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Tag: Heavyweight boxing

  • Heavyweight Boxing: Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury rematch date revealed

    Heavyweight Boxing: Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury rematch date revealed

    The much anticipated rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury has been fixed for December 21 in Riyadh, the top Saudi organiser said on Wednesday.

    Recall that Usyk won the undisputed heavyweight boxing bout  against Fury earlier this month.

    The undefeated Ukrainian won by split decision against Britain’s Fury in the Saudi capital on May 19 in the first unification fight of the four-belt era.

    “The rematch between the undisputed champion Oleksandr Usyk and the champion Tyson Fury is now scheduled on the 21 of December 2024 during Riyadh Season,” Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, posted on X, formerly Twitter.

    Britain’s Lennox Lewis won the last undisputed heavyweight championship against Evander Holyfield in 1999. Both men were ringside as Usyk handed Fury, 35, his first defeat.

    The 37-year-old Ukrainian, who briefly served as a soldier after the Russian invasion, was also undisputed champion at cruiserweight and won Olympic, world and European honours as an amateur.

  • Anthony Joshua picks date for next fight

    Anthony Joshua picks date for next fight

    British boxer of Nigerian descent, Anthony Joshua has said that the next time he will be returning to fight anyone will be in December 2023.

    Recall that Joshua defeated American heavyweight boxer Jermaine Franklin by judges unanimous decision.

    Joshua has been linked with fights against Dillian Whyte and Tyson Fury following his unanimous decision victory over American Franklin at The O2.

    But Joshua appeared to suffer a nose injury during the fight and he posted a statement on social media that suggested a lengthy absence from the sport.

    “My next fight is scheduled for December. Not ideal but everything is part of a bigger picture,” Joshua confirmed on his Instagram story.

    Joshua lost his unified WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and could not reclaim them when he lost his rematch last year with the Ukrainian.

    Speaking after the Frankin win he said, “I’m going to keep on pushing and plugging away. Maybe I could have let my hands go more [against Franklin]. Maybe this, maybe that.

    “That’s all the past now and all we can look forward to is what’s going to happen in the future. It’s just good to be back and getting the ball rolling. We’re climbing, we’re climbing the ladder once again.”

    Joshua called for a heavyweight showdown against British rival Fury after he battled to a points win over Jermaine Franklin.

    Joshua previously acknowledged he would have considered retiring had he lost to Franklin. But he promises his enthusiasm for the sport is undimmed.

    “I’m passionate. Self-driven. Motivated. No one forces me to do this. No one forces me to get up in the morning and run. It’s tough,” he said. “It’s tough sometimes.

    “But there’s something in you that’s like, ‘Come on, you’ve got to fight, you’ve got to win.’ The minute you start losing that desire, you’ve got to be real with yourself.”

    He knows that moment will arrive for him one day. One day he will have to stop.

    “There is no ticking timebomb that I could actually tell you when it’s going to detonate. But there’s a reality,” he said.

    However, he noted: “The reality I’m living is, we’re still chasing something. I’m still chasing the dream.

    “I’m definitely passionate about the game. Still. For so many reasons. The list is long and I’m committed until it’s done.”

  • Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin: Five major talking points

    Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin: Five major talking points

    Anthony Joshua’s  career is on the line this weekend against Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena, the boxing has been tagged a make or mar bout for the one time rave of the moment.

    The main event is expected to begin around 5:30 p.m. ET on DAZN.

    Anthony Joshua (24-3) has lost his two fights to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, including a split-decision loss to Usyk in his last outing this past August.

    Jermaine Franklin (21-1) is also looking to rebound from his first career loss in his last outing. Franklin lost to Dillian Whyte via majority decision this past November.

    Immediately after  losing to Usyk

    His erratic behaviour in the direct aftermath of the second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk he regrets, but he didn’t wallow in self pity for long.

    Yes, it was massively disappointing but it wasn’t as dark a time as you’d think.

    “It wasn’t too dark because I’ve always just got on with it, you can’t stop, stopping is a luxury,” he says.

