Aurelia Butler

EDDIE HEARN has revealed the timeline for Anthony Joshua’s return – as well as a two-fight plan for the former heavyweight champ.The Watford warrior hasn’t fought since his spectacular September slaying at the hands of former sparring partner Daniel Dubois.Anthony Joshua hasn’t fought since his September slugfest with Daniel DuboisCredit: GETTYAJ is currently recovering from niggling injuries and will resume full training in JanuaryCredit: GETTYPromoter Eddie Hearn has revealed AJ will be back in the ring in late JuneCredit: REUTERSA rematch with Dubois was set to take place in February before AJ was convinced by his team to recover from niggling injuries.And Team AJ are now targeting an early summer return, provided he resumes full training in January.When asked when the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist will next fight, Hearn told iFL TV: “In May or June.”He’s not in full training yet. He’s probably ready to resume training in January.”READ MORE BOXING NEWSA long-overdue domestic dust-up with Tyson Fury is also on the cards for Joshua following the Gypsy King’s second-straight defeat to Oleksandr Usyk earlier this month.But as much as he wants the Fury fight, Hearn insists a hasty decision won’t be made on AJ’s immediate future.The Matchroom Boxing chief continued: “At the moment, you’ve got the Dubois fight [against Joseph Parker] on February 22nd.”And you’ve got to see what Fury wants to do. We’re not in a terrible rush. AJ will fight twice in 2025.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”Once in the summer and once in the winter.”If we can’t make the Dubois fight and if Fury doesn’t want to fight, then you have to make the decision to fight somebody, or do you wait for those fights? Tyson Fury gives cryptic update on his future after Oleksandr Usyk defeat as retirement rumours circle“I can’t speak on behalf of AJ, for who he’s prepared to fight.”But what I know is the focus is Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury.”Of course, he’s [Joshua] done it all. If he gets Fury on his resume, he’s boxed virtually everybody of his era.”SunSport exclusively revealed that Fury has decided NOT to retire following his second straight defeat to Usyk.And Hearn believes all that’s left for the Wythenshawe warrior is a mammoth Wembley showdown with AJ.“For me, Fury fights AJ, or I don’t know who else he’d want to fight, “he said. “There’s no demand for a third fight [with Usyk].Eddie Hearn insists Tyson Fury has no other option but to face Anthony JoshuaCredit: PA”His Excellency isn’t looking to make a third fight.”We all know those two [Fury and AJ] come together, and it’s just a monster.”I don’t think it’s a time to call it out, but common sense, hopefully, will prevail. “We’re all getting on, we’re all talking.READ MORE SUN STORIES”We all want to do great fights and do big business. So, hopefully, you’ll see that, and if not. “If Dubois comes through Parker, we’d [Joshua] like the rematch.” More

TYSON FURY has been urged to hang up his gloves following his crushing loss to Oleksandr Usyk.The Wythenshawe warrior suffered a second straight Saudi points defeat to the slick southpaw in their Riyadh rematch earlier this month.Tyson Fury suffered a second straight defeat to Oleksandr Usyk earlier this monthCredit: GETTYThe Gypsy King is at a career crossroads but has ruled out the prospect of retirementCredit: PAFormer Brit world champ Duke McKenzie reckons Fury should call it a dayCredit: REXFury, 36, is at a career crossroads following his failure to reclaim the unified titles and become a three-time heavyweight champion.A lucrative and long-overdue domestic dust-up with Anthony Joshua will soon be on the table, but former world champ Duke McKenzie Fury should swerve the fight and call it a day.The former three-weight champion told SecondsOut: “There is no need for a rematch.”Tyson Fury should just retire.READ MORE ON TYSON FURY”He’s got nothing more to prove, he’s been heavyweight champion of the world.”[You] can’t ask for more than that, and he’s got more money than he can spend.”McKenzie reckons sticking around for a huge payday against AJ, or anyone else for that matter, could end up being detrimental to the Gypsy King’s health long-term.He continued: “He [Fury] runs the risk now of one or two of the other heavyweights now that should retire that probably won’t.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSFury vs Usyk 2 round by round: How SunSport scored the controversial heavyweight thrillerOLEKSANDR USYK took another controversial decision over Tyson Fury to regain his heavyweight throne.Seven months on from their split-decision thriller, this time the scorecards were unanimous 116-112 all in Usyk’s favour.The Gypsy King stormed out of the ring as his promoter Frank Warren was left stunned by the cards.Here’s how SunSport’s Wally Downes scored the fight…Round 1The rules were ignored and Fury arrived at 11:15pm local time with a beard that would make Brian Blessed’s chops feel naked.If we thought his face fuzz looked overgrown, we were stunned to see the size of his belly when the cameras caught him topless in his dressing room.His red shorts were so high that you couldn’t even see much of his gut, an inch higher and the 20st beast would have had the option of tucking his nipples down there too.Fury tried to intimidate Usyk with the final face-off, widening his eyes like a monster but the champ remained ice cold.They swapped jabs and fenced with their lead hands. Usyk drove left hands into his wobbling belly and then clipped him with a head shot to snatch the opener. Usyk.Round 2Usyk lands a scoring one-two to the head as soon as the session starts but then returns to the body and lands lefts, one even makes Fury stumble.But the Gypsy King lands a treble-jab and then a meaty right hand to take the round.Still no signs of the body blows and uppercuts that won him the middle rounds of the May fight. FuryRound 3Three times Usyk scores with a jab to the body and left hand upstairs.Fury struggles to deal with the pressure. Fury lands a little check hook and even tries the southpaw stance.But all his threats to skin and cook the bog-eyed rat or ugly rabbit prove empty. Usyk.Round 4Fury makes a bright start with a chopped right hand.Bit Usyk almost whacks his whiskers off with two left hands that score well.But Fury pings back with a big right hand that forces Usyk back.Then that uppercut returns and cuts through Usyk’s guard. Draw.Round 5Fury takes control instantly when a right hand is the perfect start to the sessionThen the Brit gets warned for rabbit punches as he bids to bully the champ.Usyk is then walked into a lead left uppercut and then he starts shipping body blows. Usyk scuttles off and has to recover. Fury.Round 6Fury in trouble. The challenger’s bloated body starts to sweat and Usyk keeps targeting it with his power-punch left.Then he goes head hunting and clips Fury’s skull.The Morecambe giant is buzzed and worried, his head got rocked backwards. He hides the rest of the round. UsykRound 7A quiet round only really features a crisp Fury one-two and a single Usyk left. Draw.Round 8A one-two-hook works for Usyk as he pushes all of the pace an pressure and Fury tries to hide his 20st target.An accidental clash of heads thankfully leaves no cuts.Fury does launch a limp attack but Usyk smiles back and shakes his shaven head. Usyk.Round 9Fury starts to tire, he has so much timber to lug around and lumberjack Usyk loves chopping him down.He’s too big to dance and rub and counter.He is playing super-fit Usyk’s game. Usyk.Round 10Fury lands a rare uppercut and attacks Usyk’s body. He takes the centre of the ring but then eats a couple of shots.Fury tries to hold and lean and sap at Usyk’s engine. But he is punished with a left to the cheek.Big left from Uysk lands and scatters Fury sweat beads off his head.But Fury cracks back with an uppercut. But Usyk’s pressure and punches win in. Usyk.Round 11These could well be the deciding rounds. Usyk is busier, Fury throws an uppercut but it only grazes his guard.Fury walks onto a tippy-tappy combination but then two serious shots. The wind is coming out of his giant red sails.Usyk is relentless and bouncing and prodding and punching and Fury is 20st and flagging. UsykRound 12Fury starts like a man who knows he needs at least a lockdown but that helps Usyk counter him.A combo of three straight punches score for the Ukraine icon.But Fury keeps swinging and slashing and pulling up the shorts that slip down his back and love handles from all the sweat Usyk has drained out of him.With a section of the ungrateful crowd booing and whistling they slug it out for the final ten seconds finish. UsykSunSport’s scorecards: Usyk 118-112 Fury.”I’d like to see him retire.”Fury has, so far, snubbed the prospect of retirement, with More

