Section: Sport:Boxing

DAVE ALLEN could become a British boxing cult hero and break into the mainstream by toppling a Russian ‘Bond villain’ who wrestles bears.

In 2017, the Doncaster lad weighed in for a heavyweight clash on a David Haye undercard with a pair of XXL socks stuffed down his pants and a huge grin across his handsome face.

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The clip went viral, especially among the gay community, getting 16 million views and earning him countless ­proposals in his social media inboxes.

In the ring, he earned total respect from hardcore boxing fans who watched through their fingers as he funded a gambling addiction with brave defeats to prime versions of ­Dillian Whyte, Luis Ortiz, Olympic gold winner Tony Yoka and David Price.

Online followers also loved Allen’s relationship with nan Betty, which he shared in touching videos and photos.

We worried about his life going off the rails again when she passed away in 2022. But in a beautiful stroke of fate, Allen fathered his first child shortly after and named her Betty.

If you are a British boxing fan of a certain age, you will have watched the White Rhino’s career rollercoaster from exploited punchbag, to shock LGBT icon, to early retirement, to doting dad and budding property tycoon.

The honesty and humour he has always shared has made us cheer and fear — in equal measure — for Allen, who speaks openly about his former fighter father being tough on him.

But following a sensational knockout rematch win over Essex fighter Johnny Fisher in May, he is now at the peak of his pulling power.

Saturday night’s homecoming headline slot in Sheffield — against terrifying 6ft 6in Arslanbek Makhmudov of Dagestan — will provide a life-changing purse.

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And a victory could take him closer to his very  modest dream — for a man with his record and profile — of winning the often-overlooked British title.

He has the perfect dance partner in the grizzly-grappling knockout artist, 36, who even has a trademark tic of twisting his neck like a 007 foe.

And Allen insists he has ditched his infamous ice-cream sandwiches  to be in the best shape of his  career.

So much so that he apologised for the first photos from the underwear modelling contract he unveiled, coming complete with paunch as the snaps were taken before he committed totally to this 34th professional training camp.

Despite being a hard and witty Yorkshireman — who has done hundreds of sparring rounds with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury — Allen has never trash-talked or bad-mouthed an opponent.

He has built a loyal and invested fanbase by being brutally open and uncensored with his back story and struggles, while being humble and self-deprecating about his recent successes.

Even after the original 2024 draw with Fisher, he begged his 26-year-old pal and sparring partner not to take the rerun and to prolong his potential and profile with a different route.

And he seemed genuinely gutted to inflict such a thorough pasting upon him when he ignored the advice.

As a man and a fighter, Allen is a throwback. As a modern boxer, though, he has harnessed social media and YouTube to become a star.

The mismatched and utterly predictable defeats were horrible to watch but — combined with Allen’s unshakably authentic personality — they have made his underdog story one we are all ­desperate to see finish with a ­gloriously happy ending.

Allen vs Makhmudov – all the info

DAVE ALLEN returns to the ring for one of the biggest tests of his career this weekend!

BOXER Brad Rea has paid a gushing tribute to the late Ricky Hatton – and vowed to fight on to make his mentor proud.

Hatton – Britain’s most beloved fighter – sadly passed away aged just 46 in September – leaving behind an iconic legacy.

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Manchester light-heavyweight Rea was inspired to take up boxing by the legendary City fan and the two grew a formidable bond together.

Hatton befriended, coached and mentored Rea up until his sad passing.

Today, on Friday October 10, 2025, Hatton is laid to rest with his funeral at the Manchester Cathedral.

Rea – who fights Lyndon Arthur on November 1 – is in attendance and opened up on his special bond with the heroic Hitman.

He told SunSport: “I was lucky that I did have a good relationship and we were friends.

“But I think so many people, even people that maybe just met him once, maybe people that just got a picture with him once, seeing him in the pub or whatever, because of the way he was, everyone feels like they have that kind of personal connection with him.

“He was just down to earth and he was just one of us at the end of the day, no matter how big he made it.

“I think that’s why it has affected so many people and everyone does kind of feel like they know him in a way because he was so down to earth.

“So it’s been a tough one for me to take. It’s been a tough one for most of the boxing scene to take.”

Despite becoming inseparable, Rea admits the novelty of Hatton’s presence in his life never wore off.

He said: “It just kind of merged into one. I was with him so much and I’d see him so often and we’d spend so much time together in the gym kind of every day.

“You do kind of forget how big he was, how loved he was, and how many people he had an effect on.

“Then every now and again you’d be out sparring or you’d be walking down a residential street somewhere and you’d go, ‘It’s Ricky.’ You know what I mean?

