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      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk LIVE: Build-up as AJ hosts open workout, Ukrainian ARRIVES in UK- latest updates

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      IT’S been a long wait – but Anthony Joshua is finally back in the ring.Pumped-up AJ returns to a full house at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking on feared Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a potential classic in the capital.
      Usyk and his team have touched down in the UK and the countdown is well and truly on to Saturday’s showdown.

      Weigh in: Friday, September 24 @ 2.30pm
      Fight date: Saturday, September 25
      UK start time: Estimated to be around 10.30pm

      Follow ALL the latest build-up and updates with our live blog below…

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      JOSHING AROUND
      Anthony Joshua and fellow Brit Lawrence Okolie appear to be in great spirits ahead of their respective bouts this weekend.
      AJ headlines proceedings at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium with his hotly-anticipated clash against Oleksandr Usyk.
      While rising star Okolie faces Montenegrin cruiserweight Dilan Prasovic.

      ANT GOING TO MISS IT
      Buzzing for this weekend’s main event, fight fans?
      If not quite yet, this will surely get you in the mood.

      KOR BLIMEY
      Matvey Korobov, who dished out the most humiliating defeat of Oleksandr Usyk’s amateur career, believes that the Ukrainian CAN beat Anthony Joshua this weekend.
      He told Sky Sports: “Of course, he [Joshua] is taller I believe, but Usyk can take this size.
      “With his speed, with his footwork, and he’s southpaw with his combinations, he can beat Joshua with that easily.
      “It could be an easy fight, it could be for both. It could be a hard fight, it could be a short fight. You never know.
      “That level, every punch is dangerous if it’s thrown the right way, at the right time, in the right place.”
      SPUR THEM ON
      Eddie Hearn has given fans an inside tour of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before Anthony Joshua fights Oleksandr Usyk.
      And promoter Hearn gave a glimpse of where AJ will warm up, in Spurs’ home dressing room, and how both boxers will make their ring walks.
      He said on Instagram Live: “Thought I’d just come on, just to get you a little bit excited what’s to go down on Saturday night.
      “The world, the unified world heavyweight championship, AJ against Usyk, here at the unbelievable Tottenham stadium.”
      Hearn then headed into Spurs’ home dressing room, where the players shirts are still hung up.
      He added: “In here, the final preparations before it all unfolds before your eyes on Saturday. Make the walk, squeaky bum time right now, 70,000 people waiting. Unbelievable scenes.”

      NOT OVER YET
      Manny Pacquiao has NOT officially retired despite saying his boxing career is ‘over’.
      But his advisor Sean Gibbons, also president of Pacquiao’s promotional company, said no definitive decision has yet been made.
      Gibbons told ESPN: “In the coming weeks, the senator will decide how he’s going to finish his professional boxing career.
      “After the fight and recently, he’s discussed retiring [or] maybe one more [fight]. He’s just talking out loud about different situations.
      “Until you see it officially come out on his Twitter or Instagram, he isn’t retired. Once you see it on a platform like that, it’s official.
      “Anything else is just talk about what his thoughts are in the moment. It’s coming from him, but it’s hearsay.”
      SYK NOTE
      Oleksandr Usyk needed the ‘Mercy Rule’ to end the most humiliating loss of his amateur career.
      Usyk was an Olympic champion and also won bronze and gold in the Worlds while representing Ukraine in the unpaid ranks.
      Since turning professional, he reigned as undisputed cruiserweight king before moving up to heavyweight where he is unbeaten in 18 fights.
      But it is not like Usyk, who challenges Anthony Joshua this Saturday, has never tasted defeat.
      And his most one-sided of all came in 2006 against Russian middleweight Matvey Korobov.
      Korobov was so dominant the Mercy Rule – which means a boxer can be spared by the referee if he is being totally outclassed – was needed.
      He told Sky Sports: “There was a knockdown, there was a stoppage.
      “I think I dropped him off his feet. The referee scored a knockdown. I think that was the end of the round – the second, if I’m not wrong.
      “The third round was stopped by the points, because I was many points ahead of him.”
      FIT TO DROP HIM
      Anthony Joshua is tired of questions about his slimline figure and ready to bulldoze his diet-obsessed doubters.
      The 31-year-old snapped: “I’m going to come in light. Run around the ring, try not to get hit.
      “I’ll be on my bike all night. I don’t want to get out of 140 heartbeats per minute, so I’m really skinny.”
      The champ is set to bounce into the ring at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium around 17st.
      And in a more serious tone, he added: “Listen, I’m as solid as a rock. I’m strong, I’m good at the weight. I don’t really focus on my weight. It’s just training. I just put in the work.
      “These are different opponents and I’ve learnt about training for specific opponents. These guys go longer rounds.
      “When you’re knocking out guys in three or four rounds, it’s different. I studied boxing and what works for me and weight is not a priority.”

      TALE OF THE TAPE
      Excited, AJ fans?
      Here is your tale of the tape for Saturday night’s big fight.

      FIGHT TO THE FINISH
      Anthony Joshua hasn’t thought about his fight-ending sequence with Oleksandr Usyk.
      He told Sky Sports: “I wish Usyk a great camp, I wish his team well, safe travels. Same with my team.
      “The main thing is we keep boxing alive and we get in there and we put on a good fight. And that’s what we’re here to do.
      “And that’s what I’m here to do, at the end of the day. And he’s here to do the same.
      “But I don’t know how it’s going to end. I don’t know if it’s going to be the jab, the uppercut. Do you know what I mean?
      “I don’t know what shot it’s going to be, [but] I just want to go out there and put on a good show for the people that are going to coming out to watch.
      “Because that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”
      SYK OF IT
      Anthony Joshua has labelled fighting Oleksandr Usyk as the second biggest challenge of his career to date.
      He told the BBC: “On paper, he sits number two, behind Wladimir Klitschko. They’re very different technically, but on paper, he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s number one.
      “But Usyk is number two because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight.
      “One of his strengths is that he’s getting in the ring with me. I’ve got to give him credit for that, it’s going to be tough.”

