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The heavyweight rival who defeated Tyson Fury, predicts Oleksandr Usyk

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6 months ago

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David Price once beat Tyson Fury, but he’s backing his vintage foe to win over Oleksandr Usyk (Photo: Getty)

Tyson Fury’s former rival David Price, who once defeated the Gypsy King as an amateur, is backing his former heavyweight rival to weather the storm in a unified title fight against Oleksandr Usyk and emerge victorious. Price was effusive in his praise for his vintage foe, predicting the Briton would make history later this week.

Immortality awaits the winner of the contest, which will take place on May 18 in Riyad, Saudi Arabia, and will be crowned only the second unified heavyweight champion of the world this century. Looking to follow in the footsteps of Lennox Lewis, who was the last fighter to earn this occasional distinction, the WBC, WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO champions are on the line in one of the most anticipated fights in decades.

Previously scheduled for February 17, the show at the Kingdom Arena was pushed back to May after Fury suffered a cut to his face during training ahead of the original date. But the Manchester-born colossus now has the opportunity to cement his legacy among the sport’s greats.

One unlikely supporter ahead of his clash with Usyk is former rival Price, who tipped off his vintage nemesis to send the Ukrainian. The Liverpudlian, who hung up his gloves in 2021, is in a unique position to assess Fury’s attributes as a occasional example of someone taking down the 35-year-old.

Fury is preparing for a fight that will decide his career

Tyson Fury is preparing for what will probably be the decisive fight of his brilliant career (Photo: Getty)

It happened while both were amateurs in 2006, when Price recovered from a knockdown in the second round of that contest to defeat Fury by points decision. During an exclusive interview with Express Sport (arranged by Grosvenor Sports) the former Olympian was convinced that his former opponent would want to prove he was right with Usyk this month.

The current WBC heavyweight titleholder suffered a scare in October against former UFC star Francis Ngannou after controversially winning by two-point decision. Now, Price predicted: “I think that after the Ngannou fight, his head will be in the right place, because I really think deep down, Tyson Fury will feel like a failure on some level. He got knocked down, he didn’t do it,” he didn’t perform and it looked like he just grabbed the win.

“Many people thought he had lost, which would have hurt his pride and hurt his confidence a bit. It might be a blessing in disguise that he got more time to prepare for it, but it might be better for him to go back, I don’t know, it all depends on the individual.

“I think they’re both on the wrong side of 35 now and will probably start to sluggish down a little bit, so neither of them has an advantage in that position,” he continued. “I just think Tyson Fury is an expert at being a large man and I think he’ll exploit his size, weight and reach. “I think he’ll probably fall behind in the fight, but he’ll eventually come back and find a way to win at the end, that’s how I see it, but in heavyweight boxing anything can happen.”

Thinking back 18 years to his fight with Fury, Price also detailed how he believed his former contemporary maximized his unconventional talents to establish himself as a true generational fighter. He explained: “He can do part of the textbook when he needs to, but what wins in fights is what cannot be learned and what is in him instinctively. I never would have predicted this.

“The biggest shock was when he beat Klitschko, then he just grew stronger, now it’s not a surprise because you’ve been at the top for almost ten years. Turns out that was one of his strengths honestly, how unconventional he was, how different he was, how loose he was and stuff like that. He’s not your typical boxer and over the years I’ve kind of come to respect that style of fighter more where they do it. things in their own way, it’s a little special.”

The pair have now put aside the differences that characterized their relationship early in their careers, building a respectful friendship outside the ring. Price even recalled several occasions since they met in 2006 when they enjoyed each other’s company.

He continued: “Yes, I bumped into him at the airport, I was coming home from Denmark after a fight and I think he was on a family holiday, we saw him and it was still bittersweet then, but not as much as it was. But we never crossed paths, and no, I never intended to face Tyson Fury at any point, at least not offensively.

“He was with his family and I just went up and talked to him like it was the last time I saw him when we were amateurs. I just asked how you were and got a picture and he got a picture like well and that was it. I didn’t see him then until he called me to go for a coffee when he had his comeback with Ben Davison.

Price spoke warmly about his interactions with Fury

David Price has spoken warmly about his interactions with former rival and now friend Tyson Fury (Photo: Getty)

“He said we were in Liverpool. Do you want to go for a coffee? Two days later I was fighting, I think a tiny fight in Brentwood, a comeback fight,” he recalled, before confirming that the duo enjoyed talking about their journeys together as fighters. “I went up to him and had a nice chat with him.”