“It’s not just Rick, this is the Hitman and, yeah every now and again I kind of had to pinch myself a little bit and go, ‘This is Ricky Hatton I’m sat in Nando’s with.’ It was a bit surreal.”

Despite Hatton’s superstardom and unrivalled fanfare – he dreaded ever being looked at as anything other than a working class people’s champion.

Rea said: “He was just one of the boys at the end of the day.

“He was so down to earth and that was why the other side come with it he didn’t think he was better than anyone else.

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“He didn’t think he was a superstar and I think they probably go hand in hand, kind of just being so down to earth and then still being taken back by all the support.”

Two-weight world champion Hatton would spend 12 hard weeks preparing for his fights – and the rest of his time down the pub with his friends.

Rea was fortunate enough to have socialised with the boxing great – preferring to leave some of their more chaotic tales forever untold.

He beamed: “Oh, there’s so many. There’s so many but all of them I’m just laughing, I’m smiling because it’s just stupid times, rubbish jokes, cracking rubbish jokes.

“I’m lucky that I got multiple different sides of him. I got him as a coach, I had him as part of my team in my corner. I had him as a friend.

“I’ve been to the football with him. I’ve been out for a beer with him, I’ve been on a weekend to Dublin with him, I’ve had all different sides of him.

“I’ve got many memories to kind of look back on. Some stories that I can tell and some I’ll probably keep to myself!”

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Rea was hit with the devastating news just months before his European title defence against Arthur at the Co-Op Live Arena.

And he has since returned to Hatton’s Hyde – where emotions are high.

Rea, 27, said: “I’d not been there for a while. It is a bit surreal. It is a little bit weird.

“Every time I’ve been in there, the majority of the time he’s in there, and he’s cracking jokes, you know, he’s being Rick.

“But at the end of the day there’s me, there’s a load of other lads in there that still got a job to do and he’d be disappointed if we were moping about and we weren’t training.

“He’d want us to get back at it and he want us to crack on and. So you’ve kind of just got to keep cracking on and do what you can to try and make him proud.”

And the best way to make City super-fan Hatton proud? Beat United supporter Arthur – a friend of former sparring partner – in their hometown.

Rea chuckled: “You know what it is? It’s more how we’d react if I let myself get beat by a United fan!

“He would never let me hear the end of it. He would be on my case and I can’t do that to him. I can’t let him down on that front.”

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PLANS for Riyadh Season 2025 have been formally announced – with WWE and darts events now on the agenda.

As part of the Middle Eastern sporting bonanza which starts this week and runs until early next year, Saudi Arabia will host the Royal Rumble, becoming the first nation outside of North America to take on a marquee WWE event.

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They are also expected to stage Wrestlemania in 2027.

The Kingdom will host the Saudi Arabia Darts Masters in January as part of the World Series of Darts.

The PDC has never taken a professional darts event to Saudi before.

Chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, announced the plans for Riyadh Season 2025 in a press conference on Sunday.

Alalshikh has previously said he wants to try something “crazy” with darts – but it is not yet clear what he has up his sleeve.

The Riyadh Season Snooker Championship remains on the calendar, along with high-profile events in tennis and boxing.

Six Kings Slam is one of the most lucrative events on the tennis circuit, with Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz all set to feature.

Players are guaranteed £1.1million just for competing, with the winner banking an eye-watering £4.5m.

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Ring IV will feature boxing showdowns including David Benavidez vs Anthony Yarde and Brian Norman Jr. vs Devin Haney.

A parade in Boulevard City will kick off Riyadh Season 2025 on October 10.

The entertainment extravaganza will feature 15 global championships as well as 34 exhibitions and festivals.

And Alalshikh estimates that its brand value has reached £2.4BILLION.

Organisers said: “Riyadh Season 2025 will be a defining milestone in the history of global entertainment, emphasising that Riyadh has become the emblem of a new era of creativity, culture, and international entertainment excellence.”

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DARREN BARKER is gutted his heartbreaking interview with Ricky Hatton was the British boxing legend’s last.

The 43-year-old former middleweight champion of the world sat down with the 46-year-old at his Manchester gym on Tuesday September 9 for a wonderful 90 minute podcast.

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The two-weight world champ Hitman had to wrap-up the interview to collect his daughters from school. 

And, tragically, on the morning of Sunday 14 the national treasure was found dead at his home, leaving Barker and the rest of British sport sobbing.

The hour-and-half chat is available online and lets Hatton brilliantly reflect on his small-hall rise, legendary Kostya Tszyu world title win, iconic Las Vegas takeovers and his post-boxing demons.

