CAN A YOUTUBE GOLFER CONTEND ON PGA TOUR?

 

OLEKSANDR USYK WARNS JAKE PAUL: I'LL BE WAITING FOR YOU IN THE CAGE

Undisputed world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has warned Jake Paul he would be “waiting in the cage” if the YouTuber-turned-boxer had the courage to face him once the Ukrainian eventually retires from the ring.

Paul – who beat former world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on points in an eight-round bout late last year before defeating Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June – is set to take on reigning WBA lightweight champion Gervonta Davis in an exhibition match in November, which will be broadcast on Netflix.

The 28-year-old influencer recently took to social media to outline his wide-ranging future plans – which included becoming a boxing world champion and beating Usyk as well as winning an Oscar, to “fight on the moon” and starting a presidential campaign.

After Usyk defeated Britain’s Daniel Dubois for a second time when they met at Wembley in July, he faced off with Paul in the ring.

The 38-year-old gave Paul short shrift, though, in response to the American’s latest ambitious five-year plan.

“Good plan, Jake Paul, but I’m not here for 5th place – only first,” Usyk wrote on X.

“Soon, I’ll close the book on boxing, and after that, I’ll be waiting for you in the cage. Let’s see if you’ve got the balls or just a hunger for hype.”

Usyk – who continues to recover from a back problem – is expected to fight Joseph Parker and Britain’s Fabio Wardley, the pair set to meet on October 25 at London’s O2 Arena, in his next title defence.

After his response to Paul, the Ukrainian later posted a video of him training to highlight his own dedication to boxing.

“I don’t have motivation. I have discipline,” Usyk said. “This is why I am champion. I believe this with all my heart. It carries me through the ring, through life, through every challenge.

“This is why I stand. Carry this with you.”

- Jim van Wijk, PA

JAKE PAUL HANDLES JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. WITH RELATIVE EASE, SETS SIGHTS ON TITLE SHOT

ANAHEIM, California — Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. didn’t even show up until the fourth round against Jake Paul on Saturday at Honda Center. And even after he showed signs of life, he didn’t do much more than throw a few punches here and there, although he came on strong in the last few rounds.

Meanwhile, Paul did his job. He fought behind his jab, outworked Chavez by a mile and took everything his foe had to offer.

It wasn’t an easy fight for Paul in the end, but it was a clear victory and another step in what he hopes will lead him toward a world title shot. All three judges scored it for Paul: 99-91, 98-92 and 97-93.

It appeared in the first three rounds that Chavez’s handlers had forgotten to tell him he had a fight.

The 39-year-old, one-time middleweight titleholder, who is coming off a stint in rehab and has had a multitude of discipline issues, fought as if he were in survival mode for the first nine minutes. He did next to nothing.

And Paul (12-1, 7 KOs) took full advantage, setting up power shots with his jab, avoiding the few punches that Chavez threw and generally controlling everything that was happening in the ring.

The great Julio Cesar Chavez Sr., near his son’s corner, was so frustrated that he violently waved Junior toward his opponent and shook his head in disgust. He knew a good opportunity — a chance to set up more big fights — was slipping away.

Then, in Round 4, Chavez Jr. (54-7-1, 34 KOs) seemed to wake up. He began to stand his ground and throw punches, a number of them hard and some accurate.

He got Paul’s attention. The YouTuber-turned-boxer continued to outwork Chavez, but he had to be acutely aware of the dangers he suddenly faced. And he met the challenge with aplomb, at least until late in the fight.

Paul used his feet to try to keep his distance when Chavez went into attack mode. And when the Mexican got close, he often clinched. That prevented Chavez from causing serious damage.

Chavez’s best rounds were 9 and 10, when he threw punches with relative abandon and seemed to stun a tiring Paul on several occasions. He even raised his arms in triumph after Round 9, as if to say, “Yeah, I still have some fight in me.”

However, it was a classic too-little-too-late fate for Chavez, who couldn’t climb out of his early hole.

