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    Sven-Göran Eriksson gave me blank cheque after romp but I never cashed it even when he left me high & dry, says Ulrika

    WHEN I look at Sven-Goran Eriksson now, I see a much diminished man. A man reduced by terminal illness, but also a man who, by his own admission, has had a good life.As The Sun told yesterday, he talks about his private life on his Amazon Prime film Sven, including his affair with me.Ulrika Jonsson opens up on her time with Sven-Göran ErikssonCredit: Scope FeaturesUlrika says: ‘I was single at the time and he confided that he wanted to end his relationship with Nancy Dell’Olio because it was sapping him of energy’Credit: Rex FeaturesAfter a night together, Sven popped a blank check in Ulrika’s pocket when she was not lookingWe first met in 2002, when I asked him for his autograph at a party held by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s spin doctor.He replied to me in our native language, Swedish, asking for my telephone number so he could call me. I was single at the time and 34. He was 54 and confided that he wanted to end his relationship with Nancy Dell’Olio because it was sapping him of energy.He then proceeded to call me every day when he went on holiday with Nancy, telling me I was beautiful and how much he wanted to see me.READ MORE ON SVENWhen he returned, the day after his 54th birthday, he visited me and we slept together.This was no great passionate affair. It was devoid of passion. He had all this power and money, yet he was the weakest man I have ever met.During our dalliance he was heading to his place in Portugal for the night between England games and asked me to join him.He said I should book myself on his flight and he would reimburse me. I said no way, I pay my own way — I’ve never taken money from a man.Most read in Football‘Pawns in a game’It was a point of principle.We met in the Club Lounge at Heathrow, pretending we had just met, and sat next to each other on the flight, almost giggling all the way.Legendary ex-England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson kept terminal pancreas cancer secret for a year to enjoy time with familyThen we spent the night at his place, where his housekeepers cooked us a meal.The following morning we left for the airport together and, in the car, he put a blank cheque from Coutts in my pocket when I wasn’t looking.He presented me with a blank cheque which he put in my pocket when I wasn’t lookingI keep it for posterity. But it might have been nice to fill it out at some point for all the hassle he brought me!When news of our affair broke, he didn’t confirm what went on between us. This meant I was left high and dry, even to the point that people believed I had made it up to get Press attention.That really angered me.I was an independent, working woman who did not voluntarily need to create a drama around my life for attention.He says in his documentary that he didn’t commit a crime, and he’s right about that.But he did do wrong.And he simply didn’t really care about much of life.As far as I could tell, he cared only about three things: His two children, who he adored. And football.Even when we were in Portugal, I asked him about his ex, the mother of his children.He said he had moved the wedding day in fav- our of a football match and she wasn’t happy.And I wondered if he was romantic and asked him how he proposed.I was surprised when he confided that she had proposed to him, which confirmed to me that I don’t think he had a romantic bone in his body. I know people didn’t understand why we were seeing each other, as it was an odd connection.Initially it was the Swedish thing that united us — and football.We talked about football a lot. But he was chivalrous and, in his heart, he was a kind man.He brought a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne — without fail — every time he came to my house.No ‘words of affection’For me, he showed me kindness and I’d just been going through the most horrendous time with being abandoned by my sick daughter’s biological father and worrying if she was going to get through her operations.When someone shows you kindness, it grabs your attention. In the film, he says he does have feelings, but he doesn’t show them. I think that’s honest and true. We never exchanged words of affection — it wasn’t that kind of set-up.I just saw him when he could get away from Nancy or was on the way to football games.She should be grateful for me raising her profile, she made a career out of ‘refusing to accept that she had been cheated on’Ulrika on Nancy Dell’OlioNancy admits in the film that she only stuck with him because she could get something out of it, which strongly suggests that she only really was with him because of the fame and the glory.She should be grateful for me raising her profile. She seemingly made a career out of “refusing to accept that she had been cheated on”.Before news of the affair between me and Sven broke, she was just the Italian girlfriend of the England manager. When it hit the headlines Nancy was suddenly famous. And she used that to her advantage. She’d have never been on Strictly Come Dancing if it wasn’t for me.Sven told me she was very fiery — it was a volatile relationship and I felt it was clear that he didn’t really, truly care about her.But he never promised me he would leave her, because I never asked him to.I sensed he feared her. And he confirms that in the film.He says he was afraid (of leaving her). He admitted to me that she “loved” the attention she was getting from the media, so it’s little wonder if she didn’t want to give that up.And obviously, apart from women attacking each other, there is the problem that misogyny is still verymuch alive and kicking in the world of football. Women continue to be viewed as pawns in a game of utmost importance, ruled over by men who show little but disdain for the opposite sex.I’ve never in my life fought over a man. I know Nancy was clinging to Sven, but she really needn’t have worried.She threw insults at me because she didn’t believe the brief affair was true. Surely her beef should have been with him?In the film, Sven’s son says how his dad doesn’t stress about things, and that was my experience, too.He never got concerned about things and said to me, “Why worry about something which might not happen?”.’Thinker perhaps more than a doer’He’s bright and studied philosophy, which is probably what brought a new and different approach to being England boss.Many didn’t like that he wasn’t demonstrably expressive, but that was just the way he was.Nancy says in the film that Sven is a narcissist, but I think that might be unfair. I just think he’s a very simple-minded person. And by that I mean he only puts energy into the things that are important to him. He’s pragmatic. Not a practical man, however.He proudly showed me his hands and said “these have never done a day’s hard work”.Sven is right, of course, about his outlook on life now. Life is short and I believe he has certainly made the most of itSven is certainly a thinker, perhaps more than a doer.I extracted myself from the situation when he clearly wasn’t going to ’fess up and carried on going out publicly with Nancy.I certainly didn’t become a Princess Di character, where there were “three of us” in that relationship.For a while he kept phoning me to speak to me or ask me to see him. He even got his agent to phone my agent to ask if I would wait for him after the World Cup. I declined.Sven is right, of course, about his outlook on life now.Life is short and I believe he has certainly made the most of it.He has led a life according to his own wills and desires.I’m sure he has regrets over some of his actions, but what good are regrets when the clock is ticking?We can but do our best.I bear him no ill will.READ MORE SUN STORIESI hope he squeezes the best out of whatever life he has left and that, on reflection, he realises that to err is to be human.He didn’t get it all right. But then, who does?Ulrika also says of Sven: ‘He had all this power and money yet he was the weakest man I have ever met’Credit: News Group Newspapers LtdThe ex-England boss has been diagnosed with terminal cancerCredit: Getty More

