UFC

JACOB “STITCH” DURAN has lost count of the amount of fights he has worked over his career – but there is one he could never forget. Duran has cornered a who’s who in both boxing and MMA, spanning over four decades, so little can faze or shock the 72-year-old legend.
Jay Hieron vs Jonathan Goule was the ‘bloodiest’ fight in MMA history
Hieron was left covered from head to toe in blood
Stitch Duran worked the cut for Hieron
It was the bloodiest fight Stitch ever worked
Stitch aiding Hieron’s gruesome gash
But, in 2005, he worked in what at the time was described by UFC commentator Joe Rogan as the “bloodiest round in mixed martial arts history.”
Jay Hieron was taking on Jonathan Goule in a welterweight bout when, in round two, he took a brutal knee to the forehead.
Immediately, Hieron was drenched in blood and Duran knew he had a job on his hands.
Duran recalls almost PASSING OUT from the sheer smell alone as Hieron was covered from head to toe in claret.
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He told SunSport: “Jay Hieron got that one cut in the vein where you laugh and it popped out and he bled like a pig, to the point where both fighters had blood from the top of their head to the bottom of their feet. 
“As I was cleaning Jay up, there was so much blood I literally got nauseated. The smell of that iron, that had to be the bloodiest fight. 
“And Jay Hieron is so proud of it, the mat is up in Randy Couture’s gym in Las Vegas. So we’re intertwined in his history.”
Despite Duran’s best efforts, the bleeding was so severe the fight was called off a minute into round three with Goule winning by stoppage.
Most read in BoxingThe one that got away DESPITE working with the best of the best, the most notable name Stitch never cornered was Floyd Mayweather.

Instead, Mayweather famously had the late Rafael Garcia – who died in 2017 – work his cuts and more importantly his hands.
But Stitch did have the chance to join Mayweather’s team, telling us: “I walk into the gym with a friend of mine, barber shop type of thing and he’s going through guys wrapping his hands, as he does have problems. 
“Well this one guy is wrapping his hands and I’m telling my friend right off the bat, ‘Too tight.’ Floyd is shaking his hands and the other guy is wrapping his other hand. 
“Finally, they finish and Floyd and James Prince – his manager at the time – they walk into the dressing room and as he’s walking out Floyd is cutting the wraps off his hands. 
“At that point I could have said, ‘Hey Floyd, I’ll wrap your hands.’ But out of respect for that cutman, I said nothing. 
“Then of course, later on Rafael got the opportunity and the assignment and I’m glad he got the assignment because Rafael was a super, super, super guy. 
“He never really got the credit that was due to him until Floyd gave him the opportunity. So everything worked out.” 

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It marked the only ever time Duran – who estimates he has worked over 1,000 fights – was taken aback by an incident.
He said: “That was the only time I ever really smelt the blood. There was that much blood to the point, I could smell the iron in it. 
Legendary cutman Stitch Duran ready to join Tyson Fury’s camp to protect horror cut in rescheduled Tyson Fury fight
“But it’s not usually an issue when it comes to smelling blood. At this point I ain’t got no time to be freaking out.” 
Duran had a military background before moving into the sport of kickboxing, where he coached and promoted.
From there, he made the life-changing decision to work fighters’ cuts and wrap their hands.
No cornerman has had a bigger impact across the sports, with Duran working with the likes of Wladimir Klistchko and Tyson Fury.
He has even featured in Hollywood movies, most notably in the Rocky series and Creed spin-offs.
But away from the lights, camera and action, Duran has one of the crucial jobs in the ring.
He said: “It’s definitely a pressure point. People ask me, ‘What does it take to be a good cutman?’ And I always say, ‘Composure.’
“During those points you’ve got to keep your composure and give that fighter every positive airwave. 
“He looks at you, and you look at him and you’ve just got to know what you’re doing a coach can be in the back but we’re in the front and centre.” 
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Stitch Duran is the most iconic cutman in boxing historyCredit: Getty More