It is a travesty it will be his final media appearance but a perfect reminder of the honest, open, funny and brilliant boy-next-door Hatton was and will be remembered as.

Barker told us: “I remember leaving him after that interview and I was gutted because I enjoyed his company that much.

”I said this at the top of the pod, he was perfectly Ricky Hatton.

“He was so funny, so warm towards me and the crew that were there, he was just bang on, he was perfect.

“And it was so nice to hear all of those stories directly from him.

“He was just a person that everyone wanted to be around; a great man, a boxing man, a family man, the people’s man and I was gutted that the interview was over.

“I was just gutted. I really am gutted.”

Barker – without any hint or suggestion of the tragedy that was around the corner – asked Hatton outright how he wanted to be remembered.

And his answer was a magnificent reminder of how the Manchester City and Oasis lover cherished his working-class reputation over every belt and pound he ever earned.

He said: “He was just that man-next-door, that relationship that he had with his fans.

“When I asked him how he wanted to be remembered, he mentioned the likes of Frank Bruno and Nigel Benn.

“And his name is in that mix and he was so proud to be alongside those great names.”

Darren Barker hosts Pro Project Promotions’ charity boxing event on October 18, that offers ten retired footballers another night in the limelight .

NOAH Price and Venezuela Fury got engaged at her 16th birthday party.

Her parents, boxing legend Tyson and wife Paris approve, saying they are “in shock but very happy.”

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But we are left wondering, who is this mystery fiancé?

Who is boxer Noah Price?

Noah Price is a young amateur boxer who is a 92kg East Midlands belt holder linked with Chesterfield ABC.

His age has not been confirmed, with some reports saying 16 and others 23 years old.

What we do know is the he looks head over heels for Venezuela.

The two have been Instagram official for a while, Noah has posted tributes to Venezuela calling her his “best friend.”

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Noah has a whole Instagram highlights section dedicated to Venezuela with a heart emoji as a description.

He dropped to one knee on the dancefloor of Venezuela’s glam birthday party.

It was a quick yes to the proposal followed by a loving hug from the happy couple.

Who is Tyson Fury’s daughter Venezuela?

Venezuela, 16, is Tyson Fury’s oldest daughter.

She has 6 younger siblings:

• Prince John James Fury
• Prince Tyson II Fury
• Valencia Amber Fury
• Prince Adonis Amaziah Fury
• Athena Amour Fury
• Prince Rico Paris Fury

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Venezuela is a fun loving girl who takes to Instagram to share her life.

On her social media she posts whatever she is up to whether that’s watching a sunset or on a yacht.

We all know her dad Tyson Fury, 37, is one of the most prominent boxers in the world.

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Tyson has been outspoken on his proud gypsy heritage and lifestyle and is nicknamed The Gypsy King.

He is a big personality on and off the ring, the 2023 series At Home with The Furys was a big hit with audiences.

The show was an opportunity for everyone to get to know the Furys, Venezuela’s Mum, Paris, was a standout star.

Paris, 35, was hailed a Wonder Woman by fans. She came across as smart, beautiful and down to earth.

Paris and Tyson similarly met when they were young as well, he was 17 and she was only 15.

The two reconnected at Paris’ 16th birthday party and tied the knot three years later.

Paris revealed her “shock” surrounding the engagement because her daughter is “only young” but admitted “when you know, you know.”

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Paris lovingly commented on Instagram: “Congratulations to @venezuelafuryofficial and @7noahprice on getting engaged.

“Both only young but when you know you know! Still in shock but very happy for you both.

“Me and your Dad couldn’t be prouder xxx.”

Venezuela is carrying on the family tradition and she could not look happier.

WAYNE ROONEY has been encouraged to face Cristiano Ronaldo in the boxing ring in a football super fight.

Malik Scott, former coach of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, suggested the fight, labelling such a bout a ‘global event.’

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Scott, 44, told CanadaCasino: “Cristiano Ronaldo vs. Wayne Rooney would bring more eyes to boxing, and I’m all for it.

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“Any time boxing gets more attention, it’s a good thing. I want people to enjoy the spectacle, not just critique it.

“Just enjoy the carnival. It would be a global event because these are high-level names that would draw huge numbers.”

Scott is no stranger to the world of football, having married fan-favourite CBS sports broadcaster Kate Abdo in September last year.

His prospective competitors were iconic teammates at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, making over 200 appearances together.

Their relationship was believed to have turned cold following Ronaldo‘s protests to the referee earning Rooney a red card in a 2006 World Cup quarter final, which Portugal would go on to win on penalties.

He also made headlines for his comments on the heated Messi vs Ronaldo debate, backing the Argentinian over his former teammate.

