Boxing

Subterms

    More stories

    • 213 Shares169 Views

      in Boxing

      Lenin Castillo given all-clear following brain scan after being raced to hospital following terrifying Callum Smith KO

      by

      LENIN CASTILLO has been given the all-clear after his brain scan on Saturday night.The boxer was rushed to hospital after he was brutally knocked out by Callum Smith but has thankfully been medically cleared by doctors.
      Lenin Castillo has been medically cleared by doctors after having a brain scan on Saturday night
      The boxer was brutally knocked out by Callum Smith at Tottenham’s stadium
      Commentators and fans inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were stunned into silence after Castillo was floored in the second round.
      Castillo’s legs were shaking as he hit the deck, and medics immediately rushed into the ring.
      He was given oxygen as he was rushed to hospital. But fortunately he has received a positive prognosis.
      According to reports he recovered in the ambulance, underwent tests in hospital and was discharged a few hours later.
      Journalist Dan Rafael tweeted: “I texted Lenin Castillo’s manager to see how Lenin was doing after the KO by Callum Smith.
      “Here’s the response I received overnight: ‘He was released after a few hours. They did a brain scan. Everything fine. He’s at the airport now.’ Good news.”

      Boxing fans were stunned into silence after the KO
      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      Sky Sports commentator and former boxer Matthew Macklin admitted he had ‘never seen anything like that before’.
      Smith was making his debut at light-heavyweight, and was predicted to make short work of Castillo on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
      And he duly delivered with a crushing right hand that ended the contest instantly.
      But the cheers from the North London crowd fell silent when it became apparent Castillo was in a bad way on the canvas.
      Referee Bob Williams was quick to move Castillo into the recovery position.
      Medics then rushed in to attend to the 33-year-old Dominican Republic boxer.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk LIVE: Follow all the post-fight reaction

      While Smith’s victory took a back seat, it was an impressive performance from the Liverpool fighter who is coming back off his first ever defeat against Canelo Alvarez.
      With new trainer Buddy McGirt in his corner, Smith drove his long levers into the visitor a handful of times in the opener and showed no signs of any long-term damage from the battering Canelo inflicted on his lead arm.
      And the second barely got started before Smith, 31, connected with a thunderous right hand that left his victim in a worrying state.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS More

    • 225 Shares169 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury taunts Anthony Joshua following shock Usyk defeat with ‘STILL the best heavyweight on the planet’ tweet

      by

      WORLD champ Tyson Fury’s team has mocked British rival Anthony Joshua by insisting he’s ‘still the best heavyweight on the planet’.AJ, 31, is no longer a world champ after losing his belts to undefeated Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, 34, on Saturday evening.
      Joshua suffered a shock defeat to Usyk on Saturday nightCredit: Getty
      MTK Global Boxing’s tweet
      MTK Global Boxing – Fury’s management team – tweeted on Sunday morning: “And STILL the best heavyweight on the planet.”
      The tweet was accompanied with a picture of Fury, 33, with his WBC and Ring heavyweight titles.
      The Gypsy King and AJ were widely regarded as the two best heavyweights in the division before the latter’s defeat to Usyk.
      Fans were divided on which British fighter was the best, although that argument – for the time being, at least – appears to have been settled.
      Fury has never lost a pro fight and has dethroned two heavyweight champs: Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wider.
      Joshua, meanwhile, has now lost twice to Andy Ruiz Jr and Usyk – and famous a mammoth challenge if he wants to regain his titles.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      AJ was out-boxed by Usyk and the former champ’s career would be in tatters if he was to lose a rematch.
      MTK Global Boxing’s comments come just two days after Fury predicted Joshua would endure a tough evening against Usyk.
      The Gyspy King said on Friday: “I expect AJ to come out trying to box a bit more because of this new way he boxes now and uses his jab.
      “And he knows he doesn’t have the stamina to take a fight to somebody under sustained pressure, and keep that up, because he gasses after about three rounds.
      If that goes 12 rounds, I would fancy Usyk to get the decision because to get there, he’s going to have to outbox him.Frank Warren’s pre-fight prediction
      “And then he needs to take three or four rounds off.
      “So, he wouldn’t be able to do that against Usyk because Usyk will be on him all the time, making him fight.
      “So, I expect it to be awkward, maybe a bit of a chess match for a few rounds. And I expect AJ to run out of ideas, really.
      “If he doesn’t land on him early and get him out of there with big punches, then I see it being a tough night for AJ and maybe even a stoppage loss.”
      Anthony Joshua says he thinks he was winning until the ninth round in fight against Usyk More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury and Frank Warren’s pre-fight predictions come true after Anthony Joshua gets battered on points by Usyk