      JOSH BOSH
      Anthony Joshua has dubbed his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk ‘the perfect storm’ just days before their Tottenham tussle.
      The Watford warrior will defend his unified heavyweight titles against the former undisputed cruiserweight king on Saturday night in a mouth-watering showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The tantalising clash will be a battle of two London 2012 Olympic gold medallists, a little fact that has only served to juice up the contest.
      Alongside a final trailer for the fight, Joshua wrote on Instagram: “The perfect storm.”

      GOOD MORNING BOXING FANS
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to fight this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The bout was put together after Joshua’s dream match with fellow British superstar Tyson Fury was postponed.
      Their highly-anticipated clash was derailed after Fury was ordered to face Deontay Wilder in a rematch.
      Thus, AJ will be putting his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles on the line against Usyk.
      The Ukrainian heavyweight arrived in London on Monday with a very simple message for his opponent.
      The Cat said: “Anthony, hello, I’m here!”
      The 34-year-old looked confident ahead of his big title fight with Joshua in north London.
      AJ is set for a major test this weekend and he understands his opponent could indeed cause an upset, just like Andy Ruiz Jr did a while back.
      In fact, Joshua described Usyk as the second toughest opponent of his career, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      The 31-year-old told BBC Radio 5 Live: “On paper he sits No2, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      “They’re very different technically, but on paper he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s No1.
      “But Usyk is No2 because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight.”
      Meanwhile, the legendary Manny Pacquiao has announced that his boxing career is over.
      Pacquiao said during an appearance on Toni Talks: “My boxing career is already over.
      “It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough.”
      This comes after PacMan, who is also a senator in the Philippines, confirmed he will run for president in next year’s election.
      OTHER PRIORITIES
      Oleksandr Usyk said he doesn’t spend too much time thinking of Anthony Joshua ahead of their match on Saturday.
      Usyk said: “At the moment I don’t think about Anthony Joshua.
      “I don’t think about what he will do, what he will use or how he will box.
      “I have a little bit of timing to finish my training camp now, I might think about it then.
      “Right now I think more about how my son feels at school because he has just started first grade and he really did not want to go and do it.
      “He was saying: ‘I don’t want to go to school, dad. I am bored at school and you’re not there’. But everything is fine now, he seems to have calmed down.
      “So I probably think more about that than what Anthony Joshua will do in the ring”
      OLEK AT THAT
      Oleksandr Usyk reminded boxing fans of his silky footwork ahead of his fight with Anthony Joshua on Saturday.
      A video posted by promoters Matchroom on Instagram showed Usyk in full flow as he danced during a training exercise.
      The 34-year-old had ‘that fight week feeling’ as he finally gets his shot at a second world championship.
      And Ukrainian electro-folk band Kazka were the heavyweight’s backing track as he pulled off the moves in the gym
      Oleksandr Usyk shows off silky dance moves in training ahead of Anthony Joshua showdown
      JOYCE PLAN
      Joe Joyce revealed he wants to take on Anthony Joshua at the Emirates in London.
      Joyce wants to battle Joshua after the latter’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
      When that idea was put to him, he simply said: “That’s the plan.”
      Joshua is taking on Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday
      READY TO JOE
      Joe Joyce claimed Luis Ortiz turned down a fight with him because he didn’t ‘want the smoke’.
      Joyce told iFL TV: “I’m just training, waiting for my fight date, and I should be out before the end of the year. Working on things in the gym, getting stronger, fitter, ready for a world title shot soon coming to you.
      “That was an option [to fight Joseph Parker], but he’s obviously now going to fight Derek Chisora, and there were a few more names.
      “Ortiz was mentioned, but I’m not sure he wants the smoke. But there are other names around the area. We’ll see what we can get.
      “The better person to talk to would be Adam or Sam [Joyce’s managers]. In the back of my mind, that’s what I can remember as the opponents.”
      When asked directly whether Ortiz turned down a fight against him, Joyce then added: “Yeah. He didn’t want a war”
      MORE ON USYK
      Michael Hunter explained why Oleksandr Usyk could hand Anthony Joshua an upset.
      Hunter told Sky Sports: “Even though he doesn’t focus on hitting hard, he has enough power to absorb and withstand punches.
      “He is bulking up and he is taller than me, he has some length to him.
      “He will do exceptionally well. He hasn’t taken any Ls [defeats] and hasn’t been in any trouble since he’s been pro.
      “A lot of people are saying he hasn’t performed to the best of his abilities. Against Joshua, he will have to.
      “He has done it a few times before, like at the Olympics. He is a Grade-A boxer. Joshua is still learning on the job, going through experiences.
      “There is an element of surprise because we don’t know what type of Joshua will come out.
      “We know what type of Usyk will come out, we just don’t know at what level”
      GRADE-A BOXER
      Oleksandr Usyk poses a genuine threat to unified champ Anthony Joshua, according to Michael Hunter.
      Hunter told Sky Sports: “He is fleet-footed and defensive-minded.
      “It will be very difficult to actually get a win over Usyk in a certain fashion.
      “Joshua will have to have a concrete game-plan and follow it. It will be a very hard task.
      “If he pulls it off? Give the man credit. Because this style of fighting, for him, is the most difficult”
      GETTY IMAGES
      ALL A BRIT EASY
      Tyson Fury “annihilated” Deontay Wilder because the American is too one dimensional, according to Anthony Joshua.
      Joshua told Sky Sports: “I believed Tyson Fury could potentially do what he done.
      “I just felt like, Deontay Wilder is a formidable ex-champion and has a chance to come back, but I just knew that when he gets to the top level, it will be difficult, because it’s one thing getting there and it’s another thing staying there.
      “We’ve seen in some of his fights, it’s been difficult for him and then he lands his punch and he’s been victorious.
      “But I always believe that when you go to war, you can’t have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand.
      “Once that was taken away from him, which Fury did, I’m not going to go into tactics, but he was able to annihilate Wilder and expose him for some of his weaknesses.
      “Fury did a great job tactically and I’m looking forward to their rematch”
      HEARN BURN
      Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claims Evander Holyfield’s comeback fight against Vitor Belfort left him “disgusted”.
      Holyfield’s comeback lasted less than two minutes as Belfort overpowered him immediately.
      Hearn told DAZN: “YouTube boxing is one thing, I don’t mind what Jake Paul’s doing.
      “I respect what Jake Paul is doing because one, he’s putting the work in.
      “Two, he’s not fighting boxing-based fighters.
      “And three, he’s promoting the shows, it’s different.
      “Holyfield is not a young YouTuber in a training camp, going out and fighting an MMA guy.
      “This is a guy that is not medically fit to have a fight. For the commission, who we worked with in Florida before, to allow that to happen?
      “I’ll tell you right now, there is absolutely no way the British Boxing Board of Control would even consider allowing that fight to happen.
      “They could have done six rounds. What we saw, it actually disgusted me”
      TRAINING DAY
      Anthony Joshua opened up about his training ahead of the fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
      Joshua told the Daily Mail: “I’ve been training on the edge. Exposing myself to being hit by southpaw partners because of only using my left hand.
      “That’s hard. That hurts. But the basic necessities of living in the pandemic were perfect for me. I like the basics of life. I don’t need a lot to make me happy.
      “More importantly, this has helped me realise that putting yourself in vulnerable situations brings the best out of you.
      “Not being allowed to impose my size and power in those sessions taught me not only the power of deep practice but also the power of the brain.
      “Our brain is like plastic. It is always changing and you can use that to change and improve yourself. To find out more about who you are”
      NUMBER TWO
      Anthony Joshua described his upcoming opponent Oleksandr Usyk as the second toughest opponent of his career, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      Joshua told BBC Radio 5 Live: “On paper he sits No2, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      “They’re very different technically, but on paper he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s No1.
      “But Usyk is No2 because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight”
      GETTY IMAGES
      PACQUIAO RETIRES
      Meanwhile, the legendary Manny Pacquiao has announced that his boxing career is over.
      Pacquiao said during an appearance on Toni Talks: “My boxing career is already over.
      “It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough.”
      This comes after PacMan, who is also a senator in the Philippines, confirmed he will run for president in next year’s election.
      USYK ARRIVES
      Oleksandr Usyk arrived in London today with a very simple message for his opponent Anthony Joshua.
      Usyk said: “Anthony, hello, I’m here!”
      The Ukrainian bruiser looked confident ahead of his big title fight with Joshua in north London.
      AJ is set for a major test on Saturday and he understands his opponent could indeed cause an upset, just like Andy Ruiz Jr did a while back
      BIG FIGHT
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to fight this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The bout was put together after Joshua’s dream match with Tyson Fury was postponed.
      Their highly-anticipated clash was derailed after Fury was ordered to face Deontay Wilder in a rematch.
      Thus, AJ will be putting his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles on the line against Usyk.
      Load more entries… More

