Boxing

Le'Veon Bell doesn't want to fight running backs in the boxing ring anymore.

"They asked did I want to fight Frank Gore on the show and I said no," Bell said Wednesday, per Grant Gordon of NFL.com. "I said I don't want to fight any more running backs, because honestly, I don't feel like—and this is no disrespect to Frank Gore or any other running back—I don't feel like those guys are on my skill level when it comes to boxing because they can't make me go to the space that I can go to."

Bell looked ready for a step up in class when he earned a fifth-round TKO win over fellow former running back Adrian Peterson in September.

He will get an opportunity to face more of a fighter on Saturday when he goes against Uriah "Prime Time" Hall of the UFC as part of the undercard for the Jake Paul-Anderson Silva showdown.

It should be noted that Gore isn't just an average former running back when it comes to boxing. He defeated Yaya Olorunsola via knockout in May in his pro boxing debut.

Yet Bell, who is younger at 30 than the 39-year-old Gore, was looking for a different challenge.

He will get it in Hall.

Saturday's boxing match between Jake Paul and Anderson Silva will go on as scheduled.

ESPN's Marc Raimondi reported Thursday that the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission cleared Silva to fight following a special meeting that was called because of comments made by the 47-year-old.

As Shaun Al-Shatti of MMA Fighting noted, Silva previously said his sparring partner "knocked me out two times" during training. However, he clarified that he was "joking" when he made those comments and instead was just attempting to praise his teammates.

"When I talk about the guys doing the hard sparring and [them getting] the knockout, it was just joking," Silva said. "Because I'm training with the young kids and the guys asked me, and I don't put nothing bad in my mind, and the guys say, 'Oh, Anderson take knockout in training.' Of course not. I just like to help and put my partners up, that's the question."

Silva also issued a statement that said "I was NEVER knocked out in sparring. I misspoke in that interview as I sometimes do when interviewing in English and exaggerated the normal back-and-forth action that occurs in sparring."

If Silva was actually knocked out multiple times in training leading up to the fight, there would be genuine concern about his health and safety.

After all, he is much older than the 25-year-old Paul and would have logically been facing more risk if he was recently coming off a serious head injury. That doesn't seem to be the case, and they will face each other at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

While Paul first became famous as a YouTube personality, he is 5-0 in his career as a boxer with four knockout wins. Two of those victories came against former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.

Silva is a former UFC middleweight champion and mixed martial arts legend, but Saturday will present a new challenge.

Jake Paul and Anderson Silva agreed to a friendly wager ahead of their boxing match Saturday in Glendale, Arizona.

One way or another, this won't be the last collaboration between the pair, though one of the two outcomes likely would be far less favorable for Paul:

The 25-year-old may not have much to worry about, though. With a perfect 5-0 record to open his career, he's a -215 favorite (bet $215 to win $100) at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Paul's bet centers on an issue he and fans of the sport—and in some cases the fighters themselves—have cited for years. At times, however, it seems fair to wonder whether Paul is genuinely passionate about the cause or simply sees it as another way to needle UFC President Dana White.

In January, he told White he'd retire from boxing in return for concessions on fighter pay:

Working with Silva would potentially represent a tangible step forward, though.

If you were attempting to build some sort of collective action among UFC fighters, you'd want to have one of their own by your side. Silva is a UFC legend whose voice carries plenty of authority.

There will be some within the company who might be closely watching not just Saturday's fight but also the aftermath to see if Paul puts his money where his mouth is.

Officials in Arizona are reexamining Anderson Silva's fight with Jake Paul, which is scheduled for Saturday, after the UFC legend said he was knocked out twice during a sparring session.

Silva told MMA Weekly (via MMA Fighting's Steven Marrocco) he has been training with "high-level" boxers who haven't pulled any punches in the ring. One sparring partner "knocked me out two times."

Silva clarified the situation Wednesday, saying he wasn't knocked out and that the sparring session in question was in September:

"After seeing the reports and concern for me, I'd like to clarify two important things. One, I was NEVER knocked out in sparring. I misspoke in that interview as I sometimes do when interviewing in English and exaggerated the normal back-and-forth action that occurs in sparring.

"Second, this sparring session I referenced was in early September. The interview with MMA Weekly was done on Sept. 13 and, for some reason, just released this week. So, it wasn't recent."

Silva added his training "has been great" and that he's "fit and ready."

Still, the interview didn't go unnoticed by the Arizona Department of Gaming.

"We are looking into the matter and have no further comment at this time," the organization said in a statement to Marrocco.

Marrocco noted Arizona has stricter requirements for fighters over 36—Silva turned 47 in April—and all fighters are mandated to disclose the last time they were knocked out and for how long.

Silva's coach, Luiz Carlos Dorea, denied he had gotten knocked out.

"What I can say is that didn't happen," Dorea said to Marrocco. "Thank God we follow all the steps in training and Anderson did excellent sparring [sessions]. He's 100 percent for the fight."

