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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

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      ‘He’s a show fighter’ – Jake Paul backed to beat Tommy Fury because Brit ‘can’t punch properly’

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      JAKE PAUL has been backed to beat Tommy Fury because the Brit is all for show – according to ex-UFC champion Luke Rockhold. Paul is finally set to face Fury on February 26, who has been forced out of the grudge match twice before due to injury and US visa issues.
      Jake Paul and Tommy Fury facing off ahead of their fightCredit: Getty
      It will be the YouTuber-turned prizefighter’s first opponent with a recognised professional boxing record in his 6-0 career.
      But Rockhold – who left the UFC this year – blasted 23-year-old Fury’s skills and predicted Paul to win the Saudi Arabia fight.
      He told InsideFighting: “You gotta have a dog in you. He ain’t got no dog in him. I’ve watched him fight. He doesn’t even finish his punches.
      “You know, he has no commitment to finishing it. He’s a show. He’s a show fighter. And I got Jake.
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      “And I don’t even think Jake has that much, like, he has commitment, at least. He doesn’t have patience.
      “He doesn’t have that f***ing mentality when he gets in the game, I think he’s blinded. He’s got that deer in the headlights, but at least he throws.”
      Paul, 26, beat UFC legend Anderson Silva, 47, in his last fight in October, his biggest win to date.
      But Rockhold, 38, mocked the victory and called to fight the American after mutually parting with the UFC.
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      He said to TMZ: “Stop trying to fight little dudes. F***ing [155] pounders. You’re a middleweight.
      “If you want to fight a middleweight, I got hands. We can do anything we want. I really don’t care. I’d beat that guy in my sleep.”
      “I got some freedom to do some things and as you can see, I like throwing hands these days.
      “Fight people your own f***ing weight. Straight up. And champions, a real champion, a real contender.
      “A real someone who can put you on your ass. not old guys, 55-year-olds, or lightweights.
      “You can’t even get above a welterweight, dog, So, step up.”
      Luke Rockhold called out Jake Paul after leaving the UFCCredit: GETTY More

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      ‘Shut the f*** up’ – Jake Paul slammed for hypocrisy by Jorge Masvidal over pay row with UFC boss Dana White

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      JORGE MASVIDAL has accused Jake Paul of hypocrisy over his row with UFC president Dana White about fighter pay. Paul has campaigned against White to boost the minimum pay of UFC stars, split revenues with them and to add a healthcare system.
      Jorge Masvidal with Dana White before his 2019 fight with Nate DiazCredit: Splash News
      Jake Paul has feuded with Dana White amid a row over UFC fighter payCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      But current UFC welterweight Masvidal has defended White and accused the YouTuber-turned boxer of underpaying fighters on his cards.
      Masvidal, 37, has just announced a boxing card promoted by himself and took a swipe at Paul, 26, in the process.
      He said on The MMA Hour: “I put my money where my mouth is. This motherf***er Jake Paul be talking about he pays fighters.
      “Shut the f*** up. When everybody sees what the f*** the card bill is, the whole card from top to bottom, I f***ing pay fighters.
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      “Me and my promotion pay fighters. My brothers and sisters so they can go earn a paycheck, kick ass and do what the f*** they do. All this other s*** is bulls*** and talk.”
      Boxing legend Roy Jones Jr, 54, is set to headline a card promoted by Masvidal against ex-UFC champion Anthony Pettis, 36.
      Meanwhile, Paul has headlined three events in his 6-0 career which have been co-promoted by his banner Most Valuable Promotions.
      The American even paid all undercard fighters half of their purses when his August bout with Hasim Rahman Jr, 31, was cancelled.
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      But Masvidal has still accused Paul of only looking after himself as he defended his UFC boss White.
      Masvidal said: “He’s always f***ing taking care of us and this doesn’t happen without Dana White and the UFC giving the permission so these guys can fight.
      “When I hear somebody like Jake Paul talking s*** about my business partners, I’m like f*** this idiot, what the f*** have you done in this sport, but feed yourself?
      “Shut the f*** up and now watch how the big boys do it.”
      Jorge Masvidal pictured with Jake PaulCredit: Instagram / @jakepaul More