UFC

ANTHONY JOSHUA has laid into Tyson Fury for delaying the progression of the heavyweight division.The WBC heavyweight champion is a matter of weeks away from throwing down with former UFC 265lbs king Francis Ngannou in a controversial crossover clash.
Anthony Joshua has had several public back and forths with Tyson FuryCredit: PA
Gypsy King Fury has slowed down the heavyweight division with his crossover clash against Francis NgannouCredit: REUTERS
AJ has accused Fury of ‘ducking’ former pound-for-pound king Oleksandr UsykCredit: YOUTUBE@DAZNBOXING
Fury’s Saudi showdown with The Predator was booked four months after his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk fell through due to his outrageous demands.
Fury, however, recently put pen to paper on a deal to face the undefeated Ukranian after his circus show with Ngannou, although that hasn’t changed Joshua’s opinion on his recent antics.
The Watford warrior told DAZN: “I wish I could balance this because he’s [Fury] ducking.
“He’s definitely a duck.
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“Whether he’s ducking me, not right now, but he’s definitely a duck.
“That’s facts like you can’t deny he’s a duck.”
Joshua, 33, has twice come agonisingly close to facing long-time domestic rival Fury in a historic Battle of Britain.
Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua still has aspirations of one day sharing the ring with the Gypsy King.
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The same, however, can’t be said for Fury.
He recently told The Daily Mail: “I don’t really care what he says. He’s a bum in my opinion.
“He’s just one big bum-dosser that has been knocked out three times.
“He’s been knocked out twice and had three losses. He can’t even compare in my league any more.
“It’s not even a fight I am thinking about any more. I’m not even interested.
“That bubble has been burst.
“His virginity has been taken away so it’s not interesting for me any more.
“He’s been spanked by Usyk twice and been beaten by a fat man.
“So it’s not in my interest to beat him.”
Joshua knocked out Robert Helenius in his last outing in AugustCredit: REUTERS More

TYSON FURY is taking the p*** over the Francis Ngannou fight, claims former UFC star Michael Bisping.The ex-UFC champion believes the Gypsy King is making a mistake by booking a fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
Tyson Fury is underestimating Francis Ngannou, claims Michael BispingCredit: Getty
Ngannou is a former UFC heavyweight championCredit: AFP
The heavyweight titans have finally agreed to duel in a bout that will take place in Saudi Arabia, possibly on December 23.
That is just eight weeks on from Fury’s meeting with Ngannou on October 28.
Bisping believes that makes a mockery of the fight and claims Fury is underestimating Ngannou, who is a former UFC heavyweight champion in his own right.
Bisping said on his YouTube channel: “He is mocking him.
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“He does not take him seriously, he does not respect the threat of Francis Ngannou one little bit. Why do I say that? It’s pretty simple. He’s already booked his next fight against Oleksandr Usyk, who is the next-best heavyweight on planet Earth.
“He’s taking the p***. He doesn’t give him any credit whatsoever.

“Well, listen. Ngannou’s not a boxer. He’s a mixed martial artist. We know that. He’s not as tall, he’s not as fast, he’s not as skilled. But the man can bang and he can knock people out and I’m telling you, is Tyson Fury making a massive mistake here?
“Because in the fight game, they always say, ‘Never look past your opponent. Never underestimate your opponent. Always expect the best version of them.’”
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Fans disagree with Bisping and many have slammed Ngannou after watching his skills in sparring.
Supporters are concerned that the fight will be a complete mismatch after a video emerged of Ngannou looking laboured in training.
The Cameroonian-born star seemed to lack a hard-hitting punch as he prepared for the contest with his trainer. More

CARL FROCH has reignited his war of words with Tyson Fury by poking fun at his less-than-athletic frame.The Cobra has been a vocal critic of the WBC heavyweight champion’s decision to face former UFC champ Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Tyson Fury is set to face Oleksandr Uysk in an undisputed heavyweight title fightCredit: REUTERS
Former super-middleweight champ Carl Froch reckons Usyk could do a number on Fury if he’s not carefulCredit: Getty
The Cobra has poked fun at Fury’s podgy frameCredit: GETTY
Fury, however, is seemingly using the MMA man-mountain as a tune-up bout ahead of his long-overdue undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
But the podgy physique he showed during his face-off with Ngannou last month has Froch convinced the undersized Usyk can do a number on him.
He told Best Gambling Sites: “Is Fury at his best? He puts weight on between fights.
“He’s carrying a lot of belly fat around, he’s got love handles.”
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“And if Fury is not firing on all cylinders, and Usyk turns up and puts on a career-best performance, Usyk will win and win comfortably.”
Froch, however, doesn’t foresee The Gypsy King taking the biggest fight of his career lightly and expects him to enter it in tip-top shape.
He continued: “I just think it’s going to be taken seriously by both of them.
“And a good Fury beats a good Usyk in a good very close fight and an awkward fight.
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🥊 Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
“I think Fury nullifies his work and ties him up. I’m not so sure if he gets the stoppage.
“I just think that the size of Fury will be a problem. I don’t think Usyk can make that range up against the 6 ‘9 Fury.”
Fury and Uysk’s historic undisputed heavyweight title fight was officially announced last week.
SunSport understands the pair are set to trade blows in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
But the first undisputed heavyweight title fight in over 24 years could be pushed back into next year depending on the outcome of Fury’s upcoming clash with Ngannou.
Tyson Fury faces former UFC champ Francis Ngannou later this monthCredit: REUTERS More