As Fury prepares for the defining clash of his career with Usyk, Price has made it clear that he holds his vintage foe in the highest regard, even offering a hand of friendship in the form of a ceremonial drink when the ‘Gypsy King’ finally retires. He added: “There is mutual respect there, he knows I know boxing and he would always love to fight me because there was competition there.

“So we had respect and admiration from my side, I can’t speak for him. You probably know, I tried to be a standard guy, so you know you can only expect respect from people you respect. So yes, no phone calls or anything like that, but I’d love to have a beer with him when he hangs up the gloves and joins the ex-boxers’ association.

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UK Boxing

How much money did Mike Tyson make from losing Jake Paul as YouTuber mocks the boxing icon

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4 hours ago

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November 16, 2024

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So Mike Tyson’s controversial return to professional boxing turned out to be everything boxing purists feared. An aggressive burst off the first ball, followed by a destitute display in which the much-feared player looked like a sitting duck as he stumbled around the ring.

The blunt fight, which Jake Paul won by unanimous decision, drew jeers from most of the 70,000-strong crowd at AT&T Stadium in Texas, with many leaving the arena before the final stages.

But while Tyson’s boxing legacy has taken a hit, the 58-year-old’s bank balance has grown enormously.

During most of the preparations, the former world heavyweight champion claimed that his motivation for returning to the ring was not money, but the desire to prove himself again. However, after years of financial conflicts, the amounts offered inevitably led him to agree to fight the YouTuber.

Although neither boxer has confirmed exact figures, Iron Mike is reported to have earned just under £16 million from the fight, which equates to around £1 million per minute. Paul, whose ability to promote himself has long outweighed his actual ability, is said to have pocketed more than £31 million.

Indeed, “The Problem Child” previously spoke candidly about his reasons for targeting Tyson, saying, “This is definitely my biggest payday of any fight.”

He also suggested that the pair would also receive generous bonuses, leading to speculation that Tyson would earn more if he managed to go the distance. “There are definitely some guaranteed amounts and other built-in bonuses and other sales complements – key performance indicators that trigger certain things,” the 27-year-old added.

But while Paul was magnanimous in the immediate aftermath of his monotonous victory, he soon began mocking the icon at the post-fight press conference. Sitting next to promoter Nakisa Bidarian, he said he made good on his promise and beat Tyson from start to finish.

“I mean, what do people say?” he asked. “I told everyone what I was going to do. And this was supposed to give him a boxing lesson.

Bidarian also weighed in, saying, “It was an unbelievable display between a 58-year-old legend and a relatively adolescent 27-year-old boxer. And he (pointing to Paul) actually sent the boxer into the penalty area. Jake Paul sent Mike Tyson just like he promised, right? Every round.”

Regardless, fans and pundits alike reacted cynically and urged Tyson to stay away from the ring. However, immediately after the loss, the veteran called out Paul’s brother, Logan, raising fears that he would once again put his health at risk for another unexpected financial gain.

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UK Boxing

Mike Tyson ‘looked like garbage’ as Conor McGregor and players react to the loss of Jake Paul

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8 hours ago

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November 16, 2024

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Mike Tyson faced both sympathy and criticism following Saturday’s loss to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, to which Conor McGregor reacted. The 58-year-old lost by unanimous decision after an average eight two-minute rounds at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Paul, 31 years younger than Tyson, was widely criticized after the victory when several US states refused to sanction the fight.

Texas offered the green delicate only by forcing changes, including shortening round times and putting heavier gloves on fighters that reduce the force of punches.

Critics of the fight included UFC icon McGregor, who deleted the controversial reaction tweet after it received backlash.

After the final bell, McGregor wrote on X: “They are looking at Prichard Colon as their next opponent.”

Colon’s story is one of boxing’s greatest tragedies. During a fight with Terrell Williams in 2015, the American-Puerto Rican star was punched in the back of the head and then collapsed in his dressing room.

The 32-year-old suffered life-changing injuries after he was placed in a 221-day coma due to a brain haemorrhage. He is in a vegetative state and receives daily care.

After the quickly deleted post, one user called McGregor a “scabbard.” Elsewhere, other fighters reacted to Tyson’s defeat.

WBC lightweight champion Gervonta Davis took aim at Paul, writing on Instagram: “To the fool who shared the ring with Mike… you are a total moron for this and you didn’t do your job, moron.”

