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      in Boxing

      UFC star Francis Ngannou sick of ‘borrowing money’ as he hints at boxing switch as Fury and Wilder rake in £18m each

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU insists he is sick of ‘borrowing money’ and hinted at making a switch across to boxing.The UFC star referenced the mega bucks pocketed by heavyweight icons Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder last weekend.
      Francis Ngannou may turn his back on MMA to pursue a big-money career in boxingCredit: Getty
      Boxing’s superstar pair raked in at least £18million EACH for their trilogy showdown.
      It’s understood Fury and Wilder’s disclosed purses – which will be released by the Nevada Athletic Commission later this week – were £4.4million ($6m) and £2.9m ($4m) respectively.
      But the duo were already contractually guaranteed a minimum of £18m for the third showdown.
      It is a far cry for Ngannou, who complained about how much he gets paid in his sport.
      The 35-year-old – who has one fight left on his UFC contract – told MMA Hour: “MMA is more difficult than boxing.
      “I feel I should not be needing to borrow money for my training camp.

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      “At some point, I’m gonna go after the money. I’m going to boxing for sure. I’m not challenging the system, I’m just saying my right.
      “I have not signed a new deal yet, because I do not want to sign a deal on these certain terms as I do not feel protected.
      “In the past two years I have had to borrow money and nobody cares about it and I have no guarantee in that deal.
      “So based on that experience I am trying to get better terms on my contract, and what I believe that I deserve.
      “According to what they said, I am on an independent contract so I want a terminated date so after that I can be free.
      “Then after that I would like to be free, so then you have a right from there to decide where you going and what you are going to do.
      “I will also then not be forced to keep signing the contract (with a termination date), so that is not being an independent contract.
      “If you say I am challenging the system, I already am having a hard time getting out at the moment but I can assure you that I am not.”
      Ngannou star beat Stipe Miocic in March to land the UFC world heavyweight belt.
      He looks set to face interim champ Cyril Gane at UFC 270 in January 2022 in a unification bout.
      But with his ferocious punching power and the lure of extra cash, it might not be long before we see the Cameroon hero laced up in boxing gloves – and maybe even challenging for belts.
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      Ngannou is not the first UFC star to bemoan the franchise’s pay system.
      Sean O’Malley criticised chief Dana White over his salary and wants to be paid ‘what he’s worth’.
      The 26-year-old bantamweight reportedly received a base salary of $60,000, around £43,300, for his fight against Thomas Almedia in March.
      Light-heavyweight Jon Jones is currently embroiled in a pay dispute with the promotion, not fighting since February 2020.
      And Jake Paul also criticised White over the issue after the UFC chief placed a $1m bet on the YouTuber losing to Ben Askren in a boxing match.
      Paul said: “In my third fight, I made more money in total pay than any fighter in UFC history.
      “Maybe it’s time to pay your fighters their fair share? No wonder they all want to get into boxing.”
      Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder both earned at least £18m from their trilogy fightCredit: Reuters More

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      UFC chief Dana White explains why Tyson Fury fight against Deontay Wilder was ‘exactly what sport of boxing needed’

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      UFC president Dana White believes Tyson Fury’s trilogy epic fight with Deontay Wilder was exactly what ‘boxing needed’.The bitter heavyweight rivals went to war for a third time in Las Vegas last weekend and turned in one of the best fights in the recent history of the division.
      Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder put on a heavyweight fight for the ages last weekendCredit: Getty
      Fury closed the book on his rivalry with the American with an 11th-round knockoutCredit: GETTY
      UFC president Dana White was blown away by the back-and-forth boutCredit: GETTY
      Fan favourite Fury closed the book on his rivalry with the American with a brutal 11th-round stoppage following an incredible back and forth, which blew away White.
      He said: “I thought it was awesome. I think that the heavyweight fight that happened on Saturday.
      “And let me just tell you this. First, going into it, my thought process was, ‘For what, why?’ You know what I mean?
      “Joshua just got beat, and yeah why … you know why? Because boxing needed that. Boxing needed that fight.
      “It was an incredible heavyweight fight. I thought both guys fought their asses off.
      “And for Fury to come in at 277lbs and you know fight the way that he fought. Get knocked down, get back up and keep fighting.

