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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Eddie Hearn reveals dad Barry suffered heart attack at League One play-off clash then went to boxing days later
BARRY HEARN suffered a heart attack during Leyton Orient's play-off clash with Stockport last month, his son Eddie has revealed. But amazingly, the veteran promoter was back on his feet in time to attend the Dave-Allen Johnny Fisher fight just a week later. Advertisement 5 Eddie Hearn followed his father into the promotion business Credit: Getty 5 Hearn's heart attack occurred during Orient's play-off clash with Stockport Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 5 Eddie has spoken out on his dad's ordeal Credit: YouTube / Boxing Social Hearn, 77, felt discomfort early on in Orient's semi-final first-leg and had to be taken to hospital. The snooker supremo subsequently had a third stent installed, having suffered two previous heart attacks. Reliving the ordeal in a conversation with "Five minutes in and he said 'I'll just see out the game'. Unfortunately he had to go down to the doctors and get taken to hospital, he had a heart attack. Advertisement READ MORE IN SPORT "He had another stent. He's had three stents now, three heart attacks." Hearn made a remarkably quick recovery, heading to East London's Copper Box Arena just seven days later to witness Eddie continued: "As far as he's concerned he's brand new now. He played cricket at the weekend for Essex Over-70s. He scored 60. "It actually happened the weekend before the Johnny Fisher fight, so it was back in May, and he went to the Johnny Fisher fight, five days after the heart attack." Advertisement Most read in Snooker Exclusive Exclusive BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK 5 Hearn was in attendance as Dave Allen beat Jonny Fisher at the Copper Box Credit: Getty Hearn, who turned 77 yesterday, was determined to get back on his feet quickly, with Eddie adding: "On the Monday he had a stent put in to his artery. Tuesday they let him out. So he gets back home Tuesday. "So I'm like 'right, well you won't be coming to the Johnny Fisher fight'. He says 'no I'm f***ing coming to the Johnny Fisher fight'. Advertisement Barry Hearn reveals pool is the 'next darts' and predicts sport will be massive in five years "No, what are you doing? 'I'm not missing the Johnny Fisher fight!' I said 'dad, chill out'. He goes 'I'm not living my life like that, I've had a new stent, I'm brand new.' "That's what you're dealing with. When he goes, he's actually 77 today, my dad, it could be next week, or it could be in 10 years, you just never know when your time's up. "But you will be able to say he lived to the absolute max of his life. And that's a great thing to be able to say." Orient went on to beat Stockport and book a place in the League One play-off final. Advertisement Ahead of the Wembley clash with Charlton, Barry Britain's leading sports promoter told SunSport: "I've been paying for therapy ever since that day against Rotherham! "I get nightmares about it. This is my opportunity to cleanse myself, take away my therapist bills, go back to normal sleep patterns." Unfortunately for Hearn, who sold the East London club in 2014, Orient were beaten 1-0 by Charlton under the Wembley arch. Advertisement 5 The father and son Hearn duo can often be seen at big fights together Credit: Getty
The Independent
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Top strength and conditioning coach reveals the three exercises no boxer should be without
Building a boxer is a balancing act. Yes, you need muscle, but not so much that it hampers mobility or means an athlete misses weight. Yes, you need endurance, but not so much that an athlete neglects the fast-twitch muscle fibres behind their knockout power. Instead, coaches must craft a multifaceted training programme capable of balancing the many attributes required by a successful fighter. Sonny Cannon knows this only too well. The experienced strength and conditioning coach specialises in boxing, with athletes such as Johnny Fisher and Skye Nicolson among his client roster. He says there are 'still a lot of bad habits in boxing, in terms of training methods', with some athletes wasting time on exercises that offer poor return on investment. By contrast, there are three exercises that Cannon says should be non-negotiables in pretty much any boxer's training plan, offering impressive bang for your buck. Trap bar deadlift for developing absolute strength View this post on Instagram A post shared by Origin gym performance Vo2max & Metabolic Testing. (@theoriginperformance) Absolute strength is the maximum amount of weight a person can lift for a single repetition – e.g., a one-rep max. 'Absolute strength underpins all power and speed, so developing this is a must for me,' Cannon says. 