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Xander Zayas faces a pressure test against Abass Baraou

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Image: Abass Baraou Heads Into the Lion’s Den: German WBA Champion Aims to Rip Xander Zayas’ WBO Title in Puerto Rico Showdown on January 31

The two fighters know each other as they sparred about 80 rounds early in their careers, which helps explain why this fight happened. This knowledge does not reduce the difficulty. Sparring matches are managed, coaches step in, and the pace slows down once you’ve seen enough, and these are conditions that don’t exist in a unification fight.

These rounds also appeared many years ago. Baraou has not yet fully acclimated to the pressure style he now relies on, and Zayas has not been asked to go twelve rounds against an opponent who refuses to give up. What works in the gym doesn’t always work when rounds are non-stop.

Baraou fights on his terms, moving forward when throwing, continuing to work when shots connect, and staying in range rather than resetting after single punches or combos. He accepts contact if it allows him to stay close and continue working, which forces his opponents to respond every round.

Zayas wins fights through timing, positioning and control, not strength. For someone willing to step into the game, this control must be constantly maintained because any failure brings the game back and creates pressure.

The fight will take place at the Coliseo Jose Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, where Zayas will have a crowd behind him and a familiarization from home. The energy of the crowd does not cause a pressure fighter to budge when he chooses to stay inside. If home fighting plays a role, it’s more likely to come up later when the rounds are tight and the judges are separating pure point-scoring from constant forward movement.

From the beginning of his professional career, Zayas was carefully guided and this path was closely monitored. If this fight goes the distance and leaves room for disagreement, that will be factored into the tracking and evaluation of his career thus far.

In this fight, Zayas faces an experienced champion willing to take risks after the first bell, leaving little room to freely enter the fight. How he handles the constant pressure will influence how this stage of his career will be perceived when the results are read.

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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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