    “When you’re under pressure you put expectations on yourself I didn’t have time to stop but in those quiet times when I’m sitting there and questioning myself I definitely had to soul search a bit.

    “Questioning myself, how do I get better, what am I looking for, what’s the purpose, why did I act like that (after the fight), if it happened again how could I do better?

    Career Ending Fight ?

    Anthony Joshua has said that he would be quitting boxing altogether should he lose his third straight fight against Jamie Franklin today.
    The boxer is of the opinion that today’s bout can make or mar his career as a professional boxer but admits that he’s well prepared for it.
    Joshua’s Rank dropping
    For the first time in seven years — and 13 fights — Joshua isn’t competing with a heavyweight title on the line. Once the fighter to beat in the heavyweight division, Joshua is now No. 4 in ESPN’s rankings behind Tyson Fury, Usyk and Deontay Wilder. The 33-year-old meets American contender Jermaine Franklin on Saturday in London in what could be considered a rebuilding fight for a boxer looking to rediscover his form.
    Predictions from Boxing Coaches and analyst

    Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn: “I’d say Joshua wins by stoppage inside seven rounds. I’m going for rounds four to six. It’s been a while since we’ve seen an early AJ stoppage but I think you’ll see one.

    Unified light-middleweight champion Natasha Jonas: “AJ wins for me. I think he stops him in the middle rounds.”

    5 Live analyst Richie Woodhall: “I think this is brilliant matchmaking. Franklin is only 6ft 2in. He’s fairly slow on his feet. I think this is the fight where Anthony Joshua can really shine. And really get in people’s thinking again about being the best heavyweight in the world.”

    Olympic champion Lauren Price: “I’m going for an AJ stoppage. An explosive knockout would be good but he needs to win in style. It will be good for his confidence and in front of a home crowd.”

    Former featherweight champion Kid Galahad: “AJ knocks him out inside five round. He’ll look sharp and devastating. I expect more focused work to the body under the stewardship of Derrick James.”

  • Heavyweight Boxing: Anthony Joshua’s April 1st opponent emerges

    Heavyweight Boxing: Anthony Joshua’s April 1st opponent emerges

    British boxer of Nigerian descent and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua’s next boxing opponent has emerged.

    The boxer is set to face  America’s Jermaine Franklin as he makes his return to the boxing ring on April 1 at the 02 Arena in London and fans are already anticipating seeing the British-Nigerian triumph over the American in the bout.

    Franklin lost for the first time in his heavyweight career after losing a hard-fought majority decision loss to Joshua’s rival, Dillian Whyte, which was the first defeat on the 29-year-old’s 22-fight record.

    Recall that Joshua’s second world title reign was ended by a unanimous decision loss to Usyk in September 2021, while the Ukrainian retained the WBA, IBF, and WBO belts with a split decision victory in their rematch last August.

    Talks are at an advanced stage for Usyk to share the ring with WBC king Tyson Fury in the next few months, while Joshua kicks off his career rebuild April 1.

    Saleh Fawaz, CEO of Nigeria’s leading boxing promotional and management company, Saleh Gloves Promotions, told pressmen he believes the fight is perfect to get Joshua back on track and believes the 33-year-old can win the bout.

    “It is a good fight. I didn’t think it was a good idea for him to jump into a huge opponent like (Deontay) Wilder, Fury, right away, so I think it is a good fight to get back into the ring and to try and get back to winning ways,”

    “I am expecting Joshua to win the fight, but he should also respect Franklin, who fought Whyte last year and went the distance. Unlike Joshua, who only fought once last year, Franklin fought twice and had been inactive for two years. So, this is a sort of comeback for both of them, but Joshua, who knocked out Whyte should be able to beat him with his skillset and longer reach,” Fawaz said.

    Joshua’s manager, Eddie Hearn, had previously hinted that a third consecutive loss could signal the end of Joshua’s career and Fawaz agrees with the promoter.

