MMA

ROY JONES JR is set to return once again after revealing his ‘dream fight’ with UFC legend Anderson Silva.
The American all-time great came out of retirement in November for an exhibition spectacle against Mike Tyson.

Roy Jones Jr fought to a draw with Mike TysonCredit: � 2020 by ZUMA Wire

UFC legend Anderson Silva has been called out by Roy Jones JrCredit: 2020 Jeff Bottari

After eight rounds, the fight for the ages resulted in a draw, with both Tyson, 54, and Jones, 52, calling for a rematch.
But with Iron Mike now set to instead face iconic rival Evander Holyfield, 58, in a trilogy bout 24 years in the making, Jones is eyeing Silva, 45.
He told TMZ Sports: “Truthfully speaking my dream next fight will probably be Anderson Silva.
“Because Anderson’s available now, I’m available now.

“So, we’ve been wanting to box for the longest time. Why not me and Anderson go out there and put it on for the people?
“It can happen, I think. I’m gonna call him when I’m back home, see what’s happening – it can happen, yeah.”
SunSport revealed in December that the two veteran stars had started preliminary talks to finally fight, following years of missed opportunities.
Silva, a former middleweight champion, had always wanted to face Jones by crossing over to the boxing ring, but his UFC contract blocked the move.

But following his release from the premier MMA promotion late last year, the Brazilian is free to make the step into the ring.
Silva has boxed twice before, losing his debut in 1998 before returning in 2005 with a win, a year before signing with the UFC.
Jones only retired professionally in 2018, but admitted his knees, mixed in with Silva’s boxing experience and southpaw style, makes it a fair fight.
He said: “Anderson knows what pro boxing is, he’s been a pro boxer before, he knows how to pro box.
“At this age, with my knees not being the same they used to be, it gives him a better chance.

Roy Jones Jr revealed his ‘dream fight’ is with Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva was released by the UFC
“And he’s a tall left-hander. So all that works in his favour.
“So there’s a few different elements now that give him a little bit better chance than he would’ve had back in the day.
“Now in my prime, no, no chance. But now that I’m older, and older than him, so it’s something to look at now.
“Because I feel that his chances now are better than they ever were before.” More

JAKE PAUL’S Triller backers are ready to offer him a Floyd Mayweather fight ‘for the right price’ – but only if the YouTuber first beats Ben Askren.
Paul headlines Triller’s next pay-per-view on April 17, facing ex-UFC welterweight Askren.

Triller are ready to offer Jake Paul a fight with Floyd Mayweather ‘for the right price’Credit: Instagram

Floyd Mayweather in his 2018 exhibition with Tenshin NasukawaCredit: AFP

Despite just one year’s worth of professional experience, with two knockouts in as many fights, the social media star has become one of the most polarising names in boxing.
Paul, 24, publicly challenged UFC kingpin Conor McGregor, 32, and even claimed he had $50milllion waiting for him in January.
But after the Irishman was beaten by Dustin Poirier, 32, on his UFC return, the offer was instead reduced to $10,000.
Paul was then subject to a shock callout from Mayweather – who is due to face Jake’s brother Logan this year – with the 50-0 star saying he would fight the younger Paul should he get past Askren.

And Triller’s ‘Fight Club’, led by Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of billion dollar film company Relativity Media, are also on board to front the cash for the spectacle.
Kavanaugh, 46, told SunSport: “For the right price we would definitely do that. If Jake wins this fight it makes a big difference.
“He would have beat one of the best fighters there is, he may not be the best boxers, we don’t know, but he’s a real fighter.
“If Jake then calls for a big fight, he has a little more credibility to do it. If Jake wins this fight, he can go to major fights, a Mayweather-type thing.”

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Paul, 24, first boxed in an exhibition in 2018, but turned pro two years later alongside Logan, 25.
He beat online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ on his debut before leaving ex-NBA star Nate Robinson, 36, out cold in November on Triller’s first PPV.
Paul acted as chief support for Mike Tyson, 54, that night, after the heavyweight icon returned to face Roy Jones Jr, 52.
But for his third fight he will headline the bill, against Askren, 36, who retired from the UFC in 2019.
Kavanaugh – whose firm have produced over 250 movies – projects the event with sell 2M PPVs – surpassing Tyson’s 1.6m sold on his return.
And he credits Paul’s army of fans and followers – 20MILLION of which subscribe to his YouTube channel – as a major part in his box office appeal.
Kavanaugh, who has worked with Hollywood’s elite, revealed it took him just one meeting to recognise Paul’s star quality, which compares to other A-listers.