'In the same way we understand that a good aerobic base is the foundation for the cardio-respiratory system, the same principles apply with absolute strength for our anaerobic energy system and the strength continuum.' The strength continuum describes the various ways muscles can produce force. It comprises absolute strength, strength speed (the ability to move a relatively heavy load quickly), speed strength (the ability to move a relatively light load quickly and explosively) and absolute speed (the ability to move at maximum speed). As a boxer, it is imperative to be able to express force across all of these areas. Without a good level of absolute strength, the relative weights you move during more-explosive exercises will feel heavier, leaving you less able to generate speed and power. For this reason, absolute strength lays the foundation for all strength training. Cannon says the trap bar deadlift, performed with a hex bar, is his go-to method for developing absolute strength. It is a compound exercise that allows you to engage large muscle groups across the upper and lower body while lifting heavy loads. It also puts less stress on the spine than a conventional deadlift, reducing injury risk. During Jonny Fisher's preparations to take on Dave Allen, his goal was to work up to lifting 2.2 times his body weight. Cannon says this is a solid general target to shoot for. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonny The Cannon (@sonny_cannon_) Plyometric press-up for developing explosive punching speed and power Plyometric training involves eccentric loading (the lowering phase of an exercise) followed by an explosive concentric phase (the lifting portion of an exercise), utilising a muscular process called the stretch-shortening cycle. It is used to develop power by challenging athletes to perform explosive exercises such as jumping and bounding. It should also, says Cannon, be used to target the upper body through exercises like plyometric press-ups. 'This is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination, but plyometrics can bridge the gap between gains made in the weight room and the ability to generate power and speed,' he explains. For example, he adds, incorporating plyometric press-ups into your training can carry over to improved punching power. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health set out to see whether 12 weeks of speed strength training (largely plyometric exercises including plyometric press-ups) could improve the punching speed, punching power and punching effectiveness of members of the Chinese women's boxing team. After a series of pre- and post-study tests on an experimental group and a control group of athletes, researchers reported that the former saw improvements in speed strength. 'With the improvement of the athletes' speed level, the athletes' punching power and punching speed were directly improved so that the athletes could better play the technical characteristics when attacking with straight punch, swinging punch and hook technique,' the study concludes. '[ It also ] improved the athletes' striking effect, thus increasing the possibility of winning the match.' Fan bike intervals for developing maximum power output and repeat power ability There are three energy systems; the phosphagen system (prioritised during high-effort, very low-duration activities), the glycolytic system (prioritised during short, intense efforts) and the oxidative system (which uses oxygen to create fuel indefinitely during longer efforts at a moderate intensity or below). 'Boxers generally do some form of strength training and have a good aerobic base,' says Cannon. This latter point means they are capable of taking in and using plenty of oxygen during exercise, allowing them to sustain moderate-intensity, steady-state activities for long periods. ' However, he says that anaerobic training is often a missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to boxing. He explains: 'Breaking down and understanding the ATP-PC [ or phosphagen ] system, then specifically training this energy system for maximum power output and repeat power ability, is a must for boxing.' The phosphagen system is the primary energy system used during short (10 seconds or less) explosive efforts such as sprinting, attempting a one-rep max lift or, critically, punching. A 2023 narrative review of energy system contributions during combat sports, published in the Metabolites journal, states that the phosphagen system accounts for 10 per cent of energy during boxing matches, with the oxidative (or aerobic) system contributing 86 per cent. However, it is explosive movements that often decide a boxing match, so it pays to practise accessing them at any given moment. The research explains: 'The ATP-PC system has a higher metabolic power (i.e. rate of energy transfer per unit of time) due to a low number of reactions needed to resynthesise ATP, but a low capacity (i.e. total amount of energy that can be released) due to limited substrate stores.' In other words, it is an immediately available, yet incredibly limited, fuel source. To develop this system, allowing you to generate power quickly and repeatedly, Cannon prescribes intervals on a fan bike. 'I would typically start with a 10-second max effort, followed by 50 seconds of rest, then repeat between 12 and 15 times,' he says.
