Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA won’t be able to “make the adjustments” required to win his do-or-die rematch with Oleksandr Usyk.The Watford warrior, 32, will bid to reclaim the unified heavyweight titles from the slick southpaw a week on Saturday in a high-stakes Saudi showdown.
Anthony Joshua will renew his rivalry with Oleksandr Usyk a week on SaturdayCredit: GETTY
AJ suffered a lopsided points defeat to the Ukrainian last SeptemberCredit: REUTERS
And boxing promoter Dmitry Salita reckons the Brit has regressed over the last five yearsCredit: GETTY
AJ has brought in a new head coach to try to get the better of Usyk second time around, although boxing promoter Dmitry Salita doesn’t believe the addition of Robert Garcia will guide the Brit to victory.
He told Boyle Sports: “Usyk is the better fighter and I just don’t see how AJ can make the adjustments to beat Usyk, I don’t see it.
“Usyk is a very experienced fighter, had a tremendous amateur career, and is an Olympic gold medalist.
“He has been taught the science of boxing as a kid and really knows boxing like a scientist, on a scientific level.
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“He’s a boxing master, one of the most educated boxers in the world, maybe even of all time.
“He’s really, really well educated in terms of the sweet science.”
Joshua axed former long-time trainer and pal Rob McCracken in the wake of his lopsided points defeat to Usyk last September.
But Salita believes the former unified heavyweight champ’s skills have been on the decline for the last FIVE YEARS.
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He said: “This isn’t to take anything away from AJ, he’s a great fighter and did some amazing things in his career, but when he beat [Wladimir] Klitschko that was the peak of his career.
“And after that, he’s been progressively slipping down just a little bit every fight.
“Ever since the day that AJ was supposed to fight Jarrell Miller but he fought Ruiz, he’s been on the way down.
“Even in his last win against Pulev he looked okay, but he did not look great and did not look like the old AJ.”
Joshua tried to outbox former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk in their Tottenham tussle but paid the price for trying to outfox the smooth operator.

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But he’s vowed not to make the same mistake the desert dust-up, saying: “The goal now is to go back to basics and go for the knockout.
“I always feel, when I’m sparring or fighting people, I actually see their spirit get dampened.
“Honestly, when you’re looking at this person directly in their eyes and watching their body, you can read the body and punch after punch this person is slowly fading.
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“Now when you’re boxing, the art of boxing is to hit and not get hit. So you’re kind of boxing to stay away. That’s not really my style.
“My style is to be up close and personal and make it difficult for the person. So that’s the game plan.”
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TYSON FURY is getting “itchy feet” and could make a U-turn on his retirement to face either Anthony Joshua or Oleksandr Usyk, Frank Warren has revealed.The Gypsy King called time on his illustrious career in April following his knockout win over British compatriot Dillian Whyte.
Tyson Fury retired in April after stopping heavyweight rival Dillian Whyte at Wembley
Fury could return to the ring to face the winner out of Olekssandr Usyk and Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty
But the 33-year-old has constantly been linked with a return to the ring, with Derek Chisora called out for a trilogy bout.
Chisora’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that Fury’s team had contacted him, with talk that a bout could take place in December.
But after Del Boy allegedly rejected the match-up, Fury delivered an X-rated rant where he blasted his old pal in a video released on social media.
His co-promoter Warren has now stated that the unbeaten Mancunian is keen to step back inside the squared circle after four months out.
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He told talkSPORT: “He’s got itchy feet at the moment, he wants to fight.”
Warren then said that Fury could be tempted to face the winner out of Usyk and Joshua’s unification fight on August 20 in what would be an undisputed showdown.
Fury’s US-based promoter Bob Arum has already revealed that they are in talks with Usyk’s team ahead of a potential scrap.
Warren added: “I think what’s going to happen is, see what happens on [August] 20th and the outcome of that and that’ll determine what he intends to do in the future.
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“My opinion, this is not from him, it’s from me. I think he will [return] because he’s a fighting man and he misses it.
“That’s what he does, he wants to fight.”
He continued: “I don’t want him to retire and come back in three years. If he’s going to retire, don’t come back.
“If you’re going to come back, fight in your prime.
“Three years later you change. I genuinely don’t think he’s at his peak yet.” More

TYSON FURY has told “s***house” Derek Chisora to get the “f***ing contract signed” and to stop “running” from their trilogy fight.The Gypsy King insisted that he was retired after his sixth-round TKO victory over Dillian Whyte in April.
Derek Chisora has been sent an X-rated message by Tyson FuryCredit: Reuters
The Gypsy King told Chisora to stop running scared and sign a contractCredit: Instagram
However, there is intense speculation suggesting the Gypsy King will soon return to the ring and the latest rumour is that he wants to fight Chisora this year.
The two British stars have already faced off twice with Fury winning both times in 2011 and 2014.
They became friends after their second fight but the undefeated star told talkSPORT recently they have fallen out.
This happened after Chisora, who beat Kubrat Pulev via split decision last month, predicted Whyte would beat Fury.
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Del Boy’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently claimed that the 33-year-old’s camp has made an official offer for a third fight.
But Chisora is not keen as the money “wasn’t enough” and another meeting is unlikely.
However, Fury has no left nobody in any doubt that he wants to beat Chisora for a third time as he delivered a message to the Londoner via Instagram.
In the video clip, the WBC heavyweight chap said: “This one goes out to Derek ‘The s***house’ Chisora; you’re running Derek, from the trilogy.
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“You call yourself ‘War’ but you should call yourself chicken because you’re running from the trilogy and from a career-high pay day. Get that f***ing contract signed.”
Not many believed that Fury would stay away from the ring – although most thought it would be a unification fight against the winner of Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua that would entice him back.
He has also hinted at an exhibition bout with former World’s Strongest Man Thor ‘The Mountain’ Bjornsson, which was rumoured to be happening in November. More