UK Boxing
Mike Tyson’s trainer reveals the unusual reason he left before the fight
Published
2 months agoon
Mike Tyson’s former trainer had to leave fight camp after the heavyweight legend decided to get a facial tattoo just days before the match.
After a crushing defeat to Lennox Lewis in 2002, Tyson returned to the field the following year, quickly defeating Clifford Etienne in under a minute in Memphis. But it was Tyson’s impromptu mascara that stole the headlines, commemorating the latest victory of his illustrious career.
Just three days before the fight, Tyson caused a global stir and stunned those closest to him by tattooing a Maori-inspired design on his face. His close friend and former bantamweight and featherweight world champion Jeff Fenech, who trained Tyson before the fight, believed the fight would be canceled and flew back to Australia.
“This guy just got this crazy tattoo on his face,” Fenech reported in an interview with Mirror Fighting ahead of Tyson’s November 15 fight with Jake Paul in Dallas.
“I was like, ‘How is he going to fight this fresh tattoo on his face?’ And he told me he didn’t want to fight, so I hopped on a plane and went home.”
Nevertheless, the match went on and Fenech was replaced by esteemed coach Freddie Roach. Fenech continued: “Three days later weighing in and fighting.
“Apparently [there was] pressure from [broadcasters] Showtime and promoters. He jumped into the ring, which was a huge risk, but God was on his side and he knocked out Clifford Etienne in the first round. It was great.”
Fenech has no qualms about leaving the camp, recalling: “I trained him throughout the fight, but I lost the joy of winning against him.
“I don’t regret it at all, because when he got the tattoo on his face, it was a sign for me. You don’t get a tattoo on your face three days before a fight.”
After this episode, with Tyson seemingly approaching the twilight of his career, Fenech held on to what proved to be Tyson’s curtain call in professional boxing, stepping in to stop the 2005 fight with Kevin McBride.
Reflecting on the whirlwind build-up to this fight, Fenech recalls: “He trained so well and then all of a sudden he felt like he needed a few days off, which I thought was a great idea. Then I never saw him for seven or eight days!
“It wasn’t perfect preparation, but he still fought. And the reason I stayed was because if something happened, I was going to take care of Mike. I stopped the fight.
“There were people in the corner telling me not to stop it, but I told them I was the boss and I wouldn’t let him take any more punishment. That was my priority.”
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UK Boxing
Conor McGregor has spoken about the costly issue hanging over the Jake Paul fight
Published
5 hours agoon
December 27, 2024Former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez has suggested that a potential fight between Conor McGregor and Jake Paul may be more rumor than reality. Not seen in the Octagon since a bulky loss to Dustin Poirier in 2021 that left him with a broken leg, McGregor is preparing for his long-awaited return.
Earlier this year, he was scheduled to fight Michael Chandler, but an injury sidelined him again.
Despite his desire to re-enter the UFC battlefield, McGregor has not hesitated to enter the boxing ring for high-profile fights.
The brash Irish fighter, known for his vigorous online presence, recently caused a stir on social media by challenging WWE star Logan Paul. He wrote online: “The rumors about the fight with Topuria are false. I have preliminary arrangements with the Ambani family that I will fight Logan Paul at a boxing event in India. I agreed. Then I will strive to return to the octagon.”
However, now there is a rumor that negotiations are actually turning towards a fight with Logan’s brother, Jake Paul.
McGregor has toyed with the idea of fighting Logan Paul, but his constant bickering with Logan’s brother Jake seems to suggest a boxing match with “The Problem Child” is more likely.
Alvarez, McGregor’s former opponent, noted the complexity of the situation surrounding McGregor leaving the UFC for such a fight.
I’m talking to MMA fightAlvarez noted: “Realistically, I think he has two fights left on his UFC contract. I just know how demanding it is, especially when you’re so valuable to the company. I wasn’t as valuable as Conor, but when I was basically Bellator’s main fighter, I know how demanding it is to get out of those contracts. They don’t make it uncomplicated.
