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Tag: Anthony Joshua

  • British boxer Anthony Joshua involved in fatal accident in Nigeria, 2 dead

    British boxer Anthony Joshua involved in fatal accident in Nigeria, 2 dead

    Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been injured in a car crash along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, north-east of Lagos.

    According to officials five people were involved in the crash, but two died, while Joshua, the British boxer, was rescued alive with minor injuries, and two others were unhurt.

    Matchroom Boxing confirmed that two other men who died in the crash, who were Anthony Joshua’s friends and team members, Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele, his promoter.

    It also confirmed that Joshua was taken to hospital for “checks and treatment” and is in a “stable condition and will remain there for observation”.

    Meanwhile, Eddie Hearn, chairman of Anthony Joshua’s promoter company Matchroom, has paid tribute to Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.

    “With the heaviest of hearts,” he posted on Instagram.

    “Two great men. Rest in eternal peace Sina and Latz. My thoughts and deepest prayers are with everyone.”

    In the same vein, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu says he has spoken to Anthony Joshua to convey his condolences over the death of his two friends in a car crash near Lagos.

    “I wished him a full and speedy recovery, and prayed with him. AJ assured me he is receiving the best possible care,” Tinubu posted on social media.

    “I also spoke with his mother and prayed for her. She was deeply appreciative of the call,” he added.

    The BBC has said that the late Latif “Latz” Ayodele was Joshua’s personal trainer.

    Adding that his passion for the gym is clear on his social media pages, as is his dedication to Islam.

    “Finding Islam in 2012 has been my biggest blessing,” he wrote in a pinned post from 2020.

    The late Sina Ghami on the other hand was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach for more than 10 years.

    He also co-founded Evolve Gym in London, which says on its website that Ghami was a qualified sports and exercise rehabilitator who specialises in musculoskeletal injuries and corrective exercise.

    Sina Ghami had worked with athletes in the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA) and Michigan State University football team.

    A long-discussed bout between Anthony Joshua and fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury had been floated for 2026.

    Although the two boxers have never faced each other in a professional contest despite years of public interest and stalled talks, fresh hope had emerged that the blockbuster fight could take place late next year.

    Joshua reignited the conversation earlier this month after defeating Jake Paul, publicly challenging Fury to step into the ring with him.

    “Come and fight one of the ‘realest’ fighters out there. Step in there with me next if you’re a really bad boy,” Joshua said.

    Fury, meanwhile, has not returned to the ring since losing to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024.

  • Anthony Joshua suspended after brutal knockout bout with Daniel Dubois

    Anthony Joshua has received a temporary suspension from boxing following his recent knockout loss to Daniel Dubois last week. The fighter from Watford was defeated in the fifth round during a match at Wembley, where 96,000 spectators witnessed the event.

    Dubois successfully defended his IBF heavyweight title with an impressive performance, knocking Joshua down four times throughout the bout.

    According to established protocols, Joshua must refrain from boxing for 28 days, a rule enforced by the British Board of Control.

    The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports states that medical suspensions are standard for athletes who have experienced knockout (KO) or technical knockout (TKO) losses.

    This brief suspension is not expected to significantly impact Joshua’s career, especially since he has not yet named his next opponent and has expressed his intention to continue competing in the sport.

    Following his defeat by Dubois, the two-time champion said: ‘And you’re probably asking, “Do I want to continue fighting?” Of course I want to continue fighting

    ‘That’s why I said we took a shot at success and we came up short. And what does that mean right now?

    ‘Are we going to run away? Are we going to live to fight another day? And that’s what I am. A warrior’.

    Joshua also praised Dubois, saying: ‘We have to give credit to my opponent Daniel.

    ‘When I sign up to fight opponents, I don’t really like them in my head anymore, but now it’s done, I take my hat off to him and say well done to him and his team.’

    In a recent interview conducted in the ring on Saturday night, Eddie Hearn mentioned that Joshua has a rematch clause allowing him to challenge Dubois once more.

  • Video: Anthony Joshua brutally defeated by Daniel Dubois in the IBF title match

    Video: Anthony Joshua brutally defeated by Daniel Dubois in the IBF title match

    British boxer Daniel Dubois delivered a stunning performance, defeating fellow countryman Anthony Joshua in the fifth round of their IBF heavyweight title fight on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

    Dubois dominated from the outset, knocking down the two-time world champion three times to claim the IBF heavyweight crown.

    In the first round, a powerful right hand sent Joshua to the canvas just before the bell.

    Joshua never fully recovered, struggling through the remaining rounds.

    The second round saw Dubois take full control, overwhelming Joshua, who was unable to handle the relentless pressure.

    In the third round, Dubois landed a sharp left jab that left Joshua staggering.

    A follow-up barrage sent him down again. Although Joshua seemed to find some rhythm in the fifth round, Dubois landed a decisive right hook, sealing the victory.

    The fight drew an astonishing 96,000 fans to Wembley Stadium, setting one of the largest crowds ever for a sporting event in the UK.

  • Anthony Joshua shares harrowing experience with pain for 2 years

    Anthony Joshua shares harrowing experience with pain for 2 years

    Anthony Joshua, the 34-year-old British heavyweight boxer, has opened up about the immense pain and hardship he’s endured over the past two years.

    As he prepares to face Daniel Dubois for the IBF belt at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Joshua reflected on his journey back to contention.

    “I’ve worked hard and been through a lot of pain, and I’ve worked hard to get better,” Joshua told BBC Sport. His emotional vulnerability stems from consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2022, which left him in tears.

    Joshua has since rebuilt and worked his way back to mandatory challenger position, boasting a four-fight winning streak, including a brutal knockout of Francis Ngannou. “I think I’m gifted with an ability to fight and compete,” Joshua said. “In boxing, you’re able to read certain tendencies, you’re able to read your opponent, so I can always have an eye for that.”

    Joshua acknowledges that his skills have improved significantly over the past eight to 10 months. “But there’s a supreme level that you can take it to. And it’s happened over the past eight or 10 months. I’ve really honed in on those skills.” This newfound confidence will be crucial as he faces the hard-hitting Dubois.

    The highly anticipated fight against Dubois presents an opportunity for Joshua to join boxing legends Muhammad Ali, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, and Vitali Klitschko as a three-time world champion. A potential showdown with Tyson Fury looms on the horizon, but Joshua remains focused on the task at hand.

    “He [Dubois] is a good fighter, a brilliant fighter,” Joshua said. “Everyone speaks highly of him. I think they underestimate me as well, so I will go out there and prove how good I am.”

    The stage is set for an epic clash at Wembley Stadium, with a record-breaking 96,000 fans expected to attend. Joshua’s resilience and determination will be put to the test as he bids to reclaim his spot among the heavyweight elite.

  • Francis Ngannou floored by Anthony Joshua in just two rounds

    Francis Ngannou floored by Anthony Joshua in just two rounds

    Anthony Joshua defeated Francis Ngannou in two rounds, knocking out the Cameroonian hero with a powerful right hand that sent him crashing to the canvas.

    Ngannou was knocked down three times, all from right hands, before the fight was stopped at 2:38 of the second round.

    Joshua, aiming to reclaim his spot in the heavyweight title picture, expressed his desire to face the winner of the upcoming unified heavyweight title clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

    The fight began with Joshua looking composed and fluid, while Ngannou, known for his wide-armed defense, aggressively entered the fray. Joshua was caught circling to his left early in the fight and absorbed a heavy right hand on his glove with his left hand held high.

    Despite Ngannou switching to a southpaw stance early on, Joshua capitalized on the opening and landed a long right hand, sending Ngannou to the canvas for the first time.

    Although Ngannou managed to get back up, he appeared flustered. In the second round, Joshua continued to dominate, knocking Ngannou down once again with a right hand.

    Ngannou got up but was visibly shaken. Joshua seized the moment and unleashed a massive overhand right, knocking Ngannou out cold.

    The referee immediately waved off the fight as Ngannou lay flat on his back.

    After the fight, Joshua urged Ngannou to continue his boxing career, but it was clear that Ngannou was still reeling from the devastating loss.

    Joshua’s victory adds another dramatic knockout to his resume, solidifying his status as a top contender in the heavyweight division.

    “He can come again,” Joshua said. “I told him he shouldn’t leave boxing. He can do well. He’s fought two of the best and he can go a long way if he stays dedicated. It’s up to him.”

    Joshua has won four in a row since back-to-back defeats by Usyk, having overcome Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and now Ngannou.

