Tyson Fury hit back at his critics at the launch press conference of his boxing contest with mixed martial arts fighter Francis Ngannou before he hinted at a second bout between the pair in the octagon.

Fury has faced plenty of scrutiny since it was announced in July that he would next step in the ring with former UFC world heavyweight champion Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia.

While it will be a boxing contest that lasts 10 rounds in Riyadh, Fury’s WBC heavyweight title will not be on the line and this bout occurs amid the backdrop of a potential unification clash with WBA, IBF and WBO-belt holder Oleksandr Usyk falling through.

The Gypsy King was at his charismatic best in London for the fight dubbed ‘Battle of the Baddest’ but aimed at a dig at the media and his detractors who question why he has not been able to arrange a clash for the ages with Usyk.

“I have to take my hat off to Francis for his story, where he has come from, the fight, the grind and the determination to get to where he is. He was a young boy in Africa with a big dream and everybody at home probably laughed at him,” Fury explained.

“But I won’t laugh at anyone because I know man’s struggle. I come from a place where everything is possible. I may not be here today if things had gone differently so I never underestimate anybody. The media say he has no chance.

“I say if I go to the boozer and get in a brawl with a drunken guy, if he hits me, he may knock me out so how am I not going to prepare 100 per cent for an absolute killing machine who is trying to take my brains out? I will give Francis the respect he 100 per cent deserves.

“I need to bring my A-game because there is more on the line than a boxing fight. If I lose to an MMA guy, I will never be able to show my face in public again and I will be ridiculed. People will chuck it at me forever.

“So, if the media want to take it as a joke or whatever, make no mistake I will come into this leaving zero stones unturned. I will come in at my fittest, strongest and at the best I have ever been. If I am not, if I get knocked out, I want people to laugh at me.”

Both of Fury’s promoters, Frank Warren of Queensberry and Top Rank’s Bob Arum, predicted entertainment will be guaranteed next month, but boxing fans will wonder what is next for Britain’s world heavyweight champion.

Talk continues to rumble on over if Fury could fight compatriot Anthony Joshua in 2024 or if a unification clash may happen with Usyk after the Lancashire boxer beat Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora last year in one-sided fights.

Yet, the 35-year-old dropped a big hint there could be a second tale between himself and Ngannou, who is preparing for his boxing debut.

Fury insisted: “I think I could beat you in the cage. I would kick your a*** in the cage, no problem. One hundred per cent. Personally, I will beat you in the boxing ring and then kick your a*** in the cage.”

This fight will kick off Riyadh season in Saudi Arabia and Fury provided a chilling prophecy of what the future could hold in store for the Middle East country, which is repeatedly criticised by anti-human rights groups and accused of sportswashing.

He added: “It is a very special event for me and a special time in sports where a powerhouse like Saudi Arabia are coming in taking over the game. They are taking over football, taking over boxing, I think within five to 10 years they will be the powerhouse of all sports. All the big sporting events will be in Saudi Arabia somewhere.”

Ngannou will realise a dream by fighting as a professional boxer for the first time and has help from Mike Tyson, who will be in his corner.

Boasting a record of 12 knock-outs in his 17 UFC contests, the 37-year-old from Cameroon promised if his punch lands, it will knock out Fury.

“I ask myself what will happen at the moment that guy hits the floor and doesn’t get up? Does that make me best boxer in the world? If you take out number one, it makes you number one,” Ngannou pondered.

“If it does land, goodnight. Lights off. What do you think will happen? This is a heavyweight fight and that is what is very exciting about heavyweight fights.

“We know everybody in the heavyweight division can knock each other out. I am going in there to fight. To hit and not get hit. That is the rules of boxing and I am very aware of that.”

Chris Eubank Jr stopped British rival Liam Smith in round 10 of their rematch to gain revenge for his defeat in January at the AO Arena in Manchester.

Smith, who beat Eubank in a fourth-round stoppage at the same venue in January, was twice knocked down before the referee stepped in to spare the Liverpudlian from further punishment.

Eubank produced a brilliant performance from the opening round, first sending Smith to the canvas in the fourth round and again in the 10th, as he secured the 34th win of his professional career.

“I had no other choice (but to beat Smith). There’s too many other big fights out there for me that the fans want to see, that I want to be involved in,” Eubank said in the ring after the bout.

“I had to beat Liam tonight. Liam is a warrior. I respect him, his team, his family and his brothers.

“They always come out and put it all on the line. He fought until the last second, so big up to Liam and his team.”

“I trained hard for that fight, I trained hard for this fight. The focus is always there. I dedicate my life to this sport.

“Now we’re onto bigger and better fights. There’s some big names out there. I see a few of these guys in the crowd. I’m coming for you.”

