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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I was there to lose' – Confessions of journeyman boxer who LOST 96 fights but has WON battles with cocaine and booze
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JOURNEYMAN boxer Johnny Greaves battled drugs, booze, depression and abuse throughout his 100-fight pro career. The 46-year-old East Londoner admits he was 'no better than useless' as he lost 96 TIMES. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Johnny Greaves is one of Britain's most celebrated journeyman boxers Credit: Rex 5 Greaves had 100 fights, winning his final Credit: Getty He would take some fights at the last minute, entering the ring on a stomach of lager, while also battling a debilitating cocaine habit and praying he would LOSE to guarantee further pay-days. Fans would SPIT on him as he walked into the ring and Greaves admitted that, at times, he was treated 'no better than a dog.' But, no matter how big a beating he took, he never missed a day working as a self-employed painter-decorator to put food on the table for his missus Vicky, daughter Ruby and son Teddy. When Greaves turned pro in 2007, aged 30, he'd already fought 50 unlicensed and 30 amateur bouts. READ MORE IN BOXING GLOVE AND HATE Fisher opens up on backstabbers who turned on him after Allen win But after being told he would earn just £800 a fight as a new pro, building up his name and needing to sell tickets, he swapped to the away corner. Knowing he could make almost £2,000 a pop as an opponent for up-and-coming stars, he forfeited his desire to be a champ. Greaves has relived his astonishing career for a new book called Bright Lights and Dark Corners And in an exclusive SunSport interview, Greaves revealed: 'At the time I was skint. I didn't have a lot of work on. 'Vicky and I had just moved into a place, Teddy had just been born with severe clubfoot, so he was in and out of hospitals every other day. 'I was struggling badly.' However, his decision kick-started one of the most celebrated journeyman boxing careers in Britain, with Greaves fighting up to 20 TIMES a year. Britain's next Tyson Fury set for world title & Taylor urged to fight on | Split Decision Recalling his 2008 points loss to Ryan Walsh, Greaves revealed: 'I'd just opened my third can of Fosters when my phone rang at 4.30pm on the Saturday. 'I took the fight, agreed the money and was in the ring boxing at the Excel Arena at about ten past six.' On another occasion in 2012, Greaves, who also has a coaching licence, was set to act as a cornerman for Jody Meikle at York Hall - only to fight opponent Eren Arif himself. Greaves added: 'I remember the promoter running out asking, 'What do you weigh?' I replied, '10st 6?' 'He continued, 'Do you want a fight?' I said, 'F***, what are you paying?' 'So we discussed the money, then I phoned the missus to meet me at the station with a bag, my shorts, boots and a gum shield. 'She passed the bag over the counter, I rushed back to York Hall and I was fighting about half an hour after that.' Greaves is very honest about the fight game, insisting money came first for him and winning could have affected his chances of earning. It's not what a lot of people think, how the boxing game works. But let's have it right - it's a business, it's not sport. Johnny Greaves He said: 'I don't wanna make it look like it's bent, but, look, I boxed nine world champions, I boxed over 20 British champions. 'I boxed the best fighters in the world - Anthony Crolla, Jamie Cox, Johan Perez. 'Or, you're boxing against young lads that look, let's have it right, if you win these fights, you're gonna lose work for yourself, you then become a risk, so you play the game. 'You don't let your hands go against these kids, you play through, get through nice and safe, get paid, lose on points, hopefully. "And then you fight again the week after.' But while he was boxing, Greaves harboured a secret not even his family knew. He was battling a cocaine addiction so fierce he would even take it on fight nights. He confessed: 'I'm disgusted about the way I went through things with the drugs through my career. 'Things were pretty crazy' 'Recreational drugs, nothing performance enhancing. If anything it's performance debilitating, to be honest. 'Getting through packets of cocaine, just just to control my nerves, control my moods. I had a habit and I'm really disgusted about it.' 5 Johnny Greaves in action against Dan Stewart in 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association 5 Johnny Greaves with a swollen eye against Bradley Skeete in 2011 Credit: Getty In 2009, Greaves fought Oisin Fagan in Dublin on the back of a massive booze bender. Greaves recalled: 'I was on my own in a hotel room and up all hours of the night doing what I was doing. 'I got in and boxed the top Irish lad the next day. Things were pretty crazy then.' Greaves has now overcome his cocaine habit and has been working painting The Shard at London Bridge Station. He added: 'My family were always well provided for. My whole life has been about providing for my kids. 'But my release, getting away and forgetting about my life as a loser, would be to go and get smashed and forget about it.' The toughest part of my boxing career was dealing with the abuse that I was getting. Johnny Greaves He has also beaten his booze demons. But still suffers from depression, still bears the mental scars of fighting against vulgar, hostile crowds. And he said: 'I've always been weak mentally, suffered a hell of a lot with depression and suicidal thoughts, very low self-esteem. 'And look, when you're in front of crowds of 900 people all screaming and shouting and slagging you off and laughing at your record, it was emotionally tough. 'The toughest part of my boxing career was dealing with the abuse I was getting. 'Why would I want my son coming to watch me get beaten and suffer dogs' abuse from the crowd? 'I've had people spit on me when walking into the ring, it's a nasty game. I was treated no better than a dog at times. "I had 100 professional fights, I won just four. To anyone who doesn't understand the game, you're no better than useless. You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You're Not Alone. If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, 0800 585 858 Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, 0300 123 3393 Papyrus, 0800 068 41 41 Samaritans, 116 123 'People just don't understand the game and the business model of how boxing actually works. 'So dealing with things mentally and emotionally was tough.' Greaves had just one rule when he fought - his friends and family were banned from attending. He explained: 'Look, I'm there to lose. I don't want my wife and kids seeing that.' However, he made an exception for his final fight in 2013 when he BEAT Dan Carr at York Hall to bow out with a victory in front of 500 of his fans. Greaves beamed: 'I fought my heart out and trained like a beast. I would have boxed anyone in my last fight and been confident enough to win it. 'I would have boxed King Kong that last time and I'm pretty sure I would have at put up a good fight.' Greaves opens up on his astonishing career in his biography, Bright Lights and Dark Corners, which is on sale now. Detailing his boxing life in black and white helped him KO the demons that plagued his years in the ring. He said: 'This book has been a therapy session for me, it's about getting a lot off my chest.' Bright Lights & Dark Corners by Johnny Greaves is available to buy now at
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I was there to lose' – Confessions of journeyman boxer who LOST 96 fights but has WON battles with cocaine and booze
JOURNEYMAN boxer Johnny Greaves battled drugs, booze, depression and abuse throughout his 100-fight pro career. The 46-year-old East Londoner admits he was 'no better than useless' as he lost 96 TIMES . Advertisement 5 Johnny Greaves is one of Britain's most celebrated journeyman boxers Credit: Rex 5 Greaves had 100 fights, winning his final Credit: Getty He would take some fights at the last minute, entering the ring on a stomach of lager, while also battling a debilitating cocaine habit and praying he would LOSE to guarantee further pay-days. Fans would SPIT on him as he walked into the ring and Greaves admitted that, at times, he was treated 'no better than a dog.' But, no matter how big a beating he took, he never missed a day working as a self-employed painter-decorator to put food on the table for his missus Vicky, daughter Ruby and son Teddy. When Greaves turned pro in 2007, aged 30, he'd already fought 50 unlicensed and 30 amateur bouts. Advertisement READ MORE IN BOXING But after being told he would earn just £800 a fight as a new pro, building up his name and needing to sell tickets, he swapped to the away corner. Knowing he could make almost £2,000 a pop as an opponent for up-and-coming stars, he forfeited his desire to be a champ. Greaves has relived his astonishing career for a new book called Bright Lights and Dark Corners And in an exclusive SunSport interview, Greaves revealed: 'At the time I was skint. I didn't have a lot of work on. Advertisement Most read in Sport Breaking 'Vicky and I had just moved into a place, Teddy had just been born with severe clubfoot, so he was in and out of hospitals every other day. 'I was struggling badly.' However, his decision kick-started one of the most celebrated journeyman boxing careers in Britain, with Greaves fighting up to 20 TIMES a year. Britain's next Tyson Fury set for world title & Taylor urged to fight on | Split Decision Recalling his 2008 points loss to Ryan Walsh, Greaves revealed: 'I'd just opened my third can of Fosters when my phone rang at 4.30pm on the Saturday. Advertisement 'I took the fight, agreed the money and was in the ring boxing at the Excel Arena at about ten past six.' On another occasion in 2012, Greaves, who also has a coaching licence, was set to act as a cornerman for Jody Meikle at York Hall - only to fight opponent Eren Arif himself. Greaves added: 'I remember the promoter running out asking, 'What do you weigh?' I replied, '10st 6?' 'He continued, 'Do you want a fight?' I said, 'F***, what are you paying?' Advertisement 'So we discussed the money, then I phoned the missus to meet me at the station with a bag, my shorts, boots and a gum shield. 'She passed the bag over the counter, I rushed back to York Hall and I was fighting about half an hour after that.' Greaves is very honest about the fight game, insisting money came first for him and winning could have affected his chances of earning. It's not what a lot of people think, how the boxing game works. But let's have it right - it's a business, it's not sport. Johnny Greaves He said: 'I don't wanna make it look like it's bent, but, look, I boxed nine world champions, I boxed over 20 British champions. Advertisement 'I boxed the best fighters in the world - 'Or, you're boxing against young lads that look, let's have it right, if you win these fights, you're gonna lose work for yourself, you then become a risk, so you play the game. 'You don't let your hands go against these kids, you play through, get through nice and safe, get paid, lose on points, hopefully. "And then you fight again the week after.' Advertisement But while he was boxing, Greaves harboured a secret not even his family knew. He was battling a cocaine addiction so fierce he would even take it on fight nights. He confessed: 'I'm disgusted about the way I went through things with the drugs through my career. 'Things were pretty crazy' 'Recreational drugs, nothing performance enhancing. If anything it's performance debilitating, to be honest. Advertisement 'Getting through packets of cocaine, just just to control my nerves, control my moods. I had a habit and I'm really disgusted about it.' 5 Johnny Greaves in action against Dan Stewart in 2009 Credit: PA:Press Association 5 Johnny Greaves with a swollen eye against Bradley Skeete in 2011 Credit: Getty In 2009, Greaves fought Oisin Fagan in Dublin on the back of a massive booze bender. Advertisement Greaves recalled: 'I was on my own in a hotel room and up all hours of the night doing what I was doing. 'I got in and boxed the top Irish lad the next day. Things were pretty crazy then.' Greaves has now overcome his cocaine habit and has been working painting The Shard at London Bridge Station. He added: 'My family were always well provided for. My whole life has been about providing for my kids. Advertisement 'But my release, getting away and forgetting about my life as a loser, would be to go and get smashed and forget about it.' The toughest part of my boxing career was dealing with the abuse that I was getting. Johnny Greaves He has also beaten his booze demons. But still suffers from depression, still bears the mental scars of fighting against vulgar, hostile crowds. And he said: 'I've always been weak mentally, suffered a hell of a lot with depression and suicidal thoughts, very low self-esteem. Advertisement 'And look, when you're in front of crowds of 900 people all screaming and shouting and slagging you off and laughing at your record, it was emotionally tough. 'The toughest part of my boxing career was dealing with the abuse I was getting. 'Why would I want my son coming to watch me get beaten and suffer dogs' abuse from the crowd? 'I've had people spit on me when walking into the ring, it's a nasty game. I was treated no better than a dog at times. Advertisement "I had 100 professional fights, I won just four. To anyone who doesn't understand the game, you're no better than useless. You're Not Alone EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide It doesn't discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers. It's the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes. And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women. Yet it's rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now. That is why The Sun launched the You're Not Alone campaign. The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives. Let's all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support: CALM, Heads Together, HUMEN Mind, Papyrus, Samaritans, 'People just don't understand the game and the business model of how boxing actually works. 'So dealing with things mentally and emotionally was tough.' Greaves had just one rule when he fought - his friends and family were banned from attending. Advertisement He explained: 'Look, I'm there to lose. I don't want my wife and kids seeing that.' However, he made an exception for his final fight in 2013 when he BEAT Dan Carr at York Hall to bow out with a victory in front of 500 of his fans. Greaves beamed: 'I fought my heart out and trained like a beast. I would have boxed anyone in my last fight and been confident enough to win it. 'I would have boxed King Kong that last time and I'm pretty sure I would have at put up a good fight.' Advertisement Greaves opens up on his astonishing career in his biography, Bright Lights and Dark Corners, which is on sale now. Detailing his boxing life in black and white helped him KO the demons that plagued his years in the ring. He said: 'This book has been a therapy session for me, it's about getting a lot off my chest.' Bright Lights & Dark Corners by Johnny Greaves is available to buy now at 5 You can buy Johnny's book, Bright Lights & Dark Corners, now Advertisement
Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Farewell to legend behind Ab Fab, Wallace and Gromit and Colin Firth's Mr Darcy
Following the death of legendary BBC executive Alan Yentob, the Mirror's Jessica Boulton looks back on the life and career of a daring outsider remembered as a 'cultural visionary' It was 1968 when a 21-year-old Alan Yentob first joined the BBC - the only non- Oxbridge graduate on the trainee scheme that year. His application had been borderline cocksure, tinged with sarcasm. Asked about his experience, he had famously replied: 'My dramatic debut at the age of nine in The Merry Wives of Windsor was greeted with a gratifying critique: 'You ought to be a film star, cos you've got smashing legs'.' It was a daring and leftfield response for the then-notoriously-straight-laced Auntie. But it was one that worked. East Londoner Alan, a Leeds graduate and son of Iraqi Jewish immigrants, turned his back on the family textile business, broke through the cliques of his Oxbridge colleagues and began his mission: to shake up the BBC. It was one he would continue for six decades, as he became the man responsible for introducing some of television's most iconic and groundbreaking shows—from Absolutely Fabulous, Have I Got News For You, Ballykissangel, and the documentary series Imagine to Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice and Wallace and Gromit. He launched the dedicated CBBC and CBeebies channels and (rightly or wrongly) championed a then-unknown Jeremy Clarkson for a little show Gear. Now, after his death on Saturday at the age of 78, one word is dominating the tributes: 'Visionary.' His actress wife, Phillipa Walker, mother of his children, Jacob and Isabella, said: 'Every day with Alan held the promise of something unexpected. Our life was exciting, he was exciting. 'He was curious, funny, annoying, late and creative in every cell of his body. But more than that, he was the kindest of men and a profoundly moral man. He leaves in his wake a trail of love a mile wide.' BBC director-general Tim Davie said: 'Alan Yentob was a towering figure in British broadcasting and the arts. A creative force and a cultural visionary, he shaped decades of programming at the BBC and beyond. He had a rare gift for identifying talent and lifting others up.' Among those he elevated was the duo French and Saunders, as Dawn French recognised last night. 'We've lost a top chap. He was our advocate from the start,' she said on social media. David Baddiel, who starred in Alan's series The Art Of Stand-Up, posted a picture of them together. 'Here he is backstage after one of my shows, being incredibly supportive, as he always was,' said David. 'A lovely man, and a king of TV.' The Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe were the subject of one of Alan's Imagine documentaries, which aired last year. 'Alan was a legend in British TV, responsible for some of the BBC's finest programmes,' the duo said in a joint statement. 'He was a stimulating person to spend time with.' He certainly had some stories to tell. Alan and his twin brother Robert were born in Stepney, east London, in 1947. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Iraq, who had built up a profitable textile company in the UK. The family spent a few years in Manchester before settling in a flat in London's prestigious Park Lane. His parents gave the boys the best start possible, sending them to private school. Alan would go on to graduate from Leeds University with a 2:2 in law but armed with a new passion - for drama. So while his brother went into the family business, Alan joined the BBC and worked his way from the ground up. It was in 1975 that his talent for interviews and documentaries really emerged. In his now legendary Omnibus episode, Cracked Actor, Alan chronicled the vulnerability of the cocaine-addicted David Bowie in a way that had never been seen. 'He was fragile and exhausted, but also prepared to open up and talk in a way he had never really done before,' Alan once recalled. 