Ryan Kavanaugh with movie star Channing TatumCredit: Getty Images

Jake Paul is 2-0 in his professional boxing careerCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Ex-UFC welterweight Ben Askren fights Jake Paul on April 17Credit: Getty Images – Getty
He said: “I’ve always tended to know who’s going to be a star before they’re a star.
“When I was working with Bradley Cooper in Limitless, he was the ‘Hangover guy’ but you could just tell he was going to be a star.
“He had the quality not only on set but off set. There’s just a certain character that comes off.
“When Gerard Butler and I were doing ‘300’ he was the guy behind the mask in ‘Phantom of the Opera’.
“Again, on-camera, off-camera, you could just feel he was going to be a movie star.
“Channing Tattum, his second movie we did called ‘Fighting’ and then after that ‘Dear John’ you could just tell he was going to be a star.
“Jake has that quality. When you sit in a room and talk to him he has that air that exudes stardom, it just comes out.”

Watch YouTuber Jake Paul training to fight ex-UFC star Ben Askren More

CONOR McGREGOR has been urged by Claressa Shields to ‘cut off the boxing switch’ and focus solely on MMA.
McGregor lost his ring debut in 2017 against Floyd Mayweather but returned to the UFC a year later, losing to Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Conor McGregor was beaten by Floyd Mayweather in 2017Credit: AFP or licensors

Undisputed boxing champion Claressa Shields, leftCredit: Getty Images – Getty

After defeat to rival Khabib, the Irishman returned to his first ever gym, the Crumlin amateur boxing club, and worked with his old coaches.
They have since become part of his team and McGregor has adopted a more boxing-based style, opposed to his previous karate stance.
But after he was knocked out Dustin Poirier in January, the southpaw admitted to focussing too much on boxing.
And undisputed champion Shields, 25, has warned McGregor to hit reset and go back to basics and polish his entire set of skills.

She told the Betway Insider blog: “He probably didn’t generate it in his mind, he needs to go his mind and click on the ‘everything’ switch and use every part of the body as a weapon.
“I know he was boxing against Floyd but he needs to cut off the boxing switch and focus strictly on MMA for at least three or four months.”
McGregor, 32, was in line for a mega-money boxing return to face Manny Pacquiao, 42, this year.
But after losing in a rematch to Poirier, 32, seven years after stopping the American, they are now in talks for a summer trilogy.

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Shields, who herself has transitioned to MMA after signing for PFL, backed McGregor to win the rematch, but only after making tactical changes.
She said: “Conor can avenge it but it’s going to take some hard work.
“He’s been out of the MMA cage for a while, I know he had his last fight but before his last fight he’d probably been out two or three years.
“I would say he needs to get out of the boxing mind-frame to win that fight.
“He had his front foot too forward, too much weight on his leg, more like a boxer’s stance.

Conor McGregor was knocked out by Dustin PoirierCredit: Sportsfile – Subscription
“It’s like he needs to get back to having light feet and [being] quick and explosive, using all his attributes, not just his punches; punches, kicks, knees, he needs to get back being creative.
“But I tell you what, it’s hard to do, it’s hard to cut off the boxing switch and cut on the MMA switch.
“When you’re doing both it’s hard, you have to be very mentally strong and say ‘this is MMA, everything goes’ and then you have to click that button and go to boxing and say, ‘This is boxing, there are rules’.
“So it’s hard and I can just imagine that after being out of the cage for so long that his mind was adjusting and still looking to land those big shots.”

Dustin Poirier tells Conor McGregor he has to be an a**hole if he wants to beat him in UFC rematch More

BEN ASKREN has promised to ‘humiliate’ Jake Paul in their upcoming fight as footage of the ex-UFC star training emerged.
The retired former MMA champion makes his boxing debut on April 17, facing 2-0 Paul.