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      Mike Tyson pays tribute to Muhammad Ali with incredible throwback picture of boxing legends together

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      BOXING legend Mike Tyson has paid tribute to his idol Muhammad Ali on social media with an incredible throwback photo.As a young up-and-comer, former undisputed heavyweight king Tyson idolised The Greatest – watching his legendary career on TV and on old videos.
      Boxing legend Mike Tyson grew up idolising Muhammad AliCredit: Reuters
      And Iron Mike paid tribute to the late Ali with an incredible throwback Instagram snapCredit: INSTAGRAM@MIKETYSON
      Tyson still holds the late Ali – who passed away in June 2016 – in the highest regard and further expressed his admiration for the sporting icon by uploading an old photo of themselves to Instagram.
      His accompanying caption read: “Still a fan @muhammadali #thegreatest.”
      A 14-year-old Tyson watched his hero in action in 1980 in the penultimate fight of his career, which pitted him against then WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes.
      A 38-year-old Ali was battered by a ferocious Holmes before retiring at the end of the tenth round.
      Tyson – who attended the Vegas fight with his mentor Cus D’Amato – was heartbroken, saying: “I was offended by how bad he beat up Ali.
      “When we drove home to Catskill [about an hour from Albany], nobody in the car said a word, we were all so upset.”

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
      But little did Iron Mike know he would end up speaking to his hero on the phone the very next day.
      Tyson added: “He said to Ali, ‘I have this young black kid who is going to be heavyweight champion someday and I want you to talk to him.”
      In that phone call, a young Tyson vowed to exact revenge on Holmes – whom he’d decimate eight years later.
      He told Ali: “When I grow up, I’ll fight Holmes and I’ll get him back for you.”
      For decades, boxing fans have wondered how a fight between a prime Ali and prime Tyson would go.
      Ali is the most competitive fighter everMike Tyson on Muhammad Ali

      But for Tyson, the answer to that often-asked question is a simple one.
      He told Yahoo Sports: “I know it’s a fantasy game.
      “Most likely I would win the fantasy, but I wouldn’t win the real fight. Ali’s the greatest there’s ever been.”
      Tyson is regarded by many to be the most ferocious fighter in the history of the sport but reckons Ali’s tenacity was greater than his.
      In 2016, he told GQ: “He’ll fight you to the end. He’s really game, like a pitbull or a f*****g rooster.