But earlier this week the England legend rubbished rumours of bad blood between the two on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast.

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Rooney, 39, said: “People think I hate him (Ronaldo).

“I love him. I think he’s an absolute genius and what he’s doing is incredible.

“I love Cristiano and playing with him. I don’t think people realise actually how close me and him were.”

While it seems that a boxing score-settler between the two is unlikely, it is not the only fight that Rooney has been tipped of late.

He was called out earlier this week by former Leeds United and Ireland international keeper Paddy Kenny.

Kenny is himself set to face former Prem footballer Curtis Davies at a charity event next month, and is keen to keep the ball rolling on his new boxing escapades.

EDDIE Hearn and his wife are allegedly living separate lives with the boxing promoter moving “abroad” and recently being spotted without his wedding ring.

Viewers were also quick to point out the boxing promoter’s wife’s absence from his recent tell-all Netflix documentary.

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Although the couple remain married, their relationship has grown increasingly distant, reports Mail Online.

Eddie, 46, now spends most of his time in his luxurious Monaco home, while former beautician, Chloe, resides at the Hearn family’s estate in Ingatestone, Essex.

While Eddie resides in sunny Monaco for six months of the year, reportedly due to tax reasons, his wife occupies a smaller property away from the main house on the grand estate.

It is believed that the pair’s two teenage children travel between the two residences, regularly paying visits to their father.

However, beyond living in separate countries, the chairman of Matchroom sport also appears to not be wearing his ring in his new Netflix tell-all documentary.

The new show has captivated audience as it follows the famous father-son duo in their bid to take their heavyweight sports promotion company to the next level.

Yet, viewers were quick to spot both the absence of his wife of 13 years and a wedding band on his finger.

Eddie, who represents stars including Anthony Joshua and Canelo Alvarez, doesn’t appear to wear the band in the show or in the publicity photos taken ahead of its release.

Due to not being seen in public for months, whether or not Chloe is wearing her ring remains unknown.

The sports promoter’s wife has only been spotted once this year on March 31 when she resigned as a director from Matchroom’s charity foundation.

The following day, Eddie filed papers with Companies House confirming his relocation to Monaco.

However, despite this, friends of the pair reportedly remain adamant that the marriage remains robust and they are still very much together.

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A spokesperson for the couple said: “Rumours around the status of Eddie and Chloe’s marriage are untrue. They are still very much together.”

A source close to the family confirmed this, adding: “Eddie and Chloe may spend a lot of time apart but that’s down to the differing demands on them for business and family reasons – and they remain very much together.”

Another friend echoed these statements, explaining that the couple do lead increasingly separate lives, however, they remain strong as a couple and have no plans to change that.

The friend said that they are very different people with very different demands, as he fronts a huge business, while she is the primary carer to their girls.

Another source close to the Hearn’s also said that Eddie and Chloe are made for each other, adding that they have a modern relationship.

Prior to choosing to live in separate homes, the couple has always remained confident about their differences.

In a 2015 joint interview at Chloe’s Brentwood beauty salon, she described being married to Eddie as meaning in practice, learning to do everything on your own.

Eddie then chimed in, describing her as a boxing widow.

Eddie also recently shared a post to Instagram of him being welcomed to Kamani Living, a luxury real estate company based in Dubai.

This could suggest that the promoter is looking to make more investments in the Middle East.

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JAMES DeGale is set to make his bare-knuckle fighting debut on TONIGHT!

DeGale returns to combat sports against Matt Floyd in Manchester for the first time since he left boxing.

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The former world champion has been out of the ring since 2019, with his last fight being a defeat to Chris Eubank Jr.

He will main event a mega Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship card in Manchester with the hotly anticipated clash between Aaron Chalmers and Love Island star Jack Fincham.

SunSport can reveal the EXACT time the fight will get going!

What time is James DeGale vs Matt Floyd?

• DeGale vs Floyd will take place on Saturday, September 27.
• Ringwalks for the HUGE clash are expected at approximately 10:30pm BST.
• The card is set to get going at 6pm BST.
• Manchester’s AO Arena will host.

What TV channel is James DeGale vs Matt Floyd on and can it be live streamed?

• DeGale vs Floyd will be broadcast live on DAZN, which is available in over 200 countries with a subscription.
• If you are not currently a DAZN member, monthly and annual subscriptions are available.
• An Annual Super Saver subscription is a one-off payment of £119.99 for 12 months access (£14.99 per month if paying in monthly instalments). 
• And a Monthly Flexible pass, which can be cancelled at any time, is £24.99 per month.
• Alternatively, you can follow the action as it happens via SunSport‘s LIVE blog.

