Boxing

DANIEL DUBOIS could be out for SIX MONTHS after suffering a horror ACL injury during a fight he went on to win, Barry McGuigan said. Dubois was floored THREE times in the opening round of his bout against Kevin Lerena at the start of December.
Daniel Dubois is set for six months out after suffering a horror ACL injuryCredit: Getty
But two of the knockdowns were self-inflicted, as the British heavyweight took a knee after struggling to stay on his feet.
Dubois, 25, somehow rode out the storm and went on to knock out Lerena, 30, in round three.
It is set to keep him out for half a year, ruling out a mandated title fight against Oleksandr Usyk, 35.
McGuigan, father to Dubois’ trainer Shane, told Pro Boxing Fans: “Well, it’s interesting.
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“Dan has a tear on his ACL, and as soon as we got the news that he had a tear on his ACL, suddenly he was offered the fight – which he can’t have, he can’t box for six months now anyway because of the repair time.”
Dubois was dropped with a shot on the top of his head against Lerena, which caused his knee injury after an awkward landing.
McGuigan said: “He got hit on top of the head the last time, and when he stepped back he tore his ACL and his balance was very badly affected.
“He had to come back from adversity and he showed that he could do that. He kept his cool.
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“Shane’s advice in the corner was great, kept him nice and relaxed, used his boxing skills, and walked Kevin Lerena onto that right hand and the finish was spectacular.”
Dubois is the WBA’s “regular” champion, meaning he is mandatory for Usyk’s full title.
But the Ukrainian is set to unify the division against Tyson Fury, 34, next year.
Although McGuigan prefers a fight against Fury or Anthony Joshua, 33, when Dubois makes his return.
He said: “I don’t think it’s fair to make him fight when he’s unwell, so he’ll need a leave of absence as it were, but he’s ready to fight the top guys.
“I’d rather he fought someone like Joshua or Tyson Fury rather than Usyk, cause Usyk is a bag of tricks and he’s a southpaw, but I’ve no fear of him fighting any of these guys.”
Daniel Dubois is the WBA ‘regular’ championCredit: Getty More

SHANE McGUIGAN said Anthony Joshua is going through a “CRISIS” and could be “blaming the trainer” for his losses. AJ is on the hunt for a new coaching team Stateside following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua is scouting for a new coaching teamCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
Before the first, in September 2021, Joshua left long-time cornerman Rob McCracken for esteemed American Robert Garcia.
But following a repeat result in the rematch, AJ is taking some time off ahead of a return next year.
And the 33-year-old will do so with another new team having split with Garcia.
Top trainer McGuigan told Boxing King Media: “The fact is he’s been around a few different trainers and that automatically makes you think he is blaming the trainer for not performing.
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“The bottom line is it is with you. You are responsible for your performance.
“Robert Garcia has an unblemished record, he’s incredible, he has produced many world champions and is a great coach.
“But if you’re not listening to him, you’re not taking on board what he is saying then it is hard to implement his tactics.
“I think Joshua is going through a crisis, he needs to stop questioning himself. He’s got to knuckle down and get on with it.
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“And whomever he goes with he has to concentrate on fighting aggressively whether he fights Usyk again or fights Tyson Fury.
“He has got to be better at coming forward and he’s got to be more confident to stand in punching range and move his head and not always bounce back out again but that takes time to learn.
“But really, it’s a waste of time talking about it. He needs to settle down with someone and get on with it.”
British boxing trainer Shane McGuiganCredit: Sportsfile More