      “But he looked like a model in his prime! He looked more like a model than a fighter.
      “He was just a dead-game guy. He was dead game. He had too much pride. He refused to lose.”
      He added: “Ali is the most competitive fighter ever.”

      FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEALS

      Muhammad Ali’s grandson Niko Ali Walsh says he has a target on his back More

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      How Anthony Joshua’s opponent Oleksandr Usyk needed ‘Mercy Rule’ to end most humiliating defeat of his career

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      OLEKSANDR USYK needed the ‘Mercy Rule’ to end the most humiliating loss of his amateur career. Usyk was an Olympic champion and also won bronze and gold in the Worlds while representing Ukraine in the unpaid ranks.
      Matvey Korobov beat Oleksandr Usyk in the amateursCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Oleksandr Usyk arriving in London to fight Anthony JoshuaCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
      Since turning professional, he reigned as undisputed cruiserweight king before moving up to heavyweight where he is unbeaten in 18 fights.
      But it is not like Usyk, who challenges Anthony Joshua this Saturday, has never tasted defeat.
      And his most one-sided of all came in 2006 against Russian middleweight Matvey Korobov.
      Korobov was so dominant the Mercy Rule – which means a boxer can be spared by the referee if he is being totally outclassed – was needed.
      He told Sky Sports: “There was a knockdown, there was a stoppage.
      “I think I dropped him off his feet. The referee scored a knockdown. I think that was the end of the round – the second, if I’m not wrong.
      “The third round was stopped by the points, because I was many points ahead of him.”

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
      Usyk, 34, left the amateurs with a record of 335−15, losing also to welterweight Shawn Porter and undefeated Russian powerhouse Artur Beterbiev.
      But as a professional his slick southpaw style has been unmatched and after moving up to heavyweight, he was immediately named WBO mandatory.
      He faces Joshua, 31, for the unified crown at Tottenham’s stadium next, and Korobov insisted there is a way he can ‘easily’ upset the applecart.
      He said: “Of course, he [Joshua] is taller I believe, but Usyk can take this size.
      “With his speed, with his footwork, and he’s southpaw with his combinations, he can beat Joshua with that easily.
      “It could be an easy fight, it could be for both. It could be a hard fight, it could be a short fight. You never know.
      “That level, every punch is dangerous if it’s thrown the right way, at the right time, in the right place.”
      Anthony Joshua defends his titles against Oleksandr UsykCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing
      Oleksandr Usyk sends message to Anthony Joshua after he and team arrive in London wearing matching fluorescent tracksuits More

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      Anthony Joshua calls Oleksandr Usyk fight ‘the perfect storm’ as he gears up for Tottenham tussle with undefeated phenom

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has dubbed his showdown with Oleksandr Usyk “the perfect storm” just days before their Tottenham tussle.The Watford warrior will defend his unified heavyweight titles against the former undisputed cruiserweight king on Saturday night in a mouth-watering showdown at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      Anthony Joshua will defend his unified heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk this wekeend
      Former undisputed cruiserweight king Usyk will be one of Joshua’s toughest tests
      And AJ has dubbed their mouth-watering clash the ‘perfect storm’
      The tantalising clash will be a battle of two London 2012 Olympic gold medallists, a little fact that has only served to juice up the contest.
      Alongside a final trailer for the fight, Joshua wrote on Instagram: “The perfect storm.”
      The fleet-footed and undefeated Usyk won’t be an easy task to overcome for the hard-hitting AJ, who believes The Cat will be the second-biggest challenge of his career.
      He told the BBC: “On paper, he sits number two, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      “They’re very different technically, but on paper, he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s number one.
      “But Usyk is number two because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight.

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
      “One of his strengths is that he’s getting in the ring with me.
      “I’ve got to give him credit for that, it’s going to be tough.”
      Knockout artist Joshua has been tipped by many to be too much to handle for the undersized Usyk, with former heavyweight champ David Haye predicting he’ll stop the fight with a jab.
      AJ, however, hasn’t thought too much about the fight-ending sequence, telling Sky Sports last month: “I was watching [Evander] Holyfield and [James] Quick Tillis today and he was saying how he was gonna come and bring war.
      “And if he wins, he’s gonna fight Tyson and rematch him. And he lost, I think it was in the fifth round.
      The perfect storm.Anthony Joshua on his clash with Oleksandr Usyk
      “So it just shows whatever I say, whatever people say, it only matters when you’re in the ring. I respect it, everyone is entitled.
      “And that’s what I was saying, one day, I’m gonna be that guy on the sidelines.
      “But as for now, I wish Usyk a great camp, I wish his team well, safe travels. Same with my team.
      “The main thing is we keep boxing alive and we get in there and we put on a good fight. And that’s what we’re here to do.
      “And that’s what I’m here to do, at the end of the day. And he’s here to do the same.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk: All the TV, stream and undercard info ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight bout
      “But I don’t know how it’s going to end. I don’t know if it’s going to be the jab, the uppercut. Do you know what I mean?
      “I don’t know what shot it’s going to be, [but] I just want to go out there and put on a good show for the people that are going to coming out to watch.
      “Because that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”

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      Oleksandr Usyk hilariously calls out Anthony Joshua while cycling More

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      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Date, start time UK, TV channel, live stream and full undercard for Saturday’s fight

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA will defend his world heavyweight titles against unbeaten Oleksandr Usyk in a huge showdown THIS WEEKEND.AJ, 31, saw talks for his big fight with Tyson Fury collapse and now takes on No 1 contender Usyk instead in North London.
      It’s Oleksandr Usyk up next for Anthony Joshua
      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
      When is Joshua vs Usyk and what time is fight?

