Author: quyen1

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will fight for the undisputed heavyweight title on 17 February.

Tyson Fury tried his best to intimidate Oleksandr Usyk during a heated press conference in London, but the Ukrainian fighter appeared unfazed by the tirade of insults.

It was confirmed on Thursday that Fury and Usyk will fight for the undisputed heavyweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 17th.

For the first time since Lennox Lewis, boxing will finally have an undisputed heavyweight champion after two of the biggest names in the sport go head-to-head at the Kingdom Arena.

Fury, who had been expected to face Usyk in December, almost fell to an unexpected defeat to Francis Ngannou last month.

Usyk, meanwhile, is looking forward to coming up against The Gypsy King after a controversial ninth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois.

In fact, the WBA, WBO and IBF world champion smiled throughout the London press conference as Fury hurled a number of insults at his upcoming opponent.

Check out Fury’s reaction above, after Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk aimed a jibe at the WBC champ.

Shortly after Thursday’s press conference, Usyk was asked if he listens to anything Fury says.

“No,” he replied. “For me, it’s a lot of speaking, like a talking head. Blah blah blah blah blah. The man behaves like that when he’s afraid, when he doesn’t feel comfort.”

Fury, on the other hand, continued to fire insults at his next opponent. “Even if he had a baseball bat in one hand, and a meat cleaver in the other, he wouldn’t really do anything to me,” he said.

“You say a million things, talk a lot of s***e, the best man will win. If he beats me, I shake his hand. If I win, I hope he shakes my hand.”

‼️ Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk AGGRESSIVE FIRST FACE-OFF as Fury sticks his head on Usyk ahead of their undisputed fight on Feb 17th… [🎥 @Queensberry]

Saudi Arabian promotions company Skills Challenge Entertainment are prepared to put up a purse in the region of £121 million, according to The Telegraph.

Fury’s promoter Frank Warren called Fury vs Usyk the ‘biggest fight’ in the sport. “This is the biggest fight that could possibly be made in our sport,” he said.

Tyson Fury made some serious cash for his fight against Francis Ngannou.

Tyson Fury has revealed how much he really made against Francis Ngannou and it’s a mind-blowing amount.

Fury narrowly outpointed Ngannou in their monstrous Saudi Arabia showdown last month.

He got dropped before earning a split-decision victory after getting the judges’ nod on the scorecards.

The former UFC heavyweight champion banked more in one night of boxing against the self-proclaimed ‘Gypsy King’ than he did in his entire MMA career.

He pocketed a reported £8 million, revealing: “It’s at least more than everything that I have earned in my life, in my career.”

Fury, on the other hand, earned a LOT more than Ngannou.

Speaking after his launch press conference for his undisputed clash against Oleksandr Usyk, he stated that he made ‘nearly £50 million’ for his fight against Ngannou.

Fury will be in line for another mega payday when he takes on Usyk next year.

The blockbuster bout is set for February 17 and is part of Riyadh Season.

Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou during their fight. Image: Getty

The 35-year-old took aim at the Ukrainian during the pre-fight presser as he referenced his victory over Wladimir Klitschko.

“You’re welcome to be sharing a ring with the future undisputed heavyweight champion – me,” he said. “You are all dossers, he’s getting knocked out, and you two [Krassyuk and Klimas] are going to be working for me carrying my bags, so remember I said that on this stage.

“I already relieved one Ukrainian of all the belts and I’ll relieve that idiot of all the belts I gave him, including that Ring Magazine I only vacated last year so I could win it back three times, sausage.

“You know what’s coming, you’re getting smashed to pieces. You’re fighting the best British heavyweight there’s ever been. You beat all the rest of them, but you ain’t beat Tyson Fury, sausage.”

Will Fury walk away from Saudi Arabia as the undisputed world heavyweight champion? Let us know.

Eddie Hearn has made a bold prediction after Anthony Joshua won against Otto Wallin

Eddie Hearn has called out Tyson Fury after Anthony Joshua beat Otto Wallin.

On Saturday night, Joshua recorded his third win of 2023 as he managed to get the better of Swedish heavyweight Wallin at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Joshua secured victory at the end of the fifth round after Wallin’s corner pulled their man out of the fight.

After the fight, AJ said: “It was just another fight. I respect Otto; I told everyone in the build-up I needed to focus on the man in front of me.

“It wasn’t a throwback, just another day at the office. I’ll do anything to get the win. All I want to do is be victorious for as long as I can.”

Since Joshua’s latest win, the attention has shifted towards who the Brit will take to the ring with in the future.

With the much-anticipated fight with Deontay Wilder now in doubt after the American’s defeat by Joseph Parker, Joshua’s promoter Hearn has called out fellow Brit Fury.

He said: “It’s great for boxing if Fury Usyk is made. But my God, give me Tyson Fury now, please!”

Hearn went on to make a bold prediction, he added: “There is absolutely no way Tyson Fury beats Anthony Joshua, no way! No way!

“But, let’s get behind Fury to beat Usyk and let’s get that fight made. That is the biggest fight of all time, in the history of the sport.”

Joshua also spoke about Fury during the aftermath of his win against Wallin.

The 34-year-old said: “100% Tyson Fury but I’m not dodging Hrgovic, I’ll fight Hrgovic as well.”

Speaking about Wilder’s defeat, Joshua said: “I wasn’t watching. I was just focusing on myself. I heard Deontay lost, so what?

“He’ll be back. I’m going to take the higher ground, and I hope he comes back.”

Perhaps a slightly unwanted consequence of Littler’s success.

Luke Littler has been tipped to make a significant amount of money from a reality TV show like Tyson Fury after the conclusion of the 2024 World Darts Championship.

The 16-year-old has produced meteoric displays at Alexandra Palace, averaging over 100 in wins over Raymond van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross.

He defeated Cross 6-2 in the semi-final on Tuesday, despite his opponent – who beat Phil Taylor in the 2018 world final – averaging 102 and succeeding with over 40 per cent of his double attempts.

Littler, who is the youngest player to reach the final of the event, takes on world number one Luke Humphries on Wednesday evening.

The darts sensation has already earned £200,000 in the competition, which will rise to £500,000 if he lifts the Sid Waddell Trophy.

Littler has a two-year card for 2024 and 2025 as a result of his performances on the Development Tour, meaning he will be playing Pro Tour events most weekends.

Now in the top 32, the 16-year-old will also qualify for other major events – meaning his schedule will be packed.

Despite that, one source believes that Littler could make money from a reality TV show.

We’re not sure, though, that will particularly pique the interest of the young darts player, who has repeatedly stressed his desire to focus on his darts throughout the tournament and avoid outside pressures.

The claim comes courtesy of brand and culture expert Nick Ede, who told The Sun: “He has the ability to make millions with darts endorsements, and draw in a whole demographic of players and fans, and also, more importantly, away from the board.

“With his glamorous girlfriend, and supportive family, he’s got all the makings of the next TV star with a fly-on-the-wall reality show on the cards to rival the Furys or Sam and Billie Faiers.”

Francis Ngannou is honing his skills with new head trainer Mike Tyson to ensure he can land his ‘biggest weapon’ on Tyson Fury during their upcoming crossover clash.

The pair are set to square off on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in a 12-round boxing bout under Marquess of Queensbury rules.

It will be the first time Ngannou has ever competed in a sanctioned boxing bout but he is confident he will be able upset the odds against the WBC heavyweight champion.

Ngannou, known for his one-punch knockout power, is used to stopping his opponents quickly in MMA but is aware that boxing Fury will be a completely different ball game.

‘The Predator’ anticipates that it will be much harder to land his neutraliser on Fury but insists he will remain composed and wait for his moment.