  • Highlights: See how Anthony Joshua ‘demolished’ Francis Ngannou just in the second round

    Highlights: See how Anthony Joshua ‘demolished’ Francis Ngannou just in the second round

    British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua secured another knockout victory in his recent fight.

    Joshua defeated Cameroonian opponent Francis Ngannou in the second round of their 10-round heavyweight main event match held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

    The knockout occurred in the early hours of March 8, 2024, when Ngannou failed to rise after being knocked down for the second time.

    Anthony Joshua’s fight record now boasts 28 wins and 3 losses, with 25 of those victories achieved by knockout.

    This defeat marks Ngannou’s second loss in as many fights.

  • Fighting Francis Ngannou may prove Anthony Joshua is UK’s best heavyweight

    Fighting Francis Ngannou may prove Anthony Joshua is UK’s best heavyweight

    Anthony Joshua is set on establishing himself as the top heavyweight in the UK as he prepares to take on Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

    Coming off a recent knockout victory against Otto Wallin, Joshua is gearing up for the showdown with the 37-year-old Ngannou, who controversially lost a split decision to WBC champion Tyson Fury in October.

    Initially heading towards a potential bout with Deontay Wilder, plans changed after Wilder’s surprising defeat to Joseph Parker.

    Now, Joshua is enthusiastic about the opportunity to face former UFC heavyweight star Ngannou and solidify his position as the leading heavyweight in the UK.

    Speaking at the launch press conference in London, the two-time champ said: “I’ve seen people like him many times before. It’s just his mind I will have to conquer in the ring.

    “You have to take someone’s soul and their spirit — and I’m looking forward to the challenge.

    “It’s going to be good. It’s going to be explosive, there’s many ways to skin a cat.

    “I can counterpunch, he can counterpunch. We can both box, as he’s proven. We can both trade and it’s going to be a good, good fight.

    “Shout out to my promoter and my team for getting me in this position to showcase why I’m the top heavyweight in the UK.

    “I’m not really too concerned about the world. I’m trying to conquer where I live and make everyone know I’m the one who puts boxing on the map.”

    Ngannou was also in high spirits and claimed he will put Joshua’s defences to the test.

    He said: “I have the tools and it starts against AJ. I’m going to look for his chin. “In a fight you try to hit them in the chin, I’ve heard he doesn’t have a chin but we’re going to find out.”

    Anthony Joshua’s upcoming fight against Francis Ngannou is set to be the main attraction of an exciting card in Riyadh. The event will also feature a significant heavyweight clash between Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang for the WBO’s interim belt.

    Promoter Eddie Hearn is optimistic that Joshua will emerge victorious, positioning himself for a potential showdown with either Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk. Fury and Usyk are scheduled to face each other, putting all four major heavyweight titles on the line in their upcoming bout.

    Hearn said: “I truly believe he will finish his career as undisputed heavyweight champion.”

  • Joshua defends heavyweight title as he dismantles Wallin

    Joshua defends heavyweight title as he dismantles Wallin

    Anthony Joshua showcased his determination to secure a third world heavyweight championship by convincingly defeating Otto Wallin.

    The 34-year-old former unified title-holder dominated the early rounds against Wallin, who previously went the distance with Tyson Fury in September 2019.

    In the initial four rounds, Joshua skillfully controlled the bout, inflicting damage to Wallin’s face. The momentum escalated in the fifth round when a powerful left hook from Joshua staggered his opponent, forcing Wallin into survival mode until the round’s conclusion. Recognizing the severity of the situation, Wallin’s corner decided to wave off the fight, ending it with their fighter remaining on his stool.

    After recording his third win of 2023, Joshua said: “Otto is a true warrior. The corner play a huge role so their fighter can live to fight another day. 

    “I’m a gifted fighter and I use my gift. I’m searching for greatness and [trainer] Ben Davison is a great addition to my goal. I’m sure you can see that today.

    “We don’t celebrate when we win these fights, we celebrate when we win titles.

    “Not so much a throwback fight, just another day in the office. Victory by any means. 

    “You want to do whatever it takes to be victorious. That’s all I want to be.”

    Promoter Eddie Hearn added: “This Anthony Joshua is the best heavyweight in the world. With this mindset he is unbeatable.

    “That was a punch-perfect performance against an excellent heavyweight — 2024 is going to be a massive year for him.”

    Leading up to the event in Riyadh, much anticipation surrounded the possibility of a face-off between Joshua and former WBC champion Deontay Wilder. However, Wilder’s defeat and subpar performance against Joseph Parker earlier in the night shifted the narrative.

    Despite the history of verbal sparring between Joshua and Wilder, AJ chose not to criticize his counterpart. Instead, he refrained from making negative remarks about Wilder’s performance, displaying a level of sportsmanship and restraint in acknowledging the challenges and outcomes of the night’s events.

    He said: “I heard that Deontay lost. So what? He’ll be back. 

    “Everything he said about me, I could rip him apart but I’m going to take the higher ground.

    “He can come back. I’m sure everyone still wants to see that fight.”

    Hearn added: “We signed for Wilder, he lost tonight, that’s OK. It happens in boxing. Maybe it’s a blessing because this guy is about championships.”

  • “I’m not here to party and get caught up in the glitz and glamour” – Anthony Joshua ahead of fight with Otto Wallin 

    “I’m not here to party and get caught up in the glitz and glamour” – Anthony Joshua ahead of fight with Otto Wallin 

    Anthony Joshua is prioritizing defeating Otto Wallin above all else in preparation for their Saturday bout in Riyadh.

    While a victory could potentially set up a much-anticipated fight against Deontay Wilder, who is facing Joseph Parker in the co-main event, Joshua is emphasizing concentrating on his performance rather than getting caught up in the “glitz and glamour” surrounding potential future matchups.

    He said: “I’m here to fight.

    “Of course I’m tense because I want to perform, I want to win. I’ve got that urge to win and I want to hurt my opponent as well.

    “I’m not here to party and get caught up in the glitz and glamour.”

    Anthony Joshua’s demeanor has been a focal point in the lead-up to the showdown with Otto Wallin. While the former world champion attributes the absence of his usual bravado to concentration, Wallin, his confident opponent, remains skeptical about the explanation.

    Wallin said: “From what I see, he seems very stiff and tense. 

    “Maybe he’s fed up with all this stuff.

    “It won’t be an upset [if I win]. Stop calling it an upset.”

    Organizers are hopeful that both Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder successfully navigate their respective challenges, paving the way for a potential head-to-head battle between the two in the future. Despite recent comments from Wilder questioning Joshua’s “heart” to face him, there have also been indications of mutual respect between the fighters.

    He told the BBC: “I don’t want to say he’s 100% afraid, but I think he’s 75%.

    “We’ll see what happens. The future is bright and we are further [in talks] than we’ve ever been in history. I can say that with certainty. 

    “Money hasn’t been the issue. It comes with [Joshua] not having the heart, the will, the courage to step in the ring.”

  • DuBoef tips Fury and AJ for ‘biggest heavyweight match in the world’

    DuBoef tips Fury and AJ for ‘biggest heavyweight match in the world’

    Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua’s long-awaited bout could finally come this year and would be the “biggest heavyweight match in the world”.

    That was the message on Wednesday from Top Rank president Todd DuBoef, a key member of Fury’s United States promotional team, who wants to see the all-British clash in 2023.

    Joshua faces Jermaine Franklin on Saturday night at the O2 Arena in London, though speculation continues to swirl the former could face Fury after his undisputed bout with Oleksandr Usyk fell through.

    And DuBoef has suggested the former two-time unified world champ would deserve a headline fight if he defeats Franklin.

    He told Sky Sports: “I’ve always said that that is the fight.

    “Both of them have great brands, huge fanbases, and fortunately both of them come from the UK, so it’s wonderful that your country has been able to produce these incredible prizefighters.

    “That fight is always there, and, to me, is the biggest heavyweight match in the world, because of the personalities and the stories.”

    Both camps have pointed the finger at each other after an April 29 meeting at Wembley between Fury and Usyk failed to come to fruition.

    DuBoef added: “The frustration is for all of us. All of us are frustrated, right?

    “And I think timing has been an issue with trying to make this fight happen. I’m not going to say never, but I think we all want to see this unification and we all have hope.

    “But there was a timeline that was set up, and it just got ahead of everybody and it became very tight.

    “Fortunately, there’s always hope and an opportunity because I think both fighters really know that this is what the sport wants, and what they want.”

