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      Francis Ngannou can BEAT Tyson Fury in a boxing fight, says the UFC champion’s coach Dewey Cooper

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      TYSON FURY could LOSE to Francis Ngannou if the pair meet in the boxing ring, the MMA champion’s coach has claimed.A feud has developed between the heavyweight kings after Ngannou, 34, discussed the possibility of a fight.
      Tyson Fury has vowed to make ‘easy work’ of UFC champ Francis NgannouCredit: AP
      Frenchman Ngannou has opened the door to a fightCredit: Getty
      While Fury, 32, would be the huge favourite in the home territory of a boxing contest, Dewey Cooper said it would not be a foregone conclusion.
      The coach told RT Sport: “Tyson Fury right now is the best boxer in the world.
      “Tyson is difficult for any heavyweight because of the attributes, the speed, the boxing ability, the good defence, the confidence and swagger. Tyson’s a real one and Tyson is a tough fight for anybody in boxing.
      “But Francis definitely can fight any heavyweight with time and amending the training a little bit. He can definitely do it because Francis does have power.
      “However with a boxing glove the power would decrease a little bit compared to what it is with the MMA gloves.
      “Because an MMA glove is only 4oz while a boxing glove is 10oz so that makes a difference. A lot of little intangible things.
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      “Of course he can box and of course he could eventually beat someone like a Tyson Fury, for sure.”
      Cooper, 46, won 19 of his 25 pro boxing fights during a career that also featured kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA contests.
      The American has since worked with Ngannou and a number of other fighters, helping the Cameroonian claim the UFC heavyweight belt last month.
      A showdown with legendary brawler Jon Jones is on the cards but the newly-crowned champ recently told Mike Tyson of his ‘main dream’ of moving to boxing.

      After namechecking WBC belt-holder Fury, the Gypsy King vowed to make ‘easy work’ of Ngannou.
      The slanging match escalated as Ngannou aimed a dart at Fury’s cut eyebrow in his 2019 victory over Otto Wallin.
      He declared: “If this guy did this to you, what do you think I would do?”
      But the Brit fired back: “You would do absolutely nothing, I’d smoke you in the first round.”
      Topless Tyson Fury shows off lean body by hotel pool as he trains and ‘lives like rockstar’ ahead of Anthony Joshua bout More

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      Oscar De La Hoya, 48, in ‘serious talks’ to box MMA star Eddie Alvarez, 37, in sensational ring return

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      RETIRED boxer Oscar De La Hoya could make a stunning ring return to take on MMA star Eddie Alvarez.The former UFC lightweight champion says talks to fight the 48-year-old boxing legend are serious and they want to get a deal done ‘this week.’
      Oscar De La Hoya announced he is coming out of retirementCredit: Getty
      Eddie Alvarez has confirmed he is thinking about a scrap with the legendary boxerCredit: ESPN MMA
      Oscar De La Hoya,  a six-weight world champion, announced he will make a comeback on July 3 although an opponent has yet to be named.
      And it appears as though his people are busy in their attempts to find an opponent to go toe-to-toe with him.
      Alvarez, who recently suffered a controversial disqualification to Iuri Lapicus on Wednesday, confirmed he is seriously considering accepting the offer.
      He told ESPN: “Recently we’ve been hearing from Oscar De La Hoya’s guys.
      “I’m fixated on the ONE championship belt, I’m laser-focused on getting my world title.
      “I think there’s going to be a lull for a bit, if that happens I’d love to get in there and mix it up with him.
      “That’d be a hell of a fight, I’d do pretty damn good against him. I’d be crazy excited to fight him.
      “They’re serious. They want a get a deal done this week.”
      De La Hoya retired in 2008 following an illustrious career inside the ringCredit: Reuters

      De La Hoya finished his career in 2008 with a record of 39-6 and won 11 world titles during that journey.
      After hanging up his gloves, the American went on to become a successful promoter and has rising star Ryan Garcia under his Golden Boy Promotions banner.
      Boxing comebacks are all the rage right now after Mike Tyson’s against Roy Jones Jr late last year.
      De La Hoya has already called out Gennadiy Golovkin, bizarrely claiming it would be ‘easy’ to beat the Kazakh warrior.
      He has also being linked with fighting Marcos Maidana as well as Canelo Alvarez following their acrimonious split.
      Take a look around Jake Paul’s amazing Tesla Model X car More

