Heavyweight boxing

EDDIE HEARN is in contact with Deontay Wilder’s representatives over a “must-make” fight with Anthony Joshua. Hearn revealed he has exchanged emails with Wilder’s manager Shelly Finkel, having first reached out in August.
Anthony Joshua pictured with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: PA:Press Association
Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua’s teams are in talksCredit: GETTY
And it could pave the way for a heavyweight super-fight next year in the Middle East.
Speaking to iD Boxing in Abu Dhabi, Hearn said: “They actually emailed me today.
“I emailed him in August to talk about an offer. He came back today; it took a long while but at least he replied.
“That offer that we had for him was for this year, obviously, with our relationship out here, we’d like to continue that offer [for the Middle East].
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“I actually invited Deontay and Shelly out here this week. They can’t come but we’ll be working with them and try and come up with some ideas.
“Again, it all depends on AJ if he waits to go into a fight like that or if he has a fight earlier in the year.
“But I see AJ vs Deontay Wilder as a must-make fight I really do I think it’s one of the biggest in the sport. They just want to know.
“They want to know the numbers. Of course, they should do as well because there’s a lot of money in play in the shows we do.
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“I feel that we can hopefully have some discussions and see if AJ vs Wilder or Whyte against Wilder or whoever it is could be an option, particularly out here in the Middle East.”
Wilder, 37, returned with a bang in October by knocking out Robert Helenius, 38, in one round.
Meanwhile Joshua, 33, is taking time out to mentally recover from his consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, 35, most recently in August.
AJ is expected to fight again by the new year, but Hearn doubts Wilder will be his first opponent back despite the email dialogue.
He said: “Nah, literally it was a one-line email but look it’s positive and I think Deontay’s going to want the biggest fights out there and he knows that’s AJ and AJ has always wanted the Deontay Wilder fight so hopefully we can see it in 2023.”
Anthony Joshua is set to make his boxing return early next year More

PROMOTER Frank Warren reckons three of the top five heavyweights on the planet are British – but NONE of them are Anthony Joshua.The Top Rank chief doesn’t believe Joshua is among the world’s best in his division following his back-to-back defeats at the hands of Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua is not one of the world’s top five heavyweights, according to Frank WarrenCredit: PA
Warren has three other Brits in his top fiveCredit: PA
Warren has Usyk as No2 in his top five list behind “no-brainer” No1 and WBC champ Tyson Fury, who he, coincidentally, promotes.
The 70-year-old also represents Joe Joyce and Daniel Dubois – with both men in Warren’s top handful of heavyweights too.
Elsewhere Fury’s old foe Deontay Wilder, who brutally knocked out Robert Helenius last month, makes the cut above AJ.
Warren told BT Sport Boxing: “The number one for me is a no-brainer, that’s Tyson [Fury]. I think he’s head and shoulders [above the rest].
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“I think the next one is probably [Oleksandr] Usyk and then I would say [Deontay Wilder].
“Then I would say Joe Joyce and I would also put in Daniel Dubois.”
Dubois comes in above Joshua despite failing to take a major scalp in his career as of yet.
The 25-year-old was beaten by Joyce in 2020.
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But Warren insisted AJ was not worthy of a place on his list of the world’s top five heavyweights.
When quizzed on his reasons for the snub, Warren pointed out: “He’s not in the top five of any governing body at the moment, based upon losing two of his last three fights.”
Joshua has in fact lost three of his last five fights, with his other defeat being the shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr in June 2019.
But the Watford warrior does have impressive victories over Dillian Whyte, Wladimir Klitschko, Joseph Parker and Alexander Povetkin on his CV.
Tyson Fury is Warren’s top heavyweight on the planetCredit: PA
Joe Joyce makes the cut in Warren’s top fiveCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Daniel Dubois is a surprise inclusion in Warren’s rankingsCredit: Getty More

TYSON FURY has been given a taste of his own medicine after being handed a deadline to sign a contract for a fight against Oleksandr Usyk.The Gypsy King called off a December bout with Anthony Joshua after claiming AJ didn’t sign off the showdown in time.
Oleksandr Usyk wants to fight Tyson Fury before March 4Credit: EPA
Fury is due to fight Derek Chisora on December 3Credit: Reuters
And now unified heavyweight champ Usyk, 35, is setting deadlines of his own to the “unpredictable” Fury.
The Ukrainian has said the fight must happen before March 4 otherwise it will have to wait until later in the year.
Usyk is a devout Orthodox Christian and fasts over the Easter period – so a fight after March 4 in the run up to the festival is off the cards.
Orthodox Christians will celebrate Easter 2023 on April 16, so a bout in the weeks immediately after that date isn’t a possibility either.
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But a mouthwatering undisputed clash before March 4 could be a tight turnaround for Fury, who faces Derek Chisora on December 3.
Speaking at the Web Summit in Lisbon, Usyk told PA: “Right now my team is in conversations with Tyson Fury, and he is a really unpredictable person, so we can’t guarantee when.
“For me, the idea would be to fight maybe early February or the beginning of March, like March 4, because I am an orthodox Christian.
“During the great fasting before Easter I do not fight, so it should be all before or then after orthodox Easter.”
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Usyk has ruled out the prospect of facing someone other than Fury next, claiming the quest for undisputed heavyweight glory is the only thing on his mind.
He also revealed that war-torn Ukraine could potentially host the showdown, but Saudi Arabia remains a more likely destination.
Usyk continued: “I want to fight with Fury because I need the fourth belt, and I don’t want to fight with anyone else until I have the fourth belt.
“For me, I would really like to fight in Ukraine. The country is really capable of hosting this kind of fight.
“I would be really happy to see it happen in the Olympic Arena in Ukraine. But it is not me who chooses the venue so I guess it will (this time) be Saudi Arabia.”
Usyk also aimed a dig at Fury for taking on old rival Chisora for a third time later this year.
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He declared: “I don’t know why he needs this fight.”
“Maybe he thinks because it would be one year without a fight, now he needs it. I think it is some manoeuvre because I don’t know why he needs this.” More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has vowed to take on a tough test for his comeback bout – but didn’t name Tyson Fury as a possible opponent.Heavyweight star Joshua is set to return to the ring in 2023 as he battles his mental demons following back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua is set to return to the ring in 2023Credit: Getty
A mouthwatering rematch with Dillian Whyte could be on the cardsCredit: Jamie McPhilimey
The Watford warrior had been in talks with Fury about a mega December dust up but negotiations failed to get over the line.
The 33-year-old is set to meet Eddie Hearn in Abu Dhabi this week to determine how and when he will return.
One potential fight is a mouthwatering rematch with Dillian Whyte, who was brutally knocked out by Fury in April.
The pair have previous, with AJ KO’ing Whyte in a grudge bout back in 2015.
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Other possible opponents include Swedish contender Otto Wallin or dangerous Croatian Filip Hrgovic.
Joshua revealed to DAZN: “I like fighting good opponents.
“Yeah, I’ll fight Otto [Wallin]. Yeah, I’ll fight Dillian [Whyte]. I’ll fight [Filip] Hrgovic.”
Wallin, 31, has only been beaten once in 26 fights, and that was at the hands of WBC champ Fury.
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Hrgovic on the other hand is unbeaten in his 15 professional fights.
Both fighters are tricky propositions for AJ, who has reiterated his desire to only take on the best in the division.
He added: “As much as it’s about becoming a champion, I always felt like it was important for me to fight the best in my era.
“Because there was this whole stigma about cherry picking.
“If you want to get to get to the top, you have to take risks – calculated risks – but you definitely have to take risks. And I just like taking risks.”
Joshua continued: “It’s not how popular a fighter you are that makes you a good fighter, it’s how good a fighter you are that will make you popular.”
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“I’ll never underestimate anyone I step in the ring with. That’s how we have to think.
“Everyone is a solid competitor. And that’ll make me raise my game.”
Joshua has hinted he could face Otto WallinCredit: Getty
Filip Hrgovic is a potential opponent for AJCredit: Getty More

JERMAINE FRANKLIN is getting tips on how to beat Dillian Whyte from Tyson Fury.The America, who fights Whyte later this month, also has eyes on a future fight with Anthony Joshua.
Jermaine Franklin with boxing writer Steve Farhood
Tyson Fury knocked out Dillian Whyte in AprilCredit: Getty
Fury knocked out Whyte in April at Wembley, which was the last time either stepped foot inside the ring.
The WBC champion, 34, returns on December 3 at Tottenham’s stadium in a trilogy bout with Derek Chisora, 38.
And he has called on the services of Franklin, 29, for sparring, with the US heavyweight preparing for his own fight with Whyte, 34, on November 26.
It has given the undefeated contender the perfect chance to get inside knowledge from Fury.

Franklin told Lord Ping: “Yes I will ask and have asked Fury about how to beat Whyte. It was pretty much general advice – work your game plan.
“As I continue to spar with him in the coming days he will give me more advice on what to do. I will say this, Fury and I are pretty much alike.
“We love to joke around; we love boxing and we have big personalities.
“Sparring with Fury so far has shown me I can hang with him in the ring.
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“I know some hater out there will say ‘yeah right’ but I know now I have the skills to compete and win at that level.
“Check back in a week and I will let you know what other secrets Fury gives me about Whyte.”
Joshua, 33, is due to return next year following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, 35.
And his promoter Eddie Hearn warned Franklin could earn a shot at AJ if he beats Whyte at Wembley Arena.
Franklin said: “I’m focusing on Dillian Whyte right now. I will address that if that happens.
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“Of course I would love to fight Joshua or someone on that level. I want to show I’m the best by beating the best.
“If Joshua and I get in the ring, I would love that. I respect his game but I feel I will win.”
Anthony Joshua is set to return next yearCredit: Getty More