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      UFC legend Ben Askren is baffled by Jake Paul’s popularity and brands YouTuber an ‘idiot’ who is ‘too stupid to learn’

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      BEN ASKREN admitted he is baffled by Jake Paul’s popularity and branded the YouTuber an ‘idiot’ who is ‘too stupid to learn’. The retired UFC welterweight lost to Paul at the 75-000 seater Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atalanta in 2021.
      Ben Askren admitted he is baffled by Jake Paul’s popularity
      Ben Askren called Jake Paul an ‘idiot’ who is ‘too stupid to learn’Credit: Instagram
      Askren, who had never boxed before, said not even handing the social media star his first loss would humble him.
      He told MMA Junkie: “Jake Paul’s gonna be an idiot before me, he’s gonna be an idiot after me.
      “This guy’s an idiot. That’s what he does. What kind of lesson? He’s too stupid to learn anything.”
      Askren, 38, was so unaware of who Paul, 26, or his older brother Logan, 27, were, he asked the pupils at his wrestling school about them.
      And the ex-ONE Championship and Bellator champion still cannot get his head around their massive online following, with over 50MILLION subscribers between them.
      Askren said: “I don’t think there’s any good answer. They’re all like, ‘He does a lot of dumb things.’
      “Or, ‘He says crazy stuff.’ But it’s like, OK. So? So what? There’s nothing that, I don’t know.
      “People who I liked growing up: Chris Farley, I think he’s hilarious; Chris Rock, I think he’s hilarious; Muhammad Ali, I’m inspired by this man.
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      His third fight will be his toughest, facing for the first time an experienced and seasoned competitor.
      But Askren was renowned for his limited striking style and elite level grappling skills.
      As a result, he is the betting underdog, and has linked up with esteemed trainer Freddie Roach to enhance his boxing even more.

      Still, Askren predicts an easy night’s work against Paul, most famed for viral videos on YouTube. More

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      ‘See you soon ‘ – Ex-UFC champ Francis Ngannou calls out Deontay Wilder after being challenged to boxing and MMA fights

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      FRANCIS NGANNOU has sent a chilling warning Deontay Wilder’s way after being called out by the boxer.Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder recently challenged the free agent to back-to-back fights inside the boxing ring and MMA cage.
      Deontay Wilder recently challenged Francis Ngannou to a two-fight seriesCredit: AFP
      Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou has accepted the call-outCredit: GETTY
      Ngannou and Wilder met at the UFC Performance Institute last yearCredit: YOUTUBE@FRANCISNGANNOU
      The challenge came a matter of weeks after former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou became a free man after failing to agree a new deal with the promotion.
      And Cameroonian clubber Ngannou is happy to throw down with his fellow knockout artist, tweeting: “Welcome to the free world Bronze Bomber.
      “I hope you are a man of your word. See you soon.”
      He added: “I said only boxing so he can keep his limbs.
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      “Like I said we will see if he’s a man of his word.”
      Wilder’s immediate future is currently up in the air as he’s reportedly fielding offers after being left disappointed with the potential purse for a clash with Andy Ruiz Jr.
      The American hasn’t left Al Haymon’s PBC stable but insists he’s an “open agent”.
      He told 78SPORTSTV: “I have no problem with PBC.
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      “We’re still thriving, we’re strong, and I think PBC still has some of the best fighters out there.
      “I don’t have nothing against PBC, we’re still working together as far as I know of.
      “Me and Al Haymon still communicate, ain’t no bad blood against none of us.
      “I’m still part of PBC, still looking to do fights on PBC.
      “I’m just an open agent, I’m an open fighter. I want to fight on all types of platforms. I’m willing to work with anyone in the business.”
      Wilder hasn’t fought since his brutal first-round knockout of Robert Helenius last October.
      Free agent Ngannou, meanwhile, was last in action last January in his first and final defence of the UFC heavyweight crown against Ciryl Gane. More

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      Eddie Hearn sheds new light on what he and Conor McGregor discussed during ‘mad’ meeting about Katie Taylor fight

