Boxing Archives - Page 182 of 183

Simon Jordan believes Anthony Joshua needs to score a devastating early KO of Deontay Wilder in order to earn a fight with Tyson Fury.

The talkSPORT host has insisted AJ’s been ‘left in a vacuum’ by last week’s news that Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have now signed contracts for an undisputed heavyweight world title fight in the coming months.

Earlier on the same day, Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn had confirmed that a proposed Saudi Arabia site deal to stage their planned showdown with Deontay Wilder, which he’d previously claimed was ‘locked in for December’, is now dead.

Representatives for AJ and Wilder remain in talks trying to salvage that fight in a different location in February or March.

However it’s irrefutable that Fury and Usyk have surpassed the pair by finalising their own Saudi site deal and signing it off months in advance.

Jordan said on talkSPORT’s talkBOXING Podcast: “It feels to me that this is a good day for boxing in terms of the unification fight that everyone says they want.

The two best fighters in the world right now, we’re getting what we wanted.

“But Anthony Joshua gets left in a vacuum because I’m pretty sure there is this ambition from Joshua to fight Fury.

“And if Fury were to win this fight, which I think he will, I think there’s a distinct possibility that Fury will go, ‘That’s it, I’m done.’

“He [could go], ‘I’ve beaten Wilder, I’ve beaten Usyk who beat Joshua, I’ve beaten the man who beat the man, so what have I got to do besides throw you a bone?’

“And that puts a challenge on Anthony Joshua and the only way I think Anthony Joshua corrects that is if he fights Deontay Wilder and knocks him out very convincingly, very early in the fight.

“If he does something Fury couldn’t do, then it becomes a legacy discussion.”

Jordan continued: “I don’t think Fury is gonna give Joshua any leg-up, any opportunity, unless there’s a really, really good reason.

“Right now, beating Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius, and just being on the periphery of it all now, is not a reason for Fury to go, ‘I’ll tell you what – I’ll bring you into the light again.'”

Regarding how AJ’s team will have reacted to the news of Fury vs Usyk being signed, Jordan added: “I think there would have probably been a collective sign in the Joshua camp.

“It would be about, ‘This could be the end of our opportunity in heavyweight boxing. If this fella goes and beats Usyk, then there’s a distinct possibility, unless we do something to counteract that, that we’re not gonna get this fight. And we want this fight.'”

Time will tell if Joshua vs Wilder, and subsequently Joshua vs Fury, do indeed come to fruition.

BOXING

He’ll Bring Out The Old AJ”: Calls On Anthony Joshua To Fight Rival

Following Zhilei Zhang’s incredible stoppage of Joe Joyce in London, many fans have called for him to step in against Anthony Joshua.

The two heavyweights fought on the amateur scene at the London 2012 Olympics quarter-finals, with Joshua dropping Zhang in the second round to go on and win a 15-11 points decision. He won Gold and turned professional one year later.

As things stand, Carl Froch thinks the result would be flipped in the pros. He told Best Gambling Sites that the Brit’s current form wasn’t inspiring.

Having said that, Froch says that potential lies in the bout for Joshua, believing ‘Big Bang’s style to be the acid test as to whether or not he can return to his previous style of searching for a stoppage through accurate and punishing combinations.

Joshua has been criticised of late for fighting tentatively, something pundits believe he can’t do should he land the bout he’s chasing against Deontay Wilder. The same likely applies to Zhang, who was quick to get Joyce out of there with a thudding right hand.

News as to who and when the two-time world champion will fight next is expected soon.

BOXING

Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk: An Early Head-to-Toe Breakdown

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a heavyweight fight.

Reports trickling out of Saudi Arabia over the last few days indicated that rival heavyweight title claimants Tyson Fury (WBC) and Oleksandr Usyk (IBF/WBA/WBO) will put their respective baubles on the line in a long-awaited unification on December 23 or early next year. Fury confirmed the fight on Instagram.

He has been in the kingdom prepping for a non-title “fight” against ex-UFC heavyweight kingpin Francis Ngannou that’s scheduled for October 28 in Riyadh. Usyk, meanwhile, is several weeks removed from his most recent title defense, a ninth-round TKO over Daniel Dubois in which he was dropped by a body shot ruled low by referee Luis Pabon.