EDDIE Hearn has praised his rarely-seen sister as the “secret star” of his dad’s billion pound sports empire.

But despite Katie’s key role at Matchroom, she won’t be seen by Netflix viewers on the family’s new docuseries, Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen.

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Explaining why to The Sun, Eddie said: “My sister has no interest in the limelight.

“We are chalk and cheese in so many ways.

“She was an A-star student, I really wasn’t and when we did the deal with Netflix they were like, ‘oh and we’ll see your sister as well?’

“But she’s in the office all the time, hiding every time the cameras come in.

“I definitely took the extrovert side out of us.”

Eddie still backs himself as dad Barry’s favourite as he prepares to take over the business.

But Katie is a key player behind the scenes – with 40 years of experience in producing and globally distributing live sporting events.

Since becoming the first female to work on the Premiership and International production team at Sky Sports, Katie is now Director of Programming and CEO of Matchroom Media.

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Eddie added: “Katie’s a massive part of the business. She runs all the TV production and she’s a little bit of a kind secret star.

“She’s very talented, but she wouldn’t tell you how talented she is. I’m not very talented, but I’ll tell you how talented I am.”

Eddie also opened up about the decision not to include his wife and kids in the TV series that shot straight to the top of Netflix’s charts.

“It was mainly for the children,” he says.

“They already get a load of stick really through being my daughters. I’ve got two daughters and I want them to be able to live as normal a life as possible without someone having a preconceived perception of who they are or what they might be.

“It’s not like they’re hidden away, but I’ve seen some other documentaries where the kids are there and I just feel like it’s a huge amount of pressure, especially at that age, 13 and 15.”

It hasn’t stopped his kids from giving their opinions about his performance on the show.

Eddie laughed: “My eldest is watching the series and her first comment was ‘yeah, it’s good, but you lose a lot in it’.

“But that’s the real part of it. In an ideal world, AJ would have beat Dubois. We would have won the 5v5, but that wouldn’t be a great show.

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“I think it’s good for them to understand as well that it’s not just you go to work, you win, you make money, you go to work, you lose, you have bad days. You have a lot of pressure.”

Asked whether they’re likely to join the family business once he takes the top spot, Eddie added: “I’ve always said no to the thought of my daughters joining the business but as they get a little bit older, I think if they have a passion for it then why not.

“When I left school, I didn’t want to work for my dad. Everyone said to me growing up, ‘well, you’re just going to work for your dad anyway’.

“I thought no, I’m going to go out and I’m going to do my own thing and I did for probably four or five years, but then realised I’m putting all this energy and time into someone else’s company instead of putting that into what my dad built.

“Suddenly it felt like my role and responsibility was to carry on what was important to him.

“So, yeah, if they have a passion for it, then I wouldn’t stop them. But maybe not boxing. I’ll probably keep them away from boxing…”

JAKE PAUL’s shock showdown with the controversial Gervonta Davis is seemingly in limbo.

The pair, 28 and 30 respectively, are set to lock horns in a seemingly open weight showdown on November 14.

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The fight, which has been maligned due to the immense height and weight differences between the pair, was slated to take place at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

But it’s seemingly now in need of a new venue after Most Valuable Promotions, which was founded by Paul and his business partner Nikisa Bidarian, withdrew event permits and rule waivers required to stage the bout in the state.

Chairman of the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission Rick Thompson revealed the news.

He told USA Today: “I believe it’s in the public’s interest to know that because they’ve been promoting something they should not have been.”

Despite MVP’s withdrawal of the necessary event permits, tickets for the fight are still available and it’s still listed on State Farm’s official website.

But Robert A. Sinners, the Communications Director for the Office of Secretary of State, insisted: “[The fight] will not be happening here.”

Neither Paul, nor Bidarian have commented on the major issue.

Bidarian, however, has teased an imminent announcement regarding the fight.

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He wrote on X early on Monday morning: “Major Jake Paul vs Tank Davis event announcement this Wednesday.”

Former Disney star Paul was last in action in June against ex-WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, over whom he laboured to a decision victory.

And ‘The Problem Child’ is champing at the bit to share the ring with Davis.

He said: “Gervonta is an angry little elf who has been disrespecting my name for too long.

“His nickname might be ‘Tank’, but I’m an FPV drone and I’m about to disable his a**.

“Yes, he is one of the top pound-for-pound boxers in the world, but my motto is anyone, anytime, anyplace, against all odds.

“And I like my odds. First, I am going to kill David, then I will go on to slaughter Goliath.”

“HE was the heart of Hyde.”

