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Conversations begin as Zuffa boxing takes shape

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“There is dialogue and there is interest.” Lapin told talkSPORT Bet. “Details are not currently made public. Let’s assume a few doors are open and if the format, numbers and timing match, the market could see a move that no one expects.”

The language is cautious, there is nothing certain about it and it does not resemble a signature. However, work on this possibility is ongoing, which means that the talks have moved forward.

What Dana White brings

White’s record in the UFC is famed. He moved mixed martial arts from regional performances to stadium events, offering broadcasts across the continent. The model works because it places athletes in a controlled structure, with one promoter, one vision and a predictable schedule. Boxing has never worked this way and White knows it.

“Everyone saw what Dana White did. He transformed the elderly MMA into the global UFC machine,” Lapin said.

“They are in talks and negotiations with Deontay Wilder, but at the moment there are no final decisions and nothing has been signed. We are acting calmly and professionally. When everything is agreed, it will be officially announced. We are only considering the biggest and most logical options, fights that really create an event, not just another name.

“Several top heavyweights are on the call, but the shortlist changes depending on belts, time, dates and broadcast structure. Our position is uncomplicated. If it’s a fight, it has to be substantial.”

Zuffa Boxing starts on Friday with Callum Walsh fighting Carlos Ocampo in Las Vegas. The biggest signing so far is cruiserweight titleholder Jai Opetaia. Usyk, if he joined, would change the importance of the entire operation. A three-belt heavyweight would give White instant credibility for the project.

Lapin’s comment about White’s ability to “package not just a fight, but an event” reflects what is already known. White builds around the players, not for them. Whether Usyk fits into this mold depends on how much control he is willing to trade for scale.

Wilder, Kabayel and the shortlist

Wilder remains in the conversation despite losing three of his last five fights. His name still attracts attention even though his defense and durability have declined. A fight with Oleksandr Usyk would sell, but it wouldn’t add much to the test. Wilder’s strength remains. His footwork is not.

Lapin also mentioned Agit Kabayel as another option.

“There are no protected opponents in today’s heavyweight division. Every top-class fighter is a threat,” Lapin said. “Kabayel is definitely a possible option. We see how Germany reacts to these fights, the stadiums they can fill and how powerful this market is. Stylistically it could be complex too. Pressure, pace, physicality. It would be a substantial European fight with a lot of business potential.”

Kabayel is undefeated, methodical and robust. Presses without overcommitting and works behind a jab that keeps opponents at bay. Germany has proven that it will pack heavyweight arenas, and Kabayel represents a fight that is regional in nature without demanding unification. This is a safer commercial move than Wilder, even if he lacks the same appeal.

What will happen next

Lapin’s cautious wording indicates that Usyk’s team is weighing its options and not rushing into anything.

White’s involvement could simplify parts of the process or complicate it further, depending on how much influence sanctioning authorities allow him to have. Zuffa Boxing does not yet have the infrastructure to call the shots in the same way the UFC does with mixed martial arts. Boxing’s fragmented ecosystem resists central control, and Usyk’s position at the top of the division makes him a target for any promoter trying to build something.

Whether Usyk ends up fighting at Zuffa Boxing, iV Boxing or elsewhere depends on what his team values ​​more. White offers reach and scale, and control is still negotiable.

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Boxing

Jake Paul claims he would have made Canelo $300 million

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Image: Jake Paul Claims Canelo Fight Would Pay Him $300 Million

Jake Paul responded to Canelo Alvarez after the undisputed super middleweight champion previously reacted to talk of a potential fight between the two with laughing emojis on social media.

While greeting fans and media during a public appearance this week, Jake was asked what financial terms he believed would be needed to make the fight happen.


“Yes, 200 [million] for him 300[millionformeWe’llfinalizethedealEasywork”-PaulsaidintheinterviewwithFightHubTVwhenaskedaboutapossibledealCanelo[millionformeWe’llgetthedealdoneEasywork”saidPaultoFightHubTVwhenaskedaboutapossibledealwithCanelo[milionówdlamnieSfinalizujemytransakcjęŁatwapraca”–powiedziałPaulwrozmowiezFightHubTVzapytanyomożliwąumowęzCanelo[millionformeWe’llgetthedealdoneEasywork”saidPaultoFightHubTVwhenaskedaboutapossibledealwithCanelo

The comment immediately drew attention due to the huge figure associated with the fight. Jake has continued to call for a fight with Canelo over the past year, despite criticism from many boxing fans and fighters who viewed the fight as unrealistic.

Jake was then asked about Canelo and responded with laughing emojis when the topic of a fight between the two came up online.

“I don’t know what that means, but he won’t laugh when I kick his ass,” Paul said.

The rivalry between the two continues to escalate publicly through interviews and exchanges on social media, even though no official negotiations have been announced.

Jake has mentioned Canelo multiple times in interviews over the past year, keeping the possibility of a future fight circulating despite widespread skepticism in boxing circles.

