Heavyweight boxing

ANTHONY JOSHUA’s next fight won’t be another extravagant stadium show.The former two-time heavyweight champion will bid to resurrect his career in December following back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua suffered a split-decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last monthCredit: Getty
AJ will look to get back to winning ways in DecemberCredit: Getty
But his second fight of the year won’t take place in a stadiumCredit: MARC ASPLAND
But promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed the Brit’s bid to return to the win column will take place in front of a more intimate crowd than he’s been accustomed to in recent years.
The Matchroom Boxing chief told The Daily Mail: “I’d like to bring him home.
“Look, there’s the Zhang [Zhieli] fight. A lot of people think he beat Filip Hrgovic and that’s a big fight in China, but I just feel that the next fight should be in the UK.
“It will be at the O2 or Manchester Arena, we won’t do a stadium fight.”
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Preliminary talks are underway with both venues, although neither arena is currently leading the race to stage Joshua’s return to the UK.
Hearn added: “We’re all gunning for a December return. It’s not confirmed, but that’s where everyone’s minds are at.
“We’re not booking a venue, but the conversations – as recently as yesterday – were December for his return.”
An opponent for Joshua’s crucial December dust-up has not yet been decided, although Hearn is adamant it won’t be a gimme fight for the Watford warrior.
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He said: “I don’t want to start mentioning names, but it’s a top 15 fight.
“It will be someone credible, who AJ can come back, express himself against and build on what he’s learning in camp.
“He can then build himself back up to fighting for a heavyweight title again.”
Joshua, 32, suffered a split decision defeat to Usyk in their Saudi showdown last month, although he was comfortably outboxed by the Ukrainian.
And he was in no mood for speaking after returning to the dressing room following his fired-up post-fight speech.
Hearn said: “He didn’t want a conversation, it was that sort of vibe. We went back into the changing room and he was extremely frustrated.
“I actually went over to talk to him and to everyone he was like, ‘Leave me alone’.
“I said, ‘No, I won’t leave you alone. I’ve got to tell you, you boxed well’. He said, “No I f didn’t box well, I lost”.
“I said, ‘No, you boxed well. In the first fight, you didn’t box well, and I’ve told you that.
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“But after nine rounds, I was convinced you were going to win this fight’.
“Usyk was amazing in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds, and the better man won, but Joshua took him all the way.”
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TYSON FURY could be about to make “another crazy statement” as his likely fight date with Oleksandr Usyk is revealed. The WBC champion has technically been retired since knocking out Dillian Whyte at Wembley in April.
Tyson Fury is linked with a return to boxingCredit: Rex
But he has been linked with a return ever since and even called out Derek Chisora, 38, for an unlikely trilogy fight.
Then only days later, Fury, 34, reiterated his decision to walk away from boxing and even vacated his Ring Magazine belt.
That was later won by Usyk, 35, who beat Anthony Joshua, 32, on points for a second time.
He called out Fury to a historic first four-belt heavyweight undisputed decider, which the Gypsy King accepted.
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The unbeaten two-time champion – set to make a WWE return this weekend – is believed to be training for a boxing comeback.
And Todd DeBoeuf, president of the US Top Rank stable which promotes Fury, warned to expect the unification next year.
DeBoeuf told Sky Sports: “It’s the Tyson Fury show.
“He I think technically is at a pause, he’s paused his career and we respect that and we’re continually having conversations with the Warrens in the UK about what possibly could come down the pipeline.
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“I think if an Usyk fight happens, I think it would probably happen some time in the first part of 2023.
“But nothing imminent with Tyson right now, other than I’m just ready for him to get on social media and surprise all of us with another crazy statement.”
Fury initially set a deadline of September to agree a deal with Usyk and demanded a record £500MILLION fight purse.
But even his own team are unsure whether the demands were real or not.
DeBoeuf said: “It’s hard for me to decipher that.
“I think the Warrens have been in constant communication with him and his team, we’ve had conversations and we’re not being reactive to a tweet or a video clip.
“We’re looking at the whole landscape of what we’re going to do.
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“We’re going to try and secure what would be the biggest fight out there for him, and obviously both him and Usyk want to bring all the heavyweight titles together on one night and that would obviously be our objective.
“If you’re off by a day, a month, six weeks, what does it matter as long as you get that done?”
Oleksandr Usyk promoter Bob Arum and Tyson FuryCredit: Getty More