Ben Askren pictured during a boxing session

Ben Askren released sparring footage as he prepares to fight Jake Paul

Askren, renowned for his grappling, has been preparing for the bout with coach Cornelius Bundrage, an ex-boxing champion.
Recent videos show the pair training together, drilling shadow boxing and pad work.
Askren, 36, then gave the biggest insight yet into his camp by posting a clip of a sparring session.
The American comes into the fight having won welterweight titles with Bellator and ONE Championship before signing for the UFC in 2019.

But after three bouts, and two losses, Askren hung up his gloves and underwent hip surgery last year.
YouTuber Paul, 24, turned pro in 2020, having only boxed once before in an exhibition bout in 2018.
But he already has two knockouts in as many fights, although he only beat online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA player Nate Robinson, 36.
Despite Askren’s lifetime of experience in MMA, his lack of proven striking skills leave him as the betting underdog.

But still he has warned that he will beat Paul into an ugly submission.
Askren said: “I feel great, just tremendous. Boxing stuff is really starting to come together.
“I can’t promise you it’s going to be the prettiest thing you ever saw – although my face is pretty – my combat skills are not, they are unique, they are different.
“But here’s what I can tell you; you will witness the humiliation of Jake Paul. You will witness one man breaking another man’s will.
“And that man Jake Paul, will give up and be humiliated in front of millions of people, live on Triller on April 17th.”

YouTuber Jake Paul is 2-0 in his boxing career More

BEN ASKREN has been using Jake Paul’s FACE as target practise after he got the YouTuber printed on a heavy bag.
The retired UFC welterweight faces Paul on April 17, in what will be his first boxing bout.

Ben Askren, 36, has been using Jake Paul’s FACE as target practise

The retired UFC welterweight faces Jake Paul on April 17

But he is already getting to grips with finding the social media star’s chin, in the form of a boxing bag.
Askren, 36, uploaded rare training footage which revealed him landing shots on Paul’s mocked up face.
The American won titles in Bellator and ONE Championship before moving to the UFC in 2019.
But after three fights, and two losses, he hung up the gloves citing injury and underwent hip surgery in 2020.

Despite having vastly more amounts of fighting experience than Paul, Askren was renowned for his grappling style, rarely striking.
As a result, he is the betting underdog going into the fight.
Paul, 24, is 2-0 since debuting in 2020, and has two knockouts to his name, against online rival ‘AnEsonGib’ and ex-NBA player Nate Robinson.
He is yet to get past the second round, and his coach, ex-cruiserweight contender BJ Flores, does not see that changing against Askren.

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Flores, 42, told BoxingScene: “Jake regularly trains and spars with some of the very best prospects in the country.
“The difference is night and day. Ben Askren and the entire MMA world is in for a major surprise on April 17.
“I’m not saying nothing else. We will do our talking April 17 on Triller.
“Seeing some of the Ben Askren training footage, I will be shocked if this fight gets into the second round.”

Jake Paul knocked out ex-NBA star Nate RobinsonCredit: USA TODAY Sports

Ex-UFC fighter Ben Askren has never boxed professionally beforeCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

RARE footage of Ben Askren training for his upcoming boxing match with Jake Paul has been released.
Ex-UFC welterweight Askren is coming out of retirement on April 17 to face the YouTube sensation.

Ben Askren training for his upcoming boxing match against Jake Paul

Ben Askren pictured with his boxing trainer Cornelius Bundrage

Jake Paul pictured after a training session

Paul, 24, is 2-0 in his career, both by knockout, and also has a white collar win in 2018 to his name.
While Askren, 36, despite having vast more amount of fighting experience in MMA, was renowned for his wrestling and grappling style.
He has recently been captured preparing for his boxing debut by hitting the pads, landing combinations.
Askren only had six knockouts in his 19 MMA wins, where he won titles in Bellator and ONE Championship.

Former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw is rooting for the American but admitted those in the MMA business are ‘very nervous right now’.
Dillashaw, 35, told Mike Swick: “Askren should win right, but I’m nervous about it.
“You watch him strike and it’s like the MMA world is very nervous right now that he’s gonna be.
“He should win the fight. He should be smart enough.

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“I mean Jake Paul is gonna get tired, he should be able to wear him out and make him lose his explosiveness and dance around and get the win.
“But I wouldn’t say Askren’s the better striker I think he’s just the better competitor and that’s what’s gonna win him the fight.
“At least I really hope so, my fingers are crossed because man, crazy.” More