ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury are in training for their HUGE heavyweight world title fight THIS summer.
Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn and Fury himself have said the bout will be taking place on Saturday, August 14 in Saudi Arabia and Fury’s promoter Bob Arum has said the fight will take place at 9pm for British fans to watch.
But the fight has been thrown into doubt after reports emerged that Deontay Wilder’s right to a third fight with Fury was exercised by a U.S. judge.
We’ll be bringing you ALL of the latest developments on the bout plus all of the news from the world of boxing right here…
FRANK’S THRILLED
Frank Bruno is looking forward to August 14, if the Fury v Joshua fight goes ahead that is.
“I’m glad we are slowly coming out of lockdown can’t wait to get “out there” for my appearances & meet people.
“Glad at last 14 August 4 the Tyson Fury & Anthony Joshua has finally been rubber-stamped. Have a good evening.”
WILDER WARNING
Here the message Deontay Wilder sent to Tyson Fury in November 2020.
FIGHT IN DOUBT
The arbitration court has ruled that Tyson Fury has to fight Deontay Wilder in a third fight this summer, so the bout against Anthony Joshua could be off.
The WBC heavyweight champion has been in arbitration with the American for months over a contracted third fight between the pair.
Fury, 32, beat Wilder back in February 2020 to take the WBC title after their first meeting ended in a controversial draw.
But in the contract there was due to be a third clash between the pair.
That was pencilled in for July 2020 but it was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was pushed back until December 2020 but both sides could not agree on a date.
Wilder’s team wanted to push it back further into early 2021 but Fury did not want to wait any longer.
NOT SO FURIOUS
TYSON Fury’s wife Paris has been pictured wearing her wedding ring again just days after removing it following images of the boxer soaking up female attention in America.
The champ admitted he was in his wife’s bad books as she remained at home pregnant and looking after four of their children – but it seems she’s had a change of heart.
The 31-year-old was seen wearing the huge sparkler as she ran errands yesterday at the couple’s home in Morecambe.
She later revealed she was spending the night in a hotel, as she shared a picture of herself getting room service.
Tyson meanwhile addressed the situation on Instagram yesterday as he continues to train across the pond ahead of his big fight with Anthony Joshua.
He wrote: “Looks like the GK is in Mrs Paris Fury’s bad books! Wedding ring off.”
THE PREDATOR
Derek Chisora’s trainer Don Charles has shared his initial verdict on Fury vs Joshua, and he issued a warning to The Gypsy King.
He told iFL TV: “For that fight it’s a question of who is able to implement their game plan on the night.
“There’s very little to split them. If anyone has the style to dent The Gypsy King it is Joshua.
“Anthony is a very well-skilled amateur, hence why he’s an Olympic gold medaslist and let’s face it, Fury does get knocked down here and there.”
“If Joshua nails Fury, he will stay hit. He’s got that power.
“The first Predeator [film], that is Fury, because the predator is able to camouflage himself. He [Fury] has that ability.
“Whatever game plan you bring he can rip it up in front of you.”
CARD TRICK
Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury is set to have world title fights and cross-promotional bouts as part of their £3.5million undercard budget.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed to DAZN the chief supporting act will include multiple world title fights.
And there is also the opportunity for rare clashes between the opposing promoters’ stables.
That means Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing could go against Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions and Bob Arum’s Top Rank.
HEARN WANTS TO BE HEARD
Eddie Hearn has given a fiery response to the Fury-Joshua fight being announced.
Via Dazn, he said: “I told everybody this fight would be done.
“No-one believed me, ‘Oh, it won’t happen, it’s a bad time, they won’t come up with the money.’
“I’m not looking for props, but give me some f***ing props!”
‘I NEVER LOST’
The Gypsy King is getting into the Saudi Arabia spirit already, and he sent a warning to Anthony Joshua.
The caption on his Instagram story reads: “Time to take back what I never lost. Every belt there [is] all mine chump!”
QUIET ON THE AJ FRONT
Let’s take a look at what Anthony Joshua has been up to instead of announcing the fight…
Oh, posting a paid sponsorship with JD on his Instagram account.
‘GOOD CHANCE’
DAVID HAYE reckons Anthony Joshua will KNOCK OUT Tyson Fury in their eagerly-anticipated undisputed heavyweight title fight.
The pair are finally set to share the ring in Saudi Arabia on August 14, although an official announcement has yet to be made.