TYSON FURY claimed Oleksandr Usyk is “nowhere near as tough” as Derek Chisora – as their war of words begin. Usyk was ringside this month in Tottenham when Fury stopped Chisora in ten one-sided rounds.
Tyson Fury after beating Derek Chisora in their trilogy fightCredit: Getty
And the win has subsequently kept the pair of unbeaten champions on track for a historic title unification next year.
Usyk, 35, in 2020 beat Chisora, 38, but was taken to the wire.
And Fury, 34, insisted his old friend – who he has now beaten THREE times – is a tougher challenge Usyk.
He told iFL TV: “I don’t think it is a tough fight. I don’t think it’s nowhere near as tough as old Del Boy.
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“He will not stand up to those punches that Derek did against me.
“When I watch the fight between him and Derek, whether people want to admit it or not, it was a 50/50 fight.
“It might have been 55/45, but it wasn’t a landslide. It wasn’t like he didn’t win a round, like he didn’t against me.”
The two are still in talks for what would be the first four-belt undisputed decider in heavyweight history, set for the Middle East.
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But Fury is already plotting a sequel at Wembley, where in April he sold 94,000 tickets for his knockout over Dillian Whyte, 34.
He said: “You can never underestimate anybody but from where I am in my life at the moment, I would want to take him out quite quickly. 
“I’d like to get him in there in February, make an example out of him, then give him a rematch at Wembley.”
Oleksandr Usyk facing off with Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY has been set a March deadline for his undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.Talks for The Gypsy King to face the undefeated Ukrainian early next year are currently ongoing but have yet to bear fruit.
Tyson Fury is currently in negotiations to face Oleksandr Usyk next yearCredit: REUTERS
Talks, however, have so far failed to bear fruitCredit: JAMIE MCPHILIMEY
Usyk’s promoter Alexander Krassyuk has set a March 4 deadline for the fightCredit: INSTAGRAM@ALEX.KRASSYUK
The historic bout is currently in the works for late February, but Team Usyk insist they’ll move on to a different fight if the bout doesn’t take place before March 4.
Promoter Alexander Krassyuk said: “This fight happens till [the] 4th of March or it never happens.”
He added: “Both parties [have] agreed to fight.
“Should happen before March 4th. Location: Any place in the universe.”
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WBC heavyweight king Fury, 34, suggested the mouth-watering showdown could be delayed due to a linger elbow injury.
But Team Usyk are adamant the fight can go ahead as currently planned as the Wythenshawe warrior is “safe and sound.”
Like Usyk’s rematch with Anthony Joshua, the lucrative showdown is expected to land in the Middle East.
But there’s an outside chance it could take place in the UK as a site deal has yet to be finalised.
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Krassyuk said: “If Saudi want to grab it, they have to be faster.
“Otherwise it will land elsewhere (I.E Emirates, Qatar or UK).”
Despite being at a massive size disadvantage, former undisputed king Usyk ran rings around AJ in their back-to-back fights.
And Krassuyk is confident the slick southpaw will do the same thing to man mountain Fury, saying: “Usyk never loses to Fury.”
Fury, however, is adamant he’ll wipe the floor with the former undisputed cruiserweight champ, who he’s repeatedly branded a “blown-up middleweight.”
Fury insists Usyk will be easier to beat than old rival Derek ChisoraCredit: Getty
He told iFL TV: “I don’t think it is a tough fight: “I don’t think it’s nowhere near as tough as old Del Boy [Derek Chisora].
“He will not stand up to those punches that Derek did against me.
“When I watch the fight between him and Derek, whether people want to admit it or not, it was a 50/50 fight.
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“It might have been 55/45, but it wasn’t a landslide.
“It wasn’t like he didn’t win a round, like he didn’t against me.” More

OLEKSANDR USYK has sought advice from the legendary Klitschko brothers as he sent out a warning to Tyson Fury. The Ukrainian star is in talks to fight Fury next year in what would be the first ever four-belt heavyweight unification.
Wladimir Klitschko with Oleksandr Usyk and brother VitaliCredit: Twitter
Tyson Fury is in talks to fight Oleksandr UsykCredit: Getty
Wladimir, 46, and Vitali Klitschko, 51, know all about reigning over the blue ribband division, once simultaneously owning all the titles.
So Usyk, 35, has had a word with the pair ahead of his proposed undisputed decider with Fury, 34.
He told Parimatch: “I have been talking to both of them, of course.
“Wladimir supports me with advice about the sport and the techniques and Vitali supports me with advice about life and the sport, of course.
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“I listen to it carefully and I decide what to use. Me and my team determine the strategy.”
Vitali, now the mayor of Kyiv, retired in 2013, a year after his last fight.
Meanwhile, Wladimir walked away in 2017 following his thrilling loss to Anthony Joshua, 33.
It was only two years prior that he was stunned in defeat to Fury, with Vitali in the corner that night.
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So Usyk is ready to enact revenge for his countrymen and finally get one over on the Gypsy King.
He said: “I’ve been coming for Fury for a long time and we’ve been watching him since he’s fought as an amateur and later a professional.
“Since when I fought at cruiserweight, I’ve been watching him.
“Fury is hurling insults at me, but I know what to do in the ring. If I pay attention to anybody who’s trying to offend me, I will feed my anger.
“Rage doesn’t help when fighting, it just worsens the condition. I’m motivated by the opportunity to fight this giant.
“Though there are some people who are not so optimistic in my chances, it has no matter for me. I’m doing my job.
“I choose my way as a samurai does. The way consists of many objectives, but the essence is your way that you have to make.”
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are in talks to fight in 2023Credit: REUTERS More

TYSON FURY mocked his dad John’s shock friendship with Anthony Joshua and ordered them to “sever ties”. AJ has been full of praise for John over the years and claimed he would even be up for a pint of Guinness one day.
Tyson Fury mocked his dad John’s shock friendship with Anthony JoshuaCredit: Reuters
Anthony Joshua has been full of praise for John FuryCredit: PA
But son Tyson, 34, is not a fan and wants the surprise friendship over.
He told iFL TV: “He keeps blowing my dad off like, ‘Oh, I think John Fury’s a legend, he’s a top bloke.’
“Whatever you’ve got going on with him, I don’t like it sever ties with the old p****. Man’s a p****, s***house.
“All of a sudden he’s my dad’s best friend, ‘Oh, I want to go out for a drink with John Fury,’ he said.
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“I was like what the f***! Why doesn’t he want to go for a drink with me? Because I would punch him in the mouth.”
The hilarious rant came after AJ claimed John would not let Tyson retire without the pair finally fighting.
Joshua, 33, said: “I don’t think his dad will let him not fight me. His dad’s a proper guy. I like his dad.”
The two-time heavyweight champion is yet to return following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 35.
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Usyk is now in talks for the division’s first four-belt unification against Fury, set for the Middle East.
It leaves AJ frozen out of the title picture and further than ever from a fight with the Gypsy King.
But John admitted he would be honoured to sit down for Joshua, as their mutual respect strengthens.
He said: “I’d be privileged to go out for a drink with AJ. I’m my own man, I say what I want to say.
“This is a sport, we’re in a boxing game, AJ is a nice kid.
“He’s given us a lot of pleasurable nights, he has been a good world champion and let me tell you something, if the kid gives me props, I can only thank him can’t I?
“I’d only be a p***k to say anything else wouldn’t I? But I am me, my son is him, I know my son is the best in the world by a country mile, but it don’t stop me liking anybody and AJ is a likeable guy ain’t he?”
Tyson Fury pictured with his dad JohnCredit: PA More

