Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports.<\/a><\/p>\nHOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR A CHANCE TO JOIN TEAM BURGESS<\/p>\n
Hollywood megastar Chris Hemsworth could make a surprise appearance at Sam Burgess\u2019s hyped professional heavyweight debut, with the pair having recently spent plenty of time together on the set of American crime thriller, Kockroach.<\/p>\n
The revelation comes as Burgess has also opened up on future plans with a win over Nelson Asofa-Solomona next Wednesday night, hinting he could even go into camp with English heavyweight king, Tyson Fury.<\/p>\n
Speaking with Fighting Words this week, Burgess was giving little away when quizzed on whispers suggesting Hemsworth could be ringside at Pat Rafter Arena, but confirmed it a possibility. <\/p>\n
Chris Hemsworth.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cThere might be a few surprises on fight night,\u201d the South Sydney premiership hero grinned. \u201cWe\u2019ll see. You know what schedules are like, they can change at the drop of a hat \u2026 but hopefully everyone can make it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Apart from working on the Kockroach set with Burgess in Sydney recently, the famed Thor actor is also a huge fight fan who was ringside for Conor McGregor\u2019s 2017 showdown with Floyd Mayweather, and UFC 234 in Melbourne \u2013 where he sat front row with fellow Hollywood star Matt Damon.<\/p>\n
During his early years in Hollywood, Hemsworth also worked out extensively with longtime Australian trainer Justin Fortune, who is himself famous for being in the corner of Manny Pacquiao.<\/p>\n
BURGESS\u2019S PLANS FOR FURY CAMP<\/p>\n
Still on Burgess, and the English Test great has opened up on potentially going into camp with countryman Tyson Fury, who is also close with one of the retired leaguie\u2019s own mates, New Zealand heavyweight star Joseph Parker.<\/p>\n
A fight fan since childhood, Burgess says he was raised on the careers of stars like Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and, more recently, The Gypsy King.<\/p>\n
And as for similarities between the two?<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife and I have been watching his Netflix series and she is always saying to me \u2018you\u2019re so similar to this guy\u2019,\u201d Burgess laughed. \u201cHe\u2019s a northern guy, has a gypsy background and is a real family man.<\/p>\n
Nelson Asofa-Solomona & George Burgess.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously as a fighter, he\u2019s great to watch. But he\u2019s also a born entertainer.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys like Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali too, they weren\u2019t only amazing inside the ring but had that charisma outside of it that ensured they always drew crowds. And I\u2019m hoping to bring a bit of that to No Limit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quizzed on potentially spending some time with Fury, Burgess continued: \u201cI actually Facetimed Joseph Parker \u2013 who I\u2019m good friends with — when he was in fight camp with Fury.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that would definitely be a cool thing to do if I get a few more fights in. Go jump into a camp with him, that would be an incredible experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
JDM TEAMS UP WITH \u2018BLESSED\u2019<\/p>\n
Former Aussie UFC champ Jack Della Maddalena has joined forces with Max Holloway as the Hawaiian superstar ramps up preparations for his blockbuster rematch against Conor McGregor.<\/p>\n
Della, who is coming off a brutal loss to Carlos Prates in Perth, has shown up unexpectedly training with the former BMF.<\/p>\n
\u201cLearning from the blessed one,\u201d he posted to social media alongside photos of the pair sparring.<\/p>\n
Holloway and McGregor originally fought back in 2013, when a young McGregor claimed a unanimous decision victory over the Hawaiian.<\/p>\n
In less than a month, the pair will run it back on one of the biggest cards of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cHE KNOWS TOO\u201d: THE HUGE PRIZE DRIVING PARO TITLE BID<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Liam Paro has declared himself ready to take on some of the biggest names in the sport once he claims the IBF welterweight crown from fighting Irishman Lewis Crocker next Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Should Paro win in Brisbane, he immediately goes into contention for a series of unification blockbusters against other division champions like Devin Haney, Ryan Garcia and Rolly Romero.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe welterweight division is back to being the glamour division,\u201d Paro told us this week. \u201cAlong with the champions you\u2019ve also got guys like Manny Pacquiao, Conor Benn, it really is massive.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd while I don\u2019t look past any fight, I know what lies ahead. Know what\u2019s coming in terms of money, legacy, all of it. It\u2019s huge.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Crocker knows that too. It\u2019s why this fight will be such a cracker.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo obvio<\/p>\n
Liam Paro excited to “make history” | 27:35<\/p>\n
usly you can\u2019t count your chickens too early. Especially against an undefeated guy who doesn\u2019t know how to lose. But for me, it\u2019s crazy what is coming and that\u2019s exactly why I have to get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Crocker has stressed he has absolutely no issue with defending his IBF welterweight title in Australia, thanks to No Limit winning the purse bid over Matchroom\u2019s Eddie Hearn.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Paro became mandatory, I knew there was a chance it was going to be Australia,\u201d Crocker said this week. \u201cIt is what it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Australia, as a kid, you would think it\u2019s a dream, stuff like this. Being a world champion and fighting abroad, fighting in Australia \u2026 it\u2019s great.<\/p>\n
\u201cI [also] made more money out of it at the end of the day. Australia paid the most money, so as a prizefighter, how could I be upset at that?\u201d<\/p>\n
CHARLO\u2019S AUSSIE WARNING<\/p>\n
American Jermall Charlo has warned his countrymen are set to blast through Australia on the blockbuster Sydney card headlined by Tim Tszyu versus Errol Spence, declaring: \u201cThese guys ain\u2019t seen nothing like this\u201d.<\/p>\n
Charlo, who is undefeated, will start a heavy favourite against Koen Mazoudier in the No Limit co-main, while fellow American Stephen Fulton faces two-time world title challenger Liam Wilson.<\/p>\n