He also sent his support to Iron Mike, adding: “You will forever be a legend… whether you like it or not, and there will never be another one! And I understand you so well… all this shit doesn’t mean anything.

Another boxing legend, Terence Crawford, was not so complimentary, sharply criticizing Tyson’s wavering performance.

“I love Mike Tyson, but he gets too much credit. He looked like garbage,” Crawford wrote in X.

“To train for so long and only land 97 punches, the whole fight is crazy. I’m glad he didn’t get injured there.”

Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew expressed his disagreements on social media as the fight progressed.

He actually showed respect to Paul by suggesting that the “Problem Child” went effortless on Tyson to avoid earnest injury.

Bellew stated: “I don’t like that stupid kid, idiot, but I’ll say this. He stopped beating Mike and showed him respect and dignity by letting him live!

“He didn’t go there for the KO; he got off him and let him live… Mike, we all adore you, king, you are a superhero for all of us, from the world of proper fighting!”

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UK Boxing

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson – results and post-fight report

Published

12 hours ago

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November 16, 2024

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Tyson looked a shell of himself against Paul (Photo Credit: USAToday)

Whistles rang out as Paul cruised to victory over Tyson (Photo: USAToday)
Boos rang out as Paul headed towards victory over Tyson (Photo: USAToday)

After months of anticipation and preparation, Jake Paul defeated an understated Mike Tyson by unanimous decision at AT&T Stadium in Texas.

Tens of millions of viewers will watch Paul (11-1, 7 KO) fight Tyson (50-7, 44 KO), and part of the intrigue was to see if the 58-year-old Up-to-date Yorker could muster enough fire to upset the brash YouTuber.

That wasn’t to be, however, as “Iron Mike” looked his age in impressive fashion and was unable to catch up with the Ohio native, who was able to keep him at bay with faster feet and a longer push.

Outside of a spirited first round, Tyson had little to no success in the fight, and it looked like “The Problem Child” could have secured a stoppage at any point starting in round three.

Fortunately, he seemed reluctant to reach the finish line, whether out of pity for the exhausted legend across from him or fear of being caught by a counterattack on the way inside.

Tyson looked like a shell of himself compared to Paul (Photo: USAToday)
Tyson looked like a shell of himself compared to Paul (Photo: USAToday)

When the final bell rang, there was no longer any doubt about which hand would be raised and about the three judges standing at ringside declared Paul the broad winner.

Taylor nods at Serrano

After the epic battle at Madison Square Garden in 2022, Katie Taylor (24-1, 6 KO) and Amanda Serrano (47-3-1, 31 KO) secured another classic in the main event.

Serrano appeared to have the advantage until she suffered a brutal cut to her eyebrow just before the halfway point, potentially taking the fight to a disappointing finish early on.

Taylor and Serrano delivered another classic in Texas (Photo: USATODAY)
Taylor and Serrano delivered another classic in Texas (Photo: USATODAY)

However, the doctor allowed her to continue, and the Puerto Rican showed plenty of heart to see out the final bell, achieving more than her fair share of success.

There were boos when the unanimous decision was announced for Taylor, with many observers feeling that the challenger had done enough – especially considering the Irishwoman’s points deduction in the eighth round.

Nothing that could divide Barrios and Ramos

Defending champions Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KO) and Abel Ramos Jr (28-6-3, 22 KO) took part in a welterweight world title fight that was as bloody as it was entertaining.

Both men fell and were badly injured, but dug deep to hear the final bell and leave the decision to the three judges at ringside who were unable to separate them. A draw was declared, meaning the title remains in Barrios’ hands, however an immediate rematch seems inevitable.

Further undercard summary

India’s favorite Neeraj Goyat (19-4-2, 8 KO) turned out to be one level better than Brazilian influencer Whindersson Nunes (0-1), defeating him decisively over six rounds.

Shadasia Green (15-1, 11 KO) and Melinda Watpool (7-1, 2 KO) fought for the super middleweight world titles, and the former came away with a razor-thin victory.

Green brushed against Watpool (photo: USAToday)
Green brushed against Watpool (photo: USAToday)

Lucas Bahdi (18-0, 15 KO) had a tougher-than-advertised fight against Italian lightweight champion Armando Casamonica (14-1, 3 KO), but he did enough to earn a majority decision victory.

In the event’s curtain raiser, heated featherweight prospect Bruce Carrington (14-0, 8 KO) was able to score points against Dana Coolwell (13-3, 8 KO).

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