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      UFC legend Frank Mir will ‘learn from mistakes’ Conor McGregor made against Floyd Mayweather in Steve Cunningham fight

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      FRANK MIR has vowed to learn from the mistakes Conor McGregor made against Floyd Mayweather when he trades the cage for the ring. Mir faces boxer Steve Cunningham on Saturday, with Jake Paul and Ben Askren headlining the night, exclusively on FITE in the UK.
      UFC legend and former heavyweight champion Frank MirCredit: Getty
      Conor McGregor was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      The last time an ex-UFC champion crossed over to the ring, McGregor lost to all-time great Mayweather in ten rounds.
      Throughout the build-up, the Irishman warned that fans would be in for an unprecedented performance, armed with unpredictability.
      In reality, McGregor boxed very conventionally and with success, winning the early rounds before tiring late on and getting stopped on his feet.
      But Mir, who twice won UFC gold, promised he will ditch traditional boxing tactics to leave even 39-fight veteran Cunningham bemused.
      He told SunSport: “Trying to change into a boxer would be a mistake, how am I going to become a boxer in eight weeks? It’s impossible
      “But we do hands in MMA and we do throw punches but there’s a foundation in boxing and the intricacies and different styles in MMA can throw off a lot of boxers.
      “I’ve seen it where I’ve gone to gyms, my style is awkward for the conventional boxer to fight, it’s just different.
      “You saw at times Conor do that, he took angles and footwork from MMA and got it on Mayweather but he kind of got behind him and showboated.

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      “Those are the mistakes he made and we’re going to learn from. I’ll use the different angles, attacks and strategies that we use in MMA.
      “I’m also going to make sure I hurt him when I’m in those positions, take advantage.”
      Mir, 41, left the UFC in 2017 before signing for rivals Bellator, where he lost his first two fights before returning with a win in 2019.
      He is one of the most experienced campaigners on the roster, but was forced to start from the bottom as he signed to make his boxing debut with Triller.
      Mir was initially set to face American legend Antonio Tarver, 52, before Cunningham, 44, was instead brought in as a replacement.
      The transitioning of sports at his age has caused Mir to knock out any complacency he had while in the prime of his MMA career.
      He admitted: “All humans are great at bulls***ing themselves. Where my bulls*** came from I always knew I was smarter than any guy I fought.
      “So I’d be like I know more about fighting than the guy I’m fighting, so I could be like, ‘Oh, I’ll skip this session’.
      Steve Cunningham and Frank Mir fight on Jake Paul’s undercardCredit: Getty
      Steve Cunningham was brought in as a replacement for Antonio TarverCredit: Getty
      “It was an arrogance, now I’m fighting in a boxing match, now I’m not the smarter one so I have to be in better shape, do the basics, be razor sharp and not make mistakes.”
      Mir has backed Askren’s experience to trump Paul’s youth and finer skills in the night’s main-event, predicting a points win for the Olympic wrestler.
      But he has opened the door to one day fighting 24-year-old YouTuber star Paul, so long as they can figure out a way around the weight disparity.
      Mir said: “I don’t know if they would make that work, because that’s a lot of size difference, but yeah I’d definitely be up for it.
      “Just because it’s a great way to go out on big platforms as martial artists. The more people we can fight in front of, the more of a showcase it is.
      “All athletes and performers like to go out in front of a crowd because it’s like that’s our true payday.
      “Yeah we get paid and there’s a monetary value but really having people value our accomplishments is truly one of the big payments fighters are looking for.
      “So fighting on a big stage with an opponent that can bring that crowd and displaying your skills is the ultimate gift.”
      Frank Mir left the UFC in 2017 and signed for Bellator
      Jake Paul is 2-0 in his boxing careerCredit: Instagram More

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      Watch moment Jake Paul rival Ben Askren was knocked out in just FIVE SECONDS by Jorge Masvidal in unwanted UFC record

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      BEN ASKREN – who fights Jake Paul this weekend – was on the wrong end of the fastest knockout in UFC history against Jorge Masvidal. The welterweight pair fought at UFC 239 in July 2019 after a bitter build-up, but no one could have foreseen the dramatic early stoppage.

      Jorge Masvidal knocked out Ben Askren in just five secondsCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Jorge Masvidal’s flying knee was the fastest KO in UFC historyCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Within just five seconds, Masvidal had run across the cage and planted a flying knee on Askren, before landing two more shots on the deck.
      The unprecedented finish surpassed the previous record for quickest KO held by Duane Ludwig, which was six seconds.
      Askren, 39, went on to have one more fight in the UFC after his unwanted history-making defeat.
      But again, it resulted in a loss to Damian Maia and afterwards the American grappler retired and underwent hip surgery.
      Askren appeared content on the sidelines, coaching wrestling, until he signed to fight YouTuber Paul, who is 2-0 in his boxing career.
      The pair headline this Saturday at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
      Paul, 24, trained with Masvidal, 36, in preparation and predicted he would top the UFC star’s finish.
      Askren has been reminded about the knee in the pre-fight press conference, with Masvidal even getting a FaceTime on stage.
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      Jake Paul FaceTiming Jorge MasvidalCredit: Getty

      The former Olympian admitted he is not bothered about the KO, but slammed his old rival for backing Paul.
      Askren told James Lynch: “I think, either way, it’s bad. I mean, people aren’t digging it whatsoever.
      “He just looks like a dope. He really, really, really does. I don’t know what he’s doing. I don’t get it. I think it’s annoying.
      “I have no issue with the fact that I got beat by a knee, and hey, that’s part of my life. I live it. I’m not embarrassed by it.”

      Jorge Masvidal and Jake Paul training togetherCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul More

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      Ex-UFC star says Jake Paul ‘is not a fighter’ and was ‘afraid’ of him in sparring after YouTuber had nose busted

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      FORMER UFC middleweight Markus Perez insists Jake Paul isn’t a ‘real fighter’, claiming the YouTuber was ‘afraid’ of him during their sparring session.The former Disney actor will lock horns with retired mixed martial artist Ben Askren in a boxing match in the early hours of Sunday morning.
      YouTube star Jake Paul (L) will face ex-UFC welterweight Ben Askren (R) in a boxing matchCredit: Getty
      Former UFC middleweight Markus Perez reckons Ben Askren will knock out Jake PaulCredit: GETTY
      Paul, who is 2-0 as a professional boxer, has been tipped by many to knock out the former UFC welterweight.
      But Perez, who recently sparred with the social media star, reckons the 24-year-old will end up being stopped by Funky.
      He told AG Fight: “To tell you the truth I had no idea who he [Paul] was, but when someone related to him offered me $300 (to train with him), I decided to accept.
      “When I arrived at his house with my friend Alexandre Pantoja, I politely went to greet everyone.
      “But when I went to shake hands, he gave me a closed fist. Then I looked at Pantoja and asked, ‘That was the guy I came to help?’
      “He started the sparring going hard, and I hit him with a jab in the end of the first round and his nose started to bleed.
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      “From that point on we started to fight.
      “I called for him to beat me up and he was afraid, just circling and staying out of my range.
      “Of course, he is able to box and has a good cross, but he is clearly not a fighter – just an adventurous (type).
      “Askren is a real fighter. He will close the distance and beat him up around the body and liver, just like I did.
      “A fight is always a fight, anything can happen, but I believe he will knock Paul out around the second or third round.”

      jake Paul will clash with Ben Askren in the early hours of Sunday morning

      The abrasive Paul has vowed to add 36-year-old Askren to his list of victims, saying: “These MMA guys think because they throw punches they know how to box.
      “The world complained because I knocked out a basketball player and not a real fighter.
      “So now I’m giving the people what they want by taking on a ‘real fighter.’
      “After Ben Askren is added to my knockout meme collection, what can anybody say?
      “This is why I’m confident in my ability to destroy this guy.
      “They have no head movement, they’re slow, they aren’t going to the gym every day and boxing.”
      Jake Paul vs Ben Askren – Watch LIVE, channel info and start time More

