Heavyweight boxing

FORMER two-weight world champion Bernard Hopkins believes Anthony Joshua will stop Tyson Fury in their expected dust-up next year.
The 55-year-old American – who now works as a promoter for Golden Boy – has backed AJ to make a statement when he finally faces his British rival inside the ring.

Boxing legend Bernard Hopkins believes Anthony Joshua will be too good for Tyson FuryCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Joshua has been vocal in his desire to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999Credit: Richard Pelham – The Sun

It was revealed in June that Fury and Joshua have agreed a two-fight deal in 2021 providing they both emerge victorious in their next bouts.
Fury is currently wrangling with Deontay Wilder over whether they have a trilogy fight while Joshua must get past Kubrat Pulev tonight with his WBA, WBO and IBF belts on the line.
Discussing the dream match-up between the two, Hopkins – who won 55 out 67 fights in the paid ranks – has stated that Joshua’s experience will see him earn a late stoppage.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Toe 2 Toe podcast earlier this year, he said: “Joshua vs Fury is a fight that both guys could win or lose.

“I like Joshua to be tested, to get his feelings hurt early – that might be a knock-down but he will get up.
“Because of the lesson that he learned being, not unprepared, but overconfident he paid a big price. He redeemed himself.
“Now that is in his memory – what not to do ever again – Joshua beats Fury by knockout late.
“It will be an interesting, exciting five or six rounds at the beginning. Then Joshua’s athleticism, boxing IQ and experience would overwhelm Fury.

Fury, 31, faces Deontay Wilder in a third WBC title fight later this yearCredit: Richard Pelham

“Joshua would come out of a dust-storm based on his experience.
“At this point he has to make a really serious statement based on [the Andy Ruiz Jr loss]. Redemption.
“This fight is Joshua’s stamp of approval of being great. He’s not there yet. He is in legacy building mode.”

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ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury could reportedly make £100MILLION EACH from a world title showdown in the Middle East next year.
The British heavyweight giants are set to meet in 2021 providing AJ beats Kubrat Pulev tonight.

Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could make £100M EACH from their Battle of Britain fight in 2021Credit: �Dave Thompson/Matchroom

The pair are due to meet next year and a Middle East setting could bag them the eye-watering sumCredit: PA:Press Association

After Fury, 32, dethroned Deontay Wilder, 35, of the WBC crown in February 2020, it set him up to face WBA, IBF and WBO king AJ in a historic undisputed title decider.
But AJ was unwilling to discuss the potential Battle of Britain at his weigh ahead of the Pulev fight on Friday.
And asked why the Londoner was so reluctant to engage in conversation about the Gypsy King, Gareth Davies told iFL TV: “Well he’s fighting Kubrat Pulev on Saturday night.
“In a fight that’s arguably worth £100m to him.

“Eddie Hearn revealed to me in the last couple of days that he thinks if the fight goes to the Middle East there’s a £200m purse for these two fellas.”
Hearn revealed this week he is ‘close to 100 per cent confident’ the pair will meet in 2021.
But the Matchroom promoter also warned of the dangers Joshua faces if he overlooks his upcoming challenge against Pulev, as was the case when he lost to Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019.
The promoter admitted AJ has an ‘edgy’ feel about him, but hopes it will fuel his focus ahead of what threatens to be another banana skin.

Hearn told BBC Sport: “I am as close to 100 per cent as I can be that the Fury fight will happen if AJ wins on Saturday.
“All we’ve got to do is win and I don’t know if that is why AJ is a bit edgy.
“Is he trying to make himself edgy to make sure he is switched on in the fight?
“Maybe against Ruiz in the first fight he wasn’t edgy but I think he has really invested his time in improving since that Ruiz fight and he really wants to show those improvements.”

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ANTHONY JOSHUA makes his long-awaited return to the ring tonight, a little over a year after he reclaimed the unified heavyweight titles with a dominant performance against Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia. The Watford warrior’s first bout on British soil in over two years – which takes place at the SSE Wembley Arena in […] More