MMA

CARL FROCH claimed Anthony Joshua’s knockout of Francis Ngannou was evidence Tyson Fury is “on the decline”.Ngannou was brutally knocked out by AJ in two rounds following three knockdowns and one final ruthless right hand.Francis Ngannou knocked down Tyson FuryCredit: GettyJoshua knocked out Ngannou in two roundsCredit: ReutersBut just five months earlier on his boxing debut he floored Fury – only to lose a controversial split-decision.The differing performances and results leaves ex-world super-middleweight champion Froch convinced Fury’ time at the top is up.He said: “Fury must have just been having a really bad night – or, like I think, Fury’s past his best. He’s seen better days.“I study the sport and I study the fights, and Tyson Fury used to throw 30-plus feints a round. READ MORE IN BOXING”Feint, feint. Draw his opponent in, feint. Double jab, right hand. He’s not doing the feints anymore. He’s doing four or five feints. “He’s slow on his feet. He’s been knocked down five times [in recent years]. “When you’re hitting the floor and getting hit on the chin and not throwing feints and not as busy as you used to be, that means you’re past your best and you’re on the decline and you’re on the slide.” Fury, 35, returns on May 18 in an undisputed title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk, 37, in Saudi Arabia.Most read in BoxingCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVAL The first ever four-belt heavyweight unification was postponed after the Gypsy King suffered a horror cut in sparring two weeks out from the boutAnd now Froch – speaking at the Boxing Writers Club – questions if the WBC champion will ever make it to the historic title bout. Tyson Fury and Paris spend £140 bargain hunting in Asda and says ‘Boris Johnson would be proud’ of his savingsHe added: “I don’t think the Usyk fight happens. “If it does, [Fury] must love the pound note, because he’s got enough money. He don’t need to fight. “If he fights Usyk, he’ll get beat – unless I’m totally wrong and Fury’s just not taking the sport seriously.“When I watched that Netflix series – he’s up and down mentally. If he takes it seriously and he fancies it and he’s happy and on a high, he trains properly. “You might see the last, best Tyson Fury. He might get in there with Usyk and be too big for him and too quick, and beat him and dominate him, and then I hope he retires.“But, one, I don’t think the fight will happen. Two, if it happens, I think – unless he rekindles the old flame – he’s going to get easily beat. I don’t think it’ll be a knockout or anything like that. READ MORE SUN STORIES”I just think it’ll be a points job, or maybe a late stoppage, because Usyk is a lot smaller than him, and a bit lighter. “But he’s growing into the weight now. But he’s an old man himself. He’s past his best.”Froch with The Sun’s Colin Hart at the Boxing Writers ClubCredit: Rex More

FRANCIS NGANNOU has chimed in as an expert on the debate of who will win between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury. Ngannou was brutally knocked out by AJ in two rounds following three knockdowns and one final ruthless right hand. Tyson Fury controversially beat Francis Ngannou on pointsCredit: GettyJoshua knocked out Ngannou in two roundsCredit: GettyBut just five months earlier on his boxing debut he floored Fury only to lose a controversial split-decision.So the nature of the two performances and results leaves the MMA superstar siding with Joshua, 34, in the Battle of Britain.Ngannou, 37, told iFL TV: “I don’t know, I would give it to AJ for right now.” Fury, 35, returns on May 18 in an undisputed title showdown against Oleksandr Usyk, 37, in Saudi Arabia. READ MORE IN BOXINGThe first ever four-belt heavyweight unification was postponed after the Gypsy King suffered a horror cut in sparring two weeks out from the bout. And the two unbeaten champions are signed to a two-fight deal, meaning AJ faces a year wait to fight Fury. Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn pleaded with Fury to do the double over Usyk so they can get the super-fight settled. Hearn said: “You are looking at the baddest man on the planet. The No 1 heavyweight in the world.Most read in BoxingCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVAL “There’s a brilliant fighter down there in Tyson Fury. Please beat Oleksandr Usyk, because you will get the biggest fight of all time.”Fury hit back on BBC: “Congratulations to Joshua, but listen we all know styles make fights and Eddie Hearn’s shouting he’s the best heavyweight in the world, we know he’s not.Tyson Fury hits back at Eddie Hearn’s claims Anthony Joshua is best heavyweight in world and vows to make fight happen”He’s already been beaten by Usyk twice and I’ve got to deal with that problem for him. “So after I’ve done that – twice – and if he’s still available, we’ll get it on. Get it on like Donkey Kong!” More

