DILLIAN WHYTE has revealed he endured multiple attempts on his life before he committed himself to combat sports.

The Brixton Body Snatcher often found himself in trouble as a youngster on the mean streets of south London.

Even when he wasn’t looking for it, trouble often found the once hot-headed Whyte – who took up kickboxing in the early 2000s to channel his aggression.

He told BT Sport: “Kickboxing took my time up. And I was so tired and so f***ed from the training and getting beat up, when it came time to go out on the street I was like, ‘I’m going to bed.’

“I spent more time in my house and less time in the street. And that saved my life.

“Because at that time, I had multiple attempts on my life.

“I’d been shot and stabbed and other things were going on.”

Things were once so bad for Whyte that he couldn’t even leave his house without fear of being attacked.

He revealed: “I had to live in my area but I couldn’t go directly outside.

“I had to go around and ducking and diving and stuff like that. Going to my house and people jumping out of bins trying to shoot me.

‘I had multiple attempts on my life’ – Dillian Whyte reveals people would ‘jump out of bins trying to shoot me’ (thesun.co.uk)

CONOR BENN reckons Amir Khan getting booed out of his ring could have KO’ed their potential summer showdown.

After battering Chris van Heerden, 34, inside two Manchester rounds on Saturday, the 25-year-old Ilford ace beckoned Bolton’s fellow welterweight into the ring with the idea of agreeing to a shootout.

Instead Khan, 35, who suffered a pasting at the hands of 10-year rival Kell Brook in February, did some of the best ducking and dodging of his brilliant career and left the crowd jeering his reluctance to commit to an cross-generation clash.

And Benn, now the 21-0 son of British ring legend Nigel, reckons that might have put the final nail in the coffin of their potential rivalry and perhaps even Khan’s career.

“I don’t think so,” Benn said when asked if Khan was target No 22. “He’s done what he’s had to do.

“I saw a few articles from him, saying he fancies the fight with me, so I thought we would get him in the ring and give him his chance and instead he said the total opposite.

“I can’t blame him because, if I was him, I wouldn’t fancy it either. Who needs me in their life? He looks and sounds like he’s enjoying retirement.

“It’s fine, I’m on a different trajectory in my career and the only way is up.

“I believe I’m one of the best welterweights in the world. I ain’t fussed who I fight next, I’ll fight whoever, any of them.

“He’s a former world champion, look what he’s achieved in the sport of boxing, it’s sad he got booed, but it is what it is.”

The much-improved Tony Sims student has now blitzed a handful of respected veterans but is yet to face a bonafide contender in his prime.

And the fans that have followed him between London, Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester in the last three years will be disappointed if the next clash is not against a welterweight champion or a household name.

Brook was targeted after his domination of Khan but he is set to take on middleweight Chris Eubank Jr in a catch-weight-grab-cash bout.

So Benn, mastermind mentor Sims and promoter Eddie Hearn need to pick a suitable step up to keep the learning curve going and fans interested.

KHAN’T BE DENIED

“Brook would make sense for me,” Benn said. “He’s another one in the rankings, a former world champion, he’s just come off a great win over Khan.

“That would make sense for me in terms of my career but now I’m not too fussed about the Khan fight.

“I’m not really frustrated because I’m not really fazed by anyone else. I’m on a good trajectory, I’m doing what I need to do. I’m not concerned about anyone else because it doesn’t matter.

“I know I’m clearly doing the right thing because I’m still undefeated.

“I’ll fight anyone anywhere. I’ll fight in a telephone box.

“There could be Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck sitting at ringside, you’re in a fight, it could be anywhere.

“You’re not focused on that, you’re just focused on getting the job done and beating the other man up.”

Conor Benn fight against Amir Khan KOd as fans boo Bolton fighter after getting in ring following Chris Van Heerden win (thesun.co.uk)

YOUTUBE star Adam Saleh is eyeing a fight with Floyd Mayweather in Dubai – and would not just come to make up the numbers.

Boxing legend Mayweather in December announced he would return to the ring with an exhibition in the Middle East.

But only now has he confirmed his comeback on May 14 against former sparring partner “Dangerous” Don Moore, 42.

Mayweather has warned it could me one of many in the lucrative UAE region which is becoming increasingly more involved in boxing.