The rematch, twice rescheduled earlier this summer from June and then July, lived up to expectation, with Eubank overcoming a hostile reception having been booed when entering the arena.

Former two-time IBO super-middleweight champion Eubank began to take control in the second round, staying behind his jab.

He caught former WBO light-middleweight champion Smith in the third round and sent him to the floor for the first time with a fierce uppercut in the next.

Smith was controversially given an extended 30 seconds to recover after spitting out his mouthguard, but he came in for more punishment in the fifth as Eubank swarmed his man as he looked to settle the bout.

More head and body shots from Eubank in the seventh round hurt Smith, who was nursing an ankle issue, with replays suggesting he twisted it in the second round.

Eubank continued to fight with controlled aggression as the two fighters continually exchanged words at the end of rounds.

Smith was pushed backwards in the 10th and was sent sprawling to the canvas for the second time. He gamely continued, but was pinned against the ropes again and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.

Smith, sporting a deep cut above his right eye, said after the defeat: “Everything from start to finish (went wrong). I was just flat from the start.

“Chris was sharp. That’s all I can say about it really. I shout when I win, I take my defeats when I lose.”

Liam Smith questioned Chris Eubank Jr’s intelligence as the pair bickered ahead of their rematch this weekend.

The British fighters meet for a second time at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday, seven months on from Liverpudlian Smith’s fourth-round stoppage victory over his middleweight rival.

Both were in bullish mood as they held a fractious press conference in the city on Thursday, with Eubank predicting he will gain revenge with a “beautiful, artistic display of savage boxing”.

Eubank has brought in a new coach in Brian McIntyre and introduced other changes to his training regime in preparation for the contest.

McIntyre has hailed Eubank, 33, as an intelligent fighter, but 35-year-old Smith scoffed at that suggestion when they met with media.

The former WBO super-welterweight champion said: “You class Chris as an intelligent fighter? That is one thing Chris is not!”

“I’m definitely more intelligent than you, my friend,” Eubank responded.

Smith, who has a career record of 33-3-1, said: “Results speak for themselves!

“You are trying to convince people you’re intelligent? You’ve been fit, you’ve been durable, you have an engine, but you’ve never been classed as intelligent.”

“You have one form of fighting, I have many,” said Eubank. “So, if we are going to talk about intelligence there is no competition.”

Eubank, who now has 32 wins and three defeats to his name, is so confident of victory that he says he has banned his camp from even taking a towel to the ring.

Eubank’s former coach Roy Jones Jr had appeared ready to throw in the towel immediately prior to the referee’s decision to halt the first bout.

“We are not going to look for the easy way out,” said Eubank. “If it gets rough, if it gets hairy, we are there for the long haul. We are going to get through it.

“If there is going to be a towel involved in this fight it will definitely be coming from the other corner.

“What happened in the last fight was not supposed to happen. Even to Liam – he may not admit it – but he was not expecting the fight to finish how it finished. Nobody was.

“I know I am the better fighter and I am going to go out there and prove it on Saturday.

“The preparation I have had has been excellent and the performance I am going to have is going to be exquisite, supernatural. It is going to be a beautiful, artistic display of savage boxing.”

Smith was incredulous at Eubank’s remarks and claimed the outcome would be similar to that of the first fight.

He said: “All week it was, ‘Chris couldn’t be hurt’. I was like, ‘Never say never’.

“I told everyone, ‘Don’t think anyone can’t be hurt because they have got a good chin’. I do still think he has got a good chin, but he got hit, looking at the floor, and he went.

“The same will happen again. If he makes the same mistakes, I will punish him.”

Claressa Shields believes Savannah Marshall's move into mixed martial arts is good for women's sport and wishes her rival well, despite the "love-hate" relationship between the duo.

Unified middleweight champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist Shields, one of the biggest names in women's boxing, made her MMA debut in 2021 after signing with the Professional Fighters League (PFL), where she has a 1-1 record.

British boxer Marshall, Shields' long-term rival who beat the American as an amateur in 2012 before losing by unanimous decision when they met last year, signed with the PFL last week.

Marshall then declared her intention to face Shields in her new discipline, saying: "It doesn't look like a rematch in the ring is coming off, so I've had to chase her into another sport."

There has been no love lost between the fighters in the past, with Shields calling Marshall "delusional" and "disrespectful" after the Brit called for a rematch earlier this year.

While Shields initially had misgivings over Marshall's MMA switch, she believes the move will benefit the sport and even claims to have offered her rival tips to aid her transition. 

"Any time I fight Savannah Marshall is a good time for me," Shields told Stats Perform. "Whether it's in boxing for the rematch or in MMA. I mean, if she wanted to go the track and race, I am down for it!

