Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk next week will set fans back £24.95 to watch.The IBF, WBA and WBO champ’s bout is one of the most expensive in UK pay-per-view history, and it hasn’t gone down well on social media.
Joshua has been beaten just once in his professional careerCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
Usyk meanwhile has won all of his 18 fights as a proCredit: Getty
But paying to watch the pair battle it out won’t be cheapCredit: Matchroom
Michael Benson, online boxing editor for talkSPORT, confirmed the fee on Twitter, saying: “Now officially confirmed that the Sky UK PPV price for Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk on Sept 25th is £24.95.”
And fans reacted to the announcement with fury, flooding the tweet with angry replies to Sky’s charge.
One said: “‘AJ PPV was only £24.95 because fans wasn’t allowed into venues’ What’s the excuse now. Disgrace from sky, although it’ll be their last AJ PPV.”
Another sarcastic response read: “Great news, I’ll be paying £0.”
One fan saw the funny side though, saying: “Price of a half decent takeaway….”
Fans are especially angered due to the main event’s undercard not being especially stacked.

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Lawrence Okolie, Callum Smith and Campbell Hatton are some of the names to feature on the undercard.
Joshua and and Usyk face off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next Saturday after AJ’s scheduled bout against Tyson Fury on August 14 was forced to be cancelled.
That’s after the Gypsy King was ordered to fight Deontay Wilder in an epic trilogy fight by an arbitration judge.
But Joshua is still adamant his clash with Fury will go ahead, and the fight will be in Britain.

AJ has not fought since beating Kubrat Pulev in December 2020, but has revealed he is ‘tired’ ahead of his clash with the Ukranian Usyk.
Watford-born Joshua has stayed in Sheffield for the duration of his training camp for next week’s bout to spend more time in the gym with trainer Rob McCracken.
And when the 31-year-olds career does come to an end, he has joked that he plans to dissappear from planet Earth.
Fans stunned by Anthony Joshua’s ‘lean’ physique ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight More

ANTHONY JOSHUA plans to disappear from planet Earth when he’s finished his reign as world champion.The Watford heavyweight is training in Sheffield ahead of his heavyweight clash with Oleksandr Usyk next Saturday.
Anthony Joshua will fight Oleksandr Usyk at Spurs next weekendCredit: PA
And the 31-year-old already appears to have a retirement plan in place when his boxing career is finished.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, he joked: “Once boxing is done everything gets deactivated. No one will ever see me again. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos — come on, we are going to Mars, baby.
“When I finish, I am going to go to the Amazon with an uncontacted tribe and just sit back. Frog venom, eating plants, all of it.”
AJ continued: “A lot of us fighters came into the game and had aspirations, maybe to buy their mother a home, fought guys and the next thing they are stuck in this business. It is difficult.
“I never thought I would kind of grow to be in this position. It comes with pressure because honestly, I never yearned for the fame or attention. I just dedicated myself to the sport.”
Joshua burst onto the scene after winning gold at London 2012 and has been in the public eye ever since.
The hysteria surrounding his proposed match up with rival Tyson Fury seems to have taken its toll AJ – who just wants to concentrate on fighting.

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“If I could just focus on the sport, I would do it for a long amount of time. But it is everything else that comes with it that tends to steer people away. They say fame and fortune and attention is a gift, but it can also be a curse.
“As I said, if it is just purely boxing, let’s go as long as we can, but everything else that comes with it, that is why some people just want to distance from that world when it is all done, and go back to their original entrance.
“Boxers, we are pure. We just wanted to elevate ourselves and we found ourselves addicted to progress in our sport.
“And then it became about being a role model, standing up for certain things, and we make mistakes, we get things right. It is an interesting time to be a sportsman.
“When I entered the game, it was for the love of it. It was all pure and you always want to chase yourself back to why you started, that pure element of why I wanted to be involved in boxing. I just want to fight.”
And on a potential fight with Fury, AJ added: “I know what people are saying about boxing politics, but I’ll promise before the end of my career I will have done everything in my power to fight Tyson Fury.
“Me and Fury is streets, two warriors, two fighters who have come from the amateur system in the UK, and have taken the world by storm.

