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      Anthony Joshua REFUSES to rule out sensational trilogy against Oleksandr Usyk and admits he ‘let a lot of people down’

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA has not ruled out a third fight with Oleksandr Usyk as he prepares to return to the ring this weekend.The Brit, 33, suffered two successive losses to the Ukrainian between September 2021 and August 2022 as he was outboxed by the former undisputed cruiserweight champion.
      Anthony Joshua lost twice to Oleksandr Usyk in London and Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
      On Saturday, he will step into the ring for the first time since that second loss to Usyk in Saudi Arabia when he faces American Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena.
      Joshua is hoping an impressive victory can open up the door to bouts with the likes of Dillian Whyte, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder.
      But he is also refusing to rule out a third fight with Usyk as he looks to avenge those back-to-back losses.
      Speaking to Boxing King Media about his most recent defeats, he said: “Yeah, I let many people down, so I deserve the stick I get as well.
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      “I always have high expectations from myself, but against Usyk, I was in with a really good operator, and I would definitely relish the opportunity to fight him again.”
      Joshua will attempt to turn his recent fortunes around in London this weekend off the back of three defeats in five fights.
      Yet despite his recent results, he insists a mouthwatering all-British dust-up with Fury is still very much on the table.
      The Gypsy King’s negotiations for an undisputed clash with Usyk broke down earlier this month.
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      And AJ claims the disappointment surrounding that fight not taking place mean Fury needs to deliver an opponent of the calibre of himself.
      Joshua said: “There’s no better time to get Fury in the ring than now because he needs me to redeem himself from this circus, this letdown.
      “He needs me so there’s no better time than for him to call my name out and I’m someone that will take on any challenge.”
      Joshua returns against Jermaine Franklin, right, this weekendCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More

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      Money is my love language… I’d rather use it to help people than show off with 50 Range Rovers, says Anthony Joshua

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA says money is NOT his real boxing motivation — but cash is the only currency he can show his love in right now.The 33-year-old has been ruthlessly dedicated to boxing since he turned 18 and compared the sacrifice required and loneliness to a prison sentence.
      Brit heavyweight Anthony Joshua says money is his ‘love language’ because of what it enables him to do for others and charityCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      Michigan boxer Jermaine Franklin is ready for his big shot at Joshua this SaturdayCredit: Alamy
      His rewards have been London 2012 Olympic gold, two heavyweight world title runs and millions of pounds.
      But the costs have been his private and social lives, emotional connections and — especially since he moved his camp for Saturday’s Jermaine Franklin clash to Dallas — time with his seven-year-old son JJ.
      And that is part of the reason he made a flippant remark recently about cash being king, when really Watford hero Joshua just wants to be the King of Herts.
      He said: “Money was just the first thing that came into my mind but it’s about legacy as well. The reason I said money was I know how much it helps people.

      “Money is my love language because I can’t be there physically or emotionally because I am working but I can wire you some cash.
      “I know how much finances help and I do a lot of charity work that needs funding.”
      Joshua’s commitment to his community and his roots cannot be questioned. He still returns to Finchley ABC to train and inspire impressionable youths and  hopes to show them how to achieve similar success.
      He added: “I know what it’s like have nothing and nobody give you a look-in or care.
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      “I am not saying ‘money’ because I am some baller buying fifty Range Rovers and saying, ‘F*** you, you can’t come and sit in my car’.
      “I’ll get 50 Range Rovers so everyone can feel what it’s like to sit in one, be inspired and come up with a plan where we can all get one.”
      As he looks forward to Saturday’s clash with Franklin at London’s O2 Arena, AJ accepts the mistakes he has made in his recent fights.
      There were too many chefs cooking up chaos in his corner for the last few fights. Rob McCracken was undermined for the Andy Ruiz rematch when Joshua added two unproven trainers in Joby Clayton and Angel Fernandez.
      Team GB mastermind McCracken and Clayton were then axed after the first Usyk loss and fight fans were excited when respected Robert Garcia was appointed and improved the rerun performance, albeit another loss.
      But that haphazard running of Team AJ points to a lack of leadership — perhaps too many ‘yes men’ — that the signing of Texas trainer Derrick James has hopefully ended.
      AJ explained: “When I was with Rob McCracken I brought on two extra trainers because Rob was the top guy and they could work under him and build an empire, a structure together.
      Credit: SUNSPORT
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      “For the first Usyk fight, Rob was with the Olympic team and came back to spend six weeks with me. I saw that it was important to have a team. But it didn’t work.
      “This time I went on my own — and that’s how I ended up in Texas.”
      Those two complicated Usyk camps and the frustrating back-to-back losses left Joshua ranting in the Saudi Arabia ring and crying in the post-fight press conference.
      A decade of emotion tumbled out of the ever-stoic and guarded giant and he is in no rush to restore the old facade.
      He said: “I have taken every challenge that has come my way and I have done my best.
      “Along the journey we really pushed ‘undisputed’ and just at that last hurdle, I failed — and that’s what you saw in the press conference.
      “In the ring it was just me expressing that I came from the road and the mud — I never had a dad guiding me through boxing, telling me, ‘Come on, son, you’ve got some talent’.
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      “I did this s*** by myself. I went from grass-roots boxing to around the world.
      “I have no regrets, no way. If you don’t like it don’t tune in.”
      Joshua has clung to his roots but still wants to climb higher in boxingCredit: PA More

