Boxing

JOE JOYCE reckons Anthony Joshua’s comeback opponent proves he is in no rush to return to the top of the heavyweight division.The 37-year-old Putney ace was a long-time training and sparring partner for AJ before he won gold at London 2012 and Joyce was robbed of the same medal at Rio 2016.
Anthony Joshua will throw down with Jermaine Franklin in April
The fight will be Joshua’s first since his back-to-back losses to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY
The fight has been mocked by former sparring partner Joe JoyceCredit: INSTATGRAM
But the former Team GB team-mates are now on a giant collision course and the Juggernaut jokes he cannot even mention Joshua’s name – when reacting to the announcement of his April 1 fight with Jermaine Franklin – for fear of kicking up a controversy.
Joyce, who is in a far more competitive fight with fellow 6ft 6in Olympic silver winner Zilhei Zang on April 15, refused to say AJ’s name but laughed over Zoom from his Las Vegas camp as he compared him to Harry Potter villain Lord Voldemort.
“It’s something he has to do,” he said about AJ’s underwhelming return. “I guess he wants to take the long route back. He who shall not be named.
“I went to the Olympics, I turned professional at 31 and I’ve had to get a move on.
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“Me and my team have strategically made the right steps. I’ve boxed all over the world, on all the channels. To get to the top you have to plan out your route.
“I’ve delivered in all of my fights, I’m on a mission.”
Joyce was a fine art student, shot putter, triple jumper, rugby player and American cheerleader before he took up boxing aged 21.
Despite all his athletic ability and granite chin, he was always written off as too slow and stiff to beat the best heavyweights in the division.
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But he is on a thrilling run of form after jabbing Daniel Dubois into submission and collapsing Joseph Parker with a monstrous left hook.
He looks a better fighter than the novice who lost an amateur contest to reigning WBA, IBF and WBO king Oleksandr Usyk back in 2013 and fans are beginning to be convinced by him.
“I have noticed fans liking me more,” he said.
“It started with the Dubois fight and the next one was the Parker win.
“People are really getting on board and seeing what I am made of.
“People are starting to see that I am not just ‘Slow Joe’ or ‘Robotic Joe’. I actually do some damage and I have skills.
Joe Joyce will face China’s Zhilei Zhang on April 15Credit: GETTY
“I am not the finished article, I am always in the gym learning and trying to improve
“If you look at my earlier fights, if you look at my fight with Usyk, my technique is not very good and I do look very robotic.
“I guess maybe when people are used to looking at other weights and the way I throw punches it may look slower but I’m aiming to improve on my weaknesses.”
Joyce reunited with Usyk in December when the pair jumped onto the Tottenham ring apron after Tyson Fury’s battering of Derek Chisora.
The 36-year-old Ukraine ace looks set to secure an undisputed decider with the WBC Gypsy King on April 29 in Saudi Arabia.
And the west London KO artist says he will be on hand once again to stir up some trouble and hopefully seal his overdue shot at a world title.
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“I’d love to get down to Saudi and watch the fight live,” he said.
“I’ll get in the ring, call whoever wins out. Turn up, cause a fuss and walk out.” More

OLEKSANDR USYK flexed his muscles and called out heavyweight rival Tyson Fury while posing in front of a Ukraine flag. The WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight champ, 36, is expected to do battle with WBC champ Fury, 34, in Saudi Arabia in April this year.
Oleksandr Usyk called out rival Tyson Fury on TwitterCredit: Twitter
Usyk with Fury and boxing promoter Bob ArumCredit: Getty
However, a date and venue is yet to be confirmed.
Fury’s promoter, Frank Warren, said: “The fight will take place 100 per cent the last Saturday in April.
“Where it takes place I genuinely think will be determined within the next six or seven days maximum.
“If we can’t do what we’re being asked to do with Tyson and Usyk [in Saudi Arabia], then the fight will take place in the UK.”
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The pair have been going back and forth on social media, with Usyk handing Fury a nickname, branding the Gypsy King “belly”.
And now Usyk has taken to Twitter to call out Fury, flexing his muscles while captioning the post, “I’m here.”
Usyk has also decided to grow his hair out, instead of maintaining a clean shaven look.
The Ukrainian posed in front of his country’s colours of yellow and blue.
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After the two kings of the heavyweight division do battle, Fury could take on ex-UFC star Francis Ngannou.
Ngannou has accepted Fury’s calls for a hybrid boxing match.
The Predator has no qualms with Fury’s ruleset for a freak show fight – which he wants to be reffed by boxing legend Mike Tyson.

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ANTHONY JOSHUA insists he’s “mentally and physically” ready to return to the ring – six months after his emotional post-fight outburst.The Watford warrior went on an uncharacteristic and expletive-filled rant following his second successive defeat to pound-for-pound king Oleksandr Usyk last August.
Anthony Joshua will return to the ring on April 1 against Jermaine FranklinCredit: MATCHROOM BOXING
AJ’s clash with Franklin will be his first outing since a second loss to Oleksandr UsykCredit: Getty
Joshua was overcome with emotion after the bout and even broke down in tearsCredit: GETTYS
The ex-two-time heavyweight champion insists he’s now in a mental placeCredit: GETTY
Joshua, 33, will bid to pick up the pieces of his near-shattered career in April in a must-win showdown with American gunslinger Jermaine Franklin but will do so in a much better state of mind than in his last outing.
The Brit said: “I’m looking forward to stepping back into the ring on April 1 at The O2 in London. Mentally and physically I feel ready.”
AJ will be under the guidance of renowned coach Derrick James for his first outing at the O2 in six-and-a-half years and plans to put on a show for his new trainer.
The former two-time unified heavyweight champion said: “I want to put on a show and impress my coach as he has high standards.
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“Franklin has a good style and a great attitude, which he has shown in recent fights.”
The pressure of avenging his first lopsided defeat to Usyk and regaining the unified heavyweight titles to set up a mouthwatering Battle of Britain with Tyson Fury ate away at AJ ahead of the ill-fated Saudi showdown.
He admitted: “I swear to you, [it] just tore me apart.
“I had so much riding on it for me, the British fans, the undisputed fight.
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“It just really tore me apart, so from a mental capacity, my close ones are telling me you should rest mentally. Physically I’m down to ride.
“I’m a warrior. I like this game, I like competing, but on a mental aspect, I think people are really seeing that this means a lot.
“Even if I’m not fighting I see my name getting called out every day.
“So, it’s the mental pressure that’s being AJ as well.
“And obviously holding up a reputation as well, these type of things go hand in hand. It’s tough, man.”
Credit: SUNSPORT
🥊 Anthony Joshua vs Jermaine Franklin – Date, live stream, TV channel and all you need to know about heavyweight bout
Defeat to Franklin – who was on the receiving end of a controversial split-decision defeat to Dillian Whyte last November, would be curtains for Joshua’s faint world title hopes.
Promoter Eddie Hearn told iFL TV: “You go into that fight in April and you know that defeat, it’s all over, really.
“It would be a third back-to-back defeat and yet a great performance and a showroom knockout will get everyone saying, ‘We’re back, baby.’
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“That’s what I can’t wait for because I love it when our backs are against the wall.
“I’m excited. I’m really excited. This is the most excited I’ve been in Joshua’s journey so far.” More

LAWRENCE OKOLIE will finally defend his WBO cruiserweight world title on March 25.The 30-year-old has been out of the ring for a year and undergone a public split and spat with former promoter Eddie Hearn.
Lawrence Okolie will finally defend his WBO cruiserweight world title on March 25Credit: Getty
David Light challenges for Lawrence Okolie’s WBO titlesCredit: @davidthomaslight
The former McDonald’s worker – nicknamed ‘The Sauce’ – has also parted company with Anthony Joshua’s 258 management firm.
And the 6ft 5in KO artist has relocated from Hackney to Dubai so has also ended his burgeoning relationship with trainer Shane McGuigan.
After a tumultuous 12 months, he will finally return to the ring in Manchester to meet mandatory challenger David Light.
“I’ll make ‘light’ work of him,” said Okolie, who is returning to Sky Sports after a brief stay on Hearn’s DAZN app.
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“It’s good to be back and I’m looking forward to the first step in the journey towards unifications and more world titles.”
Jack Catterall, the Chorley super-lightweight who was cruelly denied the undisputed status last February with a sickening points loss against Josh Taylor, also gets his long-awaited return.
The rematch has been booked and cancelled three times now and looks doomed.
So the keen swimmer is dipping his toe back into the water with a tune-up bout in his local arena while the 29-year-old waits for another world title crack.
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Taylor and Catterall came face-to-face in Manchester last month – at Liam Smith’s ruthless win over Chris Eubank Jr – and had to be separated by security.
But their rerun inside the ropes look cursed now and it seems unlikely they will ever settle the score in the ring.
2020 Olympic bronze winner Frazer Clarke, 31, will enjoy his latest heavyweight step-up bout against 41-year-old American gatekeeper Rydell Booker who has won just two of his last nine.
Frazer Clarke returns against Rydell BookerCredit: Reuters More