The initial reporting certainly didn't flatter Silva, and the full accounting may not bode well for his chances Saturday.

Paul has won all five of his professional fights and scored knockouts against a pair of experienced MMA fighters, Ben Askren and Tyron Woodley. Fans were understandably skeptical of the 25-year-old when he transitioned full-time to boxing, but he has answered them at every turn.

Silva isn't a boxing novice, having logged four professional fights. Still, there's a reason he's the underdog (+145) at DraftKings Sportsbook. Those odds might get longer in the wake of his admission.

Should Arizona officials pull the plug, this would be the third opponent who has fallen through for Paul. Tommy Fury had to back out over the summer, and his replacement, Hasim Rahman Jr., failed to make weight.

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Boxing judge Glenn Feldman joined the lawsuit filed against Jake Paul by Matchroom Boxing's Eddie Hearn after Paul alleged Matchroom paid a judge to fix a fight.

"[Paul's] statements have harmed Feldman's reputation in the public, impute the commission of a crime, and/or call into question Feldman's fitness to perform his work in his trade and profession," said Hearn's attorney, Frank Salzano, per ESPN's Marc Raimondi.

TMZ Sports also shared a statement from John Laudati, who's representing Feldman.

"My client has an unblemished record and impeccable reputation which he built over 30 years and Mr. Paul’s defamatory remarks have directly impacted and damaged my client’s reputation," he said. "As such, Mr. Feldman is seeking legal redress as a result."

During an interview in September with IFL TV (via MMA Fighting's Damon Martin), Paul contended Feldman incorrectly scored in Katie Taylor's favor for her split-decision victory over Amanda Serrano in April.

Feldman had Taylor ahead 97-93 and was one of two judges to declare her the winner.

Paul then expressed how he thought Oleksandr Usyk earned a "runaway victory" over Anthony Joshua in their August rematch. In that case, Feldman was the dissenting voice, scoring the fight 115-113 to Joshua.

Paul told IFL TV that Feldman was "getting paid money by Matchroom Boxing."

Hearn responded by filing suit against Paul, and he's seeking more than $100 million in damages. According to Raimondi, the dollar figure attached to Feldman's newest complaint is unclear.

Paul is scheduled to fight UFC legend Anderson Silva on Saturday. He told MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn on Oct. 6 he was more concerned with his upcoming bout than the pending litigation.

"I have this fight coming up Oct. 29, and my lawyers are dealing with that," he said. "I don’t really even put any thought into it—don’t care. I get sued all the time for stupid s--t. I’m 5-0 in lawsuits, and I’m 5-0 in the ring. So I got all the time in the world, all the money in the world, and I’m just focused on Oct. 29."

Former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. will face bodybuilder Robert "NDO Champ" Wilmote in an exhibition boxing match Jan. 28 in Miami.

TMZ Sports reported Tuesday that the fight, which was put together by Official Celebrity Boxing, will feature five one-minute rounds.

Jones, 53, last stepped in the ring for an exhibition clash with fellow legend Mike Tyson in November 2020. It was officially listed as a split-decision draw, though it appeared Tyson was in firm control throughout the bout.

The 1988 Olympic silver medalist's last official fight came in February 2018 when he beat Scott Sigmon to move his career record to 66-9. He won 12 of his last 13 bouts, though most of them came against lesser competition than he faced at his peak.

His Hall of Fame career included wins over James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver, John Ruiz and Félix Trinidad.

Wilmote, 38, is a social-media sensation who's enjoyed some success in bodybuilding, including a second-place finish in the 2019 Arnold Classic super heavyweight division.

January's fight will be his first formal foray into the boxing ring, but he's previously sparred with former welterweight champion Andre Berto, per TMZ.

A documentary short about his life, Grind: The Robert Wilmote Story, was released in 2017.

It appears that we're inching closer to an eventual fight between popular young boxers Ryan Garcia and Gervonta "Tank" Davis.

According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, representatives from both sides have "agreed to the framework of a deal for a 136-pound catchweight fight."

Mannix noted that the targeted date for the fight is January in Las Vegas. While key contractual issues have already been ironed out, control of broadcast rights to the fight "remains a significant obstacle." Davis is represented by Mayweather Promotions along with Al Haymon, and there has been a push from their side for Showtime to have exclusive pay-per-view rights in the United States.

However, Garcia is represented by Golden Boy, which has a contract with DAZN. The streaming service is "unwilling to sign off" on the fight unless it is involved in the U.S. broadcast. Being that Showtime has broadcast Davis's last 11 fights, it's clear that some sort of compromise will have to be figured out.

A matchup between Davis and Garcia is one of the most exciting fights available in all of boxing. The 27-year-old Davis (27-0, 25 KOs) has held titles in three different weight classes and is currently the WBA "regular" lightweight champion. The 24-year-old Garcia (23-0, 19 KOs) is a former WBC interim lightweight titleholder.

