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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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      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

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      I’ve had deaths threats after games with thugs hoping my mum dies of AIDS & I end up paralysed, says ex-ref David Coote

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      DAVID Coote last night revealed the sickening abuse aimed at match officials — including death threats and warped internet trolls saying they hope his mum dies of AIDS in her sleep.Sacked Coote called for TV pundits to stop “whipping up” fans into a frenzy against referees amid “hysterical” analysis, claiming messages he has received from crazed supporters added to his spiral into cocaine abuse.David Coote revealed the sickening abuse aimed at match officialsCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers LtdThe sacked ref has received death threats and had warped internet trolls saying they hope his mum dies of AIDS in her sleepCredit: PAMichael Oliver sent off Gunner Myles Lewis-Skelly during Saturday’s Wolves versus Arsenal Premier League clashCredit: PAWeeping, the 42-year-old, who described some messages as “abhorrent”, told The Sun: “I’ve received death threats during my career. “I’ve needed an accelerated response tag on my home address for me to speak to the police in an emergency.“I’ve also had messages from irate supporters hoping that I had an accident on the way home from a game. “They didn’t just want me to die but to be paralysed, so I’d suffer every day for the rest of my life.Read More on Sport“Other messages included hoping that my mum dies of AIDS overnight.“People target referees without accountability on social media, and at matches. “I can’t see how that is acceptable. “There is standard abuse on a regular basis, but some crosses any line of acceptability.Most read in Football“I’m sorry people are talking about me for the wrong reasons. “I’m not here looking for sympathy. Scandal-hit Premier League ref David Coote SACKED after videos emerged of anti-Klopp rant and snorting white powder“I just want to say that I am a human being that’s made mistakes.“I’m paying the consequences. “I’m taking responsibility for making those mistakes. “I hope that others in my situation seek help in the right ways as I’m now trying to do.”Coote revealed that at the elite level of the game it’s not always a stadium full of 60,000 fans screaming ‘the referee’s a w*****’ that causes the most upset.He said: “We have an earpiece in, and are on comms. “We’re constantly talking to each other and listening to players on the field, so actually the noise in the stadium doesn’t impact us very much.“But what is more impactful is the things you hear and see that are individual — the targeted abuse.“There are fans who decide to hang around for an hour or two after a game to individually abuse us, hanging over the barriers as we leave the stadium.“And there are those who take to social media. “Some refs might not be on social media, but it still has an impact on friends and family.“Some of the things said are abhorrent. “That has more impact on us as individuals, and as people.”He went on: “Every official that takes the pitch up and down the country from a local playing field to the Premier League is a human being, not just a referee.“They have feelings. “They may not show them, but it will impact them when they’re receiving abuse. “I’ve struggled and I’ve tried to get through it in my own way and made poor decisions in doing so.“I hope that others make better decisions  and that referees are given an easier ride in the levels of scrutiny, and levels of abuse that come in their direction.“I hope this shines a light on the impact it can have on a person.”Coote spoke out as fellow referee Michael Oliver, his partner Laura and two-year-old daughter, received death threats after Saturday’s Wolves versus Arsenal Premier League clash, when he sent off Gunner Myles Lewis-Skelly.Fans said they knew where he lived and were going to brick his windows.Three weeks ago, after Liverpool’s 2-2 draw with Manchester United, someone said they were going to blow up Oliver’s car with his family inside it.Coote said of the menaces towards his friend: “This isn’t the first time this season we’ve heard of such abuse. “Sadly, it won’t be the last.“I know only too well the toll these appalling and frightening threats can have, but you have no option other than to take it.“Referees have no right of reply, while those who make the threats face no action. “It has to change.”Referees have no right of reply, while those who make the threats face no action. It has to changeDavid CooteDespite his fall from grace, Coote is keen to draw attention to how tough refereeing can be. He pointed out that officials are increasingly forced into “centre stage”.In the January 8 Carabao Cup semi-final between Spurs and Liverpool, Stuart Attwell became the first ref in England to announce a VAR decision in the stadium when he explained why Dominic Solanke’s late goal for Spurs was ruled out. Coote said: “The difficulty with being a referee is that the concept of resilience is key to doing what we do.“That means the opposite of resilience is a vulnerability or a weakness. “If I’ve got to be resilient to do the job then showing weakness and vulnerability immediately casts doubt over the ability to do that role.“I hope others who are finding things difficult are given the support they need to be able to show weakness and vulnerability because it’s impossible to keep up the facade over the course of time.”Coote’s sacking triggered change in the PGMOL, the referees’ governing body, including providing psychological support.He said officials had had the chance to have their say on “what could be done differently”. He said he was grateful for the support of colleagues, the PGMOL’s Howard Webb and Danielle Every and well-wishers in the street.The support has helped me get through some really tough timesDavid CooteHe said: “The support has helped me get through some really tough times.“My episodes hit the whole refereeing community hard because it showed just how accountable everybody in the game is.”Coote, a fan of League Two Notts County, began his route to top-level officiating by running the line for his dad and uncle’s Sunday team aged 14.He was urged to take a referees’ course and progressed through the levels of the game until he was invited to become a full-time Championship official.The Premier League followed and, a few years later, he added the VAR skill set.He said: “Nobody really prepares you for moving through each level and then arriving in the Premier League, which is like a goldfish bowl.”You don’t apply for promotion, people just take a judgment on your performances and you as a person, and give you the opportunity at a new level.“All of us who operate at the top levels of the game, we’re just normal guys, football fans who’ve been fortunate enough to be selected and move through the levels.“I’ve been really fortunate as a football fan to have seen the great players at such close quarters. “But there is a trade-off. “We don’t get an easy ride of it.”Coote said there’s no a simple fix to make football genuinely inclusive.He said: “It’s a difficult world to work in. “To be ‘me’ in football wasn’t easy. “I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to myself and I understand why others wouldn’t want to do the same.“I’ve no doubt that if somebody did come out there would be a lot of support but also they’d be opening themselves up to online abuse and prejudicial views that have no place in the society we live in.“It’s much more than a football problem. “It’s more of a society problem, particularly given how tribal football fans can be in a win-at-all-costs game.”Despite the scandal, Coote hopes to remain in the game and is keen to play a role speaking out for refs in the media.For now, he is training for a marathon in May to raise funds for research into motor neurone disease, which his uncle has.He said: “I’ll be looking to make sure my health and wellbeing is in the best possible place.”IT’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. Amal Fashanu, niece of JustinCredit: Darren FletcherNorwich striker Justin killed himself in 1998 after becoming the first top-flight player to come outCredit: Getty – Contributor“It’s not the same level of fame.”Amal, 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

