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      Francis Ngannou closes in on first fight since brutal Anthony Joshua KO with star to make MMA return after two years out

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU is set to return to MMA for the first time in two years following his brutal boxing loss to Anthony Joshua. Ngannou walked out on the UFC last year to pursue a lucrative switch to boxing but he did so after signing with the Professional Fighters League. Francis Ngannou is set for an MMA returnCredit: GettyThe PFL gave the green light for the move to boxing and the ex-UFC champion faced Tyson Fury, 35, in October. He sensationally dropped the unbeaten heavyweight boxer only to lose a controversial split-decision. Ngannou then faced Fury’s British rival Joshua, 34, in March but it ended in a sickening second-round knockout loss. And the second successive boxing defeat looks to have sent the Cameroonian hero back to MMA for his next bout. READ MORE IN MMAPFL boss Donn Davis said: “We talked to Francis and he said before the fight in Saudi Arabia that he planned to come in MMA this year. “It just depended on the outcome of that fight, he said if he lost that it’s be sooner and if he won it’d be later, so it’ll be sooner. “He says he is recharging, he went home to Cameroon after the fight.”Brazilian Renan Ferreira, 34, knocked out ex-UFC star Ryan Bader, 40, in 20 seconds in February to earn a fight with the returning Ngannou. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSSunSport understands another PFL pay-per-view is heading back to Saudi with Ngannou to top it. Davis added: “We think it’ll be autumn, it could be as early as September or as later as October. I think it’ll be one of those two but he’ll be ready. “It’s be a little over two years since we’ve seen in MMA and we are excited to see him in the SmartCage against Renan Ferreira.”Fans ask ‘did he hire Wilder as a spin doctor?’ after Francis Ngannou’s bizarre excuse for Anthony Joshua defeat More

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      Jake Paul’s anticipated MMA debut faces delay amid huge Mike Tyson boxing fight

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      JAKE PAUL’S switch from boxing to MMA faces delay amid his next boxing match against Mike Tyson. The YouTuber-turned boxer faces heavyweight icon Tyson on July 20 in a controversial clash scrutinised over the 30-year age gap. Jake Paul and Mike Tyson facing offCredit: @jakepaulIt will be Paul’s third bout in just seven months as he looks to improve on his 9-1 record. His only defeat came in February 2023 via split-decision against celebrity rival Tommy Fury, 24, in Saudi Arabia. A month beforehand, Paul announced a deal with the Professional Fighters League to make his MMA debut. His first bout in the cage was eyed for 2024 but the American has been forced to shelve his training to focus on boxing great Tyson. READ MORE IN BOXINGPFL boss Donn Davis said: “The good news is, if people didn’t think Jake was serious about combat, he’s proven to be serious. “He’s gotten better. He’s doubled down on boxing at the minute, there’s no question about it. “There was a time when he might have done 50/50 and right now it looks like he might be 90/10 in boxing and MMA. “So his development in MMA is not coming along as quickly as we thought. Will he fight for the PFL? One hundred per cent.Most read in BoxingCredit: The SunCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”Will he move to MMA? One hundred per cent. Is the timing delayed? It is.” Paul, 27, has fitted a fully-scaled PFL cage in his Puerto Rico training base to prepare for his MMA debut. How Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson can bring boxing back to viewing figures of Muhammad Ali with 260MILLION expected to watchAnd he even offered Fury a stunning two-fight boxing and MMA deal worth over £15million to rematch his rival across two sports. But the former Love Islander is recovering from hand surgery with Tyson, 57, instead returning after four years out the ring to fight Paul. And the social media sensation is currently out in Colorado with the US Olympic boxing team training for his bout against Iron Mike. Jake Paul will make his MMA debut with the PFLCredit: Professional Fighters League More

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      Jake Paul called out by Big Brother star for never-before-seen mixed boxing and MMA fight