‘I know it’s going to be very challenging for me,’ Ngannou told Sky Sports News.

‘I don’t think I will be frustrated because I’m not going there just expecting to hit him easily. I know it’s going to be tough, it might even be tougher for me than for him, which is the case because he has a lot of experience.

 ‘I’m prepared for that, my mind is ready for that. I have that information, even in my training camp, I’m preparing for someone who is tough, not easy to hit, very well-rounded as a boxer, very durable.’

He added: ‘It’s about a delivery system. You can have a biggest weapon but you also need to aim at the right target and to hit. We are shaping that skill to be able to deliver on the proper direction so we can get the result.’

Tyson, known as ‘Iron Mike’, recently joined the Cameroonian MMA star in camp and will corner him on the night.

‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ has been impressed by Ngannou’s skill set and believes he has a ‘promising future’ in the sport.

If there is one man who can help him land his trademark knock out blow, it’s Tyson, who finished his legendary career with 44 of them from 50 wins.

Heavyweight boxing legend Mike Tyson has backed controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul to save the sport.

As one of the most notorious figures to have made the switch to boxing, Paul has shouldered much of the criticism for amateurs deciding on a career change from boxing’s traditionalists.

However, he has a strong record against former combat sport professionals, having beaten the likes of Anderson Silva, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley, losing only to Tommy Fury in Saudi Arabia earlier in 2023 for his first professional loss.

Now Nate Diaz – a veteran of some 25 bouts in the UFC – is set to make his first foray into the boxing world when he faces the 26-year-old in the ring.

And Tyson has had plenty to say about his opponent, with Iron Mike insisting that Paul is ‘touched’ ahead of the fight.

‘He’s going to save boxing – as long as he continues to fight,’ said the 57-year-old. ‘He got the light, you know what I mean? He’s touched. He’s got the light.’

Paul himself has been outspoken about his own prospects against Diaz as he takes on one of the bigger names in the combat sports world – a man who he admitted was ‘a warrior’.

Diaz has however refrained from taking part in the usual media circus that accompanies the best-billed fights in the modern era, preferring to maintain a low profile in the build-up to the bout.

And it seems to have irked Paul – nicknamed The Problem Child – who claimed as with his fight against Fury earlier in the year, that he was doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to the pre-fight promo.

Additionally, Diaz’s apparent indifference has seemingly sparked a change of opinion from Paul, referring to him as a ‘b***h’ and promising to end his career on Saturday when they square off.

‘Whatever he wants to do,’ Paul said of the perceived lack of promotion from Diaz.

‘Saturday is his last day of being a fighter. I’m knocking him the f**k out, putting him to sleep. He’s a b***h. He’s a bully.

‘He’s not a professional like I am. That’s why I’m doing it at the highest level. That’s why he needs me to make these fights.’

Mike Tyson has admitted that he would ‘like to’ coach Francis Ngannou ahead of his blockbuster bout against Tyson Fury.

The mixed martial arts star will make his debut in the boxing ring against the WBC heavyweight champion in a ten-round fight in Saudi Arabia on October 28.

Ngannou, who has never been beaten in his UFC career, has earned his reputation in fight sports as a hard hitter having scored devastating knock-out wins against the likes of Alistair Overeem, Jairzinho Rozenstruik, and Stipe Miocic.

And while he is one of the most revered fighters in the world, ‘The Predator’ has previously admitted that he would be seeking some advice from Tyson, in a bid to help him prepare for his bout against Fury.

‘I think getting some advice or some training from Mike Tyson would be good,’ the 36-year-old said to TMZ Sports.

‘I also think of somebody like Lennox Lewis who could be good.

‘I love his boxing style, very basic but very sharp and efficient. One-two [punches], all that stuff, classic but very good.

‘Yes, one of those guys. We are definitely reaching out.’