    “Because of his losses and poor performances of recent, the ball is not in his court to get the next big fight and it will be all over for him if he loses this fight, even his promoter, Eddie Hearn, was saying that and it is true,” Fawaz added.

     

  • Again, Iron Mike Tyson accused of rape

    Again, Iron Mike Tyson accused of rape

    Former heavyweight boxing champion, Mike Tyson has been accused by a woman in New York for raping her in a limousine in the early 1990s.

    The woman has filed a lawsuit against Iron Mike Tyson.

    However, the woman, who asked the court to remain anonymous, filed her complaint in early January under a temporary New York state law allowing victims of sexual assault to seek civil damages regardless of the statute of limitations.

    Tyson spent three years in jail beginning in 1992 after being found guilty of raping model Desiree Washington, who was 18 at the time.

    In a short affidavit dated December 23, 2022, the plaintiff states that she met the boxer at a nightclub “in the early 1990s,” and then followed him into his limousine, where he allegedly assaulted her before raping her.

    “As a result of Tyson’s rape, I suffered and continue to suffer from physical, psychological and emotional injury,” she said.

    She is seeking $5 million in damages.

    However, Iron Mike Tyson is yet to issue a statement concerning the allegations against him.

    Born in Brooklyn in 1966, Tyson had a turbulent childhood before becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion in the 1980s, terrifying his opponents with his fury in the ring and phenomenal punching power.

    But after his prison sentence, he could not retain his titles.

    In a notorious 1996 matchup, Tyson bit off a piece of his opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear.

    Gripped by depression and addiction, he continued to make headlines, notably for a one-man show in which he described his life’s many ups and downs.

    He has recently launched into the cannabis industry with his own brand of marijuana products and hosts a podcast.

  • Heavyweight Boxing: Joshua’s opponent to be unveiled next week

    Heavyweight Boxing: Joshua’s opponent to be unveiled next week

    British boxer of Nigeria descent and two time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is expected to announce his comeback opponent next week.

    Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn are finalizing the contract talks for the fighter’s next opponent following an agreed date of April 1st, 2023.

    The 33-year-old has not fought since August’s rematch defeat to Oleksandr Usyk which made it back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian after a previous loss in September 2021.

    Joshua’s last victory came over two years ago when he took down Kubrat Pulev.

    Tyson Fury wanted a fight with Anthony Joshua in December 2022 but it didn’t see the light of the day as both fighter’s promoters couldn’t agree on a deal.

    Fury had to settle for Derek Chisora in a thrilling heavyweight battle.

    Fury batters brave Chisora over 10 brutal rounds. Tyson Fury retained his WBC heavyweight title with a one-sided beatdown of Derek Chisora which ended with a 10th-round stoppage

    However, Joshua’s promoter  Hearn is now  keen to secure a big-name opponent who can put Joshua back on track to fight the likes of Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.

    There had been talk of a brutal battle against Filip Hrgovic, but he has been ordered to face Andy Ruiz Jr in an IBF eliminator.

    Meanwhile, Hearn has also effectively ruled out Otto Wallin and Demsey McKean after revealing Joshua does not want to take on another southpaw since it doesn’t align with his plans to face other orthodox fighters.

    That could leave Jermaine Franklin as the man to fight Joshua on April Fool’s Day, with the American looking to avenge November’s London defeat to Joshua’s rival, Dillian Whyte.

    However, fans won’t have to wait too long to find out the former champ’s next opponent, as Hearn is currently finalising contracts with a plan to confirm the bout next week.

    “(Franklin) is definitely in the mix. Demsey McKean is still in the mix,” he told Boxing Social.

    “The link-up with a new trainer means a southpaw fighter, even though Joshua just boxed one of them twice, is not ideal. When you look at the future for Anthony Joshua, the future revolves around Tyson Fury, Deontay Wilder and Dillian Whyte. They’re three orthodox fighters. It is likely that he will face an orthodox fighter next.