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    Tyson Fury makes heartfelt retirement admission ahead of Usyk rematch and admits he has ‘toxic relationship’ with boxing

    TYSON FURY admits he doesn’t know if his “toxic relationship” with boxing will allow him to walk away from the sport.The Gypsy King, 36, has “retired” several times in recent years only to reverse his decision and return to the squared circle.Tyson Fury has won every belt going in the heavyweight divisionCredit: GETTYHis dream of becoming undisputed heavyweight champ was shattered by Oleksandr Usyk in MayCredit: GettyFury is out of his physical prime and his punch resistance isn’t what it once wasCredit: PAFury admits he’ll find it hard to walk away from the sport he loves so dearlyCredit: PABut with his physical prime well behind him and his punch resistance no longer what it once was, it’s clear and evident that Fury’s days in the sport are numbered.Hanging up his gloves and fully dedicating himself to his family of nine, however, will be just as difficult as any fight the Wythenshawe warrior has had in his professional career.He told Queensberry Promotions: “I’ve been in love with boxing for such a long time – from being a little boy.”And I’m probably at the end of my career in the next few years.READ MORE BOXING NEWS“It’s been a love-hate relationship. It’s been toxic at times. When it’s good, it’s very good, and when it’s bad, it’s very toxic.“So I’m in that relationship and I don’t just abandon things. “I try and make things work and that’s where we are at the minute.”We’ve been in this romantic relationship since I can remember, since I was a child, and now I am a fully grown adult with a family of my own.Most read in SportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFusy vs Usyk: Round by round verdictHERE’S how SunSport’s Chisanga Malata saw the fight as Oleksandr Usyk was crowned undisputed king of the world against Tyson Fury.ROUND 1Here we go. Both men look to establish dominance early by taking the centre of the ring.Fury marches down the Ukrainian, who opens up with a stiff body shot.The Gypsy King looks massive in comparison to Usyk, who is no dwarf whatsoever.Usyk is happy to operate on the outside, although the early jab he’s eaten will have given him some food for thought.Fury is trying to draw out attacks from Usyk, who is not putting too much into his punches.Fury gets backed into the corner and channels his inner Muhammad Ali by doing the rope-a-dope.Usyk lands a big overhand left just seconds before backing Fury into the corner.Fury dodges the ensuing flurry and gestures to the crowd as if demanding them to acknowledge his head movement. USYK 10-9ROUND 2Usyk opens up the round with a big one-two that snaps back the head of Fury.Fury tries to make light of it but that combo clearly stunned him.Usyk is setting the stone and the pressure as he advances forward.A big uppercut narrowly misses for Fury, who knows all too well that’s the shot to deploy on a shorter opponent.Fury is throwing more punches but isn’t being as accurate as Usyk.Usyk backs up Fury into the corner and lands a good three-punch combo.But Fury comes roaring back with a hard body shot after circling away from danger.Fury finally lands an uppercut, albeit to the body of the former cruiserweight king. FURY 10-9ROUND 3Fury is on his bike after the restart and lands a stiff straight right from range.Usyk has decided to close the distance after eating that shot and is going to work on Fury’s trimmed-down torso.A solid overhand left snaps back the head of Fury with just over a minute of the stanza remaining.Fury lands a good combo with thirty seconds remaining. But he gets pushed back against the ring again and eats another flurry before the bell. USYK 10-9Round 4Fury goes to work to the body with two hard shots after the restart.He’s absolutely loving this, dancing around after landing his shots.But he’s still allowing himself to get backed up and invite the pressure from Usyk.Fury lands a beautiful counter right as Usyk comes forward.Usyk has his head snapped back by another hellacious uppercut.Both men nearly land hard back hands before the bell, with Fury narrowly missing an uppercut and Usyk an overhand left. FURY 10-9Round 5Usyk takes the centre of the ring after the restart and looks to feint his way into range.Fury is doing a good job of keeping the Ukrainian at bay when he looks to close the distance.A rasping uppercut snaps back the head of Usyk.Fury is hurting Usyk to the body with relentless hooks to the midriff. FURY 10-9Round 6Usyk is on the front foot straight after the restart and is looking to put Fury on the back foot again.A hard body shot to the solar plexus gives Usyk more food for thought.Fury almost closed the show with a huge uppercut with a minute and a half of the round remaining.But he finds a home for it 20 seconds later and Usyk is in retreat mode.Fury closes out the round with a bit of showboating, put his hands behind his back before resting his arms on the ropes.A huge round for the Wythenshawe warrior. FURY 10-9Round 7Usyk once again closes the distance after the restart but he’s getting picked off at range.And when he does take a step back, his body is getting blasted by nasty hooks.Usyk finds a home for his straight left but Fury eats it like a packed lunch made by his loving wife Paris.Another straight left snaps back the head of Fury, who circles back out of range to try to create space for a body shotUsyk manages to close the distance with seconds remaining ad finds a home for a two-punch combo.But Fury manages to circle away to hear the bell. FURY 10-9Round 8Fury is happy to operate on the back foot in the eighth and pick his shots.But he gets his dome rattled by back-to-back straight left hands – which he brushes off before going back to feinting and trying to create space for a body shot.Usyk briefly finds himself dealing with Fury’s weight in the clinch after landing a good straight left.Fury is bleeding profusely from his nose. I’m not what caused the damage. Big round that for Usyk. USYK 10-9Round 9Fury is doing a good job of bamboozling Usyk with feints, but the Ukrainian continues to come forward.But he’s slowly but surely allowing the gap to be closed, which leads to him eating a big left hand flush in the corner.Fury gets hurt and is stumbling around the ring. It was a left hand that did the damage.Fury doesn’t know where he is and is eating a barrage of crisp follow-up shots. He beats the count and the bell thankfully saves him. USYK 10-8Round 10Usyk – like the Big Cat he is – senses blood and isn’t giving Fury any respite.Fury is barely throwing anything and what he is throwing is telegraphed and slow.Usyk looks tired, but he needs to keep his foot on the gas pedal if he’s to have any chance of becoming a two-weight undisputed champion. USYK 10-9Round 11A desperate Usyk, spurred on by the plight of his fellow Ukrainians back home, immediately goes to work after the restart.Fury tries to keep him at bay with the jab but is struggling to pump it out with the stiffness it had in the early rounds.Usyk briefly traps the WBC king in the corner and lands a rasping left hand.Usyk doubles up with two left hands that briefly back Fury against the ropes.The round ends with yet another big overhand left from Usyk. USYK 10-9Round 12The fans in attendance at the Kingdom Arena cheer both warriors on after the final restart of the fight.Fury is playing matador as Usyk looks to step into range to land his left hand.And he finds a home for it with a minute and a half of the stanza remaining.A chopping right hand sends Fury backwards, but he returns fire with a booking shot of his own that backs up the southpaw.Fury puts his hands behind his back in a bid to goad Usyk to making a sloppy mistake in the closing seconds.But he stays sharp as he looks to close the distance, which Fury times to initiate a clinch. FURY 10-9TOTAL Fury 113 Usyk 114″It’s like, ‘Do I abandon it, or do I not?’ I wanted to walk away a lot of times but it always drags me back.”Bar becoming the undisputed king of the heavyweights, which he failed to do in his Saudi showdown with Oleksandr Usyk in May, Fury has achieved it all. Oleksandr Usyk brutally calls out ‘Greedy Belly’ Tyson Fury after Gypsy King fires warning to Ukrainian ahead of rematchFighting keeps the dad-of-eight on the mental straight and narrow, although it’s become somewhat of a double-edged sword.“It’s like a massive drug and an addiction,” Fury admitted. “I know it’s an addiction and I’m an addictive person.”Boxing is an addiction; it’s not my best friend. It abuses me. When I come in this gym, it abuses my body, my mind [and] my soul.”But afterwards I feel like it takes me to ecstasy. The rush is unbelievable.”It gives me the biggest highs ever, but it also gives me the lowest lows as well.”Boxing is more addictive than any drug ever. Ever. You can’t let it go.”Fury’s dream of becoming the first undisputed heavyweight king since Lennox Lewis in 1999 was shattered in his Riyadh rumble with Usyk.The former unified champion suffered a split decision loss to the slick southpaw, whom he’ll renew his rivalry with on December 21.And to say he’s champing at the bit to exact his revenge on the undefeated Ukrainian would be an understatement.He said of the desert dust-up: “[I’m] counting down the days until I can get my redemption on Usyk.”December 21 is going to be my time. I’ve done everything in boxing, but I ain’t come back from a loss.READ MORE SUN STORIES”And I relish it, the chance to redeem myself GET UP.”December 21 is all me – undisputed heavyweight here I come.”Tyson Fury will bid to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk on December 21Credit: Getty More

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    How daughter’s sad words saved Kellie Maloney from suicide – as she calls out ‘shameful’ Olympic bosses over gender row