The fight itself has attracted much scrutiny with some branding it a ‘Mickey Mouse’ fight while others including Carl Froch had also slammed the crossover fight as an ‘absolute load of s***’. 

While it will be interesting to see how the MMA fighter gets on against the Gypsy King, Fury is the favourite to win by a long margin.

But former unified heavy weight champion, Tyson, dismissed claims that Ngannou could be beaten by fury, emphasising that he has a very strong punch.

‘I think anything is possible. He has a hard punch,’ the boxing hall of famer said to ES News.

When asked whether he would be interested in coaching Ngannou

“I would like to do that, yeah. That would be cool. I like that,” Tyson added when the prospect of him training ‘The Predator’ was brought up.

Ngannou

‘I think getting some advice or some training from Mike Tyson would be good,’ he told TMZ Sports.

‘I also think of somebody like Lennox Lewis who could be good. I love his boxing style, very basic but very sharp and efficient. One-two [punches], all that stuff, classic but very good.

‘Yes, one of those guys. We are definitely reaching out.’

It comes after the former unified heavyweight champion had previously given the MMA star a lesson in how to fight the Gypsy King back in 2020.

In a video published online, the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of the sport can be seen delivering a masterclass to Ngannou on how to handle his upcoming opponent.

World heavyweight champion Tyson Fury has insisted ‘it doesn’t matter’ who coaches Francis Ngannou in their upcoming fight as he will ‘knock him out’ anyway.

It comes after Mike Tyson, who is training the UFC star, backed Ngannou to beat Fury despite his lack of boxing experience.

The pair square off in a 12-round professional boxing bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28.

Ngannou, a former UFC  heavyweight champion, has never boxed before yet he will jump the queue and face arguably the best boxer in the division in two months’ time.

Tyson remained upbeat about the 36-year-old’s chances, as he said on Twitter: ‘He’s had many professional fights, he’s just never experienced a professional boxing match.’

 

 

The boxing legend also said it was an ‘honour to be part of Ngannou’s journey’,  and backed up to ‘shock the world.’

Fury has now hit back, tweeting:  ‘It’s good to see you training hard and you’re going to need to!

‘It doesn’t matter if you’re being trained by the great Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali of Bruce Lee, you’re going to get KO’d in the Kingdom.’

Many fans had hoped to see the WBC title-holder fight unified WBO, WBA (super) and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk in the first undisputed heavyweight contest of the four-belt era.

However, negotiations collapsed for a date in April after the two parties were unable to agree upon the purse split for their rematch.

It is expected that Fury and Usyk will renew those discussions once they have dealt with their upcoming foes – the Ukrainian faces WBA mandatory Daniel Dubois on August 26 in Wroclaw, Poland.

But that won’t be the case if Fury decides to walk away from the sport for good.

 

 

Age catches up with everybody,’ Fury admitted during an appearance on Heart Radio. ‘And every top-performance athlete at 35 is probably past their best.

‘But I just feel like I’m getting better and more intelligent as I’m getting older. So who knows how long I’ve got left?

‘Maybe not long, maybe a year, maybe two years. Maybe one fight. Who knows?’

Fury briefly retired after defeating Dillian Whyte in April 2022 only to climb back into the ring later that year against Derek Chisora.

Mike Tyson was at his unstoppable best for one night in his career, the widely-regarded awesomeness of his Michael Spinks demolition.

Plenty has been said about how a peak Tyson would have fared in any era of boxing, with some even believing he was the best ever for a brief period.

Fans of the former ‘Baddest Man on the Planet’ would argue that Mike was utterly unbeatable at one point in time. That he would have walked through any heavyweight in history.

In an interview during the early 1990s, Butch Lewis knew when that time was – a 1988 collision with Michael Spinks.

 

 

The fight, which took place in June at the Convention Hall in Atlantic City, was one of the most eagerly-anticipated battles of that era.

Two undefeated punchers, Tyson was on 34-0 and Spinks at 31-0 at the first bell. Dependent on who you asked, punters were split on who would come out on top.