    “I think Jermaine Franklin is a great fighter. People say ‘it’s definitely Franklin’. Nothing is signed and agreed with. But Franklin is coming off a fight where it was very close with Whyte. Some people felt he won that fight.”

    A blockbuster summer rematch with Whyte is believed to be in the offing for the former unified world champion, provided he successfully emerges from his comeback bout this spring.

  • Heavyweight Boxing: Nigeria’s Ajagba defeats America’s Stephan Shaw

    Heavyweight Boxing: Nigeria’s Ajagba defeats America’s Stephan Shaw

    Nigerian boxer, Efe Ajagba, has inflicted first loss on American boxer, Stephan Shaw in the wee hours of Sunday, defeating him in an unanimous decision.

    Ajagba who lost his last fight to Frank Sanchez,  has bounced back to defeat previously undefeated Shaw in the contest on Sunday.

    Cuba’s Sanchez (21-0, 14 KOs) dropped Ajagba in the seventh round and comfortably out-pointed him on all three scorecards in a 10-rounder that was part of the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder undercard in October 2021 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

    Following his loss to the Cuban boxer, and subsequent surgery on his elbow,  Ajabga promised to return to winning ways, and he has made due his promise with the victory over Shaw.

    Meanwhile, Ajagba was a difficult nut to crack for shaw who struggled against the Nigerian all through the ten-round contest at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

    According to the Judges,  Eric Marlinski, John McKaie and Don Trella,  Ajagba defeated shaw with 96-94.

    Without hesitation, Shaw (18-1, 13 KOs, 1 NC) took this fight against Ajagba on less than one month’s notice. Ajagba was supposed to fight Colombian contender Oscar Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs), but Rivas suffered a detached retina while training last month.

    Before losing to Ajagba, American, Steven Shaw had won 17 times with 13 knockouts and four wins on unanimous decision.

    Efe Ajagba is a Nigerian professional boxer who holds the record for the fastest victory in boxing history after his opponent was disqualified for leaving the ring one second after the opening bell. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 2015 African Games and bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

  • Again,Tyson Fury knocks Anthony Joshua

    Again,Tyson Fury knocks Anthony Joshua

    WBC champion, Tyson Fury has attacked British counterpart and heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, saying fighting Oleksandr Usyk is a better idea while hinting that the fight will fetch him more money than facing  Joshua.

    The Uysk, Joshua fight is expected to happen in 2023 and the bout will probably be staged in the Middle East.

    Fury believes that if the deal is agreed upon, it will go down in history as the most lucrative fight in boxing.

    The two were in talks to fight this month, but they broke down due to a number of factors, and Fury ended up facing Derek Chisora instead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. And after a dominant win in that trilogy bout, he has set his sights solely on dethroning Usyk and crowning himself as the undisputed No.1 heavyweight.

    “I don’t think it’ll happen,” Fury said of a possible fight with Joshua during an interview with IFL TV.

    “It’s not happening, mush, 100 per cent, it’s not happening. I’m going to take on the man that beat him twice, so what is he? Irrelevant or what? I’m going to knock out the guy that beat him twice, what are they going to say about me then? ‘Oh my gosh, who is this guy? Where has he come from?’”

    Asked if he admits that the fight with Joshua is the biggest in the sport, Fury clapped back by saying that it was not. It’s the biggest fight in this country,” he noted. “But it’s not the biggest fight in boxing. Me and Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world (is bigger), no doubt. Two undefeated fighters, not a man who’s been beaten three of his last five fights.’’

    “I’m sure because (Joshua) doesn’t bring anything to the table, and the undisputed heavyweight championship, that they kept talking about for the last ten years but could never win in their wildest dreams. That’s the bigger fight, in terms of money, 100 per cent (I will earn more), probably double the amount.

    “I’ll earn double the amount from Usyk than I will from the other sausage. If it was going to happen it would have happened in December, 100 per cent. I’m looking to fight Usyk, Joshua’s nemesis, the man who’s got Joshua’s kryptonite, who made him cry after the fight like a little girl. ‘I’m 18 stone’, so? I’m 20 stone. I’ll beat him.

