Boxing

OLEKSANDR USYK’s team are in talks with Anthony Joshua’s reps about stepping away from their rematch.AJ is set to rematch the newly-crowned unified heavyweight champion next year but the undefeated Uysk has set his sights on an undisputed clash with WBC king Tyson Fury.
Anthony Joshua is currently on course to have a rematch with Oleksandr UyskCredit: REUTERS
But Team Usyk want AJ to step aside so they can unify the heavyweight divisionCredit: GETTY
And promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed preliminary step-aside talks are underwayCredit: REUTERS
And promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed the Ukrainian’s management have reached out to try to convince the Watford warrior to allow a mouth-watering showdown to take place.
The Matchroom Boxing chief told Boxing King Media: “We’ve had their team reach out to us.”
Hearn, however, has yet to speak to Joshua about foregoing his rematch with the slick southpaw, who schooled him in their September showdown.
He added: “At the moment, there’s communication between the two teams to say, ‘Is it something that [you’d consider].
“And the answer is; AJ has not been spoken [to] about this yet.
“I’ll deal with it and when I feel there’s an opportunity for Anthony and 258, we’ll sit down with them and present that to them.”

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Despite the opportunity being on the table, Hearn doesn’t want to broach the subject with Joshua until a viable offer has been made.
He continued: “But I don’t want to do that until I feel it’s the right opportunity because he’s not gonna be happy because he just wants to fight Oleksandr Usyk.
“But if there’s a route, there’s an offer and it makes sense, we’ll see. But right now, just conversations.”
Joshua, 32, suffered a lopsided points defeat to Usyk in their tussle at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has vowed to exact revenge on his fellow Olympian.
But he recently hinted he was open to the possibility of stepping aside – if the ‘money is right’.
He told iFL TV: “I think people know not to approach me with that rubbish. People know not to approach me with that bull****.
“It may have come to my team but I think they know not to bring to me at the minute.
“At this stage of my career it’s not about the money, it’s about the respect. You’ve got to look at what I want out of this game; number one is respect, you don’t have to like me but you will respect me.
“The second is to go down as a throwback fighter, someone who was willing to fight the best in their division so that when I walk the streets with my son, my cousin and my nephews, people will know I’m a real fighter.
“In terms of stepping aside, I don’t know if that goes in line with what a morally stand for… but I want to be known as one of the smartest businessmen as well.
Joshua recently refused to rule out the possibility of allowing Usyk to fight FuryCredit: PA
“I want to make the smart decisions and if the money is right we would have to look at it but respect has more value than money.
“Will I take the step-aside money? If its a smart business move… will it affect my reputation and respect?
“Will I still get to fight the best fighters? Those are the three things I have to consider.”
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DEONTAY WILDER insists his ‘best is yet to come’ – despite his brutal loss to Tyson Fury.The American failed in his bid to reclaim the WBC heavyweight title from the Gypsy King in October, suffering a brutal 11th-round KO loss in their Sin City showdown.
Deontay Wilder renewed his rivalry with Tyson Fury in OctoberCredit: GETTY
The Bronze Bomber suffered a brutal 11th-round KO loss to the Gypsy KingCredit: GETTY
But the American insists his best is yet to comeCredit: GETTY
Although Wilder’s herculean effort to become a two-time world champion fell flat on its face, the Alabama slammer is adamant his best days aren’t behind him.
The 36-year-old said: “For me, this is not it, this is just the beginning. The best is yet to come from me.
“Although I have accomplished a lot of things, more than I could’ve imagined.
“I do still have goals in the sport, that’s why I still have love for it.”
The Bronze Bomber is champing at the bit to get back in the ring and plans to return to the gym once his broken hand is fully healed.
The Olympian told fiancee Telli Swift on her YouTube channel: “I’m looking to accomplish the goals that I still have left.