“He’s a tough, tough guy,” Paul said of Chavez. “He’s never been stopped, he’s a Mexican warrior. I respect Mexican warriors, I respect Mexico. I’m also a warrior. And I won tonight.”

Chavez, who admitted that he started too slowly, gave Paul credit afterward … to a point.

“He’s strong, a good boxer,” Chavez said in English. “The first four rounds … after that, I feel him getting tired. So I don’t think he’s ready for the champions, but he’s a good boxer.”

Paul was asked for his reaction to that comment.

“If I listened to anyone in life,” he said, “I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Paul is dead set on facing world champions one day, including future Hall of Famer Canelo Alvarez.

“I thought I did great,” he said, “going 10 rounds with a former world champion who has never been stopped and was in there with Canelo Alvarez and all these guys. And I embarrassed him. Easy work.

“I want to be world champion. [Titleholder] Zurdo [Ramirez] looked slow tonight. That’s easy work, too. Badou Jack, Anthony Joshua. And Tommy [Fury, the only man to have beaten him] stop running.”

Who might be next?

“We’ll see,” Paul said. “We’ll go to the drawing board. There’s a long line of people waiting. Take a [expletive] ticket. I don’t care. I have time. I’m 28 years old. I’ll fight anyone, any time, any place.”

- MICHAEL ROSENTHAL

JAKE PAUL 'EXPOSES' CANELO ALVAREZ BY LEAKING SIGNED FIGHT CONTRACT

Jake Paul has shared what he claims is a signed contract for him to fight Canelo Alvarez, with the YouTuber left fuming after Canelo signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season

Jake Paul has hit out at Canelo Alvarez

Jake Paul has slammed Canelo Alvarez after the four-weight world champion signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season instead of facing the YouTuber.

The two parties had been in talks to fight in May before the deal collapsed and Paul has now hit out at Canelo, sharing what he claims is a contract for the bout that was signed by them both. "We had a signed contract to fight," Paul claimed in a video posted on social media.

"Here you can see Canelo's signature and my signature to the right. Claiming he's not fighting YouTubers. Bulls***... Claiming he's fighting real fighters, but he's fighting [Terence] Crawford, a 135-pound fighter, and running from a real fighter like David Benavidez. You b****."

Canelo is now expected to fight in Saudi Arabia in May, before clashing with Crawford in Las Vegas in September. Crawford is currently the WBA light middleweight champion and has previously held titles in three other weight classes, with the 37-year-old a former undisputed light welterweight champion.

Canelo, meanwhile, currently holds the WBA (Super), WBC, WBO and Ring super middleweight titles which is two weight classes above where Crawford is currently fighting. Canelo has previously fought at light middleweight, although his last outing came in September 2016 when he beat Liam Smith.

"The truth is, you can be bought," Paul continued. "You're a money-hungry squirrel chasing your next nut. The truth is, these sports-washing, shady characters are paying you hundreds of millions of dollars to stop our fight from happening because they couldn't fathom the fact that they can't create a bigger fight than me and you."

Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, told ESPN that Canelo "only fights real fighters" after their deal was announced and it was claimed that Alalshikh told Canelo that he would pull his offer if he went ahead with his plans to fight Paul.

Canelo has hit back at Paul, telling Ring Magazine : "Hey guys, don't pay attention to anything [from] this f***ing YouTuber. I just fight real fighters... no f***ing around with Canelo! Come on - Let's go!"

Reports have claimed that Jermall Charlo and Bruno Surace are under consideration as potential opponents for Canelo in May. Charlo is a former two-weight world champion with a 33-0 record, while Surace is also undefeated and upset former junior middleweight champion Jaime Mungui in his most recent fight.

- Matthew Cooper

CRISTIANO RONALDO MISSES OUT ON $1M IN MRBEAST YOUTUBE VIDEO

Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on $1m in a YouTube video with MrBeast. Al Nassr FC/Al Nassr FC via Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo has missed the chance to win $1 million after losing a football shooting challenge to a fan.