    SHE turned the boxing world upside down when she revealed she was transgender and spoke out about the inner turmoil her gender battle had caused her.Now, a decade on, Kellie Maloney has slammed Olympic bosses over the current gender row – saying they should “hang their head in shame.”Kellie Maloney managed British boxing champion Lennox Lewis at the height of his careerCredit: AP:Associated PressKellie speaks out in biographical docu-film Knock Out Blonde, which is out nowCredit: IconAlgeria’s Imane Khelif celebrates after defeating Hungary’s Anna HamoriCredit: APAlgeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting have been allowed in the ring in the women’s boxing, despite both being disqualified from the World Championships last year after failing the International Boxing Association gender eligibility tests.The IBA declared they both had “XY chromosomes” – which indicated a person is biologically male – although Imane has fiercely denied claims of cheating, insisting she is a woman.Ahead of a new documentary, Knock Out Blonde, former boxing manager Kellie – born Frank – tells The Sun: “I think the Olympic committee should hang its head in shame for allowing this fight to happen… What were they playing at?“This will only bring boxing into more disrepute and may get it banned from the Olympics in the future or may see more women refuse to take part.READ MORE FROM FEATURES“Under no circumstances should a transgender woman or women with high-level testosterone be allowed to compete in female boxing. “Boxing is too dangerous as a sport to give anyone such an advantage and eventually could cause serious health and damage to the opponent.” Kellie – who has had gender reassignment surgery – say the subject of transwomen participating in women’s sport is “a toxic issue”. However, there’s no doubt in her mind when it comes to boxing. She adds: “Definitely no to any form of combat sport, like the world I come from. Most read in Boxing”There are certain sports where it’s not a problem – darts, snooker, show-jumping or horse-rising – but I refer to the sporting bodies for guidance.”Kellie, now 71, also opens up about the heartbreaking moment in 2010 when she broke down and told wife Tracey, “I’m a woman” as well as the multiple suicide attempts and the poignant plea from daughter Emma that turned her around. ‘Jack the Lad’Knock Out Blonde: The Kellie Maloney Story TrailerThe boxing manager told everything to ex-wife Tracey in 2010, who offered to ‘live a lie’ to keep their family togetherCredit: Daily MirrorIt was a shock for many when Frank, who led Lennox Lewis to become the first British undisputed heavyweight champion in a century, told the world that she had been born in the wrong body back in 2014 – a decade ago this month – and would be known as Kellie.Throughout her career, she had carved a reputation as a fierce force to be reckoned and a ‘Jack the Lad’ character with a penchant for flashy and flamboyant suits. In an exclusive interview with The Sun, ahead of her biographical documentary Knock Out Blonde which is available to stream today, Kellie says living two lives nearly killed her.Now 71, she tells us: “It felt like these two sides of me were pulling me apart. I had fought so hard all of my life not to give in. Living two lives was killing me. “It was this constant battle. Frank would say, ‘You’re the manager of the world heavyweight champion, you’ve got a family, children, and responsibilities. You can’t do this.’“Then Kellie would say, ‘You are a female. You’ve got to be true to yourself because you’re destroying everything.’”The promoter spent more than £100,000 altering her appearance including multiple facial feminising ops, a nose job, and having 400g breast implants to give her B or C-cup breasts. But it wasn’t until having gender reassignment surgery in March 2015, that she finally felt like the woman she always knew she was.Kellie said: “The most important part was the actual vagina” adding that when she looked at herself in a mirror “I cried tears of happiness.  I was finally seeing the real me in the mirror. It felt amazing. “I always said, ‘Managing Lennox Lewis was like winning the lottery’ but this was like winning three lotteries.”Kellie, who was raised in an Irish Catholic family in Peckham, was three years old when she recognised she was “very different from all the other boys” around her.She preferred female company, longed to go shopping instead of playing sports and noticed her dreams were very different from her two brothers. Kellie told the documentary: “When my parents asked, ‘What did you dream about?’ I would go, ‘I’ve not really dreamt anything’. How could I tell my parents that in all of my dreams I was a girl?”Kellie after one facial feminising operation in 2014Credit: Sunday MirrorShe gave the impression that she was a ‘womaniser’ while living as FrankCredit: News Group Newspapers LtdBut Kellie, seen with her dad above, knew from the age of three that she was differentCredit: IconShe came out to the world as transgender in 2014 and soon after went on Celebrity Big BrotherCredit: Rex FeaturesRaised by a ‘tough’ traditional father, she buried her feelings to fit in and married young, tying the knot with first wife Jackie at 21 and having a daughter, Emma, soon after. She “fell in love” with boxing after seeing Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s 1971 Madison Square Garden clash – and starting fighting classmates when she was picked on due to her small stature.At 5ft 2in tall, Kellie knew her chances of going professional were slim, so opted to become a trainer to get as close to the ring as possible.In 1989, Kellie signed Lennox Lewis, then a promising young British-Canadian, who had already scooped a gold medal at the Olympics and won 85 bouts as an amateur.She said: “That’s when it all changed for me. I would have been totally bankrupt and that’s the truth, to the tune of £80,000 in debt.“I wanted to be a big player in boxing and succeed because I failed as an actual boxer and to walk down that same walk that Joe Frazier and Mohamed Ali did.