MANNY PACQUIAO is officially out of retirement – and he’s targeting a big-name opponent for his ring return.The former eight-weight world champion hung up his gloves in September 2021 a month after losing his WBA welterweight title fight with Yordenis Ugas.
Manny Pacquiao retired from boxing a month after losing to Yordenis UgasCredit: GETTY
Pacman returned to the ring in December 2022 for an exhibition against DK YooCredit: GETTY
The former eight-weight champ is out of retirement, according to his managerCredit: GETTY
Pacquiao, however, took part in an exhibition bout against South Korean DK Yoo in December 2022 and is set to face Muay Thai legend Buakaw in a second in April.
The 45-year-old recently teased a rematch with long-time rival Floyd Mayweather, which his manager Sean Gibbons has added fuel to by claiming the pride of the Philippines is no longer a retired fighter.
He told Boxing Scene: “Technically, he’s out of retirement.”
Pacquiao, according to Gibbons, plans to stick around for one more year and is targeting some of the biggest names in the sport.
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He continued: “He would love to fight Gervonta Davis, Ryan Garcia. He’s got about a year left.
“He just wants to fight. Manny feels that he’s in tremendous shape.
“He’s training for this exhibition but hopefully that will lead to something bigger and better.”
A lucrative showdown with former UFC champion Conor McGregor has been on the cards for the best part of three years but has yet to materialise.
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Pacman was on the receiving end of a callout from the MMA mogul last December, with The Notorious challenging him to a lucrative showdown in Saudi Arabia.
And a crossover clash with the UFC’s poster boy is something Gibbons insists Pacquiao is more than up for.
“I do [see a pro return for Pacquiao],” he said. “One of the fights that people talked about for a long time was Manny Pacquiao versus Conor McGregor.
“That’s something that will be sensational in Saudi Arabia, let’s go. It will be a good place to do it. It’s really simple.
“His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, [the chairman of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia], loves big events.
“And he’s putting on the best events.
“It’s a very intriguing and fun fight bringing two of the biggest names together in combat sports.”
McGregor, 35, hasn’t fought since breaking his leg in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021 but will be welcomed back to the octagon by Michael Chandler later this year.
Manny Pacquiao is open to fighting UFC superstar Conor McGregor this yearCredit: GETTY
Conor McGregor is set to face Michael Chandler in his UFC this yearCredit: UFC More

CONOR McGREGOR has been invited to make a switch to brutal bare-knuckle boxing after striking a sponsorship deal. McGregor’s Forged Irish Stout is now partnered with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
Conor McGregor with BKFC founder David FeldmanCredit: BKFC
The Irishman himself talked up the idea of one day taking the gloves off for a brutal bout with exposed fists.
In 2017, he crossed over to the boxing ring to face Floyd Mayweather, losing in ten rounds but making around £100million in doing so.
The UFC gave McGregor special permission to do so and co-promoted the money-spinning spectacle.
So it leaves BKFC founder David Feldman refusing to rule out the 35-year-old stepping into the world of bare-knuckle boxing.
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He told SunSport: “Look, theoretically he can’t because he’s under contract with the UFC and we actually have a great relationship with the UFC.
“But I think Conor plays by a different set of rules any maybe there’s a way to partner on an event, who knows?
“But as far as us doing it by ourselves, I don’t think that ever happens. But maybe a collaboration? It could happen, he likes it.”
McGregor was ringside in April when his former opponents Eddie Alvarez, 40, and Chad Mendes, 38, fought at BKFC 41.
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Later that night, ex-UFC star Mike Perry, 32, defeated Luke Rockhold, 39, and McGregor jumped in the ring afterwards for a face off.
Feldman said: “They’d both stand there and bang and Mike Perry talks good, Conor talks good and it wold be really, really fun to watch.
“There’s a lot of guys out there too. A lot of guys in the UFC that would be fun; Justin Gaethje, he would be really fun to watch here.
“I think Conor versus Mike Perry, the whole world would tune in.”
McGregor paraded around with a BKFC championship belt and squared up to their biggest star in Perry.
And it gave Feldman quite possibly the greatest bit of marketing possible.
He said: “It’s huge and since that time we were able to sign a deal with him for his Forged Irish Stout, which is now a sponsor of ours.
“He’s going to be an ambassador and it was a great thing. He liked what he saw, it’s had not to like it if you’re a real fighter.
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“It’s hard not to get excited about it and he got excited about it. Now it’s turned into a good relationship.
“It’s amazing, you’ve got the number one combat sports guy in the whole entire world who likes your product and want to be involved with you in some shape or form.”
Mike Perry squaring up to Conor McGregorCredit: Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship More