Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA has been warned he “can’t afford another loss” if he wants to throw down with Tyson Fury.The former two-time unified heavyweight champion is in a rebuilding stage of his career following back-to-back losses to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua is in the rebuilding phase of his careerCredit: Getty
AJ is out of the world title picture following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY
Barry Hearn believes a third defeat would be catastrophic for AJCredit: GETTY
Defeat in his comeback fight early next year would be catastrophic for Joshua’s hopes of returning to the world title picture.
And Barry Hearn – the father of AJ’s promoter Eddie – believes another loss would spell curtains for the Brit’s career.
The Matchroom founder told Sky Sports: “He is at a crossroads in his career.
“He can’t afford another loss.”
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WBC heavyweight king Fury has been hot and cold about a historic domestic dust-up with AJ over the last few weeks.
But Hearn believes the fight has to come to fruition for the sake of British boxing history.
He said: “The fight we all want to see eventually is AJ against Fury.
“You’ll get stories – Tyson will say the fight is never going to happen, Joshua will say he’d rather fight Dillian White.
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“Forget all of that.
“This fight has to happen, and I think it does happen at the tail-end of 2023, for all the marbles.”
SunSport understands Joshua, 33, is on course to return to the ring in late March.
An opponent, however, has yet to be finalised – with talks still ongoing.
Hearn said: “I think Dillian [Whyte] is on the list.
“There’s a few other names – Deontay Wilder might be there, Otto Wallin. It’s his call.”
Despite being eager to get back in the win column, AJ has no intention of hastily rushing back to the ring.
He said last month: “I don’t know [when I’ll be back].
“I was supposed to be in the ring this year, I’m going to be in the ring next year.
“I’ll be in the ring when I’m in the ring.
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Anthony Joshua is expected to return to the ring early nextCredit: GETTY
“I don’t want to make statements today and then I’ll get held to the cross.
“Do you know what I mean? When I’m ready, I’ll be back in the ring.” More

MIKE TYSON broke down in tears as he revealed how “bad motherf***er” Muhammad Ali inspired him to be a boxer.Tyson, 56, has made no secret of his admiration for fellow boxer Ali, widely considered to be the greatest in history.
Mike Tyson got emotional talking about Muhammad Ali on his podcastCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
Tyson revealed how much of an influence Ali was on his careerCredit: Reuters
Ali, who died aged 74 in 2016, was a household name with his incredible fighting technique and confident manner.
Tyson himself was once considered to be the best heavyweight around, with punters even dubbing him the “Baddest Man on the Planet.”
But both Tyson and Ali paid homage to each other when they appeared on a US talk show in 1989.
Joining fellow boxing icon Sugar Ray Leonard on the Arsenio Hall show, Tyson and Ali both named each other as victors if they met in a hypothetical fight.
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And on an episode of his podcast Hotboxin’, the encounter was brought up by Tyson’s guest, rapper Cordae.
He said: “It was like some talk show and you were like, still even to this day I like it, you were in the middle of your prime, it’s safe to assume.
“And they was like, who would win between you two and you was like ‘man every head must bow, every tongue must profess, this man is the greatest of all time’.”
This reminder saw Tyson begin to shed tears as he reflected on Ali’s influence over his own boxing career.
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Tyson declared: “Ali is a bad motherf***er… How can you see a motherf***er and the motherf**ker inspires you like this.
“Don’t even touch you, don’t even say a f***ing word to you. F**k man! To this day, I can’t figure it out, motherf***er!”  
Tyson’s gushing tribute to Ali comes just days after admitting he “wanted to kill” opponents while on an American talk show.
Tyson added: “Just think about who I am. I don’t want to go back there anymore.
“I don’t want to be in that poverty state of mind anymore.
“Not from a physical perspective, I don’t want to be poverty-stricken here [pointing to his own head].
“The more you hurt them, the higher you go in life. That’s just my mentality, the more you hurt them, the more people love you.” More