“I wanted to climb into the ring and walk away with three belts and with the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. It was every boy’s dream.”Olympic committe should ‘hang its head in shame’ over gender row, says Kellie MaloneyA ROW over two fighters being eligible to partake in women’s boxing has overshadowed the Paris 2024 Olympics.Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting are guaranteed to get medals despite questions being raised about their participation.It follows them both being disqualified from the World Championships last year due to the International Boxing Association declaring both boxers failed gender eligibility tests. The IBA, which was stripped of its status as the sports in 2023, declared they both had “XY chromosomes” – which indicated a person is biologically male. There are rare instances where women can have a Y chromosome, such as when they are ‘intersex’ , medically known as DSDs – differences in sexual development. This means a person could have female genitalia but a male chromosome. Others have claimed it could be a sign of a transgender woman entering the women’s category.Imane has fiercely fought back against claims of cheating, insisting she is a woman, and refuted complaints about her being ineligible to participate.But many in the sporting field have criticised the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for allowing Khelif and Yu-ting to participate. KellieMaloney, a former boxing manager who is transgender, tells The Sun: “I think the Olympic committee should hang its head in shame for allowing this fight to happen… What were they playing at?“This will only bring boxing into more disrepute and may get it banned from the Olympics in the future or may see more women refuse to take part.“Under no circumstances should a transgender woman or women with high-level testosterone be allowed to compete in female boxing. “Boxing is too dangerous as a sport to give anyone such an advantage and eventually could cause serious health and damage to the opponent.” Kellie says the subject of transwomen participating in women’s sport is “a toxic issue”. However, there’s no doubt in her mind when it comes to boxing. She adds: “Definitely no to any form of combat sport, like the world I come from. “There are certain sports where it’s not a problem – darts, snooker, show-jumping or horse-rising – but I refer to the sporting bodies for guidance.”Kellie, who believes Khelif and Yu-ting should be banned, adds: “Women should boycott the rest of the games. That would make the Olympic committee sit up and act wisely and sensibly.”’Womaniser’ guiseDuring her career, Kellie had become a master of disguise. She buried her longing to be a woman behind copious amounts of booze, work and two marriages. Two years after signing Lennox, Kellie and Jackie had split up. By 1997, she married Tracey, with whom she had two more daughters, Sophie and Libby. Kellie hid her true self from everyone as she forged a career in boxing – a sport known for it’s hypermasculinity.She tells us: “The guys would pay for me to have lap dances but whenever I got inside I would just say to the woman, ‘You don’t have to dance, just chat with me for five minutes. The counsellors told me, the day you take off the lid of Pandora’s box and let Kellie out, you will never be able to put that lid back onKellie Maloney“I gave the impression of being a man about town and a bit of ladies’ man but I never really was like that. I just found it easy to talk to women.”In secret, Kellie was researching more about being transgender and bought ‘fetish magazines’ about people who were transitioning.She didn’t speak to anyone about her gender dysphoria, fearing she would never be accepted as a woman – especially by her peers. During a boxing convention in Thailand, Kellie recalls: “We were chatting about the beautiful woman an American promoter had taken home.“But he said, ‘I put my hand down her knickers and she had a bigger pair than me… so I kicked the f*** out of her.’Kellie recalls being ‘stressed’ constantly while living as FrankCredit: Les Gallagher – The Sun GlasgowLennox became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world under Kellie’s tutelageCredit: IconHer ex-wife Tracey says she was willing to ‘live a lie’ to protect Kellie’s secret in the docCredit: Icon“I realised how could I ever tell these people how I felt inside when this was what they thought of transgender people?”  By 1999, Kellie had consulted gender doctors and was beginning to experiment. In New York, she attended a trans-friendly bar where she could dress as a woman away from prying eyes. She said: “I went there and a couple of gay guys dressed me and did my make-up and took me upstairs, where these guys were sat. “It was quite seedy. One started touching me, saying ‘You’re very beautiful, do you want to get to know me? There are plenty of rooms.’ I freaked out and left.”I don’t understand what you are going through but I would prefer to have my dad in a dress than in a wooden boxEmma, Kellie’s daughterOn her way home, she realised she had forgotten her wife’s birthday and a commitment to host a press dinner for Lennox ahead of his first of two fights against Evander Holyfield, the second of which led him to be crowned world champion.Opening Pandora’s boxKellie resigned from Lennox’s team in 2001 shortly after the boxer’s defeat to Hasim Rahman. She went on to manage others, including Darren Sutherland, who took his own life in 2009. The trauma of finding the Irish boxer’s body at his home after a concerning phone call, caused Kellie to have a heart attack. That year, she continued to struggle. She found herself drinking heavily, battling insomnia and speaking to numerous counsellors.  She explained: “The counsellors told me, the day you take off the lid of Pandora’s box and let Kellie out, you will never be able to put that lid back on.”Kellie recalls the heartbreaking moment in 2010 when broke down and confessed all to her wife, Tracey, who was deeply concerned that “nothing seemed to make him happy”.Kellie with daughters Emma (left), Libby (middle) and SophieCredit: IconThe boxing manager was married to Tracey from 1997 until 2012Credit: Dan Charity – The SunNow Kellie lives a quieter life, split between Portugal and the UKCredit: IconKellie recalls: “She put her arms around me. I looked at her and went, ‘I don’t know how to say this, I’m like you. I’m a woman.’ I saw the change in her eyes and from that moment onwards, I knew my marriage was over.” Despite the admission, Tracey says she was “willing to live a lie” and “keep the secret forever” to keep their family together, but Kellie knew that wasn’t an option and started to live as a woman in private. In 2014, Kellie came out to the world and that same year entered Celebrity Big Brother, for which she was reportedly paid £400,000 – the highest fee offered at the time. “It was the wrong decision, I wasn’t ready but I was very hot property at the time. Everybody wanted me and I was being offered quite a bit of money,” she says. “I wish I’d waited a year. I was a very weak person when I first transitioned, I was so afraid of rejection, failure and ridicule. “Frank helped me get through all of that. Now I’m much stronger. If I went on Celebrity Big Brother today I’d probably win it.”I remember exact words to me, she said, ‘This is some f***ing joke, isn’t it?’ It was frightening and horribleKellieHousemates inside the Big Brother house are cut-off from the outside world but Kellie says she was allowed to telephone her counsellors and had “a session most days”. Suicide attemptsReaching the point where she came out was no easy journey, with Kellie admitting she attempted to end her life four times – before and after transitioning. She says: “I tried to end my life multiple times, I felt that I had lost everything and really wanted to die at first.”After one suicide attempt, daughter Emma told her: “I don’t understand what you are going through but I would prefer to have my dad in a dress than in a wooden box.” The last suicide attempt followed getting “mixed up with the wrong people” when she started seeing a woman, whose family wanted her to be Frank.“This person said to me if only I could bring back Frank we could have a really lovely relationship and it really freaked me out… it got to the point where my head was so confused and mixed up,” Kellie says. Kellie hasn’t spoken to Lennox since parting company in 2001Credit: GettyThe boxing promoter with her dogs shortly after coming out in 2014Credit: Kevin Dunnett – The SunKellie with daughters Libby and SophieCredit: WENNShe was drinking heavily and, on the night of the attempt, recorded messages for each of her children before taking “every pill that I could find”.Thankfully, Kellie – who was staying in Portugal – was found by her friend and counsellor Jan, who quickly rushed her to hospital.Later, when she tried to take her life again, Emma pleaded: “What are you doing dad? We need you in our life?” Emma gave her a note to read in hard times about focusing on the future instead of present-day struggles. Kellie still reads it regularly. ‘Frank’s not dead’Kellie admits telling her youngest daughter Libby was “the hardest” thing for her because “she was 11 years old and I was destroying her life”.She recalls: “I remember exact words to me, she said, ‘This is some f***ing joke, isn’t it?’ It was frightening and horrible.”I learned a lot from Frank, I never died, I just changed my outside covering.KellieSimilarly, Kellie’s brother Eugene didn’t initially approve, telling the documentary: “When it first came out, if I had seen Kellie I’d have killed her.” But over time, their opinions shifted as they realised she was still the person they knew and loved, just with a “changed outside covering” as Kellie says.She’s bonded with her daughters over choosing outfits and learning make-up skills and Eugene eventually said: “She’s a lot happier as Kellie than she was as Frank. I just wish she hadn’t taken 60 f***ing years to do it.”Kellie, who splits her time between the UK and Portugal, says she enjoys a quieter life and is the happiest she has been in many years.“I’m not hiding from anybody now. I don’t have to put on this persona,” she tells us. “I don’t have to be this Jack the Lad or this tough, little South London Cockney character that drank champagne and said what he wanted without even thinking. Kellie at a boxing match in 2016Credit: GettyKellie believes having lived as Frank and a woman has helped her to become a better personCredit: Dan Charity – The SunShe says her daughters Libby (left) and Sophie initially struggled to accept her transition but now they are extremely closeCredit: RexWhile Kellie likes to help others, she insists she is “no trans activist” as she believes the “transgender umbrella is far too big” She says: “We know we are not biological women and accept we are medically constructed women, our bodies have been modified to match our brains. “The term transgender covers about 71 or more types of people. You can’t pull us all under the same thing, for example gender neutral will never have an operation or go what we went through.”She also believes women’s spaces “must be protected” and only transgender women, who have undergone gender reassignment should be able to use them“Let’s put it bluntly, if you have a penis, you should not be able to go in and strip off,” Kellie says. “Once you have had surgery you are not a threat to any other woman.”Despite having publicly lived as a woman for 10 years now, Kellie says there are occasions when she’s referred to “as Frank” – but it doesn’t bother her. She says: “I don’t find that disrespectful because to me he is not dead. Frank is a part of Kellie, as much as Kellie is a part of Frank. “People have known me by that name for 60 years and life’s too short to worry about things like that so long as it’s not malicious or nasty.“Some transgender people believe their male side no longer exists after transitioning but that’s not true for me I believe combining the two made me a much better person.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I learned a lot from Frank, I never died, I just changed my outside covering.”Knock Out Blonde: The Kellie Maloney Story is available on the Icon Film Channel today and airs in select cinemas from September 9. More

