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Daily Mirror
7 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Roy Jones Jr offers to help coach UFC star ahead of historic world title fight
Jones Jr - who has great experience coaching the biggest names in boxing - has offered to help training a UFC fighter just weeks before their world title fight Boxing icon Roy Jones Jr has unexpectedly offered to coach Ilia Topuria in the run-up to his lightweight title showdown against Charles Oliveira. Topuria, a former UFC featherweight champion, is set to face off against the Brazilian for the vacant 155lb title on 28 June at UFC 317. This follows shortly after Islam Makhachev relinquished the belt to move up to welterweight, with an immediate title shot against Jack Della Maddalena expected later this year. Oliveira is aiming to reclaim the lightweight championship after losing it to Makhachev in 2022. Meanwhile, Topuria, the Spaniard-Georgian claimed the featherweight title after defeating Alexander Volkanovski last year and successfully defended it with a victory over Max Holloway. Known as 'El Matador', Topuria was initially recognised for his formidable skills on the mat during his rise through the ranks. However, in recent years, his striking ability has significantly improved, earning him recognition as one of the sport's top strikers. With only weeks remaining until his match against Oliveira, Jones Jr has offered to assist the 28-year-old in sharpening his tools. In an interview with Prime Casino, the boxing icon said: "I would make a lot of difference [to Ilia Topuria's camp for Charles Oliveira] because I teach how to get the most out of the striking, how to stay set while you're doing it. Because in MMA you gotta always be set because guys can take your legs out, but the way I fight you always stay set, so I think what I teach would be advantageous to anybody who chose to indulge in it and get what I really teach." The 56-year-old boxing veteran - who last stepped into the ring in 2023 - added: "Roy understands the mechanics of all boxing, all fighting, not just boxing, all arts of fighting. Roy understands the mechanics of MMA totally well and totally understands what's necessary and what's not necessary to make you a better fighter." With the eagerly anticipated clash on the around the corner, Ilia Topuria has shocked the MMA world by parting ways with his lifelong coaches, Agustin and Jorge Climent. The Climent brothers run the renowned Climent Club in Alicante, Spain, where 'El Matador' and his sibling Aleksandre Topuria had trained during their early days in MMA. Following his featherweight championship victory last year, Topuria took the significant step of relocating from Alicante to Madrid. There appears to have been a split in the training camp of the former featherweight champion, as "both sides live in different cities, and their multiple professional projects prevent them from collaborating as they once did," according to a MARCA report. Expressing his gratitude for the support over the years, Topuria extended his thanks: "We thank them for all these years of mutual learning and growth, and they wholeheartedly wish them all the best in all their projects." As he gears up for the bout with his Brazilian opponent, Topuria is expected to have a team that includes his brother, Aleksandre, Jesus Gallo, Javi Climent – who is not connected to the Climent brothers – Mani Tavanaei, and Mathias Ribeiro.
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Canelo Alvarez could become boxing's first billionaire after mega-deal
Alvarez became the undisputed super-middleweight world champion for the second time on Saturday night and it could only get better for the Mexican Canelo Alvarez could be on the verge of making history by becoming the first 'billion dollar boxer'. This year kicked off with Alvarez supposedly gearing up for a bout with YouTube sensation-turned-boxer Jake Paul, but in an unforeseen twist, the Mexican star had a change of mind. Instead, he inked an extremely profitable four-fight contract with Riyadh Season - a deal unveiled in February by Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh, thus killing the potential clash with the 'Problem Child'. As per recent calculations made by Prime Casino and given the staggering $400 million (£302m) value of his new deal, 'Saul' is destined to pocket an impressive £175m this year alone. This mammoth sum earmarks him as the highest-earning athlete globally in terms of career earnings. The 34-year-old became the undisputed super-middleweight world champion for the second time when he outpointed Scull in Saudi Arabia. All three judges gave the Mexican the nod, by scores of 115-113, 116-112 and 119-109. However, it was an uninspiring fight as the pair combined landed the fewest punches in a 12-round fight in boxing history. Even with that lacklustre performance, the prospect for 'Saul' looks incredibly bright, with predictions of him becoming the inaugural billion dollar boxer as mentioned by his business manager, Richard Schaefer. Speaking to The Ring, the ex-Golden Boy CEO had high praise for Alvarez: "Canelo is, without any question, the smartest businessman in boxing I have ever met. And we are going to get him over that next hurdle... He's going to be the first fighter to break the billion dollar net worth. I have zero questions about it. When? Probably next year." Speaking of his bond with the Mexican boxer, Schaefer said, "I'm very fortunate. I started with him when he was 17 years old. I've known him since then and now he's 34. We worked together during the Golden Boy days and always had an amazing relationship and friendship with him. And then he reached back out. We stayed in touch. We were friends. We called each other. "We met each other. But I was sort of retired, I've done my thing in boxing and was happily retired. And then he called me and he said, 'Look, it would be great to have you back. Come and help me with everything.' He's my friend. So I'm very happy to do that. I'm thrilled, excited to be working for him and with him, handling all different aspects; fight negotiations, all these other businesses, everything." After clinching another triumph in the ring, the expectation is set for the Mexican champion to collide with Terence Crawford at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on September 12. In what looks set to be one of the biggest fights of the year, both fighters joined in the centre ring for a tense face-off ahead of the bout - which is set to see both men rewarded handsomely.