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      MATCHROOM chief Eddie Hearn has described UFC star Conor McGregor as a great promoter. The Londoner says the former UFC champion will be a massive part of Katie Taylor’s homecoming event later this year.
      Conor McGregor held a meeting with Eddie Hearn last week
      Eddie Hearn says the UFC star is a great promoter
      The top boxing promoter flew into Ireland to hold talks with the Conor McGregor in a bid to bring Taylor’s blockbuster rematch with Amanda Serrano to GAA HQ as he revealed some details from the meeting.
      Speaking with Betfred’s Lightweight Boxing Show, Hearn said: “Probably not in May. There’s a rugby game on there on that day and that’s our TV day. We know it’s £1 million more to host a fight there than Wembley, which is wild but it is what it is.
      “Everybody says ‘Just pay it, just pay it, it’s great business’, well that isn’t great business because imagine making a fight like that and losing a £1 million. Fantastic, what great business.
      “Conor McGregor talked about supporting the event and he’s just full of beans. I had a nice pint of Black Forged Irish Stout, which is better than Guinness, and it was just mad being around Conor. Imagine watching a Conor McGregor press conference and that’s basically what it was like at dinner.

      “He’s a character, he’s a great promoter and he genuinely loves Katie Taylor and wants to help. I’m sure he’ll be part of the show.”
      But a potential Croke Park date would only be possible later in 2023 as the Irish government ruled out any chance of the May 20 date for the ‘Bray Bomber’ and a stadium homecoming.
      The May 20 fight now looks certain to take place at the 3Arena.
      Hearn added: “The 3Arena is only 9,000 or 10,000 but it’s the biggest (indoor) arena in Ireland. We keep talking about these outdoor events for Katie but if I miss this slot then we may never get the chance to go.
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      “By the way it’s an unbelievable arena and Conor has fought there. The atmosphere would be wild. We won’t be very popular though as the tickets will go on day one. I just want it to happen.”
      Hearn says that Dublin’s Croke Park could see Taylor face undisputed light-welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron if the Bray native beat Serrano in the rematch.
      Hearn concluded: “Katie said to me she wants Amanda Serrano and Chantelle Cameron. The Chantelle Cameron fight could be the fight for Croke Park, but let’s get this up and running, get tickets on sale and give Katie Taylor a homecoming in Ireland.” More

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      Five options for Tyson Fury if Oleksandr Usyk fight falls apart including all-Brit clash and scrap against UFC legend

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      TYSON FURY is already being presented with alternative routes in case an undisputed title fight with Oleksandr Usyk collapses. The pound-for-pound stars are in talks for the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification bout.
      Tyson Fury is still in talks to fight Oleksandr UsykCredit: Getty
      Oleksandr Usyk could be forced to fight Tyson Fury in EnglandCredit: Reuters
      But it looks as though Saudi Arabia is now out of the question with Wembley on April 29 the new frontrunner.
      It means both will have to accept pay cuts while Usyk, 36, faces conceding the lion’s share and home advanatage.
      Although ever the superstar, Fury, 34, is not exactly in shortage of potential backup options and here SunSport runs down the best of the bunch.
      Anthony Joshua
      Fans are not yet ready to give up on the Battle of Britain and neither is Eddie Hearn as he said AJ will fight Fury if he beats Jermaine Franklin on April 1.
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      Hearn told iFL TV: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen with this Usyk thing. He may fight Fury next.
      “We’d be open to that fight. If Usyk doesn’t fight Fury, AJ will fight Fury next, in the summer if he gets through Franklin.
      “How about that? Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. He will.”
      Anthony Joshua with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: PA
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      Francis Ngannou
      Ngannou, 36, is now the hottest free agent on the market after failing to extend his UFC contract.
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      And he has flirted with an unprecedented hybrid bout against Fury, under boxing rules, with 4oz gloves in the cage.
      Promoter Frank Warren remains hopeful the Usyk fight will be agreed but confirmed Ngannou is an alternative.
      He told SecondsOut: “That’s an option that Tyson’s mentioned to me if this fight falls through. But, I don’t think it will fall through.”
      Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou at WembleyCredit: BT SPORTS
      Joe Joyce
      Joyce, 37, is the WBO mandatory challenger for Usyk’s belt and in line to challenge the winner of the undisputed fight.
      And sharing the same promoter in Warren, the Hall of Famer wants Fury to face Joyce in the summer at Wembley.
      But if talks with Usyk hit a dead end, Joyce could be eyed as the backup alternative for Fury’s stadium return.
      Joyce first returns on April 15 against Zhilei Zhang, 39, but would be ready to challenge for the title in the summer.
      Joe Joyce and Oleksandr Usyk face off against Tyson FuryCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
      Deontay Wilder
      Wilder has shared one of the most epic rivalries with Fury in heavyweight history, drawing their first but losing the two rematches.
      And they could be made to do it all over again with Wilder, 37, highly ranked within the WBC.
      He has been ordered into a final eliminator bout against Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, to determine the next in line for Fury’s belt.
      But with the two teams familiar business partners, a shock deal could be struck to get a fourth fight on.
      Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder shared a trilogy seriesCredit: Getty
      Andy Ruiz Jr
      Fury has opened the door to facing the only heavyweight champion in history with Mexican descent.
      But Ruiz is lined up with either a title eliminator against Wilder or Filip Hrgovic.
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      Although he remains a pay-per-view attraction, meaning he cannot be ruled out of facing Fury sooner rather than later.
      And Warren has a working relationship with Ruiz’s Premier Boxing Champions backers.
      Andy Ruiz Jr has called out Tyson Fury beforeCredit: EPA More