“For him to earn hundreds of millions of dollars for the company, I don’t think it will be an uncomplicated exit. I think he has two fights left in the UFC and I’m not sure how aged Conor is, but he’s not getting any younger so it’s going to be demanding for him to get those fights and move on to another contract, so realistically I don’t know if he would be able to fight against BKFC, and if so, maybe when he is older.”
Although McGregor needs a green lithe from the UFC due to his current contract obligations, there is a glimmer of hope for negotiations as both the UFC and WWE share the same parent company, TKO. However, even with a potential deal on the table, staging a fight with Paul could still pose a significant challenge.
UK Boxing
Oleksandr Usyk surprises everyone with an £80 purchase in Turkey
Published
9 hours agoon
December 27, 2024Boxing heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk has admitted wearing a phony Rolex purchased in Turkey for just £80, despite pocketing a staggering £86m for his recent rematch with Tyson Fury. The Ukrainian sensation, who secured his position as the world’s top heavyweight with a unanimous decision victory over Fury in Saudi Arabia, is sporting a phony watch rather than the real thing.
Eschewing luxury, Usyk admitted to buying an imitation during his internship in Turkey. “I showed off my watch a bit and showed the cameraman. It’s a Chinese Rolex,” he revealed in an interview shared with Home of Fight.
Despite earning around £30m for his first fight with Fury in 2023, he couldn’t resist the lure of a seaside opportunity: ‘I was in Turkey training and saw guys selling Rolexes on the beach. I thought if I bought one, no one would guess it was phony, so I bought it for $100 (£80).”
Usyk has an unconventional approach to wealth, especially compared to the likes of Floyd Mayweather, who flaunt their wealth. His net worth is estimated at around £45 million, yet this titan of the ring channels his humanitarian efforts through the Usyk Foundation, supporting Ukrainian forces and citizens during the conflict with Russia.
Having had to evacuate his home due to the invasion, Usyk and his family faced immediate personal hardships, and his children experienced the terror of war.
He said: “My children ask, ‘Daddy, why do they want to kill us?’
“I don’t know how to answer this question. My family is not in Ukraine now, but many people I know and many of my close friends are in this country.
“I am in contact with them every day, I ask for the latest information. I didn’t want to leave the country. I want to live there anyway. I will return to Ukraine immediately after the fight.”
UK Boxing
Floyd Mayweather spent £15.7 million on a Christmas present for himself after spending £315 million
Published
1 day agoon
December 26, 2024Boxing icon Floyd Mayweather spent Christmas adding to his lucrative property portfolio with a lavish £15.7million purchase. The 47-year-old’s up-to-date mansion is located on Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan and reportedly occupies almost a quarter of the block.
Mayweather began his property journey in October, purchasing 60 properties for £315 million. His interest in his latest purchase stemmed from his spending at the stores down the street.
The building, located at the southeast corner of the intersection at 47th Street, consists of offices, several jewelry stores and a huge billboard. This is an attractive part of Recent York City, located a few minutes east of Broadway and three blocks south of Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
“I used to shop at the diamond exchange as a juvenile adult,” Mayweather said TMZwho first broke the news. “I never thought I would own this essential property at the entrance to 47th Street.
“With demanding work and dedication, anything is possible.”
A few months ago, Mayweather began his real estate spree and bought the Versace mansion in Miami. He has purchased 60 properties in Recent York, a decision that will see his net worth skyrocket.
The American is reportedly worth around £1.5 billion. Thanks to his investments, his personal brand will be observable in the public eye.
Mayweather’s boxing career ended with a perfect 50-0 record. Interestingly, his fights included 27 knockouts and 12 world titles in five different weight classes. His total record is 26 consecutive world title wins.
However, Mayweather has not fought in competition since defeating UFC star Conor McGregor in a crossover boxing match in 2017. He won by TKO in the 10th round, marking the 50th victory of his career. Mayweather was expected to earn at least £80 million for the fight.
The Michigan-born star hasn’t been tempted to come out of retirement yet. He shared the ring in an exhibition fight with Logan Paul in 2021, but it seems unlikely he will face any of Jake Paul, Tommy Fury or KSI any time soon.
Instead, Mayweather could continue to expand his real estate portfolio. He could have made millions on his latest purchases.
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