Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA is set to name American Derrick James as his new boxing trainer. The ex-heavyweight champion once again went on the scout for a fresh coaching team following defeat to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua pictured at Derrick James’ gym
Derrick James, left, pictured next to Errol Spence Jr, middle
And after time spent in California and Texas before Christmas, SunSport understands AJ has chosen trainer of the year candidate James.
Joshua, 33, in December visited James’ World Class Boxing Gym in Dallas, home to pound-for-pound stars Errol Spence Jr and Jermell Charlo.
James has guided Spence, 32, to unified welterweight world titles and Charlo, 32, to undisputed glory at light-middleweight.
The US mastermind has also worked with Charlo’s unbeaten brother, WBC middleweight title holder Jermall, 32.
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News of Joshua selecting James as his new coach was first reported by No Smoke Boxing.
After AJ’s first loss to Usyk, in September 2021, he parted ways with Rob McCracken, who led him to gold in the amateurs and pros.
Joshua replaced McCracken with esteemed US mastermind Robert Garcia, but following rematch defeat to Usyk, 35, the two split.
AJ took the rest of the year off to re-group, allowing for his second tour of America to trail trainers.
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And Eddie Hearn confirmed the 2012 Olympic gold medalist has picked his new coach and will start camp for a return fight in April.
Hearn told DAZN: “He is gonna train in America, and he’ll start that camp in the next week. He’ll be flying out. You guys will get the news soon.
“Like I said, AJ’s his own man, and something like that (announcing his new trainer) is for him to confirm once he’s happy to confirm it.”
Joshua is expected to rematch Dillian Whyte, 34, in the summer, the man he beat in 2015, but will first take a confidence-building tune-up.
Hearn added: “April 1 is the targeted date in London.
“Really, I have a call (today) to go through the final list of opponents, the final, you know, bits and pieces around the date.
We’re almost ready, really. He’s excited.”     
Anthony Joshua pictured with promoter Eddie Hearn More

DEONTAY WILDER’S next fight will be against Andy Ruiz Jr or a “mystery opponent”, his trainer Malik Scott has confirmed.The Bronze Bomber made his return to the ring by breezing past Robert Helenius with a first round knockout in October.
Deontay Wilder’s next opponent hasn’t been confirmedCredit: Getty
His trainer Malik Scott said it could be Andy Ruiz JrCredit: EPA
The bout was Wilder’s first since brutally losing his trilogy fight to Tyson Fury 12 months earlier.
But his next opponent hasn’t yet been confirmed.
Promoter Eddie Hearn recently held talks over a potential clash between Wilder and Anthony Joshua.
But the long-awaited grudge match is not going to happen just yet.
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That’s because Scott revealed that AJ is out of the question and it’s now down to Ruiz Jr and an unnamed fighter.
He told Best Sports Betting: “It’s down to the mystery opponent and Andy Ruiz Jr.
“Since AJ had made up his mind and does not want to fight Deontay right now, we’re down to Andy Ruiz and the mystery guy.
“The mystery fighter is not as guaranteed to happen as the Ruiz fight.
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“If you’re looking at it from the business perspective, it’s most likely going to be the mandatory shot, Ruiz.
“It’s looking like Ruiz, but in this game there’s no telling as Deontay is big-time boxing. When you’re big-time boxing, and as sad or as unfortunate it may sound to some people, mandatories don’t mean nothing.
“Fighters have stepped aside to make big, big fights happen.
“This goes on in boxing, it’s what the fans want or what makes business sense for the fighters and their team.
“It’s likely to be Ruiz but if not there are other negotiations going on as well.”
When asked about a potential timeframe for Wilder’s next fight, Scott added: “We could be going in March or early April but it really depends.
“The only thing I can say at the moment is Ruiz is mandated but Deontay is big-time boxing.
“When you have a big-time boxer like Deontay and a mandatory going on at the same time – and there’s another bigger fighter – step a side happens some time, you never know.
“Business is willing to be made to make bigger fights happen.” More

OLEKSANDR USYK has taunted rival Tyson Fury after he uploaded a picture of himself post-swim.The Ukrainian showed off his trimmed physique on social media, while poking fun at the Gypsy King’s stomach.
Oleksandr Usyk showed off his trimmed physique at a swimming poolCredit: Twitter – @usykaa
In the post he made a jibe about Fury’s bellyCredit: Getty
He posted a picture of himself on Twitter in some tiny swimming trunks at a pool and captioned the image, “The Middleweight is here! Where are you Belly?”
The 35-year-old then tagged his boxing rival in the post after insinuating the Brit was overweight.
Fans of the boxer loved the smack talk, as one commented: “I love how he just trolls Tyson.”
A second wrote: “He’s going to be burning all that fat around his hips, trying to land a clean punch against you.”
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A third said: “Fury going to get a boxing lesson from Usyk.”
A fourth added: “You will school Fury, Oleksandr. Light work.”
The comment is a response to Fury’s regular jabs about him being a middleweight and taking the mick out of his size.
Fury has called Usyk a “blown-up middleweight” and a “little b****” in the past.
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The pair have been given a clear path for their much-anticipated clash after the IBF stepped down on their insistence for Usyk to fight Filip Hrgovic.
They stepped down and agreed that the the WBA mandatory, Daniel Dubois, is ahead of him in the pecking order.
However, the British boxer is managed by Frank Warren, who is also the manager of Fury.
This means that there will be less pressure to make Usyk’s next fight against Dubois.
Therefore it is more likely that a clash between the Ukrainian and Fury will happen sooner. More