The two have shared space atop the big-boy division for more than two years since the Ukrainian, a former undisputed champ at cruiserweight, climbed the ladder to defeat Anthony Joshua on Joshua’s home turf in England. He repeated the feat 11 months later in the Saudi city of Jeddah, about 600 miles southwest of Riyadh.

The prospect of the two champs meeting set the B/R combat team ablaze and prompted an early head-to-toe breakdown in which we looked at boxing ability, defense, punching power and X-factors. Take a look at what we came up with and drop a thought in the comments.

What’s at Stake: Simply put, heavyweight domination.

Their achievements have put Fury and Usyk at the top of the sport’s traditional glamor division and the bout is even more riveting because neither has lost in a professional ring.

Fury toppled long-running champ Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 before a prolonged hiatus due to personal issues and then returned for an unlikely vanquishing of Deontay Wilder across three fights (two wins, one draw) from 2018 to 2021. He’s defended twice since completing the trilogy, beating Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora into submission in a combined 16 rounds.

As for Usyk, he completed his own four-belt dominance at cruiserweight in 2018 before rising to defeat Chazz Witherspoon (TKO 7) and Chisora (UD 12) to earn the Joshua title try.

He’s 5-0 with two KOs at heavyweight after 16 straight wins with 12 KOs before the jump.

The winner will become the division’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

BOXING

The stratospheric amount of money Tyson Fury will earn for fighting Usyk

The fight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, the most anticipated heavyweight fight that will unify all four belts for the first time, will move a dizzying amount of money.

The fight, scheduled for January 2024, though it could be moved up to December 23 of this year, will be held in Saudi Arabia.

Bob Arum, Tyson Fury‘s promoter, revealed that his client could pocket 200 million dollars for his fights in Saudi Arabia.

This includes the October 28 fight against Francis Ngannou (former UFC heavyweight), to be held in Riyadh, and the subsequent showdown with Usyk, owner of three belts (WBA-IBF-WBO).

How much will Fury earn vs Ngannou and vs Usyk?

Derek Chisora, who has had several deals in Saudi Arabia, let slip that Fury should receive 50m dollars for the fight with Nbannou, according to The Sun.

If this amount is discounted and, without the option of a rematch in the agreement between the Gypsy King and Usyk, it would mean that he would be pocketing 150m dollars for the fight with the Ukrainian.

Arum confirmed that the fight should be held not too far from the beginning of the year so as not to coincide with Ramadan.

BOXING

“He Was Going Out the Door”: Despite Canelo Alvarez’s Jermell Charlo Win, Gervonta Davis Remains Adamant on Self-Proclaimed “Face of Boxing” Remarks

The boxing world can’t stop talking about the victory of Canelo Alvarez over Jermell Charlo. As famous, ‘Cinnamon’ beat Jermell Charlo and kept his super middleweight title. Charlo had moved up two weight classes, confident in giving Canelo a tough fight, but struggled during the bout. We don’t know if it was the weight change, lack of recent fights, or just facing a formidable opponent that caused Charlo’s loss.

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Alvarez took control from the start. He knocked Charlo down in round seven, showing he’s still at his best and shunning the critics for his past performances. As a reason, many think this victory makes him the face of boxing. However, Gervonta Davis, another top champion, disagrees. In a recent interview with Fight Hype, ‘Tank’ unraveled why he’s still the face of boxing despite Canelo’s lopsided win against ‘Iron Man.’

Why does Gervonta Davis think he’s “the face of boxing”?

According to Davis, Alvarez’s win was great but not spotlight-stealing. Davis believes the sport’s face must show dominance and showmanship. He thinks these qualities are part of his own style. As ‘Tank’ said, “for sure, I think I’m the face of boxing already if we being real. I think I’m the face of boxing right now. I think with Canelo going out the door, all the top guys, I mean. Canelo’s probably the only one, but he’s going out the door.”

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 23: CAPTION at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

When the interviewer asked what he thinks it takes to be the ‘face’ of boxing, he gave a detailed answer. He said, “Just every time I’m in there, just put on a great performance, you know. Just go out there and put on a great performance. That’s, I think that’s what make me, what make me that star over everybody. ‘Cause people be winning, but they, you watching them and they be like, first of all, they go 12 rounds. Not saying 12 rounds is bad, but it just like how they do it. Like they run and they think it’s still amateur boxing and things like that. Like, come on.”