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“I broke my hand, so I’m in a healing process right now. Once this is over, I’ll resume training for sure.
“Boxing is a year-round sport, so you’ve always gotta be prepared, you’ve always gotta stay ready. After this, I’m looking to get right back in it.”
Unlike after his first defeat to Wythenshawe warrior Fury, Wilder has no excuses for his brutal knockout loss.
He said: “I’m grateful for that. I’m blessed all the way around.
“With that being said, it’s no complaints at all, we just move forward.
“You come up to a certain point, as humans we feel we come up to a dead-end or we fail, we think this is it for us.
“But when you’re travelling along your journey, nothing should be ‘this is it.’”
Team Wilder are targeting a May return for the ferocious power puncher.
Head coach Malik Scott told World Boxing News: “We should be back in camp, in my opinion, no later than March and fight in May.
“Or we may be back in camp before March. It all depends on how he recovers, how he’s feeling, how everything’s going.”
He added: “Deontay said he’s going to go on vacation, and I’m all for that, and in a few months, we’ll be back in camp, and he’ll be fighting.”
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ANTHONY JOSHUA took a tumble in the snow after heading off for a skiing trip ahead of a huge 2022.The British heavyweight, 32, is aiming to win back the WBA, WBO and IBF titles after being outpointed by Oleksandr Usyk in September.
Anthony Joshua is on a skiing holiday ahead of his rematch against Oleksandr UsykCredit: Instagram
Joshua took a tumble in the snow in Oregon in a clip he posted on InstagramCredit: Instagram
Olympic gold medallist AJ subsequently invoked his rematch clause to face the Ukrainian again, with the bout expected to take place in March or April.
And the former Olympic champion is taking a break in America before he starts a gruelling training camp.
Joshua took to Instagram where he shared a clip of him skiing at Mount Hood in Oregon to his 13.2 million followers.
In the video, Joshua took in the beautiful scenery as he made his way along the mountain.
He then can be seen slipping down on the snow – much to the amusement of his friends.
Captioning the post, he said: “Cold weather therapy.”

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His fans were loving the footage, as one user commented: “Like that you posted the casual fall.”
Another joked: “Like Bambi on ice.”
A third added: “Clean hearts always win.”
Meanwhile one simply stated: “Proper made me smile love it.”
Joshua has made changes to his coaching team ahead of the second dust-up against Usyk, as he insisted it was long overdue.
And he has even revealed that he wakes up thinking about his devastating defeat every day.
He told iFL TV: “A lot of times I wake up in the morning and the fight and fighting is on my mind. After the fight, you sleep on it.
Joshua could be set for a fight to face British rival Tyson Fury should he beat UsykCredit: Instagram

“You sleep on it after the fight and then what happens is you wake up on it and I’m waking up on it and it’s the right thing because you’ve got to use it as fuel for the day.
“I think about it a lot and not just on a physical thing but up here as well. I think about it a lot.
“That one made me think a lot and I could go on but I just care, I actually care. I don’t think, ‘eh, it’s a loss’. I actually deeply care.”
Joshua has made changes to his coaching team after suffering the second defeat of his careerCredit: Instagram More

TYSON FURY enjoyed a successful first night of his ‘Homecoming Tour’ at the 02 Apollo in Manchester alongside dad John.In what was the first of six events this month, the 33-year-old headed to his hometown following his epic trilogy win against Deontay Wilder.
Tyson Fury is currently on a UK tour following his trilogy win over heavyweight rival Deontay Wilder
Fury showed off his tour bus which he be travelling in across England, Scotland and Wales
And the Gypsy King is putting on a show for his adoring fans in the UK – where he has not fought since 2018.
Further events are to be held in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leicester, London and Glasgow until next week.
Prior to the show on Thursday night, Fury took to his Instagram story to express his excitement at the tour, with his dad a special guest live on stage.
Fury said: “It’s a lovely day here in Morecambe Bay. Hey, hey, hey, here at the gym, just finished.
“Hard session guys, have a lovely day.”
In another upload, he then showed his tour bus, where he remarked: “Guys, the tour bus has landed.

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“The tour starts now. Cannot wait to go on tour, got quite a few dates lined up, see you all there guys.”
Fury then shared a video of him with his son where he discussed his excitement at the tour.
And then he put up a clip of him in the green room waiting to go on, with the likes of John Fury, journalist and host Gareth A Davies and comedian Al Foran alongside him.
Foran even joked the pair had time to watch their beloved Manchester United edge out Arsenal 3-2 in a five-goal thriller.
In a post that was re-tweeted by Fury, he stated: “Don’t worry, we were watching, c’mon UNITED!”
Fury is making the most of his relaxation time ahead of a busy 2022, with his US-based promoter Bob Arum claiming he will fight THREE times next year.
The first night of Fury’s tour kicked off in Manchester, ahead of shows in Birmingham, Cardiff, Leicester, London and Glasgow
He told talkSPORT: “What I would like to see, and this is what he would like to see, getting in the ring at the end of February or March and doing at least three fights in 2022.
“Hopefully that is how it will all roll out, Fury is ready to fight anybody.
“I really believe that he is the pre-eminent heavyweight in the world, there is nobody out there that he would be reluctant to fight.”
Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua given huge boost as promoter Bob Arum reveals Gypsy King will fight three times in 2022 More