      “It was just, it was exactly what boxing needed. So, glad it happened and congratulations to both of them, everybody involved and the sport of boxing.”
      Fury’s second successive victory over Wilder has put him on course to become undisputed heavyweight champion.
      And his old man, John, wants him to snub a potential Battle of Britain with Dillian Whyte to become the sole ruler of the division.
      He told talkSPORT: “Would Dillian Whyte deal with Deontay Wilder? No.
      “So why would I want to put him in there with my son and get him knocked out?
      “At the end of the day, he just got knocked out by a 42-year-old [Alexander Povetkin].
      “Tyson can’t get up for them kind of fights. He wouldn’t be able to raise his game because it’s not big enough.
      John Fury wants his son to go for the undisputed heavyweight titleCredit: REUTERS
      “And he goes in there with a lacklustre attitude and you don’t see the best Tyson Fury.
      “You only see the best of Tyson when he’s against the best.
      “A challenge like he had and he’s in a great fight. For me, I’ve told him, ‘Usyk or don’t bother.'”

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      Dana White admits UFC legend Jon Jones could be released over alleged ‘domestic violence’ incident after axing Luis Pena More

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      Ex-UFC star Melvin Guillard shows off horror eye injury which requires surgery after brutal Bare Knuckle fight

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      FORMER UFC star Melvin Guillard needed surgery on a brutal eye injury sustained in a Bare Knuckle fight.The 38-year-old asked fans to pray for him ahead of the op having been KOd just 59 seconds into his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship defeat to Joe Riggs on Saturday.
      Melvin Guillard asked fans to pray for him ahead of surgery on a horror eye injuryCredit: Instagram / @melvinfighter83
      The former UFC star sustained it during his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship defeat to Joe RiggsCredit: FITE TV
      The 38-year-old was sent crashing through the ropes less than a minute into the fightCredit: FITE TV
      It was Guillard’s fourth straight BKFC defeat.
      The American fought Nate Diaz, Justin Gaethje and Donald Cerrone during his 10-year UFC stint.
      But since stepping away from the octagon, he has struggled to impose himself in the BKFC.
      After his latest defeat in Montana, Guillard shared snaps of his gruesome eye injury on Instagram.
      Alongside pictures of his eye which was swollen shut, he wrote: “Just found out, at 3.15am, I have five fractures in my orbital so I will be having surgery today.
      “Just wanted to get my fans, friends and family the news. I’ll be OK – just keep me in your prayers.

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      “I’ll be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared right now. We’ll see what happens.”
      Despite the consecutive losses and horrendous injury, Guillard has no plans to stop.
      After confirming he’d been released from hospital, Guillard later added: “Appreciate the love from all my fans and supporters… just not going to slow me down, [nor] stop me from accomplishing my goal.”
      However, it appears not everyone is so keen to see Guillard fight on.
      Several worried fans took to social media to voice their concerns.
      And some even called on Guillard to be banned from fighting again.
      MMA reporter Tom Taylor tweeted: “No commission should be letting Melvin Guillard fight at this point. #BKFCMONTANA.”

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      And MMA fan Jack added: “Guilard was in terrible shape for this.
      “His punches looked slow and he went down from the first punch Riggs threw… he seriously needs to stop.
      “BKFC is an absolute joke… their whole roster is washed up MMA fighters.”
      UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov sends Tyson Fury a congratulations message after epic win over Deontay Wilder More

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      in Boxing

      UFC great Khabib Nurmagomedov sends Tyson Fury a congratulations message after epic win over Deontay Wilder

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      TYSON FURY has received a congratulatory message from UFC legend Khabib Nurmagomedov following his victory over Deontay Wilder.The Gypsy King closed the book on his rivalry with the American last weekend with a sensational 11th-round KO in Las Vegas.
      Tyson Fury ended his rivalry with Deontay Wilder with a vicious 11th-round KOCredit: GETTY
      And The Gypsy King has received a congratulatory message from Deontay Wilder following his stunning KOCredit: INSTAGRAM@GYPSYKING101
      Celebs and sporting figures around the world took to social media after the fight to shower Fury with praise.
      And former UFC lightweight champ Nurmagomedov has added his name to the long list with a video message for the Brit.
      The Russian – who recorded the message while watching his training partners spar – said: “Tyson, congratulations, congratulations.
      “It was a very good fight. And my coach wants to say congratulations.”
      American Kickboxing Academy chief Javier Mendez then said: “Congratulations. It was an incredible fight, you’re an incredible fighter.
      “Incredible human being, I really like your style.”

