Heavyweight boxing

EDDIE HEARN fumed at Anthony Joshua being urged to retire. American author Thomas Hauser – who penned several acclaimed books on Muhammad Ali – wrote a Guardian column directed at AJ.
Anthony Joshua with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: Rex
It was headlined “The bravest thing Anthony Joshua can do is retire from boxing.”
And Hauser pleaded with the two-time heavyweight world champion to walk away with his health intact and fortune secured aged 33.
But the piece has disgusted Joshua’s promoter 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.
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“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.”
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Joshua beat Franklin, 29, on points in his April return following consecutive losses to Usyk, 36.
And super-fights against Deontay Wilder, 37, and Tyson Fury, 34, now lie in wait after AJ got back to winnings ways.
But before his confidence-building comeback bout, Joshua did hint retirement is round the corner as he eyes another title before bailing out.
He said: “This run is like, what can it go on for? Three, four years?
“If I was going to do another run after this, you’re talking about fighting into my forties and I truly believe that boxing’s a young man’s sport.
“It takes a real solid character like Bernard Hopkins, Foreman, Klitschko, Povetkin to go on into their forties and stuff, but I think this is a run I want to make successful and then, you know, hopefully go out on top.”
Anthony Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his return fightCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

LENNOX LEWIS has urged Anthony Joshua to avoid any “DAMAGE” in a warning against fighting Deontay Wilder. Joshua is in line to face Wilder in December in Saudi Arabia following positive talks between the camps.
Lennox Lewis urged Anthony Joshua to avoid fighting Lennox LewisCredit: PA
Anthony Joshua is in talks to fight Deontay WilderCredit: Getty
Deontay Wilder could fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
It would finally bring an end to years of debate after failed talks for the pair to fight in the past.
But British boxing legend Lewis believes AJ is best off leaving the bout on the shelf – for his own good.
Lewis, 57, told ESNEWS: “Joshua against Wilder? Definitely Wilder.
“Wilder’s got that thing in him where he wants to hurt you and I’ve seen it every time he throws that right hand, he’s trying to damage you with that right hand. He’s throws it with intention.”
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Joshua, 33, beat Jermaine Franklin, 29, in his April return in what Eddie Hearn hoped would be the first in a trio bouts in 2023.
But that plan faced the KO when organisers in the Middle East launched negotiations for AJ to face Wilder, 37, at the end of the year.

Hearn flew into Riyadh for talks and revealed all parties are on board for the blockbuster bout.
But with Joshua having fought just once under his trainer Derrick James, the promoter wants to give the pair more opportunity to gel.
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Hearn told Boxing Social: “We’re being told that Wilder’s in.
“And, subject to finalising some of the terms, we’re in. So, in his mind, he’s fighting Deontay Wilder in December.
“Once that gets papered, we then work backwards to the end of July or first week of August.
“I want him to fight. I think he wants to fight. I think Derrick James wants him to fight.
“So we’ve just to pick the right opponent, because what it is is really a preparation for the [Wilder] fight.”
Anthony Joshua with trainer Derrick JamesCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

JOHN RYDER will complete a remarkable journey from working as a bouncer to challenging for Canelo Alvarez’s world titles. Ryder fights for boxing’s biggest crown on Saturday night in Guadalajara, in what marks Canelo’s Mexican homecoming.
Boxer John Ryder once worked as a bouncerCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
John Ryder ahead of his fight with Canelo AlvarezCredit: Getty
Canelo Alvarez, promoter Eddie Hearn and Canelo AlvarezCredit: Getty
The British outsider fights for the undisputed WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles in front of 50,000 at the Estadio Akron stadium.
It comes after a career resurgence – with eight wins in his last nine – earning a mandatory shot at Canelo’s title.
But at one point, following defeats to Jack Arnfield and Rocky Fielding at domestic level, Londoner Ryder considered his boxing career.
So much so that in 2017 he got a doorman’s license and worked at a nightclub in East London.
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Ryder, 34, told ESPN: “There were some dark times when I thought that this might be it.
“I think I had that dogged determination in me to carry on, and I believe I can do good things in this sport.
“I think the proof is in the pudding, I have done, and I was right to continue.
“My sponsor sorted me out a doorman’s licence and I was doing quite a bit of that on the doors with a few friends.
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“That was nice, and it was more the social aspect of it. Boxing is so closed off; you work so hard in the gym, so to work on the door every now and again was quite a nice break.
“It was long hours, not ideal for boxing, but the odd Friday night here and there was good fun.”
The club was around the corner from ex-middleweight champion Darren Barker’s 12×3 gym.
So Ryder would train before heading to his shift but fortunately ran into no trouble during his time on the doors.
He said: “There were no hotheads – they were all cool, calm and collected.
“You had your talkers on the door who could calm down situations. I was never at the forefront getting stuck in. I just kept the peace.”
By 2019, Ryder was boxing full-time and made his Las Vegas debut, stopping Bilal Akkawy in three rounds.
Boxing is so closed off; you work so hard in the gym, so to work on the door every now and again was quite a nice break. John Ryder on working as a bouncer
The same year, he lost a controversial decision to Callum Smith for the WBC title, in a bout many believed he won.
Ryder, who is a 10-1 shot to win on Saturday, recalled: “2019 was a great year for me; I got to box in Vegas then I had the Smith fight.
“People see it as a bad thing [losing by a disputed decision to Smith], but I got a lot of credit from it. I still think I should have won.
“I had a lot of momentum, and momentum is what I thrive on. I was all set for a big 2020, looking to get off to a flier, and then COVID hit.
“There were big fights planned for 2021. It was a nightmare two years.”
Ryder bounced back from defeat to Smith with four wins in a row, most recently beating Zach Parker, 28, in November.
It earned him the WBO interim title and guaranteed shot at Canelo’s unified belts.
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Ryder becomes the first man to fight Canelo in Mexico in 12 years and has the chance to shock the world.
He said: “It feels like a coming-out party after 12 years in the game.”
John Ryder training for his fight with Canelo AlvarezCredit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom
Trainer Tony Sims and John RyderCredit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom More