    “I’ll take that little sausage out, he ain’t got no kryptonite to me, he’s f*** all to me. He’s a little f***er, and I’m going to make him dance. We’ll see how good he is, I’ll show you how a proper, proper Englishman does to a little mush when I get him in there, get up!”

  • Wilder returns, knocks out opponent with just three punches

    Wilder returns, knocks out opponent with just three punches

    After losing the trilogy battle to  Tyson Fury, American boxer, Deontay Wilder returned to the ring with a bang.

    Wilder delivered a devastating punch on Robert Helenius in the very first round of the eliminator fight for the World Boxing Council.

    The introduction of the fighters lasted longer than the fight itself. Wilder did not wait long and went all out as soon as the bell rang to start the fight.

    The fight proved way too easy for the Bronze Bomber who just threw three punches to send Helenius to the canvass.

    After just 177 seconds, Wilder was victorious, with his knockout so brutal, not even the bell saved Helenius, with just three seconds left on the clock in the opening round when that final blow landed.

    In his post fight reaction, Deontay Wilder breaks down while answering questions in a  press conference after Robert Helenius win

    The Bronze Bomber spoke about the dangers of boxing and Prichard Colon who was left in a vegetative state following a brain injury suffered in 2015.

    Wilder said: “My heart goes out to him and I hope he’s doing ok [Robert Helenius], he’s gonna be able to go back to his family. You know, people always going on about records and all this oh he lost and he’s a bum and all that, get your bum ass in there. That’s a great knockout, he’s devastating and making history and stuff like that.

    “How much that man gonna suffer? We’ve seen what’s happened, look at Colon, Prichard Colon, this man ain’t have no kids, they don’t understand, they need to understand what we go through man, and I don’t even know him like that, but he’ll always be an advocate for us. This man won’t ever know what it’s like to be someone’s father and that’s the most precious thing in the world to be somebody’s father. But he won’t ever be somebody’s father because he got in the ring to support his family, but now, his family gotta take care of him for the rest of his life. We don’t know if Robert will be the same after this, I just did a job.”

     

  • Heavyweight Boxing: Deontay Wilder looks in Joshua’s direction

    Heavyweight Boxing: Deontay Wilder looks in Joshua’s direction

    Deontay Wilder is looking in Antony Joshua’s direction in what he describes a heavyweight showdown and the biggest fight in the world.

    Wilder said it was a matter of fight before the biggest heavyweight boxing bout between them comes to life.

    The Bronze Bomber will return to the ring for the first time this weekend after suffering a trilogy defeat to WBC champion Tyson Fury.

    Recall that Wilder lost two of his last three heavyweight boxing bout after recording 42 wins.

    12 years and 10 months into his professional boxing career, Deontay Wilder has fought 45 times with 42 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw.

    Meanwhile, Wilder will be hoping to claim his 42nd KO against Helenius on October 15 and claims he could face Joshua soon after.

    Speaking to Kate Abdo on The Good Fight, Wilder said: ‘I’m still in the business, Anthony Joshua’s still in the business.

    “People always tell me, ‘When you gonna fight Joshua?’ That’s the biggest fight in the world between us, still. So it ain’t ‘if’, it’s just ‘when’.”

    The American boxer said he needed some time away from the ring to process the back-to-back defeats in 2020 and 2021 as they were the only losses of his professional career.

    A lot of boxing enthusiasts expected Wilder to retire from boxing but the Bronze Bomber has put his retirement plans away with his October 15 bout with Helenius

    A victory over Helenius would propel him closer to the heavyweight summit once more and tee up potential showdowns with the likes of Anthony Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr and Dillian Whyte.

    However, when asked who he would like to fight if he was given the choice, Wilder said Oleksandr Usyk.

    The American heavyweight said: “Of course, if I get to choose I will fight Usyk. Or Andy Ruiz because they are both a title shot. Who wouldn’t.