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      JAKE PAUL has been called out to a never-before-seen mixed-rules fight by MMA star Antonio Carlos Junior. The YouTuber-turned boxer is signed to the Professional Fighters League and talking up an anticipated cage debut. Jake Paul has been called out to a mixed-rules fight by MMA star Antonio Carlos JuniorCredit: CELSIUS/Alex SubersAntonio Carlos Junior won the PFL title in 2021And former PFL champion Junior is ready to meet Paul halfway by proposing the first ever boxing fight in an MMA cage. He told SunSport: “We can do boxing in MMA gloves, or regular boxing, MMA. I’m a martial artist. So whatever it is, I’m in. “But it will not end good for him, at all.” Junior – who starred on Brazilian Big Brother last year – returns to this year’s PFL season after coming back from an ACL injury. READ MORE IN MMAThe Brazilian scooped the light-heavyweight title and $1million cash prize in 2021. But he had to pull out injured just two bouts into the 2022 campaign, missing last year’s as a result. Meanwhile Paul, 27, faces boxing icon Mike Tyson, 57, on July 20 in a controversial clash scrutinised over the 30-year age gap. And Junior, 34, raged: “He never really fights a guy in their prime. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“Now he’s going to fight Mike Tyson, who is 57. He’s too old. He was the GOAT, the greatest but now he’s old, it’s different. “Jake, he always fights the guys coming to retirement or whatever.Mike Tyson admits to being ‘scared to death’ of Jake Paul fight”I’d like to see him fight some real fighters in their prime. “He says he wants to fight in MMA, we’re both in the PFL, we can both make the same weight, I don’t know what he’s waiting for.”  More

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      Boxing world champion announces MMA debut and eyes rematch with bitter rival in whole new sport

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      SAVANNAH MARSHALL will become the latest boxing star to make the switch to MMA when she makes her debut on June 8. The undisputed super-middleweight world champion has signed with the Professional Fighters League. Savannah Marshall will make her MMA debut on June 8Credit: GettyAnd she will make her MMA debut in the summer on a PFL Europe card in Newcastle having penned a deal last year. Marshall will even headline the event at the Utilita Arena with her opponent yet to be confirmed. She told Sky Sports: “It’s exciting, it’s new, it’s something that I’m really interested in. “Sometimes in training, I feel good and I think yeah I’m getting it now and other times I’m getting tapped like that and I think: ‘I am terrible at this.’ It’s exciting for me because it’s new.READ MORE IN MMA”It’s BJJ, you’ve got kickboxing, you’ve got judo, wrestling so it’s a mix of all these different sports that I’ve never ever tried.”Marshall, 32, last won in July beating Franchon Crews-Dezurn, 36, to win all four 168lb titles.But she will now turn her attention to MMA, where arch rival Claressa Shields, 29, is currently 2-1 and also signed to the PFL. Seven-division women’s champ Amanda Serrano, 35, is another boxer-turned MMA fighter signed with the PFL. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut Marshall – who was beaten by Shields in their bitter grudge bout in 2022 – is eyeing revenge in the cage. PFL CEO Peter Murray said: “Savannah and Claressa Shields competed in one of the most-watched women’s boxing matchups in history when they first fought.”And now with Savannah’s MMA debut, the two are on a collision course for a rematch wearing four ounce gloves and settling the score in the PFL SmartCage.”Claressa Shields could rematch Marshall in the MMA cageCredit: Richard Pelham / The SunMMA star left brutally ‘folded like a chair’ after stunning ‘face plant KO’ in Bellator Belfast fight More

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      Jake Paul slams ‘jealous’ Conor McGregor as he responds to UFC legend’s criticism of Mike Tyson fight