Newsweek
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Golden Gloves VR Review: Virtual Reality Boxing Gets Serious
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Golden Gloves VR puts you directly in the ring for a first-person boxing game that could only be more realistic if it gave you a black eye. The sports simulation, developed by Engine Room VR, aims for a 1:1 approximation of boxing. It's certainly got the credentials. As soon as you load up you're thrust onto a darkened weigh-in stage bearing promotional stands and banners for upcoming real-world fights, all as phone cameras flash from the roaring audience. From here you're free to partake in bouts both online and off, train on a selection of boxing equipment, or just mill about in the game's online spaces chatting to other players. According to Francis Jee, Head of Strategic Partnerships, authentic fundamentals underpin the entire experience. Your POV in Golden Gloves VR Your POV in Golden Gloves VR Engine Room VR Golden Gloves VR Review "The game ensures that the punch mechanics deal the most damage only when using proper punch techniques and when a blow is delivered with the correct part of the gloves, eliminating slaps, flailing and other types of poor form that would get you knocked out in a real fight." In the ring, timing, accuracy and technique are all necessary in doing the most damage possible. You'll know you've hit the sweet spot when you hear an unmistakable (if slightly unrealistic) thumping sound, accompanied by bruising and swelling of your opponent's increasingly battered face. To get there, Engine Room VR recruited amateur and professional boxers, including British heavyweight Johnny Fisher, to act as ambassadors and consultants. They provide gameplay feedback, recorded motion capture, and also coached the developers on proper punch form. That said, it is possible to cheese your way through some fights. Flailing your arms at the both head and body of AI opponents can confuse them, as they can't seem to block the two areas simultaneously. You can use that to your advantage and windmill your way to victory. Playing like this, though, runs against the spirit of Golden Gloves VR. It's as much a training regime as a game, so you'd only be hurting yourself. "Golden Gloves is a non-contact way to engage with the real sport of boxing," says Lee, "and a gateway to entry for joining a real boxing gym and growing the sport as a whole. Training done in the real gym transfers to our game." Not only can you compete in bouts online against human opponents, but put in the work across a suite of boxing practice equipment such as speed bags, aqua bags, reflex bags, heavy bags, and wall-mounted pads. Vibrations in your controller do a solid job of approximating contact in lieu of the real thing. After all, you're really just punching air. You can alter the physical properties of the equipment, making bags lighter to swing more or heavier to become virtually immovable, and monitor your punching power with a pop-up stats screen. There's also a calorie tracker, but since it seems to count the calories you burn while moving your character with the thumbstick, take that with a pinch of salt. Still, it's a more fully fledged offering than The Thrill of the Fight 2, which for now lacks gym workout equipment, as well as Golden Gloves VR's online spaces that let likeminded boxers mingle without a match on the line. Golden Gloves VR or The Thrill of the Fight 2? The Thrill of the Fight 2 excels in presentation. Character models are more detailed, environments are sharper, and the visual package just looks more professional. Golden Gloves VR looks basic by comparison. However, it's the more comprehensive package. The training gym in Golden Gloves VR The training gym in Golden Gloves VR Engine Room VR For Lee, it's all friendly competition. "It's worth noting that we have a lot of admiration for Thrill of the Fight's popularity and incredible graphics," he says. "The more people boxing in VR the better!" Golden Gloves VR also has licenses on its side. It's partnered with industry titans like Matchroom and Golden Gloves, and USA Boxing even recognises it as their official esports platform. June saw the launch of a real-world tournament where 14 Golden Gloves boxers from across the United States and 2 e-boxers from online qualifiers competed in VR for $5000 in prize money and the first eGolden Gloves belt. "It was inspiring and interesting to see virtual world gamification meet real world athleticism," Lee says. So, what's next for Golden Gloves VR? Various updates are coming, which have previously introduced new modes and minigames. There are also more esport tournaments, the next being the eUSA Boxing National competition in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA on Sept 13th - 20th alongside the USA Boxing National Open. Golden Gloves VR Review Score Golden Gloves VR is the definitive VR boxing game. With accurate controls, solid fundamentals, and built-in fitness trackers, it could feasibly boost your real-world boxing skills, and let you have fun while you're doing it. 9/10 How to Play Golden Gloves VR Golden Gloves VR can be played on any Meta Quest 2, 3, and Pro headsets, as well as Valve Index. Where To Buy Golden Gloves VR You can buy Golden Gloves VR on the Meta store. The game is also available on Steam.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Who are the ‘Bosh Soldiers' of the ‘Romford Bull Army' led by Big John, the viral supporters of Johnny Fisher?
Johnny Fisher, 13-0 (11), returns to action this evening, facing fellow British heavyweight Dave Allen, 23-7-2 (18), in a rematch that is headlining a night of boxing at the Copper Box Arena. An unbeaten prospect with hopes of becoming a household name for his boxing skills, Fisher is better known for his relation to viral internet sensation, Big John. Big John will be in attendance, leading the Bosh soldiers of the Romford Bull Army. Confused by those terms? Let us explain. Who is Big John? Boxers often have their family in their corner, sometimes literally, and Fisher is no different. Formerly a boxer himself, albeit at an amateur level, John Fisher has travelled to the USA and Saudi Arabia in support of his son. Arguably more well-known than his son, Big John has carved out a niche on social media as an internet sensation. Across various accounts on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, Big John has amassed over a million followers Big John has created a following based on his large appetite and trademark saying of 'bosh', leading to his fans being referred to as the 'Bosh Army'. A connoisseur of Chinese takeaways, Big John and Fisher have been spotted sharing some chicken balls to celebrate a win for the Romford Bull in the past. Big John picked up 'bosh' from his friend and fellow Romford personality Tom Skinner. His son has also utilised the term, referring to tonight's venue as the Copper 'Bosh' Arena. Who are the Romford Bull Army? Whilst Big John has his own Bosh Army, his son's supporters are named the 'Romford Bull Army'. There is overlap between the two, with members of the Romford Bull Army labelled 'Bosh Soldiers' by Big John, who has stylised himself as the group's leader. Fisher's supporters named themselves after their favourite fighter's nickname, a term given to the Essex-born heavyweight when he was sparring in Las Vegas. American trainers were impressed with his style, stating that he fought like a bull. Raised in Romford, Fisher added his hometown to the descriptor to create his new moniker. Partly thanks to their viral leader, Big John, the Romford Bull Army have a healthy presence on social media, with 15,000 followers on Instagram. Other famous members include Ethan Payne, a YouTuber better known as Behzinga, who is part of the Sidemen, a group of YouTubers with 22m followers. On their Instagram account, the Romford Bull Army shows plenty of support for their man, selling merchandise and organising watch parties for Fisher's fights. The Romford Bull Army travel well, having supported Fisher out in Las Vegas and Riyadh, but they will not have far to travel to east London this evening. Fisher's supporters were in full voice during Friday's press conference, indicating that he will have quite a few fans in attendance when he faces Dave Allen.
