EDDIE HEARN vs Frank Warren have confirmed their bonkers 5v5 boxing tournament involving Deontay Wilder and Daniel Dubois.
But the tournament will only be the UNDERCARD of a blockbuster event in Saudi Arabia.
The five epic dust-ups are set to take place in the build-up to the mouthwatering undisputed light-heavyweight championship bout between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev on June 1 in Riyadh.
Leading up to Bivol vs Beterbiev will be five incredible fights as Hearn and Warren go head-to-head to prove who has the best roster of fighters.
In the tournament, both sides will pick a captain, whose win in the tournament will count for two points.
Wins for other fighters will count for one, although that will be doubled for a knockout or TKO.
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Heavyweights Wilder and Zhilei Zhang will do battle ahead of the main event, with both talents coming back off losses to Joseph Parker.
Before that, Daniel Dubois, who controversially lost to Oleksandr Usyk last year despite flooring the Ukrainian with what was deemed a low-blow, will take on the unbeaten Croatian talent Filip Hrgovic.
The winner could get a title fight with Anthony Joshua, with Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF title expected to be taken off him.
Hrgovic has been mandatory challenger for the IBF title, and whoever wins his clash with Dubois could meet AJ for that title.
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At middleweight, one fighter will lose their unbeaten status as Brit Hamzah Sheeraz takes on American Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams – with both fighters yet to lose a bout.
Elsewhere across the card Willy Hutchinson takes on Craig Richards and Nick Ball takes on Ray Ford.
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Speaking after the reveal, Dubois said: “I am very confident, I am ready to prove myself.
“We sparred a while back and he keeps talking about that but people change. I am a different animal now.”
Hrgovic hit back: “I hope he has changed because otherwise it will only last a few rounds.
“The sparring was not good for him, so I hope he has changed.”
Years ago the idea of Hearn and Warren coming together to make these fights would have been impossible due to a bitter feud.
But the pair have put their differences aside after Middle Eastern powerbroker Turki Alalshikh brought the two together.
Ahead of the supercard announcement, Hearn told SunSport: “We were talking about the 5v5 and he went, ‘I ain’t losing this!’ And I said, ‘I ain’t losing this!’
“I’m going into that changing room and I am giving Churchillian speeches to my fighters, potentially win bonuses and saying, ‘Listen, you’ve got to win this fight.’
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“That’s why we want the fights to be pickem’ fights so we’re sitting ringside just excited.
“The opportunities for our fighters are incredible and that’s the main thing.”
Will AJ vs Fury actually happen?
SunSport boxing correspondent Wally Downes Jr answers the big questions around Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury finally facing each other…
Could we finally see Fury vs AJ this year?
Simply: Yes.
Before the Saudi takeover of boxing – spearheaded by Turki Alalshikh, would we have seen Fury vs Francis Ngannou, AJ vs Ngannou, Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker, Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn working together and shaking hands for photos?
Simply: No.
The rules, rankings, sanctioning bodies and broadcast and promotional disputes are all irrelevant when this much money is thrown at prize fighting.
How would it work?
It feels like the winner of Fury vs Usyk on May 18 will fight AJ as soon after as possible.
There is a rematch clause in the current deal for Britain’s WBC champ and Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO king to meet and decide the first undisputed ruler for 25 years.
But it seems certain the belts will fragment afterwards – with a string of mandatory challengers due their crack at the four separate belts – so the clamour for AJ vs the winner might be bigger than the demand for a rerun for fewer belts.
Where would it happen?
It feels like every major fight is now going to happen in Saudi Arabia.
But don’t rule out a potential Fury vs Ngannou clash taking place at Wembley stadium.
It seems like the Saudis are keen to eventually host shows in the UK and that fight, at the home of football, would be some debut.
If Usyk topples the Gypsy King then the hype for him to face AJ for a third time will be far less intense.
Why this time?
It feels like we have twice come close to seeing the clash but there were simply too many hurdles and disputes in the way – similar to the way AJ vs Wilder still hasn’t happened.
But with Alalshikh now making Hearn’s Matchroom and Warren’s Queensberry play nice and letting Sky Sports, TNT and DAZN share the shows, there is far less to fight over in the boardroom and loads on to battle for in the ring.
And if Fury beats Usyk and rightfully demands a huge percentage of an overdue Joshua meeting, then the Saudi’s have the cash and the clout to hand him 99 per cent of the pie – to massage his ego and bank balance – and hand AJ as much extra dough as needed to keep everyone sweet.
Who wins?
If Fury sets up an AJ clash by beating Oleksandr Usyk – the mathematics and stats make it clear only a maniac would back Joshua to triumph in the all-English clash.
Usyk dominated AJ over two one-sided fights, on foreign soil.
The Watford man has enjoyed a spike in form and respect since linking up with new trainer Ben Davison but a 20st 6ft 9in Fury – who has just slayed the gap-toothed southpaw – would be almost invincible.
But in any major football derby or cup final the formbook is often aimed out of the window. And perhaps a rejuvenated hungry AJ could be too much for an undisputed and fulfilled Fury to handle.
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