The Al Nassr captain took part in a contest organised by American YouTube sensation MrBeast.

Ronaldo, 39, went head-to-head with Khalid, a subscriber of MrBeast's YouTube channel. Presented as "the ultimate football phenomenon," the Portugal captain stepped onto the pitch wearing an Al Nassr jersey with MrBeast written on the back.

MrBeast, who last month appeared as a guest on Cristiano Ronaldo's YouTube channel, offered a prize of $1m to whoever could be the first one to strike three targets that had been placed along the goal.

"I put my lucky shirt with MrBeast," a smiling Ronaldo said.

A nervous Khalid, who wore the Al Nassr away shirt, said ahead of the contest: "I'm his [Ronaldo's] number one fan."

When MrBeast asked Khalid what the odds were that he could beat Ronaldo, he said: "Honestly I think it's 50-50" to which Ronaldo replied: "I like him to be confident."

Before they started, MrBeast reminded Ronaldo and Khalid that 100 million people were watching.

They each took turns. Ronaldo missed all of his attempts and as Khalid made two of his four attempts, and was one away from winning the big cheque, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner encouraged Khalid to make the shot, to which Mr Beast said: "I think Ronaldo wants me to lose a million dollars."

Khalid struck the target for the third time with his fifth shot and celebrated as Ronaldo hugged him and said: "I'm so proud of you, my friend."

- Adriana Garcia

JAKE PAUL AGREES TO FIGHT DANIEL DUBOIS FOR IBF WORLD TITLE

This will be some fight!

Jake Paul has responded to Daniel Dubois after he challenged the 27-year-old YouTuber to fight for the IBF heavyweight world title.

YouTuber-turned-fighter, Paul, has received several offers since his victory over Mike Tyson at Texas’ AT&T Stadium on Friday evening.

Paul beat the former undisputed world heavyweight champion via unanimous decision following eight two-minute rounds.

The event, which was available to stream live on Netflix, received widespread criticism due to the age gap of the two men.

However, Tyson is thought to have received around $20 million for the fight while Paul made $40 million.

It has led several boxing icons to reach out to the YouTuber-turned-boxer, including Beterbiev and Carl Froch.

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But Paul has responded to Dubois’ offer and has accepted the challenge.

Dubois wrote: “Hi Jake, good business on the weekend but how would you feel fighting for the legitimate heavyweight championship of the world this is Daniel Dubois calling you out. Let’s get it on.”

Paul responded with a picture of a ticket dispenser with the words ‘get in line’ before sharing a screenshot of their interaction.

He wrote: “Man been boxing for 12 years, has over 100 fights between amateur and pro and fought on my undercard…hahaha.

“But f*** it…I’m going to have Nakisa talk to Frankie Warren and get you in line for the throne. Unlike Artur, at least you have a few thousand fans.”

Dubois retained his IBF world heavyweight title with a career-defining performance against Anthony Joshua on September 21 at Wembley Stadium.

He floored Joshua four times and delivered a knockout in the fifth round in front of 98,000 fans.

Though a rematch was expected on February 22, Eddie Hearn has said that Joshua may not be ready in time due to the tight turnaround.

This has led Dubois and his promoter Frank Warren to look at alternatives and Paul could be the perfect opponent.

 - ZOE HODGES

 

REVEALED: THE TWO HEALTH TESTS MIKE TYSON STILL HAS TO PASS BEFORE HE CAN ACTUALLY FIGHT JAKE PAUL - AS LEGENDARY BOXER'S RETURN STILL NOT OFFICIALLY SIGNED

• 'Iron Mike' won 44 fights and was undisputed champion from 1987 to 1990 

• He is making a long-awaited comeback against Paul in Texas on Friday night

• But the 58-year-old must now pass more tests after a long battle with his fitness 

Mike Tyson faces a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of a huge comeback fight against Jake Paul, with the legendary boxer required to pass two more health tests ahead of the bout.

'Iron Mike' was the undisputed world heavyweight champion between 1987 and 1990 and terrified opponents with his incredible punching power.

