Heavyweight boxing

JOHNNY NELSON launched a scathing assessment of Anthony Joshua and predicted Deontay Wilder will “render him UNCONSCIOUS.” AJ returned to winning ways in April with a comfortable decision over Jermaine Franklin, following consecutive defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.
Johnny Nelson predicted Deontay Wilder will render Anthony Joshua ‘unconscious’Credit: The Mega Agency
Anthony Joshua is in talks to fight Deontay WilderCredit: Reuters
But the performance left ex-cruiserweight champion-turned pundit Nelson far from convinced.
And he fears for Joshua heading into a proposed blockbuster with Wilder, eyed for December in Saudi Arabia.
Nelson told Pro Boxing Fans: “I think he’s lost confidence.
“I don’t think he believes in himself. I hope AJ manages to come back and starts to believe in himself.
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“I just think Deontay Wilder at some stage will catch Anthony Joshua on the chin and render him unconscious.”
Former super-middleweight champ Carl Froch had exactly the same prediction, leaving Nelson in agreement.
He said: “If the AJ that boxes Franklin gets in there, then yes I do agree [with Froch] if that AJ gets in the ring.
“AJ needs time off to decide who he is, where he is, why he’s doing it – he’s got a new trainer to do new things.
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“He’s a former two-time world champion so he’s not got the luxury of saying ‘I just want a bit of a gimmie here’.
“He’s been at the top, so to come back down and make these mistakes, to be respected at the top again is going to be hard for him.”
Joshua, 33, beat Franklin, 29, under the guidance of new trainer Derrick James, his third coach in as many fights.
And Nelson advised the pair to give themselves more time to gel.
He said: “Have a year out, set yourself in with a trainer, immerse yourself in with what he’s teaching you, so when you come out you are that fresh fighting machine who understands what he’s doing.”
Trainer Derrick James cornering Anthony JoshuaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

BOB ARUM confirmed he has had “interesting” talks with boxing bosses in Saudi Arabia amid rumours of a heavyweight tournament. Anthony Joshua is in line to face Deontay Wilder in the Middle East with negotiations between the camps ongoing.
Oleksandr Usyk, Bob Arum and Tyson Fury in 2021Credit: Getty
And it is believed hosts in Saudi also want to promote a super-fight between champion pair Fury and Usyk.
Fury’s US promoter Arum has now revealed he is in communication with the Saudis, opening the door to the unification bout.
He told Ringside Reporter Live: “I have talked to a representative of Skill Challenge that puts on these boxing events in Saudi Arabia.
“That is correct [that talks are ongoing], we know these people, we work with them in connection with the Jake Paul and Tommy Fury fight as far as US television was concerned. 
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“So we know who the players are and we’ve had some very interesting talks with them.”
Fury, 34, and Usyk, 36, saw talks to meet in the heavyweight division’s first four-belt undisputed decider collapse earlier in the year.
The proposed April 29 Wembley bout was scrapped due to a row over the split for a potential rematch.
Instead, Usyk is now set to face WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, 25, with talks ongoing.
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Meanwhile, Fury is in line to return in July and looked on course to fight British rival Joe Joyce, 37.
That was until Joyce suffered a shock stoppage loss to China’s Zhilei Zhang, 40, after his eye was so swollen the referee stopped the contest.
Now, Zhang is the leading name in contention to welcome Fury back to the ring, in a blow to Andy Ruiz Jr, 33.
Arum said: “We’re focusing on the Chinese kid that beat Joe Joyce.”
He added: “It’s likely for July, we’re trying to close that out over this (past) weekend.”
Joe Joyce lost to Zhilei Zhang in six roundsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