EDDIE HEARN revealed the intense conversation he had with Anthony Joshua following defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. AJ was beaten on a split-decision in Saudi Arabia by Usyk, 11 months after first losing to the Ukrainian.
Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: PA
Joshua was left visibly devastated by the result and was seen fuming in the ring afterwards, even chucking the champion’s belt out the ring.
That came before the British superstar produced a bizarre speech, which he later apologised for.
Now his promoter Hearn had given an insight into what happened when he went to console AJ backstage.
Hearn told the Daily Mail: “He didn’t want a conversation, it was that sort of vibe.
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“We went back into the changing room and he was extremely frustrated.
“I actually went over to talk to him and to everyone he was like, ‘Leave me alone’.
“I said, ‘No, I won’t leave you alone. I’ve got to tell you, you boxed well’. He said, “No I f****** didn’t box well, I lost”.
“I said, ‘No, you boxed well. In the first fight, you didn’t box well, and I’ve told you that. But after nine rounds, I was convinced you were going to win this fight’.
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“Usyk was amazing in the 10th, 11th and 12th rounds, and the better man won, but Joshua took him all the way.”
Usyk, 35, is now set to face Tyson Fury, 34, in the heavyweight division’s first-ever four-belt undisputed title bout.
Meanwhile Joshua, 32, is braced to return in December in the UK with a rematch against Dillian Whyte, 34, mentioned for the summer.
AJ has also been tipped to fight around the world, including the Middle East, Far East and America.
Hearn added: “Now Joshua is in control of his own future.
“We can fight who we want, when we want, where we want. Let’s go on an AJ world tour.”
Anthony Joshua is set to return in December following defeat to Oleksandr UsykCredit: PA More

ANDY RUIZ JR has revealed an incredible body transformation ahead of his heavyweight clash against Luis Ortiz.The 32-year-old makes his return to the ring in a clash with the Cuban on Sunday in California.
The Mexican-American looked ripped in his latest pre-fight video
Ruiz is down to an ‘ideal’ 19st weight for Sunday’s scrap with Ortiz
Ruiz looked incredibly different when he fought Anthony Joshua for a second timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ruiz Jr hasn’t fought since a points victory over Chris Arreola in May 2021, and has since left Canelo Alvarez’s trainer Eddy Reynoso.
And the ‘Destroyer’ has shared a pre-fight behind-the-scenes video on his Twitter account displaying a shocking transformation.
He can be seen flexing in the ad with a shredded torso and ripped upper body.
The Mexican-American was dropped in his win over Arreola, and there were concerns about his ideal fighting weight in the aftermath of the fight.
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He was down to 18st 2lb for the Arreola fight but the snickers-loving heavyweight champion had previously ballooned weighing in at over 20 stone.
Ruiz is now back to 19st, where he revealed he was most comfortable, but he has packed on some muscle judging by the teaser footage.
His opponent Ortiz, 43, is widely-known for his two fights with Deontay Wilder, who won both fights by knockout.
But ‘King Kong’ gave Wilder an incredibly tough first fight, coming close to stopping the American, before winning every round in the rematch until a 7th-round stoppage.
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And since that fight, Ortiz has won both his bouts, one against Alexander Flores and the other against former world champion Charles Martin, who the 43-year-old stopped in six rounds.
As well as Ruiz Jr vs Ortiz, the card will also have a brilliant lightweight clash between Isaac Cruz against Eduardo Ramirez.
And top lightweight talent Jose Valenzuela is also in action in a tough bout against Jezreel Corrales.
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AMERICAN boxer Earnie Shavers who fought Muhammad Ali has died aged 78.The Alabama heavyweight – who had one of the hardest punches in history – won 74 of his 89 professional bouts between 1969 and 1995.
Earnie Shavers, left, took on Muhammad Ali in 1977 but lost on pointsCredit: Corbis – Getty
Tributes poured in on social media to the former boxing starCredit: Getty
That included 68 wins by knockout – with 23 of those in the first round – giving him a 76.4 per cent knockout ratio.
‘The Acorn’ twice lost out as a challenger for world titles.
That included defeat to Ali in 1977 – a unanimous points decision after 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden with the WBA, WBC, and The Ring belts on the line.
Shavers’ other world-title shot came when he lost on a technical knockout against Larry Holmes two years later.
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He had ten children – nine daughters and one son – including five girls Tamara, Cynthia, Catherine, Carla, and Amy from his marriage to Laverne Payne.
Tributes poured in on social media from the boxing world after the devastating news that came just a day after his birthday.
Michael Buffer: “This is heartbreaking news! EARNIE SHAVERS was one of the deadliest KO punchers in the ‘70s & early ‘80s!
“He had heavy hands and was a nonstop Bomber who fought ‘em all in a Golden Era Of Heavyweight Boxing! R.I.P. KO King – EARNIE SHAVERS – with Love & Respect.”
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DAZN Boxing tweeted: “One of the hardest punchers in boxing history.
“Earnie Shavers has sadly passed away at the age of 78. RIP Champ.”
Another wrote: “Generally regarded as one of the hardest punchers, if not THE hardest puncher of all time.
“As Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb put it, ‘Earnie Shavers could punch you in the neck and break your ankle.'”
One user typed: “Sad news. Ernie Shavers. was right there with Tyson and Liston in terms of punching power. He was also a genuinely nice man. He’ll be missed. Rest In Peace, Ernie.”
Showtime TV’s Al Bernstein added: “So sad to hear of the passing of Earnie Shavers. Not only was he a terrific boxer he was also a terrific guy.
“I met him when I did a feature on hims for Boxing Illustrated in 1978. Known him ever since and every moment around him was good. He’ll be missed.”
One user commented: “RIP Earnie Shavers, a ferocious puncher in one of the best eras of heavyweight boxing, and he was a big part of it.”
The Alabama heavyweight had one of the biggest punches of all timeCredit: Getty – Contributor
Shavers’ power caused plenty of problems for Larry Holmes in their 1979 boutCredit: Getty More