Emily Tunnicliff, 25, laid her simple arrangement of flowers outside Ricky Hatton’s home, called The Heartbreak, to join the hundreds already there.

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For many, the former boxer was the heart not only of Hyde but of Britain.

“I am from Hyde,” Emily added.

“He was proud of where he came from and we were proud of him.

“He has done so much for this city. He never forgot his roots.”

Her friend, boxer Tyler Dolby, 23, trains at Ricky’s brother Matthew’s gym nearby.

He agreed. He said: “He was an estate lad and you could never take that out of him. He was such an inspiration. He said to all the young lads here and in Britain you could all make it.”

In silence, a steady stream of mourners gathered at Ricky’s home to pay their respects.

Fans wearing Manchester United tops laid their tributes next to wreaths adorned with Ricky’s beloved Man City logo.

Charlie, 45, said: “I watched all his fights. I met him once and he was so nice and friendly. He was not a star, just Ricky.”

A grey rainy morning brought strong winds that blew over many of the tributes.

Kirsty Cartwright, 34, said: “I wanted to be here to show how much he was was loved.”

The boxer’s manager Paul Speak was there to look at the tributes.

He told The Sun: “It is just all too much to take in. All of it. I don’t have the words.”

The gates closed, with Ricky’s black Rolls-Royce on the drive.

But the mourners still came.

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RICKY HATTON’s next opponent has broken his silence following the tragic death of the British boxer.

The former world champion was found dead aged 46 in his Manchester home on Sunday.

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Eisa Al Dah, 46, was due to be the next person to face the Hitman in the ring in Dubai on December 2.

He has now broken his silence following the news of Hatton’s death.

He told The National: “In just a couple of hours, I was [going to see] him here in Dubai.

“We booked the hotel. We booked the [plane] ticket. Everything had been arranged.

“From my side, I was checking everything, and I was so excited to see him over here and visit us here in Dubai.

“And he was also excited. But suddenly, I get this news from his managers. My heart is broken.

“Since knowing I will fight him, I became very close to him, seeing his news, following him on Instagram.

“I follow his life, how he trained, everything. I cannot believe it. I wish somebody told me this is wrong.

“I’ve been through many things in my life in the boxing or business.

“But this is something that I cannot believe.”

More to follow…

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

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CANELO ALVAREZ paid a gushing tribute to his wife Fernanda after accepting his loss to Terence Crawford with “humility”.

The Mexican superstar surrendered his super-middleweight throne after falling victim to a masterclass performance.

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Canelo was consoled by his wife Fernanda and daughter Mia in the aftermath of the defeat – and spoke out to thank his partner.

“I’m very proud of everything I’ve accomplished so far; you always want to win, but I accept this defeat with humility and learning,” he said on Instagram.

“I am very grateful to my team for all the sacrifices we have made together all these years.

“I already won because I have my family with me and millions of fans who have never stopped supporting me.

“Finally, thanks to Fernanda, my wife; for her patience and not letting go of my hand during this whole process.”

Crawford secured a stunning unanimous points win after 12 rounds of sensational boxing to become four-belt champion at 168lb.

The 42-0 American became the first man in boxing history to win undisputed belts in THREE different weight classes.

Jumping up from 154lb, Crawford became a FIVE-division champ, having started his reign of championship terror at the 135lb lightweight mark.

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CANELO VS CRAWFORD LIVE: ALL THE LATEST FROM THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY

Canelo vs Crawford – All the info

IT’S finally time – one of the biggest boxing matches EVER takes place THIS WEEKEND.

Two of boxing’s GOATs will meet in the ring as they fight for pound-for-pound supremacy and the super-middleweight crown.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford have been fixtures in the top of the rankings for years and are considered among the best to ever do it.

Unbeaten Crawford, who beat Israil Madrimov to win the light-middleweight title last time out, hasn’t fought for a year.

He is jumping up two weight divisions to meet Canelo, having spent most of his career weighing in even lighter.

Mexican favourite Canelo has scored title defences over Edgar Berlanga and William Scull since Crawford was last inside a ring.

Here’s all the info for this must-watch fight…

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Canelo meanwhile is without gold on his waist for the first time since 2018 – but the father-of-four is a winner even without the belts.

“No matter what, I still feel a champion,” he said, joined by his wife and daughter.

“It is what it is, you need to take a loss and accept everything. But I’m going to continue.” 

Canelo, 35, welcomed his newborn baby daughter Eva Victoria just one month before facing Crawford, 37.

And he has refused to commit his future to boxing until he spends some quality time with the newest addition to the Alvarez family.