JOHN FURY has leapt to Anthony Joshua’s defence and said his team need to “wake the f*** up”. Joshua was left fighting for his career when he returned in April, off the back of consecutive losses to pound-for-pound star Oleksandr Usyk.
John Fury has leapt to Anthony Joshua’s defenceCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua after beating Jermaine FranklinCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
And AJ faced criticism for his gun-shy comeback win against Jermaine Franklin, which ended in a comfortable points victory.
But Fury – the dad of Joshua’s British rival Tyson – has urged fans to get behind Joshua in a time he needs some backing.
He told Stamina For Sale: “Poor old AJ, stop giving the kid stick.
“Support your man, support your man. We’re all British and he’s a fellow heavyweight.
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“There are a few little rising UK heavyweight stars and I support them all, they need all the support and attention we can give them.
“If you supported him before, then support him now.”
Joshua, 33, beat Franklin, 29, under the guidance of new coach Derrick James, his third trainer in as many fights.
And the pair are set to link up in Texas again to continue gelling ahead of a proposed bout with Deontay Wilder, 37, in December.
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But Fury – who trains his 9-0 son Tommy – insisted psychology is what AJ is struggling with the most.
He said: “They are digging in the wrong places with him. AJ needs to be worked on mentally.
“They need to wake the f*** up and recognise the obvious problem with the kid and work on it.”
Jermaine Franklin was beaten on points by Anthony JoshuaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Tyson Fury with his dad JohnCredit: Reuters More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has opened up on the fear of suffering trauma in the boxing ring – and wants to be remembered for retiring “healthy”. The British superstar won Olympic gold in London in 2012 and has twice reigned as the unified heavyweight world champion.
Trainer Derrick James with Anthony JoshuaCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
And being able to enjoy the fame and fortune amassed during his prizefighting is a top priority for 33-year-old Joshua.
He told Men’s Health: “In boxing, people walk in the gym one way and not many walk out the same way, because of the trauma and the stuff they put their body through.
“I want my legacy to be, I walked out healthy. Imagine me at the age of 50 or 60 in a wheelchair, fragile because of the trauma I put my body through.
“My legacy should be when I’m old, I’m still fresh. I want people to say, ‘Oh wow, he still looks good, he still looks after himself.’ That’s a legacy.”
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Joshua’s revelation comes shortly after he was urged to RETIRE by American writer Thomas Hauser.
Author Hauser – who penned several acclaimed books on Muhammad Ali – wrote a Guardian column directed at AJ.
It was headlined “The bravest thing Anthony Joshua can do is retire from boxing.”
And Hauser pleaded with the multimillionaire and two-time champ to walk away with his health intact and wealth secured.
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But the piece has disgusted Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, who hit out at the article and any suggestion of AJ retiring.
He told Boxing Social: “What a f***ing joke. I’m just gonna say it, Thomas Hauser needs to retire, he’s so far detached from reality.
“He doesn’t know Anthony Joshua – he’s hardly even had a conversation with him.
“Has he ever watched him in the gym or sat down and spoken to him?
“I just find it absolutely bizarre that you can lose a split decision to Oleksandr Usyk, come back and win nearly every round against Jermaine Franklin and then it’s ‘you have to retire now’.
“What the f*** are these people talking about? Thomas Hauser is a disgrace for writing that. Honestly I found that article disgusting.”
I want my legacy to be, I walked out healthy. Imagine me at the age of 50 or 60 in a wheelchair—fragile because of the trauma I put my body through. Anthony Joshua
Joshua beat Franklin, 29, on points in his April return following consecutive losses to Usyk, 36.
And now a super-fight against Deontay Wilder, 37, is in the works for Saudi Arabia as talks between the camps progress.
Joshua revealed: “In December potentially there is a big fight that should be cracking with me and Wilder.
“It has been a long time coming. There are a lot of moving shapes at the minute, a lot of things happening, so one step at a time.

“But it has been a long time coming, for sure.”
Deontay Wilder is in talks to fight Anthony Joshua More

TYSON FURY’S cousin Hughie says Anthony Joshua is “FINISHED” – but would still take him on in an all-British fight. Joshua returned to winning ways in April, beating Jermaine Franklin over 12 rounds following consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk.
Hughie Fury is the cousin of heavyweight champion TysonCredit: Getty
Anthony Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his return fightCredit: Getty
But Fury – the cousin of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson – was left far from convinced by the performance.
He told Boxing King Media: “Stiff. Big stiff, he is shot. After Usyk, that’s it, he’s finished.
“That is one fight that I would like, I didn’t really rate much of the [Franklin] fight.”
Joshua, 33, is now in line to fight Deontay Wilder as talks progress for a blockbuster in Saudi Arabia in December.
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Fury’s cousin Tyson could also unify the belts against Oleksandr Usyk around the same time in the Middle East.
Meanwhile Fury, 28, looks set to return this year having not boxed since October 2021, when he beat Christian Hammer.
The heavyweight was due to face American Michael Hunter in October but he withdrew due to illness.
And upon his comeback, Fury has set his sights on AJ in a domestic dust up.
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He said: “You never know, 100 per cent.
“These fights can just happen at the click of a finger, so [once I] get myself back up there, these are the fights that I want.
“Joshua has done well out of the game, but I don’t think that he was the same fighter as what he once was.”
Hughie Fury beat Christian Hammer in his last fightCredit: Reuters More