Who’s Tank aiming next to make his legacy irrefutable?

According to Boxing Social, Calvin Ford, Davis’s trainer, recently revealed the mega fight Davis is aiming for next. The focus is on a potential bout between Davis and Teofimo Lopez, a two-weight world champion. Both fighters have a long history, tracing back to their days in the American amateur ranks. He said it’s not a question of “if,” but “when.” Both fighters have sparred before, adding intrigue to a future pro bout. Ford believes the fight will happen after they clear other challenges.

He wants Lopez to keep his 140-pound class spot, while Davis holds his. Both fighters are at career highs after recent wins. Davis beat Ryan Garcia, and Lopez defeated Josh Taylor. However, there are still logistical hurdles in the fight’s manifestation. These include promoter and broadcasting issues that need resolution before scheduling the fight.

The boxing ring is as much a stage for personalities as it is for athletes. While Canelo Alvarez’s recent win over Jermell Charlo was a significant milestone, Gervonta Davis remains steadfast in his belief that he is the true “Face of Boxing.” With upcoming fights and plans to diversify his boxing portfolio, Davis is not just talking the talk; he’s walking the walk.

So, who do you think is the real face of boxing—Canelo Alvarez or Gervonta Davis? Or is there room for more than one star in this arena?

BOXING

Gervonta Davis Sends Defiant Message To His Doubters In ‘Face Of Boxing’ Debate

Gevonta ‘Tank’ Davis has been vocal throughout 2023 about his belief that he has adopted the position as the ‘face’ of the sport following on from his blockbuster win over fellow pay-per-view superstar, Ryan Garcia.

His case was coupled with the supposed steady decline of former pound-for-pound number one, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Now, ‘Tank’ has doubled down on those claims, despite an improved display from Canelo over Jermell Charlo recently.

Alvarez has been widely regarded as the ‘face of boxing’ in recent years. However, disappointing performances against Dmitry Bivol, Gennadiy Golovkin and John Ryder appeared to open the door for a new poster boy. Davis’ win over Garcia convinced some fans that he had overtaken the Mexican in terms of superstardom, and he said so himself in his post-fight interview.

This weekend, fans witnessed a resurgence from Canelo, who comfortably outpointed undisputed super-welterweight champion, Jermell Charlo, without ever really looking to be in danger.

The performance, although dominant, extended his run to four fights without a knockout win and equalling the longest stoppage drought of his career since 2008.

After Alvarez’ win, Davis maintains that he is the ‘face of boxing’, responding to a fan on social media who claimed he was a ‘nobody’ outside of the lightweight division.

Many will claim that, for Davis to truly confirm his position, the 28-year-old power-puncher needs to hold a full world title.

Now, with Devin Haney potentially set to vacate all of his 135lbs belts, Davis’ WBA Regular title will either see him upgraded to become the true world champion or he will fight for the vacant title, perhaps against Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, who he beat in 2021.

BOXING

Barry McGuigan Says Anthony Joshua ‘Shouldn’t Go Near’ Heavyweight Rival

Anthony Joshua versus Deontay Wilder may just be the most intriguing match-up in the sport that wouldn’t be for a world title.

The two heavyweights seem to have finally agreed that it’s the right time to face off after the years of a unification of the belts being possible.

Now, both with losses to the current champions, fans were promised it would happen this year. A shift in the boxing landscape in Saudi Arabia means that is now not the case.

Speaking to Boxing King Media, Hall of Fame fighter Barry McGuigan said that it was good – at least from Anthony Joshua’s career point of view – that the fight talks have taken a hit.

Promoter Eddie Hearn tells Boxing Social that the hard-hitting American is still very much the target for his charge, even despite the task of now finding a new site. He is still open to ‘AJ’ fighting this December if the fight can’t be finalised soon.

As for Wilder, it looks like he’ll remain inactive until he gets his hands on Joshua. Talk of a fight in the meantime with Andy Ruiz Jr has fallen apart due to a dispute on the purse.

BOXING

Conor McGregor walks back KSI callout and explains confrontation at Anthony Joshua’s fight Jordan Ellis

Conor McGregor claims he is not interested in fighting KSI.

The former dual-weight UFC champion certainly seemed like he fancied a scrap with KSI when they were both in attendance at Anthony Joshua’s latest fight.