      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk will take place on Saturday, September 25, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The ring walk is scheduled for 10pm.

      Eddie Hearn his stated his belief that the fight will start bang on ten this time around, in contrast to most AJ bouts which end up commencing at closer to 11pm.
      He said: “AJ’s ringwalk will probably be around 10pm, that’s reasonably early.”And I believe the broadcast will start around 7pm. So that will be five fights and then Anthony Joshua”
      🥊 Boxing schedule 2021: Joshua vs Usyk NEXT WEEK, Fury vs Wilder 3 DATE 🥊
      What TV channel and live stream is it on?

      Who is fighting on the undercard?
      The confirmed fights for the Joshua vs Usyk undercard are as follows:

      Lawrence Okolie vs Dilan Prasovic
      Callum Smith vs Lenin Castillo
      Maxim Prodan vs Florian Marku
      Campbell Hatton vs Izan Dura

      How the fighters compare
      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      What have they said?
      Joshua: “I wanted to go like August but change of opponent, completely different style, the team said push it back a little bit, prepare properly.
      “This is a fight I need to win because I was at the final destination on that road to undisputed but now we have a pit stop we have to make with Usyk.” More

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      Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk LIVE: Build-up for huge heavyweight fight, Ukrainian ARRIVES in London – latest updates

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      IT’S been a long wait – but Anthony Joshua is finally back in action this weekend.AJ returns to a full house at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, taking on feared Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in a potential classic in the capital.
      Usyk and his team have touched down in the UK and the countdown is well and truly on to Saturday’s showdown.

      Weigh in: Friday, September 24 @ 2.30pm
      Fight date: Saturday, September 25
      UK start time: Estimated to be around 10.30pm