ANTHONY JOSHUA’s preparations for his domestic dust-up with Daniel Dubois were less than ideal, it’s been revealed.AJ was stunned as he was knocked down FOUR TIMES on his way to a brutal fifth-round defeat in his September showdown with his former sparring partner for the IBF heavyweight title.Anthony Joshua went to war with Daniel Dubois in their September showdownCredit: GettyAJ suffered a stunning fifth-round KO loss to his former sparring partnerCredit: GETTYAJ trainer Ben Davison has revealed several things went “wrong” in preparation for the fightCredit: REUTERSThe Watford warrior offered no excuses for his crushing defeat, immediately giving Dubois his flowers.But head coach Ben Davison told talkSPORT: “I know that among ourselves we know where some things went wrong.”Davison – who was criticised for not throwing in the towel – is adamant Joshua’s less-than-ideal training camp takes nothing away from Dubois’ career-best performance.He said: “It’s important for us that we don’t look like we are making excuses.READ MORE ON AJ”But there are things that went wrong that we could have done a better job within and around. And closer to, the fight.”You can’t point the blame, we’ve got to own it. We’ve got to wear it. And that’s what we’ve done.”Joshua was on course to renew his rivalry with Dubois in a Riyadh rematch on February 22 before his team convinced him to recover from niggling injuries.Promoter Eddie Hearn was adamant they wouldn’t plot the former unified heavyweight champion’s next move until after Tyson Fury’s rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAnd the Matchroom Boxing chief is hellbent on AJ fighting the Gypsy King in a Battle of Britain next year following Usyk’s retaining of the unified belts earlier this month.He told DAZN after Usyk’s second win over Fury: “I don’t think it’s time to start screaming, this night is Usyk vs Fury.Eddie Hearn reveals real reason Anthony Joshua’s February rematch with Daniel Dubois was KO’d amid ‘major injury’ claim”But the reality is there’s only one fight for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua.”It’s the biggest fight probably in the history of British boxing, everyone will always want to see it.’And by the way, that wasn’t a Tyson Fury that looked finished, it wasn’t a flat performance, it wasn’t a poor performance.”He didn’t look gun-shy, he didn’t look like his punch resistance was in question like we talked about earlier.”I think Tyson Fury is still potentially at the peak of his powers, just not good enough to be Oleksandr Usyk tonight.Eddie Hearn believes now is the time for Anthony Joshua to face Tyson FuryCredit: GETTY”But for me, AJ against Fury is the one, it’s the one at Wembley.”I’m going to be pushing His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] to make the fight.”But that’s maybe one for another day, tonight belongs to Oleksandr Usyk.READ MORE SUN STORIES”But Fury will struggle with this, I think.”All fighters do, AJ struggled with the Dubois defeat as well, you’re a winner and when you get beat it hurts and this will hurt Fury.” More