ANTHONY JOSHUA could return in the summer in a warm-up fight to prepare for Deontay Wilder in December. Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his April comeback in what Eddie Hearn hoped would be the first in a trio bouts in 2023.
Anthony Joshua could return in a warm-up fight to prepare for Deontay WilderCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Deontay Wilder is in talks to fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: AP
But that plan faced the KO when organisers in Saudi Arabia launched negotiations for AJ to face Wilder in December.
Hearn flew into Riyadh for talks and revealed all parties are on board for the blockbuster bout.
But with Joshua, 33, having fought just once under his trainer Derrick James, the promoter wants to give the pair more opportunity to gel.
So AJ could take an interim fight before his end of year clash with Wilder in the Middle East.
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Hearn told Boxing Social: “We’re being told that Wilder’s in.
“And, subject to finalising some of the terms, we’re in. So, in his mind, he’s fighting Deontay Wilder in December.
“Once that gets papered, we then work backwards to the end of July or first week of August.
“I want him to fight. I think he wants to fight. I think Derrick James wants him to fight.
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“So we’ve just to pick the right opponent, because what it is is really a preparation for the [Wilder] fight.”

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Joshua was in line to rematch Dillian Whyte, 34, in July but talks with Wilder, 37, could see the all-British bout axed.
It remains to be seen if AJ will in fact box once more before the Saudi showdown as Hearn focuses on talks in the desert.
He said: “My priority right now is secure the Deontay Wilder fight, and every other decision will stem off that.”
Anthony Joshua with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: Rex More

JOHN FURY has slammed his son Tyson’s team and claims that they are “all just after their ten per cent”.The Gypsy King, who holds the WBC title, was set to unify the division in a showdown with fellow champ Oleksandr Usyk before talks fell through.
John Fury has delivered another blast at his son Tyson’s teamCredit: Getty
SugarHill Steward (L) has trained the champion for his past few fightsCredit: Getty
Fury Sr placed the blame for that on the boxers’ respective teams, especially his boy’s trainer SugarHill Steward, and urged Tyson to SACK “Judas” for “denying him like Judas denied Jesus”.
Now, John has claimed he is the only one that tells his son the truth about his career.
He said: “Tyson likes different people around him telling him how great he is.
“I’ll tell them straight, if it’s not working I’ll say it’s not working.
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“In Tyson’s case, he don’t like the truth, but I’m going to tell him it anyway because he’s my son and it’s on his best interests.
“All the SugarHills, everybody out there, they’re all 10 per cent men.
“They’re all after the 10 per cent. It’s a business, you can’t blame them. They’re thinking of their own ends and making a living.
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“But it’s up to you to have enough brains to see through that. You don’t move them out of their job. Don’t make a friend out of them, or get close to them.”
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He added on Stamina For Sale: “They’re not going to tell you the truth are they? Frightened of getting sacked.
“There’s many times [Tyson’s] looked rough in the gym and I’ve said that’s not too good today, mate. ‘What do you mean?’ I say ‘I’ve told you, need to improve.’
“But they don’t listen to their dad, do they? Nobody does.”
Fury Jr looks set to return to the ring in London in July but has not yet agreed his next fight. More