"The satisfaction of beating her makes me very happy. I have a love-hate relationship with Savannah. I love that she's a competitor. I love that we had our experiences together. 

"She keeps mentioning the amateur loss, but it was, what, 11 years ago? Other than that, I think it was very clever and very inspiring for her to come and sign with the PFL. 

"When I heard about it, [I thought], 'man, she is just obsessed with me'. But [then] I asked her, 'why are you here?' 

"She was like, 'I want to fight you in a cage, and I want to be bigger in boxing too. I want to build my brand'. 

"Hearing her say those things… It's like, now you're on the same mental that I'm on, because I've been doing this and I've been saying this.

"We both agree that women's boxing is big but it's not as big as women's MMA and we get paid more in MMA, [with] equal TV time, equal fight time, equal promotion. 

"There's just way more eyes on us and we can get the bang for our buck. So, the fact that she came over here, I thought it was a good move. 

"We can still do our fight in boxing for the rematch, and we can still fight in the cage. When we're done, they're going to writing like documentaries and stuff about our beef! 

"But I don't have beef with her right now. I will save that for when she's my opponent again. Right now, I just wish her well. I even gave her some tips. Boxing and MMA, they are like apples and oranges. I just gave her a few tips on what I think she should do."

Asked about the development of women's sport in recent years, Shields hailed the progress already made but called for more female representation across sport's governing bodies.  

"Well women's sports right now are being viewed more than ever in today's time," She added. "I think we need the CEOs, the CFOs, the people in charge to just be equal and whatever you want to do, do it for the women. It's not that hard. 

"But people saying, 'the women need to do this or do that'… We're already doing everything that we're doing. It is the same as the men. 

"It's really about the people in charge making those financial decisions with their budgets and just being fair. We are working our way up there. 

"I'm a fan of the Olympics because I went and I just liked to see how women are represented on track and field, represented in boxing, represented in MMA, represented in soccer. 

"We are putting in our time, and Coco Gauff just won the [Cincinnati Open] trophy in tennis. Women's sports right now are really on an up and up and it's going to get better."

Former UFC champion Francis Ngannou is "crazy" for agreeing to switch to boxing for October's bout with Tyson Fury, according to unified middleweight champion Claressa Shields.

Ngannou, who relinquished his UFC Heavyweight title as part of his move to the Professional Fighters League (PFL) earlier this year, will make his professional boxing debut against the WBC Heavyweight champion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 28.

Fury's decision to face the unranked Ngannou has been criticised by many boxing fans after the Gypsy King failed to reach an agreement on a unification bout with Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year.

Shields made the opposite switch from boxing to mixed martial arts in 2021 and has a 1-1 PFL record, meaning she is well-versed in the differences between the disciplines. 

Ngannou will be a huge underdog when he steps into the ring for the first time, and while Shields is excited to see him in such a high-profile fight, she knows he is at a major disadvantage.

"It's going to be very interesting fight," Shields told Stats Perform. "Francis left UFC because of low pay. He wasn't being paid properly as a champion, which I felt terrible for – he had a couple of injuries and everything. 

"I think him coming to the PFL, they can offer him a nice cheque and really honour that he was a UFC champion and that he's going to work hard to be PFL champion. 

"I'm happy that Francis is getting his just [reward], fighting against Tyson Fury in boxing. I think he's just so crazy. 

"All the girls in MMA, I think, are very, very smart. If they were to come to box me inside the ring, I would destroy them, truth be told." 

Ngannou is, however, known for his punching power and is being trained for the bout by Mike Tyson, which Shields hopes may help the Cameroon-born fighter keep things interesting. 

"Francis has great hands, but in boxing and in MMA, distancing and everything is completely different," she added.

"I just feel like I just want to see it. I'm excited about it, and Francis is training with Mike Tyson, so we may see some things we weren't expecting to see. 

"I just know that Tyson Fury is a really great boxer. He's strong and I believe Tyson's going to win the fight, but I can't wait to see what Francis does to move from the cage."

Fury has previously discussed the idea of competing in MMA, but Shields is sceptical, adding: "I heard Tyson talking about it, but I don't think he would get inside the cage. 

"Inside the cage, under MMA rules, he gets kicked, [opponents] take you down to the ground and knee you and things like that. I just don't see Fury doing it. But he's crazy, so you never know."

Elsewhere, Anthony Joshua says "positive" talks have taken place over a heavyweight meeting with Deontay Wilder following the Brit's one-punch knockout of Robert Helenius earlier this month.

While Shields is fond of both fighters, she feels compelled to back fellow American Wilder if the bout is made.

"I am a fan of both," she said. "Deontay Wilder's like a big brother to me and Anthony Joshua's the heavyweight I have a crush on because he is so gorgeous! 

"But it has to be the American Deontay. Even though I think Joshua has better skill, I think Deontay Wilder has just got dynamite in both hands and we've seen Joshua get knocked out before. 

"I know I'm going to be cheering for Deontay Wilder, he's like my brother."

Oleksandr Usyk maintained his unbeaten record with a knockout victory over Daniel Dubois in Poland on Saturday night.

The Ukrainian put down Dubois in the ninth round to retain his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts, although there was controversy over a punch deemed a low blow by the British fighter in the fifth round that left Usyk on the canvas.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what comes next for Usyk.

Could there be a rematch?

There was no rematch clause included in the contract but Dubois and his team were furious about the low blow decision and promoter Frank Warren has already said they will push for the fight to be declared a no contest, or a rematch ordered.

What about Tyson Fury?

Usyk was asked immediately after the fight about the prospect of facing WBC champion Tyson Fury in a unification contest and said he would be ready for it “tomorrow”. Fury is due to fight Francis Ngannou on October 28 in Saudi Arabia, and predicting the 35-year-old’s next move is notoriously difficult.

Who else?

Filip Hrgovic is the mandatory IBF challenger and believes he should be ahead of Fury in the queue to take on Usyk. The undefeated Croatian defeated Demsey McKean on the same card which saw Anthony Joshua knock out Robert Helenius.

Could it be Joshua?

Usyk and Joshua have gone toe-to-toe in two of the most high-profile fights in recent years, with the Ukrainian causing an upset in the first contest and then narrowly retaining the titles he won. A third fight does not appear to be on the cards, though, with Joshua eyeing a clash against Deontay Wilder in a double bill with Usyk-Fury.

Any other options?

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At 36, there must be questions about Usyk’s future in the sport and, if the Fury fight does not happen soon, how long will he hang on? The Ukrainian took up arms in the early stages of the war against Russia and events in his homeland could also be a factor in his next move.

Daniel Dubois’ camp said they are lobbying for a no contest following a controversial low blow call in the British boxer’s loss to world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk in Wroclaw.

A ninth-round knockout ensured Usyk kept hold of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts with a 14th knockout win in 21 fights, much to the delight of the large contingent of his fellow Ukrainians who have resided in Poland since Russian’s invasion of their country last year.

However, promoter Frank Warren told reporters at the post-fight press conference that the contest was spoiled by the referee’s decision to allow Usyk to recover after he was buckled by a low blow from Dubois in the fifth.

The shot was deemed accidental, but Warren said his camp would be taking action seeking either a no contest or rematch.

He said: “The situation is that we will be lobbying the WBA to declare this as a no contest.

“The knockdown which the referee said was below the belt… the punch actually landed on the waistband of his shorts.

“The criteria, as is explained at the rules meeting, waist is the mid-point of your hips. So it’s much lower.

“That was a legitimate blow and (the fight) should’ve been stopped. He got three minutes and 46 seconds recovery time, which was wrong. He got it wrong the referee and I still don’t understand, if it was a low blow, why he didn’t take any points off him.”

Warren added: “I don’t think (the referee’s) crooked, I think he just got it totally wrong.

“As a result, it should be declared a no contest in the worst case, or a rematch ordered.”

Dubois did not attend the press conference, but earlier told talkSPORT: “It wasn’t to be my night. But that wasn’t a low blow, it was a body shot. I’m gutted.”

Dubois was the overwhelming underdog but he had tipped the scales on Friday almost a stone heavier than Usyk’s 15st and 10lbs frame, and the Londoner did himself justice with a battling performance.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared on the giant screens before the fight to deliver a rallying cry for his country in their war with Russia.

The crowd at the Tarczynski Arena chanted “Usyk, Usyk, Usyk” as the action got under way with Dubois determined not to be overawed.

The 25-year-old tried to hold the centre of the ring but Usyk’s accurate jab saw him shade the opening round.

Dubois was more adventurous at the start of the second but was briefly set back on his heels by some powerful shots.

Usyk stayed on the outside to dominate the next two rounds but Dubois was proving many pre-fight predictions wrong by remaining in the contest.

Usyk was put down by the accidental low blow in the fifth, but was given time to recover.

However, Dubois sensed this was his moment and the pair traded heavy punches.

The bad feeling between the pair was evident as the bell sounded and Dubois continued to focus on the Ukrainian’s body in the sixth.

Usyk upped the pace in the seventh, forcing Dubois to take a backward step and leaving the Londoner marked for the first time.

Dubois recovered in the eighth but in the final 10 seconds he was dropped to the canvas.

He managed to get back to his feet as the bell sounded but there was to be no respite for Dubois.

Usyk charged in again and put down Dubois again for the referee Luis Pabon to wave the fight off.