It leaves Yemeni-American Saleh – who has twice fought in Dubai himself – offering himself up as a future opponent.

He told SunSport: “I’d love to box Mayweather, he’s another legend in the boxing game. 

“Of course, he is who he is, he’s a world champ but I’m working hard too and I’ve got the youth on my side. 

“I would love to have a fight with Floyd Mayweather and I feel I could give him some problems.” 

Mayweather, 45, officially retired in 2017 after beating UFC superstar Conor McGregor, 33, in ten rounds of their crossover fight.

But the unbeaten American continues to make spectacle cameos in the ring.

Most recently, in June he faced YouTuber Logan Paul – who weighed TWO STONE more – in an eight-round exhibition.

And Paul, 27, a pioneer in the new wave of celebrity fighters, took Mayweather the distance.

Saleh, 29, has boxed in similar bouts before but did also compete as a 14-0 amateur boxer during his teens.

And he is set to welcome Manchester United legend Patrice Evra, 40, into the ring for a shock fight.

It was scheduled for April 30 at the O2 Arena but has since been backdated.

Saleh is keen to share the ring with a legend of the boxing world after doing so with Old Trafford icon Evra.

He said: “Me and Mayweather, we are the same weight, so I’d love to share the ring with him.

“If that comes I would definitely take that, he’s around my weight and my height, same with Patrice.

“I’d never have fought him if he wasn’t around my weight, but he is.  Boxing has weight classes for a reason.

“It’s why Floyd doesn’t want to fight Logan again or Jake, he noticed the difference in weight classes.”

Patrice Evra’s boxing opponent Adam Saleh eyes Floyd Mayweather fight in Dubai and says ‘I could give him some problems’ (thesun.co.uk)

THE WBC have revealed the special new “Union Belt” which will be handed to the winner of Tyson Fury versus Dillian Whyte.

The Gypsy King defends his WBC and Ring magazine heavyweight titles against the Body Snatcher at Wembley on April 23.

But the WBC have created a commemorative one-off strap to add to the stakes.

The specially-created design includes a Union Jack flag in honour of the all-British bout.

And instead of the classic green-strapped WBC belt, the Union Belt has a sleek white strap that will be wrapped around the waist of either Fury or Whyte.

A WBC statement confirmed the new strap several weeks ago, saying: “The World Boxing Council proudly announces the Union Belt.

“This unique belt will be presented as a special trophy to the winner of the highly anticipated fight between WBC Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury and WBC interim Heavyweight champion Dillian Whyte.

“The Union belt extols special elements to celebrate and commemorate the United Kingdom through boxing.”

Fury hasn’t fought in the UK since clashes in 2018 against Sefer Seferi in Manchester and Francesco Pianeta in Belfast.

All five of his fights since then have been Stateside, three of which were against American slugger Deontay Wilder.

The champ had claimed that he will retire with £150million in the bank from his career earnings after the bout – whichever way it finishes.

But his father John Fury has laughed off that claim today.

He suggested his son is just on the wind-up and would not know what to do without boxing.

Responding to the retirement talk, Fury Snr said: “Bulls***. Tyson is as mad as a box of frogs, where’s he gonna go without boxing?

“Boxing’s his life… Tyson’s the biggest wind-up merchant in the world, people should know him by now.”

WBC shows off new ‘Union Belt’ set to be awarded to winner of Tyson Fury’s all-British showdown with rival Dillian Whyte (thesun.co.uk)

MIKE TYSON warned UFC superstar Conor McGregor it will be hard to “stay ready” with his current lavish lifestyle.

Boxing great Tyson suggested his lucrative fights worth up to $40million (£30.7m) could make life so difficult for McGregor that he may even lack motivation to “get out of bed”.

The Notorious is known for enjoying a life of luxury and was recently named by Forbes as the highest earning sportsperson for 2021 as he works his way back to the octagon from injury.

However, the Irish star’s recent track record hasn’t been as sparkling as his lifestyle as he has lost three of his last four fights.

Tyson said on his HotBoxin’ podcast: “It’s hard to stay ready with that lifestyle. Have you ever had a $40m fight, then talk to me later.

“When you got a $40m fight and the week after you have that money, and they are telling you that you have to fight in six weeks it becomes harder to get out of bed.

“You end up saying ‘ how much money is it? Give me $5m more’.”