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    Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf, 49, reveals he’s in gay relationship as ex-F1 star shares sweet picture with partner

    FORMER Formula One driver and the brother of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Ralf, has taken to social media to announce he is in a same-sex relationship.Schumacher, 49, shared a heartfelt post to his Instagram page of himself standing arm-in-arm with another man on a boat.Ralf Schumacher shared a photo of himself with his partner, EtienneCredit: https://www.instagram.com/ralfschumacher_rsc/Ralf raced alongside seven-time world champion Michael SchumacherCredit: AFPHe captioned the post: “The most beautiful thing in life is when you have the right partner by your side with whom you can share everything.”Carmen Geiss, a close friend of Schumacher’s and a German actress, replied to the post in the comments section, revealing Schumacher’s partner to be a man called Etienne.She said: “I LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH. You have the best partner, Etienne, you can imagine.”After 2 years you can finally show your love to the world. I have known Ralf for more than 25 years and he has always been a great joy to me. READ MORE IN F1″Always liberal, a good-hearted person who I can call day and night and above all has always been honest with me in his position. “I am happy that I got to be a part of this love and even more happy for the two who searched and found each other, because I also love Étienne deeply.”She had also taken to her main page to share a photos of herself alongside Schumacher and Etienne, which the German driver also shared to his own story.German Schumacher started 180 races while driving for Jordan, Williams and Toyota across 11 seasons in F1. He won six of them during that time.Most read in MotorsportHis personal life had been the subject of interest throughout his racing career.In 2001 he got married to Cora-Caroline Brinkmann, with whom he had a son, David – who has also gone on to become a racing driver – before the pair eventually divorced in 2015.Inside Michael Schumacher’s decade-long recovery from ‘desperately cruel’ ski crash as brother shares devastating updateThe 22-year-old also shared a heartwarming comment of his own under his father’s post, saying: “I am very happy that you have finally found someone with whom you really feel that you feel very comfortable and secure, no matter if you are a man or a woman, I am 100% behind you dad and wish you all the best and congratulations.”Prior to the reveal, only two former F1 drivers, Lelia Lombardi and Mike Beuttler, had publicly come out as members of the LGTBQ+ community.Ralf is the younger brother of Michael, who has been recovering from a horrific skiing accident in 2013.News of his health has been a closely-guarded secret over the past decade.Details of a sickening £12million blackmail plot have been revealed after two men were accused of threatening the Ferrari legend’s family and conspiring to reveal the star’s health condition on the dark web.One of them is said to have worked for Schumacher’s family as a security guard for almost five years.The man – who can only be named as Markus F due to German law – allegedly stole two hard drives of medical data said to contain the health records of the motorsport legend.German actress and Schumacher’s close friend Carmen Geiss shared a heartfelt post of the Ralf and his partnerCredit: Carmen Geiss/InstagramSchumacher was married to Cora Brinkmann for 14 yearsCredit: Reuters🏁 Complete F1 2024 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix and start time this year 🏁  More