But a moment before the clash began, Lewis, the manager of Spinks, knew his man had no chance of winning.

Lewis explained it in an ESPN documentary entitled, ‘The Fallen Champ’ at 47 minutes and 20 seconds of the film.

“Spink vs Tyson, it’s on. The whole world is waiting for the fight,” said Lewis.

“So, you go to each other’s dressing room to check the wraps, gloves, etc. I always try to get an edge when my guy’s getting ready to box.

“I go in [to Tyson’s dressing room]. So I think I will rattle the kid because he’s under a lot of pressure.

“At the time Jacobs had passed, Jim Jacobs – the closest guy to him – had died on the verge of this happening.

 

 

Holes in the wall

“He was in the mix with Robin Givens, and Don King was trying to pull him away from (his promoter) Bill Cayton.

“So I’m in the dressing room with Tyson. I’m looking to rattle this guy. I walk in. He’s standing there with [Kevin] Rooney on the mitts. And he’s punching holes in the wall!

“I’m thinking, to myself, this guy is getting ready to fight my guy, my little guy, and he’s punching holes in the wall before he goes out to fight?

“Oh no!”

Unstoppable

He continued: “That night, Mike Tyson knew his whole life had built to this moment. He’d been groomed like a gladiator.

“He was so tuned into that fight because he felt that nobody would accept him outside of the ring if he never performed inside that ring.

“That Tyson that we met that night. No other boxer – professionally or as an amateur – has seen that Mike Tyson, other than Mike himself.

“Mike Tyson was at best he could be that night.”

It would be twenty months before Tyson was finally knocked off his perch by James ‘Buster Douglas in Tokyo as his world fell apart.

On the other hand, Spinks would never fight against despite being only 32 when taking the loss.

Mike Tyson and Michael Jackson, when we take these names together, we imply fame’s pinnacle. Where Mike Tyson is the youngest heavyweight champion ever, MJ is ‘The King of Pop.’ However, with great fame comes tremendous pressure to outperform oneself, too. Therefore, the grass is always greener on the other side when discussing fame. Speaking of which, in the latest episode of “Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson,” he invited Michael Jackson’s son, Prince Jackson.

As we all know, Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He also acted and played the Scarecrow in a production. His career spanned 30 years and reached high levels of success. Despite his fame, he faced challenges and scandals. Moreover, he started as a child star and became a global megastar. Therefore, his kids were born in the limelight. However, they were utterly protected from the glitz and glamor of showbiz. After losing his father at the tender age of 12, Prince Jackson revealed how his grandmother and father guarded him from the entertainment industry.

What did Prince tell Mike Tyson about his father guarding him from fame?

 

They discussed the dangers young people face in Hollywood and the entertainment industry in their conversation. Then, DJ Whoo Kid asked if Prince’s grandmother protected him and his siblings from these pitfalls. That’s when Prince Jackson acknowledged that the industry can be a “very scary” place for young talents.

Then, Mike Tyson adds that parents often exploit their children in such settings. Prince then mentions how his father, Michael Jackson, used to warn them about these dangers. He talked explicitly about Jackie Coogan, a child actor who lost all his earnings to his parents. This led to the “Coogan Law,” which mandates that a portion of a child actor’s earnings be preserved in a particular account, known as a Coogan account, until they become adults.

 

 

He said, “My dad used to warn us about that and talk a lot about Jackie Coogan, the child actor. They made the Jackie Coogan law because he got older and had no money; his parents took it all. So, they created that law where you have to have Coogan accounts.”

In conclusion, fame comes with its own set of challenges. Mike Tyson and Michael Jackson know this well. Tyson, the youngest heavyweight champion, and Jackson, the ‘King of Pop,’ reached the peak of fame. Yet, they also faced pressures and pitfalls. Tyson’s latest podcast guest, Prince Jackson, sheds light on this.