“I want to speak to my family for obviously the support that they always give me, Canelo said, through a translator.

“Tonight is an opportunity to learn. That’s what I told my family,  tonight was an opportunity to learn and to evolve.

“I learn from defeat and also I haven’t had the chance to talk about the next step or the future yet.

“I want to enjoy my family, my daughter is a month old. I just want to be able to enjoy and see what comes next.”

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BOXING champion Ricky Hatton fought bravely not just in the ring but also with his own mental health struggles.

The legendary boxer, 46, previously spoke out about his battles outside the sport after retiring in 2012.

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Ricky was found dead at his home this morning, just months after he announced his return to the ring.

Boxer Ricky, who won 45 of his 48 pro fights during a glittering career, previously spoke about his struggles with depression and how he had fought back from the brink with his mental health and alcohol addiction.

Talking about his struggles, the multi-weight world champ told Radio 4 earlier this year: “I used to go to the pub, come back and sit there in the dark crying hysterically.”

He had also been open about the need for boxers to get more help after hanging up their gloves.

In the past, Ricky had also talked about how his life took a dark turn after losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a 2007 fight in Las Vegas.

He explained how he overcame problems with drink, drugs and depression, and why mental health issues are so prevalent in boxing.

Ricky told BBC Sport: “If a boxer can come out and say they’re struggling and crying every day, it’s going to make a huge difference.

“Having gone through it, I now see it as my job to help those suffering with mental health.”

The boxing legend ballooned up in weight after his retirement as he struggled with alcohol abuse and depression, but got himself back on the straight and narrow three years ago for an exhibition bout with Mexican great Marco Antonio Barrera.

Ricky, nicknamed “the Hitman”, was incredibly popular among boxing fans and enjoyed fame both during his career and after announcing his 2012 retirement.

And he never shied away from his mental health battles, bravely fighting his demons for years after quitting the sport.

Ricky even shared just months ago that he was planning his comeback to boxing, with a fight set for December 2.

Speaking to SunSport earlier this year, he shared how he had been inspired by Oasis’ comeback tour, as well as his weight loss, to bring himself back into the ring.

He said: “It inspired a lot of people, you know, for me to get in shape again at the age I’m at.

“Especially bearing in mind all my problems I’ve had personally with mental health and stuff like that.

“It was nice for so many people to come up to me and go, ‘Oh, I’ve always struggled with my weight and to see you get it off at your age.’

“I’ve always struggled with my mental health and I’ve had my problems.

“And to see where you were a few years ago to what you’re doing now, it’s inspirational.”

Ricky had first retired from the sport in 2011 before announcing a comeback fight in 2012.

However, his ill-fated bout against Vyacheslav Senchenko led to his immediate retirement in November that year.

But inspired by the Gallagher brothers, who also walked him to the ring for his 2008 win over Pauli Malignaggi, Ricky was looking forward to a return to the spotlight, 13 years after his last professional bout.

BOXING fans were left seething after Netflix started experiencing technical issues just hours before Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford’s super-middleweight melee.

It was announced in June that the streaming powerhouse had acquired the rights for the historic undisputed 168lbs showdown.

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The service was nigh on flawless up until the interim WBC super-middleweight bout between Lester Martinez and Christian Mbilil.

Fight fans started experiencing a host of issues, with some joining the party later on unable to open the live programme on the app.

And several flocked to social media to express their frustrations.

One wrote on X: “Netflix already down. That’s a fine how do you do.”

Another said: “Stream quality is going down as we approach the main event.”

And another said: “I decided to stick it out and Netflix is DOWN!

“TRY AGAIN LATER is the message! For a Live Event!

One remarked: “Netflix is on their BS again.”

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CANELO VS CRAWFORD LIVE: ALL THE LATEST FROM THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY

Another chimed in: “Netflix don’t ever stream another fight again.”

Despite a litany of viewers having issues, several had no problems streaming the card and praised Netflix for the quality of the stream.

One said: “This Netflix stream ain’t buffered not once.”

And another said: “How does Netflix stream in 8k so well?”

Netflix experienced similar technical issues when it streamed Mike Tyson‘s crossover clash with social media sensation Jake Paul last November.

The intense demand to watch Iron Mike’s return to professional action led to issues with the stream’s quality and left several fans unable to log in to the app entirely.

MIKE TYSON has been seen for the first time since announcing his exhibition with Floyd Mayweather – as he PUNCHED MrBeast in the stomach.

Tyson and Mayweather – with a combined age of 107 – have signed to supposedly fight in 2026.

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Iron Mike looked a shadow of himself last November when he took on Jake Paul in his first professional bout in 20 YEARS.

