski before a 2019 match against West Brom. He messaged a pal: “I hope you backed as discussed.”COOTE: “I can categorically say that I’ve only ever done my best when I’ve gone onto the field of play.”9. Coote was sacked by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL)Credit: PASACKED by the PGMOL.COOTE: “I have nearly 30 years experience of refereeing and I understood the implications of the situation I found myself in and the position the PGMOL were in.”The Sun’s back page reported on Coote’s X-rated Klopp rantIT’S VERY BRAVE MOVEBy AMAL FASHANU, Niece of Justin who runs foundation in his name“IT is very brave for anyone to come out, but more so for someone in the public eye.“This will affect David Coote and is a big step but it should have less of an effect that in would on a player. It’s not the same level of fame.”Amal Fashanu, niece of JustinCredit: Darren FletcherNorwich striker Justin killed himself in 1998 after becoming the first top-flight player to come outCredit: Getty – ContributorAmal, whose former Norwich striker uncle killed himself in 1998 after becoming the first top-flight player to come out, added: “We’d love to chat to him at the foundation.“We’d be there to offer any support and counselling.“We also help people with mental health problems and would be there for him if that was an issue.“There’s still something very wrong at the top of football.READ MORE SUN STORIES“We’re in 2025, when everyone is supposedly liberal and accepting, yet something is stopping these men accepting who they are.“Football is still failing in this regard.” More