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Tyson Fury retires AGAIN just four days after revealing plans to return

Tyson Fury has once again announced his retirement from boxing, despite revealing plans to return to the ring only four days ago.

The Gypsy King has fluctuated in and out of retirement he first announced following his stunning knockout victory over British rival Dillian Whyte in April.

Only as recently as Monday did Fury publicly announce his intention to return as he called out fellow heavyweight Derek Chisora, later stating long-term friend Isaac Lowe will replace SugarHill Steward as his new coach.

Tyson Fury has once again announced his decision to retire from boxing, on his 34th birthday

Tyson Fury has once again announced his decision to retire from boxing, on his 34th birthday

Fury first revealed his decision to retire after emphatically stopping Dillian Whyte (left) in April

Fury first revealed his decision to retire after emphatically stopping Dillian Whyte (left) in April

Fury also publicly called out strongman Hafthor Bjornsson ahead of a proposed exhibition bout on Thursday, having flown out to Iceland to confront the 33-year-old in person – only to end up at the pub after finding out he was in a different country.

The Briton, on his 34th birthday, has performed a sudden U-turn, however, now revealing he will never return to the ring.

‘Massive thanks to everyone who had an input in my career over the years and after long hard conversations I’ve finally decided to walk away and on my 34th birthday I say bon voyage,’ he posted on his social media platforms.

Fury also thanked a number of those close to him for their help throughout his career, including promoter Frank Warren, his father John, trainers SugarHill Steward and Ben Davison, and wife Paris.

The Gypsy King – who has both claimed it would take £500million to return and that he wants to fight Anthony Joshua for free – gave no mention to the WBC belt he still owns, with president Mauricio Sulaiman previously insisting the world champion would be provided ample time to come to an official decision.

Fury revealed his latest update on social media as he thanked a number of those close to him

Fury revealed his latest update on social media as he thanked a number of those close to him

It comes after promoter Frank Warren (right) insisted Fury is itching to return to the ring

It comes after promoter Frank Warren (right) insisted Fury is itching to return to the ring

Fury’s announcement, which has been met by fierce scrutiny on social media, also comes just days after Warren insisted his fighter has ‘itchy feet’ and will likely return to the ring soon.

Warren admitted the outcome of the highly-anticipated August 20 rematch between Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk would impact his decision, with Fury widely expected to face the winner next in an historic undisputed showdown.

‘I think what’s going to happen is, see what happens on 20 [August] and the outcome of that, and that’ll determine what he intends to do in the future,’ Warren told talkSPORT.

‘My opinion – this is not from him, it’s from me: I think he will [return], because he’s a fighting man and he misses it. That’s what he does, he wants to fight.’

Warren insists Fury is awaiting the outcome of the rematch between Anthony Joshua (right) and Oleksandr Usyk (left) on August 20

Warren insists Fury is awaiting the outcome of the rematch between Anthony Joshua (right) and Oleksandr Usyk (left) on August 20

Fury, who made his debut back in 2008, has claimed memorable victories over Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder, with his record currently standing at 32 wins, one draw and no defeats.

The champion has over the years been criticized for the lack of elite names on his resume, however, and the failure to secure an undisputed showdown against either Joshua or Usyk would not help his case.

Few believed Fury’s initial retirement claim, and few will believe his latest update, however, with US promoter Bob Arum earlier this week insisting the Gypsy King should not be taken seriously.

‘The truth is that he gets up in the morning and he figures how he can best stir up s*** and that’s what he does,’ Arum told Fight Freaks Unite.

‘You think Isaac [Lowe] take it seriously? Of course not, for Christ’s sake. [Fury] is just having fun. It’s his idea of ​​fun. He’s getting a little antsy as we all are because we’re waiting.

‘If Usyk wins then there’s one path to take because then everybody is close and friendly and if Joshua wins then we’ve got to deal with (Joshua promoter) Eddie [Hearn] and all that stuff.’

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Australia

Arrernte boxing academy helping troubled kids get on the right track and stay there

Jason Lord says his life hit a fork in the road when he was 14.

“I was a troubled kid, stealing cars, I was robbing people and quite violent and angry,” he says.

“I was a kid who was heading to Berrimah Prison.”