The Brooklyn-born fighter ended his career with a record of 50 wins, including 44 by way of knockout, and six losses, including his disqualification against Evander Holyfield in 1997 for biting his compatriot in the third round.

He is due to make a long-awaited return to the professional boxing fray in his fight against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Arlington, Texas, on Friday, having last taken part in a sanctioned bout in June 2005 against Kevin McBride.

But the event could now be in jeopardy after it emerged that Tyson still has to pass a brain test (EEG) and a heart test (EKG) this week in a safety precaution agreed to months ago, Boxing Kingdom reports.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation mandated the tests ahead of the bout, which pits boxers with a 31-year age gap. 

Indeed, when Paul was born, Tyson had already won 45 fights and won and regained two heavyweight belts.

The fight was originally supposed to take place in July but a stomach alcer flare-up while on a plane meant that the 58-year-old was advised to delay the contest.

At the time, Tyson said: 'I asked the doctor, "Am I going to die?"

'I lost 25 pounds in 11 days. Couldn't eat. Only liquids. Every time I went to the bathroom, it smelled like tar.

'All my coordination, stamina, everything was hectic getting back. I was peaked already. I could have fought him that day. Now, I got to start from scratch. I had, like, eight blood transfusions. The doctor said I lost half my blood. I almost died.'

Earlier this month, it was revealed that these claims were being investigated by officials from Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation - who are overseeing the event.

However, it's expected the Texas Licensing Regulators will not assess Tyson again until the day before the fight takes place. 

Therefore, there is a high risk that the bout could be cancelled just 24 hours before Iron Mike is set to step back into the ring. 

The result of the assessment could see the fight be downgraded from a professional one to an exhibition or even cancelled. 

However, Tyson is confident the bout will go ahead as planned and insists he is ready to dismantle Paul despite suffering a medical emergency earlier this year. 

Tyson has given marijuana up while training to fight Paul because it is on the list of banned substances used by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The fighter, who became the youngest heavyweight title-holder at 20 years and four months in 1986, has struggled with a series of health issues in recent years.

Despite showing his enduring class in an exhbition bout against Roy Jones Jr in 2020, Tyson has persistently battled with chronic knee and back problems.

Two years ago, he had a severe sciatica episode which left him in a wheelchair and then using a cane.

- SAM LAWLEY

JAKE PAUL WARNED RULE CHANGE WILL BENEFIT MIKE TYSON IN BOXING FIGHT

Mike Tyson and Jake Paul go to war later this month (Image: AP)

'Iron Mike' hasn't fought a professional contest since losing to Kevin McBride back in 2005, but will make a sensational return to the ring next week against 'The Problem Child'

Roy Jones Jr believes Mike Tyson will benefit from the shorter rounds in his upcoming heavyweight fight with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

The fight - which is scheduled to take place on November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Texas - will see Paul and Tyson go toe-to-toe in a professional showdown in an eight two-minute round format - as opposed to the more standard three-minute rounds. The sanctioned fight has already been approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Both boxers will wear 14-ounce gloves, more padded than the standard gloves.

The 58-year-old's last professional contest came back in 2005 against Kevin McBride. After quitting on the stool that night, Tyson opted to retire from the sport. He did, however, take part in an exhibition showdown with Jones Jr four years ago.

As for Paul, 'The Problem Child' made his debut in 2020 and has since taken the sport by storm. So far, the young American has defeated the likes of Anderson Silva, Tyron Woodley and Nate Diaz. His only defeat in the squared-circle came last year, losing on points to Tommy Fury. He has since bounced back with big wins over Diaz, Andre August, Ryan Bourland and Mike Perry.

Recently, Paul had dared his legendary opponent to take him on over 10 three-minute rounds after public demands, but the rules will NOT be changed. With the rules now set in stone ahead of the dust-up next Friday, Tyson's former opponent - Jones Jr - believes that it will benefit the 58-year-old.

