Boxing

CHARLES MARTIN still wants to exact revenge on Anthony Joshua – who he fought with a “BROKEN RIB” seven years ago.The American locked horns with the former two-time unified heavyweight champion back in April 2016 in his maiden defence of the IBF title.
Charles Martin locked horns with Anthony Joshua seven years agoCredit: REX
The American was stopped in two rounds at the O2 ArenaCredit: NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPER LTD
Martin has revealed he went into the fight with a ‘BROKEN RIB’Credit: AFP
The fight proved to be an ill-fated one for the ‘Prince’ era of the division, which an imperious Joshua ended in just two rounds.
Martin’s disappointment with his performance that fateful night at The O2 remains, so much so that he’d rematch AJ for FREE.
The St Louis slugger told Boxing Scene: “I wanna fight Anthony Joshua so bad that I will donate my entire purse to a charity if he beats me.”
Martin, 37, still laments his decision to face Joshua while he was crocked and believes he’ll never get a second crack at the Watford warrior.
READ MORE IN BOXING
He said: “I fought AJ with a fractured rib, and it was the worst mistake of my life. I’ve taken s**t for it since that day.
“He’ll never get back in the ring with me. He knows he got me at my worst.”
Martin suffered a decision defeat to Jared Anderson earlier this month but had his moments against the light-heavyweight prospect.
And he regrets taking the fight without a full camp, saying: “The old me could have never fought Jared Anderson on 11 days.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“I have a whole different mindset now. Win, lose or draw, I just wanna fight the best and make entertaining fights.”
Martin is hoping for a quick turnaround and has some big names on his radar.
He said: “If [Deontay] Wilder and [Andy] Ruiz Jr can’t make a deal, I’d fight either of those guys. I also heard Efe Ajagba and Lenier Pero are possibilities.
“If not, I’ll take on another young prospect that no one wants to fight.”
He added: “I don’t have any more time to waste. I wanna fight in another big fight before the end of this year. I’ve always been my own worst enemy.
“I’d be off six to 12 months, roll off the sofa, take a fight and train for four or five weeks.
“It took me a long time to realize you can’t do that and be the best. Now I live in the gym, and hopefully it showed.
“Next time you see me, I’ll have a proper training camp and be even better.
Read More on The Sun
“When I look back on my career, I don’t wanna have any regrets about what could have been.
“I just hope people realise it’s not only about money for me anymore. I wanna be active and fight the best before I retire.”
Charles Martin suffered a decision defeat to Jared Anderson earlier this monthCredit: GETTY More

ANTHONY JOSHUA and Dillian Whyte will renew their rivalry for a bitter heavyweight rematch. AJ came out victorious in seven rounds in 2015, which came six years after he lost the original in the amateurs.
Anthony Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his last fightCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Dillian Whyte also beat Jermaine FranklinCredit: Matthew Pover Matchroom Boxing
Joshua, 33, comes into the fight having returned with a victory over Jermaine Franklin, 29, in April.
And Whyte’s last bout was also against the American, edging out a disputed majority decision in November.
So it leaves Franklin in prime position to predict who will prevail between his two recent rivals.
He told iFL TV:“I think Joshua will beat Whyte. I don’t think it’ll be a hard fight for Joshua.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“It was a little harder for Joshua to punch me cause it’s harder for bigger guys to punch down than it is for shorter guys to punch up, but you know when you’re taller, some of those shots are easier to get off. Yeah, I think beats Dillian.” 
Joshua heads into the fight knowing he risks losing a blockbuster against Deontay Wilder, 37, in December in Saudi Arabia.
And Eddie Hearn previously revealed his purse could be as much as £60m for the Middle East mega-bout.
But AJ must first beat Whyte, 35, or else the deal is off the table.
Most read in Boxing
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
Promoter Hearn told talkSPORT: “This one is wild because AJ has got the Wilder fight locked in for December.
“We had meetings last week with the Saudis. Obviously, that’s one of the biggest fights in boxing, and he wanted to fight in the interim.
“You know, he’s been working with Derrick James, he wanted to have that fight and he was insistent it was Dillian Whyte.
“I wasn’t over the moon because I know it’s dangerous. It’s a fight that is built off emotion, they don’t like each other.
“You saw what happened last time at the O2, it’s going to be an absolute firefight on August 12. That’s why it’s so dangerous.
“You’ve got that Deontay Wilder fight in December, he could’ve just waited and had an easy, gimme fight at the O2 – but he’s decided to roll the dice.”
Dillian Whyte, promoter Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua in 2015Credit: TIMES NEWSPAPERS LTD More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has tucked himself away in Texas to prepare for his rematch with Dillian Whyte.The former two-time unified heavyweight champion will renew his rivalry with the Brixton Body Snatcher in a domestic dust-up at the O2 Arena on August 12.
Anthony Joshua will renew his rivalry with Dillian Whyte on August 12Credit: NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS LTD
The former unified heavyweight champ has been training for the rematch in TexasCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA
Joshua has left his home comforts to train under world-champion coach Derrick JamesCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA
The Watford warrior is leaving no stone unturned ahead of his rematch with WhyteCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA
But unlike their first professional clash eight years ago, Joshua’s preparations will take place in Dallas under the watchful eye of new trainer Derrick James.
Joshua, 33, enlisted the services of James following his second successive loss to Oleksandr Usyk last August and has upped sticks to Dallas.
AJ’s new training base – the World Class Boxing Gym – is an old-school no-thrills training facility tucked away near a scrap yard in downtown Dallas.
And he’s sharpening his tools with some heavy-hitting sparring partners in preparation for the pressure-heavy Whyte.

