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Anthony Joshua’s next fight becomes clear as Deontay Wilder ruled out

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Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder

Anthony Joshua will likely face the winner of Daniel Dubois vs Filip Hrgovic in September – and not Deontay Wilder.

Former two-time heavyweight world champion Joshua is set for a return at Wembley Stadium and his opponent has now become clear. Wilder was hoping to revive his chances of fighting Joshua after losing to Joseph Parker before Christmas when he fights Zhilei Zhang on June 1, but Saudi royal advisor Turki Alalshikh wants him to then face Jared Anderson instead of ‘AJ’.

“The talented Jared Anderson is with us now on the August 3 Riyadh Season card at LA, against the ‘Bronze Bomber’ Deontay Wilder – if he’s ready by then to fight after June 1’s fight against Zhilei Zhang,” Alalshikh tweeted. Wilder vs Anderson would take place on the undercard of Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov’s world title clash.

Joshua is unbeaten in his last four fights and most recently KO’d former UFC champion Francis Ngannou in just five minutes. ‘AJ’ was promised a shot against Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk after his win, but the heavyweight champions are locked into a two-fight deal. Alalshikh has promised to match Joshua with the toughest opponent possible, something that ‘AJ’ is on board with.

“What he says is, ‘In the future I want people to look back at your record and say that you took on the best.’ I said, ‘Now you’re speaking my language. We’re on the same page and he’s on the same page as the fans as well. He’s trying to deliver what the fans want,” Joshua told talkSPORT.

“I know they want that big fight with Tyson Fury and he’s working on it, but Fury has got his obligations with Oleksandr Usyk so I have got to make sure I stay focused and disciplined, keep steamrolling through opponents so I can get closer and closer to having the opportunity of me vs Tyson Fury.”

Joshua also tipped Usyk to come out on top against Fury in their undisputed title clash having lost to the Ukrainian twice. “I’ve fought Usyk so I can only speak on what I’ve experienced with him – phenomenal fighter, I would say he’s gonna do a really good job. Only speaking on what I know, I have to say Usyk will be victorious,” he added.

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BOXING

A Far Cry From Floyd Mayweather’s Treatment of Him, Gervonta Davis Applauds Kevin Durant’s Support for Anthony Edwards

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Eulogy from the basketball court reverberated in the boxing ring. Legend Kevin Durant had nothing but the best of words for his much younger rival, Anthony Edwards. The duo’s on-court rivalry saw a shift as they are all set to play as teammates as part of Team USA at the forthcoming Paris Olympics. However, probably unbeknownst to them, their bonhomie seems to have inspired a pair of gloved hands. Gervonta Davis (now Abdul Wahid) perhaps believes a simple gesture lends more gravitas and meaning to a message.

The WBA lightweight champion made it back to the headlines on account of an open feud with ‘Money’. Fans and followers have been witnessing a series of back-and-forths between ‘Tank’ and his former mentor and promoter. However, in Durant and Edwards’ exchange, the young world champion perhaps found a fresh load of ammo. It seemingly helped him get his grouse through. It purportedly showcased how those who have been there and done it should take care of the ones following their journey. The lightweight champion shared a few details in his Instagram story.

Gervonta Davis: Insights Around the Corner

It may no longer be available as it might have exhausted its timeline. However, per the available screenshots, Gervonta Davis began by saying, “This how you do it….never hate on the ones coming behind you…their success do not hurt what you’ve done.” He further added, “It’s….that’s not settling for less! And you gotta respect it!”

Some of the fans might have recognized it early on. ‘Tank’ probably took a neat dig at the current situation with Floyd Mayweather Jr. Seemingly unhappy with some of the comments the boxing great made about fighters, the Baltimorean launched his attack by calling Mayweather Jr. a ‘hater’. Subsequently, he claimed that the undefeated former champion was reportedly in Dubai. He couldn’t come from the place as a result of unsettled debts.