    While holding out hopes over the mouthwatering fight between Fury and Usyk, DuBoef claims his client could even face both the Ukrainian and Joshua before the end of the year.

    He said: “That’s the way we move. We move with immediacy, and we move trying to figure out and get rationality to a situation.

    “I think we’ve always wanted this fight for Fury and Joshua, and we’ve wanted to see Fury and Usyk, and Tyson has wanted that, and the Warrens, and we’ve worked hard in getting this done.

    “I would love to see, and you’ve just laid out a great 2023 for the Fury side, if we could do Usyk and Joshua this year, it would be fantastic.”

  • I will retire if I lose to Franklin

    I will retire if I lose to Franklin

    Anthony Joshua will retire from boxing if he loses to Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.

    Former WBO world champion Johnny Nelson had suggested Joshua should call time on his career if he loses for the fourth time, having already been defeated by Andy Ruiz Jr. and Oleksandr Usyk (twice).

    And the 33-year-old confirmed he does intend to hang up his gloves if he is beaten by his American opponent at the O2 Arena in London.

    “I will. I will retire if I lose. I’m not here to battle people. If people want me to retire I will retire,” Joshua said to MailOnline.

    “I’m not going to fight if people don’t want me too. It’s not even about the money. It’s about the competitor in you. That’s what’s important.”

    Joshua said he would like to face Tyson Fury if the Gypsy King is unable to revive negotiations on a unification fight with Usyk, but also sounded as if he is looking forward to retirement and getting away from the pressure of elite boxing.

    “It [pressure] comes with the business and it comes with the territory, I know that,” he said. “I know when I am retired, I am gonna be chilling. I’m gonna be thinking f*** everyone. I am done.

    “You lot put so much pressure on me so when I am done, the chains are going to be gone. I am going to be laughing and loving life.”

  • Joshua unwilling to encounter Fury after Usyk collapsed fight

    Joshua unwilling to encounter Fury after Usyk collapsed fight

    Tyson Fury’s scheduled fight with Oleksandr Usyk was canceled, and Anthony Joshua will not “sit around and wait” to approach him.

    The negotiations between Usyk and Fury for a heavyweight unification match at Wembley on April 29 have broken down, Usyk’s camp said on Wednesday.

    Eddie Hearn, Fury’s promoter, then disclosed that he was trying to restart talks with Joshua about a later this year all-British fight.

    Joshua, though, is not interested in further protracted conversations after failing to reach an agreement on bout terms twice before, most recently at the conclusion of last year.

    “I was supposed to fight him before I fought Usyk, the first time, and he pulled out due to his legal case, the arbitration, with [Deontay] Wilder,” Joshua said. 

    “Then we had the one for this December [when talks also broke down]. Will the fight with me and him get made? I don’t know. 

    “Look at all the s*** they are going through now with this Usyk stuff. It’s just crazy. I don’t publicise things, so it’s actually good that people are starting to see what goes on.

    “It’s good that people can actually see the s*** that people have got to put up with to make a fight. But Me and Usyk got two successful fights done.”

    Joshua added: “I cannot say I am just going to sit around and wait for this geezer [Fury]. There are other great fights out there I can have. 

    “Without Fury on my record I will not wake up tomorrow and regret my whole boxing career. If he is on it, I am on it, if he is not, he is not. Whatever.”

    Joshua is scheduled to meet Jermaine Franklin in London on April 1 as he looks to respond to back-to-back losses to Usyk.

  • Joshua fights Franklin on April 1 in London

    Joshua fights Franklin on April 1 in London

    The O2 in London has been confirmed as the venue for Anthony Joshua’s upcoming match against Jermaine Franklin on April 1.

    Joshua, a two-time heavyweight world champion, will look to rebound from back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk by defeating Franklin in his own country.

    By defeating the Briton in September 2021, Usyk won the WBA, IBF, and WBO championships. He then successfully defended them in Jeddah in August of last year.

    Franklin’s lone loss in 22 professional fights came at the hands of Dillian White in his last contest, which took place in November of last year.

    Joshua is eager to impress his new head trainer Derrick James in what will be his first fight at The O2 since 2016.

    “I’m looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London,” said the 33-year-old Joshua. “Mentally and physically I feel ready.

    “I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards. Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights.”

    Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, said last week that he anticipates the 2012 Olympic champion to make a statement when he takes on Franklin but that if he loses once more, “we’ve got a serious problem.”

    Joshua will suffer further suffering in his native country, Franklin forewarned.

    “I’m ready to show the world why it’s time for me to take my place at the top of the heavyweight division,” said Franklin.

    “Joshua had his time. It’s my time to shock the world. This fight isn’t going to the judge’s card. I will have win number 22 come April 1. That ain’t no April Fool’s joke.”

  • Fury announces Chisora trilogy in December after AJ talks fall through

    Tyson Fury will press ahead with a trilogy fight with old foe Derek Chisora on December 3 after the collapse of negotiations for a prospective domestic showdown with Anthony Joshua earlier this month.

    The bout against Chisora, who Fury previously beat in 2011 and 2014, will take place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and represent 34-year-old Fury’s first fight since a routine sixth-round stoppage of another domestic rival, Dillian Whyte, in April.

    Fury’s promoter Frank Warren said: “I am thrilled to be delivering a Tyson Fury world title defence in front of the British fans in London.

    “Tyson clearly conquered America across his trilogy with Deontay Wilder and there is also huge demand to stage his fights from sites across the world.

    “Tyson wanted to fight in his home country again this year following his special night at Wembley Stadium in April. This brings us to the magnificent Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a match against an old rival in Derek Chisora.

    “Derek, also a big favourite with British fans, has reinvented himself in recent years and Tyson has long stated his wish to fight him for a third time.”

    Warren reiterated Fury’s plan to take on Joshua’s conqueror Oleksandr Usyk in a unification fight in the first part of next year.

    The Ukrainian previously indicated he had no desire to fight before the new year.

    Warren added: “Tyson can’t afford any slip-up in this fight as he has the much-publicised undisputed match-up with Usyk in the new year which we’re really looking forward to.”

    Daniel Dubois will make the first defence of his version of the WBA title against Kevin Lerena on the undercard.

    Source: Livescore

  • Fury promises ‘war’ against Chisora with jibes to Usyk and Joshua

    Tyson Fury praised Derek Chisora for accepting a December 3 fight, aiming a not-so-subtle dig towards Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua.

    The two heavyweights will go toe-to-toe at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with Fury’s WBC belt on the line, after the Gypsy King was unable to secure an agreement to fight either Usyk or Joshua.

    That led to disappointment among fans, with the initial reception for a trilogy bout against Chisora not a positive one, but Fury always intended to fight before the end of the year and says his opponent has “balls” which others in the division lack.

    “You’ve got the so-called guys in the division, the ‘top guys’, we offer them fights but there’s no smoke. You offer it to Chisora, boom, he’s sat here opposite me,” Fury said in Thursday’s press conference.

    “The man has got balls. In today’s society, in this boxing game, there’s a lack of balls. You know who you are, these people who don’t want smoke.

    “With Chisora, he does what it says on the tin, he goes to war. We’re going to get a war. I did outbox him comfortably the second time, but his style has changed and so has mine.

    “When you’ve got two heavy forces colliding with two heavy bombs, someone is getting knocked out. If he lands a big punch on me, I’m getting knocked out. If I land a big swing on him, he’s getting knocked out.

    “The fans are going to win, 100 per cent. I promised Chisora for years that we would have a third fight. We’re going to put on a hell of a fight.”

    Promoter Frank Warren has outlined Fury’s future in the ring beyond the trilogy bout against Chisora, with a proposed unification bout against Usyk still planned for the first quarter of next year.

    “If Tyson comes through December 3, he’s going to fight Oleksandr Usyk and after that he may wind up fighting Joe Joyce,” Warren told TalkSport.

    Source: Livescore

     

  • Warren reveals Fury set for Chisora bout following breakdown in AJ talks

    Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren revealed the Gypsy King is set to face Derek Chisora for a third time in December after talks over a bout with Anthony Joshua broke down.

    Fury U-turned on a decision to retire following April’s win over Dillian Whyte and appeared set to meet Joshua after offering him the chance for a WBC heavyweight championship fight last month.

    Warren said that fight was “90 per cent” finalised in mid-September, but talks have since broken down, with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn declaring he would not “play a game” with Fury last week.

    With Oleksandr Usyk prepared to wait until 2023 for his next fight, Fury now appears set for a trilogy bout with Chisora, whom he defeated in July 2011 and November 2014.