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      I’m gay but hid my sexuality in macho football world…it led to behaviour I deeply regret, says shamed ex-ref David Coote

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      SACKED referee David Coote has revealed he turned to cocaine over fear of coming out in the “macho world” of the Premier League.Tearful Coote said he took coke to “escape” after being forced to hide being gay.David Coote says he felt unable to come out as gay as he feared the abuse he received for doing his job would get even worseCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers LtdThe Sun exclusively revealed film of him snorting powder at last summer’s Euros in GermanyCoote says he has been in an ‘incredibly dark place’ since news emerged of his drug-taking at Euro 2024Credit: PACoote also admitted he was “not sober” in his rant at ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, and got abuse and death threats as a ref.The sacked 42-year-old told how living a lie led him down paths that eventually torpedoed his career.Coote told The Sun: “I felt a deep sense of shame during my teenage years in particular.“I didn’t come out to my parents until I was 21. I didn’t come out to my friends until I was 25.READ MORE ON DAVID COOTE“My sexuality isn’t the only reason that led me to be in that position. But I’m not telling an authentic story if I don’t say that I’m gay, and that I’ve had real struggles dealing with hiding that.“I hid my emotions as a young ref and I hid my sexuality as well — a good quality as a referee but a terrible quality as a human being.“And that’s led me to a whole course of behaviours.”He says he has been in an “incredibly dark place” since news emerged of his drug-taking at Euro 2024. Without the support of family and colleagues, he added, “I’m not sure I’d be here today”.Most read in FootballGiving his first interview since the scandal broke, he said he hoped to help break down the “macho world” of Premier League football.He added: “I’ve had issues around my self-esteem — and that relates to my sexuality. I’m gay and I’ve struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period of time.Scandal-hit Premier League ref David Coote SACKED after videos emerged of anti-Klopp rant and snorting white powder“I have received deeply unpleasant abuse during my career as a ref and to add my sexuality to that would have been really difficult.“There’s a lot to be done throughout football and more widely in society with regard to discrimination.“I didn’t want to be that person that was putting their head above the parapet to be shot at, given the abuse we all get as a referee in any event.”Coote was suspended last October after footage showed him calling then-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a “c***”.The Sun then revealed a film of him snorting powder at last summer’s Euros in Germany.We also told how he tried to arrange a drugs party during Spurs’ Carabao Cup win over Man City on October 30.Coote was then the subject of a new FA probe over allegedly issuing a yellow card to order — before he was eventually fired.In an emotional interview, he says a “pressure cooker” of suppressed emotion, combined with a punishing work schedule, left him wanting to “escape” with cocaine.Coote was suspended last October after footage showed him calling then-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a ‘c***’Credit: XThe sacked 42-year-old said living a lie led him down paths which eventually torpedoed his careerCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers LtdHe said: “It’s not something I was reliant on day by day, week by week, month by month.“I’ve had long periods where I’ve not used it — but it was one of the escape routes I had. Just getting away from the stresses, the relentlessness of the job. It fills me with a huge sense of shame to say that I took that route.”He recalled: “In 2023 I lost my mum very suddenly. At the same time my uncle was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. After Covid and the introduction of VAR, six officials were suddenly needed for each game.“I was selected by Fifa for the U17 World Cup in Indonesia, as well as the Euros and Olympics last year.