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    Bethany England and Beth Mead ‘disgusted’ by non-league club’s choice to axe women’s and girls’ teams

    BETHANY ENGLAND and Beth Mead have slammed a non-league club’s move to scrap their women’s and girls’ football sides. The Yorkshire-born Lionesses and Aston Villa’s Maz Pacheco and Kirsty Hanson criticised Thornaby FC for pulling their support of all six teams.Thornaby FC Women say more than 100 players have been left without teams to play for following their club’s decision to close their women’s and girls teamsBethany says she is saddened by the decision taken by Thornaby FC following a club commitee voteCredit: AlamyBeth Mead says Thornaby FC Women players deserve to be treated betterCredit: GettyYesterday Thornaby FC Women revealed their club’s committee had voted on to axe its “entire female section” on Saturday. Teams include girls sides aged from under-seven up to under-15 with more than 100 girls and women said to have been left without a club to play for.In a comment published via the social media platform X, Thornaby FC Women stated they are “devastated” by the move.Of the North Yorkshire club’s decision, they wrote: “This leaves over 100 girls without a club. Read More Football Stories “We would like to thank all of our coaches, volunteers, players, supporters and sponsors for their dedication over the last 3 years. You are all amazing.”  The move made by the committee has come in for criticism from players, fans and followers of the women’s game who publicly shared their concerns.England, who began her football journey at Barnsley-based grassroots side Junior Tykes FC, stated she was “saddened and disgusted”.In a tweet, the Lioness striker and Tottenham skipper, 30, added: “The fight for women to keep their place at the table is a never ending battle.Most read in Football”This should not be happening, these women and girls deserve better! “My thoughts go out to everyone involved at the club, players, staff and volunteers.”England’s national team-mate Mead, 29, who was born and brought up in North Yorkshire, said she was disgusted by Thornaby FC’s moveIn a post via X, the Arsenal ace and 57-capped Lioness wrote: “Disgusted to see this decision, the women’s game is on the up but we still have committees making these horrible decisions.”It’s not good enough, these young girls deserve better.”Villa forward Hanson, 26, who was born in Halifax, said she is “gutted” for the girls involved with Thornaby FC Women, who can no longer play for their teams.Her Villans team-mate Pacheco, 25, described the club’s committee’s decision as one that had “blown her mind”Thornaby FC first-team manager Abbey Lyle told BBC Sport there had been “had been an outpouring of support for the women and girls following the announcement, with sponsorship and new clubs offered”.In a statement club chairman Garry Morris revealed he voted against the committee’s decision and made his views known to its other membersIn a statement published via the club’s Facebook page, Mr Morris wrote: “The decision to withdraw support for the women’s team is one that I do not agree with. “And along with another member of the committee, voted against it at an emergency meeting.”I have made my feelings known to the board, have asked them to reconsider their decision, and also to consider their positions on the board as patrons and trustees of the football club.Kirsty Hanson believes Thornaby FC’s decision shows that women’s sport and football is “not seen as a priority for some”Credit: Getty”We are empowered by the fans of the club to make the right decisions for the future of the club.READ MORE SUN STORIES”All those who show their unwavering support to both the male and female teams of all age groups deserve better.”I firmly believe this decision does not do that, and will be making this clear to the remaining members of the board.” More

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    Iceland’s trip to England comes under a cloud with star banned due to ongoing sexual assault case  

    ICELAND come to Wembley under a cloud with star player Albert Gudmundsson suspended again because of an ongoing sexual assault case.The attacking midfielder, 26, was the fifth top-scorer in Serie A last season with 14 goals for Genoa.Albert Gudmundsson is one of two Iceland stars missingCredit: GettyHe has been a target for West Ham and Spurs, as well as a host of Italian clubs.But under Iceland FA rules he was banned from playing for his country when the allegations — which he denies — first emerged in 2023.The case was dropped earlier this year and the recalled Gudmundsson scored in both Euro 2024 play-off games. But the alleged victim has successfully appealed.READ MORE ON EURO 2024So Iceland boss Age Hareide will have to do without his star player — as well as key defender Victor Palsson — for the game against England.Hareide, the former Norway, Manchester City and Norwich defender, said: “It’s always bad to lose players.”But we have to talk about the players who are there. We have a lot of talent here. “I think it’s every player’s dream — and it was mine as well in 1980 — to play against England at Wembley.”Most read in Euro 2024Friday’s clash is England’s final warm-up ahead of the Euros.Gareth Southgate’s men then launch their campaign in Germany against Serbia on June 16.Jack Wilshere, Gordon Strachan and Jurgen Klinsmann answer quickfire questions ahead of Euro 2024The Three Lions will complete their group action by taking on Denmark four days later and Slovenia on June 25.Southgate hopes defenders Luke Shaw and Lewis Dunk will be back to full fitness within a week.The duo made England’s final 26-man squad despite not yet being ready.In contrast, Manchester United’s Harry Maguire is “devastated” to miss out – as his calf problem would rule him out for out at least the group matches. More