A court ordered him to put on some boxing gloves and get in the ring.

Luckily, he says, he met a good person “who wanted to give back a bit and saw something in me.”

“I robbed him a few times but continued to box; he continued to look after me, which is crazy.”

jason lord
Jason Lord says it’s his turn to give back.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

Mr Lord, an Arrernte man and traditional owner for Alice Springs, said his mentor’s compassion, alongside the sport, changed his life.

“All the trouble and all the crap that I got up to, boxing was always there; it was that little safe haven that kind of kept me together,” he says.

He believes this is part of the sport — the ring teaches people balance, structure, self-control, and ambition.

Now, it’s his turn to give back.

Arrernte boxing academy training
Jason Lord says boxing teaches balance and self-discipline.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

care comes first

On any given day you’ll find serious boxers of any gender, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, sparring inside the ropes of the Arrernte Community Boxing Academy.

But you’ll also see kids who’ve just learned to walk trying gloves on for size while they watch older kids give it a go.

“Our whole focus is on making people happy,” Mr Lord said.

“We’re a custodian club, having that name on Arrernte country.”

Arrernte Boxing Academy floor
Jason Lord says anyone is welcome at the gym.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

He says what really sets the gym apart from others is that care, culture and self-control are at the heart of its project.

“Not just Aboriginal culture but the culture that brings people here,” he says.

“We provide love and that environment for people of all ages, everyone who comes here gets the same treatment.”

A woman boxing in a ring.
The academy puts culture, care and self-control at the center of its gym.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

He hopes the gym creates the same environment that kept him out of Berrimah and gives young people the love and care they need to be “put back together again.”

The academy works with schools, “kids on the streets,” and has started branching out into remote communities.

Mr Lord has been recognized for his work with young people — he was the 2022 Alice Springs NAIDOC Week advocate of the year.

The academy in its current form opened in November last year and Mr Lord says he’s seen young people make big changes in that time.

“We go a bit deeper when we work with these guys, you know; we break them down through sweat and tears.”

Arrernte Boxing young and old
Boxers of all ages and genders are welcome at Arrernte Boxing Academy.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

Boxing as therapy

Early mornings, the gym runs kungkas (women)-only classes.

Nirosha Boaden is a regular at these classes. She has boxed for 15 years and, like Mr Lord, believes it changed her life from her.

Nirosha Boaden
Nirosha Boaden says from personal experience boxing can change lives.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

“I was living in out-of-home care — like a lot of the youth that comes here — and then I started up boxing,” she said.

Ms Boaden now works in youth mental health in Alice Springs and says she’s professionally seen what the gym can do.

“Especially here in communities where traditional Western therapies don’t really work, boxing is great.

“It teaches kids and adults how to be in everyday life, particularly around emotion regulation.”

women boxing
Kungas classes attract women of all abilities.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

anyone welcome

Ms Boaden says Arrernte Boxing Academy stands apart from other gyms because it genuinely feels inclusive.

“Everybody who comes here knows that this is a place for everyone of all cultures and levels. It’s really inclusive,” she says.

Sarah Landers, a Durri woman who also regularly attends the kungkas class, agrees.

Sarah Landers
Sarah Landers is new to boxing but says she feels right at home.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

Relatively new to the sport, Ms Landers started at the gym after her 14-year-old son started training in the evenings.

She says she’s seen her son “become a lot more confident” since he started boxing and that he’d begun to value his health and eat healthily.

“He lives and breathes boxing now, he’s really inspired,” Ms Landers says.

“This is my little social outlet; we go for coffee afterwards and just laugh the whole time, there’s a real family feeling.”

Arrernte boxing Academy external
The academy opened at its current location in late 2021.(ABC Alice Springs: Samantha Jonscher)

This is exactly what Mr Lord is aiming for.

“It’s a safe, caring environment,” he said.

“If this was my place as a kid, I’d be a whole different person and that’s what this place is about.”

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Categories
Sports

Watch the moment Aussie boxer Alex Winwood is left stunned after a bizarre knockout ruling robs him of a Commonwealth Games medal at Birmingham 2022

Young Aussie boxer Alex Winwood has lost his boxing quarter-final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham after bizarrely being ruled to have been knocked out at the start of the second round.