    Asked about the breakdown in talks with Joshua’s camp, Warren told iFL TV: “Obviously that caused a big problem, it went on for three or four weeks and we’ve been struggling to get an opponent.

    “We’ve got the highest-ranked opponent now, which is Derek Chisora. That’s where we’ll be going and that will be on December 3.

    “What it’s all about is, Tyson will have had one fight in one year, and we were expecting the fight in December would be Usyk, but Usyk wasn’t available.

    “Now that looks like – I hope – going on at some time in February, so Tyson wants a fight before then and wants to get out, that’s where we’re at. If he fights Chisora and comes through that, then he’s got the big one.

    “Tyson’s head and shoulders above them all anyway. Derek might give him more of a fight than Anthony Joshua – I’m not being disrespectful, I just think he [AJ] is more vulnerable.”

    While the fight is yet to be formally agreed, Fury has long desired another meeting with Chisora, saying in August: “I’d always said I’d fight Derek Chisora at the end of my career, and here we are, breaking all records again, setting precedents.”


    Source: Livescore

  • Deontay Wilder wants to fight Anthony Joshua in Africa

    Deontay Wilder believes a bout with Anthony Joshua is still “the number one fight in the world” as he prepares to make his return to action on Saturday.

    Wilder, 36, last fought a year ago and faces Robert Helenius in New York on his comeback.

    The heavyweight’s goal is to become world champion again, but Wilder also has big plans for a bout against Britain’s Joshua.

    “I would love to do that fight in Africa,” he told BBC Sport.

    “It’s still the number one fight in the world for everyone. Everywhere I go, people always talk about me versus Joshua.”

    There have been several classic heavyweight encounters in Africa, including Muhammad Ali’s fight with George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974.

    “We both have roots from there,” Wilder explained.

    “I think it would be an amazing place to have it, to go back home. To go back to the motherland. A continent full of our people. I can just see that being an amazing fight, win, lose or draw.

    “I think we’ll get the respect and love from all the people over there.”

    Joshua too ‘cautious’ – Wilder

    Wilder seriously considered retirement after suffering successive stoppage defeats to Tyson Fury, but now says he plans to fight for another three years.

    Joshua and Wilder were previously in talks about an undisputed fight in 2019 and 2020 when both men were still world champions.

    Wilder held the WBC title while Joshua was the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF champion.

    Joshua recently failed to reach terms with WBC champion Fury, but Wilder is confident a deal could be struck.

    He said: “We’re serious and we just need them to be serious as well. We tried to make the fight and it didn’t happen. It’s a new day and time. All things are possible.”

    Joshua, the two-time world champion, will also soon be on the comeback trail after suffering successive defeats to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.

    Wilder believes the fights with Usyk, particularly the rematch in August, showed Joshua has a “stamina” problem.

    “I just felt he was very cautious,” Wilder said of the Watford-born fighter.

    “For me it looks like he has a real serious stamina problem. I feel like he didn’t want to exchange a lot because of that.

    “It allowed him to fall back a little bit and not allow him to throw certain punches and combinations. I think if he fixed that you would see a better Joshua, not just in that fight but fights to come.

    “I know if he’s able to get everything together, stamina and all that, I think you’ll see a different Anthony Joshua.”

    Source: BBC

  • Warren claims Team Fury have ‘bent over backwards’ for Joshua fight

    Tyson Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren has accused Anthony Joshua’s camp of radio silence, stating they have “bent over backwards” in pursuit of an agreement.

    The saga surrounding the ‘Battle of Britain’ bout on December 3 rumbles on without an apparent conclusion, after Fury issued his rival a deadline of Monday to sign a contract before he walked away.

    Joshua failed to do that, leading Fury to close the door on a bout, but he handed an olive branch to his compatriot once again on Thursday, though made it clear a verdict would need to be reached before the end of the day.

    On AJ’s side, Eddie Hearn has said he was ‘baffled’ by Fury’s behaviour and dubbed the deadlines as ‘unrealistic’ but Fury’s camp have a contrasting view, claiming they are not getting any responses.

    “We’ve done all that’s necessary with BT, ESPN and DAZN. They’re all happy. We gave them a contract. They’ve had it for two weeks and it hasn’t come back yet,” he told TalkSport.

    “Ticketing and the venue is ready to go. We’ve agreed transparency with them. Everything in the pot. Everything they needed, co-promotion, the lot – we’ve bent over backwards. We’ve not had anything back.

    “I had a bet with Tyson that we’d get it done in the next few days. He said ‘no, Joshua doesn’t want the fight’. I’ve lost the bet. Joshua said he wanted the fight, so let’s get it done. I don’t understand this.”

    Fury has consistently made it clear he will fight in December regardless of the opponent, having stepped back into contention after announcing his retirement after defeating Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April.

    If a fight against Joshua does not materialise, Mahmoud Charr stands as the most likely opponent for Fury after he took to social media on Thursday to verbally accept a proposal to face the German.

    “Mahmoud Charr, it seems now that AJ is finally out, he’s ducked his way out, coward, and you’re the man who wants to fight, so I like that,” he said on an Instagram video.

    “I like the fact you’re very vocal and you’re calling for a fight like a man should do. Any man who wants to fight a man should call him out as you’ve been doing to me. So I accept your challenge Mahmoud Charr, let’s get it on.”

    Source:livescore

  • Arum claims Hearn is to blame for Fury-AJ fight breakdown

    The breakdown of an all-British heavyweight clash between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is down to the former’s promoter Eddie Hearn, claims Bob Arum.

    A bout between the two – both world champions at varying points in their career – looked to be on the rocks last week after Fury repeatedly issued deadlines to sign a contract for a December 3 date.

    Earlier this week, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn admitted the fight looked dead in the water for now after negotiations collapsed.

    And Fury’s promoter Arum claims it was his opposite number who is to blame for the turn of events, claiming he “sabotaged” any potential deal.

    “He wanted to kill it because even as late as [Monday], if he’d have said let’s all get together and sit in a room and get everything finalised, it could have been done in a couple of hours,” Arum told Sky Sports.

    “He didn’t want the fight to happen from the get-go, so he slow-played it.

    “I’ve been in this business almost 60 years, so I can tell when somebody doesn’t want something to happen and then slow-plays a negotiation.

    “I knew that Eddie would find a way to sabotage the fight. He has nothing left really in his stable and he is clinging to AJ as his only potential attraction.”

    Fury’s consistent public demands for an agreement have seen him criticised for apparently attempting to backtrack out of any fight, but Arum refutes any suggestion he is to blame.

    “Tyson Fury is Tyson Fury,” Arum added.

    “He hasn’t been trained in law school so he wants a fight, if he’s imposing deadlines which aren’t really deadlines because he’s sending a message, get off your asses and get this thing done.

    “It was clear that was the case. So, nobody should be blamed for this fight not happening, not Tyson, not AJ, not anybody else other than Eddie Hearn.”

    Source: Livescore

  • Hearn unwilling to ‘play a game’ over Fury-Joshua bout

    Eddie Hearn says Anthony Joshua’s proposed fight with Tyson Fury will not go ahead as things stand, insisting he will not “play a game” with the WBC heavyweight champion.

    Fury initially offered Joshua the chance of a December bout last month, with Hearn subsequently revealing positive talks had been held with the Gypsy King’s team.

    However, Fury then set Joshua’s representatives a deadline of September 26 to get the fight signed off, and declared discussions were “officially over” when that was not met.

    Last week, Hearn told Sky Sports he was “baffled” by Fury’s antics, adding: “we’ll see what happens from here”.

    Hearn now appears convinced the fight will not take place, and has hit out at Fury for repeatedly insulting Joshua on social media.

    “As far as we’re concerned, the fight’s off. We’re happy to continue the discussions,” Hearn said in an interview with Matchroom Boxing.

    “In our mind, he’s not fighting Anthony Joshua. We’re more than happy to continue those conversations, but what we’ve been told is the deadline has passed, and so have the entire country.

    “We have sent the final version of the contract back, they’ve come back with points and we were told that the fight is off by the man himself.

    “They gave us terms, ultimately, and a date they thought we wouldn’t accept. We did accept that. We were ready to go.

    “If they were to sign the contract on Monday [September 26], they had a fight. We were asked to agree the deal by Monday, then we were asked to agree it by Wednesday.

    “We got the comments back on Wednesday. We were never going to sign the fight [then], and we were told the fight’s off.