Most hoped and expected it to be a brief cameo in the ring – until his joint announcement with Mayweather.

Tyson stepped out for the first time since sharing the news of his comeback as he watched Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford from Las Vegas.

The heavyweight great linked up with YouTube sensation MrBeast and delivered one of his trademark body shots.

MrBeast – real name James Stephen Donaldson – sunk to his knees after getting a very small and tamed taste of Tyson’s power.

No date or venue has been confirmed for Tyson’s exhibition with Mayweather – but it is set for the spring of next year.

Mayweather officially retired in 2017 after beating ex-UFC champion in Conor McGregor in ten rounds – earning around £250m for doing so.

But Mayweather has continued to box in exhibitions since against stars from the boxing, MMA and social media world.

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CANELO VS CRAWFORD LIVE: ALL THE LATEST FROM THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY

Canelo vs Crawford – All the info

IT’S finally time – one of the biggest boxing matches EVER takes place THIS WEEKEND.

Two of boxing’s GOATs will meet in the ring as they fight for pound-for-pound supremacy and the super-middleweight crown.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford have been fixtures in the top of the rankings for years and are considered among the best to ever do it.

Unbeaten Crawford, who beat Israil Madrimov to win the light-middleweight title last time out, hasn’t fought for a year.

He is jumping up two weight divisions to meet Canelo, having spent most of his career weighing in even lighter.

Mexican favourite Canelo has scored title defences over Edgar Berlanga and William Scull since Crawford was last inside a ring.

Here’s all the info for this must-watch fight…

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His last came in August 2024 against the grandson of notorious New York crime boss John Gotti – going the distance without a winner.

Tyson, now 59, meanwhile hung up his gloves in 2005 following two dismal defeats against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride.

But he did make a return in 2020 for an exhibition with fellow icon Roy Jones Jr – ending in a draw over eight rounds.

It was last year that Tyson made the shock announcement that he was making a comeback to fight Paul in a professionally-sanctioned bout.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul won over eight shorter rounds of two minutes with over 100 MILLION watching on Netflix.

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Going to be a ‘thriller’

Promoter Eddie Hearn believes Lewis Crocker can cause a shock tonight.

Hearn said: “Lewis, I think mentally he’s in a much better place because he’s not putting any pressure on himself.

“Paddy’s the big favourite in the fight because of how the first fight played out, but I think this will be a totally different Lewis Crocker.

“I think physically he looks totally different this time around, and he has to be better.

“I thought he was poor in the first fight, and I think he knows he was poor in the first fight.

“I think Paddy Donovan has to be the favourite going into the fight, but I think Lewis Crocker’s well in this and is Paddy a little bit too complacent?

“He wouldn’t have trained that way because Andy [Lee] wouldn’t let him.

“I know that’s not a technical term, but Lewis Crocker can punch and punch hard.

“He’s got to take chances, he’s gotta roll the dice, and he’s gotta let his hands go and if he does, you’re gonna get a thriller.

“I mean we’re gonna have close to 20,000 here at Windsor Park, it’s gonna be absolutely wild.”

TERENCE CRAWFORD blew a kiss to Canelo Alvarez’s army of Mexican fans after being BOOD – just 24 hours before battle.

Crawford has had to contend with the pro-Latino crowds all week ahead of his Las Vegas super-fight with Canelo.

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But at their weigh in – only 24 hours before the Mexican shootout – Crawford appeared motivated by the hostility.

The pair of modern greats hit the scales at 167.5lb for the undisputed super-middleweight title fight.

Canelo – defending his WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO belts – looked trim as he bids to retain his 12st throne.

“I trained for everything, I need to put everything into this fight” Canelo said.

Meanwhile Crawford – stepping up TWO divisions – looked bulkier than ever at his career-highest weight.

“I feel wonderful, I can’t wait for tomorrow,” Crawford said with a grin before delivering the blown kisses.

Canelo vs Crawford – All the info

IT’S finally time – one of the biggest boxing matches EVER takes place THIS WEEKEND.

Two of boxing’s GOATs will meet in the ring as they fight for pound-for-pound supremacy and the super-middleweight crown.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Terence Crawford have been fixtures in the top of the rankings for years and are considered among the best to ever do it.

Unbeaten Crawford, who beat Israil Madrimov to win the light-middleweight title last time out, hasn’t fought for a year.

He is jumping up two weight divisions to meet Canelo, having spent most of his career weighing in even lighter.

Mexican favourite Canelo has scored title defences over Edgar Berlanga and William Scull since Crawford was last inside a ring.

Here’s all the info for this must-watch fight…

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LATEST NEWS