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      ‘I bring pain and I bring war’ – Anthony Joshua had brutal sparring session with Derek Chisora ahead of return fight

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      DEREK CHISORA was drafted in to help Anthony Joshua in sparring before his return fight with Jermaine Franklin. AJ returns on April 1 at the O2 Arena against Franklin in a must-win comeback bout.
      Anthony Joshua ahead of his must-win comeback fight with Jermaine FranklinCredit: Getty
      Derek Chisora says he sparred JoshuaCredit: PA
      Joshua took himself to Dallas in training for the fight after linking up with esteemed Texan coach Derrick James.
      And Chisora revealed he held nothing back when helping out his old Finchley Amateur Boxing mate in the gym.
      He told the Daily Mail: “When I come to spar, I bring pain and I bring war. I like to push him because he is my brother.
      “I can’t go in the ring with him and mess around with him because that’s not benefitting him.
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      “If I go in the ring with him, I go hard and he gives it back.”
      The heavyweight pair go way back and Joshua, 33, now manages Chisora, 38.
      And AJ revealed details on his session with the British fan favourite.
      Joshua said: “Fifteen minute sparring sessions could be like, jab and move around. But with Chisora, it’s a lot higher output.
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      “It was really good. It really helped condition me. It really tested me.
      “I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it as it was tough but in a sense, it’s what I wanted so I did enjoy it. It’s a weird one.
      “I wanted this and I am getting it but it’s tough.”
      Derek Chisora in the gym with Anthony Joshua More

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      Tyson Fury needs me to redeem himself after Usyk ‘circus’, there’s no better time for us to fight, says Anthony Joshua

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA says he can be the key to Tyson Fury redeeming himself after the breakdown in talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk. Fury failed in his attempt to unify all four heavyweight belts for the first time in history after negotiations with Usyk collapsed.
      Anthony Joshua returns again Jermaine Franklin on Saturday and wants Tyson Fury nextCredit: Getty
      Fury’s talks to fight Oleksandr Usyk collapsedCredit: Getty
      The historic title unification was KOd, reportedly due to a row over the financials for a potential rematch.
      But now AJ and his promoter Eddie Hearn hope to capitalise by sealing a fight against Fury instead.
      Joshua said: “There’s no better time to get Fury in the ring than now because he needs me to redeem himself from this circus, this letdown.
      “He needs me so there’s no better time than for him to call my name out and I’m someone that will take on any challenge.”
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      Joshua, 33, returns on Saturday at the O2 Arena against American Jermaine Franklin in a must-win comeback bout.
      It comes after two consecutive defeats to Usyk where he lost and failed to regain the WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
      The Ukrainian champion then hoped to take the trio of titles into an undisputed decider with Fury.
      He even accepted a lowball 70/30 offer to get a deal over the line until talks ultimately halted at the 11th hour over terms for a rematch.
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      Joshua still backs his two divisional rivals to fight but refused to point the finger and play the blame game after the bout broke down.
      He told BBC 5 Live: “It’s not my position to slate or slag anyone off.
      “I’m pretty sure that fight will happen because I feel like there could potentially be a method to the madness.
      “If, number one, I was in that position [and] didn’t take that fight, how would people treat me?
      “And number two, if I didn’t take that fight what would Fury have to say about me? So I’m not going to stoop to that level.
      “I respect everyone that steps into the ring. But I just sometimes think some people should watch their mouths a bit.”
      Tyson Fury facing off with Oleksandr UsykCredit: REUTERS More

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      ‘Absolute b****cks’ – Tyson Fury’s promoter denies Anthony Joshua fight talks after Eddie Hearn teased sending contract

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      FRANK WARREN has denied talks for Tyson Fury to fight Anthony Joshua after Eddie Hearn teased sending over contracts. The pair of heavyweight superstars have tried and failed in the past to commence a blockbuster Battle of Britain bout.
      Tyson Fury with promoter Frank WarrenCredit: PA
      Anthony Joshua and his promoter Eddie HearnCredit: PA
      They even had an agreement in place to fight last December until talks once again collapsed.
      Joshua, 33, now returns on Saturday against Jermaine Franklin, 29, in his must-win comeback bout.
      Meanwhile Fury, 34, has been left in the lurch after his proposed title unification with Oleksandr Usyk, 36, suffered a similar KO.
      Hearn could capitalise by pitting AJ against the Gypsy King at last with talks said to have already started.
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      In quotes reported by Daily Mail, he said: “I have had talks this week with George Warren and fundamentally the original contract is still in place and we all know that the timing is perfect now, as it happens because of the circumstances with Usyk.
      “This is the very last chance for this huge fight to happen. I expect to be exchanging pilot contracts with Queensberry soon.
      “Maybe as early as next week. AJ knows there’s a big opportunity. At last. So much at stake now, but he also has his total focus on Franklin.”
      Despite Hearn’s hope, Fury’s promoter Frank Warren hit back to talkSPORT: “It was a 30-second conversation.
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      “That thing that was in the Mail yesterday, George rang Hearn and said, ‘What’s this all about?’ He said he was unaware of it. I’m just telling you what he said.
      “George said it was less than a 30-second conversation and we’ve not even discussed it with Tyson.
      “Really annoyed about that because that 100 per cent did not happen. ‘Contracts are gonna be signed in the next week’, it’s just absolute b****cks.
      “This is what starts all that stuff going, I know you’re in the social media business and we are to a certain extent, but social media’s actually killing some of the fights because of the expectation level.
      “Something’s exploded and the next minute it’s, ‘Why’s that not happened?’
      “I don’t wanna be conducting negotiations through social media. That became part of the downfall of the fight with Usyk.”
      Anthony Joshua ahead of his return fightCredit: Getty More

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      Anthony Joshua names his dream celebrity date having already invited A-lister to watch him fight

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA revealed his dream celebrity date… and has already invited her to one of his fights before. The two-time heavyweight world champion keeps much of his private life out of the public.
      Anthony Joshua has revealed his celebrity crushCredit: Instagram / @anthonyjoshua
      But he could not duck and dodge his way out of answering the big questions when young fans Gabby and Harrison put them to him.
      On behalf of DAZN, they asked: “What celebrity would you most like to go on a date with?”
      To which Joshua, 33, said: “Oh gosh. Let me get my list out.
      “Which celebrity would I most like to go on a date with? There’s so many. Maybe Beyonce.”
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      Unfortunately for Joshua, Beyonce is happily married to fellow music legend Jay Z.
      And AJ should know, having invited the American power couple to his rematch against Andy Ruiz Jr in December 2019.
      He told TMZ Sports at the time: “Barack Obama, The Rock, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Beyonce, some Instagram models.
      “I’m getting to the fantasy part of my brain now! Everyone and anyone is welcome!”
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      Joshua can expect the stars to come out in full force for his return fight on Saturday at the O2 Arena against Jermaine Franklin, 29.
      He hopes a win will kickstart his road back to the heavyweight title, having not reigned since 2021.
      Joshua said: “The thing is, I do and I did want respect from people in the industry that I admire, ex-legends in the game and when you’re not a champion any more you feel like that goes away.
      So, that was definitely something I was yearning for, is the respect from ex-champions and when I’d lost it, it was like ‘f*** I’ve lost that invincibility’, but it’s all good.
      “We move forward. I’m not really doing it for that purpose any more because I’m not in that position, but the desire?
      “One is definitely to become champion, which I think is possible within the next 16 months.I think we’ve got to see what happens this year with the belts.
      “Let them be competed for and then potentially let them go up in the air and then we’ll see where the belts land.
      “Then just stay consistent, stay focused on improving for these next 12 to 16 months while I’m in title contention.”
      Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin facing offCredit: Mark Robinson Matchroom Boxing More

