MMA

ANTHONY JOSHUA showed off his MMA-style flying knee while training with ex-UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt. The unified heavyweight champion is currently holidaying in Spain before returning to his training camp back home for his defence agains Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua showed off his flying knee while enjoying some MMA training
Anthony Joshua training with ex-UFC middleweight Luke Barnatt
But despite the getaway, AJ is still staying active by visiting Barnatt’s gym Marbella.
He uploaded a video hitting the pads with one of his coaches, Angel Fernandez, as they prepare to fight Usyk in September.
However, Joshua, 31, then switched it up by trying his hand at MMA, getting a striking masterclass from Barnatt, who last fought in December 2020.
AJ drilled kicks, one-two’s and most impressively flying knees, one of which Barnatt pretended knocked him out.
Joshua is not the only heavyweight boxer to have had MMA training, with Tyson Fury linking up with UFC middleweight Darren Till in 2019.
Fury once claimed he would entertain a switch to the UFC but only after retiring from boxing.
But more recently, he changed his mind and revealed he would only be up for fighting in smaller gloves, without any grappling involved.
Fury told talkSPORT: “No, I’ve got no real interest in grappling up and down on the floor and all that sort of stuff.
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“I’m a stand-up fighting man, I don’t wrestle up and down and grab each other’s arms and sit on each other and all that.
“I’ve no interest in all that stuff – I like to stand up and fight so would I ever compete as an MMA fighter? Hell no!
“Would I compete with small gloves on in a cage in a fight? Yes. But no gripping and grappling.
“The noble art of standing up and what men have been doing for centuries. I don’t see any noble science in wrestling up and down the floor.”
UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, 34, has called out both Joshua and Fury before, having eyed a boxing career before his MMA debut.
He was even linked with a two-fight deal against ex-kickboxer Dillian Whyte who won his only MMA fight, in 2018.
Tyson Fury MMA training with UFC middleweight Darren Till More

FLOYD MAYWEATHER has poked fun at Conor McGregor after the Irishman suffered a horror leg break in his defeat to Dustin Poirier on Saturday night.The American reignited his old feud with Notorious by uploading a photo-shopped picture of the UFC legend and told him to do the ‘stanky leg’.
Floyd Mayweather poked fun at Conor Mc Gregor with this photo-shopped picture
The Irishman broke his leg against Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty
McGregor, 32, broke his left leg seconds before the end of the first round of his trilogy fight with Poirier, which was ruled a TKO loss.
Notorious started the fight well, landing a number of heavy kicks before jumping for a guillotine and being punished with ground and pound.
He left the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on a stretcher and underwent surgery on Sunday.
But Mayweather – who beat McGregor in a boxing bout in 2017 – had no concern for his old foe.
Money Mayweather uploaded a photo of McGregor sat in an armchair with his left ankle photo-shopped so it was at a 90 degree angle.
The American captioned the post: “Y’all got it twisted! I like how his shoes fit. Now, do the stanky leg.”
It received more than 1.3million likes.
Despite the undoubtedly painful injury, McGregor did not let his leg break stop him from promoting his next fight and that really impressed former WWE star Ronda Rousey.

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The American reignited his rivalry with the Notorious after the UFC star’s ankle breakCredit: Getty

She tweeted: “I’m amazed that as soon as you hit the ground you were already promoting the next fight @TheNotoriousMMA.
“I def wouldn’t have had the mind to do that. The other fighters, @ufc and media are lucky to have you.”
And McGregor replied: “Thank you for the message Ronda! I appreciate it greatly.”
Notorious gave his fans an injury update late on Sunday night.
He tweeted: “Just out of the surgery room guys. Surgery went excellent. Feeling tremendous!
“Six weeks on crutch and we build back. Let’s go! God bless.”
McGregor also posted a video on Twitter thanking fans for their support, but couldn’t resist a dig at rival Poirier.
He said: “I want to thank all the fans around the world for your messages of support. I hope you enjoyed the show.
“I want to thank all the fans in attendance at the arena, the place was absolutely electric.
“It was a hell of a first round, it would’ve been nice to get into the second round then see what’s what.
“But that’s the nature of the business, a clean break on the tibia and it wasn’t meant to be.”
‘ILLEGITIMATE WIN’
McGregor added: “Dustin, you can celebrate that illegitimate win all you want but you’ve done nothing in there.
“That second round would’ve shown all. Onwards and upwards we go. We dust ourselves off, we build ourselves back, and we come back better than ever.”
McGregor hinted he will NOT retire straight after the shock loss, with a fourth bout all-but confirmed.
It is not known how long the former UFC world champion will be out for, but it could go into next year. 
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Conor McGregor threatens to get Dustin Poirier in his ‘sleep’ as he lies on cage with broken leg More