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      Tyson Fury opens door to Francis Ngannou fight and vows to ‘roast’ Mike Tyson’s pal after Anthony Joshua showdown

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      TYSON FURY has promised to end Francis Ngannou’s boxing dream and ‘roast’ the MMA champion in an online feud between the pair.The newly-crowned heavyweight king of the octagon namechecked the Gypsy King in a recent discussion with Mike Tyson on switching sports.
      Tyson Fury is confident he would defeat Francis Ngannou in the ringCredit: Instagram
      UFC champion Ngannou recently told Mike Tyson he wants a shot at boxingCredit: Instagram francisngannou
      But Fury, 32, reckons he would make light work of Ngannou and told Tyson that he will deal with him after fighting Anthony Joshua.
      On Tuesday, the WBC belt-holder tweeted: “Mike Tyson, after I smash Anthony Joshua I’ll roast that guy also.
      “Francis Ngannou easy work.”
      The slanging match escalated as Ngannou aimed a dart at Fury’s cut eyebrow in his 2019 victory over Otto Wallin.
      He declared: “If this guy did this to you, what do you think I would do?”
      But the Brit fired back: “You would do absolutely nothing, I’d smoke you in the first round.”
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      Tyson is on the verge of rubber stamping the first of his unification showdowns with rival Joshua.
      Talks over a venue and a date for the £500million clash are progressing.
      And Fury appears to be open to the idea of facing UFC’s top heavyweight afterwards.
      Ngannou, 34, beat Stipe Miocic in two rounds last month to become world champion.
      But he later admitted that boxing is his first love and a sport he still hopes to have a career in.
      The Cameroonian star told the Hotboxin’ podcast: “I don’t want to fight Mike Tyson, but I would like to fight another heavyweight boxer such as Tyson Fury.”

      He added: “This is in the future, it’s somewhere, definitely.
      “I’m going to box. I have to box in my career.
      “My main dream has always been the noble art and even though I deviated into MMA, which I love, I still have to fulfil something in boxing.”
      UFC are in the process of arranging Ngannou’s first defence of his title with Jon Jones tipped to be his next opponent, if a deal can be agreed.
      UFC star Francis Ngannou wants Jon Jones fight next More

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      Five fights for Conor McGregor after he CANCELS Dustin Poirier UFC trilogy including Justin Gaethje and Manny Pacquiao

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      CONOR McGREGOR has thrown his trilogy bout with Dustin Poirier into doubt after claiming ‘the fight is off’. McGregor, who knocked out the American in 2014, enjoyed a cordial build-up to their rematch in January.
      Conor McGregor was beaten by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257Credit: Getty
      So much so, that he vowed to donate $500,000 to Poirier’s ‘The Good Fight Foundation’, before he himself was stopped to level the series.
      But McGregor was accused of not following up with his pledge, despite revealing he was waiting for details on exactly where the money would go.
      The two have gone back and forth online, which resulted in the Irishman calling off the fight – though it is not yet clear how serious that threat is. The UFC have not commented.
      But just in case, here SunSport lists five potential alternatives for McGregor.
      Justin Gaethje
      The pair were in line to fight in the summer of 2019 until an injury kept McGregor out for the year.
      Gaethje went on to beat Donald Cerrone and Tony Ferguson before losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title.
      McGregor has a personal feud with the American, after he was called ‘s*** human and parent’.
      It led to McGregor responding: “I am going to f*****g butcher you. Your teeth. I’m going to put them on a f*****g necklace. Speak on my skills as a father? You are f*****g dead.”
      It would leave to a blockbuster grudge match with their styles promising all-action.
      Justin Gaethje has feuded Conor McGregor beforeCredit: Getty
      Michael Chandler vs Charles Oliveira winner
      After Khabib’s retirement was made official, he was stripped of the belt.
      With Poirier preferring a rematch with McGregor, the UFC turned to Chandler and Oliveira to challenge for the vacant belt on May 15.
      With McGregor planning to stay on track for July 10, his starpower could be enough to convince the UFC to put him in with the new champion.
      It would be a stretch for the winner to return so quickly, and harsh on Poirier, but stranger things have happened.
      Chandler also confirmed his interest in the proposal, as he tweeted: “May 15 and July 10…book it!”