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      ‘Inshallah [God willing] I see you soon, brother’ was emblazoned across the following Instagram story update.
      Dagestani destroyer Nurmagomedov, who wished Fury good luck before the fight, signed off by saying: “Congratulations again, brother.”
      Nurmagomedov, 33, reckons fan favourite Fury is pound-for-pound best boxer on the planet.
      When asked who he thinks is the best boxer in the world, Nurmagomedov recently told ESN News: “Right now? I truly believe Tyson Fury is the best.
      “Heavyweight and undefeated and he beat everybody.
      “Like very close, like Canelo [Alvarez], [Oleksandr] Usyk, [Terence] Crawford, like all these guys very close.
      “Like just my opinion like top like Tyson Fury right now.”
      And The Eagle would love to see Fury test himself against newly-crowned unified heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk.
      Khabib Nurmagomedov reckons Tyson Fury is the best boxer on the planetCredit: PA
      He said: “I really want to see Usyk vs Fury. It’s gonna be a very good fight.
      “He [Usyk] has very good skill and technique, Tyson Fury too.
      “He is not like other heavyweights, more technique, his footwork is very good, his conditioning is very good, I really wanna watch Usyk against Fury.”

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      Tyson Fury says he feels sorry for his opponents and roars ‘I’m the best fighter of my generation’ after Wilder win More

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      in Boxing

      Conor McGregor takes swipe at Dustin Poirier as UFC star congratulates Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder on epic trilogy

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      UFC star Conor McGregor couldn’t help but take a dig at Dustin Poirier in his praise of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.Like combat sports fans around the world, the MMA mogul was left in awe of the back-and-forth war that was Fury vs Wilder III.
      UFC star Conor McGregor was in awe of Tyson Fury’s trilogy fight with Deontay WilderCredit: POLARIS
      The MMA mogul took to Twitter to praise the heavyweights for their heroic effortsCredit: TWITTER
      But his praise also included a pot shot at rival Dustin PoirierCredit: REUTERS
      McGregor took to social media to congratulate both men for their heroic efforts on Sunday evening, although he made sure to include a shot at rival Poirier.
      The Notorious tweeted: “Great fight that.
      “Both warriors, both winners. Hard to not be impressed with Deontay there.
      “Against the much larger man and almost got it done. Great fight.
      “40lb’s in weight difference is A LOT. Fair play both men there, very enjoyable fights they have had together. Respect.
      “Their skill levels are unique but very close. A great heavyweight trilogy that was.

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      “I love when it gets set for certain and both have an honourable showing.
      “Not the fam in the ring fake celebrating after a freak injury etc etc you know the gig, God bless the real in this world.
      “Congrats Tyson and Paris. Me and Dee are so happy for you and the kids. Congrats Deontay and Telli also.
      “Was great meeting you guys recently. A real proud showing that was, and could have went either way.
      “Amazing! Happy Sunday now today with the cheddar and the memory’s God bless.”
      The ‘freak accident’ McGregor referred to was the broken leg he suffered in his UFC 264 trilogy fight with Poirier in July.
      The former two-division champion shattered his left tibia and fibula in the final seconds of the first round of the Sin City showdown.
      McGregor, 33, is making a faster than expected recovery and already feels capable of throwing one of his wide array of kicks.
      Last month, the Irishman told YouTuber Adam’s Apple: “I feel like I could kick right now.
      The Notorious shattered his left leg in his UFC 264 trilogy fight with PoirierCredit: REUTERS
      “I honestly feel like I could kick right now, but I’ve just got to listen to the doctors, listen to the people that are guiding me.
      “That’s what I’ve done so far, I’ve committed myself to the work and I’m back on the feet.
      “It’s so good to be back on the feet.”

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      Tyson Fury reveals his next five fights More

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      in Boxing

      UFC star Nate Diaz wants to switch from MMA to boxing after being inspired by Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder trilogy

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      UFC superstar Nate Diaz admits he’s eager to box before he retires from fighting.Fan favourite Diaz, as well as his older brother Nick, are long-time training partners of boxing great Andre Ward and are considered by many to have some of the best hands in MMA.