      by

      TYSON FURY and his promoter Frank Warren correctly predicted the outcome of Anthony Joshua’s fight with Oleksandr Usyk.AJ was well-beaten on points by the Ukrainian at Tottenham’s stadium on Saturday and his bitter rival Fury saw it coming.
      Tyson Fury and Frank Warren both predicted Oleksandr Usyk would beat Anthony Joshua on pointsCredit: AFP
      AJ was well beaten in 12 rounds by the Ukrainian after a nasty eye injury sealed the deal for UsykCredit: PA
      Joshua failed to make use of his 18lb advantage over former cruiserweight king Usyk who landed a barrage of heavy southpaw shots throughout the bout.
      Usyk finished with a flourish in the final rounds to put the result beyond doubt and seal the unanimous 117-112, 116-112 and 115-113 win.
      And Fury – who can apparently see into the future – said on Friday: “I expect AJ to come out trying to box a bit more because of this new way he boxes now and uses his jab.
      “And he knows he doesn’t have the stamina to take a fight to somebody under sustained pressure, and keep that up, because he gasses after about three rounds.
      “And then he needs to take three or four rounds off.
      “So, he wouldn’t be able to do that against Usyk because Usyk will be on him all the time, making him fight.

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      “So, I expect it to be awkward, maybe a bit of a chess match for a few rounds. And I expect AJ to run out of ideas, really.
      “If he doesn’t land on him early and get him out of there with big punches, then I see it being a tough night for AJ and maybe even a stoppage loss.”
      The judges’ scorecards revealed Joshua was actually leading after eight rounds before his nasty eye injury sparked a meltdown.
      But Fury’s promoter Warren also saw an upset coming.
      He said last week: “Anthony Joshua must be the favourite for the fight. He’s the bigger guy, much bigger, and he’s a big puncher.
      “Having said that, if [Joshua] doesn’t get rid of him, and if he’s still there after five or six rounds, then if it gets to the end of the fight…
      “If that goes 12 rounds, I would fancy Usyk to get the decision because to get there, he’s going to have to outbox him.
      ‘I’LL FIGHT WHOEVER’
      “And he’s obviously a very smart operator, you know how he’s going to fight – he’s going to try and get inside and underneath AJ’s jab.
      “If you can do that, you can give him a lot of problems. I hope he doesn’t though, because we want the big fight.”
      Joshua has vowed to fight Fury still even without his heavyweight titles.
      But Eddie Hearn has urged him to trigger his Usyk rematch clause immediately or risk NEVER getting the chance to win his belts back.
      Immediately after his defeat, Joshua claimed: “The road to undisputed and all that stuff, it’s good.
      “As I said, I’ll fight Fury, [Deontay] Wilder, without the belts.
      “The belts are fun. It’s great, it’s legacy. But with or without the belts, I’ll fight whoever.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk LIVE: Follow all the post-fight reaction

      “The road to undisputed is a nice title to have and a nice title to chase.
      “But would you still watch it, without the belts?
      “That’s the main thing – is you’ve got two competitive fighters in the ring from UK soil, that just want to go toe-to-toe.”

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Anthony Joshua discusses losing to Oleksandr Usyk in post-fight press conference More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in Boxing

      Five possible venues to host the Joshua v Usyk rematch including Kiev, London and Saudi Arabia