DANA WHITE has reacted to reports of Showtime Boxing’s demise and said ‘it’s about time that s***** product is off the air’.The UFC CEO said “F*** Espinoza” as he called out Showtime boss Stephan Espinoza over a potential major TV channel change for boxing in the US.
Dana White has blasted Showtime Boxing boss Stephan EspinozaCredit: Getty
White and Espinoza had a close relationship as the pair worked together in 2017 to promote the Conor McGregor vs Floyd Mayweather fight.
The fight was a success after selling a mammoth amount of pay-per-view sales and making the pair a tremendous amount of money.
Despite their financial victory, the two have a strained relationship and have had many bust-ups since.
White opened up about his feelings on Showtime reportedly leaving the boxing game entirely at a recent post-fight press conference for ‘Dana White’s Contender Series’.
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He did not appear to be overly distressed by the idea of the channel’s demise.
White said: “That’s incredibly unfortunate. The production of that show is fantastic, the guy who runs Showtime Boxing is a great human being. It’s unfortunate to hear this.”
But then White made fun of the situation and cursed Espinoza and his TV network.
He added: “F*** Espinoza. It’s about time that S***** product was off the air.”
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Earlier this year Showtime ended its 47-year-old standalone identity as a premium cable channel by becoming part of Paramount+.
The takeover of the company may mean the end of Showtime Boxing which has been running since 1986.
For boxing fans a major TV channel change could be on its way if Paramount+ choose to end the streaming service.
Showtime Boxing has broadcast many notable fights over the years for Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Tyson Fury. More

TYSON FURY has seemingly leaked Francis Ngannou’s payday for their controversial crossover clash.The Gypsy King is just over four weeks away from locking horns with the former UFC heavyweight champion in a lucrative ten-round Saudi showdown.
Francis Ngannou will lock horns with Tyson Fury in a ten-round exhibition next monthCredit: REUTERS
The former UFC heavyweight champion is set to earn a pretty penny for the fightCredit: GETTY
Fury claims Ngannou will receive a minimum of £8.1million for their fightCredit: GETTY
Ngannou bagged the biggest fight of his career a mere six months after seemingly walking away from a guaranteed £6.5million ($8m) to face MMA icon Jon Jones.
Saudi chiefs have shelled out the big bucks to get Fury and Ngannou to share the ring.
And Fury claims the Cameroonian clubber will bag a minimum of £8.1million ($10m) as soon as he steps in the ring for their much-maligned desert dust-up.
The WBC heavyweight champion said: “Everyone said he was an idiot for walking away from the UFC and now all of a sudden he’s a genius, isn’t he?”
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“Guy’s about to make $10 million (£8.1m). Come on! Egg in their face! Francis is going to make that bag. Rich!”
Ngannou, 37, will make considerably more than the figure being publicly touted by Fury.
His guaranteed purse will be topped up by his respective cut of the fight’s pay-per-view sales – as well as sponsorship money.
The hard-hitting Ngannou goes into his professional boxing debut as a huge underdog.
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But he’s adamant he’ll shock the world and hand the undefeated Fury his first-ever loss.
He told The LadBible earlier this year: “He’s a great boxer.
“One of the best to ever do it. Personally, I think he’s a show guy.
“He’s a good show guy. He likes to have fun. He’s cool. And what I love about him, he’s a free man. He speaks free. He lives free.
“He’s not caged. And I like that attitude.
“Ten years ago, I wasn’t in the picture. Not even in the corner, like a dot. So I have my own chance.” More