McGregor has been sidelined since July when he broke his leg in a shocking conclusion to his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.

Fellow UFC great Georges St-Pierre also had similar warnings for the 33-year-old’s focus on riches.

St-Pierre said: ” Conor McGregor, now his stock is going down.

“He was very high in the beginning and I’m talking about in terms of, not in terms of money or promotion, in terms of status and in the rankings. Now he’s going down, his stock is going down.

“There’s been a few fights that it’s going down a little bit. There is a possibility that he might come back up but I think now things do not go well for him. You need to change some of his lifestyle.”

Mike Tyson warns Conor McGregor $40m fights could make UFC star ‘struggle to get out of bed’ and destroy his motivation (thesun.co.uk)

EBANIE BRIDGES has hit out at “haters” who doubted her boxing skills because of her good looks.

The Blonde Bomber, 35, became the IBF bantamweight world champion by beating Maria Roman in Leeds last month.

On Monday Bridges posted a Twitter clip of her unloading on Roman in the ring, leading one fan to reveal he was “completely wrong” about her ability.

In response Bridges tweeted: “You musta been distracted by my boobs and couldn’t see the skill.

“Don’t worry your not alone, lots of haters out there can’t get past the boobs… Glad you can see you was wrong.”

Bridges is one of the biggest figures in women’s boxing but her glamourous side and weigh-in antics – often dressing in lingerie before fights – means the Australian’s ability gets overlooked.

And she is clearly fed up at not being taken seriously having hit out at the doubters after defeating Roman, who had held the world title since 2017.

Bridges told DAZN immediately after the fight: “Can I f***ing fight or not? F*** you guys who think I can’t fight.

“I can f***ing fight. I can box, I can fight, and I can look hot on the scales so hopefully, I’ve proved a lot of doubters wrong.

“I feel proud of myself, and I feel extremely happy because it means everything I have sacrificed and all the work I’ve done has been worth it.

Bridges’ record shows she certainly can fight having won eight fights and lost just one since turning professional in 2019.

The fighter only took up boxing in 2016 having worked as a ring girl previously, so it has been quite a rise to becoming world champion.

A lot of haters write off my boxing skills because they can’t see past my boobs, says new world champ Ebanie Bridges (thesun.co.uk)

GENNADY GOLOVKIN will get knocked out by Canelo Alvarez, according to Tim Bradley who was unimpressed by Triple G’s win over Ryota Murata.

The 40-year-old veteran returned to the ring for the IBF & WBA middleweight unification match in Saitama, Japan – earning a ninth round stoppage over his opponent.

But, the Kazakhstan-born fighter appeared lethargic in the first four rounds as he laboured to victory.

Golovkin could face the Mexican on September 17, if Canelo overcomes WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol on May 7th.

But American Bradley believes he would be easy pickings for the 31-year-old.

The 38-year-old told Fighthype: “He’s going to mop up Golovkin.

“I thought Golovkin looked terrible at the beginning and then closed strong at the end, which is good.

“It showed that he has great conditioning. He’s still able to fight. He still has some power, yeah.

“Punch placement, and I saw some good lateral movement from him. But Canelo is on another level, man, for Golovkin.”

When quizzed if going up to 168 pounds to face Canelo may benefit him, Bradley said: “That’s going to slow him down, I think that’s honestly going to slow him down.”

Bradley added: “It’s a different animal. It’s his [GGG] first fight at 168 pounds.

Canelo has fought at that weight and 175. Come on, dog. So, I see him [Canelo] beating him [Golovkin] and stopping him late.”

Bradley already believes Canelo will have a game-plan to defeat his foe.

“You saw it early on in his fight against Murata, Murata was going down to the body and pushing him back,” he said.

“That’s what Canelo is going to do. He’s going to press forward [against Golovkin].

“He’s a little more slippier than, a lot more slippier than Murata and he’s going to be landing his kill shots over the top, right hands, left hooks, whatever. He’s going to set him up.

“I think conditioning-wise, Canelo is at his peak right now, he’s fighting at his peak.

“I see him stopping him [Golovkin], bro, and if he doesn’t stop him, he’s going to hurt him really badly in the later rounds for sure.”

Gennady Golovkin ‘looked awful’ vs Ryota Murata and would get brutally KO’d in Canelo trilogy, says former champ Bradley (thesun.co.uk)