Heavyweight boxing

DEONTAY WILDER had fans fearing for Anthony Joshua in his latest training clip. The American is back in the gym preparing for his next fight, having confirmed his interest in facing AJ.
Deontay Wilder had fans fearing for Anthony Joshua in his latest training clipCredit: https://twitter.com/LoveBoxingTV/status/1651508998233882624
Wilder showed off his amazing shape and new-and-improved jab, which caused an earth-shattering noise on the pads.
And after letting go of one of his famously brutal right hands, fans voiced their concern for Joshua.
One said: “Knocks AJ out within two rounds real talk.”
Another added: “Good luck to AJ.”
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One claimed: “This jab knocks out most people.”
Wilder, 37, has not boxed since knocking out Robert Helenius, 39, in the opening round of his October comeback bout last year.
But he has been continually linked with a super-fight against Joshua, 33, following years of failed talks.
Now, the blockbuster bout could become a reality after Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn flew out this week for talks in Saudi Arabia.
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And he claimed AJ is in line to face either Wilder or Tyson Fury as a result.
The Bronze Bomber’s team have already given their green light for the fight – and now so too has the man himself.
Wilder told iFL TV: “We got a lot of different options right now at this moment in time. Joshua, everybody.
“I think a lot of people is going to get that dream fight everyone wants to see.”

Anthony Joshua is lined up to fight Deontay WilderCredit: Getty More

EDDIE HEARN has flown into Saudi Arabia to hold advanced talks over a super-fight in December for Anthony Joshua. Hosts in the Middle East are hoping to pit the heavyweight elite against each other in a tournament-style format.
Anthony Joshua and promoter Eddie HearnCredit: PA
Eddie Hearn has flown into Saudi Arabia for fight talksCredit: https://www.instagram.com/eddiehearn/
It would see the prospect of Tyson Fury, 34, unifying the titles against Oleksandr Usyk, 36, after their failed talks to do so in April.
And Joshua, 33, would meet Wilder, 37, in an anticipated blockbuster years in the making.
The stunning and lucrative plan has now moved a step closer after Hearn landed in Riyadh for talks.
Joshua twice boxed in Saudi before, beating Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, in Diriyah in 2019 but losing to Usyk last August in Jeddah.
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Both AJ, Wilder and their respected camps have given the mega-fight the green light.
And Usyk’s side are also on board with fighting Fury in the desert despite their collapse of talks earlier in the year.
A deal for the first ever four-belt undisputed decider broke down amid a row over the financials for a potential rematch.
Usyk is now set to face WBA mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois, 25, with Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, in talks to fight Fury in London.
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But the Ukrainian’s promoter Alex Krassyuk has kept the door open to a future unification bout and passed the buck on their opposition.
Krassyuk told BT Sport Boxing: “Oleksandr Usyk and his team are known to be the easiest people to deal with in the world of boxing.
“So there’s only one thing still pending and it’s a complex personality who goes back and forth, playing his games to try and squeeze as much money as possible. That was the reason why Usyk called him greedy belly!”
Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS More

ANDY RUIZ JR appears to have confirmed he will be Tyson Fury’s next opponent.Fury hasn’t competed since December when he beat Derek Chisora and extended his undefeated streak to a whopping 34 fights.
Tyson Fury’s next fight appears to have been leaked by his next opponentCredit: Getty
Andy Ruiz Jr claims he will fight Fury on July 22 in the United KingdomCredit: Getty
Ruiz issued a story on Instagram teasing a fight with Fury
The Gypsy King was strongly linked with a heavyweight showdown against Oleksandr Usyk as well as fellow Brit Anthony Joshua but talks fell through on both fronts.
But the Mancunian bruiser’s next fight appears to have been leaked by Ruiz himself.
The Destroyer strongly hinted at an imminent clash with Fury as he took to Instagram and said the two have reached an “official” agreement.
The Mexican-American also wrote that the bout will take place on July 22 in the UK.
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Ruiz issued a picture of him and Fury with the following caption: “Tyson Fury vs Andy Ruiz is official! July 22nd.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn was the first to leak a potential showdown between the two heavyweights.
Hearn is also confident Fury will finally collide with his fighter Joshua in December to cap off a mouthwatering boxing year.
He said: “AJ wants to fight in the summer, we want him to fight.
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“But at the same time he’s being spoken to about potential fights with Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury in December where maybe the people involved with those fights don’t want him to have another fight. And contractually he might not be able to.
“There have been no negotiations at all about this fight but I’m flying out there next week because there have been some discussions.
“I’ll tell you now, subject to the deal which will not be a problem with these people because we’ve done various fights with them, AJ will fight Deontay Wilder or Tyson Fury in December – no problem at all.
“July, I can’t tell you about. I want him to fight. Derrick James wants him to fight.
“I believe all those other fighters involved will fight in the interim. So I think it would be good if AJ did too.” More

TYSON FURY is the only fighter holding up the potential four-man tournament from happening in December, claims Oleksandr Usyk’s manager.Talks have been going on for weeks for Saudi Arabia to host a mega night of boxing that would shake-up the heavyweight division.
Tyson Fury is the one allegedly holding up talks for the mega night in SaudiCredit: Getty
The landmark event would see Anthony Joshua battle Deontay Wilder before Fury and Usyk go one-on-one to unify the titles.
Both AJ and the Bronze Bomber have said they want to make it happen and have reportedly been easy to negotiate with.
However, Alex Krassyuk, who manages Usyk, says Fury’s “complex personality” has proven to be a major obstacle in the discussions.
Klismas told BT Sport Boxing: ““From my perspective and from my experience, AJ is not a very complicated person to deal with.
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“Deontay Wilder and Shelley Finkel are very reasonable people … we got in touch with him a couple of weeks ago for the first time in 10 years and we had quite a long conversation.
“I don’t think it would be a big challenge for anyone to make a deal with him.”
He then added: “Oleksandr Usyk and his team are known to be the easiest people to deal with in the world of boxing.
“So there’s only one thing still pending and it’s a complex personality who goes back and forth, playing his games to try and squeeze as much money as possible. That was the reason why Usyk called him greedy belly!”
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Both Krassyuk and Joshua’s Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn have confirmed talks for the four-man tournament have taken place.
But the Gypsy King blasted them on Instagram: “I can confirm that these rumours are absolute bulls***.”
Fury has since been linked to a return to the ring against Andy Ruiz Jr on July 22, although no confirmation has yet been made.
Usyk, who is expected to face Daniel Dubois next, saw talks collapse to fight Fury on April 29.
Krassyuk added that he feels the Brit is making a huge mistake in not taking on the Ukrainian as he added that discussions with Dubois’ chief George Warren have started.
He added: “Yes he is the champion and yes he has the right to do things that he wants to do, but at the end of the day he is a professional boxer and his main assignment is to perform for the boxing fans.
“That’s why I think that if this fight does not take place it would be one of the biggest mistakes Tyson Fury could make in his career.” More

ZHILEI ZHANG has punched his way into title contention as a top five heavyweight contender after battering Joe Joyce. The 2012 Olympic silver medallist stunned Joyce this month with a brutal sixth-round stoppage victory.

Joyce’s right eye was so grotesquely swollen the referee had no choice but to wave it off following advice from the ringside medic.
The win meant Zhang, 39, inherited the WBO interim title and mandatory position for Oleksandr Usyk’s title.
He also moved up to fourth in the Ring Magazine rankings with Joyce, 37, down to seven following the first loss in his career.
Usyk still leads the way at the top with the Ring, WBA, IBF and WBO belts to his name.
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But he was unable to unify all four belts for the first time in heavyweight history as talks to fight Tyson Fury broke down.
As a result, Fury sits just behind with old rival Deontay Wilder named in second.
Anthony Joshua is placed in third but could leap above Wilder with the two in talks to fight in Saudi Arabia in December.
Andy Ruiz Jr sits in fifth and is in line to face Fury this summer following the collapse of the undisputed title decider.
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Dillian Whyte is sixth, a place above Joyce, and wants to rematch AJ in the summer having not fought since November,
Elsewhere, Luis Ortiz is eighth, Joseph Parker in ninth and Filip Hrgovic ranking just inside the top ten.
It means the likes of Daniel Dubois and Otto Wallin sit outside the Ring Magazine rankings.
Oleksandr Usyk with his heavyweight belts including Ring Magazine versionCredit: Reuters More