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      Tyson Fury told to fight released UFC heavyweight instead of Francis Ngannou by Nate Diaz in his new promotion

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      TYSON FURY has been told to fight a former UFC heavyweight by Nate Diaz.The Gypsy King, 34, could be tempted with another venture away from boxing if the unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk cannot get finalised.
      Tyson Fury could fight under MMA rules if his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk crashesCredit: Getty
      And a hybrid fight against Francis Ngannou appeared to be on the cards following the Cameroonian’s UFC contract expired.
      But now Diaz, who has launched his own promotion Real Fight Inc, wants to see Fury take on a different MMA star.
      The 37-year-old Californian tweeted: “Ben Rothwell vs Tyson Fury,” followed by a fist emoji and the Real Fight Twitter handle.
      Rothwell, 41, is a 6ft 4ins 120kg heavyweight who won 39 of his 53 professional MMA bouts – appearing 17 times on UFC cards.
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      His most-recent fight was a round-one TKO defeat to Marcos Rogerio de Lima in November 2021.
      But Diaz would like to see his fellow American fight Fury.
      However, fans on Twitter were completely underwhelmed by the suggestion with various memes and gifs expressing their confusion.
      Instead most supporters want Fury to take on Usyk – and Ngannou if that cannot be arranged.
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      Ngannou seemed willing to agree to Fury’s strange rules for their potential battle with 4oz gloves and Mike Tyson refereeing.
      The Usyk showdown, though, would be the main attraction with all the world titles on the line.
      Talks remain ongoing between the two camps but with Saudi Arabia struggling to secure the hosting rights, it could take place at Wembley on April 29.
      Ben Rothwell was put forward as a shock suggestion to fight FuryCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Nate Diaz’s suggestion did not go down well on TwitterCredit: Getty More

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      Jake Paul says Nate Diaz could ‘definitely’ be his first MMA opponent after talks for two-fight deal with ex-UFC star

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      JAKE PAUL said Nate Diaz could “definitely” be his first MMA opponent after talks for a two-fight deal with the ex-UFC star. Paul has signed with the UFC’s competitor the Professional Fighters League to both promote and compete.
      Jake Paul has offered Nate Diaz a two-fight boxing and MMA dealCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Nate Diaz has left the UFCCredit: Getty
      Upon the initial announcement, the YouTuber-turned 6-0 boxer revealed he offered Diaz a two-fight deal for a boxing and MMA bout.
      It leaves the former UFC favourite as a frontrunner to welcome Paul to the cage as talks continue.
      Paul told the Daily Mail: “We offered a two-fight deal to Nate Diaz, one for boxing and one for MMA.
      “That could definitely happen and he could definitely be my first MMA opponent, 100 per cent.
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      “It would be diving into the deep end but, for some reason, I just feel as if I’m going to be really good at MMA.
      “I have the wrestling background, I have the better boxing than all of them, so I’ve really just got to learn the kicks and the takedown defence.”
      Paul, 26, first returns to the ring on February 26 Saudi Arabia in the hope of finally fighting Tommy Fury, 23.
      Fury has twice pulled out of the celebrity boxing bout before due to a rib injury and US visa issue.
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      But they look to settle their score in the Diriyah desert with bragging rights, reputations and unbeaten records on the line.
      Ex-UFC welterweight and now bare-knuckle boxer Mike Perry, 31, is the man on standby in case lightning strikes again.
      And SunSport understands a two-fight MMA and boxing deal has also been proposed for Paul and Perry.
      Mike Perry is on standby for Jake Paul’s next fightCredit: GETTY More

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      ‘I’m serious about that’ – Deontay Wilder calls out ex-UFC champ Francis Ngannou to two-fight boxing and MMA deal