    “It’s still there. It’s still open for discussion. But we’re not going to play a game with a bloke that’s just coming out telling AJ it’s off, and then that he’s a ‘dosser’, that he’s got to sign it, etc.

    “Have your fight if you fight someone else, and we’ll do our thing and we’ll see what happens.”

    Source: Livescore

  • Warren claims Team Fury have ‘bent over backwards’ for Joshua fight

    Tyson Fury’s co-promoter Frank Warren has accused Anthony Joshua’s camp of radio silence, stating they have “bent over backwards” in pursuit of an agreement.

    The saga surrounding the ‘Battle of Britain’ bout on December 3 rumbles on without an apparent conclusion, after Fury issued his rival a deadline of Monday to sign a contract before he walked away.

    Joshua failed to do that, leading Fury to close the door on a bout, but he handed an olive branch to his compatriot once again on Thursday, though made it clear a verdict would need to be reached before the end of the day.

    On AJ’s side, Eddie Hearn has said he was ‘baffled’ by Fury’s behaviour and dubbed the deadlines as ‘unrealistic’ but Fury’s camp have a contrasting view, claiming they are not getting any responses.

    “We’ve done all that’s necessary with BT, ESPN and DAZN. They’re all happy. We gave them a contract. They’ve had it for two weeks and it hasn’t come back yet,” he told TalkSport.

    “Ticketing and the venue is ready to go. We’ve agreed transparency with them. Everything in the pot. Everything they needed, co-promotion, the lot – we’ve bent over backwards. We’ve not had anything back.

    “I had a bet with Tyson that we’d get it done in the next few days. He said ‘no, Joshua doesn’t want the fight’. I’ve lost the bet. Joshua said he wanted the fight, so let’s get it done. I don’t understand this.”

    Fury has consistently made it clear he will fight in December regardless of the opponent, having stepped back into contention after announcing his retirement after defeating Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April.

    If a fight against Joshua does not materialise, Mahmoud Charr stands as the most likely opponent for Fury after he took to social media on Thursday to verbally accept a proposal to face the German.

    “Mahmoud Charr, it seems now that AJ is finally out, he’s ducked his way out, coward, and you’re the man who wants to fight, so I like that,” he said on an Instagram video.

    “I like the fact you’re very vocal and you’re calling for a fight like a man should do. Any man who wants to fight a man should call him out as you’ve been doing to me. So I accept your challenge Mahmoud Charr, let’s get it on.”

    Source: Livescore

  • Fury sets Joshua new deadline and warns ‘you cannot escape!’

    Tyson Fury has backtracked on his decision to rule out a December bout with Anthony Joshua after giving his rival until the end of Thursday to agree terms.

    WBC champion Fury opened the door for a ‘Battle of Britain’ with Joshua last month after it became clear a unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk would not occur this year.

    After weeks of talks between the fighters’ camps, however, Fury said on Monday any chance of the pair meeting was “officially over” after his self-imposed deadline was not met.

    But Fury set Joshua, who has lost three of his past five fights, a new deadline in his latest video message on social media that was directed at the two-time world champion.

    “My promoter Frank Warren convinced me to let Queensberry [Warren’s company] carry on negotiating with your team this week, despite me knowing you were never going to do this fight,” Fury said.

    “So the deadline was Monday. I allowed Frank to continue doing meetings with your team and your broadcasters and all that.”

    Fury said the broadcasters were “all on the same page”.

    “They are happy with everything, they are all ready to rock and roll,” he added.


    Source: Livescore

  • Hearn left ‘baffled’ as he slams Fury’s ‘unrealistic deadlines’ for Joshua

    Eddie Hearn has slammed Tyson Fury for his antics in the ongoing discussions for a bout against Anthony Joshua, saying he has been left “baffled by the situation”.

    Fury had initially set Joshua a deadline of Monday to sign the contract for a December 3 bout and said discussions were “officially over” after the paperwork was not received.

    However, the WBC heavyweight champion then backtracked on Thursday and issued his compatriot another deadline for the ‘Battle of Britain’ bout, giving him until the end of the day to agree terms.

    An imminent end to the saga seems unlikely, however, with Joshua’s promoter Hearn questioning why the Gypsy King was setting “unrealistic deadlines”.

    “I don’t want to get involved with back and forths that are going to negatively impact this fight being made, but to be honest, we are quite baffled by the situation,” he told Sky Sports.

    “Firstly, when we agreed terms for the fight, it took us over a week to receive a draft contract. We have not had that contract for 14 days.

    “Over the next week, we’ve worked tirelessly and had a number of meetings with Queensberry to get the contract in some kind of decent shape.

    “Last Monday, we sent our final draft of the contract to Queensberry, only to see that Fury had publicly pulled out of the fight and it was no longer on the table.

    “Yesterday we then received comments back from Queensberry on our final draft of the agreement, of which is now being reviewed.

    “I’m not sure why Fury keeps setting unrealistic deadlines whilst also offering the fight to a number of other heavyweights for the selected date.

    “If he is serious about the fight being made, I suggest he allows Matchroom and Queensberry to keep working hard to make the fight, of which everyone has been trying hard to do.

    “You can’t publicly keep pulling out of a fight and then restart negotiations when there has been so many positive conversations had. We’ll see what happens from here.”

    Source: Livescore

  • ‘D-Day has come and gone’ – Fury says Joshua fight ‘officially over’ after failing to meet deadline

    Tyson Fury says December’s proposed bout with Anthony Joshua is “officially over” due to the contract not being signed by Monday’s self-imposed deadline.

    WBC champion Fury opened the door for a ‘Battle of Britain’ with Joshua after it became clear a unification bout against Oleksandr Usyk would not occur this year.

    However, following drawn-out talks between the fighters’ camps, Fury declared last week that Joshua had until 17:00 BST on Monday to put pen to paper on the terms.

    That deadline came and went without any official confirmation, and Fury once again took to social media shortly after to declare the heavyweight fight will not be taking place.

    “It’s official. D-Day has come and gone,” he said in a video message on his Instagram account. “It’s gone past 5 o’clock Monday, no contract has been signed. It’s officially over.

    “Joshua is now out in the cold with the wolfpack. Forget about it. Idiot, coward, s***house, bodybuilder. Always knew you didn’t have the minerals to fight the Gypsy King.

    “Regardless of what you say now, I don’t really care. Good luck with your career and your life, end of.”

    Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said last week an initial contract offer sent by Fury’s camp was not acceptable, but the parties were “working positively” to reach an agreement.

    That led to Fury making his ultimatum to Joshua to sign the contract by Monday or forget about a fight that has been years in the making.

    In response, two-time world champion Joshua – who has lost three of his past five fights – said he fully intended to sign the deal, but it was currently with his legal team.

    Should Fury be true to his word, the 34-year-old could look to arrange a title defence against Mahmoud Charr in the same December slot ahead of facing Usyk next year.

    Source: Livescore

  • Joshua confirms intention to sign Fury contract

    Anthony Joshua has announced that he will sign the contract for a bout against Tyson Fury on December 3, 2022.

    The ‘Battle of Britain’ clash seemed to be at risk of a collapse after Fury issued a Monday deadline for an agreement to be signed but AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn ruled out such swift action.

    This raised concerns that the fiercely anticipated bout could fall through, as Fury threatened to walk away and fight someone else.

    Joshua’s comment calms such fears in a video posted on social media, expressing his intent to sign the agreement.

    “I’ve been signing contracts for years. It ain’t in my hands, it is with the legal team, that’s why you hire lawyers. You know the history of boxing, make sure you get your legal terms right,” he said.

    “That’s why you have good management and good lawyers. Of course I’m going to sign the contract, it’s just with some lawyers at the minute.”

    A fight between Fury and Joshua would likely set the heavyweight scene for 2023, with the winner then poised to face off against Oleksandr Usyk in a unification bout.

    Joe Joyce’s victory against Joseph Parker in Manchester on Sunday has set the Brit as the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s WBO title, though he may have to wait for his shot.

     

  • Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua: ‘No chance’ contract is signed on Monday, says promoter Eddie Hearn

    There is “no chance” the contract for a proposed all-British heavyweight world title fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua will be signed on Monday, says promoter Eddie Hearn.

    Monday is the deadline set by WBC champion Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren.

    On Friday, Fury said Joshua “does not want to fight” him, with 3 December being mooted as the date for the bout.

    “If he [Fury] really wants to fight, he’ll let the teams deal with it,” said Joshua’s promoter Hearn on Seconds Out.