Oleksandr Usyk ended Daniel Dubois’ world heavyweight title dream with a ninth-round knockout in Wroclaw.

Usyk kept hold of his WBA, IBF and WBO belts with a 14th knockout win in 21 fights, much to the delight of the large contingent of his fellow Ukrainians who have resided in Poland since Russian’s invasion of their country last year.

Dubois was the overwhelming underdog but he had tipped the scales on Friday almost a stone heavier than Usyk’s 15st and 10lbs frame, and the British boxer did himself justice with a battling performance.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appeared on the giant screens before the fight to deliver a rallying cry for his country in their war with Russia.

The crowd at the Tarczynski Arena chanted ‘Usyk, Usyk, Usyk’ as the action got under way with Dubois determined not to be overawed.

The 25-year-old Londoner tried to hold the centre of the ring but Usyk’s accurate jab saw him shade the opening round.

Dubois was more adventurous at the start of the second but was briefly set back on his heels by some powerful shots.

Usyk stayed on the outside to dominate the next two rounds but Dubois was proving many pre-fight predictions wrong by remaining in the contest.

Dubois caught Usyk with a low blow in the fifth that put the Ukrainian down but was deemed accidental.

While some observers might have considered the punch to be on the belt line, Usyk was given time to recover. But Dubois sensed this was his moment and the pair traded heavy punches.

The bad feeling between the pair was evident as the bell sounded and Dubois continued to focus on the Ukrainian’s body in the sixth.

Usyk upped the pace in the seventh, forcing Dubois to take a backward step and leaving the Londoner marked for the first time.

Dubois recovered in the eighth but in the final 10 seconds he was dropped to the canvas.

He managed to get back to his feet as the bell sounded but there was to be no respite for Dubois.

Usyk charged in again and put down Dubois again for the referee Luis Pabon to wave the fight off.

Dubois told talkSPORT: “It wasn’t to be my night. But that wasn’t a low blow, it was a body shot. I’m gutted.”

Daniel Dubois knows he will have to “bully” Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night if he is to stand any chance of becoming Britain’s 10th world heavyweight champion.

Dubois (19-1, 18KOs) will attempt to etch his name into British history alongside Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Lennox Lewis when he walks out at Tarczynski Arena in front of around 43,000 spectators.

Usyk’s WBA, IBF and WBO belts will be on the line and the Ukrainian (20-0, 13KOs) will be backed by a partisan crowd in Wroclaw, which will be filled with Ukraine natives who have resided in Poland since Russian’s invasion of their country last year.

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The bookmakers make Dubois, 25, the overwhelming underdog but he tipped the scales at 16st and 9lbs at Friday’s weigh-in, almost a stone heavier than 36-year-old Usyk’s 15st and 10lbs.

Both boxers have fought 20 times in the professional ranks but there is a big disparity in rounds with Dubois involved in 105 fewer than Usyk’s 168, which has contained plenty for a world title.

Nevertheless, all of Dubois’ bouts have been at heavyweight while the former undisputed world cruiserweight champion only stepped up to the blue-riband division in 2019.

Dubois told the PA news agency: “I have been boxing for most of my life so that (age) argument is out of the window. I have the experience and I need to be a veteran in this fight.

“I have to bully him. I have to go in there and be the bully. Be the bully and shake him up.”

The Londoner also has a secret weapon after joining forces with trainer Don Charles, who was in Derek Chisora’s corner when the British veteran caused Usyk problems in 2020.

“Yeah, Don will be putting in things that I am not even aware of style-wise and coach-wise. He has a lot of passion and that is what you need,” Dubois said.

“You need the bully-the-bull type mentality to go in there and f*** s*** up, as they say. That is what we need to do.”

Stablemate Tyson Fury will also act as inspiration for Dubois with Queensberry Promotions promoter Frank Warren able to draw parallels between this clash and a memorable world title fight in Dusseldorf in 2015.

Few gave Fury any chance when he stepped out to fight Wladimir Klitschko eight years ago but he produced an enormous shock to win on points and claim the belts now held by Usyk in his own first world title bout.

Dubois added: “All the great fighters had to do it. Before they were champions, people doubted them and had a lot of things to say.

“Boxing is made up of opinions so I never take it to heart or let it break me. I am ready to go. Ready to go out there and prove what I need to do.

“Tyson is a good example. Look at what he has done and gone on to achieve now. I just need to get the prayers going and hopefully the big man upstairs hears me.”

While most of the pre-fight focus has centred on whether a unification clash between Usyk and Fury could finally occur in 2024, the mandatory challenger wants to spoil a homecoming party of sorts in Poland.

After coming through the storm of his 2020 defeat to Joe Joyce, where he took a knee which allowed himself to be counted out in the 10th round due to a hugely swollen left eye, Dubois believes he now has a date with destiny.