Jeremiah Milton and Jeamie Tshikeva – who will be relative unknowns to casual boxing fans – have been brought in by Team AJ to give the Watford warrior some looks during this clash.
But he’s also brought in the experienced Michael Hunter to push him ahead of his must-win domestic dust-up.
Hunter, 35, has shared the ring with some big names during his ten-year career – including former undisputed cruiserweight champion Usyk.
Joshua, 33, shared post-training snaps with the hard-hitters to his Instagram story – flexing with the trio as they dripped in sweat following several gruelling and hard rounds.
Most read in Boxing
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
Anthony Joshua has been sparring with Jeremiah Milton, Jeamie Tshikeva and Michael Hunter ahead of his rematch with Dillian WhyteCredit: INSTAGRAM@ANTHONYJOSHUA
Joshua’s clash with Whyte will be his second outing under the tutelage of James – who also trains unified welterweight champion Eroll Spence Jr and Ryan Garcia.
And his move stateside has been nothing but work-related.
Ahead of his scrappy points win over Jermaine Franklin in April, AJ said: “I haven’t seen anything.
“I’m not there for anything else. I’m a serious person, I’m not there for anything else really.
“But one thing is for sure, throughout my career, this is probably the most serious time I’ve taken it.
“In terms of my food, my sleep, the way I’m training, I study the game and everything I’ve learnt.

“Me and Jermaine could chop it up and talk boxing for hours.
“Everything I’ve learnt about boxing, I’m always putting it into another camp.
“So everything I’ve been through – positive and negative – I’m using it to fuel this camp here.
“So I’m not really there to go out for coffees and talk about bulls**t.
Read More on The Sun
“I’m there to f***ing work and put my head down and get ready for a fight.”
Joshua will go face-to-face with Whyte at a press conference in London on Monday afternoon. More

CARL FROCH has listed SIX reasons why he believes Anthony Joshua would lose to Tyson Fury. The heavyweight rivals have tried but failed in the past to commence their Battle of Britain.
Tyson Fury has been backed by Carl Froch to beat Anthony JoshuaCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua is set to fight Dillian Whyte nextCredit: Getty
Instead, Fury fought Deontay Wilder three times, drawing once but winning the two rematches.
And Joshua lost consecutively to Oleksandr Usyk in defeats that leave Froch doubting he could beat the Gypsy King.
He outlined his many reasons, telling Betting Sites: “They’re not giving Anthony Joshua a chance against Fury.
“I think it’s fair because he had back-to-back defeats to Usyk and he’s looking like a man that’s fighting with no confidence.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“He doesn’t come forward anymore. He’s on his back foot, he’s defensive first and he gasses after 8-9 rounds.
“I don’t think he’s got the engine.”
Fury, 34, accused Joshua, 33, of rejecting the chance to fight him in September.
Instead, AJ returns on August 12 in a rematch with Dillian Whyte, 35, who he beat in 2015.
Most read in Boxing
It will serve as a risky preparation fight ahead of his proposed blockbuster against Wilder, 37, in Saudi Arabia.
Froch, 46, said: “This fight with Dillian Whyte that’s coming up – if he can beat him in style and look good then people are going to start saying, hang on a minute, that was a good win.
“He’s already beat him, Dillian Whyte’s been knocked out by Alexander Povetkin and Tyson Fury so it’s not going to prove anything.
“But it’s just going to show that he’s got him there and he believes in himself, he means business. If he can get the win in style that sets it up nicely.
“Whyte wobbled him early on and AJ dealt with him and got the job done. AJ fighting Whyte is better than him fighting someone like Jermaine Franklin in his last fight or whoever else gets pulled up to make him look good – it isn’t going to prove that he can go in against somebody like Deontay Wilder, Usyk in a rematch, or Tyson Fury.”
Carl Froch was been critical of Anthony JoshuaCredit: AFP More