      Follow ALL the latest build-up and updates with our live blog below…

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      OTHER PRIORITIES
      Oleksandr Usyk said he doesn’t spend too much time thinking of Anthony Joshua ahead of their match on Saturday.
      Usyk said: “At the moment I don’t think about Anthony Joshua.
      “I don’t think about what he will do, what he will use or how he will box.
      “I have a little bit of timing to finish my training camp now, I might think about it then.
      “Right now I think more about how my son feels at school because he has just started first grade and he really did not want to go and do it.
      “He was saying: ‘I don’t want to go to school, dad. I am bored at school and you’re not there’. But everything is fine now, he seems to have calmed down.
      “So I probably think more about that than what Anthony Joshua will do in the ring”
      OLEK AT THAT
      Oleksandr Usyk reminded boxing fans of his silky footwork ahead of his fight with Anthony Joshua on Saturday.
      A video posted by promoters Matchroom on Instagram showed Usyk in full flow as he danced during a training exercise.
      The 34-year-old had ‘that fight week feeling’ as he finally gets his shot at a second world championship.
      And Ukrainian electro-folk band Kazka were the heavyweight’s backing track as he pulled off the moves in the gym
      Oleksandr Usyk shows off silky dance moves in training ahead of Anthony Joshua showdown
      JOYCE PLAN
      Joe Joyce revealed he wants to take on Anthony Joshua at the Emirates in London.
      Joyce wants to battle Joshua after the latter’s clash with Oleksandr Usyk.
      When that idea was put to him, he simply said: “That’s the plan.”
      Joshua is taking on Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this Saturday
      READY TO JOE
      Joe Joyce claimed Luis Ortiz turned down a fight with him because he didn’t ‘want the smoke’.
      Joyce told iFL TV: “I’m just training, waiting for my fight date, and I should be out before the end of the year. Working on things in the gym, getting stronger, fitter, ready for a world title shot soon coming to you.
      “That was an option [to fight Joseph Parker], but he’s obviously now going to fight Derek Chisora, and there were a few more names.
      “Ortiz was mentioned, but I’m not sure he wants the smoke. But there are other names around the area. We’ll see what we can get.
      “The better person to talk to would be Adam or Sam [Joyce’s managers]. In the back of my mind, that’s what I can remember as the opponents.”
      When asked directly whether Ortiz turned down a fight against him, Joyce then added: “Yeah. He didn’t want a war”
      MORE ON USYK
      Michael Hunter explained why Oleksandr Usyk could hand Anthony Joshua an upset.
      Hunter told Sky Sports: “Even though he doesn’t focus on hitting hard, he has enough power to absorb and withstand punches.
      “He is bulking up and he is taller than me, he has some length to him.
      “He will do exceptionally well. He hasn’t taken any Ls [defeats] and hasn’t been in any trouble since he’s been pro.
      “A lot of people are saying he hasn’t performed to the best of his abilities. Against Joshua, he will have to.
      “He has done it a few times before, like at the Olympics. He is a Grade-A boxer. Joshua is still learning on the job, going through experiences.
      “There is an element of surprise because we don’t know what type of Joshua will come out.
      “We know what type of Usyk will come out, we just don’t know at what level”
      GRADE-A BOXER
      Oleksandr Usyk poses a genuine threat to unified champ Anthony Joshua, according to Michael Hunter.
      Hunter told Sky Sports: “He is fleet-footed and defensive-minded.
      “It will be very difficult to actually get a win over Usyk in a certain fashion.
      “Joshua will have to have a concrete game-plan and follow it. It will be a very hard task.
      “If he pulls it off? Give the man credit. Because this style of fighting, for him, is the most difficult”
      GETTY IMAGES
      ALL A BRIT EASY
      Tyson Fury “annihilated” Deontay Wilder because the American is too one dimensional, according to Anthony Joshua.
      Joshua told Sky Sports: “I believed Tyson Fury could potentially do what he done.
      “I just felt like, Deontay Wilder is a formidable ex-champion and has a chance to come back, but I just knew that when he gets to the top level, it will be difficult, because it’s one thing getting there and it’s another thing staying there.
      “We’ve seen in some of his fights, it’s been difficult for him and then he lands his punch and he’s been victorious.
      “But I always believe that when you go to war, you can’t have one weapon in your arsenal, which was his right hand.
      “Once that was taken away from him, which Fury did, I’m not going to go into tactics, but he was able to annihilate Wilder and expose him for some of his weaknesses.
      “Fury did a great job tactically and I’m looking forward to their rematch”
      HEARN BURN
      Anthony Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn claims Evander Holyfield’s comeback fight against Vitor Belfort left him “disgusted”.
      Holyfield’s comeback lasted less than two minutes as Belfort overpowered him immediately.
      Hearn told DAZN: “YouTube boxing is one thing, I don’t mind what Jake Paul’s doing.
      “I respect what Jake Paul is doing because one, he’s putting the work in.
      “Two, he’s not fighting boxing-based fighters.
      “And three, he’s promoting the shows, it’s different.
      “Holyfield is not a young YouTuber in a training camp, going out and fighting an MMA guy.
      “This is a guy that is not medically fit to have a fight. For the commission, who we worked with in Florida before, to allow that to happen?
      “I’ll tell you right now, there is absolutely no way the British Boxing Board of Control would even consider allowing that fight to happen.
      “They could have done six rounds. What we saw, it actually disgusted me”
      TRAINING DAY
      Anthony Joshua opened up about his training ahead of the fight with Oleksandr Usyk.
      Joshua told the Daily Mail: “I’ve been training on the edge. Exposing myself to being hit by southpaw partners because of only using my left hand.
      “That’s hard. That hurts. But the basic necessities of living in the pandemic were perfect for me. I like the basics of life. I don’t need a lot to make me happy.
      “More importantly, this has helped me realise that putting yourself in vulnerable situations brings the best out of you.
      “Not being allowed to impose my size and power in those sessions taught me not only the power of deep practice but also the power of the brain.
      “Our brain is like plastic. It is always changing and you can use that to change and improve yourself. To find out more about who you are”
      NUMBER TWO
      Anthony Joshua described his upcoming opponent Oleksandr Usyk as the second toughest opponent of his career, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      Joshua told BBC Radio 5 Live: “On paper he sits No2, behind Wladimir Klitschko.
      “They’re very different technically, but on paper he’s an Olympic gold medallist, he reigned for over 10 years, he’s No1.
      “But Usyk is No2 because of his success at cruiserweight and then his success so far at heavyweight”
      GETTY IMAGES
      PACQUIAO RETIRES
      Meanwhile, the legendary Manny Pacquiao has announced that his boxing career is over.
      Pacquiao said during an appearance on Toni Talks: “My boxing career is already over.
      “It’s done because I’ve been in boxing for a long time and my family says that it is enough.”
      This comes after PacMan, who is also a senator in the Philippines, confirmed he will run for president in next year’s election.
      USYK ARRIVES
      Oleksandr Usyk arrived in London today with a very simple message for his opponent Anthony Joshua.
      Usyk said: “Anthony, hello, I’m here!”
      The Ukrainian bruiser looked confident ahead of his big title fight with Joshua in north London.
      AJ is set for a major test on Saturday and he understands his opponent could indeed cause an upset, just like Andy Ruiz Jr did a while back
      BIG FIGHT
      Anthony Joshua and Oleksandr Usyk are set to fight this Saturday at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      The bout was put together after Joshua’s dream match with Tyson Fury was postponed.
      Their highly-anticipated clash was derailed after Fury was ordered to face Deontay Wilder in a rematch.
      Thus, AJ will be putting his WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles on the line against Usyk.
      ‘GRADE-A BOXER’
      Heavyweight Michael Hunter believes Oleksandr Usyk poses a genuine threat to unified champ Anthony Joshua.
      Hunter suffered his only career defeat to date against the undefeated Ukrainian in April 2017 and has warned AJ about his ability.
      Discussing Usyk’s talents with Sky Sports, Hunter, 33, said: “He is fleet-footed and defensive-minded.
      “It will be very difficult to actually get a win over Usyk in a certain fashion.
      “Joshua will have to have a concrete game-plan and follow it. It will be a very hard task.
      “If he pulls it off? Give the man credit. Because this style of fighting, for him, is the most difficult.”

      READY TO JOE
      Joe Joyce has claimed fellow heavyweight rival Luis Ortiz turned down a fight with him because he didn’t ‘want the smoke’.
      The 36-year-old Brit is currently awaiting his world title opportunity after his win over Daniel Dubois last year put him in the position as mandatory challenger for Anthony Joshua’s WBO strap.
      Speaking to iFL TV, he said: “I’m just training, waiting for my fight date, and I should be out before the end of the year. Working on things in the gym, getting stronger, fitter, ready for a world title shot soon coming to you.
      “That was an option [to fight Joseph Parker], but he’s obviously now going to fight Derek Chisora, and there were a few more names.
      “[Luis] Ortiz was mentioned, but I’m not sure he wants the smoke. But there are other names around the area. We’ll see what we can get.
      “The better person to talk to would be Adam or Sam [Joyce’s managers]. In the back of my mind, that’s what I can remember as the opponents.”
      When asked directly whether Ortiz turned down a fight against him, Joyce then added: “Yeah. He didn’t want a war.”

