Boxing

SAUDI boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has named Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury on his list of three dream fights to make. The powerful politician has rejuvenated the sport by fronting the cash to finally make the biggest bouts happen. Anthony Joshua with Saudi boxing boss Turki AlalshikhCredit: @Turki_alalshikhTyson Fury vs Joshua is on Alalshikh’s boxing wishlistCredit: @Turki_alalshikhAnd in an “Ask Me Anything Q&A” on Reddit, he listed the three fights he most desperately wants to make. They are as follows: Joshua vs Fury, Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford and Artur Beterbiev vs David Benavidez. Here, SunSport runs down what makes the showdowns on Alalshikh’s wishlist so special. Joshua vs Fury It is by far the greatest fight ever to be made in Britain and possibly the biggest on the market right now. READ MORE IN BOXINGYears of feuding and speculation would finally be put to bed in a genuine blockbuster for the ages. There is hope if Fury defeats Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 that AJ could slot in to face the Gypsy King afterwards to at last give fans – and Alalshikh – what they want. Canelo vs CrawfordUnbeaten American Crawford, 36, has looked almost unstoppable on his way to becoming a four-division world champ. And he is so confident he is ready to go up THREE divisions to fight boxing’s top superstar Canelo. Most read in BoxingThe Mexican, 33, has so far seemed uninterested in the bout – but that could be quickly changed by a Saudi payday. Beterbiev vs BenavidezOne of Alalshikh’s biggest coups has been making the light-heavyweight undisputed showdown between Dmitry Bivol, 33, and Beterbiev, 39, on June 1. But already, the powerbroker is thinking ahead and has plans for Benavidez, 27, to step up from super-middle to face the winner. The unbeaten US star has chased a bout with Canelo but to no avail leaving himself open to a move to 175lb. More

DEONTAY WILDER is ready to salvage his dream fight with Anthony Joshua after teaming up with old enemy Eddie Hearn. The heavyweight pair finally got their blockbuster signed and sealed for March but it was KO’d when Wilder suffered defeat to Joseph Parker. Zhilei Zhang and Wilder meet in the 5-v-5 tournamentCredit: GettyJoshua is set to return in September at WembleyCredit: ReutersNow the American returns on June 1 in Saudi Arabia against Zhilei Zhang in the most unlikely of circumstances. He has been selected as a member of Hearn’s roster of five fighters that are going up against Frank Warren’s picks.Meanwhile, Joshua is set to return in September at Wembley in Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh’s first move into the UK. There is hope it will be against Tyson Fury, but the Gypsy King must first beat Oleksandr Usyk on May 18 while already being contracted to a rematch. READ MORE IN BOXINGSo Wilder would not turn down the chance to at last face AJ should he return to winning ways against Zhang, 40. His manager Shelly Finkel told SunSport: “It’s speculation but if everything goes OK on June 1 like we hope and expect and that’s brought to us, we’re totally open.”Fury, 35, and Usyk, 37, meet in the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification next month. And Fury has distanced himself from a summertime showdown with Joshua, 34, to instead honour a potential October rematch with Usyk.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSSo it would leave Wilder, 38, primed to slot in for the Wembley war but Finkel admitted the idea has not yet been discussed with Hearn. He said: “Look, I know why it happened but we didn’t believe that Deontay would lose to Parker, so you can’t get too far ahead of yourself.Anthony Joshua hints mega clash with Tyson Fury will happen in September and says ‘it’s coming, most definitely'”Now we have a big fight in front of us and as long as he does what he’s supposed to, hopefully that’ll be history and then we’ll go forward.”But no, there hasn’t been any direct conversation.”Joshua and Hearn for years endured a turbulent relationship with Wilder and Finkel amid repeated failed attempts to get the fight on. But that was put to bed by the help of the Saudis when they at least had a deal in place before Wilder’s shock loss. So perhaps it paved the way for Hearn to turn to the former WBC champion when he needed a heavyweight to go up against Warren. And it could give Wilder the perfect chance to redeem himself at the scene of the crime just seven months on from his last loss. READ MORE SUN STORIESAnd Finkel added: “He knows what happened, he knows why it happened. He’s not going to let that happen again.”Zhang is not someone you can play around with it’s a fight that if you’re going to beat this guy you’ve got to hurt him early and stop him from being too aggressive.” More