TICKET prices for Oleksandr Usyk’s fight with Daniel Dubois in Poland have been revealed – and it is sure to leave boxing fans stunned. Usyk defends his unified WBA, IBF and WBO belts against his mandatory challenger on August 26.
Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois face off ahead of their fightCredit: BT Sport
And those in attendance in Wroclaw can get tickets for as cheap as €11 which works out at £9.
In comparison, the cheapest seat for Anthony Joshua’s next fight at the O2 Arena against Dillian Whyte is £40.
Usyk, 36, was ordered into the title defence when an undisputed decider with Tyson Fury, 34, collapsed earlier in the year.
And as WBA “regular” champion, Dubois, 25, is guaranteed a shot at the full belt.
READ MORE IN BOXING
Usyk became world champion for the first time in Poland, beating Krzysztof Glowacki for the WBO cruiserweight title in 2016.
So he hopes it continues to be a happy hunting ground when he returns to defend against Dubois.
He said: “I am very glad that we have the opportunity to organise my fight in Poland, where I won my first world title seven years ago.
“I want to thank the Polish people who are helping Ukraine so sincerely.
Most read in Boxing
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST SPORTS BETTING APPS IN THE UK
“Hundreds of thousands of my compatriots have been hosted by this wonderful country.
“Therefore, I hope that my fight will become one more opportunity for Ukrainians and people of Poland to unite and strengthen our friendship.”
Dubois added: “He is a great fighter and I do respect him, but it’s my time now.
“I’m going to shock the world and show people how good Daniel Dubois really is.”
The pair will be fighting for the world titleCredit: BT Sport
Daniel Dubois is the WBA ‘regular’ championCredit: Jamie McPhilimey More

TYSON FURY has faced calls from Deontay Wilder’s coach to be STRIPPED of his world title amid rumours of a Francis Ngannou fight. Fury and Ngannou are expected to announce their crossover clash this week, which is believed to be just an exhibition.
Tyson Fury has faced calls to be stripped of his WBC titleCredit: Getty
It has left Wilder’s coach Malik Scott fuming and demanding the WBC take their prestigious title away from the heavyweight champion.
Scott told ESNEWS: “Let Deontay and [Andy] Ruiz fight for the WBC, man.
“Let’s do something that makes actual sense, that helps the sport. All this f***ing waiting around, so now we’ve got to wait for Fury and Ngannou to fight.
“Another year. All this s*** just holds up the heavyweight division, man.”
READ MORE IN BOXING
Fury, 34, failed in talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk, 36, this year in what would have been the first four-belt unification in heavyweight history.
Now Usyk defends his unified titles on August 26 against mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, 25, in Poland.
Meanwhile Anthony Joshua, 33, returns in a rematch on August 12 against Dillian Whyte, 35.
And a super-fight with Wilder is lined up for December in Saudi Arabia, leaving Fury frozen out of the picture.
Most read in Boxing
BETTING SPECIAL – BEST NO DEPOSIT CASINO OFFERS
So the Gypsy King turned his attention to Ngannou, who paved the way for a boxing switch after leaving the UFC.
Wilder is waiting out to fight AJ in the Middle East but sent an offer out to Ruiz, 33, for a bout to return in first.
But the American has accused his rival of turning down their deals.
Scott added: “They’re refusing offers, they’re out-pricing themselves. That’s them saying they don’t want the fight.
Team Wilder going to move on to bigger and better things anyway, to look for the biggest fight possible for Deontay, and we know what we have set up for December, but before that I want Deontay to fight again.”
Tyson Fury has twice beaten Deontay WilderCredit: Reuters More