In reply, as many reported, Floyd Mayweather Jr. shared dancing footage of Gervonta Davis and stated, “We always knew he had sugar in his tank.” The to-and-fro between Mayweather Jr. and Davis took an intriguing turn when rap legend 50 Cent joined the plot. As most fans are aware, Floyd and 50 Cent share a history. Once friends, their relationship eventually turned bitter.

Later, in his message, ‘Tank’ called out both Kevin Durant and Anthony Edwards for the mutual respect they displayed towards each other. “Much love to KD AND ANT YOU A DOG,” he said.

Shared Camaraderie

Kevin Durant was speaking with the media after his side, the Phoenix Suns, lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves during the NBA playoffs. He said that he was mighty impressed by the 22-year-old Timberwolves shooting guard. Calling Edwards his favorite player he loves to watch, Durant said, “Just grown so much since he came into the league at 22 just his love for the game just shines bright, and that’s something that’s probably that’s one of the reasons why I like him the most because he just loves basketball. He’s grateful to be in this position he’s taking advantage of every opportunity he’s gotten.”

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BOXING

Floyd Mayweather promoting the next Gervonta Davis with 100 per cent knockout ratio

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Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather will be hoping he has found his Gervonta Davis replacement.

Mayweather Promotion’s up-and-coming lightweight Jursly Carlos Vargas has been drawing comparisons to Davis for his explosive all-action fight style and has got off to a flying start in his pro career.

The Curacao native turned over in November 2022, knocking out Yanko Naydenov inside the opening stanza in Amsterdam, Holland.

His devastating performance caught the eye of Mayweather, who snapped him up shortly after.

“That fight went viral, it came on ESPN and everything. Two weeks after the fight, I was on the phone with Mayweather Promotions,” he told Broadway Joel.

“Two weeks after that, I was signed and two weeks after that I moved to Las Vegas [to the Mayweather Gym].”

Vargas followed up his knockout win over Naydenov with another first-round demolition job of Darrick Gates last month to move his pro record to 2-0.

He is expected to remain active now that he has adjusted to the training and altitude of his new surroundings.

Vargas has a long way to go before he reaches Davis’ level but at 19 years old he has plenty of time to develop.

Like Vargas, Davis signed with Mayweather Promotions early in his career, however, the pair have had a rocky relationship since ‘Tank’ first became a world champion in 2017.

In late 2022, Davis left Mayweather promotions after his fight with Rolly Romero, opting to go his own way under the guidance of existing adviser Al Haymon.

The split seemed to be amicable at first but cracks began to show later down the line.

Ahead of Davis’ last outing against Ryan Garcia in April 2023, he accused Mayweather of stopping him from training at the Mayweather gym, where he held most of his camps.

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua reveals date, venue and possible opponent for next fight and it’s brilliant news for British fans

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Anthony Joshua

ANTHONY JOSHUA has revealed the potential dates for his next fight – which is being targeted to take place at Wembley Stadium.

The former two-time unified heavyweight champion hasn’t set foot inside the ring since his annihilation of former UFC champ Francis Ngannou in March.

AJ was expected to wait on the sidelines to fight the winner of Tyson Fury’s undisputed straightener with Oleksandr Usyk provided a rematch clause wasn’t triggered by either man.

But the Watford warrior is planning to stay active, with a September showdown at the home of English football currently in the works.

He told talkSPORT: “Whenever they tell me there’s a date, you know I’ll be ready 100 per cent.

“It’s gonna be in London, Wembley Stadium.

“This is what I’m being told. If that’s what they say, they normally back their word so let’s go with that.

“Wembley, September 20 or 21.”

Saudi boxing kingpin Turki Alalshikh has put together two blockbuster heavyweight fights for the eagerly-anticipated 5v5 tournament between Queensberry Promotions and Matchroom Boxing.

Former long-reigning WBC champion Deontay Wilder will throw down with Zhilei Zhang in a do-or-die career showdown

And Brit Daniel Dubois will look to become the mandatory challenger for the IBF heavyweight title in a Riyadh rumble with a win over Filip Hrgovic.

AJ will be keeping a close eye on both bouts as he expects his next opponent to emerge from the quartet of heavy hitters.

e continued: “On June 1 in Saudi Arabia they’ve got the 5 vs 5 card.