      BRAWN TO WIN
      Anthony Joshua is tired of hearing about how his fight with Oleksandr Usyk is just a battle between the Ukrainian’s brilliant brain and his incredible brawn.
      AJ said: “If it was just about that, I wouldn’t be motivated to get out of bed, to train, to put the yards in, to fatigue myself physically, mentally, to recover in the space of six or seven hours and go back and do it again in the morning.
      “The positive affirmations, deep practice, practicing on the edge, being vulnerable. All of these kinds of things make a good fighter, it’s not just about being the big man.
      “You can see I’ve thrown myself into improving at a deeper level, because if it was just about being big then I’d go in that ring and knock him out in 20 seconds.
      “The first punch and every opponent should drop. But, what I realised over the years is that it’s not about that, it’s about angles, timing, setting punches up, concentration, understanding what’s coming back and outclassing an opponent in all those departments.
      “If you follow your As, Bs and Cs it leads to your KOs.”
      NO JOSHING ABOUT
      Anthony Joshua warned Oleksandr Usyk that his intimidation tactics will mean nothing as he towers over him on Saturday.
      After the Ukraine southpaw, 34, outpointed Derek Chisora in October, he searched for AJ in the Wembley arena crowd and warned him he is next.
      And he was at Joshua’s 2018 Wembley Stadium win over Alexander Povetkin, staring deeply into the celebrating Brit hero’s eyes like a comic villain.
      But the WBA, IBF and WBO king — who at 6ft 6in — is two inches taller and usually around three stone heavier than the former undisputed cruiserweight champ — says all those mind games will count for nothing when they step in the ring.
      When asked how that awkward Halloween meeting felt, AJ said: “It was an interesting moment.
      “I saw him in the flesh and I saw things, I was telling Del to throw things but it is so different when you are in there in front of your opponent.
      “He has been to a lot of my fights and seen certain things but when I am in front of him he will know it is a different ball game.”
      CHILD’S PLAY
      Oleksandr Usyk claims he is more worried about his son’s first month at school than fighting Anthony Joshua.
      Ukraine’s 34-year-old former undisputed cruiserweight king gets a crack at the Brit icon’s WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles at the Tottenham Stadium on Saturday.
      Ahead of the fight, the ice-cool fighter said: “At the moment I don’t think about Anthony Joshua. I don’t think about what he will do, what he will use or how he will box.
      “I have a little bit of timing to finish my training camp now, I might think about it then. Right now I think more about how my son feels at school because he has just started first grade and he really did not want to go and do it.
      “He was saying: ‘I don’t want to go to school, dad. I am bored at school and you’re not there.’ But everything is fine now, he seems to have calmed down. So I probably think more about that than what Anthony Joshuua will do in the ring.”

      PPV PRICE IS IN
      It’s a sell-out show this weekend at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – 60,000 punters in the arena – so the majority of you settling in to watch AJ’s return from the sofa.
      The bout is being shown on Sky Sports Box Office, with the official PPV price now revealed to be £24.95.
      After this fight, AJ becomes a free agent as his deal with Sky runs out – so watch this space on how things shape up going forward.
      For the time being, you can purchase the fight through your SkyQ Box or by heading to the Sky Sports Box Office website – you DON’T have to be a Sky customer to purchase.

      ‘I’M COMING FOR YOU’
      Usyk has been prepping for his first crack at a heavyweight belt in his homeland of Ukraine, which he left this morning onboard a private plane.
      The Cat shared snaps of himself and his team about to board a private jet to Instagram earlier.
      And his entire entourage donned fluorescent turquoise tracksuits for the trip.

      AJ VS USYK
      It seems like a long time since we last saw heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua strutting his stuff in the ring.
      Watford’s finest is set to return to action this Saturday for the first time in 2021, almost ten long months since dispatching Kubrat Pulev in brutal fashion at Wembley.
      And if there’s any ring rust he’ll have to make sure it doesn’t last long, because his opponent Olesandr Usyk is not here to play games.
      The feared Ukrainian has a pro record of 18-0 and stepped up to heavyweight after dominating at world level as a cruiserweight – just ask Tony Bellew.
      We last saw Usyk in October last year when he saw off Dereck Chisora, with Del Boy taking him the distance that night after a blood and thunder battle.
      This might not be the unification between AJ and Tyson Fury that everyone wanted post-lockdown, but it’s still got the potential to be an absolute corker.
      We’re here to guide you through fight week, with pressers, the weigh in and undercard chat to keep you going until the ring walks on Saturday night.
      Stay tuned – with AJ around, things are never dull.