'Our encounters tended to take place in hotel rooms in the early hours of the morning.' His work was recognised on both sides of the pond, with US music magazine Rolling Stone calling it the 'greatest rockumentary ever'. After that, Alan's eye soon caught management's attention: He became the youngest ever controller of BBC 2 in 1988, followed by BBC One controller in 1993 and then, via other roles, BBC Creative Director in 2004. His path allowed him a chance to champion many of the standout shows of the past 35 years, including Middlemarch, the 2005 revival of Doctor Who, and Ballykissangel. Perhaps most welcome of all, he was also the man who decided to axe the much-hated soap Eldorado. Alan was not just in management. He also continued in front of the camera, mainly in his mission to make the arts accessible for all, with his documentaries for Arena and Imagine and The Late Show, a chat show devoted to art and literature. His interviewees included everyone from Billy Connolly and Mel Brooks to Maya Angelou. Such was his appeal that sometimes it wasn't clear who should be most grateful for the interview - Alan or his subjects. Richard Osman once shared this telling anecdote: 'Alan Yentob once walked into a TV green room I was in, looked around, then said 'if you see Jay-Z, tell him Alan was looking for him'.' It sums up Alan's status to a tee. But Alan's was not a life without scandal. In 2007, Imagine was accused of inserting clips of him nodding into interviews where he hadn't been present. An investigation later ruled that none of these made it to air. Alan also faced pressure after buying a £3,381 London to New York business class while filming. But his biggest controversy, by far, involved the 2015 collapse of Kids Company, the charity of which he was chairman. He was questioned over a £3m government loan that had been issued shortly before it folded and criticised for not properly overseeing its finances. Alan was then accused of trying to influence the BBC's coverage of the scandal, claims he strongly denied. But he eventually resigned from his post as Creative Director six months later, only, he said, because the story was becoming 'a serious distraction' from the BBC's other work. By last year, it was a distant memory as Alan was appointed a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours List for services to arts and media, before conducting what would be one of his last major interviews - the exclusive with his old friend and Godfather to his children, Sir Salman Rushdie, about his 2022 assasination attempt. The pair had once arm-wrestled in the BBC satirical comedy W1A. Rushdie had yet to find the words for what will surely be a very difficult tribute last night. Yet BBC Radio 4 presenter Amol Rajan gave an unusually candid insight that Alan himself would no doubt have approved of. Amol said: 'He had his foibles and failures, but Alan Yentob was one of the most generous, influential, singular, passionate, supportive, creative and loved men of his generation. 'His shows were always brilliant, often masterpieces, sometimes seminal. That was public Alan. In private, he was magnetic, zealous, and very funny, with a mesmerising voice and mischievous chuckle. He oozed fortitude until the very last.' Perhaps - at a time when terrestrial TV faces a fight for its survival - there's one last legacy which Alan leaves the corporation - the drive to keep shaking things up. Tim Davie added: 'To work with Alan was to be inspired and encouraged to think bigger.' It's true: the trainee who began with little to boast of but his 'smashing legs' could never be accused of thinking small.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Hamzah Sheeraz loses his favourite sparring partner in Justin Bieber after swapping LA for Ireland to switch trainers
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HAMZAH SHEERAZ has swapped Los Angeles for Ireland - leaving behind his favourite sparring partner in Justin Bieber. The East Londoner spent five years in California under coach Ricky Funez at the Tengoose Boxing Club - famed for its star-studded members. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Justin Bieber alongside Hamzah Sheeraz Credit: Instagram 4 Bieber is a regular at Ricky Funez's LA gym Credit: Instagram Boxing great Floyd Mayweather and Hollywood's Mario Lopez are among regulars in the sweltering San Fernando Valley gym. And Sheeraz even once trained alongside and did some rounds with hip hop icon Bieber - now leaving behind his most famous sparring partner. He told SunSport: "I've lost it! But, you never know. I mean, the level I'm fighting at now in boxing, you don't know who you'll be training with tomorrow. 'So, I wouldn't write it off just yet.' READ MORE IN BOXING JAKE TO SAY IT Jake Paul blasts Canelo's win over Scull and but says shock bout WILL happen Bieber - who used to walk Mayweather to the ring - is known to be a boxing fanatic and handy with the gloves on. Sheeraz revealed: 'I think he uses boxing a bit as like an escapism. So I didn't really talk to him too much. 'I just put my hands up and let him beat me up, to be fair. For what he's portrayed to be, he could fight. He can definitely fight.' Sheeraz, 25, returns on July 12 in New York up at super-middleweight against Edgar Berlanga, 28. 