Jones Jr believes the shorter rounds will help Tyson's endurance. In an interview with MMANYTT, he said: “When I boxed him four years ago, we did two-minute rounds, and, surprisingly, he didn’t lose energy; he kept the same pace”.

In the same interview, Jones Jr gave his official prediction for the upcoming contest. While many believe that Paul's age will prove to be a big factor, the boxing veteran insists Tyson is fully capable of getting the job done in Texas. “I believe in Mike, likely via decision. But if he wants to finish it, he can. Yet, if he’s just looking to enjoy the fight, he might take it slow and have some fun”, he added.

The 55-year-old concluded: "I’m not worried about Mike and his age. Mike is still hard to hit, and he hits like a truck.” While Jones Jr remains optimistic, There are a few fans who believe that 'Iron Mike' is not taking the fight seriously. During a recent chat with Jimmy Kimmel, the 58-year-old claimed he was training six hours a day. "I am training extremely hard, I do six hours a day. I start at 11am and might leave the gym at 5pm", he said. Kimmel looked stunned and replied: "Oh no. 11am? So that's six hours straight, or is there a lunch break?" The former heavyweight champion admitted there was a small break as a shocked Kimmel gasped: "Oh no".

In the same interview, when Tyson was asked if he intends to be high during his bout with Paul, he replied: “I’m going to be so high off life, yeah." Kimmel then asked: “Will you be high on marijuana, as well?" Tyson replied: "That’s a possibility, too." The host then commented: "Oh no my bet is getting lower as we talk".

MIKE TYSON REVEALS SINISTER NICKNAME HE'S GIVEN JAKE PAUL FIGHT

Tyson will get his hands on Paul next month (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Mike Tyson has nicknamed his boxing showdown against Jake Paul ‘Jake’s wake’ as they prepare to go to war next month.

Ring legend Tyson and YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul collide at the AT&T Stadium in Texas on 15 November with their fight to be streamed globally on Netflix.

31 years in age separate the pair with ‘Iron Mike’ long retired from professional boxing. The former heavyweight champion hung up his gloves in 2005 having lost three of his last four fights with Paul currently on a run of 10 wins in 11.

Tyson did return to the ring for an exhibition bout with fellow boxing great Roy Jones Jr in November 2020.

While there were fears over his health heading into this latest fight with their original July date postponed, the 58-year-old retuned to training a month later and has been stepping things up in the gym ever since.

Tyson has shared snippets of brutal training footage, including one clip him flooring a sparring partner with a vicious left hook.

In a latest clip shared this week, Tyson captioned it: ‘Jake’s wake in 20 days.’ In the clip, he is joined by another great of the sport in Gene Kilroy, Muhammad Ali’s former manager who was left stunned by the former champion’s preparations.

‘This is the strongest I’ve ever seen you,’ Kilroy said, watching Tyson being put through his paces.

‘And I’ve known you since you were 13. This impresses the s**t out of me. Nothing impresses me.

‘I’m going to tell you the truth. I don’t lie. I was worried about him travelling here, travelling there. I can sleep now at night. This is great.

‘I’m proud of you, Mike. I’m proud of you. It’s a new generation. You done more workouts than what I’ve seen you do the whole time you fought Lennox Lewis. Am I right or wrong?’

‘Tyson replied: ‘Different era brother. It’s a whole new ball game.’

- Tony Mogan

LENNOX LEWIS HAS NO DOUBT WHO WINS MIKE TYSON VS. JAKE PAUL: "I DON'T WANT HIM TO GET HURT"

Image credit: MVP

 Lennox Lewis has been giving his views on the upcoming fight between his old foe Mike Tyson and young YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul.

This controversial bout was originally set for July but Tyson had an ulcer flare-up that delayed it until November 15. The officially sanctioned fight will last for eight two-minute rounds with no headgear and will count on both men’s pro records.

Iron’ Mike hasn’t fought professionally for over 20 years since he ended his career with a pair of defeats, while Paul stopped his last opponent Ryan Bourland in the first round and is on a mission to prove himself in the sport.

Speaking to FX 29 Philadelphia, Lewis admitted he would be watching the fight.

“Yeh course, you never know what’s going to pop up. I’m happy for them, they’re going to make a good bag, a lot of kids love Jake Paul, a lot of kids love Tyson, they want to see what’s going to happen in the ring to both of them. Me too.

He was then asked if he was siding with Tyson.

“Mike Tyson is going to win. Mike Tyson is not that old. Don’t take him too softly.”

At 57 and as a former world champion, the host wondered if Lewis still had the level of skills to fight someone like Paul.

“No. You got to look at the age. You can probably fight somebody like that and do well cause they’re not a true fighter and there’s a 100 things you’ve forgotten that he’s learning. Age will be a determining favour if the fight goes too long. But if Mike comes with a 10-second combination and catches him, he’s 100% [going down]'”

Before news broke that it wouldn’t be just an exhibition fight, Lewis was originally pleased as he didn’t want Paul ‘to get hurt’.

“I’m glad otherwise I would feel really bad for Jake Paul, I don’t want him to get hurt”

That the fight is happening at all is a surprise given Tyson once said he would never fight the YouTuber.

- Toby Morgan 

MIKE TYSON'S U-TURN ON JAKE PAUL FIGHT: "I ONLY FACE REAL FIGHTERS"

Image credit: MVP

 Mike Tyson is set to face Jake Paul on November 15, but he once said he ‘would never’ fight the YouTuber turned boxer.

The former heavyweight champion had to postpone the initial fight date of July 20th when he suffered a medical emergency on board a plane – which was later revealed to be an ulcer flare up.

“Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flareup, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover.

My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon. Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good.”

However, it was only just over two years ago when ‘Iron’ Mike appeared on the Full Send Podcast claiming he would never step in the ring with Paul as he only ‘fights real fighters’.

“My family loves Jake Paul, I would never, I would never fight him. Everyone in my family love this little white motherf***er..

Let him has his reign, let him have his time. I don’t want to fight him man. I fight real fighters. I fight fighters that hurt big strong scary men, they’re the ones that I fight.”

When asked if he would knock Paul out, the 58-year-old provided the same prediction as he does today.

“So f**king easy.”

Contrary to what Tyson once said, he will face Paul on November 15 at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium in Texas with the event being broadcast live on Netflix.

- Toby Morgan 

TYSON V PAUL SANCTIONED AS PROFESSIONAL FIGHT

Reuters 

 Boxing great Mike Tyson and YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul's July 20 bout in Arlington will be a sanctioned, professional fight that will count on both men's records, the fight promoter said on Monday.

The heavyweight match-up, which will be streamed live on Netflix, will be contested over eight, two-minute rounds with 14 ounce gloves at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium, which is home to the NFL's Dallas Cowboys.

'Iron Mike' Tyson, one of the most feared boxers in history, will be 58 when he enters the ring for the first time since his November 2020 exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr., which ended in a draw.

It was thought the bout between Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) and 27-year-old Paul (9-1, 6 KOs) would also be an exhibition due to Tyson's age but the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations (TDLR) sanctioned it anyway.

An exhibition typically has no judges and can only be won by knockout, meaning there is a higher possibility of a draw.

The 31-year age gap between the fighters is the biggest in the history of professional boxing, according to ESPN.

"Mike Tyson and Jake Paul signed on to fight each other with the desire to do so in a sanctioned professional fight that would have a definitive outcome," said Nakisa Bidarian, who along with Paul founded Most Valuable Promotions (MVP).

"Over the past six weeks MVP has worked with its partners to satisfy the requirements of the TDLR to sanction Paul versus Tyson and we are grateful that we have got to this point."

The undercard will see lightweight champion Katie Taylor (23-1, 6 KOs) battle seven-division champion Amanda Serrano (46-2-1, 30 KOs) in a rematch of their April 2022 fight when Ireland's Taylor beat the Puerto Rican on a split decision.