“You’ve got Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois, and you’ve got Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder.

“So providing one of those looks good – the one who looks the best, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh said to me, ‘I want you to fight [him].’

“What he says is, ‘In the future I want people to look back at your record and say that you took on the best.’

“I said, ‘Now you’re speaking my language.’

“So out of that pool, I believe that’s who I’m gonna be fighting, one of those.

“We’re on the same page and he’s on the same page as the fans as well.

“But Fury’s got his obligations with Oleksandr Usyk so I’ve gotta make sure I stay focused and disciplined.

“Keep steamrolling through opponents so I can get closer and closer to having the opportunity of me vs Tyson Fury.”

Boxing fans around the world are hoping Fury gets through his back-to-back dust-ups with Usyk in order for a long-overdue Battle of Britain with AJ to come to fruition.

And Joshua is confident the bout will happen, saying: “Boxing is changing a lot, there is a new player, Turki Alalshikh, who is taking the world by storm.

“He is doing what he wants for the fans, it’s amazing.

So if the fans demand it, I know that he will deliver. I know the fans want me and Fury, I want that.

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BOXING

Joshua Lining Up Return In August Or September

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Eddie Hearn expects Anthony Joshua to next fight in August or September.

The former world heavyweight champion stopped Francis Ngannou in March, and in so doing was installed as the next challenger to the winner of the two undisputed heavyweight title fights between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury-Usyk has been scheduled for May 18 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but a potential second fight between them would be unlikely before late 2024.

Following successive defeats by Usyk, Joshua’s reputation has been rebuilt with four victories in under a year, and he is therefore keen to remain active and, his promoter believes, if Fury and Usyk enter a rematch, he will likely do so by fighting the winner of the fight on June 1 between Filip Hrgovic and Daniel Dubois.

“The fact he’s had four fights in 11 months – that’s a lot of training camps,” said Matchroom’s Hearn. “Every training camp is 10 weeks, so he’s done 40 weeks in 11 months. He probably would like to fight in July, but I think it will be more like August; September. He had a meeting the other day with myself and His Excellency, and they want to wait and see what happens on May 18th.

“His Excellency said we’ll wait and see what happens May 18th. But it’s gonna be difficult [for Fury and Usyk to have a rematch] – if Fury wins, the demand for him to fight ‘AJ’ will be out of control. But they do have a two-fight deal.

“Probably the winner of [Filip] Hrgovic-[Daniel] Dubois. Or the winner of Fury-Usyk. We understand they have a two-fight agreement. The aim now, really, is to fight for a world title. That’s really what he wants to do.”

Joshua could yet do so against either fighter, given the potential for Hrgovic and Dubois to contest the IBF title.

Hearn was then asked if, should Dubois win, a fight between London’s two leading heavyweights would take place in Saudi Arabia, and he responded: “Possibly. Obviously His Excellency’s said that he wants to do a show at Wembley, but there’s been no discussions yet about who’s going to be headlining that.”

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua confirms date for next fight and reveals Deontay Wilder is on four-man shortlist

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Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder

Anthony Joshua has told talkSPORT that his next fight will take place on September 20 or 21 at Wembley Stadium in London.

AJ has revealed that there are four names on the shortlist to be his opponent with Deontay Wilder vs Zhilei Zhang and Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois set to take place on June 1 in Riyadh – whoever puts in the best performance will emerge as the frontrunner.

It was already known that Saudi Arabia’s boxing chiefs headed up by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh are planning a big event at Wembley in September.

Many had speculated that AJ could headline, and the man himself has now confirmed this.

When asked for an update on his ring return, Joshua told talkSPORT’s Jon Jackson ahead of the Formula E Monaco E-Prix: “Whenever they tell me there’s a date, you know I’ll be ready 100 per cent.

“It’s gonna be in London, Wembley Stadium.

“This is what I’m being told. If that’s what they say, they normally back their word so let’s go with that.

“Wembley, September 20 or 21.”