After watching the British boxing superstar knock Robert Helenius out cold in August, McGregor grabbed the microphone and challenged KSI to a bare-knuckle boxing bout.

“I know your man KSI is in the crowd, and he couldn’t box eggs if he worked in an egg boxing factory,” he said.

“So, if he wants to get in here, I’ll give him a final yoke, bare-knuckle if you want.”

At this point, KSI had already left London’s O2 Arena, but McGregor’s callout soon got back to him, and excitement started to build about a potential crossover fight as they had already clashed earlier in the evening.

However, ‘Notorious’ has now revealed that he has no interest in actually fighting KSI and only called him out to add a bit of spice to Joshua’s event.

“Ah he was there, it was just a bit of craic,” McGregor told Mirror Fighting when asked why he had called out the YouTube boxer, who faces Tommy Fury next week in Manchester.

He added: “I’m not interested.”

In a later interview with Seconds Out, he admitted to keeping an eye on the influencer boxing scene but views them as “side hustles” to what he’s truly trying to achieve.

McGregor’s currently fixated on returning to the UFC Octagon for the first time since breaking his leg during a trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.

The 35-year-old is booked to face Michael Chandler and it’s believed they will clash at a UFC event in the first quarter of 2024.

If all goes well against Chandler, McGregor plans to make history by winning the welterweight title currently held by Leon Edwards ahead of his meeting with Colby Covington at UFC 296 on December 16.

After previously holding UFC gold at featherweight and lightweight, ‘Mystic Mac’ would become the first-ever three-weight champion in company history if he repeats the feat at 170lbs.

First things first, he’s got to get his highly anticipated return date pencilled in.

CELEB NEWS

Team USA consider Tiger Woods for captain, while Donald should stay on

The captain of Europe, Luke Donald, came out of the 2023 Ryder Cup stronger than ever after the convincing win.

He made no secret of the fact that, when making his team choices during the week of competition, he relied on the data prepared for him by a statistics freak, his vice-captain Edoardo Molinari.

In short, Donald was inspiring, meticulous and decisive in making decisions.

His captaincy has left a very good taste in everyone’s mouth, to the point that there is talk already of his continuity for the 2025 edition at Bethpage Black.

He himself spoke about stepping aside, but the players may try to convince him to stay on.

Tiger Woods as USA Ryder Cup captain?

On the other side, in the United States it is time to think about a new leadership project. And, the first name that has come to everyone’s mind is that of Tiger Woods.

Former US captain Paul Azinger, who led the American team to victory at Valhalla in 2008, threw Tiger‘s name around as a replacement for Zach Johnson.

Woods‘ candidacy, which is already being talked about in the American press, is one of the most serious due to several factors.

On the one hand, Phil Mickelson, another possible candidate, is totally distant from the PGA Tour, where most of the members of the current Team USA play.

Plus, Woods will be almost 50 years old in 2025 and unlikely to be part of the team as a player.

In 2019, the Californian captained USA in the Presidents Cup, so he already knows what it’s like to take the reins of a team.

There is still plenty of time for both sides to pick their captains for the 2025 event, which will take place at the Bethpage Black Course in New York, USA.

BOXING

“Whether I had horse shoes in my gloves” – Tyson Fury all class in reflecting on Deontay Wilder trilogy despite absurd allegations

Boxing superstar Tyson Fury has shared words of kindness for his former foe Deontay Wilder.

On multiple occasions in the past, ‘The Bronze Bomber’ has accused ‘The Gypsy King’ of cheating in their second fight. Despite Wilder’s accusations, Fury recently shared his admiration for the American knockout artist and praised him for his grit in an interview with TNT Sports Boxing:

Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder have locked horns on three separate occasions inside the boxing ring. Their first fight took place in December 2018 and turned out to be a thrilling back-and-forth affair. The bout was razor close and the result was declared a draw.

The two athletes competed in a rematch in February 2020. This time, Fury got the better of ‘The Bronze Bomber’ and defeated him via knockout in the seventh round of the fight.

After this, Wilder gave multiple reasons for his loss, including his water being possibly spiked, his heavy costume, and Fury cheating in the fight.

The highly anticipated trilogy fight finally took place in October 2021 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Once again, ‘The Gypsy King’ proved himself to be the better fighter by knocking Wilder out in the 11th round.