CONOR McGREGOR wanted to do charity wheelchair boxing match after his horror leg injury, his head coach revealed. The Irishman suffered a broken tibia against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 and was unable to fight on as the doctor waved it off before round two.
Conor McGregor wanted to do charity wheelchair boxing match after his leg injuryCredit: Reuters
Conor McGregor after his horror injury against Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty
McGregor has undergone surgery and will be on crutches for six weeks on his road to recovery.
Despite the setback, the former two-weight UFC champion was already joking about making his return in a charity boxing bout – in a wheelchair.
He was lined up to face impressionist Al Foran, who gained fame for mimicking the likes of McGregor.
In the main-event, former Olympic champion Paddy Barnes, who retired in 2019, will fight in a wheelchair boxing match.
And following McGregor’s injury, he wanted to follow suit with a wheelchair bout of his own.
His coach John Kavanagh told the UFC’s Laura Sanko: “Conor had volunteered to be the co-main event where he was gonna box, there’s a guy called Al Foran who is an impressionist.
“You might have seen him do some of Conor’s impressions. So Conor’s gonna fight Conor in the co-main event.”
“So Conor was going to fight Conor in the co-main event, which I thought was quite funny, he was accepting his first ever co-main slot.

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“He’s been main-event for a couple years now. But anyway in the heat of all this he just turned and went, ‘You know, I’m gonna do the wheelchair boxing fight now’.
“Because, he’s off his feet for a while. He made a joke about that.”
McGregor, who beat Poirier in 2014 but lost the rematch in January, called for a fourth bout with his rival after the unprecedented finish to their trilogy.
It put any talks of retirement to bed, with Kavanagh insisting the Irish superstar is only now entering the peak of his powers ahead of his 33rd birthday this week.
He said: “He truly loves this and it’s hard to imagine him not wanting to come back, not wanting to do this again.
“Because we really just got this fantastic rhythm.
“He’s turning 33, which to me is a peaking time where strength meets conditioning and mental and physical and spiritual maturity, everything’s coming together.
“I think we have a couple of years of this ahead of us.”
What Conor McGregor told medics as doctor rushed in after suffering HORROR ankle injury against Poirier at UFC 264 More

CONOR McGREGOR mocked Floyd Mayweather for winning only $35,000 after his loss at UFC 264. Mayweather, who beat the Irishman in 2017, revealed he bet $50,000 on McGregor to lose in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.
Floyd Mayweather won $35,000 after Conor McGregor lost at UFC 264Credit: Instagram / @floydmayweather
Conor McGregor stretchered out after his horror leg injury against Dustin PoirierCredit: AP

And after the former two-weight champion suffered a horror broken tibia, the bone extending from knee to ankle, he was beaten by doctor’s stoppage.
It meant Mayweather collected $85,000 in return, making a $35,000 (£25,000) profit at the expense of his ex-opponent.
But McGregor – Forbes highest-paid sportsman of the last 12 months – reacted by tweeting ’35k’ with two laughing emojis.
Mayweather, who topped Forbes’ rich list of the decade in 2019 with a £706m fortune, retired after stopping the UFC legend in ten rounds.
McGregor recently offered the American a rematch while criticising his exhibition bout with YouTuber Logan Paul, 26, which ended without a winner after it went the distance.
But he is now focusing on recovery after a successful surgery with a fourth fight with Poirier eyed.
Addressing his fans, McGregor said: “It was a hell of a first round, it would’ve been nice to get into the second round then see what’s what.
“But that’s the nature of the business, a clean break on the tibia and it wasn’t meant to be.