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      JAKE PAUL has hit back at “jealous” Conor McGregor’s criticism of his fight with Mike Tyson. YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul faces heavyweight boxing icon Tyson in a controversial clash on July 20 in Texas. Jake Paul and Mike Tyson facing offCredit: @jakepaulBy the time the fight for the ages comes around, Tyson will be 58 and have a 31-year age gap with 27-year-old Paul. It has led the likes of McGregor to blast the bout but Paul was quick to hit back on his podcast. He said: “So Conor, you’re saying the interest is low for the fight, but the last fight you announced, there was a thousand articles written in a multi-day span, people talking about your last fight. “In that same multiple-day span, there were ten thousand articles written about this. READ MORE IN BOXING”No fight ever has done these numbers in terms of face-off views and Instagram reels.”Just on our main pages alone, it’s like 50 or 60 million Instagram views on both of our posts. “Not to mention every single other sports page posting it. This is, in my mind, the biggest fight the world will ever see. “There’s no reason for them to be jealous; I get people are jealous, but when the old heads like Conor are trying to hate, it’s like, why are you trying to pull people down?”Most read in BoxingCredit: The SunCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSPaul is 9-1 as a boxer, suffering his only defeat last year to Tommy Fury, 24, before bouncing back with three straight wins. Tyson meanwhile retired in 2005 officially but did return in 2020 to draw over eight exhibition rounds with fellow great Roy Jones Jr. Jake Paul fumes ‘we live in a f***ed up world’ over shock claims Mike Tyson fight has an ‘agreed’ ending McGregor, 35, who has not fought since July 2021 but looks set for a summer return, has been probed on Tyson’s comeback of late. And he said: “Oh, jeez. It’s a bit strange. The interest is low. I don’t know. I don’t understand it. I wish well for Mike.”Conor McGregor slammed Jake Paul’s fight with Mike TysonCredit: Splash More

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      Fans ask ‘did he hire Wilder as a spin doctor?’ after Francis Ngannou’s bizarre excuse for Anthony Joshua defeat

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU has drawn unwanted comparisons to serial excuse maker Deontay Wilder following defeat to Anthony Joshua.Ngannou was brutally knocked out by Joshua in two rounds of their Saudi showdown which started at 3am local time. Francis Ngannou was knocked out by Anthony JoshuaCredit: GettyDeontay Wilder was full of excuses after defeat to Tyson FuryCredit: AFPAnd the MMA star claimed he was picked up to go to the arena too early and was tricked into waiting around for hours until the fight. Ngannou, 37, said on The MMA Hour: “Listen, we both fought at 3am. “What I think happened is that they get me to the arena very early. Like my pickup time was 10.30pm to go to the arena.”And then when we get to the arena, they tell us that we are scheduled around 1:45am right?READ MORE IN BOXING”They come to the locker around 1am and Joshua [was just arriving around 1]. I’m like, ‘OK, we are fighting at the same time, how come I have a pickup time?'”We received a schedule, an email, and then for some reason I was there at least one hour before. But for the fight, at least two hours beforehand.”They do this kind of trick to get you tired. I was like cool, I was like, ‘Bro, it’s okay.’ “I didn’t know how important that was, until the fight day that I had to get there two hours before.”Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSNgannou showed shades of Wilder, who infamously gave a string of excuses following his rematch loss to Tyson Fury. They ranged from his ring walk outfit being too heavy, his water being spiked by his own coach and suffering a bicep injury. Paris Fury looks horrified as Francis Ngannou collapses to floor after he’s brutally knocked out by Anthony JoshuaAnd after his most recent loss to Joseph Parker in December, he complained of a 20-hour flight and lack of sparring for the bout. So Ngannou was likened to Wilder when claiming he was taken to the arena too early for his liking.One said: “Did he hire Deontay Wilder as a spin doctor?” Another added: “Francis Ngannou/Deontay Wilder. Excuse machines.” Ngannou – who was still having medical checks a WEEK after the KO – put his MMA career on hold to make a switch to boxing.He faced Fury, 35, on his debut, even scoring a knockdown, before losing a controversial split-decision.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut his compressive defeat to Joshua, 34, leaves his boxing future in doubt amid talk of a return to MMA.Ngannou’s boxing future has been left in doubtCredit: Getty More