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    OnlyFans’ Daniella Hemsley’s training for boxing return in first fight since boob flash, reveals MMA star boyfriend

    DANIELLA HEMSLEY is ready for a boxing return for the first time since her infamous boob flash. The OnlyFans star went viral after beating Aleksandra Daniel before exposing her breasts on live TV. Daniella Hemsley is eyeing a boxing returnCredit: Instagram daniella.hemsleyDaniella with her MMA star boyfriend Akonne WanlissCredit: Instagram daniella.hemsleyThe OnlyFans star went viral for flashing her boobs after a boxing winCredit: instagram @daniella.hemsleyDaniella later insisted it was the promoters’ idea and she was a victim of being thrown under the bus. But still, it has not deterred the Instagram model away from boxing and she is still training with a return in the pipeline. Her MMA fighter boyfriend Akonne Wanliss told SunSport: “She’s still training and she’s still got her eyes on the whole women’s division. “She’s still got her eyes on Alaena Vampira, Jully Pocca, she’s on that higher weight category. READ MORE IN BOXING“The Paige VanZant fight and Elle Brooke, we watched it and it was cool, man. It was cool to see the progression of Elle Brooke. “She even landed a shot and knocked down Paige VanZant, I was like, ‘Wow, this is kinda crazy.’ “It’s good to see the progress of it all and definitely Daniella is still very young, she’s only turning 24 this year and if she wants to get back into it she definitely can.” Wanliss is 8-2 in MMA and returns to the cage on Saturday in Prague at Oktagon 58 against Mateusz Legierski. Most read in BoxingAnd Daniella will be there to support her man, who is also part of her own boxing coaching team. Wanliss said: “She’s been improving her skills every week, she loves boxing and she still does it in her spare time, still goes gym every day.  I’m a stripper-turned MMA star… performing naked in front of 1,000 women is more nerve-wracking than fighting in cage “Why not? If something lines up for her nicely and the pay’s right and the opponent’s right, their influencer boxers so it has to make sense for them like that. “With me, I go in there and I’m looking to fight every so many months, going for titles that sort of thing. “But Misfits, they’re trying to build, they’re trying to build something where’s there’s titles now and women’s divisions. It’s turning into more of a pro vibe.” Akonne Wanliss coaches Daniella in boxingCredit: Instagram @akonnewanlissDaniella is a huge hit onlineCredit: instagram @daniella.hemsleyShe could be back in the boxing ring soonCredit: Instagram/daniella.hemsley More

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    Elle Brooke controversially DRAWS against Paige VanZant after knocking down ex-UFC star in thrilling OnlyFans battle

    ELLE BROOKE fought to an epic draw against Paige VanZant despite scoring a big knockdown. The pair of OnlyFans stars headlined on Misfits 15 in Houston, Texas and put on a thriller over five rounds. Paige VanZant was dropped by Elle BrookeCredit: @thedumbledongBrooke, 26, got off to the perfect start by putting VanZant, 30, on the seat of her pants with a huge right hand in the opener. But ex-UFC contender VanZant used her experienced to claw back to a split-decision draw. – which was slammed by Brooke’s boxer pal Ebanie Bridges who was ringside.VanZant said afterwards: “I said it would be a tough fight, the whole camp. I knew how tough she was, I took the fight for a reason.”I was excited, I watched her past fights, I knew it would be tough. It is what it is. it sets up the perfect rematch.”READ MORE IN BOXINGBrooke believed she did enough to nick a win on the cards but credited former bare-knuckle boxer VanZant for her resilience. She said: “I think I started strong but one of Paige’s best assets is she doesn’t let a bad round affect the next one. I think if anything she got stronger at the end of the fight whereas I dipped.”After being floored in round one, VanZant came out in the second and landed a big left hook, but took one in exchange.Brooke scored with a flurry of shots in the third round to leave VanZant needing to turn things around in the final four minutes. Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSBut the American rallied back in the fourth and fifth with the busier work between the two to take the bout to the cards. And after all three judges failed to separate the pair, both called for a rematch.EXCLUSIVE: I make hundreds of thousands on OnlyFans but now I want to become a world champion after boxing changed my lifeVanZant said: “I signed a multi-fight contract for a reason, so yeah it looks like we’re going to do it one more time in Dubai, it sounds like.”And Brooke added: “I mean it’s one of those things, you have to rewatch it because when you’re in there you’re getting hit but you’re also hitting.”I don’t think I’m experienced enough to think, ‘I’m 100 per cent winning this.’ “But because of the knockdown I can see me winning it but I’ll have to watch it back.”I was just saying to Paige, we now we get a big money rematch! This is perfect.”Misfits Boxing co-founder Mams Taylor – manager to YouTuber-turned boxer KSI – revealed the rematch will be run back in the UK, not Dubai, as VanZant believed.Taylor confirmed: “We’re going to see them back in the ring in the UK. READ MORE SUN STORIES”Elle came out here on Paige’s turf, now Paige is going to return the favour in the UK.”It was decided in that very ring moments after the announcement of it being a draw. They both want it. Let’s run it back.” More