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“Dustin, you can celebrate that illegitimate win all you want but you’ve done nothing in there.
“That second round would’ve shown all. Onwards and upwards we go.
“We dust ourselves off, we build ourselves back, and we come back better than ever.”
What Conor McGregor told medics as doctor rushed in after suffering HORROR ankle injury against Poirier at UFC 264 More

CANELO ALVAREZ’S coach offered to help train Conor McGregor following the UFC star’s ‘surprising’ display against Floyd Mayweather. McGregor lost his ring debut in 2017 against Mayweather in ten rounds, but raised eyebrows after a fast start.
Canelo Alvarez pictured with trainer Eddy ReynosoCredit: Instagram @caneloteam
Floyd Mayweather beat Conor McGregor in 2017Credit: AFP or licensors
He is yet to make a return to boxing after talks to face Manny Pacquiao collapsed following his loss to Dustin Poirier in January.
McGregor suffered a first-round TKO loss in his third bout with the Diamond at the weekend after breaking his left leg.
Doubts have since emerged over the Irishman’s future in UFC and he has already got an enticing offer to return to boxing.
Speaking back in March, Mexican trainer Eddy Reynoso offered McGregor a masterclass in the sweet science.

Honestly, when he fought Mayweather he surprised me. He has a good counter. He has good footwork, waist movement, and agility.Eddy Reynoso
He told Little Giant Boxing, translated from Spanish: “Here we can support him. We can help to better his boxing and defence.
“Honestly, when he fought Mayweather he surprised me. He has a good counter. He has good footwork, waist movement and agility.
“Therefore, I think he would do good in boxing. Give it your best, keep working hard, don’t quit.”
McGregor, 32, has been linked with a rematch against Mayweather, 44, ever since their blockbuster in Las Vegas.

Even boxing pound-for-pound king and four-division champion Canelo, 30, opened the door last April to fighting McGregor.
But Alvarez – also subject to a callout from UFC favourite Jorge Masvidal – could instead end up helping The Notorious brush up on his skills.
Reynoso said: “There’s bad nights sometimes. Conor has a lot to give, I don’t know what happened, but his career is untouchable.
“He’s a tremendous athlete that’s going to be in the history books.
Andy Ruiz Jr, Canelo Alvarez, Eddy Reynoso, Frank Sanchez, Ryan Garcia and Oscar Valdez
“Anytime, this is your home Conor whenever you wanna come practice and learn. We welcome you with open arms.”
Reynoso has a star-studded stable in his adopted home of San Diego, with Ryan Garica, 22, Andy Ruiz Jr, 31 and Oscar Valdez, 30, alongside Canelo.
McGregor in 2019 returned to his first ever boxing coaches at the Crumlin amateur club.
Conor McGregor buys Proper No12 whiskey from off licence and laugh off ‘heavy’ £35 price for his own drink More

JAKE PAUL offered Dustin Poirier his $100,000 ‘sleepy’ Conor McGregor chain and said: ‘I think you deserve it’. After McGregor was knocked out in January by Poirier – the man he initially beat in 2014 – Paul got a custom made necklace of the beaten Irishman.
Conor McGregor was beaten by Dustin Poirier at UFC 264Credit: Reuters
Conor McGregor after his loss to Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty

The YouTuber attended their trilogy fight at UFC 264 in Las Vegas, which ended in chaos.
McGregor suffered a suspected broken ankle just before the end of the round and was unable to fight on.
Following the doctor’s stoppage, Poirier was declared the winner, giving him two consecutive wins over his rival.
And Paul was quick to congratulate the American, while rubbing salt into the wounds of McGregor.
He tweeted: “aye @DustinPoirier want me to ship this to you? $100k gift from me I think you deserve it.”
Paul, who is 3-0 as a boxer all by knockout, has continuously chased a mega-money boxing match against McGregor.
But the former two-weight UFC champion, who called the social media star and his brother Logan ‘dingbats’, promised to commit his immediate future to MMA.
And Paul now has a longer wait to face McGregor, who wants a FOURTH fight with Poirier.