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Berlanga lost a one-sided decision to Canelo Alvarez, 34, in September after being dropped in the third round with a left hook. Sheeraz meanwhile moves up from middleweight off the back of a disputed draw against WBC champion Carlos Adames, 31. Jake Paul confirms rules for Gervonta Davis fight despite FIVE STONE weight difference with exhibition in works for 2025 And more controversy struck after Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh appeared to warn Sheeraz that he was losing the fight with two rounds to go. But the WBC and British Boxing Board of Control - who sanctioned the fight - denied that Alalshikh had access to the judges scorecards. Adames kept hold of his title while Sheeraz - who suffered a hand injury in the bout - decided it was time to move up from 160lb to 168lb. It was not his best performance, he acknowledged, unlike the brash and outspoken Berlanga in the aftermath of his defeat to Canelo. Sheeraz said: "I think he's a little bit insecure about that performance. 'He's not a realist, is he? I was real about my last fight, it wasn't my best fight and you move on and you learn from these things. 'You don't make excuses for this, that, the other, do you know what I mean? 'You take it on the chin and you carry on. But he's a little bit different, out here, I think he genuinely believes he's a superstar. 'It's interesting but like I said, I'm enjoying it.' Sheeraz has also hired Irish former middleweight world champion Andy Lee after moving up to super-middleweight - starting camp in Ireland. He said: "It's going well. I genuinely like him, he's a good man. And I feel like we're gonna have a very, very successful relationship.'
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Hamzah Sheeraz loses his favourite sparring partner in Justin Bieber after swapping LA for Ireland to switch trainers
HAMZAH SHEERAZ has swapped Los Angeles for Ireland - leaving behind his favourite sparring partner in Justin Bieber. The East Londoner spent five years in California under coach Ricky Funez at the Tengoose Boxing Club - famed for its star-studded members. Advertisement 4 Justin Bieber alongside Hamzah Sheeraz Credit: Instagram 4 Bieber is a regular at Ricky Funez's LA gym Credit: Instagram Boxing great Floyd Mayweather and Hollywood's Mario Lopez are among regulars in the sweltering San Fernando Valley gym. And Sheeraz even once trained alongside and He told SunSport: "I've lost it! But, you never know. I mean, the level I'm fighting at now in boxing, you don't know who you'll be training with tomorrow. 'So, I wouldn't write it off just yet.' Advertisement READ MORE IN BOXING Bieber - who used to walk Mayweather to the ring - is known to be a boxing fanatic and handy with the gloves on. Sheeraz revealed: 'I think he uses boxing a bit as like an escapism. So I didn't really talk to him too much. 'I just put my hands up and let him beat me up, to be fair. For what he's portrayed to be, he could fight. He can definitely fight.' Sheeraz, 25, returns on July 12 in New York up at super-middleweight against Edgar Berlanga, 28. Advertisement Most read in Boxing 4 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Berlanga lost a one-sided decision to Canelo Alvarez, 34, in September after being dropped in the third round with a left hook. Sheeraz meanwhile moves up from middleweight off the back of a disputed draw against WBC champion Carlos Adames, 31. Advertisement Jake Paul confirms rules for Gervonta Davis fight despite FIVE STONE weight difference with exhibition in works for 2025 And more controversy struck after Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh appeared to warn Sheeraz But the WBC and British Boxing Board of Control - who sanctioned the fight - denied that Alalshikh had access to the judges scorecards. Adames kept hold of his title while Sheeraz - who suffered a hand injury in the bout - decided it was time to move up from 160lb to 168lb. It was not his best performance, he acknowledged, unlike the brash and outspoken Berlanga in the aftermath of his defeat to Advertisement Sheeraz said: "I think he's a little bit insecure about that performance. 'He's not a realist, is he? I was real about my last fight, it wasn't my best fight and you move on and you learn from these things. 'You don't make excuses for this, that, the other, do you know what I mean? 'You take it on the chin and you carry on. But he's a little bit different, out here, I think he genuinely believes he's a superstar. Advertisement 'It's interesting but like I said, I'm enjoying it.' Sheeraz has also hired Irish former middleweight world champion Andy Lee after moving up to super-middleweight - starting camp in Ireland. He said: "It's going well. I genuinely like him, he's a good man. And I feel like we're gonna have a very, very successful relationship.' 4 Edgar Berlanga facing off with Sheeraz Credit: Getty Advertisement
