Aurelia Butler

ANTHONY JOSHUA has revealed who he wants to win the superfight between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.They will put for all four WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO belts on the line on February 17.
AJ wants Oleksandr Usyk to beat Tyson FuryCredit: AP
Fury faces Usyk on February 17 in Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
Boxing is set to have an undisputed heavyweight champion for the first time since Lennox Lewis held the crown 25 years ago.
Joshua’s next fight is against Otto Wallin on December 23 and a win could help him seal a future bout against Fury.
But in the meantime, AJ is firmly supporting the Ukrainian.
He told TNT Sports: “I don’t know [who wins] but I’m team Usyk anyway.
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“There’s a respect, but Fury’s said a lot of bad things about me.
“I’m never going to ride with someone that disrespects me.
“That would make me a lunatic and I’m pretty level-headed so I’m going to go with the person who shows me respect.”
Joshua was then quizzed on if he would still be keen to face Fury should Usyk clinch victory.
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He stressed he would be although time is running out for a much-anticipated all British clash.
AJ said: “For the entertainment factor, yeah.
“It’s getting drawn out a bit though. They’ll have two fights. The first one and then the rematch. Maybe that’ll be Fury’s only two fights next year.
“Hopefully he can sneak one in at the end of the year with me, but that draws it out for another twelve months before I see Fury.
“But we got Deontay Wilder anyway, or we got Joseph Parker. We got other big fights.” More

DEONTAY WILDER is known for his skills as a knockout artist – winning 43 of his 46 bouts by knockout.So when Wilder spoke to TalkSPORT ahead of his fight against Joseph Parker it was natural that they asked him who he’s faced that comes closest to him in terms of power.
Fury recorded two knockout victories against Deontay WilderCredit: Getty
But he revealed no one has hit him harder than Johann DuhaupasCredit: Getty
Many would have expected the answer to be Tyson Fury – who is the man responsible for Wilder’s two professional losses.
Fury beat Wilder by TKO in the seventh round in the second bout of their trilogy in 2020.
He then knocked Wilder out in the 11th round of the third bout of their trilogy.
But Wilder’s answer as to who he’s faced with the most power will surprise a few.
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He nominated Johann Duhaupas as the man that punches hardest but initially struggled to recall his name.
Wilder said: “I would have to say the Frenchman.”
As Wilder pondered the Frenchman’s name, he then joked: “The hardest punch I’ve taken is taxes, when they take my taxes.”
But after it came back to him, he said: “That’s it, it’s Johann Duhaupas.
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“That’s the hardest punch I’ve faced in my career thus far.”
Wilder and Duhaupas clashed in 2015, in Wilder’s second WBC title defence.
Duhaupas was one of Wilder’s rare opponents that managed to withstand his power and took him deep into the fight – before succumbing to an 11th round Bronze Bomber TKO.
Wilder had a long run defending his WBC belt, lasting 10 matches before losing it to current holder Fury in 2020.
He’s currently on the comeback trail and all roads appear to lead to a glamour fight with Anthony Joshua in March.
Before that though, he’ll have to get past Joseph Parker in their Saudi Arabia bout on December 23. More

ANTHONY JOSHUA admitted he may never become undisputed heavyweight champion after a period of grieving following his losses to Oleksandr Usyk.Joshua came up short against Usyk twice – firstly in 2021 when he lost via unanimous decision and then in 2022 following a split-decision defeat.
Anthony Joshua admitted he may never become undisputed championCredit: Getty
Joshua went through a period of grieving after losing two straight fights vs UsykCredit: Getty

🥊ANTHONY JOSHUA VS OTTO WALLIN: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF THRILLING SAUDI CLASH🥊
AJ is now set to face Otto Wallin on December 23 and a victory could set up a dream bout with Deontay Wilder, provided the American also beats Joseph Parker on the same card.
The winner of that tasty heavyweight battle could then go on to lock horns with the victor of the undisputed superfight between the undefeated pair of Tyson Fury and Usyk on February 17.
But the 34-year-old understands he may have to wait six years before he can regain the WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF belts he lost to the Ukrainian superstar, as the titles will split after the Cat battles Fury.
Joshua told TNT Sports when asked if he feels he could still be a challenger for the undisputed title: “I used to, but it won’t happen anymore.
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“I think it is because of the reality, because what will happen is that Usyk and Fury are in a position to compete for the undisputed.
“And once they compete for the undisputed, the belts will get split up again.
“And I feel [it] will probably take me about maybe five to six years to go through and get all the belts and beat all the independent champions.
“And that will probably take me until I’m 40 or 41, before I do that again. So I’m just like, it’s probably not in my time frame.”
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Joshua then opened up on a “grieving” period he went through after his second loss to Usyk last year.
The British star broke down in tears during an emotional post-match press conference.
Looking back on that moment, Joshua added: “Yeah you saw it after that [Usyk fight].
“Because if I weren’t in the undisputed race anymore, I wanted to be champion so that was like a massive, like, I don’t know how to explain it but something comes over you but it’s just passion.
“Passion, a lot of emotion. Yeah, a lot of emotion. So, now I’ve got over that.
“It’s not part of my plan anymore. So what’s next I could aim to become champion.” More

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS was left with FOUR face fractures in defeat to Canelo Alvarez – but it was still not the hardest he has been hit. The two-division champion has not returned since Canelo handed him a brutal first career loss in May 2021.
Canelo Alvarez left Billy Joe Saunders with four face fractureCredit: Getty
An uppercut in round eight saw Saunders unable to continue after his eye was left black and blue.
But amazingly, the 2008 Olympian claimed David Lemiuex was a harder puncher than the Mexican superstar.
He said on the “Keep A LukeOut” podcast: “I’ll be honest, when I was in there with him, I was expecting so much more.
“I remember being in there, it might have been round five and we were [fighting on the] inside and I remember grabbing him and walking him back.
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“I’m not a one-punch knockout man but when it comes to tangling someone up and pushing a pulling, I am very, very good at that, that is one of my best weapons.
“I remember tying him up and pushing him back and I remember thinking ‘you know what, I am just going to put my hand up here’, a bit of kidology like ‘go on, go on [hit me]’.
“I was waiting to get hit like I did against David Lemiuex, when I boxed him, I tested some power on my arm and I thought, ‘F*** me’.
“I’ve never felt anyone punch as hard as he punches.”
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Canelo, 33, would go onto unify the 168lb division as undisputed champion.
He remains king of the super-middleweights having beaten Jermell Charlo, 33, in September.
Meanwhile Saunders, 34, revealed he is preparing for a comeback having returned to training.
Saunders is in training for a return fightCredit: Reuters More