Joshua has his sights on facing fellow Brit Tyson Fury in an historic heavyweight unification fightCredit: Reuters
Boxer Martin Bakole says Oleksandr should fear Anthony Joshua’s explosive power More

JOHN FURY claims son Tyson will send Deontay Wilder into retirement in their trilogy fight – telling fans to expect ‘blood, snot and injuries’.Fury, 33, will take on Deontay Wilder, 35, in the third instalment of their epic bouts, which will conclude in Paradise, Nevada on Saturday 9th October.
John Fury believes his son will comfortably defeat Deontay Wilder in their trilogy fight on 9th OctoberCredit: AFP
Tyson Fury floored Deontay Wilder with a huge blow to the temple in the third round of their second fightCredit: AFP
The two heavyweights will go head to head for the WBC and The Ring heavyweight titles – which Fury won when he beat Wilder by TKO in the seventh round of their second fight last February.
Wilder and Fury originally fought in December 2018 for the WBC heavyweight title, but it ended in a draw, meaning Wilder retained the belt he had held since January 2015.
Despite being floored in the twelfth round of the first fight, Fury won the rematch in emphatic style after flooring the American twice, forcing Wilder’s corner to throw in the towel.
Wilder suffered a lot of punishment in the second fight and was bleeding from both his mouth and his ear by the time the fight was halted.
Trainer John Fury promises much of the same in the third instalment, suggesting that his son Tyson will give Wilder “the beating of his life.”
He said: “Tyson will send him into retirement this time. He’ll never box after this, he’s gonna get beat to pieces. Smashed to pieces.

BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
“He got humiliated last time. He let the whole of America down. Tyson smashed him to pieces. He’s lucky to be boxing Tyson again for the third time.
“After that last performance, he don’t deserve the fight. It should have been him and AJ.
“People who like blood and snot everywhere and injuries are going to have a right night, believe me. He’s going to get it proper.”
How Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder stack up ahead of the trilogy fight

Fury had been due to fight Anthony Joshua in an all-British heavyweight showdown in August, but talks broke down after he was ordered to fight Wilder instead.
The trilogy fight was originally planned for 24th July, but the WBC champ pulled out after allegedly catching covid-19 and the fight was postponed to 9th October.
Neither has fought since their last bout in February 2020, but both have been hard at work in training amid all of the trash-talking as the rivalry becomes more and more heated.
Wilder wore headphones and listened to music during the pre-fight press conference in June, refusing to answer questionsCredit: AFP
Deontay Wilder tells Tyson Fury to ‘burn in hell’ for using Covid as an ‘excuse’ to delay fight More

DAVID HAYE has been warned to ‘behave himself’ after his surprise call-out of Tyson Fury.The Hayemaker made a shock beeline for the WBC heavyweight champ last weekend after cruising to a unanimous decision victory in his comeback fight against Joe Fournier.
David Haye made a beeline for Tyson Fury after beating Joe Fournier earlier this month
The Hayemaker cruised to a points victory over his billionaire palCredit: Getty
But Ricky Hatton has warned the former heavyweight champ against a fight with the Gypsy King
Haye, 40, looked like he still had it in his clash with his billionaire pal, but boxing legend Ricky Hatton has warned him to forget about facing the Gypsy King.
The Hitman told The Metro: “I wouldn’t have thought Tyson Fury would be taking David Haye’s call out very seriously.
“David Haye is a friend of mine, I think the world of him, but it was clear to see in his last fights with Tony Bellew [in 2017 and 2018] that his best days are clearly behind him.
“Tyson Fury in his last fight was at the top of the game! We can’t allow that to happen.
“Evander Holyfield says he wants to fight Mike Tyson next, David Haye wants to fight Tyson Fury.
“I think the world of David Haye, but sorry, no. They need saving from themselves.

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“The boxer’s health is always the priority. And if we allow Tyson Fury to fight David Haye and Evander Holyfield to fight Mike Tyson, we are putting boxers at real risk.
“So I don’t care whether it is their choice. We need to save boxers for the sake of their health.
“These fighters feel great in the gym, but they don’t look great in the ring. David Haye looks in superb condition, he is a pure athlete and there is no doubt he probably does feel good.
“But he fought Tony Bellew a good few years ago now and it was clear he was past his best.
“I don’t think anything has improved since he’s been out. Tyson Fury just destroyed Deontay Wilder with the best performance of his career! David, you need to behave yourself.”
Haye retired from boxing in June 2018 following consecutive losses to fellow Brit Bellew.
David, you need to behave yourself.Ricky Hatton on David Haye’s call-out of Tyson Fury
But Team Fury won’t entertain the idea of fighting Haye until he defeats a ‘rated fighter’.
Promoter Frank Warren told iFL TV: “I like David. I’ve got a lot of respect for David.
“But he’s 40 years of age. He’s not a youngster, though he’s not 58 years old [like Evander Holyfield].
“Having said that, he’s suffered some bad injuries.
“Certainly against Tony Bellew. He obviously had these injuries and he shouldn’t have been in the ring in the first place.
“I don’t know whether he’s got rid of the injuries or not.