      by

      ANTHONY JOSHUA had hardly taken off his gloves before signalling he would trigger the rematch clause in his contract with Oleksandr Usyk.The Brit slumped to defeat by unanimous decision at the hands of the Ukrainian at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.
      Anthony Joshua gave up his three heavyweight titles on SaturdayCredit: Getty
      Here are some of the places the rematch could take place in
      The result saw AJ lose his WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight belts and any chance of a £500 million super-fight with Tyson Fury.
      Now begins the painstaking process of rebuilding AJ’s reputation with a rematch – and potential venues are already being suggested.
      Usyk wants to take the fight back to his native Ukraine and said he’s in no rush – but finances and the weather may have a say.
      PRINCIPALITY STADIUM, CARDIFF
      AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearne has already given two clues – he wants a date in February or March next year and is eyeing a UK location.
      For that, he’s going to need an indoor venue. Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has a retractable roof, 78,000 capacity, and hosted Joshua’s fights with Carlos Takem and Joseph Parker.
      Just one problem – Wales play three home games at the Principality in next spring’s Six Nations. That wraps up on March 19th.
      Cardiff’s Principality Stadium has already hosted two Anthony Joshua fightsCredit: Getty
      O2 ARENA, LONDON
      Few would doubt Hearn’s ability to sell out the Principality even with Joshua as the underdog, but there is a homecoming option.
      Joshua made his name at London’s O2 Arena with a series of brutal knockouts against the likes of Dillian Whyte and Dominic Breazeale.
      And after the uncertain performance at Spurs’ home ground on Saturday, maybe it’s time for AJ to go back to the safety of what he knows.
      Joshua famously faced Dillian Whyte at the O2 back in 2015Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      KIEV, UKRAINE
      Usyk now holds Joshua’s belts and all the aces when it comes to negotiations over a possible venue.
      The Ukrainian wants to fight in front of home fans – tricky for a February/March date when temperatures plunge to well below freezing in Kiev.
      Usyk has previously fought indoors at the 10,000-capacity Palace of Sports.
      Kiev’s Olympic Stadium is an option and hosted the 2018 Champions League final, but that would surely mean a summer date would have to be found.
      Kiev’s Olympic Stadium hosted Liverpool’s 2018 Champions League triumphCredit: Getty
      DIRIYAH ARENA, SAUDI ARABIA
      If the date calls for warmer climes, could AJ head back to the desert?
      The Brit faced Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia’s purpose-built Diriyah Arena the last time he had to win back his belts.
      Or perhaps Hearn could tempt another oil-rich state to host – Qatar’s brand new Lusail Iconic Stadium was mentioned for Joshua v Fury.
      The temporary Diriyah Arena hosted Joshua’s rematch with Andy RuizCredit: PA
      MERCEDES-BENZ ARENA, BERLIN
      Maybe the two camps will have to meet in the middle.
      If Usyk is determined to be the ‘home’ fighter but a winter date makes Ukraine impossible, he could follow in the footsteps of his heroes the Klitschko brothers.
      The Ukrainians made Germany their home during their glittering careers – Berlin’s Mercedes-Benz Arena has previously hosted UFC events and could be an option.
      Mercedes-Benz Arena is one of the biggest in GermanyCredit: Getty
      Oleksandr Usyk RETURNS belts to Anthony Joshua as Brit warns ‘see you soon’ in changing room after shock defeat More

    • 213 Shares149 Views

      in Boxing

      Boxing fans furious that £500m mega-fight Joshua v Fury is ‘ruined’ after AJ’s shock loss to Usyk

      by

      BOXING fans are fuming that Anthony Joshua may never take on Tyson Fury after being beaten by Oleksandr Usyk.The Brit, 31, was taught a lesson by Usyk, 34, who came close to a knock-out before winning via unanimous decision.
      Anthony Joshua’s potential fight with Tyson Fury is now in doubt
      Oleksandr Usyk dominated Joshua and will be favourite for the rematch
      Joshua is keen to fight the likes of Fury and Deontay Wilder even if the world title belts are not up for grabs
      It is Joshua’s first defeat on home soil and now he faces the tough task of trying to win his belts back.
      His promoter Eddie Hearn says AJ has little choice but to trigger the re-match clause with Usyk – otherwise Joshua may never win back his belts.
      A failure to recapture his world titles would put significant doubt on Joshua being able to agree a fight with Fury.
      Also, Fury faces his own challenge to hold onto his own WBC title against Deontay Wilder next month.
      Should Fury win he could seek to unify the heavyweight divison next.
      And that could mean a fight with Usyk, not Joshua, if the Ukrainian wins once again in a rematch.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      But AJ was adamant he would fight Fury even if the world title belts were not on the line.
      In his post-fight press conference Joshua said: “The road to undisputed and all that stuff, it’s good.
      “As I said, I’ll fight Tyson Fury, Wilder, without the belts.
      “The belts are fun. It’s great, it’s legacy. But with or without the belts, I’ll fight whoever. The road to undisputed is a nice title to have and a nice title to chase.
      “That’s the main thing – is you’ve got two competitive fighters in the ring from UK soil, that just want to go toe-to-toe.”
      Many boxing fans feel Joshua vs Fury – which was agreed earlier this year – will now never be realised.
      One wrote on Twitter: “Joshua is not relevant to Fury anymore. Fury said he had two maybe three fights left. Wilder then Usyk. Joshua is a fraud who gets found out against anybody half decent.”
      Another added: “Bang goes the Fury vs Joshua fight. The one mega-money fight that the whole of the boxing world wanted to see now down the pan!”
      A third said: “Can’t see Joshua v Fury happening now. No real value for Fury to fight against someone who lost to a cruiserweight. Think Joshua underestimated Usyk and came unstuck.”
      Jamie Carragher also weighed in, saying: “Is that Fury v Joshua off the cards now?”
      Many fans feel Fury will not face Joshua, as the Gypsy King could target Usyk instead
      Eddie Hearn reveals he wants Tyson Fury to beat Deontay Wilder and set up super fight vs Anthony Joshua in early 2022 More