He told PA: “What Fury did against Deontay Wilder in his last fight sounded like suicide on paper, but it was genius.
“Tactically I believed he had got it totally wrong, but it was proven right.
But if you look at some of his prior fights, I wouldn’t say his tactics were that good.
“Joshua got his tactics terribly wrong in his first fight against Andy Ruiz, trying to mix it against a guy with short arms whose only chance was to get inside.
“But his tactics are improving and I very much liked what he did against Kubrat Pulev in his last fight.”
ANTICIPATION BUILDING
Paddy McGuinness already cannot wait for August 14th, it just happens to be his birthday then too.
LESS TALK MORE ACTION
Anthony Joshua has continued to remain silent despite Tyson Fury’s public announcement on Sunday that the two will fight this summer.
HAYE MAKER
David Haye has backed Anthony Joshua to surprise Tyson Fury with an early knockout in their unification fight this summer.
He told the Belfast Telegraph: “I like the dedication of Joshua and I think he has a good chance of winning it early.
“People think I’m crazy but that’s just the way I see it. I loved his fight against Wladimir Klitschko – he took his licks and got back up and showed the heart of a champion.”
“Tyson isn’t so much of a one-punch specialist. He puts his punches together and his style is that if you throw big looping shots at him he’ll make you look silly. But AJ throws hard, compact punches and he puts them together well. I don’t see this fight going smoothly for Fury at all.”
He concluded: “I think it’s a great fight and I really see it being won by stoppage. I’m just so glad we’re so close to seeing it happen.”
TALE OF THE TAPE
Anthony Joshua will go to war with Tyson Fury! Here’s how the two fighters compare…
BOOKIE’S EYE
Tyson Fury is the bookies’ early ODDS-ON favourite to beat Anthony Joshua ahead of their confirmed bout on August 14th.
Fury is odds-on at 4/7 with Paddy Power while Joshua is a slightly bigger price at 11/8 to win the fight.
Fury’s most-likely method of victory is on points or decision (15/8) rather than via knockout (9/4).
But Joshua’s shortest price in terms of way of victory is via KO/TKO at 5/2, making this an intriguing showdown.
Paddy Power are offering an early odds boosts on either Fury to win via KO/TKO at 3/1 or Joshua to win via KO/TKO at 11/4 HERE*.
As the two fighters are evenly matched, punters could back a controversial draw at 22/1.
ED IN THE CLOUDS
Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has insisted he had nothing to do with bringing Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul to Sky Sports PPV.
He told iFL TV: “You can’t blame me for that one, dreadful.
“Listen, people are gonna watch it, aren’t they?
“I did Logan Paul vs KSI, but it was a fight between two YouTubers who couldn’t really fight – now you’ve got a bloke who can’t fight against one of the greatest fighters of all time.
“I can’t go back on what I’ve already said about the fight because it’s now on PPV.
“I wasn’t involved with it, it’s got nothing to do with me, enjoy the show.”
TY-SUN FURY
Tyson Fury is still enjoying his warm-weather break to Miami with brother Tommy.
The Fury brothers have been lapping up the Florida sun for the best part of a week having flown there from Texas after supporting Billy Joe Saunders in his ill-fated clash with Canelo Alvarez.
And the pair, 32 and 22 respectively, appear to still be enjoying their getaway, despite all the photo requests.
MORE FROM TONY BELLEW
He added: “He will finish Tyson Fury. Deontay Wilder dropped him twice. Anthony Joshua only has to drop them once and the fights done.
“He is the most vicious finisher that I’ve seen since Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
“That’s how good a finisher he is. When he gets his man hurt, you do not survive.”
BELLEW OF THE BALL
Tony Bellew expects Anthony Joshua to drop Tyson Fury during their super-fight this summer.
He told the ‘Don’t Tell Me The Score with Simon Mundie’ podcast: “I think he (Joshua) catches Tyson.
“People are reading far too much into what happened against Deontay Wilder. Anthony Joshua is not Deontay Wilder.
“Anthony Joshua is a very accomplished excellent technical boxer fighter. Anthony Joshua is a former Olympic gold medalist.
“Deontay Wilder was skimming the lights when he was trying to knock out Tyson Fury in round twelve of the first fight.
“He was jumping off two feet in the air, swinging punches – a lunatic. Anthony Joshua is not going to take that approach.
“Don’t get me wrong. He’s only got six rounds to do it, in my opinion.