“I’m sure he’s calling out Tyson because him and Tyson – let’s get it right – would be a huge fight. There’s no doubt about that.
“But I think he’s gotta do a bit more before talking about Tyson.
“For number one, he’d have to get rated. And to get rated you’d have to fight a rated fighter.”

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ANTHONY JOSHUA has stayed in Sheffield for the entirety of his training camp for Oleksandr Usyk after buying a three-bedroom house.The 31-year-old is preparing to defend his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts against the unbeaten Ukrainian at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next week.
Anthony Joshua is looking in incredible shape for his world title fight against Oleksandr UsykCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
British star Joshua puts his WBA, WBO and IBF titles on the line at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next weekCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
Joshua is looking in great shape for the dust-up, with fans left stunned by his leaner physique.
And AJ’s new trimmed look could be due to him having more time to train in Sheffield alongside Rob McCracken at the English Institute of Sport.
During previous training camps, Joshua has stayed in a humble flat in the Steel City, with the British star returning to London on the weekends.
But according to the Daily Mail, the two-time world champion bought a three-bedroom house in Sheffield last year, with the boxer spending his whole time there ahead of his bout with Usyk.
Joshua believes the reduced time on the road back to the capital will make an important difference.
Speaking to the news outlet about his lighter build, Joshua said: “I’m tired. There is a lot of fatigue in camp. Right now, you can see light at the end of the tunnel.

BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
“I have been heading through it and there are long weeks ahead, but you are saying to yourself, ‘Come on, nearly done, just stick with it. It is round the corner’.
“I wish the fight was tomorrow, because it’s fatigue on the brain, fatigue on the body, staying consistent for such a long period of time during camp.
“But I am a professional, dedicated to this cause. This is me. I am a fighter.”
And Joshua, who has revealed a fight to face Tyson Fury WILL happen in the future, has spoken of his respect for fellow 2012 Olympic gold medallist Usyk.
He added: “Talent-wise I love the challenge of this guy because he has done well and he wants it.
“He is a God-fearing man, very religious, comes from a lineage of great champions like Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko, Vasyl Lomachenko. He puts the effort in and gets results.

“Yeah, he’s passionate and dedicated to his cause, which makes him a confident person. He likes to have laughs, and has fun with his work.
“I have seen mad people and he isn’t a mad person. He is just fun. He is having fun because he knows what he is doing.
“Believe me, there is a lot of respect there.”
Fans stunned by Anthony Joshua’s ‘lean’ physique ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight More

OLEKSANDR UYSK is a fully-fledged heavyweight after packing on the pounds for his eagerly-anticipated clash with Anthony Joshua.The undefeated Ukrainian will challenge AJ for the unified heavyweight titles a week on Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Oleksandr Usyk will challenge Anthony Joshua for the unified heavyweight titles next week
The former cruiserweight king has beefed up for his crack at heavyweight gold
And the Olympian’s promoter Alexander Krassuyk reckons he’s a full-fledged heavyweightCredit: GETTY
Usyk, 34, underwent a rigorous weight-lifting programme ahead of his debut in the division in October 2019 and has put on more muscle ahead of the Tottenham tussle.
And the former undisputed cruiserweight champ’s promoter – Alexander Krassuyk – reckons he’s more than ready to mix it with the division’s big boys.
In an interview with ESPN, Krassuyk said of his countryman: “He has been working hard.
“Building his body for the heavyweight division, and he’s a true heavyweight now.
“No one can say he is a cruiserweight fighting as a heavyweight like Chris Byrd was. Oleksandr is a natural heavyweight now.”
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn has been impressed by Usyk’s transformation but is adamant he’ll never be a ‘real heavyweight’.

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The Matchroom Boxing chief said of the slick southpaw: “I think that Usyk will never be a fully-fledged heavyweight – a real heavyweight in terms of size.
“What he will always have is a huge amount of skill.
“It takes time for people to bed into heavyweight, so put it this way, it would’ve been a lot easier fight for AJ a year-and-a-half ago.
“Now Usyk has fought a real heavyweight contender in Chisora, that will actually help him to start to understand what needs to be done.
“But AJ’s a different kind of beast. A good big guy will always beat a good small guy, so we’ll see.”
Joshua is anticipating a tough challenge from the fleet-footed Usyk and is relishing the tactical showdown with his fellow Olympic gold medallist.
He told the BBC: “On paper, he sits number two, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
“They’re very different technically, but on paper, he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s number one.

“But Usyk is number two because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight.”
“One of his strengths is that he’s getting in the ring with me.
“I’ve got to give him credit for that, it’s going to be tough.”

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Fans stunned by Anthony Joshua’s ‘lean’ physique ahead of Oleksandr Usyk fight More