THE STAGE is set for Anthony Joshua’s blockbuster bout with Francis Ngannou – after the arena went through a dramatic transformation. Joshua faces Ngannou at the Kingdom Arena, where Neymar’s Al Hilal play their football. The Al Hilal stadium turning into the boxing venueOrganisers got to work for the makeoverThe stage is set for the fightThe pitch turned into a ring as organisers got to work for a sensational shakeup. Saudi’s boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh released amazing footage of the makeover with the final results a thing of beauty.The footage shows the turf being covered up and thousands of seats being placed where the pitch would normally be.A ring is then installed in the middle and a stage set – presumably for the ring walks.READ MORE IN BOXINGJoshua returns to Saudi for his third bout in the desert while Ngannou takes to the boxing ring for only the second time. The MMA superstar floored Tyson Fury on his debut last year only to lose a controversial split-decision.But he is back under Queensberry rules and weighed in a whopping 19st 6lb compared to Joshua at 18 stone. Ngannou, 37, said: “I’ve learnt a little bit from the last fight, the last camp, and leading up to this one.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”So, I get a little bit of experience, but the mindset is still the same.”This is just my second boxing match, even though I’m taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing, it’s still my second boxing match.”I’m going out there to prove you can be an underdog and take it.”Joshua, 34, meanwhile quipped: “I’ll deliver. I’m the postman.” Francis Ngannou’s anticipated MMA return date REVEALED ahead of massive Anthony Joshua boxing fight More

TYSON FURY claimed he did not start a brawl with Francis Ngannou as he feared KOing another Saudi Arabia super-fight. Fury was forced to pull out of his February 17 undisputed title decider with Oleksandr Usyk after suffering a cut in sparring. Tyson Fury opened up on his row with Francis NgannouCredit: BoxNationIt was only in October that he was floored by Ngannou and deemed fortunate to walk away with a split-decision victory.So there is no love lost between the rivals when they reunited ahead of Ngannou’s fight with Anthony Joshua. The MMA superstar and Fury even got into a verbal altercation at Saudi boxing broker Turki Alalshikh’s house. And the Gypsy King insisted only the threat of cancelling another blockbuster bout stopped him from throwing hands at Ngannou. READ MORE IN BOXINGFury told BoxNation: “Let me tell you something straight from the heart, if I never had as much respect as I do for Turki Alalshikh, I would have got up and punched his c*** right in for him. “But I didn’t want to cancel another show for Turki. I’ve already cancelled one with a cut eye. “If I had got up and set about him at the press conference, there would have been another show cancelled.” Fury, 35, escaped Riyadh last year with his reputation and unbeaten record just about intact after Ngannou, 37, took him the distance. Most read in BoxingANTHONY JOSHUA VS FRANCIS NGANNOU: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE CROSSOVER BOUTAnd he offered a bizarre analogy when explaining why he cannot truly rate Ngannou’s boxing skills.Fury said: “I can’t tell you how good or bad Ngannou is because he never fought Tyson Fury on the night and I can’t honestly tell you how good or bad he is. Tyson Fury leaks ‘ungrateful f—er’ Francis Ngannou’s fight purse that was SIX times his whole UFC career earnings-“The one thing I can tell you is that he’s a tough old boy because he took some thunderous punches about the head. “But apart from that, the one thing I can tell you though is that he doesn’t have much boxing ability because he can’t follow up on a punch. “Hence when he hit me with a shot to the side of the head and dropped me he couldn’t land another worthwhile punch.” More