TYSON FURY got a crowd of his loyal fans to take aim at Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua during a recent speaking event.The WBC heavyweight champion is currently doing a speaking tour around the country following his tenth-round TKO victory over Derek Chisora.
Tyson Fury took part in a speaking engagement at the O2 Arena this weekendCredit: INSTAGRAM@NAVSTA
The Gypsy King got the fans singing song about Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr UsykCredit: INSTAGRAM@NAVSTA
Fury got fans to call Joshua a ‘p***y and Usyk a ‘dosser’Credit: GETTY
The topic of his undisputed title fight with Usyk – which is slated for early next year – came up during his speaking engagement in London on Saturday night.
And, unsurprisingly, he took repeatedly took aim at the undefeated Ukranian.
Fury, 34, got his adoring crowd to sing in unison: “Usyk is a dosser!”
It didn’t take long for The Gypsy King to turn his attention to Brit rival Anthony Joshua.
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Fury lead a chant of “AJ is a p***y”, which his legion of supporters got in on.
Negotiations over Fury’s historic undisputed dust-up with Usyk are still ongoing – with the fight currently in the pipeline for late February or early March.
The pair took part in a heated face-off following Fury’s glorified sparring match with Chisora earlier this month.
A fired-up Fury said: “Where’s Alexander Usyk, the rabbit?!
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“Hey, rabbit! Usyk, you’re next little b****, you’re next. You are next!
“Me and you, sucker, next. Me and you! You’re getting it, little sucker. Rabbit! P***Y!
“Look, a 15-stone little midget beat a bodybuilder. But I ain’t a bodybuilder, sucker. I’m gonna write you off!”
And after sizing up the undefeated Ukrainian, Fury is confident he’ll get the better of the former undisputed cruiserweight champion.
He said: “The man who made him cry after the fight like a little girl, ‘I’m 18 stone.’ So? I’m 20 stone.
“I’ll beat him, I’ll take that little sausage out.
Tyson Fury is on course to face Oleksandr Usyk early next yeaCredit: REUTERS
“He ain’t got no kryptonite to me. He’s f**k all to me the little f***er. I’m gonna make him dance.
“We’ll see how good he is.” More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been urged to take “a year out” to find himself following his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.The Watford warrior, 33, came up short in his bid to reclaim the unified titles from the undefeated Ukrainian in August, suffering a split decision defeat.
Anthony Joshua is in a rebuilding phase of his career following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY
AJ is currently on the fringes of the world title pictureCredit: GETTY
Former WBO cruiserweight champ Johnny Nelson believes AJ should take a year outCredit: Getty
The second successive defeat to Usyk prompted Joshua to part company with trainerRobert Garcia and seek out a new head coach.
And former WBO cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson reckons he should take time out to get his coaching team in order and rediscover his mojo before returning to the ring.
He told iFL TV: “AJ is at the crossroads now where he’s going to different trainers, and then he said, ‘I might take a year off.’
“I think he should take a year off.
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“I think he should sit back, reset, spend time at many, many gyms, training, submerse himself in it, feel comfortable with it and say, ‘Now I’ve reset, now I can do this.'”
Nelson believes the losses to Usyk have left a mental wound on AJ which only time out will heal.
He added: “Look at what he’s achieved. He started boxing when he was 18 years old.
“He’s achieved ridiculously good things, but he’s still broken. He’s still not over the two losses from Usyk.
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“He still has got to get his strength back, his belief back. AJ, he needs to reset. He needs to think, ‘I need to be back here again.’
“He needs his motivation to fight, and he needs them for the right reasons because it’s not for the dollars.
“He has more money than you and I will ever spend.”
Joshua is currently on course to return to the ring in late March, although an opponent for his comeback fight has not yet been finalised.
Anthony Joshua is expected to return to the ring in late MarchCredit: GETTY
It’s understood bouts with Dillian Whyte, Deontay Wilder and Otto Wallin are all on the table for the former two-time unified champion.
Promoter Eddie Hearn recently told the DAZN Boxing show: “At the moment, AJ’s plans are he is due to fight in late March, and we’re locking that in.” More