    • 213 Shares139 Views

      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk scorecards reveal Brit was LEADING before nasty ninth-round eye injury sparked meltdown

      by

      ANTHONY JOSHUA was LEADING after eight rounds against Oleksandr Usyk before his nasty eye injury in the ninth sparked a meltdown.That is according to the official scorecards which have been released by AJ’s Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn.
      Anthony Joshua was narrowly leading after eight rounds against Oleksandr UsykCredit: Instagram / @eddiehearn
      But a nasty eye injury saw him throw away the fight in the final roundsCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
      The Brit lost 115-113, 116-112, 117-112 at Tottenham’s stadium on Saturday night and the exact scoring has now emerged.
      Howard Foster scored the bout 115-113 with the contest all square with two rounds to go.
      Steve Weisfield gave Usyk an extra point on his 116-112 card and only had them level after the eighth.
      And Viktor Fesechenko judged the Ukrainian to have won by the biggest margin – awarding him 117 points to Joshua’s 112.
      But after eight rounds Foster had the fight for Joshua, Weisfield scored it a draw and Fesechenko was in favour of Usyk.
      Foster had Joshua up 77-75 after the eighth, Weisfeld scored it level 76-76 and Fesechenko called it 77-76 to Usyk.
      So at that stage, the Brit was ahead on the three judges’ total scoring by a single point – at 229 for Joshua, and 228 for Usyk.
      However, if the last four rounds had been shared, it would have finished a draw.
      But his right eye continued to swell and impede his vision – with AJ admitting after he could not see out of it from the ninth round.

      JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
      As a result, Usyk stormed the last rounds and walked away with a unanimous points win.
      After the shock defeat, Hearn warned AJ he must trigger his Usyk rematch clause immediately or risk NEVER having the chance to win his belts back.
      Fellow British heavyweight Dillian Whyte also hit out at AJ after the clash labelling the Londoner ‘gun-shy, negative and lacking ambition’.
      The Body Snatcher told BBC 5 Live: “I said if Joshua tried to box he was always going to lose.
      “If he had come out and bullied him and pushed the pace and let his hands go he could have knocked him out in the first even round.
      “But he came out and was being too negative, he seemed like a gun-shy fighter. You are the bigger man, have a go.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk LIVE: Follow all the post-fight reaction

      “I don’t know, he lacked ambition in the ring there tonight.
      “The first round, Usyk landed the first strong blow and Joshua was a negative fighter.
      “He got tagged with a left and he was worried the whole time.”

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Anthony Joshua discusses losing to Oleksandr Usyk in post-fight press conference More

    • 238 Shares149 Views

      in Boxing

      Oleksandr Usyk RETURNS belts to Anthony Joshua as Brit warns ‘see you soon’ in changing room after shock defeat

      by

      OLEKSANDR USYK stole Anthony Joshua’s heavyweight belts on the Brit star’s home turf on Saturday night – only to give them straight back.AJ, 31, lost his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO titles after being stunned by Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk LIVE: Follow all the post-fight reaction

      Oleksandr Usyk returning Anthony Joshua’s belts after their fight (he will be sent new ones). AJ tells him: “See you soon.”[📽️ Serge Lapin] pic.twitter.com/LGLjyiTxlQ— Michael Benson (@MichaelBensonn) September 25, 2021

      Oleksandr Usyk gave Anthony Joshua back his heavyweight belts following his shock win on SaturdayCredit: Instagram / @serge_lapin
      Joshua grinned as he got his hands back on his belts, with Usyk to be sent fresh onesCredit: Instagram / @serge_lapin
      Joshua warned Usyk he’d ‘see him soon’ as he prepares to exercise his rematch clauseCredit: Instagram / @serge_lapin
      The Ukrainian, 34, looked dominant as he surged to a unanimous points win, leaving Joshua’s dreams of a £500million showdown with fellow Brit Tyson Fury seemingly in tatters.
      But while both fighters exchanged crunching blows in the ring, they continued to show their incredible mutual respect out of it.
      After the bout, Usyk posed in the ring with his news belts after becoming the new heavyweight champion.
      But the former cruiserweight immediately darted to the changing rooms to give them straight back to AJ afterwards.
      Despite the loss, Joshua will get to keep the belts, with Usyk to be sent fresh ones.
      And the Brit will desperately kickstart his ‘road to undisputed’ as he vows to fight Fury in the future.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Following his defeat, Joshua claimed: “The road to undisputed and all that stuff, it’s good.
      “As I said, I’ll fight Tyson Fury, (Deontay) Wilder, without the belts.
      “The belts are fun. It’s great, it’s legacy. But with or without the belts, I’ll fight whoever.
      “The road to undisputed is a nice title to have and a nice title to chase.
      “But would you still watch it, without the belts?
      “That’s the main thing – is you’ve got two competitive fighters in the ring from UK soil, that just want to go toe-to-toe.”