Jermall Charlo.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Australian prospect Callum Peters also takes on Michigan middleweight Joseph Hicks, however Charlo is tipping a tough time for the local boys.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese guys ain\u2019t seen nothing like this,\u201d he warned. \u201cIt\u2019s the USA versus Australia and Jermall Charlo is coming to take over. Lock in with and watch me put on a show. Koen Mazoudier is going to be looking to make a name off me, but he underestimates how hungry I am.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u2018CALL IT A DAY\u2019: CHAMP\u2019S SAVAGE TSZYU-SPENCE WARNING<\/p>\n
Unified super welterweight champ Xander Zayas has delivered a brutal assessment of the showdown between Tim Tszyu and Errol Spence Jr.<\/p>\n
The Puerto Rican star, who puts his WBA and WBO world titles on the line against fellow unbeaten sensation Jaron \u201cBoots\u201d Ennis in Brooklyn next weekend, admitted he can\u2019t split the pair.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Zayas told the Last Stand Podcast when asked for his prediction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to see what Errol Spence is going to show up.<\/p>\n
\u201cTim Tszyu has been a little bit more active, but it\u2019s not impressive.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like the loser should call it a career, call it a day.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I wouldn\u2019t be able to pick a winner.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Zayas remains on the fence, one man who is backing \u201cThe Truth\u201d massively is his good mate Shakur Stevenson.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s gonna do good,\u201d Stevenson told Andre Ward on All The Smoke Fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish Errol the best. I hope Errol goes in there and beats Tim Tszyu up.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m an Errol Spence fan. I was cool with Errol Spence before that Crawford fight a long time ago. I want Errol Spence to prosper.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think Tim Tszyu can beat Errol,\u201d Stevenson continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Errol. He\u2019s mentally tough. He\u2019s a dog when it comes to fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think Tim Tszyu can beat him.\u201d<\/p>\n
UFC CHAMP: MY BODY DOES CRAZY THINGS<\/p>\n
American Justin Gaethje has given an intriguing insight into his upset UFC lightweight title win against Ilia Topuria on the White House lawn, declaring: \u201cMy body does crazy things\u201d. <\/p>\n
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Gaethje was asked to explain his shock stoppage of Topuria as a $6 outsider.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne word describes it all, and it\u2019s \u2018timing,\u2019\u201d Gaethje said. \u201cThe more you watch the sport, the more you can maybe grasp the concept of that \u2013 [not only] creating angles, but sending direct lines of energy in straight lines through their body and through their face.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you see my face, and it\u2019s not messed up, you\u2019re like, \u2018something\u2019s wrong with the skin\u2019. It\u2019s really not that.<\/p>\n
UFC 250: Full Wrap of crazy freedom card | 03:13<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you watch frame by frame, I am constantly dissipating the energy that he\u2019s trying to send in straight lines, and they\u2019re all coming off and glancing off of my body. That\u2019s the timing that I have.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said it in earlier interviews, my A to B is unmatched, and when I can lock in and be cerebral, and I\u2019m in danger, my body does crazy things. I\u2019m able to be so technical and intuitive and cerebral with my actions. It\u2019s happening so fast. We\u2019re like computers processing codes. You\u2019re constantly making adjustments.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was able to reset his feet every one to two seconds. I was very diligent about it, and I fought a perfect fight. And he was completely caught off guard. He was not expecting it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat, obviously, is another part of this whole game, the expectations. I\u2019ve said it many times, I don\u2019t go in with expectations, that way I can never be surprised. That\u2019s just the way I compete. He took the opposite approach. I said it before on your show, when we go to 2, when we go to 3, you\u2019re going to be in hell, and that\u2019s where he was.\u201d<\/p>\n
OPETAIA MEETS TRUMP<\/p>\n
Australia\u2019s Jai Opetaia has stressed his bid to become undisputed cruiserweight king remains unchanged after a crazy week in which he met up with US President Donald Trump on the White House lawn.<\/p>\n
Opetaia was among a handful of superstar boxers invited to attend UFC Freedom 250, sitting cageside along with the likes of Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford and Conor Benn. During the event, the popular Central Coast product also got the opportunity to pose up for a picture with Trump. <\/p>\n
Speaking during a Zuffa Boxing Q&A session in Washington, D.C., Opetaia expressed enthusiasm about a potential showdown with David Benavidez, who instead seems to be angling for a showdown with WBC champion Noel Mikaelian.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been chasing these unification fights for such a long time now, so to get one over the line would be awesome,\u201d Opetaia said. \u201cI\u2019m just waiting. That fight [Benavidez] is easy to make on our side, so I don\u2019t know what the holdup is on theirs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jeff Fenech says Tim Tszyu is now generating the same type of punch power that made his Hall…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":746103,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":["post-746102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mma","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-fighting","tag-mma","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/746102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=746102"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/746102\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/746103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=746102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=746102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=746102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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