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      Anthony Joshua insists he’s ‘solid as a rock’ and tired of questions about his slim physique for Usyk clash

      by

      ANTHONY JOSHUA is tired of questions about his slimline figure and ready to bulldoze his diet-obsessed doubters.When Andy Ruiz Jr stunned AJ in June 2019 critics blamed his hulking muscles, saying he was more into pumping iron than throwing punches.
      Anthony Joshua is tired of questions about his physique for Saturday’s showdown with Oleksandr UsykCredit: Instagram @anthonyjoshua
      The heavyweight champ is expected to enter the ring around 17 stone
      Having slimmed down to dominate the Mexican over 12 cautious rounds six months later, he had apparently surrendered all his punch power.
      Ahead of Saturday’s WBA, WBO and IBF defence against dangerous southpaw Oleksandr Usyk, 34, his physique is again being focused on.
      But anyone too worried about the size of his chest, biceps or inner thigh are in for a jab of sarcasm.
      Joshua, 31, snapped: “I’m going to come in light. Run around the ring, try not to get hit.
      “I’ll be on my bike all night. I don’t want to get out of 140 heartbeats per minute, so I’m really skinny.”
      The champ is set to bounce into the ring at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium around 17st.
      And in a more serious tone, he added: “Listen, I’m as solid as a rock. I’m strong, I’m good at the weight. I don’t really focus on my weight. It’s just training. I just put in the work.
      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1

      “These are different opponents and I’ve learnt about training for specific opponents. These guys go longer rounds.
      “When you’re knocking out guys in three or four rounds, it’s different. I studied boxing and what works for me and weight is not a priority.”
      Usyk won Olympic heavyweight gold at London 2012, on the same weekend that AJ triumphed in the super-heavy ranks. The leftie went on to become undisputed champion of the 14st 4lb cruiserweight division and now wants a crack at immortality by stepping up massively in class.
      But AJ — unable to secure unification bouts with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury — just sees another boxing chancer trying to boost his profile and bank balance with a fight against the golden goose.
      He said: “I just fight these guys, no problem. They get a lot out of it as well. They come into our world — everything we’ve tried to build, they benefit massively from it.
      “It’s annoying because all these opponents come for a week or two, speak a good game, generate big social media following, generate prizefighting money then disappear.
      “With boxing, we’re just in a different place now. But what can I do about it except continue fighting?
      “That’s all I can do, play my part in this business.”
      Joshua produced fireworks last time he boxed a Ukrainian.
      Against Wladimir Klitschko at Wembley in 2017 he had to climb off the canvas and survive a huge scare before stopping the ring legend.
      But the crazy competitor in AJ fancies another tear-up for the ages.
      He added: “For me it was just a good time, a good fight. Will we top that? Maybe. Let’s see if Usyk wants to go down that route.
      “Let’s see if he can put me in some adversity and if I can put him in some adversity.
      “As you saw with the Ruiz fight, even though it was a tough night I just kept getting up.
      “I’ll always get up on my feet and try to fight. I’ll always give you entertaining nights.”
      Klitschko, now 45, was a mentor to AJ before that magnificent clash and has remained one.
      But asked how Klitschko has been about him fighting a fellow Ukrainian, Joshua said: “He’s actually been very quiet in this build-up.
      “I spoke to him at the start and he said, ‘I’m not taking sides’.
      “‘Good luck’ — that’s all he said. That’s all I’ve heard from him.”
      Fight fans are entitled to fear that we will never see Joshua face Fury, 33, or Wilder, 35, but they can hope he might hang around for the next generation of giants.
      Asked about retirement, he said: “You’ve got 36 to 40. How many years do you go beyond that?
      “Do you do the full lot to 40? That’s where Floyd Mayweather went, Alexander Povetkin, Klitschko, guys in my generation. Manny Pacquiao went a bit further.
      “Forty seems like the age where they’re like, ‘OK, you’ve done a long time.’ So 36 to 40 is when I start making decisions.
      “I’m 32 in October so I’ve still got some good years ahead.”
      Oleksandr Usyk and team head to London for Anthony Joshua fight in private jet wearing matching fluorescent tracksuits More

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      Watch Oleksandr Usyk show off silky dance moves in training ahead of Anthony Joshua showdown as he arrives in London

      by

      OLEKSANDR USYK reminded boxing fans of his silky footwork ahead of going toe-to-toe with Anthony Joshua on Saturday.A video posted by promoters Matchroom on Instagram showed the heavyweight challenger in full flow as he danced during a training exercise.
      Oleksandr Usyk is set to do battle with Anthony Joshua on SaturdayCredit: Instagram @usykaa
      The 34-year-old had, as the post put it, ‘that fight week feeling’ as he finally gets his shot at a second world championship.
      And Ukrainian electro-folk band Kazka were his backing track as he pulled off the moves in the gym.
      Having conquered the cruiserweight division, Usyk faces Joshua in Tottenham hoping to land the Brit’s heavyweight belts.
      On Monday, the fighter and his team landed in London while donning matching tracksuits.
      Despite only facing two 91kg fights to date, Usyk is a fierce opponent with an unbeaten 18-0 pro record.
      The ring walk is expected to take place at around 10pm on Saturday following an undercard featuring Campbell Hatton, Callum Smith and Lawrence Okolie.

      BETTING SPECIAL – GET JOSHUA TO WIN IN ROUNDS 1-6 AT 60/1 OR ANYTIME AT 25/1
      After landing in the UK, Usyk insisted he was content to put the fight to the back of his mind.
      The man known as the Cat said: “At the moment I don’t think about Anthony Joshua.
      “I don’t think about what he will do, what he will use or how he will box.
      “I have a little bit of timing to finish my training camp now, I might think about it then.

      🥊 Joshua vs Usyk: All the TV, stream and undercard info ahead of Saturday’s heavyweight bout
      “Right now I think more about how my son feels at school because he has just started first grade and he really did not want to go and do it.
      “He was saying: ‘I don’t want to go to school, dad. I am bored at school and you’re not there’. But everything is fine now, he seems to have calmed down.
      “So I probably think more about that than what Anthony Joshua will do in the ring.”

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      Joe Joyce says Luis Ortiz doesn’t want ‘the smoke’ and eyes Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk winner More