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      Nate Diaz vs Leon Edwards winner
      McGregor and Diaz share one of the greatest rivalries in UFC history after their 2016 double header.
      Despite a win for each, a trilogy decider has failed to materialise.
      Diaz recently announced he will return against Leon Edwards, meaning he would be unavailable to face McGregor next.
      But a win for the fan-favourite sets him up perfectly with his old rival, Edwards on the other hand does not have any history with McGregor.
      Having said that, he is the No1 UFC star in England, and could push to sell out Wembley Stadium with The Notorious, which could break an attendance record.
      Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor are yet to have a trilogy boutCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Jorge Masvidal vs Kamaru Usman winner
      Usman again defends his welterweight title against Masvidal, as the rivals headline UFC 261 on April 24.
      McGregor was called out by Masvidal last year as their styles and personalties has the formula for box office success.
      Usman on the other hand offers the Irish star the chance to make history by becoming the first ever three-division UFC champ.
      The 170lb king has traded words with McGregor before and along with his belt it is more than enough to drive demand.
      Whoever wins at the end of the month is a viable option for McGregor, who would again move up to welterweight.
      Kamaru Usman is set to rematch Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261Credit: Zuffa LLC
      Manny Pacquiao
      McGregor made his boxing debut in 2017, losing to Floyd Mayweather in ten rounds – and has since flirted with a return to the ring.
      Himself and Pacquiao – both signed to management group Paradigm Sports – were close to signing to fight each other this year.
      That was until McGregor was beaten by Poirier, and admitted he focussed too much on boxing, with one eye on the PacMan clash.
      Despite that, if The Notorious is in need for a stopgap opponent, no one offers a more lucrative payday than Pacquiao.
      The Filipino icon is currently searching for an opponent too, and offers McGregor the chance to stay active and receive another unprecedented payday.

      Manny Pacquiao was in talks to fight Conor McGregorCredit: AP
      Cormier says Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier’s ‘bad blood’ is back More

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      Ben Askren says ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighter as ‘level of his competition was so low’

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      BEN ASKREN reckons it is ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighter because his level of competition ‘was so low’. Paul has won both his fights by knockout since turning pro in January 2020.
      Ben Askren reckons it is ‘almost impossible to tell’ if Jake Paul is a good fighterCredit: Getty
      YouTuber Jake Paul is 2-0 as a proCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      But those have come only against online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA star Nate Robinson.
      His biggest challenge comes on April 17, against retired UFC welterweight Askren.
      And the former Olympic wrestler admitted he is still in the dark about what to expect, having seen Paul untested in his boxing career.
      Askren, 36, told The Metro: “We haven’t seen anything.
      “The level of his competition was so low that it was almost impossible to tell if he is actually good at this.
      “If there is one thing people respect about all fighters it’s the toughness to deal with adversity in battle and we have not seen that out of him.
      “I don’t think he was hit hard by either one of those guys. They were so incredibly terrible at boxing. So we haven’t seen anything out of him yet.”
      Askren was considered one of the best talents outside of the UFC before he finally signed with Dana White in 2018.

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      He divided opinions due to his wrestling-based style, and hung up his gloves after just one win and two losses in the UFC.
      But as Askren heads into his unprecedented boxing match with Paul, 24, he finds himself in an unusual position – as the more popular headliner.
      He said: “I didn’t realise how much people didn’t like Jake Paul until I tuned in and started listening to what people were saying about him.
      “At best for me, it’s like 50 percent positive comments and 50 percent negative comments.
      “That’s my persona. But everyone freaking hates Jake Paul.
      “One of the things you have to realise about prize fighting is that the more recognition and scrutiny you can bring to yourself, the faster you are going to move up the ranks.
      “When you look at the job, you have to look at all parts of the job. Is part of the job being good at fighting? Absolutely.
      “But a part of the job is also figuring out how to promote yourself so you can advance much quicker.”
      Watch Ben Askren train with legendary boxing trainer Freddie Roach as ex-UFC star prepares for Jake Paul fight More