RYAN GARCIA has made a shock prediction for Mike Tyson’s comeback clash with Jake Paul.The former undisputed heavyweight champion will lace up his gloves for a shock Texas tussle with the YouTuber-turned-boxer on July 20.Boxing legend Mike Tyson returns to the ring in July to throw down with Jake PaulCredit: INSTAGRAM@JAKEPAULRyan Garcia is backing ‘Iron Mike’ to get the better of the Youtuber-turned-boxerCredit: GETTYTyson, 57, will be a whopping THIRTY-ONE YEARS Paul’s senior when the opening bell sounds in their Dallas dust-up.But the age difference and Tyson’s visible slowing down haven’t convinced Garcia that Paul will get the better of him.Speaking a few days before his shock victory over Devin Haney, he said of the boxing legend: “I love you, Mike.”You look good. I’m going to your fight, I’ll be there.READ MORE IN BOXING”I’m with you in everything, remember that, always in spirit. I got you. Love you, Mike.”Boxing icon Tyson returned to the ring in November 2020 for an exhibition bout with fellow great Roy Jones Jr.But the once ferocious and most-feared puncher in the sport looked every bit his 54 years as he dragged his feet around the ring in the COVID clash.In recent weeks, Tyson has shared several clips of himself battering pads with coach Rafael Cordeiro – who insists fight fans’ concerns over Iron Mike are misplaced.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERCredit: The SunDuring a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, he said: “I believe we don’t have to be concerned about it.”We’re talking about a two-time world champion. The guy didn’t have 20 fights in two years, he knows how to fight.This is honestly sad to watch’, say worried boxing fans as Mike Tyson, 57, releases training clip before Jake Paul bout”He’s fought against the best guys in the world. When he steps inside the ring he knows what to do.”It’s not something new for Mike, and this fight is no different.“He works hard every single day to go in there and try to knock Jake out from the beginning to the end.”This is his style, nobody has taught Mike Tyson how to fight. He’s going to prove that in July.”You can see fire in his eyes when he trains, and he will never give less than that.”I truly believe it is going to be a great show.”Ryan Garcia $1million crownRYAN GARCIA wore a crown worth $1million for his ring walk before fighting Devin Haney.
The American boxer’s head gear caught the eye of boxing fans before and after his shock victory.
The 25-year-old headed to the ring draped in a white robe as he wore a diamond encrusted crown.
Holding 1kg of gold and over 400 carats of diamonds the crown was made by Texas-based jeweller The Ice Champ.
Garcia’s gown was also made up of 15,000 diamonds and took 10 days to create.
He also told TMZ before the bout: “He was like ‘let’s create something where the champ of the boxing world and the champ of the jewellery world connect and make something unique. We created a unique crown.”
Read more about Ryan Garcia by clicking here. More

OLEKSANDR USYK already has a replacement lined up in case Tyson Fury pulls out of their Saudi straightener.Usyk and Fury, 37 and 35 respectively, will throw down for all the heavyweight marbles next month in the division’s first undisputed bout in nearly 25 years.
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will vie for all the heavyweight marbles on May 18Credit: EPA
Their historic undisputed showdown has fallen through THREE TIMES alreadyCredit: GETTY
Team Usyk have lined up Filip Hrgovic as a replacement for the Gypsy King in case he pulls out of the Saudi showdownCredit: GETTY
The pair’s dust-up has fallen through THREE TIMES already, collapses which have prompted Team Usyk to draw up a contingency plan in mandatory IBF title challenger Filip Hrgovic in case the Riyadh Rumble crumbles again.The Ukrainian’s promoter Alex Krassyuk told Boxing Scene: “Usyk has actually had a triple camp for this fight. “He started in September for the fight to take place last December.’We showed up to the Ngannou fight to step in the ring to announce the fight for the undisputed.READ MORE IN BOXING”But his team jumped and said he didn’t look that good, so Usyk gave him some space to prepare at his camp in Saudi Arabia.”We were then meant to fight on February 17, then we were rescheduled for May. Tyson Fury has withdrawn four times already from this fight.”I’ve not got too much confidence in the rematch happening, by the way. “If Tyson Fury loses, will he have the confidence to step inside the ring again?Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERTYSON FURY VS OLEKSANDR USYK: ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED AHEAD OF HUGE UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT”Theoretically he can, but we all know what happened in the rematch with Wladimir Klitschko.”The IBF mandatory Filip Hrgovic will be the replacement if [Fury] does it again.Inside Tyson Fury’s Morecambe mansion”He is getting ready for Daniel Dubois on June 1, but instead he will have to be ready on May 18 to replace Tyson for any reason.”Otherwise we will lose the [IBF] title. It was one of our conditions.”Fury and Usyk were supposed to do their long-awaited dance in February but the bout ended up being postponed after the former suffered a horror cut in the final spar of his training camp.Inside the Gypsy King’s royal courtTYSON FURY is one of the biggest characters in sport.
The Gypsy King looked to be in a career-best shape for the historic rescheduled showdown, which he’s adamant won’t go the distance.He said: “I don’t know because I’ve never fought him before, so I couldn’t really answer the question“Styles make fights, that’s what happens. He’s only had two or three fights heavyweight, and to be honest I haven’t been that impressed with him.“He does what he’s got to do, he’s got his wins, he gets paid, he gets the job done and goes home. “That’s what it’s about. Is he good enough to beat the Gypsy King?READ MORE SUN STORIES”I don’t think so, but good luck to him. If he is, he is. If he is, I’ll shake his hand. If he’s not, yet again I roll on to another one.“I think I’ll take him out inside seven rounds.”A horror cut in his final spar of training camp forced Tyson Fury out of his February fisticuffs with Oleksandr UsykCredit: QUEENSBERRY PROMOTIONS More