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Fisher-Allen II: Three other controversial matches that led to return bouts
This Saturday will see a rematch between Johnny Fisher and Dave Allen when the pair meet at the Copper Box Arena in London. After first meeting at the end of last year in Riyadh, the pair went to a ten-round split decision that ended in a win for Fisher. Despite – or, maybe, because of – the victory, controversy rose around the scoring. While one judge thought that Fisher had lost by three points, the two others gave it to him by a single notch each. There was a good argument for Fisher having lost. He was knocked down in the fifth round, went toe-to-toe with Allen for much of the fight, and looked at the end as if every second in the bout had been an arduous one. And now, this weekend, the pair meet again. Judgement is a matter of shades. Controversy within boxing is not unusual. It is far more the rule than the exception, with many fights over the years generating such controversy first time around that a rematch has become immediately imminent. Corrales-Castillo When Diego Corrales and Jose Luis Castillo met in 2005, few were excited by their lightweight unification. Corrales was 39-2 (32) and was coming in after tough fights against Joel Casamayor and Acelino Freitas. Castillo, meanwhile, had also taken a split decision over Casamayor. He had beaten the decent Juan Lazcano, too, and stopped Julio Diaz in ten. But Castillo was most famous for pushing Floyd Mayweather Jr to a decision in 2002 in a bout that many thought he had won. Magic entered the building at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas that night when Corrales and Castillo met. They pair went toe-to-toe for ten rounds until Castillo put Corrales down, twice, on the floor. In pain, Corrales let his gumshield slip from his mouth during the first knockdown. He spat it out deliberately on the second and lost a point. His coach, placing it back into his mouth, said, 'You better ****ing get inside on him now.' Corrales did. Fewer than thirty seconds later, he pitched Castillo against the ropes and punched him until the referee stopped it. The pair of them returned five months later, but Castillo missed the weight limit by 3.5lbs. The fight went ahead anyway, and a weight-drained Corrales was knocked out in the fourth. A third fight between the pair was set to end the controversy, but was cancelled after Castillo missed the weight again, that time by 4.5lbs. Huck-Arslan The pair first met in 2012 in Halle, Germany, where Huck, the WBO cruiserweight champion, won a unanimous decision over former WBA champion Arslan. Despite the wide scorecards, the decision was controversial and the pair rematched fourteen months later in Stuttgart. This time, Huck left no doubt by stopping Arslan in six rounds. Both men are still fighting many years later. Huck, now 40, last appeared in a boxing ring last June in Berlin. Arslan, now 54, last fought in a small show in his gym in Goeppingen, Germany, in October. But while they have not appeared against each other for a third time, they are often pictured together at shows, having seemingly become friends years after their two fights. Abraham-Smith When Liverpool fighter Paul Smith went to Kiel, Germany, in 2014, few expected him to be anything more than a foil for the German super-middleweight Arthur Abraham. Abraham had been fighting in Germany since 2003, only ever lost decisively to elite fighters when on foreign soil, and had been matched carefully by his promoters for years. Smith expected much different of himself. His family and friends spoke of how dedicated he had been in his training, and of how had left no stone unturned. It sounded like hyperbole, the words that all supporters say before a big fight. But then Smith outworked and outmanoeuvred Abraham over twelve, tightly contested rounds. The only thing Smith did not do was outpoint Abraham, losing a unanimous decision. Such was the controversy over the result that the pair met again, five months later in Berlin and in front of a much-bigger crowd. This time, though, Abraham seemed to be better prepared and he took another decision – this one now thought to be much fairer.