Canelo is currently scheduled to face Christian Mbilli later this year in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, while Jake continues to rehabilitate from injuries suffered in his December 2025 fight against Anthony Joshua.

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Categories Canelo Alvarez and Jake Paul

Last updated: 16/05/2026 at 7:21

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Audley Harrison candid verdict on Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua: ‘He only has one way to win’

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Audley Harrison delivers honest verdict on Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “He only has one way to win”

Audley Harrison wondered how fellow Olympic gold medalist Anthony Joshua would fare against Tyson Fury later this year.

Both agreed to clash in the long-awaited heavyweight showdown, but only if “AJ” successfully completes his next fight against Kristian Prenga.

He hasn’t fought since knocking out Jake Paul in the sixth round in DecemberJoshua is now preparing for his clash with Prenga on July 25 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia.

This is his first assignment since he lost two of his closest friends in a car accident in Nigeria, where he was also involved in the tragic incident.

Naturally, he spent the next few months recovering from his injuries, although Joshua now appears to be getting closer to a showdown with Fury.

Meanwhile, “The Gypsy King” has already finished his pre-fight, ending a 16-month break with Arslanbek Makhmudov, whom he outpointed by unanimous decision last month.

Shortly after the triumphant victory, Fury called out Joshua, who was sitting at ringside, refusing to take part in the fight.

But at the same time, Harrison did he told Sky Sports that he saw a fire in the 36-year-old’s eyes, dazzling enough to suggest he was ready for the task ahead.

“From a boxing point of view, it’s a sexy fight because style makes fight.

“[Joshua] he can’t win the fight by trying to box Fury – he has to go in there, break him down and try to eliminate him. This is the only way he can win this fight.

“You’re fighting a champion boxer who knows how to slip [and] slide. after [Makhmudov] fight…he [Joshua] he looked at Fury [with intent].

“When they get into that fight, he’s going to take the fire – everything he went through after his friends died.”

Despite getting back into the win column after back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, Fury clearly wants to enter his second warm-up fight.

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but he certainly wouldn’t be willing to risk a potential clash with Joshua.

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Mike Tyson Opens Up About Cus D’Amato and Cocaine on Theo Von Podcast

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Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson appeared on comedian Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend,” in which the 59-year-old former titleholder became visibly emotional while talking about his behind schedule mentor Cus D’Amato and offered unfiltered memories of his past struggles with cocaine addiction.

Tyson breaks down remembering Cus D’Amato

When asked by Von what period of his life he would most like to have documented on film, Tyson didn’t hesitate.

“That was when I first met my mentor Cus D’Amato,” Tyson said.

D’Amato, a coach from Catskill, Novel York, who previously coached Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres to world titles, adopted Tyson when he was 13 after meeting him at the Tryon School for Boys, a juvenile correctional facility in upstate Novel York. D’Amato became Tyson’s legal guardian after the death of Tyson’s mother in 1982, and trained him until D’Amato’s own death in November 1985, about a year before Tyson became the youngest heavyweight champion in history.

“I started boxing, I started changing my life. Then I met him. That’s the part I want you to come back to,” Tyson said on the podcast.

When Von asked how Tyson knew D’Amato loved him, the former champion’s voice broke and he covered his face with his hand.

“I had someone I loved and he loved me,” Tyson said.

Tyson explained that D’Amato protected him from criticism during his amateur years, and Von noted that the juvenile Tyson would attack anyone who spoke negatively about him. Tyson, clearly moved by the memory, asked Von to change the subject.

“So why are you making me talk about this nonsense? Stop it,” Tyson said.

Stories about cocaine

Elsewhere, Tyson described episodes from his well-documented history of cocaine apply, which he has discussed publicly many times over the years, including in his 2013 autobiography, “Undisputed Truth.”

Tyson told Von that he once didn’t sleep for four consecutive days while filming, and the drug caused scabs and bleeding in his nose. He said the supplier instructed him to take more cocaine for pain relief.

“I took the punch and wow, I feel better. I never knew. I just took the punch and went numb. It wasn’t numb anymore. It started bleeding. I had to take another punch to numb it,” Tyson recalled.

Tyson also recalled going to his personal doctor to ask for assist in quitting smoking, but the doctor asked Tyson for some of the medicine. The former champion said he later checked himself into a rehabilitation facility and gave the remaining supplies to a staff member, who Tyson said kept the drugs for himself.

“I gave him coke, my last coke. I said, ‘Here, I’ve got some coke.’ “The motherfucker took my Coke,” Tyson said.

Tyson’s recent activity

Tyson last fought professionally on November 15, 2024, losing a unanimous decision to Jake Paul over eight two-minute rounds at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. They said the event, which was streamed live on Netflix, attracted 108 million live viewers worldwide data published by the streaming platform.

Tyson’s professional record is 50-7 with 44 knockouts. In the years 1986-1990 he was the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion.

Theo Von’s full episode is available on the comedian’s This Past Weekend podcast.

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