Discussing his potential next opponent, AJ explained HE Alalshikh’s plan.

“On June 1 in Saudi Arabia they’ve got the 5 vs 5 card,” Joshua recalled.

“You’ve got Filip Hrgovic vs Daniel Dubois, and you’ve got Zhilei Zhang vs Deontay Wilder.

“So providing one of those looks good – the one who looks the best, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh said to me, ‘I want you to fight [him].’

“What he says is, ‘In the future I want people to look back at your record and say that you took on the best.’

“I said, ‘Now you’re speaking my language.’

“So out of that pool, I believe that’s who I’m gonna be fighting, one of those.

“We’re on the same page and he’s on the same page as the fans as well.

“He’s trying to deliver what the fans want, I know they want that big fight with Tyson Fury and he’s working on it.

“But Fury’s got his obligations with Oleksandr Usyk so I’ve gotta make sure I stay focused and disciplined, keep steamrolling through opponents so I can get closer and closer to having the opportunity of me vs Tyson Fury.”

Joshua vs Wilder is of course the biggest potential fight out of the four names in the frame for September 20/21.

That fight was signed and supposed to happen in March, however Wilder was beaten by Joseph Parker in December and so AJ faced Francis Ngannou instead, winning by devastating KO.

Regarding whether he’s still open to fighting Wilder if he beats Zhang on June 1, Joshua said: “Let’s go, 110 per cent.

“I think that if he goes out there and looks good that will kind of reignite that flame that he had.

“Because boxing is all about perception. You can look bad one fight and go out there the next fight and look good, then everyone says, ‘Yeah, he’s back.’

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BOXING

Floyd Mayweather fires back at Gervonta Davis by sharing incriminating video of Tank

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Gervonta Davis and Floyd Mayweather

Gervonta Davis has never been afraid to call out anyone, no matter their physical size or level of legacy in the boxing world. And now he’s going after Floyd Mayweather Jr.

“Tank” claimed that Mayweather is “being held hostage” in Dubai because he owes people money. Mayweather has quickly fired back by posting a video of Davis where he’s dancing “zesty”.

Mayweather captioned the video, on his Instagram story, by writing “we always knew he had sugar in his Tank“.

Shakur Stevenson appears on Mayweather’s IG story to call out Tank

On the subsequent Instagram story, Mayweather posted a video of Shakur Stevenson imploring Davis to fight him.

Davis is scheduled to fight Frank Martin on June 15 in a non-title fight in Las Vegas. His schedule appears open after that fight to accomodate Stevenson.

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BOXING

Ryan Garcia sticks his nose into Mayweather/Davis feud with claim about Floyd’s daughter

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Ryan Garcia has shed light on the ongoing feud between boxing legend Floyd Mayweather and his former protege Gervonta Davis.

Despite their once amicable relationship, the two are now engaged in a public spat, hurling insults across social media platforms.

Garcia, fresh from his victory over Devin Haney, disclosed the root cause of the rift, alleging that Mayweather harbors resentment towards Davis for his involvement with Mayweather‘s daughter, Yaya Mayweather.

“I already knew about it, once Gervonta f*cked Floyd Mayweather‘s daughter. That’s not even a secret, that’s not something I’m exposing,” Garcia stated candidly when pressed about the situation between Tank and Mayweather.

Quite why Garcia got involved is unclear, especially after he suggested his recent bizarre social media tirades were all part of building a persona ahead of his fight with Haney.

What did Davis say about Mayweather?

Davis, known affectionately as Tank, countered Mayweather‘s claims that he was “held hostage” in Dubai due to financial debts by insinuating that Mayweather’s concern should be elsewhere. Mayweather swiftly retaliated by sharing a video of Davis dancing with a mocking caption on his Instagram story, suggesting Davis has a flamboyant demeanor.

The feud ignited when Mayweather launched a scathing tirade directed at unnamed boxers, criticizing their lack of dedication to the sport and preoccupation with superficial aspects like attire.

“Many of you are fixated on your attire, the appearance of your boots, focusing on the wrong priorities. Several fighters are living paycheck to paycheck,” Mayweather lamented.