“My dad especially backing me and being behind me has been paramount,” he said.

“This doesn’t happen often but I am ready for this opportunity and ready to perform. That is the main thing to perform on the night.

“Go out there and show everything I have done. All the hard work I have put in and my dad has put in over the years. It is finally time.”

Robert Helenius failed a pre-fight drugs test prior to his recent heavyweight fight with former world champion Anthony Joshua, it has been revealed.

The 39-year-old Finn, knocked out by Joshua in the seventh round at London’s O2 Arena on August 12, had stepped in as a late replacement for Dillian Whyte, who had failed a drugs test himself.

Fight promoter Matchroom Boxing confirmed in a statement on Twitter that Helenius had “returned an adverse analytical finding” after being voluntarily tested on August 11.

Matchroom Boxing said: “Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) has informed Matchroom and the British Boxing Board of Control that Robert Helenius has returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a random anti-doping protocol.

“Helenius was voluntarily tested on Friday, 11 August before the heavyweight fighter’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in London on Saturday, 12 August. The result was made known to Matchroom today.

“Matchroom defers to the relevant regulatory authorities on next steps. We vehemently continue to support voluntary anti-doping testing. We are committed to promoting a clean and fair sport for all athletes.”

Joshua had been scheduled to fight British rival Whyte at the O2 Arena on August 12 before the latter returned an adverse finding from a doping test.

Whyte later said he was “shocked and devastated” to learn of VADA’s findings and intended to prove his innocence.

British underdog Daniel Dubois will draw inspiration from Tyson Fury when he faces world heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night.

Dubois (19-1, 18KOs) will walk out at Tarczynski Arena in front of around 43,000 spectators this weekend with the majority inside the Polish venue supporting Ukrainian hero Usyk (20-0, 13KOs) given many Ukraine natives have resided in Poland since Russia’s invasion of their country last year.

While Dubois, 25, can expect a hostile ring walk for his first world title fight, his promoter Frank Warren has been here before.

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It was Warren and his Queensberry Promotions company that made the match-up between Fury and Wladimir Klitschko in 2015, which ended with the British heavyweight producing an enormous upset in Germany to claim the WBA, IBF and WBO belts in remarkable fashion.

That was Fury’s maiden world title bout and few gave him a chance, but he pulled off a shock victory on points in Dusseldorf and stablemate Dubois is now dreaming of doing the same in Wroclaw.

“All the great fighters had to do it. Before they were champions, people doubted them and had a lot of things to say,” Dubois told the PA news agency.

“Boxing is made up of opinions so I never take it to heart or let it break me. I am ready to go. Ready to go out there and prove what I need to do.

“Tyson is a good example. Look at what he has done and gone on to achieve now. I just need to get the prayers going and hopefully the big man upstairs hears me.”

Saturday’s show is the start of a busy period for Warren and Queensberry Promotions with a rematch between Joe Joyce and China’s Zhilei Zhang scheduled on September 23 at Wembley Arena.

Meanwhile, Fury is due to step in the ring to take on mixed martial arts fighter Francis Ngannou in a boxing contest on October 28 in Saudi Arabia, but the Briton’s WBC heavyweight title will not be at stake.

A successful couple of months for Warren’s fighters could result in an in-house unification bout at the start of 2024.

Warren told PA: “Every big heavyweight fight our fighters are involved in.

“Regarding Tyson’s future, it all depends on what happens on August 26th so it is an interesting time for the heavyweight decision.

“We’ve seen the odds upset and I just feel it is Daniel’s time. I know he has all the equipment to do it, he can punch from both hands, he has a great jab, good speed and footwork.

“It will all be about his temperament and I believe his temperament will see him through.

“No one gave Tyson a chance and over the years we’ve done a few of those fights, so I hope it is the case again. At the end of the day, Daniel has got a massive opportunity and if it comes out right for him, it would be brilliant.”

Plenty has been thrown at Dubois since the fight was confirmed with his age and lack of experience cited as big weaknesses, while the bookmakers have him as a huge outsider.

The Londoner has fought 20 times since he turned professional in 2017 but notably took a knee which allowed himself to be counted out in the 10th round of a clash with Joyce three years ago due to a grotesquely swollen left eye.

Dubois received a barrage of criticism for ‘quitting’ from current and former boxers. It was later revealed he suffered a broken orbital bone and nerve damage around his eye in addition to retinal bleeding.

After rebuilding his career in America, Dubois now enters his first world title fight at the age of 25 but with more heavyweight bouts than Usyk and a secret weapon in new trainer Don Charles, who was in Derek Chisora’s corner when the Briton pushed Usyk all the way at Wembley Arena in 2020.

Dubois added: “I have been boxing for most of my life so that (age) argument is out of the window. I have the experience and I need to be a veteran in this fight.

“I have to bully him. I have to go in there and be the bully. Be the bully and shake him up.

“Yeah, Don will be putting in things that I am not even aware of style-wise and coach-wise. He has a lot of passion and that is what you need.

“You need the bully-the-bull type mentality to go in there and f*** s*** up, as they say. That is what we need to do.”

David Haye believes the smoothest and possibly only route to an undisputed world heavyweight title fight is by Daniel Dubois pulling off a major upset against Oleksandr Usyk this weekend.

Usyk, the WBA, IBF and WBO champion, will take on mandatory challenger Dubois in Wroclaw, Poland, on Saturday after negotiations for a showdown against WBC belt holder Tyson Fury broke down earlier this year.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder were also at an impasse when they held the major world titles, with Lennox Lewis the last recognised undisputed champion in the division nearly a quarter of a century ago.

Competing interests have often got in the way, but Haye pointed out Dubois and Fury are both represented by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions and argued a fight between the duo should be simpler to make.

Haye told the PA news agency: “It feels like we’ve had three or four opportunities where the fighters with the belts could have come together and done a deal. For whatever reason, it hasn’t materialised.

“We’re in a position where if Dubois wins on Saturday night, one promotional entity holds the champions of all of the belts – there would never be an easier time, politically, to make the undisputed fight.

“If Usyk wins, is Tyson Fury ever going to fight Usyk? I don’t know. For one reason or another, it doesn’t seem like it’s gelling. If it hasn’t happened by now, is it going to happen? Probably not.

“We want to know who’s number one. If Dubois wins then that makes it possible and the fight fans finally, after all of these years, will have one champion with all of the belts.”

Haye recognises Dubois has a mountainous challenge ahead of him, with Usyk a prohibitive favourite to retain his world titles and extend his unblemished professional record to 21 wins from as many bouts.

Usyk’s dazzling footwork and blurring hand speed from a southpaw stance has led to many suggesting the heavy-handed Dubois has just a puncher’s chance despite having height and weight advantages.

However, Haye feels Dubois (19-1, 18KOs) has nothing to lose and that his learning curves in a loss to Joe Joyce in 2020 and having to get up off the canvas three times before stopping the lightly-regarded Kevin Lerena last December are hugely beneficial for the Londoner’s chances heading into this weekend.

Haye, who alongside Usyk and Evander Holyfield are the only fighters to have won world cruiserweight and heavyweight titles, added: “I like the fact there’s no pressure on Dubois whatsoever.

“He’s got everything to gain. Nobody is expecting him to be able to cause an upset here. He has the firepower, all he needs is one punch, one clean shot.

“He had a very interesting fight against Kevin Lerena where he was put down early from a southpaw who was a former cruiserweight.

“He understands that he’s bigger and stronger but he can be hurt, that was the best thing for him because it gives him the reality of what he’s putting himself in (when he takes on Usyk).

“It looks from the outside like a mission impossible but I’m liking what I’m hearing from him – he’s talking about making it rough and uncomfortable for Usyk and that’s exactly what he needs to do.

“He may get dropped or hurt or some facial damage but he’s going to need to work through that to get to the promised land if he wants an opportunity to seriously gatecrash the heavyweight division.”

:: Watch Usyk v Dubois exclusively live on TNT Sports Box Office on Saturday 26 August. Learn more at www.tntsports.co.uk/boxoffice

Middleweight contender Hamzah Sheeraz believes fighting in Dmytro Mytrofanov’s “lion’s den” in Poland will make victory even sweeter when the pair face off on Saturday night.

Sheeraz has the chance to extend his unbeaten 17-0-0 record against former Olympian Mytrofanov (13-0-1) as part of the undercard to Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois’ heavyweight bout.

The London fighter acknowledged his opponent’s quality but remains confident he is stronger in every department ahead of their hotly-contested clash.

“It’s going to be my toughest fight to date, but with the sparring and training I’ve been doing I’m confident in my ability,” Sheeraz told the PA news agency.

“It’s in his back yard and I’m walking into the lion’s den and that’s something I’m going to thrive off, it’s going to make victory that little bit more sweet.

“He’s been to the Olympics, he’s got a good amateur pedigree, he’s undefeated, he’s had a few knockouts and knows his way around the ring, so it will be a good test for me.

“In every department I am that bit better than him – close fighting, long-range fighting. The only thing he’s banking on is that he’s never been stopped or hurt in the amateurs, but when you get in there with someone who can whack a bit it’s a bit of a different story, and so when I fire shots and land we’ll see what happens.”

Sheeraz boasts an impressive record of 11 straight fights since 2018 where he has stopped or retired his opponent.