PIERCE O’LEARY is appealing to fellow Dubliner Conor McGregor to help him secure a dream homecoming bout.The Notorious MMA superstar sponsored Irish legend Katie Taylor’s Three Arena fight against Chantelle Cameron last May and his new stout brand has backed the Saturday night Joe Joyce vs Zhilei Zhang rematch at Wembley Arena.
Super-lightweight Dubliner Pierce O’Leary is climbing the rankings and dreaming of an iconic homecoming.Credit: Sportsfile
Super-lightweight 23-year-old O’Leary is on the London undercard this weekend but a fight at the iconic arena, just a few steps from his family home, is what he keeps dreaming of and he hopes McGregor can assist with.
“Let’s do Paddy’s Day, March 17, that weekend, let’s give everyone a bit of excitement for that weekend.” he grinned.
“The Three Arena is 200 yards from my house, I used to do laps around it as a kid to get fit and cut weight.
“Katie Taylor has got boxing back in there now, her fans packed it out from 5:30pm and that gives me hope I can get there soon.
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“I am reaching out to Conor and the Forged Stout company to sponsor a show there for us.
“Conor is an honourable man and when I have a bad day I watch loads of old Conor McGregor fights and footage, it helps me when I am alone in training camps over here in London away from my family.
“A lot of my girlfriend’s family, cousins and uncles, are close friends with Conor so it would be great to work together on something back in Dublin.”
O’Leary was a decorated amateur and could very comfortably still be living at home with his partner and three-year-old daughter while he adds to his undefeated early record.
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But he has dragged himself away to set up a tough solitary existence in a lonely flat close to trainer Al Smith’s excellent i-box gym in Bromley.
Zoom calls home can be torturous for the dedicated daddy but he believes he is toughening himself up now for the challenges to come.
“I think I am building the hardship,” he said.
“I want to have a different mentality to everybody else, when the going gets tough I still want to be hanging in there.
“Everytime I leave my family it feels like I am being stabbed with a sword and as it’s pulled out I am deflated.
“Every moment is sink-or-swim for me, Al has to throw me out of the gym every day and tell me to stop training.
“But this is my work ethic, I am not going to leave my family – who depend on me – to come over here and mess about.
“I am regimented, I am away from all distractions, I am lucky to have great grandparents on both sides back home helping with my daughter.”
Conor McGregor has sponsored a few boxing events recently and could add to that with Pierce O’LearyCredit: Instagram @ebaniebridges
O’Leary’s dashing good looks, designer spectacles and superpower have his manager Francis Warren plotting a Superman-style ring walk soon, complete with a flowing cape.
But the down-to-earth fighter feels like unnecessary attention is his kryptonite and hopes to laugh off the gimmick.
“I am telling you we are not doing it,” he laughed.
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“It keeps getting mentioned but it’s not my character. I don’t mind keeping my glasses on for the weigh-in scales but that’s all I need.
“If it really works for the media, then maybe but I don’t like messing around, these fights are where I earn my dough, how I feed my family, so there is no messing around for me.” More

JOHN FURY wants son Tyson to fight Jon Jones after Francis Ngannou – “battle royale” style. The Gypsy King returns on October 28 in Saudi Arabia against ex-UFC champion Ngannou.
John Fury wants son Tyson to fight Jon Jones after Francis NgannouCredit: PA
Jon Jones was called out by Tyson FuryCredit: Getty
Fury has even teased a rematch in the cage and called out UFC superstar Jones for a future bout.
And he has the backing of his dad John, who told him to forget about boxing the MMA icon to instead go for an all out brawl.
He told Seconds Out: “I know my son, he can get it the Hectogon [Octagon] with anybody.
“If you let Tyson kick and punch you and do all of them things to you, which I think should be allowed in this fight [with Ngannou].
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“I’d say let Ngannou do his s*** and let Tyson do his s***, and have a free-for-all, let the best man walk out of it.
“I think that you’ll see that with Jon Jones, I don’t want to see a boxing match.
“I want to see both men in an all-in battle royale, and let the best man stand up at the end of it with his hands in the air and say that he is the hardest man and the baddest man on the planet.”
“That’d be my plan [to fight Jon Jones]. I can’t speak for Tyson, I’m not his business advisor, I’m not his manager, I’m not his trainer, I’m just his father, but that is what I would want to see.”
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Ngannou, 37, walked out on the UFC and a potential super-fight with Jones, 36, to pursue a lucrative switch to boxing.
And Fury, 35, gave up his undisputed title pursuit of Oleksandr Usyk, 36, to welcome the Cameroonian to the ring.
The British heavyweight star further distanced himself from Usyk by calling to fight Jones after Ngannou.
Fury told Queensbury Promotions: “Hopefully I get through Ngannou and then I either fight Ngannou in a cage or I fight Jon Jones in a boxing match.
“I’d go in a cage with Ngannou for sure, I’d let him kick me, I’d let him do what he wants to me, a full MMA fight.
“I’d knock him out and probably break his arm on the way too with an arm-bar, I’ll kick his leg and break it in two.”
Fury and Francis Ngannou face off ahead of their fightCredit: Getty More