      Despite having one eye on Fury, AJ is first itching to set the record straight and wrestle back his belts from Usyk.
      Asked if he planned to activate his rematch clause, a defiant Joshua roared: “100 per cent. 110 per cent.
      “I’m ready to get back to training.
      “Because of the 12 rounds, my lungs and everything, it was a good 12-rounder, so I’ll be in a good place when I get back into training to pick up where we left off.”
      Anthony Joshua discusses losing to Oleksandr Usyk in post-fight press conference More

    • 238 Shares179 Views

      in Boxing

      ‘Crazy Bond villain’ Oleksandr Usyk stalked Anthony Joshua ringside in 2018 as throwback photo comes back to haunt AJ

      by

      OLEKSANDR USYK stunned Anthony Joshua to steal his heavyweight titles on Saturday night – but the ‘crazy Bond villain’ had been eyeing up the belts for THREE YEARS.The Ukrainian star, 34, shocked a packed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with his victory via unanimous decision in North London.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk LIVE: Follow all the post-fight reaction

      Fans are calling Usyk a ‘crazy Bond villain’ after a picture of him glaring at Joshua during the Brit’s 2018 win over Povetkin went viral again
      Oleksandr Usyk stunned a packed London crowd to beat Anthony Joshua on Saturday nightCredit: Getty
      Usyk got his hands on AJ’s WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO belts after continuing to impress after making the jump up to heavyweight.
      But while many fans were surprised, others remembered the victory was three years in the making.
      In 2018, Usyk was spotted ringside during Joshua’s win over Alexander Povetkin.
      And an old photo of the Ukrainian glaring at AJ during the fight has since been resurfaced and quickly gone viral.
      One terrified viewer even called Usyk – dressed in all black with a hood half covering his face – a ‘crazy Bond villain’.
      In May, Joshua even shared the very same picture on Snapchat after it was announced he would be fighting Usyk, not Tyson Fury as planned.

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      AJ simply captioned the snap: “Everyday is War.”
      But that post has now come back to haunt him after he was thoroughly outboxed by Usyk on Saturday evening.
      Earlier this week, Usyk was even asked about the infamous staredown, with the Ukrainian replying: “Of course I remember.
      “AJ was fighting in London at Wembley with Alexander Povetkin.
      “I remember that he made a sign to me. I think he noticed me in the crowd. He waved his hand to me.
      “I was quite sure that good guys like us should fight each other.
      “He was not on my mind. But I had a goal to fight with him because he is the Olympic champion.”
      Joshua had previously met Usyk as a youngster in 2011 with the pair both competing at the World Amateur Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan.
      They both represented their countries at the 2012 Olympic Games too – when AJ won heavyweight gold.
      And on both occasions, Usyk claimed he watched every fight – scouting his potential future opponent well into his professional career, too.
      The new heavyweight champion eerily admitted: “I have watched all of his fights. Absolutely each and every one of his fights.”
      Oleksandr Usyk stealing Anthony Joshua’s belts was seemingly a career in the makingCredit: Reuters
      Despite the defeat, Joshua has revealed he is ‘positive’ about the future and still wants to fight Fury – even without his belts.
      AJ said: “The road to undisputed and all that stuff, it’s good.
      “As I said, I’ll fight Tyson Fury, (Deontay) Wilder, without the belts.
      “The belts are fun. It’s great, it’s legacy. But with or without the belts, I’ll fight whoever.
      “The road to undisputed is a nice title to have and a nice title to chase.
      “But would you still watch it, without the belts?
      “That’s the main thing – is you’ve got two competitive fighters in the ring from UK soil, that just want to go toe-to-toe.”
      Despite having one eye on Fury, AJ is first itching to set the record straight and wrestle back his belts from Usyk.
      Asked if he planned to activate his rematch clause, a defiant Joshua roared: “100 per cent. 110 per cent.
      “I’m ready to get back to training.
      “Because of the 12 rounds, my lungs and everything, it was a good 12-rounder, so I’ll be in a good place when I get back into training to pick up where we left off.”
      Oleksandr Usyk says he thought Anthony Joshua would be tougher after win More