But the 24-year-old insisted he is ready to go the distance if required, adding: “All of these fights which I’ve won by knockout I was prepared to go the distance and as a pro fighter and future elite fighter, that’s what you are ready to do.

“The knockouts come naturally and I haven’t not had one for a few years now and long may it continue.”

Sheeraz is relishing the opportunity to gain exposure through fighting on a big card and backed fellow Brit Dubois to claim heavyweight glory against WBO, IBF and WBA king Usyk.

“It’s a great undercard to be on, someone like Usyk, I aspire to get to his level,” Sheeraz said.

“Even though I’m focusing solely on my fight, the cameras, the interviews and going over to Poland, getting that different bit of exposure on that eastern block of Europe, it will be good for me and I’m looking forward to it.

“In terms of boxing and what it actually is, he’s an elite heavyweight and he has a puncher’s chance, so all he’s got to do is land his shot and once he lands his shot – such as a right hand – it could be over (a Dubois win).

“It’s definitely a tough ask, but it’s not an impossible one.”

Tyson Fury defeated Francesco Pianeta to secure a bout with WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, on this day in 2018.

It was Fury’s second fight following a self-inflicted absence in the 10-round contest against the German opponent, while Wilder was sat ringside at Belfast’s Windsor Park to watch the then 30-year-old ease to victory.

Time in the ring was important for Fury as ring-rust was to blame for a few momentary lapses in concentration. He sealed his 27th success from 27 bouts, winning 100-90 on the scorecard of all three judges.

Fury had already secured a fourth-round TKO win over Sefer Seferi in his first fight in nearly three years in June 2018, but he needed more rounds in the ring before agreeing to risky contest with Wilder.

Despite winning both bouts, those were the only fights Fury had with inexperienced trainer Ben Davison before his preparation for the world’s most dangerous heavyweight at the time.

In the first round, Fury showed his skills after being hit by a combination while trapped in the corner, but he remarkably manoeuvred his way out of it before finishing that particular exchange on top.

Fury promised to take Pianeta more seriously than his bout with Seferi, but that still contributed to him switching off and occasionally getting caught by the German.

In the fourth round, Pianeta connected with a left hook which Fury acknowledged with a nod of the head before he was again caught in the sixth with a right uppercut and further left hooks.

Fury continued to break Pianeta down, but he never really looked in danger of being knocked down in the bout. His lack of power was visible in the eighth round when a left hook, his best punch of the fight, did not trouble Pianeta.

The 25,000-strong crowd recognised the lack of drama by booing at the final bell, but their boos then turned to cheers when Wilder joined Fury in the ring to confirm their future fight.

UK Anti-Doping and the British Boxing Board of Control have appealed against the decision to lift Conor Benn’s provisional suspension for two failed drugs tests.

Benn’s career was thrown into turmoil last October after he twice tested positive for the banned drug clomifene in the lead-up to a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was subsequently shelved in fight week.

He was formally charged by UKAD in April but announced last month he had been cleared after the independent National Anti-Doping Panel ruled in his favour following a hearing into the matter.

However, while Benn remains free to resume his boxing career, the saga is not over as UKAD and the BBBofC have both activated their right to appeal against the NADP’s decision within a 21-day window.

A UKAD statement said: “UK Anti-Doping can confirm that it has filed an appeal in respect of a decision handed down by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel regarding anti-doping proceedings brought by UKAD against Mr Conor Benn.

“As confirmed previously in UKAD’s statement on 28 July 2023, Mr Benn is no longer subject to a provisional suspension. The appeal process will now be followed in accordance with the UK Anti-Doping rules.”

Benn’s positive tests were conducted by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association for the WBC, which cleared the boxer of any wrongdoing in February, pointing to an “elevated consumption of eggs” for the findings.

Benn himself insisted eggs were never blamed in a 270-page report he sent the WBC, but he has repeatedly stressed his innocence, having faced a two-year ban.

He reacted with dismay to Thursday’s announcement, writing on Twitter: “I’m disappointed at the news of an appeal being made, having already been cleared by both the WBC and National Anti-Doping Panel to continue my career without any restriction.

“As I have said before, I am innocent. Nothing has changed and I remain confident in my position.”

Benn relinquished his BBBofC licence after his bout against Eubank was scrapped and criticised the governing body’s handling of his case.

The BBBofC said in a statement: “The British Boxing Board of Control Limited can confirm that it has filed an appeal in respect of the decision of the independent National Anti-Doping Panel in anti-doping proceedings brought by UKAD against Mr Benn.

“The BBBofC has an independent right to appeal the decision and, as the governing body for professional boxing in the United Kingdom and having due regard to its role and responsibilities, has elected to do so. The BBBoC can also confirm that UKAD has also appealed.”