The 25-year-old had held his own in the first round of his Flyweight bout against Zambia’s Patrick Chinyemba.

See the blow that prompted the ref to call off the fight in the video player above

Stream Seven’s coverage of the Commonwealth Games 2022 for free on 7plus >>

Four of the five judges had scored the first round to have been in the Aussie’s favor after landing two massive right handers on his opponent.

But barely seconds into the second round, Chinyemba floored the Aussie with a one-two.

Young Aussie boxer Alex Winwood has lost his boxing quarter-final at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham after bizarrely being ruled to have been knocked out at the start of the second round.

Credit: Seven

Chinyemba didn’t even look to have considered it a match-winning blow, walking over to his corner of the ring in preparation of the restart of the bout.

Credit: Seven

The force of the right hander fell Winwood, who hit the canvas.

As Winwood picked himself off the canvas, he was clearly stunned to see that the referee had waved off the match.

“The referee says ‘that’s that’,” said the commentator.

“It’s all over. Don’t count, nothing. Chinyemba has turned the tables spectacularly.

“I’m very surprised at the stoppage.”

Chinyemba didn’t even look to have considered it a match-winning blow, walking over to his corner of the ring in preparation of the restart of the bout.

As Winwood picked himself off the canvas, he was clearly stunned to see that the referee had waved off the match.

Credit: Seven

EVERYEVENT: Check out the full Commonwealth Games schedule

TALLY MEDAL: Every gold, silver and bronze at Birmingham 2022

LATEST RESULTS: Detailed breakdown of every event at the Games

The second commentator wasn’t convinced the fight should have been called off either.

“It looks worse than what it probably is,” he said.

“He’s got up, he’s clear, and he’s fine, and I think he should have been allowed to continue.”

Chinyemba is now guaranteed of a medal after the knockout win sent him to the semi-final.

Winwood told Seven after his fight how he disagreed with the referee’s decision, but respected it nonetheless.

“I think it was a pretty fast call,” he said.

“I won the first round, and I felt like I won it quite clearly. And I wasn’t hurt previously, nor was I punched significantly.

“I really wanted to have a shot and prove myself. I know what I’m made of – I wanted to show Australia, and the world, what Australians are made of.”

Winwood then got emotional as he laid out a special message to his country.

“Thank you, Australia,” he said with tears beginning to well in his eyes.

“You mean so much to me, from the bottom of my heart.

“As an Indigenous Australian, I love you all, up the Aussies!”

See the emotional moment in the video player below

Alex Winwood’s emotional message to Australia

Alex Winwood’s emotional message to Australia

Was the ruling the right call?

Our 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medalist, Harry Garside, doesn’t believe it was a fair ruling.

“You’ve got to wait until the opponent gets up and then you’ve got to give him eight seconds, and you’ve got to look into his eyes and see where his legs are,” he told Seven after the fight.

“She waves it off way to prematurely.”

Harry Garside has weighed into the controversial call against Alex Winwood. Credit: 7Sport

Although Garside sympathized with the referee after Winwood turned his back on her as he started to get back to his feet, Garside said it was the wrong call to make so quickly.

“She should have given Winwood eight seconds to recover,” he said.

“You’ve got to look into the fighter’s eyes – that’s where you’ll see if he’s dazed or if he’s rocked, it’s always in the eyes.

“And she didn’t even get a chance to do that. She called it off way too quickly.”

Just like Tokyo 2020 on Seven, there will be one destination to watch every epic feat, every medal moment, every record attempt and every inspiring turn from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

7plus is the only place to watch up to 30 live and replay channels of sport, see what’s on when, keep up to date with the medal tally, create a watchlist to follow your favorite events and catch up on highlights.

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Categories
Sports

Former world featherweight boxing legend Jean-Pierre ‘Johnny’ Famechon dies, aged 77

One of Australia’s greatest boxers, Johnny Famechon, has died, aged 77.

Born Jean-Pierre Famechon in France, he emigrated with his family to Australia at the age of five.

The son of a French lightweight boxing champion and nephew of a French and European featherweight titleholder, Famechon followed in their footsteps, skipping amateur boxing to begin his professional career at the age of 16.

With a fighting style based on quick movement, smart boxing and solid defence, he was described as “the classiest boxer in Australia” by the media.

