Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA and Dillian Whyte’s bitter trilogy clash has finally been confirmed for August 12.The all-London rubber match should have happened in April after Brixton brawler Whyte beat Jermaine Franklin.
Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte will renew their rivalry later this summerCredit: TIMES NEWSPAPERS LTD
The pair have fought twice before, once in the amateurs and once in the pro ranksCredit: GETTY
AJ came out of the professional domestic dust-up victoriousCredit: NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS LTD
But, in a surprise move that left the Body Snatcher raging, 33-year-old AJ cautiously outpointed the unknown American instead.
After a couple of weeks of tense negotiations, 35-year-old Whyte has accepted what he feels is a poor deal, just for the chance to fight his oldest foe.
The football stadium sell-out shared promoter Eddie Hearn has always promised has been swapped for an O2 clash in the middle of the school summer holidays.
And that cut in earning potential has added fuel to Whyte’s fury over being overlooked in the Spring.
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Whyte won their 2009 amateur showdown that happened above a North London pub. 
But AJ got revenge with a 2015 pro barnstormer for the British heavyweight title.
Both reformed bad boys are now millionaires enjoying the backend of their fight careers but both sound desperate to roll back the years and roll around the floor fighting.
“I’ve been clear that my plan is to be active this year,” said Joshua. “August 12 is the date, I’ll be ready to fight. I look forward to dealing with business.”
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Whyte – who knows Joshua has a mega-money December clash with Deontay Wilder waiting in Saudi Arabia – is desperate to spoil the party.
The Jamaica-born brawler got a rematch clause ripped out of the original contract, in the hope he can stun the London 2012 legend and take his place in the Middle East.
He said from his Florida training camp: “I’m looking forward to returning to the London O2 on August 12 and going to war. It’s 1-1 so this is the decider!”
Team Joshua will be hoping AJ will be able to showcase his work with new coach Derrick James and blow Whyte out of the water.
But former WBC heavyweight title challenger Whyte is adamant he won’t be cannon fodder for AJ to get his mojo back before a Saudi showdown with Wilder.
He told talkSPORT late last month: “Listen, I’m no warm-up fight for no-one.
“I’ll give anyone hell on the night.
“One advantage I have over anyone fighting AJ is I’m able to get in his head mentally.
“I’m able to offset him and I’m able to drag him into a scrap because we have that energy and we have that history.
Anthony Joshua got back to winning ways with a scrappy win over Jermaine Franklin in AprilCredit: THE TIMES
Dillian Whyte scraped past the American in a razor close fight last NovemberCredit: GETTY
“Just that alone makes me a massive danger for him and they don’t wanna risk the Wilder fight.”
Joshua knows his domestic dust-up with Whyte could be a potential banana skin on his road to becoming a three-time heavyweight champ.
The Watford warrior said: “What am I doing this fight for?
“I want to become three-time heavyweight champion of the world.
“I want to test myself.
“I’ve been through a lot and I want to see what I have left to give.
When I say what I have left to give, I am not resting on what I have, I am building on what I have and I want to see how far I can take myself.
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“I know what it takes, I know what this game is about and I’m going to push myself beyond the limits where I’ve been before.
“Hence why I find myself in Dallas because I’m trying to find an environment that can stimulate me, motivate me and push me onto higher highs.” More