“It meant that over the course of the 2023-24 season I was involved in more than 90 games — often back to back. At the end of last season I went straight into the Euros and that was incredibly pressurised. I had another tournament coming up immediately — heading to Paris for the Olympics.”The cocaine footage saw him inhale a 4in line up a US banknote. Another image showed his bank card next to six chopped-up lines.I’m gay and I have struggled with feeling proud of being ‘me’ over a long period of timeHe said: “I don’t recognise myself in the cocaine video. I can’t resonate with how I felt then, but that was me. I was struggling with the schedule and there was no opportunity to stop. And so I found myself in that position — escaping.”Coote is still being probed after a pal told him he was putting money on Leeds player Ezgjan Alioski getting booked before a 2019 clash against West Brom.Coote did caution the player and later messaged his friend: “I hope you backed as discussed.” However he told The Sun: “There was no agreement prior to the game. I went and did my job. The player committed a yellow card tackle.”He added: “I received nothing for it. I’m really disappointed that anything like this has come out because it tarnishes the integrity of the game. And whatever people think of me as a referee, as a human I have always gone out and done my best on the pitch.”Coote says he was merely trying to “deflect” the pal but admitted: “I wasn’t in a great place, and I was messaging people that in hindsight I shouldn’t have trusted. I was naive.” Coote says he “made some really poor choices and I really wish I could turn back the clock now and do things differently”.But he said he can instead take responsibility. After seeking therapy, he has kicked his drug habitCoote believes the dramatic turn of events which cost him his beloved job in football has helped him re-evaluate his lifeCredit: GettyCoote said: “I put on this hard exterior. Football became a place where I could go and referee and be engrossed in the game.“But then I’d come home and it would be more difficult because I’m living a double sense of being.“To other people who are in my situation, I’d say seek help and talk to somebody because if you bottle it up like I have done it has to come out in some way.”’POOR CHOICES’Coote believes the dramatic events which cost him his beloved job in football has helped him take stock.He said: “It’s been incredibly tough because I loved the game. I started refereeing when I was 14.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I’ve found it easier since knowing my fate and being able to re-evaluate what’s important to me.“To spend some quality time with family and friends, and take time to make sure I’m in the best place to move forwards.”’IT’S A VERY BRAVE MOVE’By 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, 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.“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

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      Football host Jeff Stelling opens up about daughter’s battle with anorexia

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      FOOTBALL host Jeff Stelling has opened up about his daughter’s battle with anorexia.He said Olivia, 21, got “skeletal” from the mental health condition and spent months in hospital.Jeff said he faced the “heartbreaking” sight of girls in wheelchairs with no energy to walk.In 2023 Jeff, 69, told how “a friend” was struggling, and his comments went viral. He said Olivia was now happy for him to say it was her, and is doing well as a student.Dad-of-three Jeff has spoken to Parliament on the issue and said: “The reaction was astonishing.”READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHe said the numbers who relapse is “horrific”, adding: “If they relapse two, three or four times . . . they say they’re going to provide a pathway, in other words we’re not going to try and save you we’re going to try and help you die.”Last year Stelling promised go one step further than Gary Lineker if his beloved Hartlepool get to the Championship.The departed host memorably presented Match of the Day in his PANTS after Leicester won the Prem in 2015-2016.But that is nothing compared to the lengths talkSPORT host Stelling is prepared to go.Most read in FootballAsked whether he would emulate Lineker: “I would host talkSPORT breakfast without my pants in order for Hartlepool to get into the Championship.“League Two would be fine, never mind the Championship.”Fans have ‘tears in eyes’ as Sky Sports icon Chris Kamara reunited with old pal Jeff Stelling on shock commentary returnFootball pundit Jeff Stelling has opened up about his daughter’s battle with anorexia More