Daily Mirror
03-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Canelo Alvarez net worth to soar after overtaking Cristiano Ronaldo
After penning a lucrative four-fight deal with Riyadh Season this year, the Mexican boxing superstar is set to earn a fortune for his efforts in the ring in 2025 Canelo Alvarez 's net worth will skyrocket as the Mexican is set to earn a guaranteed $200 million (£175m) this year. With that, the 34-year-old will surpass Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of career earnings in 2025. Back in February, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh that the Mexican pound-for-pound star had signed a four-fight deal with Riyadh Season. It looked set that 'Saul' was going to fight YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in May, before news eventually broke that Alvarez had taken a different route. As part of the deal, Alvarez will fight William Scull this weekend before facing Terence Crawford in the autumn. He will then have two further fights in Saudi Arabia next year. After agreeing a lucrative deal with Riyadh Season - a deal worth a reported $400 million (£302m) - research from Prime Casino, who offer the latest live casinos, has determined that he is guaranteed a whopping sum of £175m this year, making 'Saul' the wealthiest sports star in the world in terms of career earnings. 'Saul' - who is set to pocket over £5 every second - will reportedly earn £3.37m and will roughly pocket over £14.5m per month. The Mexican's closest challenger is Ronaldo - with the Portugal captain banking a whopping £171m a year from Al-Nassr, meaning Saudi Arabia is once again footing the bill. Despite not winning a single tournament last year, golfing superstar Jon Rahm still managed to make a staggering £150m thanks to his partnership with LIV Golf. Also featuring on the list, Oleksandr Usyk sits in third following his two fights with long-time rival Tyson Fury. The Ukrainian earned £90.7m for his performances against the 'Gypsy King.' Both Neymar and NFL star Dak Prescott complete the top six. While Alvarez is set to earn a life-changing amount after penning a deal with Riyadh Season, the Mexican is still focused on the task at hand this weekend. "I'm very excited," he told DAZN. "It's one of my dreams, fighting in another country, and now I'm close to it. It makes me feel excited and motivated. "Here, in Riyadh, they treat me like I do at home, so I feel good. I feel the love. I have had two weeks here already. They treat me like a king. Sometimes it is different, but they treat me really good and I appreciate that. It's very important [to become undisputed again] because I want to be the first and only one."
The Independent
06-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Steve Borthwick labelled a ‘tall Eddie Jones' and 'not a people person' by former boss Geordan Murphy
Steve Borthwick 's former boss at Leicester Tigers has labelled the England head coach as a 'tall Eddie Jones ' and 'not a people person' in an extraordinary attack. Geordan Murphy worked briefly with Borthwick before leaving Leicester as Borthwick took charge of the club, eventually leading them to a Premiership title. A club legend as a player, Murphy endured a difficult time as a coach at the club and appears not to have seen eye-to-eye with the now-England boss during his latter months at the club. The ex-Ireland full-back has claimed that Borthwick made it clear that he did not wish to be Murphy's friend on arrival at Welford Road, and believes he shares similarities with his former England mentor Jones. Borthwick worked as an assistant under the combative Australian before taking the Leicester role and eventually succeeding him with the national team. 'If [England] do think of getting rid of Steve, then the questions have to be asked, and fingers pointed elsewhere as well because he effectively is a 'Tall Eddie Jones',' Murphy claimed, speaking to Prime Casino. 'That's what I'm hearing in camp, that his behaviour is very similar to Eddie. So why would you get rid of one bloke and replace him with an English clone? 'There's a lot of people who've been complicit in making that decision, so I think it looks bad for a lot of people. So, no I don't think you do get rid of him. I don't think they can get rid of him. I think they'll stick with him. But that's good for everyone else!" England players have insisted that the environment has improved dramatically since Borthwick's arrival, though there was familiar coaching upheaval with the departures of strength and conditioning guru Aled Walters and defence coach Felix Jones. Murphy was promoted to director of rugby at Leicester in July 2020 in a change that coincided with Borthwick's arrival as head coach. The Irishman was removed from his role just months later ahead of the start of the 2020-21 season. Murphy added: 'I never played with Steve. I played against him. I played against him, played England-Ireland, played Leicester-Bath, Leicester-Saracens against him. I worked with him very briefly at Leicester during the pandemic. He can coach; I think he's a good coach - that's it. 'We are certainly not friends. That's all I know. When I briefly worked with Steve that was something that he made very apparent. He said to me, 'I don't want to be your friend'. 'That makes it very difficult when you're in a working environment and somebody comes to you and says that. He just cares about being a good coach. I only really saw him on the surface so I didn't really get to know him too well. 'He's very single-minded, very focused on facts and figures. He's certainly not a people person. That wouldn't be something that would ever be said about him.' England take on France on Saturday at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham having lost seven of their last nine games.