Garcia and Davis have been building toward a fight for quite some time, as their rivalry outside the ring has heated up in recent months. The two of them were involved in an altercation in a nightclub in September in which Davis allegedly grabbed Garcia's chain before security intervened. They have also exchanged words over social media.

If the two sides can finalize a deal, boxing fans will surely enjoy the chance to watch Davis and Garcia settle their differences in the ring.

Tyson Fury hinted at a fourth fight against Deontay Wilder during a promotional event on Thursday:

"Who here would not want to see me versus Wilder for a fourth time? Not very many people," Fury said.

After a draw in their first fight in 2018, Fury earned two knockout wins over Wilder in 2020 and 2021. The draw is the only blemish on Fury's 32-0-1 career record.

Fury is now set to face Derek Chisora, who he has already beaten twice in his career, on Dec. 3 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Wilder took more than a year off after his latest loss to Fury, but he bounced back in a big way with a first-round knockout win against Robert Helenius.

"Deontay Wilder is back," he said after the match. "The excitement in the heavyweight division is back."

Though some fans might want to see a fourth fight between the two heavyweight stars, there are other options for Fury if he gets past Chisora as expected.

The biggest potential bout would be against Oleksandr Usyk, who holds the WBO, IBF and WBA titles. A unification bout could be one of the biggest in Fury's already impressive career.

Mike Coppinger of ESPN said earlier this month "it would be a major surprise" if Fury and Usyk didn't meet in 2023.

Fury has also held talks with Anthony Joshua, but the two sides couldn't agree to terms.

Tyson Fury confirmed Thursday that his next WBC heavyweight title defense will be against Derek Chisora in December.

Fury tweeted a poster of the Dec. 3 event, which will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

The bout will mark Fury's third meeting with Chisora. Both of the previous two fights were Fury victories, as he beat Chisora by unanimous decision in 2011 and by corner stoppage three years later.

In 33 career professional fights, Fury is 32-0-1 with the only minor blemish being a controversial draw against Deontay Wilder in 2018.

Fury went on to beat Wilder in both 2020 and 2021, and he defeated Dillian Whyte in his most recent bout in April, firmly cementing his status as one of the top two heavyweights in the world along with Oleksandr Usyk.

There had been talk of Fury facing Anthony Joshua in what would have been a dream fight for British boxing fans, but no deal was struck by a self-imposed deadline set by Fury.

Now, Fury will meet another Brit in Chisora, who is coming off a victory over Kubrat Pulev.

Chisora had lost three consecutive fights before beating Pulev, including one to Usyk, but it was a significant victory since Pulev's only other losses had been to Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko.

At 33-12, Chisora has faced his fair share of adversity, but the 38-year-old veteran will have a chance to score the biggest win and upset of his career against Fury in December.

If the 34-year-old Fury prevails, however, the assumption is that it will set the stage for a heavyweight title unification match with Usyk.

Usyk beat Joshua by a split decision in August to move to 20-0 and retain the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles and win the vacant The Ring heavyweight title.

Fury vs. Usyk, in a battle of unbeaten fighters, is the biggest possible matchup that can happen in the heavyweight division currently, but Chisora will have an opportunity to play spoiler and get revenge for his previous two losses to Fury.

Tyson Fury and Derek Chisora will reportedly fight for a third time.

According to Mike Coppinger of ESPN, the fighters are "in the process of finalizing" a trilogy matchup that will take place in the United Kingdom on Dec. 3 with Fury's WBC heavyweight title at stake.

Coppinger tweeted the bout is set to take place at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which hosted Anthony Joshua's heavyweight title fight against Oleksandr Usyk in September 2021.

Fury is one of the best boxers in the sport's history and has a 32-0-1 record with 23 knockouts.

Coppinger noted it has been quite the journey to this third fight against Chisora, with Fury saying he would retire after he defeated Dillian Whyte in April before then discussing a potential match with Joshua.

Those discussions eventually ended, though, and Fury said he wanted to fight again in 2022 even though WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO champion Usyk said he needed until at least 2023 to recover from injuries. A fight for the undisputed championship against Usyk would have made sense after the Ukrainian defeated Joshua for the second time in August.

While an eventual fight against Usyk will generate plenty of hype, yet another matchup for Fury against Chisora probably won't.

After all, Fury handled the 33-12 fighter with relative ease in their first two meetings, one of which was a Round 10 stoppage in 2014. Chisora, 38, also went on a three-fight losing streak between October 2020 and December 2021, although he was victorious by split decision in his last outing against Kubrat Pulev in July.

There is little reason to think the 34-year-old Fury won't add another victory to his illustrious resume. Retirement talk may have come up in the past, but another straightforward win over Chisora could point to a highly anticipated showdown with Usyk down the line.