“Because after six rounds, if you can’t figure out Tyson Fury in six rounds, you are not going to do it in twelve.
“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but I do believe he’ll catch him.
“And if he does catch up and hit him, he’s the most destructive finisher in the heavyweight division.”
CASHING IN
Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury are set to split an eye-watering £110million site fee after their Saudi Arabia mega-fight, according to reports.
The heavyweight champions go head to head on August 14 and the fighters are set for an epic pay day with the Middle Eastern country coughing up some serious dough in order to stage the fight.
Each man will receive £53million from the site fee while an additional £2m each will be for ‘expenses and the undercard’, according to TalkSPORT.
GOOD MORNING BOXING FANS
Tyson Fury has now declared that his fight with Anthony Joshua is “100 per cent on”.
He said: “I’ve got some massive news for you all guys.
“I’ve just got off the phone from Prince Khalid of Saudi Arabia, he’s told me this fight’s 100 per cent on.
“August 14, 2021 – summertime. All eyes of the world will be on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“I cannot wait, repeat, cannot wait to smash Anthony Joshua on the biggest stage of all times.
“This is gonna be the biggest sporting event ever to grace the planet Earth.
“Do not miss it, all eyes on us.”Saudi Arabia hosted 31-year-old Joshua’s title rematch victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019 amid criticism from human rights’ campaigners.
A temporary venue was constructed in Diriyah for the fight and Matchroom boss Eddie Hearn has promised a new stadium that will ‘shock the world’ for August’s unification event.
He told Sky Sports: “They want to build a new stadium.
“They have indoors options. In August at 11pm it will be about 23 degrees.
“They want to create something very, very special.
“Last time they built a stadium for the Andy Ruiz Jr fight in just seven weeks and it held 18,000. This will be a similar setup.
“They have the opportunity to hold it indoors but they want to create something that will shock the world. They want to build a stadium just for this fight.”
TY-TOTAL
Exclusive by Michael Hamilton: Tyson Fury has gone teetotal as he bids to keep his mental health demons at bay.
The boxing champ, 32 — who confessed to drinking 12 pints a day — has vowed to family and friends he will stay off booze.
“Gypsy King” Fury has spoken openly about his drink, drugs, and mental health issues in the past.
He was spotted this week with his boxer half-brother Tommy, 22, relaxing by a pool in Miami — with Fury sipping from a bottle of alcohol-free lager.
A source said: “Tyson has kicked the booze on the head for good.
“It is not because of the boxing, because he can always get in shape for fights and obviously doesn’t drink during training camps.
“Tyson is doing this for himself and his family — especially his wife Paris.
“And he reckons it is the best way to be a great dad and stay in shape physically and mentally.”
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Anthony Joshua is champing at the bit to face Tyson Fury, who he plans to ‘absolutely demolish’ in their undisputed heavyweight title fight.
Eddie Hearn told Sky Sports: “You will get a different AJ in this build-up.
“He’s excited because he’s never really, apart from the Dillian Whyte fight, been in a trash talk environment. He will enjoy it.
“AJ has got the bit between his teeth, goading him a bit.
“I’m sure these two DM each other, goading each other. I get DMs from Fury – sometimes pleasant, sometimes unpleasant!
“When the announcement comes and the press conferences start, the pleasantries will go away and it will become personal.
“It doesn’t matter who respects who. Both sides are desperate to win because this is everything.
“There are no fun and games. It’s ‘them and us’.
“AJ will go to war with Fury. He has plans to absolutely demolish him. That’s what I believe he will do.
“In the meantime we will go through the build-up, which will be a lot of fun, before the biggest event of 2021.”
THE GYPSY KING
Take a closer look at the man attempting to create history this summer…
BUILDING NEW GROUND
Saudi Arabia hosted 31-year-old Joshua’s title rematch victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019 amid criticism from human rights’ campaigners.
A temporary venue was constructed in Diriyah for the fight and Matchroom boss Hearn has promised a new stadium that will ‘shock the world’ for August’s unification event.
He told Sky Sports: “They want to build a new stadium.
“They have indoors options. In August at 11pm it will be about 23 degrees.
“They want to create something very, very special.
“Last time they built a stadium for the Andy Ruiz Jr fight in just seven weeks and it held 18,000. This will be a similar setup.
“They have the opportunity to hold it indoors but they want to create something that will shock the world. They want to build a stadium just for this fight.”
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