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BOXING

“Not 50-50”: Roy Jones Jr. Predicts the Winner of Dmitry Bivol vs. Artur Beterbiev

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Dmirty Bivol

The heat is picking up in the light heavyweight division. Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev are all set to clash in a historic clash this summer, and predictions for it have started pouring in. Joining the bandwagon is former light heavyweight champion himself, Roy Jones Jr., who has deflected from the consensus that it will be a leveled fight between the two undefeated power punchers.

Bivol will bring his IBO and WBA belts against Beterbiev’s IBF, WBC, and WBO titles to determine the undisputed champion of the weight class, last held by Roy Jones Jr. himself. Now, on the precipice of getting a successor for the status, he made a pick between Beterbiev and Bivol. The premise of his argument rests on a major beating one of them took in their career.

Roy Jones Jr. reflects upon the Canelo Alvarez fight

Both Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol come with an illustrious undefeated record. While Bivol has 22 fights under his record, Beterbiev boasts 20. This levelness has prompted fans to presume that it will be a fight that could go either way. However, Roy Jones Jr., thinks it is a fight that will be in favor of 33-year-old Bivol. To Boxing Social, he remarked, “Not 50-50. One, Beterbiev 38 years old. Beterbiev has been down. Bivol has never been down.”

In December 2014, the Russian native stopped Jeff Page Jr. in two rounds. However, in the first round, he was dropped by Page Jr. with a straight right to the head. That’s been the only time Beterbiev has hit the canvas. Basing his argument on this occurrence, the former champion also leveraged the time Bivol defeated Canelo Alvarez in their 2022 fight, giving the Mexican fighter his career’s second loss after Floyd Mayweather.

Roy Jones Jr. then added, “Bivol’s been in there with who at that time was pound-for-pound, the best, Canelo Alvarez. Made him look like nothing. So I’m not saying that it’s 50-50.” However, he does not completely rule out the chances of Beterbiev winning on the night. He also notes that it will not be an easy task for Bivol to cement his victory.

What is Dmitry Bivol up against?

Roy Jones Jr. does not underestimate the power of the knockout machine, Beterbiev. After all, his punches are the ones that induce fright in his weight class. He explained, “Beterbiev got everything to show me to bring back the 50-50. Right now, Bivol has the advantage, 60-40. Now, Beterbiev is a hell of a guy and a hell of a fighter. Awesome power, but he’s also been down.”

He further contended, “So it’s like when I look at that, I was looking where I used to look at things at that point, and when someone else has knocked you down, I gotta get you there. Now, that’s a hell of a punch to walk through though. So it’s a very dangerous game Bivol’s gotta play. Because Beterbiev’s the best puncher in probably the entire division.”

Will the “best puncher” of the division be able to flip Roy Jones Jr.’s prediction? What do you think? Take your picks in the comments section below.

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BOXING

Gervonta Davis Calls Out Floyd Mayweather In Fiery Rant

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Gervonta Davis and Floyd Mayweather

Gervonta Davis has had enough of Mayweather.

Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Floyd Mayweather seem to have some new beef between them. In the past, Davis was a sort of protege to Mayweather, with the two having a mentor-mentee relationship. Their relationship started to fracture after Tank started winning titles back in 2017. In 2022, Davis left Mayweather’s fight promotion company, striking out on his own. During Tank’s training for his fight against Ryan Garcia, he alleged that Mayweather kicked him out of his gym. he asserted that Mayweather attempted to keep him from training for the fight effectively. Now Tank has responded to a recent Mayweather video, officially calling the boxing legend out.

This morning, Tank responded to Mayweather with some pointed words. Floyd Mayweather is no stranger to beef. This week, he had a heated argument with Devin Haney’s father. Mayweather came under fire from Haney’s camp after he called and congratulated Ryan Garcia on his win over Devin Haney. Haney’s dad called him out for a lack of loyalty. Gervonta Davis has now called out Floyd and has alleged similar instances of disloyalty that he has shown over the years.

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