TYSON FURY has performed yet another U-turn on a showdown with Anthony Joshua – once again insisting he’d fight his Brit rival for “free.”The long-awaited Battle of Britain was on course to take place this month after Fury handed AJ a shock world title lifeline in September, although negotiations failed to bear fruit.
Tyson Fury offered Anthony Joshua a shock world title lifeline in SeptemberCredit: INSTAGRAM@TYSONFURY
Fury vowed to never fight AJ after the domestic dust-up didn’t come to fruitionCredit: GETTY
But the Gypsy King has performed a U-turn, insisting he’d fight the Brit for “free”Credit: PA
WBC heavyweight king Fury, 34, has since repeatedly shot down the prospect of sharing the ring with the Watford warrior.
But he’s seemingly had another change of heart, telling iFL TV: “I’ll fight Joshua free of charge, no problem.”
“The money is irrelevant, you can’t take it with you and I couldn’t spend what I’ve earned in 50 lifetimes. So what good is it?”
“I’m still the same old G, I’ve got a free shirt on, a free suit and a pair of trainers from f***ing ASDA!
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“So what does it matter?”
The failed short-notice domestic dust-up paved the way for Fury to renew his rivalry with Derek Chisora in a Tottenham trilogy, which he won via tenth-round TKO.
And he refused to entertain talk of facing AJ after battering Del Boy, saying: “The man’s a sausage and it should have been him here tonight.
“But he had poor old Derek take a good hiding again stepping in his boots.”
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Despite Fury’s constant toing and froing over their dream showdown, Joshua has remained optimistic about the fight coming to fruition.
He told iD Boxing: “Well, on my behalf, I would like the opportunity.
“Because the longer we leave it, it’s not good for anyone.
“So, yeah, I would like the opportunity. Good luck with his next fight if he comes through.
“Then I think he’s going to go on to undisputed, and then I’ll be fighting somebody else.
“Then hopefully, we both come victorious, and then we look to fight each other.”
Tyson Fury is closing in on an blockbuster undisputed title fight with Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS
Fury is currently in negotiations to face unified heavyweight champ Oleksandr Usyk in an undisputed title fight in the spring.
Joshua, meanwhile, is set to return to the ring in late March for what will be his first outing since consecutive losses to undefeated Ukrainian Usyk. More

JOE JOYCE wants a summer fight with Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk – and slammed Anthony Joshua for “gloating” about their amateur bout. Joyce is the WBO mandatory challenger and primed for a shot at the world titles next year.
Joe Joyce, Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are set for a busy yearCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
But firstly Fury, 34, and Usyk, 35, are set to meet in the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed decider.
It leaves Joyce, 37, waiting in the wings for a summer showdown against the winner of the historic unification.
He told Sky Sports: “I’m planning to have a fight in March, while all the others are taking a fight.
“For the summer one – go for a big one, like Usyk or Fury. I’ll be ready because I’ll have had one at the beginning of the year to get me going.”
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Joyce has called for a British blockbuster against former sparring partner Anthony Joshua, 33.
The pair have history dating back to the amateurs, when AJ recorded a 2011 stoppage win in the final of the ABA Championships.
Joyce had beaten southpaw Dominic Akinlade to progress – a matchup not greatly suited to prepare him for Joshua.
In the years since, AJ has referenced the decade-old victory.
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But Joyce said: “When I fought Joshua I still had the southpaw mindset so I was walking on to his right hand and got three counts in the first round.
“We can right them wrongs in the pros. They [the referees] are not going to jump in prematurely in the pros.
“I won’t have to fight twice, I’ll fight once and beat him! He was gloating. That’s what kind of triggered me.”
Joshua is coming off consecutive points losses to Usyk but will make a return in early 2023.
Joyce is ready to settle their score in the ring but claimed his rival is not so keen.
“He never mentions my name for some reason,” Joyce said of a potential Joshua fight.
“I don’t know if he’s going to want to take it but maybe the public’s going to call for it, the fans are going to call for it eventually and get it made.
“Joshua’s still very marketable and sells out stadiums. I’m getting to that level now so it would be good to have a showdown in London, north versus south.”
Anthony Joshua pictured with Joe Joyce at the 2016 OlympicsCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd More

TYSON FURY and Oleksandr Usyk are closing in on a deal to fight for the undisputed heavyweight crown – but it will NOT be in the UK. The pair of unbeaten champions are ready to put up all four world titles, which would be a first in the blue riband division’s history.
Boxing manager Egis Klimas with Oleksandr Usyk as they prepare for Tyson Fury fightCredit: Instagram / @klimasmanagement
Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk are closing in on a fight dealCredit: Getty
Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas confirmed an agreement is nearing the finish line but warned the unification bout is heading for the Middle East.
Klimas told talkSPORT: “All of us got together and we are almost done, there is not much left to talk about.
“Two heavyweights, the best in the sport today, undisputed heavyweight championship bout, that is what the fans need.”
He added: “Most likely it is going to be no later than March 4 and most likely it will end up in the Middle East.”
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Fury, 34, most recently stopped Derek Chisora, 38, in round ten of their trilogy bout, his THIRD win over the veteran Brit.
Usyk, 35, was ringside at Tottenham’s stadium and faced off against the WBC champion.
Talks for their unification took place even before Fury fought Chisora and continued after the title defence.
Usyk has fought in Saudi Arabia before, beating Anthony Joshua, 33, in their rematch in August.
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It leaves Saudi as a frontrunner to host the historic undisputed title decider despite interest from World Cup hosts Qatar and England.
Klimas revealed: “I heard other options are coming like maybe London or Qatar.
“But, most likely we are aiming for Saudi because they are very interested in that fight, Saudi loves Usyk.”
Anthony Joshua was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty More