Heavyweight boxing

EDDIE HEARN claimed Tyson Fury’s undisputed fight with Oleksandr Usyk is “not big enough” for Saudi Arabia – as Anthony Joshua is not involved.The unbeaten champions are still in talks for the heavyweight division’s first ever four-belt unification bout.
Promoter Eddie Hearn with Anthony JoshuaCredit: PA
But backers in Saudi Arabia have pulled out with Wembley stadium on April 29 now set to host.
Rival promoter Hearn insisted the mega-money in the Middle East is not being fronted as star man AJ is not fighting.
He told BoxingScene: “The fight’s not big enough.
“The fight’s not big enough for the money Tyson Fury wants because it doesn’t involve Anthony Joshua.
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“[Joshua] may be the only guy that can command that kind of money, but hopefully we can make Tyson Fury [fight] against Anthony Joshua, and then Tyson will get the numbers he wants.”
Joshua, 33, first boxed in Saudi in 2019 when he avenged his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, six months earlier.
And he returned last August in another rematch but this time lost to Usyk, 36, who first beat the Brit a year beforehand.
It has set the Ukrainian up for an undisputed title decider against Fury, 34, which Hall of Famer Arum confirmed is eyed for London.
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When is Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk? Date, TV channel – everything we know so far
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Arum told iD Boxing: “We’re looking to put the fight at Wembley stadium and we’re getting close with the negotiations with both Usyk and his promoter K2 and with Tyson.
“So hopefully we can get busy with that fight as early as next week and get the thing going.
“We would like very much to do a press conference not only in London but to bring the fighters over to New York and to do a press conference in New York as well.”
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters More

TYSON FURY is willing to walk away from his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk if he doesn’t receive the “lion’s share” of the purse.Negotiations over the historic undisputed heavyweight title fight recently hit the rocks over Usyk’s demands for a 50-50 purse split.
Tyson Fury was seemingly set for an spring showdown with Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS
But talks over the undisputed heavyweight title fight have recently hit the rocksCredit: GETTY
John Fury has revealed the fight has been delayed due to a purse rowCredit: INSTAGRAM
But Team Fury are adamant The Gypsy King is the A-side and deserves a bigger split of the pie with dad John telling All Out Fighting: “That’s what the delay is with Tyson – they won’t pay him what he’s worth.
“They want him for nothing.
“They want to make the money, they want the lion’s share and to give Tyson the small end.”
Neither Fury, 34, nor dad John will back down in the purse row, which could potentially scupper the planned April 29 dust-up.
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John continued: “That ain’t going to wash with us. It’s the Fury’s way, or the highway, we bow down to no one.
“We are the kings of the ring at the minute.”
Usyk’s manager and pal Alexander Krassuyk jetted into London this week for showdown talks to try and finalise the first undisputed heavyweight dust-up in nearly 25 years.
Fury co-promoter Frank Warren told talkSPORT earlier this week: “We are very, very close to getting this [Fury vs Usyk] done. Very, very close.
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“His people are coming in tomorrow and I’m hoping we’re gonna get some news for everybody. We’re close to getting it done.
“Tomorrow we’re gonna meet up. Alex Krassyuk, his promoter, is coming to the Arsenal vs Man City game with me.
“I’m hoping that if I can get enough wine down him that we can do the deal.
“We’re meeting him to get an agreement on the various scenarios to make it happen.
“There’s a few more hurdles for both sides to get over. They’re not [insurmountable], not at all. Location is the main thing.
“If we go abroad, then you go there for a premium, that’s the reason you do it.
“If not, then we get down to the reality of what it’ll be at Wembley where the numbers are what they are.

When is Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk? Date, TV channel – everything we know so far
“We broke the box office record with the fight vs Dillian Whyte last April.
“If we get this one on, I think that will break that record.
“I think it’s well in excess of a million [UK PPV] buys, one-and-a-half million.
“It’s not like we’ve got to go and sell Usyk, he’s beaten Anthony Joshua twice, the public know who he is. It’s not a tough sell at all.
“We’ve got a pencil on it [April 29] for obvious reasons, just in case, we’ve gotta make sure we’ve got some insurance. So there’s a pencil on the date
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“In a perverse way, I would like to see it at Wembley because I’d like to see all the records broken and obviously see the fight in the UK.
“But from the boxers and their bank managers’ point of view, they would like to maximise what they can earn for an historic fight.” More

JOHN FURY has named a boxer better than WBC heavyweight champion son, Tyson’s, rival Oleksandr Usyk – and it’s NOT Deontay Wilder or Wladimir Klitschko.Tyson, 34, has fought a number of top heavyweights in his near 15-year career.
John Fury has named a boxer better than Tyson’s rival, Oleksandr UsykCredit: PA
Steve Cunningham dropped Tyson Fury in their 2013 fight – and dad John says he’s better than UsykCredit: Action Images – Reuters
Dad John rates former cruiserweight world champion, Steve Cunningham, at the top of the list.
Tyson made his US debut at Madison Square Garden in New York against Cunningham in 2013.
Despite Tyson having a six inch height advantage and being 44 lbs heavier than Cunningham, the Gypsy King was dropped in Round Two.
Tyson managed to make it back to his feet and went on to stop Cunningham in Round Seven.
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Ahead of a potential heavyweight unification fight with WBA, IBF, and WBO champ Usyk, who was also King of the cruiserweights at one point in time like Cunningham, John believes Tyson will have no problems with the Ukrainian.
John told talkSPORT: “Usyk, look at him, he’s just too small, mate.
“He’s a great little boxer, he’s probably a lovely fella, I’ve got nothing against him at all, I like the Ukrainian people, it’s a great country and I wish them all the very best, they’re struggling at the moment with their own problems, but Usyk talking boxing lingo, just too small for Tyson, he’s got nothing to beat him with.
“I thought Steve Cunningham was a better fighter than Usyk back in the day, Cunningham was better than Usyk.
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“You know at cruiserweight, Steve Cunningham was unbeatable because he had everything.
“He had speed, he had power, he could move around the ring, great coordination.
“You know, it’s just that boxing has moved on, but not for the better, the guys just seem to be doing all this modern technique, it just looks awful to the eye.
“To me, they’ve got a lot right, but they’ve got a lot wrong as well, but we stick to the old school methods. You know they work.
“I’ve seen Usyk fight Joshua twice, he ain’t beating Tyson him, definitely not.
“I’m not just saying because he’s my own son, but he’s been out there 34 times unbeaten, you know I’ve not been wrong yet, so there you are, Tyson’s the king of the ring.”
Tyson Fury has taken on some of heavyweight’s greats, including Deontay Wilder in a trilogyCredit: AP
Wladimir Klitschko was also beaten by Tyson FuryCredit: Reuters More

EDDIE HEARN has slammed the possibility of Jake Paul entering the World Boxing Council’s rankings.The Mexican sanctioning body caused outrage this week by announcing the YouTuber turned boxer will become a ranked cruiserweight if he wins his showdown with Tommy Fury later this month.
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury will finally collide at the end of the monthCredit: MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS
The winner of the fight will earn a spot in the WBC’s cruiserweight rankingsCredit: GETTY
Eddie Hearn isn’t a fan of either man being ranked after the fightCredit: REX
But the decision to potentially rank Paul hasn’t perplexed Hearn, who told Seconds Out: “Commercially I get it.
“I don’t think either fighter deserves that spot but it’s boxing.
“It’s a good fight and certainly the winner will be undefeated and there are other fighters in the top 15 of that governing body that don’t deserve to be there either.”
Hearn doesn’t begrudge the WBC for trying to potentially tee up a big fight in the future but believes ranking Paul, or Fury, after the bout will make a mockery of the sport.
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The Matchroom Boxing chief told iFL TV: “Sometimes governing bodies have to live in that commercial world as well.
“Tommy Fury’s a proper fighter and Jake Paul would make a statement if he won that fight.
“Not a statement that he can challenge for a world title, but, ultimately, there’s a little bit of publicity in there.
“Is it right? Not really.
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“Because there’s fighters that deserve to be in the top 15 much more than Jake Paul, but it’s the world we live in.”
Hearn, 43, initially tipped Paul to strike the telling blow to Fury before the fight with his mind games.
During an appearance on The MMA Hour, he said: “Mentally, he’ll break Tommy Fury.
“I think he’ll mess with Tommy mentally, and I just think by the time they get in the ring, if they do get in the ring, I think Tommy will be defeated before the fight’s even taken place.

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“And I think will win by knockout.”
But he’s since changed his prediction for the Saudi showdown, telling Boxing UK: “I’m quite looking forward to it.
“I did think that Jake Paul would win the fight, but I think I’ve changed my mind.
“It’s a 50/50 though which is a little bit worrying in itself.” More

ANDY RUIZ JR is on course to face Filip Hrgovic following a purse bid order from the IBF.The former unified heavyweight champion was seemingly set for a huge domestic dust-up with Deontay Wilder after the WBC ordered the bout last November.
Andy Ruiz Jr was on course for a huge clash with Deontay WilderCredit: EPA
But a domestic dust-up with The Bronze bomber has hit the rocksCredit: GETTY
Ruiz Jr has since been ordered to face Croatian clubber Filip HrgovicCredit: PA
But the fight was thrown into jeopardy when Wilder began to entertain “all sorts of different offers” due to an unsatisfactory purse.
And the fight is seemingly now well and truly off the cards following the IBF’s push for an interim title fight between Ruiz Jr and Hrgovic.
IBF president Daryl People said in a letter: “On January 11, 2023, the IBF ordered Filip Hrgovic and Andy Ruiz to begin negotiations for the IBF Heavyweight Interim Championship Title.”
“An agreement could not be reached and on February 13, 2013, Mr. Nisse Sauerland, representing Filip Hrgovic, requested an immediate purse bid.”
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The victor of the bout will put themselves in contention to face the winner of Tyson Fury’s undisputed heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
The pair are on course to face one another in April, although a deal has yet to be finalised.
Undefeated Ukranian Usyk holds the IBF title, which he prised from Anthony Joshua’s clutches in September 2021.
Hrgovic is currently the mandatory challenger for the strap following a controversial decision win over Zhang Zhilei on the undercard of Usyk vs Joshua 2.
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AJ conqueror Ruiz Jr 33, hasn’t fought since his decision victory over Luis Ortiz last September.
Ruiz Jr hasn’t spoken publicly about potential bouts with Hrgovic or Wilder.
Bronze Bomber Wilder, however, told ES News: “Andy is a good fighter.
“I like his speed, his willingness, and his bravery, but it’s not going to be enough for me, though.
“He’s going to have to put an extra recipe on top of everything I named.
“He’s going to have to put some more on it because I am the man. I am that man.
“That’s why they fear me. Do you understand?
“With me, you’re going to need extra help, and I’m not just talking about you by yourself.” More