      Nate Diaz was left in awe of Tyson Fury’s trilogy fight with Deontay WilderCredit: POLARIS
      And testing himself inside the ring is something the Ultimate Fighter season five winner wants to tick off his bucket list before his story is all said and done.
      The Stockton slugger told BT Sport: “I’ve always been wanting to box. I’ve just been stuck in a cage.”
      Diaz, 36, was ringside for Tyson Fury’s epic trilogy fight with Deontay Wilder last weekend – which the Gypsy King won via a stunning 11th-round knockout.
      The future UFC Hall-of-Famer said of the bout: “I thought it was a good fight, an entertaining fight. I’m glad I came, it was cool to watch.”
      The former lightweight title challenger was left impressed by the immense heart Fury showed to get up from two brutal knockdowns.
      He said: “It was good. I saw it slowly coming, but it was good because they had a little back-and-forth in the beginning. So it’s cool.”

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      Diaz is an admirer of the undefeated WBC heavyweight champ, admitting: “I’m a fan of Fury.
      “I’m a fan of the Fury-Wilder trilogy – all that. It’s cool that I got to participate in being here.”
      Diaz hasn’t set foot inside the octagon since his unanimous decision defeat to Brit Leon Edwards in June.
      The welterweight standout has one fight left on his contract with the UFC and recently revealed he’s open to boxing YouTubers Jake and Logan Paul.
      When asked about potentially facing the Paul brothers after his loss at UFC 263, he said: “Those are all options.
      Nate Diaz has ambitions of setting foot inside the boxing ringCredit: GETTY
      “And it’s great to hear Andre Ward talk about [us].
      “That’s one of the greatest of all time in boxing, I believe. Pound-for-pound, that’s the man.
      “That’s cool that I’m getting recognition from him at all.”

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      Nate Diaz says Jake Paul fight is ‘an option’ after being told boxing great Andre Ward praises his skills More

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      in Boxing

      Michael Bisping wanted to join the army and become a boxer like Nigel Benn after prison… but became UFC legend instead

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      MICHAEL BISPING was staring at prison ceiling walls when he mapped out a plan to follow in Nigel Benn’s footsteps by joining the army as a boxer. British legend Benn served four years in the forces after signing up aged 18 to avoid a life of crime.
      Nigel Benn served four years in the forcesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Michael Bisping with his UFC titleCredit: Getty
      He then turned professional after a successful amateur career in the army and became of of the nation’s most celebrated fighters.
      So when Bisping found himself in a maximum security prison in his early 20s for a bar fight, he looked to Benn for inspiration.
      He told SunSport: “I started thinking, ‘What am I going to do?’
      “I kept coming back to fighting, I tired to join the army to become a professional boxer, to go down the same path as Nigel Benn.
      “But that never happened. Then, slowly and surely I came up with this crazy plan to be a mixed martial artist.”
      Bisping, who competed in kickboxing and jujitsu, was no criminal growing up in Clitheroe, Lancashire, but admitted to getting into one too many scraps on the street.

      One such brawl saw him jailed for a month, all while his wife Rebecca was seven months pregnant.
      It was at that moment, Bisping ‘hit rock bottom’ and realised his life had to change there and then.
      Speaking while on his evening with tour in the UK, he said: “I left school at 16 and I thought I had it all figured out.
      “And then you soon come to find out there’s not much call for uneducated, unqualified 16-year-olds.
      “I soon figured out life wasn’t going anywhere, money was tight, I was broke all the time and I was sick of that.
      “Of course, I was young and I was an idiot, going out and getting into fights and things like that and I’m not proud of that phase in my life.
      Michael Bisping competed in kickboxing and jujitsu growing up
      The future UFC legend, left, aged 21 with his brother Konrad
      “I ended up going to prison, and that was when I hit rock bottom. I was sat in prison and looked around and I was surrounded by the dregs of society.
      “I said to myself, ‘Wow, is this it? Is this what my life has come to? I need to make a change’.”
      Bisping made his MMA debut in 2004 in Newcastle, at a time when the UFC were considering selling with the sport failing to hit the mainstream.
      That was Stateside, meaning the landscape was even worse in Britain.
      Bisping, now 42, remembers: “Those days were the Wild West, it’s certainly come on a long way now.
      “The scene looked a lot different then, now it’s a lot more professional.
      “Sometimes you’d show up at shows in the early days and there would be no doctors, or no ambulance crew or anything like that.
      Michael Bisping made his MMA debut in 2004
      He admits the early days of MMA in the UK were ‘Wild West’
      “The health and safety rules were not exactly adhered too, shall we say. Opponents getting switched out on the day.
      “I’ll be honest, that was part of the appeal, as well, it was fun, it was gritty, it was raw.
      “And we all felt like we were a part of something that was going to explode and be big.”
      Bisping was right, and the sport did explode, thanks in large to the debut of the UFC’s reality TV series The Ultimate Fighter, which first aired in 2005.
      A year later, Bisping was invited to compete in third season and eventually won it, booking his way into the UFC, where he stayed until retirement.
      The middleweight then capped off a rollercoster career in 2016, knocking out rival Luke Rockhold to finally win the UFC title.
      Luke Rockhold was knocked out by Michael Bisping in their rematchCredit: 2016 Zuffa LLC
      Michael Bisping lifts the UFC belt aloftCredit: Zuffa LLC – Getty
      Bisping, who only fought Rockhold on two weeks notice, then made one homecoming defence against Dan Henderson.
      He lost the title to UFC legend Georges St-Pierre in 2017 and retired after his next fight, a loss to Kelvin Gastelum.
      Bisping remains the only British UFC champion and a huge player in catipulting the sport to new heights in the UK.
      It is a far cry from his early underground days, which helped pave the way for the most iconic UFC career in British history.
      Bisping said: “Now, to see where it’s gone since I was involved in the early days, it’s amazing to see and to think I was a little part of that, to help it grow, I am proud of that.
      “I didn’t even know the sport existed, but I was 100 per cent in, there was no back up plan. I stayed the course and it all panned out.” 

      Catch An Evening with Michael Bisping: Tales from the Octagon this October in the UK, tickets from myticket.co.Uk

      Michael Bisping is the greatest British UFC fighter in historyCredit: 2016 Zuffa LLC More

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      in Boxing

      Jake Paul convinced Tyron Woodley has found loophole to change ‘I love Jake Paul tattoo’ on finger

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      JAKE PAUL believes rival Tyron Woodley has found a loophole in his tattoo as the UFC legend demands a rematch.The former welterweight champion, 39, was outpointed against the YouTuber in their boxing bout in August.
      Jake Paul outpointed Tyron Woodley in their boxing bout in Ohio in AugustCredit: Getty
      Woodley took to social media at the end of last month after getting his ‘I love Jake Paul’ tattooCredit: Instagram / @twooodley
      Following the dust-up in Ohio, Paul declared that he would fight the MMA icon again as long as Woodley had ‘I love Jake Paul’ inked on his body.
      The pair had made a bet prior Paul’s split decision victory in their contest that the loser would get a tattoo of the victor’s name.
      And Woodley finally got the tattoo at the end of September, where he instantly called for a rematch after getting it done on the inside of his middle finger.
      But Paul, 24, has stated that Woodley may cover up the tattoo, and has explained his theory of why he got inked.
      He told talkSPORT: “Let’s see what happens. He was like three or four weeks late on the tattoo, he let the hype die down.
      “I think he had a call with his accountants and he saw how much taxes he had to pay and he was like ‘oh, man, I need to get this tattoo right now.’

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      “The weird thing about it, and I’m saying this on record right now, is the tattoo is on his middle finger and it’s done in a way where he can change it to say ‘f*** Jake Paul’.
      “He did it so the I looks like an F or could be changed to that, so I think personally he’s going to change it to say ‘f*** Jake Paul’ on his middle finger.
      “It goes perfectly with that, so I’m calling it out right now.
      “He’s trying to find loopholes and be slick but he’s not as smart as he thinks he is.”
      Paul has also been heavily linked with a fight against Tommy Fury, with the unbeaten Brit rejecting a $1million offer from the American.
      And Fury’s brother Tyson has urged the pair to ‘get some balls’ and agree to a bout.
      Asked for his thoughts on the potential fight between the feuding youngsters, Fury told Behind The Gloves: “Hopefully it happens.

      “I hope they can both get some balls and sign the f***ing contract.
      “Make this fight happen and give the world the fight they want to see.
      “I want to see it. Everybody wants to see this fight.” More