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      DEONTAY WILDER said he is serious about a two-fight boxing and MMA deal with Francis Ngannou. Ngannou is a free agent after leaving the UFC following a breakdown in contract talks.
      Deontay Wilder is serious about a two-fight boxing and MMA deal with Francis NgannouCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Francis Ngannou has left the UFCCredit: Getty
      It has paved the way for him to make a dream move into boxing, where the likes of Tyson Fury, 34, and Anthony Joshua, 33, await.
      But Wilder, 37, is ready to go one step further and face Ngannou, 36, in both the ring and cage.
      He told Trill Boxing Talk: “I’m very interested in it. I even thought about this idea, though, I was like; all right, let’s make it a two-fight deal.
      “Everybody always comes to boxing, but let’s do this: You come to my s***, I come to yours. You know what I’m saying? You feel me?
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      “I’ll do it up. You come to my house, I come to yours. A true tea party. I’m a true warrior.”
      Fury and Ngannou have both flirted with a hybrid-rules bout, under boxing rules but in a cage with smaller 4oz gloves.
      But Wilder is ready to rip up the script and become one of few boxers to enter the world of MMA.
      He said: “I’m serious about that. That’s something I thought about even from the first spark of the idea. I want to do something different.
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      “Since everybody always be crossing between combat sports, and the MMA guys always come to boxing, of course, they ain’t got no stand-up game as far as boxing is concerned.
      “So it’s always going to be favoured on the boxer’s side, because you’re in our territory. It’s just like being in the water with sharks, with a shark.”
      Boxing legend James Toney was among the few to cross codes but was beaten by ex-UFC champion Randy Couture in three minutes of their 2010 fight.
      Wilder briefly met Ngannou last year when he was using the UFC’s state of the art training facilities.
      He revealed: “I love Francis. When I met him at the Apex in Vegas, they was talking about doing it that time.
      “I’m still interested in that fight. I would love to go to Africa for that. I would love to do that in Africa.”
      Deontay Wilder pictured with Francis Ngannou More

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      ‘Fanboy’ – Jake Paul brutally mocked for copying Conor McGregor as he posts snap of himself jogging in place as UFC star

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      JAKE PAUL has been mocked by fight fans for replicating a Conor McGregor training picture.The YouTuber turned boxer has been gearing up for his Saudi showdown with Tommy Fury later this month in nearby Dubai.
      Jake Paul is gearing up for his Saudi showdown with Tommy FuryCredit: MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS
      The Problem Child has been keeping his fans up to date with his training in DubaiCredit: TWITTER@JAKEPAUL
      But his followers were quick to release he copied a recent training snap of Conor McGregor’sCredit: INSTAGRAM@THENOTORIOUSMMA
      Paul has been making the most of the picturesque running locations in the United Arab Emirates ahead of the grudge match – which has been nearly two years in the making.
      But his legion of followers noticed he took the opportunity to take a photo of himself running in the exact same spot as UFC superstar McGregor.
      Paul, 26, posted a snap of himself jogging the same route as The Notorious to his Twitter and Instagram profiles, writing in the caption: “19 days. Sunday, February 26th.”
      Fans were quick to comment, with one saying: “Conor did it first.”
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      Another said: “Acting like Conor again.”
      And another said: “Conor McGregor’s biggest fan.”
      One remarked: “Fanboy! The man was a fanboy. He bought t-shirts of mine”
      Another chimed in: “Considering he hates Conor McGregor, he wants to be him so bad.”
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      Social media sensation Paul was in Saudi on Wednesday to take part in a press conference to promote his clash with Fury – who no-showed for the event.
      An irate Paul said: “I’m used to his behaviour at this point, he’s unprofessional and he’s a flake.
      “He’s not a serious businessman or a serious fighter and I’m going to prove that.
      “It’s why this fight is called, ‘The Truth’ because the truth is going to come out.
      “He’s going to have to pay for all of the times he’s pulled out.
      “All the business people he screwed over, it’s disrespectful.
      “There’s some of the biggest names in boxing, the biggest promoters and the most influential people in the world.

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      “One of the greatest countries in the world and he doesn’t want to show up because of a ‘private matter’.
      “We all have private matters.
      “When you sign up to do something, you make a commitment, that’s what it should be about.
      “It just shows me he’s scared because he said he didn’t need to train for this fight.
      “Meanwhile, his first excuse was that he needed to train extra, but now it’s a private matter.
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      “I love Tyson but it’s typical from the dad [John] and Tommy.”
      UFC superstar McGregor, meanwhile, is gearing up to make his long-awaited return to the octagon against Michael Chandler later this year. More