In a nine-year career, he would amass a record of 56 wins (20 by knockout), six draws and five losses.

Famechon beat Les Dunn in 1964 for the Victorian featherweight title. He went on to win the Australian title and later the Commonwealth title in 1967.

He fought Cuban boxer Jose Legra at the Albert Hall in London and won a tough points decision to become the undisputed world featherweight champion in 1969, holding the belt at the same time as fellow Australian Lionel Rose.

A boxer poses for a picture bare-chested, in his trunks, with fists clenched, facing the camera.
Johnny Famechon won the world featherweight boxing title in 1969, and successfully defended it twice.(Getty Images: Express/A. jones)

Famechon would successfully defend the title twice, against former world flyweight and bantamweight champion Fighting Harada of Japan, who Rose had beaten to win the latter crown.

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The first fight was controversial as the referee first called the result a draw before changing it to a win for Famechon. He would win the rematch by knockout in early 1970 before retiring later that year after a loss to Mexican Vicente Saldivar.

His career made him a household name, and he was named Melbourne’s King of Moomba in 1970.

In 1991, he suffered life-changing injuries when hit by a car whilst jogging — before he was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997.

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Former world boxing champion, Barry Michael, said Famechon overcame the odds to claim the world title in London.

“It was the universal world title then,” Michael said.

“To beat Jose Legra, Famo was a huge underdog and then he went and beat him convincingly.

“Then he went along and fought Fighting Harada and they had the draw in Sydney, which they later gave to Famo on a recount, then they fought again on Tokyo and he knocked Harada out [in the 14th round].”

Famechon was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.

In 2018, a bronze statue of Famechon was unveiled in his hometown of Frankston in Victoria.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in this year’s Queens Birthday Honors for significant service to boxing at elite level.

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Categories
Sports

Boxing 2022 news: Paul Gallen to fight twice in one night, Justin Hodges, Queensland

Paul Gallen is set to end his boxing career in the most spectacular way possible; by fighting twice in one night.

Foxsports.com.au understands negotiations are nearing completion for the unique boxing extravaganza, with Gallen to feature in two fights on a star-studded card being planned for a date in September. And in another twist, the NSW Blues legend will attempt the feat deep in enemy territory in Queensland.

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Gallen is already regarded as one of Australia’s toughest athletes but the prospect of trying to defeat two opponents on the same night — something rarely seen in professional boxing — will put that reputation to the ultimate test.

One of Gallen’s opponents will likely be a fellow former NRL star Justin Hodges, who recently won two fights in the space of three weeks by defeating Ben Hannant (via UD) and Jordan Simi (via UD).

Gallen’s second opponent is yet to be decided but foxsports.com.au understands the shortlist includes several former footy stars. Hannant, Sam Thaiday, Russell Packer and Chris Walker are among those to have been sounded out.

With several of the prospective opponents hailing from Queensland, Gallen has the chance to realize a dream he teased recently.

Speaking to foxsports.com.au ahead of Hodges’ fight against Hannant in June, Gallen claimed the opportunity of “getting to bash two Queenslanders in one night would be fun.”

Hodges and Gallen have engaged in a war of words after the pair made a bet that whichever state won this year’s Origin series would host a fight between the two.

Despite the Maroons great being willing to give up hometown advantage such is his desperation to fight Gallen, he is set to get to fight in front of a hometown crowd for just the second time in his boxing career.

The time frame between fights is one element yet to be confirmed. Gallen could either take on one opponent earlier on the card and return to the ring for the main event, or fight back-to-back fights in a grievous test of endurance.

Gallen has suggested on numerous occasions he will hang up the gloves at the end of the year, if not before.

But in a career already featuring wins over UFC legend Mark Hunt and Aussie former world heavyweight champion Lucas Browne, the chance to win two fights in the same night would be the perfect way to bow out of the sport for good.

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Categories
Sports

Commonwealth Games can provide the opportunity of a lifetime for competitors from all over the world

It’s the end of the men’s 67kg weightlifting competition at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Kiribati’s Ruben Katoatau, 25, is one of the most-popular competitors with fans and the media.

He didn’t win gold or silver or bronze, and even he can’t quite understand why there’s so much interest in him.

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