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He said: “I was boxing the bleeding head off him, kicking the bleeding leg off him.
“Usual s***e, dive to close the distance. This is not over. I have to take this outside with him, it’s all outside.”
Poirier also confirmed his interest in another rematch, and would even be willing to do it on the street.
He said: “We are going to fight again whether it’s in the octagon or on the sidewalk.”
What Conor McGregor told medics as doctor rushed in after suffering HORROR ankle injury against Poirier at UFC 264 More

LOGAN PAUL said ‘RIP Conor McGregor’s career’ and claimed the UFC legend’s star power has now plummeted ‘into the ground’. It comes after the Irishman was beaten by Dustin Poirier for a second time.
Conor McGregor was beaten for a second time by Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty
Conor McGregor after defeat to Dustin PoirierCredit: Reuters
damn. crazy to see a star with such a meteoric rise literally plummet into the ground just a few years later. It’s sad tbh. RIP Conor McGregor’s career— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) July 11, 2021

McGregor – who has now only won once in five years – suffered a broken ankle before the end of round one and was left unable to fight on.
With the 32-year-old pair tied at one apiece, they looked to try and settle their trilogy at UFC 264.
But both fighters were left calling for a FOURTH fight as the bad blood spilled out afterwards.
YouTuber Jake Paul, 24, was among those to mock McGregor, who predicted Poirier would leave on a stretcher, only to go out on one himself.
Paul’s brother Logan, 26, followed it up by insisting this is the end of the road for The Notorious.
He tweeted: “damn. crazy to see a star with such a meteoric rise literally plummet into the ground just a few years later.
“It’s sad tbh. RIP Conor McGregor’s career.”
McGregor was later taken to hospital where he will undergo surgery, UFC president Dana White confirmed.

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White said: “All that stuff, you can’t do the hypotheticals in this sport.
“It’s all about timing and what’s going on and what has happened since then.
“We’ve got to see how this whole thing plays out. Conor goes into surgery tomorrow.
“I don’t know how long he’s going to be out, how much rehab and therapy he’s going to need. You know.”
McGregor was adamant on keeping the chapter open, meaning a FOURTH fight between himself and Poirier cannot be ruled out if he makes a recovery.
He said: “I was boxing the bleeding head off him, kicking the bleeding leg off him.
“Usual s***e, dive to close the distance. This is not over. I have to take this outside with him, it’s all outside.”
Poirier also confirmed his interest in another rematch, and would even be willing to do it on the street.
He said: “We are going to fight again whether it’s in the octagon or on the sidewalk.”
What Conor McGregor told medics as doctor rushed in after suffering HORROR ankle injury against Poirier at UFC 264 More

FLOYD MAYWEATHER posted his winning $35,000 bet slip after backing Dustin Poirier to beat Conor McGregor at UFC 264. Mayweather, who beat McGregor in 2017, lumped $50,000 on the Irishman to lose in Las Vegas.
Floyd Mayweather won $35,000 after backing Dustin Poirier to beat Conor McGregorCredit: Rex
Conor McGregor broke his ankle against Dustin PoirierCredit: Getty
And he ended up taking home $85,000 in total as The Notorious broke his ankle just before the end of round one.
It left him unable to fight on as the doctor waved off the contest, with Poirier declared the winner.
Posting his wager, Mayweather captioned: “@dustinpoirier , thanks for getting me paid!”
Poirier replied: “I got you champ!”

McGregor was later taken to hospital where he will undergo surgery, UFC president Dana White confirmed.
White said: “All that stuff, you can’t do the hypotheticals in this sport.
“It’s all about timing and what’s going on and what has happened since then.
“We’ve got to see how this whole thing plays out. Conor goes into surgery tomorrow.

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“I don’t know how long he’s going to be out, how much rehab and therapy he’s going to need. You know.”
McGregor was adamant on keeping the chapter open, meaning a FOURTH fight between himself and Poirier cannot be ruled out if he makes a recovery.
He said: “I was boxing the bleeding head off him, kicking the bleeding leg off him.
“Usual s***e, dive to close the distance. This is not over. I have to take this outside with him, it’s all outside.”
Poirier also confirmed his interest in another rematch, and would even be willing to do it on the street.
He said: “We are going to fight again whether it’s in the octagon or on the sidewalk.”
What Conor McGregor told medics as doctor rushed in after suffering HORROR ankle injury against Poirier at UFC 264 More