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      ‘I wasn’t there anymore’ – Francis Ngannou makes worrying admission after being knocked out by Anthony Joshua

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU made a worrying admission after being brutally knocked out by Anthony Joshua.AJ finished the ex-UFC champion in two rounds following three knockdowns and one final ruthless right hand.Francis Ngannou made a worrying admission after being knocked out by Anthony JoshuaCredit: GettyNgannou, 37, was left needing oxygen following the finishing shot and has now revealed he has no memory of the KO. He said on The MMA Hour: “When the fight started, I was never there. “Even the first minute, I remember when I get hit, the first punch, I was more surprised about the fact that I’m falling down from that punch than the punch itself. “You know, sometimes even in sparring, you take some punch and you’re like, ‘Damn, this guy hit hard,’ but you’re all right.READ MORE IN BOXING”I take a punch, the first punch, I was awake, but I didn’t really feel it. I find myself down, I’m like, ‘Man, what’s going on?’ “I’m being counted, so, okay, let’s take your time to get back up.’ Take my time, get back up, and things were still a little blurry.”I went to the corner, and we started to talk, and they were talking to me, I was listening. “My memory and my vision and everything kept going. I never came back from the stool. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”I don’t remember from when I came back from the stool to go back to the second round.”From there from the stool in between the round, I wasn’t there anymore.”Oleksandr Usyk grimaces as he watches Anthony Joshua’s brutal KO of Francis Ngannou Ngannou – who was still having medical checks a WEEK after the KO – put his MMA career on hold to make a switch to boxing. He faced Tyson Fury, 35, on his debut, even scoring a knockdown, before losing a controversial split-decision. But his compressive defeat to Joshua, 34, leaves his boxing future in doubt amid talk of a return to MMA. Ngannou was knocked out in two rounds by AJCredit: Getty More

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      Anthony Joshua’s KO of Francis Ngannou was so devastating the ex-UFC champ is still having medical tests a week later

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU revealed he was still having medical tests a week after his brutal knockout loss to Anthony Joshua. AJ finished the ex-UFC champion in two rounds following three knockdowns and one final ruthless right hand.Francis Ngannou revealed he was still having medical tests a week after his KO to Anthony JoshuaCredit: ReutersNgannou was left needing oxygen following the finishing shot but spoke out on Instagram Live a week later to give fans an update. He said: “I was conscious right after (the KO), and since then everything’s been good. I’m still going to run some medical work, just in case.”Ngannou, 37, had dropped Tyson Fury on his boxing debut only to lose a controversial split-decision in October. But Joshua, 34, helped restore order in the ring just five months later with his emphatic finish. READ MORE IN BOXINGNgannou – now 0-2 as a boxer – revealed he was “falling asleep” while warming up to fight AJ as the bout did not start till 3am in Saudi Arabia. He said: “Leading up to that fight, it wasn’t my day.”Not to say the result would have been different but it wasn’t my day. At any moment of the day, I felt like I wasn’t good to go.“Even in the locker room, trying warm up, it wasn’t going well. I was falling asleep. I was sweating but I was falling asleep. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”That’s why I took some time out for me, some time to reflect on everything that happened to me.“Heads up to Anthony Joshua, they did everything right. Heads up to my team too, we did everything properly but I didn’t execute the plan because I didn’t feel present.”Oleksandr Usyk grimaces as he watches Anthony Joshua’s brutal KO of Francis Ngannou Ngannou walked out on the UFC and put his MMA career on hold to make the lucrative switch to boxing – which ultimately banked him around £20million. He instead signed for the Professional Fighters League but insisted his business in boxing is not yet over. Ngannou said: “I am not done yet. The only thing missing here was time.”I will take some time for myself to chill, then come back to training to get ready for another challenge.”Joshua knocked Ngannou out in round twoCredit: Getty More