Boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA admitted he may never become undisputed heavyweight champion after a period of grieving following his losses to Oleksandr Usyk.Joshua came up short against Usyk twice – firstly in 2021 when he lost via unanimous decision and then in 2022 following a split-decision defeat.
Anthony Joshua admitted he may never become undisputed championCredit: Getty
Joshua went through a period of grieving after losing two straight fights vs UsykCredit: Getty

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AJ is now set to face Otto Wallin on December 23 and a victory could set up a dream bout with Deontay Wilder, provided the American also beats Joseph Parker on the same card.
The winner of that tasty heavyweight battle could then go on to lock horns with the victor of the undisputed superfight between the undefeated pair of Tyson Fury and Usyk on February 17.
But the 34-year-old understands he may have to wait six years before he can regain the WBO, WBA, IBO and IBF belts he lost to the Ukrainian superstar, as the titles will split after the Cat battles Fury.
Joshua told TNT Sports when asked if he feels he could still be a challenger for the undisputed title: “I used to, but it won’t happen anymore.
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“I think it is because of the reality, because what will happen is that Usyk and Fury are in a position to compete for the undisputed.
“And once they compete for the undisputed, the belts will get split up again.
“And I feel [it] will probably take me about maybe five to six years to go through and get all the belts and beat all the independent champions.
“And that will probably take me until I’m 40 or 41, before I do that again. So I’m just like, it’s probably not in my time frame.”
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Joshua then opened up on a “grieving” period he went through after his second loss to Usyk last year.
The British star broke down in tears during an emotional post-match press conference.
Looking back on that moment, Joshua added: “Yeah you saw it after that [Usyk fight].
“Because if I weren’t in the undisputed race anymore, I wanted to be champion so that was like a massive, like, I don’t know how to explain it but something comes over you but it’s just passion.
“Passion, a lot of emotion. Yeah, a lot of emotion. So, now I’ve got over that.
“It’s not part of my plan anymore. So what’s next I could aim to become champion.” More

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS was left with FOUR face fractures in defeat to Canelo Alvarez – but it was still not the hardest he has been hit. The two-division champion has not returned since Canelo handed him a brutal first career loss in May 2021.
Canelo Alvarez left Billy Joe Saunders with four face fractureCredit: Getty
An uppercut in round eight saw Saunders unable to continue after his eye was left black and blue.
But amazingly, the 2008 Olympian claimed David Lemiuex was a harder puncher than the Mexican superstar.
He said on the “Keep A LukeOut” podcast: “I’ll be honest, when I was in there with him, I was expecting so much more.
“I remember being in there, it might have been round five and we were [fighting on the] inside and I remember grabbing him and walking him back.
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“I’m not a one-punch knockout man but when it comes to tangling someone up and pushing a pulling, I am very, very good at that, that is one of my best weapons.
“I remember tying him up and pushing him back and I remember thinking ‘you know what, I am just going to put my hand up here’, a bit of kidology like ‘go on, go on [hit me]’.
“I was waiting to get hit like I did against David Lemiuex, when I boxed him, I tested some power on my arm and I thought, ‘F*** me’.
“I’ve never felt anyone punch as hard as he punches.”
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Canelo, 33, would go onto unify the 168lb division as undisputed champion.
He remains king of the super-middleweights having beaten Jermell Charlo, 33, in September.
Meanwhile Saunders, 34, revealed he is preparing for a comeback having returned to training.
Saunders is in training for a return fightCredit: Reuters More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has continued laying in to Tyson Fury as he prepares to fight Otto Wallin on December 23.Joshua, 34, told TNT Sports’ YouTube boxing channel that he has been unimpressed with Fury’s physical condition in recent months.
Anthony Joshua has labelled Tyson Fury a ‘fat slob’Credit: Getty
Ngannou knocked Fury down during their boutCredit: AFP
He said Fury looked like a “fat slob” in his exhibition bout with Francis Ngannou which many felt Fury was second best in.
He told TNT: “He just looked like a flat slob that can’t fight. He says that bodybuilders can’t fight, but he got smacked up by one.
“I’ve always wanted to get in the ring with him. He does a lot of talking, calls me a bodybuilder and stuff, but I want to marvel at the African power – he’s a bodybuilder, steps in and smacks him up for me.
It comes after he used Tyson Fury’s favourite insult against him in an interview with Laura Woods.
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He labelled Fury a “dosser” for his recent performance against UFC legend Ngannou.
He told the TNT Sports Boxing Channel’s host: “If I call people dossers for certain things and the same thing happens to me, what does that make me?”
Woods didn’t mince her words in her jokey reply to AJ, saying “a dosser” before briefly laughing.
Joshua replied: “He’s a dosser ain’t he?”
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Joshua has previously been reluctant to be drawn into a war of words with Fury but has now gone back on his plan not to engage with the “Gypsy King”.
He told Woods: “Sometimes I think, ‘Should I just rip into this geezer and just call him every name under the sun?’
“Or should I just leave him?”
When asked to describe Fury in one word he labelled him a “diva”.
He also maintained that he could “knock out” Fury if they were to finally make a fight happen.
Joshua and Fury have come close to fighting a number of times but ultimately a fight never came to fruition.
Joshua held the IBF, WBC and WBO titles during the prospective fight but has since lost them to Oleksandr Usyk – who Fury will fight to become undsputed heavyweight champion in February. More