    Fury, 34, offered Joshua the fight despite the 32-year-old suffering a second successive defeat by Oleksandr Usyk in August and failing to regain the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF belts he lost to the Ukrainian in September 2021.

    Joshua’s team said they have “accepted all terms” to the offer.

    Warren said “there shouldn’t be a reason” why the contract could not be signed on Monday.

    “I am hoping on Monday we’ll be able to get it over the line. I don’t think there’s a lot of issues and the only thing I think can hold it up at the minute is the broadcasters,” he told BBC Sport on Saturday.

    “AJ said he wanted the fight. We’ve agreed the financial terms and we’ve told them they can be involved in all the contracts, setting the budgets for the undercard, everything.”

    However, Hearn said his team was getting the contract checked, claiming it was “all over the place” after waiting nine days to receive it.

    “If he doesn’t [want to fight Joshua], and I guess he doesn’t, then he’ll do what he’ll do and the fans might even fall for it,” Hearn said.

    “But what I am seeing, the fans aren’t falling for it.

    “We have a meeting on Monday, with DAZN, with BT, with everybody but it’s going to take time. If he wants to put a time frame of Monday on it then it’s clear to the whole public he doesn’t want the fight.

    “It’s not getting signed on Monday so if he is walking away on Monday the fight is off.”

    Source: BBC

  • Tyson Fury says Anthony Joshua ‘does not want to fight’ in all-British world-title bout

    WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury says fellow Briton Anthony Joshua “does not want to fight” him for the world title later this year.

    Fury, 34, offered Joshua the fight despite the 32-year-old failing to regain the WBA (Super), WBO and IBF belts he lost to Oleksandr Usyk.

    Joshua’s team said they have “accepted all terms” to the offer.

    But Fury said: “I will be fighting on 3 December if [Joshua] does not sign this contract, which I don’t think he will.”

    He added: “You’ve had the contract for I don’t know how long and ain’t signing it. You do not want to fight.”

    In the same social media post, Fury used an expletive to describe Ukraine’s Usyk, who called for a unification fight with Fury after winning his rematch with Joshua.

    Fury’s promoter Frank Warren then said the match “will be made” and Usyk, 35, said in an interview posted on his YouTube page on Thursday that he wants it to be one of his last three fights before retiring.

    “The unification of all the belts is much more important than just a fight or another defence,” he said.

    “I want to outbox Fury and I don’t want to work that much just for another defence. There’s much more than that and I can achieve it.”

    Usyk also wants a lucrative “freak” fight with super-middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez before ending his career at Kyiv’s Olimpiyskiy Stadium.

    Alvarez claimed a dominant points win over Gennady Golovkin last weekend to settle their trilogy with a second win for the Mexican, 32, after a controversial draw in his first bout with the Kazakh.

    “I can have three more fights at the very most,” Usyk added.

    “It is the most realistic to be in my top form. With Fury, Canelo and a farewell fight at Olimpiyskiy.

    “With Canelo he said that he wanted to fight me. It would be a freak fight just for the sake of earning money.”

    Source: BBC

  • Hearn confirms agreement for AJ to face WBC champ Fury

    Anthony Joshua‘s promoter Eddie Hearn has declared his fighter has accepted a proposed bout with Tyson Fury.

    The Gypsy King went public with his offer to Joshua as he pushes to set up a battle of Britain clash with his WBC heavyweight title on the line before the end of the year.

    Fury and Joshua had an agreement to fight in Saudi Arabia in August 2021 but those plans came crashing down after a judge ordered Deontay Wilder to be granted his rematch with Fury.

    But now the fight looks likely to go ahead in the UK after Hearn confirmed an offer has been accepted.

    The Matchroom supremo told iFL TV “We offered Tyson Fury the fight when he wasn’t champion, at 60-40, and he turned it down. He asked for 50-50.

    “I spoke to AJ and he said, ‘Look, I don’t believe he’s for real, but yeah, I’ll take the fight. See what the offer is’.

    “They came back yesterday and me and George [Warren] kind of had an agreement that we weren’t gonna talk about it, but obviously Fury came out and basically let the world know the offer.

    “Sixty-forty was the offer, as Tyson said. They want a rematch clause and they asked for a date at the beginning of November [for the initial fight].

    “I don’t know whether that was a wind-up or whatever, but we just went back this morning and said, ‘We think, I think particularly, he deserves more than 40 per cent, but he’s happy. And I don’t make the decisions, he does’.

    “So I went back this morning and said, ‘We accept 60-40, we want that reversed in a rematch, rightfully so. [Fury is] the champion here, you want the biggest split, which I think is fair — and we want to do the fight in December’.”

    Fury said on Wednesday that his team had secured provisional dates for Wembley and Cardiff, with Hearn suggesting December 17 as a good option for the bout.

    He added: “Interestingly, they have [a date booked for] December 17 held at [what was formerly] Millennium Stadium, so that’s perfect. That’s perfect for us.”

    Source: Livescore

     

  • Joshua explains rant after defeat to ‘class act’ Usyk

    Anthony Joshua admitted emotions got the better of him after he launched an impassioned rant in the aftermath of his split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

    Usyk outclassed Joshua to clinch the WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles in London last year and produced another polished performance to deal the 32-year-old a further defeat in Jeddah on Saturday.

    While Joshua’s improved display saw one judge surprisingly score the fight 115-113 in his favour, Usyk retained his titles after the other two adjudged him to be the victor of an absorbing bout.

    He responded to the defeat in bizarre fashion, throwing the Ukrainian’s belts to the ground before returning to the ring to give a speech in which he discussed his background and hailed Usyk’s abilities.

    AJ, who has lost three of his last five fights, subsequently declared: “When you’re angry you do stupid things.”

    On Sunday, he moved to explain his actions.

    The Brit tweeted: “I wish Oleksandr Usyk continued success in your quest for greatness. You are a class act champ.

    “Yesterday I had to mentally take myself into a dark place to compete for the championship belts! I had two fights, one with Usyk and one with my emotions and both got the better of me.

    “I’ll be the first to admit, I let myself down. I acted out of pure passion and emotion and when not controlled it ain’t great.

    “I love this sport so so much and I’ll be better from this point on. Respect.”

    Usyk, 35, declared a desire to face Tyson Fury after sealing impressive back-to-back wins over Johsua.

    He said: “I’m sure he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. If I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all.”

    Source:livescore.com

  • You’re not strong, how did you beat me? – Anthony Joshua asks Oleksandr Usyk

    Former WBA (Super), WBO and IBF titles holder, Anthony Joshua questioned his opponent Oleksandr Usyk about how he won their rematch in Saudi Arabia despite being weak.

    Usyk reclaimed his unified heavyweight titles after beating the British via split decision on Sunday, August 21, 2022.

    Joshua in his speech after the loss said: “I was studying Ukraine and all the champions from your amazing country. I’ve never been there. What’s happening there, I don’t know but it’s not nice,” as quoted by bbc.com.

     

    He then proceeded to express his disappointment about losing the rematch by questioning how Usyk won.

    “You’re not strong, how did you beat me? Because of skills. I had character and determination.”

    Anthony Joshua had one judge score 115-113 in his favour in the close contest while the remaining two judges scored 115-113 and 116-112 for Oleksandr Usyk.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Oleksandr Usyk defeats Anthony Joshua again in a tight fight in Saudi Arabia

    Nigerian British-born boxing star, Anthony Joshua lost his rematch with Ukrainian boxer, Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi Arabia failing to reclaim his unified heavyweight titles.

    Joshua lost the bout via split decision as Usyk took his record to 20 wins from 20 bouts.

    The Briton who showed much improvement in the close contest had one judge score 115-113 in favour of him while the remaining two scored 115-113 and 116-112 for Usyk.


    The bout saw good exchanges between the two boxers who carried the excitement through the 12 rounds.

    After Usyk was announced the winner, Joshua picked up the titles and dropped them before furiously storming out of the ring. He later had a change of heart and returned to give a speech, acknowledging the brilliance of Oleksandr Usyk.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • ‘Anthony Joshua would fight in my back garden’ – Eddie Hearn

    World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will fight “anywhere, anytime”, says his promoter Eddie Hearn.

    The British boxer, 30, has not fought since he regained his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles from Andy Ruiz Jr last December due to Covid-19.

    Hearn has erected a ring in the grounds of his Essex estate in a bid to resurrect the sport for an event dubbed ‘Fight Camp’.

    “Joshua would fight here [at Hearn’s home], no problem,” Hearn said.

    “If we were faced with the option of having no fans for an Anthony Joshua fight, we would still look to go ahead. He’s spent a lot of time training out here in this garden so he would have no problem fighting here himself.

    “He was here a couple of weeks ago. He loves to fight, to box and it’s not just about fighting in a huge arena – Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden – it’s about boxing.

    “We want him to be in front of crowds. But for his career, for his development, he needs to fight this year.”

    Joshua, who has also reached an agreement for two fights with fellow Briton Tyson Fury, was originally scheduled to fight Kubrat Pulev in June, but the bout was postponed because of coronavirus.

    “Of course fighters want to earn as much money as possible but they also need to develop as fighters and I think the Kubrat Pulev fight is a good, solid, tough fight for him and I am almost certain you will see that fight this year.

    “He wants to improve as a fighter and he will do it anywhere, anytime.”

    ‘Fight Camp’ opens with Sam Eggington defending his IBF international super-welterweight title against Ted Cheeseman on Saturday, with more events on 7 and 14 August, while James Tennyson will box Gavin Gwynne for the vacant British title.

    Former WBC interim heavyweight champion Dillian Whyte fights Russian Alexander Povetkin on 22 August, with undisputed lightweight champion Katie Taylor up against Delfine Persoon in a rematch on the same bill.

    “I wanted to bring boxing back with a bang – we’re a major sport and we had to make a big impression,” said Hearn.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Anthony Joshua wants Tyson Fury bout next

    Anthony Joshua has urged Tyson Fury to “come and fight me” and says staging a unification bout between the pair as their next contest would be “amazing”.

    Joshua, 30, holds three of the four world heavyweight titles, with fellow Briton Fury in possession of the other.

    No fighter has ever held all four at heavyweight but both men have contracts in place to face other opponents next.

    “Logically, to prove yourself as number one, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua,” said Joshua.

    “If you really want to say you’re number one, come fight me. Let’s get it on. I’ve got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

    “I’m the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he’s the WBC champion. What will it prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.”

    ‘The fight needs to happen’ – Joshua
    Joshua is due to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO world titles against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev next but their proposed 20 June contest was postponed.

    Fury – who won the WBC title from Deontay Wilder in February – was set to face the American again in July but as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, organisers are now pointing to October as the earliest time the fight can take place.

    Earlier this week Wilder revealed he has undergone surgery on an injury to his left bicep. The 34-year-old said he was like “a zombie” in the ring during his stoppage defeat in February and added he does not yet recognise Fury as champion given they are set to meet in a third bout.

    Any fight between Joshua and Fury would be the biggest contest ever between two Britons at any weight.

    Changes to their schedules in light of the coronavirus outbreak have led to speculation Joshua could now side step Pulev and that Fury might do the same with Wilder. Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum has, however, underlined the fact both Pulev and Widler have contracts in place, so such moves could only be made with all parties in agreement.

    Asked if facing Fury needs to be his next bout, Joshua added: “It would be amazing to tell Pulev ‘I think it’s best if you step aside for now’ and to tell Wilder ‘we have bigger fish to fry’.

    “That fight [with Fury] needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again.”

    ‘Not next but increasingly likely’ – analysis
    BBC Sport boxing reporter Luke Reddy:

    The end of April will mark three years since Joshua defeated Wladimir Klitschko and called Fury’s name in the ring immediately afterwards.

    Fury too has brought Joshua’s name up time and again between that wonderful Wembley night and his own recent moment of glory in hammering Wilder in Las Vegas.

    There is the possibility that both Wilder and Pulev could agree to some step-aside money in order to pave the way for an epic British battle. But getting one fighter to do so is not straightforward, meaning that getting two looks a very tough ask.

    So this fight happening next seems to have become a convenient – if tough to fulfil – narrative to maintain momentum during this testing period for a sport on lockdown.

    What is becoming clear, however, is both sides and the promotional machines behind them are keen to deliver it sooner rather than later. That will probably not be next but if both Joshua and Fury can keep their belts into the start of 2021 it is beginning to look like the early part of next year could finally deliver that huge bout.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Anthony Joshua wants Tyson Fury bout next and says fight ‘has to happen’

    Anthony Joshua has urged Tyson Fury to “come and fight me” and says staging a unification bout between the pair as their next contest would be “amazing”.

    Joshua, 30, holds three of the four world heavyweight titles, with fellow Briton Fury in possession of the other.

    No fighter has ever held all four at heavyweight but both men have contracts in place to face other opponents next.

    “Logically, to prove yourself as number one, I have to fight Tyson Fury. He has to fight Anthony Joshua,” said Joshua.

    “If you really want to say you’re number one, come fight me. Let’s get it on. I’ve got the rest of the belts so it only makes sense,” Joshua told Sky Sports.

    “I’m the unified heavyweight champion of the world, he’s the WBC champion. What will it prove, me and him fighting? There will be one dominant figure in the heavyweight division that will have all of the belts and become undisputed.”

    Joshua is due to defend his IBF, WBA and WBO world titles against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev next but their proposed 20 June contest was postponed.

    Fury – who won the WBC title from Deontay Wilder in February – was set to face the American again in July but as a result of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, organisers are now pointing to October as the earliest time the fight can take place.

    Earlier this week Wilder revealed he has undergone surgery on an injury to his left bicep. The 34-year-old said he was like “a zombie” in the ring during his stoppage defeat in February and added he does not yet recognise Fury as champion given they are set to meet in a third bout.

    Any fight between Joshua and Fury would be the biggest contest ever between two Britons at any weight.

    Changes to their schedules in light of the coronavirus outbreak have led to speculation Joshua could now side step Pulev and that Fury might do the same with Wilder. Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum has, however, underlined the fact both Pulev and Widler have contracts in place, so such moves could only be made with all parties in agreement.

    Asked if facing Fury needs to be his next bout, Joshua added: “It would be amazing to tell Pulev ‘I think it’s best if you step aside for now’ and to tell Wilder ‘we have bigger fish to fry’.

    “That fight [with Fury] needs to happen because there will never be another time like this again.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury: We will make fight happen – Frank Warren

    Tyson Fury’s promoter Frank Warren says if fans want to see a unification fight with Anthony Joshua “we will make it happen”.

    The British heavyweights now hold all of the division’s belts between them, after Fury, 31, beat Deontay Wilder, 34, to claim the WBC title.

    Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said “let’s give the fans what they want”.

    “Of course we want to see the fight,” Warren told BBC Sport. “We’ve been trying to make it for two years.”

    “Hearn kept saying was it’s got to be 70/30 [the purse] in favour of AJ and so on and so fourth.

    “The tables have turned now. I have no problem with 50/50. I think Tyson would deserve more but 50/50, no problem.

    “This is about the boxers and more importantly the fans. If they want to see the fight we will make it happen.

    “In the meantime Eddie Hearn is acting like the guy standing outside your house with his nose pressed up against the window and keeps spouting off about Tyson.”

    The immediate prospect of the fight hinges on the fact Wilder has the option of a rematch with Tyson Fury and has 30 days to invoke a clause in his contract.

    Hearn says if that happens then Joshua, 30, will face Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory IBF bout, with the promoter in talks to hold the fight at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 20 June.

    Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live: “The fight we want more than anything is the undisputed fight. The person that holds the key to that is Tyson Fury. If we can get that next we are all in on that fight.

    “I think 50/50 is a very straightforward deal. Frank’s going to have his views but it’s a pretty straightforward deal. Joshua is the bigger commercial draw.”

    Source: bbc.com

  • Fury will beat Wilder – Anthony Joshua

    Anthony Joshua has backed Tyson Fury to defeat Deontay Wilder, insisting his fellow Brit can “hurt or out-box” the American.

    Fury will challenge Wilder for the WBC heavyweight championship on February 22 in Las Vegas, before Joshua is expected to defend the IBF, WBA and WBO titles against Kubrat Pulev with the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the likeliest venue.

    Asked about his rivals’ rematch, Joshua exclusively told Sky Sports: “Wilder coming through is better because [a fight with me] is what people have been eagerly anticipating.

    “But I think Fury can win. For Wilder to win he has to knock Fury completely out, and he couldn’t do that the first time.

    “For Fury to win, he can hurt Wilder or out-box him. Fury has more to his arsenal so that’s why I’m leaning to him.

    “Tyson Fury can punch a bit. He’s underestimated with his punching power which makes him dangerous. If you underestimate someone it makes them dangerous because you don’t respect them until you get hit.

    “Fury is a really good boxer, to a certain degree, so he has the upper hand. Wilder isn’t the best of boxers but he has a right hand – if you can avoid that, you have the beating of him.

    “Good luck to Fury – it would be great to have two heavyweight champions here in England.”

    Joshua insisted he still wants to crown an undisputed champion in 2020: “I’m still clawing after the last belt that’s out there. I know I’ll get my hands on it eventually.”

    He said about becoming a two-time champion: “I don’t want to do what Andy Ruiz Jr did, and lose it straight away. I want to hold it for a number of years.

    “Trust me, a different beast has been awoken.”

    Joshua had previously claimed he could make a “curveball offer” to fight the winner of Wilder and Fury’s rematch, tempting them away from a third fight with each other.

    Promoter Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports on Wednesday a deal would be easier to make with Fury than with Wilder.

    “Wilder said he has no interest in Joshua, and Joshua is irrelevant. That is baffling,” Hearn said.

    “That’s why I want Fury to win because I know he’s up for it! One phone call with me, [Fury’s US-based promoter] Bob Arum and [Fury’s management] MTK.

    “AJ wants to fight Fury, Fury wants to fight AJ. It’s a two-minute call with MTK and Bob Arum, done deal.

    “But I’m not sure who will win [Wilder vs Fury 2]. The comments worry me that we’re in the same position.

    “The winner of that fight will be under so much pressure to fight Joshua that, this time, it will be unavoidable.

    “The curveball is in terms of; those guys are preparing for their [third fight] and we have an opportunity in place that we can present to the winner to move them away from [a third fight],” Hearn explained.

    “If the loser wants [a third fight] then we’re tied.”

    Wilder and Fury battled to a draw when they first met in December 2018.

    Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk is still expected to face Derek Chisora but later than planned.

    Hearn said about Usyk: “He started camp for March 28 but his elbow was still a bit sore from his last fight. His physios and doctors said he was better off delaying it by four weeks.

    “They wanted to fight at the end of April but we couldn’t get a venue so we move Usyk vs Chisora to the end of May. They didn’t want to arrange a fight without being 100 percent. It will take place this summer, virtually guaranteed, we are just finalising the venue.

    “Same as Dillian Whyte vs Alexander Povetkin – done deal.”

    Source: skysports.com

  • Six Nations 2020: Centre Nick Tompkins will make his first Wales start against Ireland

    Nick Tompkins
    Saracens centre Nick Tompkins qualifies for Wales through his grandmother who was from Wrexham
    Six Nations: Ireland v Wales
    Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 8 February Kick-off: 1415 GMT
    Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Five, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru plus the BBC Sport website & app

    Centre Nick Tompkins has been handed his first Wales start for the Six Nations trip to face Ireland as Wayne Pivac makes one change to the team that defeated Italy.

    Tompkins lines up alongside Hadleigh Parkes with George North switching to his more familiar wing position.

    Scarlets wing Johnny McNicholl drops to the replacements bench.

    Saracens centre Tompkins made his debut against Italy and scored a superb solo try as a replacement.

    “I thought Nick played very, very well and we think he deserves a chance, so that’s what he’s getting,” Pivac explained.

    “So George moves out to the wing. We’re also pleased with George’s game. Johnny McNicholl is the one that’s the casualty – he will get an opportunity off the bench.”

    Scrum-half Gareth Davies, prop Rhys Carre, fly-half Owen Williams and lock Adam Beard are named as replacements coming in for Rhys Webb, Jarrod Evans, Rob Evans and Cory Hill, who misses out through a leg injury.

    Davies returns after recovering from a groin injury while Saracens prop Carre is back after serving a suspension following his red card against Ospreys in the Champions Cup in January 2020.

    Pivac said Wales were keen to avoid making unnecessary changes.

    “No, we wanted to keep it reasonably consistent. Overall we got what we wanted out of the Italy – five points and there was some good play there and some parts of our game need to be looked at, which we’ve done this week,” h added.

    “Hopefully there will be a marked improvement, so we got what we needed out of the game and now we move forward, keeping that nucleus as it is to help us achieve that.”

    North will line up in an experienced back three alongside Josh Adams and Leigh Halfpenny, while Tomos Williams and Dan Biggar continue their partnership at half-back.

    Wales have named an unchanged pack with Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Dillon Lewis in the front row and Jake Ball lining up alongside captain Alun Wyn Jones.

    Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau feature in the back row.

    Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Nick Tompkins, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Tomos Williams; Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Dillon Lewis, Jake Ball, Alun Wyn Jones (capt), Aaron Wainwright, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.

    Replacements: Ryan Elias, Rhys Carre, Leon Brown, Adam Beard, Ross Moriarty, Gareth Davies, Owen Williams, Johnny McNicholl.

    Source: BBC Sport

  • Anthony Joshua: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium favourite to host June fight

    Anthony Joshua
    Anthony Joshua recorded a unanimous points victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December

    Anthony Joshua’s next fight is likely to be at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

    The British heavyweight, 30, who defeated Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia in December, is expected to take on Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in June.

    Hearn told Sky Sports: “We’ve had offers in from the Far East, Middle East, Africa, America, Turkey.

    “He wants to fight in London in June. Spurs is the frontrunner and that’s what he’s asked me to do.”

    Hearn added: “He’s made it very clear to me, ‘I want to come home. I’ve been to Madison Square Garden, I’ve been to Saudi Arabia, bring me home. Forget the other offers, bring me home’.”

    Joshua last fought in the capital in September 2018 when he beat Alexander Povetkin at Wembley Stadium.

    Source: BBC Sport

  • Anthony Joshua: Tyson Fury welcomes sparring offer for Deontay Wilder bout

    Tyson Fury says he would “love” to take up Anthony Joshua’s offer of sparring before he faces Deontay Wilder.

    Fury, 31, drew with WBC world heavyweight champion Wilder in 2018 and is set for a rematch on 22 February.

    Joshua, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, feels Fury would be more likely to agree to a fight for all four titles and offered to help his fellow Briton.

    “I would love to have you in camp, work out for this fight and give Deontay Wilder a proper beating,” said Fury.

    Read:Wilder v Fury: Stunning draw in WBC world heavyweight title fight

    “I hope you mean it, as I’d love to have you in training camp with me. When I do beat Wilder I will fight you AJ no problem.”

    Fury offered his “congratulations” to Joshua for his win over Andy Ruiz Jr on 7 December, where he reclaimed his world titles after losing to the Mexican in June.

    Joshua says he has already been “studying” Oleksandr Usyk, who he could face in the short term given the Ukrainian fighter’s status as mandatory challenger with the WBO.

    Read:Joshua defeats Ruiz to reclaim heavyweight crown

    Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev is also a mandatory challenger with the IBF, meaning the prospect of any fight between Joshua and Fury or Wilder still appears some time away.

    Fury’s bout with 34-year-old Wilder is said to be taking place in Las Vegas, although no venue has yet been confirmed for the bout.

    “I think honestly he might beat Wilder next time,” Joshua told Sky Sports News.

    “I think Fury would fight me quicker than Wilder would, so if that’s the case I want him to win. Imagine that fight on British soil.

    “If Tyson needs me, I’ll go out and spar with him to get him ready for Wilder.”

    Read:Anthony Joshua knocked down by physically challenged lady Kate Farley

    Fury is currently in the process of joining up with new trainer Javan ‘Sugar’ Hill having parted company with Ben Davison.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Anthony Joshua knocked down by physically challenged lady Kate Farley

    British and Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua has fulfilled the dream of a physically challenged lady named Kate Farley by facing her in a boxing sparring fight. Kate Farley was interviewed by Bulk Powders where she made it known that she wanted to fight with Anthony Joshua.

    She has cerebral palsy and has been boxing since 2016 which has changed her life. Anthony Joshua watched the video of the interview and he decided to meet Kate Farley in the boxing ring so as to make her happy.

    Anthony Joshua: Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury fight would not be held up

    While entering the boxing ring, Kate Farley was sitting down waiting for Anthony Joshua and she was elated when she saw the 30-year-old. They both entered the boxing ring and minute later, the fight began in which Kate was showing her ability.

    Eventually, she gave Anthony Joshua two blows on the face in which the Briton fell down and Kate was declared the winner. It was an emotional fight which actually made the day of Kate Farley as she stood up in jubilation after beating Anthony Joshua and hugged him. Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua is currently preparing for his rematch with Andy Ruiz which is expected to take place in Saudi Arabia.

    Anthony Joshua v Andy Ruiz: Jr: Champion wants New York not Saudi Arabia to host

    Source: yen.com