OLEKSANDR USYK’s unified heavyweight title defence against Daniel Dubois has been confirmed.Boxing’s pound-for-pound king was set to face Tyson Fury in an undisputed showdown in the spring.
Daniel Dubois is the mandatory challenge for Oleksandr Usyk’s WBA heavyweight titleCredit: GETTY
Triple D will get his crack at boxing’s pound-for-pound king on August 26Credit: AP
The pair’s title fight will take place in Wroclaw, PolandCredit: GETTY
But talks over the historic bout collapsed after very public and heated negotiations.
Team Usyk then turned their attention to the mandatory challenger for the WBA strap – Brit bruiser Dubois.
And the pair will throw down in a Polish punch-up in Wroclaw on August 26.
Former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk announced his second defence of the unified thone on Instagram on Thursday.
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Along with the official fight poster, the undefeated Ukranian wrote: “See you 26 August.”
Boxing fans were quick to comment, with several expressing their frustration with the bout.
One said: “Heavyweight boxing is finished.”
Another said: “Another heavyweight match nobody cares about. Well done.”
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And another said: “Dubois gonna see 10 Uysk’s dancing around him!”
One remarked: “Dubois isn’t ready for Usyk he’s not on that level.”
Another chimed in: “Easy night for Usyk. He’s a different league than DD – no comparison.”
Usyk vs Dubois came to fruition after the WBA ordered the bout following the collapse of the former’s undisputed clash with Fury.
Dubois’ punch-up with Usyk will be his first full world title fight, in which promoter Frank Warren expects him to cause a major upset.
The Queensberry Promotions chief told SecondsOut: “I look at the fights [Usyk] had at heavyweight.
“Derek Chisora about 18 months, maybe two years ago springs to mind.
” For six, seven rounds Chisora gave him a lot of problems. He was there with him, there was nothing in it.
“They picked Chisora for a reason but look what Tyson [Fury] did with Chisora and look at that.
“His two fights with [Anthony Joshua], AJ weren’t at the races, he was on the back foot all the time. For me, AJ is not the fighter he was.
“I look at that, I look at [Daniel] and I just know that’s he powerful, he’s got a good jab, he’s faster than people think.
“If Usyk gets clipped and tastes some of that power it’s gunna be interesting to see how he reacts.
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“Usyk hasn’t had a performance that has been a jaw-dropping and dramatic performance.
“No disrespect, he’s done what he has to do, but I feel Daniel will be in the right place at the right time [to win.]”
Daniel Dubois goes into his first world title fight as a huge underdogCredit: GETTY More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been warned his chin has been cracked and he can no longer “take a shot”.The Watford warrior has only been stopped once in his career but has shown a susceptibility to being hurt since his stunning upset defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr four years ago.
Anthony Joshua was stopped four years ago in a huge upset defeat to Andy Ruiz JrCredit: GETTY
AJ has boxed cautiously since being dethroned by Ruiz JrCredit: AFP or licensors
Barry McGuigan reckons Joshua has lost his killer instinct can no longer take a shotCredit: GETTY
AJ has boxed cautiously ever since that fateful night at Madison Square Garden, which Barry McGuigan believes but did a number on his willingness to stay in the fire.
During an appearance on William Hill’s Up Front with Simon Jordan, the former WBA featherweight champion said: “I really like Anthony Joshua and I don’t really know him personally.
“But his ability to take a shot has disappeared.
“He’s not willing to run into the lion’s den and get shots fired at him, shots that miss him by whiskers that could knock him unconscious.
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“I don’t know if he has the want to do that anymore.”
McGuigan reckons AJ’s reluctance to stay in the pocket will be his undoing against his fellow elite heavyweights.
The Irishman continued: “Once that happens, I don’t think he will beat any of the top guys.
“He’s still a great fighter, but I just don’t think he beats the top guys because of that.”
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Joshua, 33, is set to have his chin tested in an August rematch with long-time rival Dillian Whyte.
It’s understood the pair’s third showdown is on the brink of being announced after both teams finally reached a suitable agreement.

Should Joshua get past the Brixton banger, he’ll tee up a December dust-up with long-time rival Deontay Wilder.
And promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealed the duo’s long-overdue grudge match is on the verge of being finalised.

He told Boxing News: “Obviously with our meetings with Saudi on Friday, Thursday.
“We’re in a really great place we virtually have a deal agreed in principle subject to a few final discussions.
“We’re meeting them again on Monday.
“I think we’re in a good place but we want to fight on August 12th, and it’s important to his development and his momentum that he does and that’s still the plan.” More

ANTHONY JOSHUA reached out to old rival and friend Wladimir Klitschko for SWIMMING advice. Joshua is out in Dallas training for his next fight but the sweltering heat left him with horror blisters on his feet.
Anthony Joshua reached out to Wladimir Klitschko for swimming advice
Anthony Joshua in training for his next fight
So AJ swapped the track for the pool and sought the advice of heavyweight legend Klitschko, who implemented swimming in his training regime.
He said on his YouTube channel: “Spoke to Klitschko and he gave me some swimming ideas.
“It will be tough. His are gonna be tougher than mine, for sure.”
Joshua struck up a friendship after being invited into Klitschko’s training camp for sparring.
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Years later they would go onto share one of the most thrilling fights in heavyweight history, which AJ won in round 11.
Klitschko, now 47, retired after and remains a good friend and mentor to Joshua, 33.
AJ returned with victory in April, beating Jermaine Franklin, 29, on points following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, 36.
And he is now in talks for his next TWO fights.
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Promoter Eddie Hearn has been at the forefront of negotiations for Joshua to face Deontay Wilder, 37, in Saudi Arabia.
But beforehand, AJ is set to return on August 12 at the O2 Arena against long-time British rival Dillian Whyte, 35.
Whyte – who beat Joshua in the amateurs but lost in the pros in 2015 – has returned a signed contract for the rematch.
And an announcement is set to follow to confirm the grudge bout.
AJ and Klitschko once shared the ringCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua beat Dillian Whyte in 2015Credit: Reuters More