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      Boxing fans think they know REAL reason Tyson Fury won’t fight Oleksandr Usyk as old interview footage emerges

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      FANS are convinced that they know why Tyson Fury won’t fight Oleksandr Usyk.The revelation from fans comes after the emergence of footage showing Fury talking about his fight with Steve Cunningham.
      Tyson Fury previously said that his bout with Steve Cunningham was his ‘hardest fight’Credit: Alamy
      And fans think that is why he will not fight Oleksandr UsykCredit: Reuters
      Fans made the argument after footage of an old Fury interview emergedCredit: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreendevil20/video/7213436842291563781?_r=1&_t=8b1VRvNonTx
      While Fury won the 2013 bout against the American with a seventh-round knockout, he claimed that it was his “hardest fight” he ever had.
      In the TikTok video, Fury says: “Cunningham was the hardest fight I ever did have in my whole career, amateur or professional.
      “The reason being, he was very slippery.
      “The way I explain Cunnigham is like a conger eel pouring oil all in front of me.
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      “I couldn’t pin him down, he was light on his feet, he was weighing 208lbs or something.
      “He was a three-time cruiserweight champion of the world.”
      The video then ends with a clip of the fight between the two in which Fury gets knocked down by a punch from Cunningham.
      And fans believe that Usyk has a similar style to that of Cunningham and that is the real reason why Fury did not want to fight the Ukrainian.
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      One commented: “Usyk reminded him and he avoided it.”
      A second wrote: “Yep I remember this interview and Usyk is miles and miles better than Cunningham.”
      A third said: “One thing is guaranteed, Usyk would be a harder fight in every way.”
      A fourth user added: “I think the point people are making is that Usyk is a far better, technical, quicker fighter than Cunningham.”
      Talks between Fury and Usyk collapsed amid a row over the financials for a potential rematch.
      Both sides have blamed each other for failing to get it on.
      The pair had agreed in principle to an undisputed fight on April 29. More

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      Heavyweight who weighs more than strongman Eddie Hall turns 6ft 9in giant’s legs to jelly with explosive punch

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      THIS is the jaw-dropping moment giant heavyweight Patrick Mailata put his 6ft 9in opponent on the floor with an incredible punch.The New Zealander stepped into the ring for a fight against rival Antonio Mireles and turned his legs to jelly with a brutal right hook.

      Antonio Mireles’s legs turned to jelly after being hit by the powerful Patrick MailataCredit: Instagram / @SkySportsBoxing
      Mailata knocked him down, but he did not claim victoryCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Eddie Hall won the World’s Strongest Man in 2017Credit: Alamy
      Mailata weighed-in at an incredible 321lbs, which is ten pounds heavier than strongman Eddie Hall was for his “titanweight’ bout with Thor Bjornsson.
      Mireles came into the fight with a perfect record, having won all of his previous six clashes inside the first two rounds.
      However, the man nicknamed El Gigante was hit with the crushing right hand of his opponent in the third round and his legs buckled.
      The American wobbled under the pressure before finally hitting the canvas after a flurry of follow-up blows
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      The commentator said: “Down goes Mireles. He was on skates.”
      Fans were just as shocked, one said: “Mailata is a beast.”
      But Mireles miraculously managed to get back up before the referee’s count was over.
      And nobody could believe what happened next.
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      Mireles was inspired afterwards and put in an incredible performance to somehow claim victory via a split decision.
      Some felt Mailata was hard done by, with a supporter saying: “He just got robbed big time.”
      It was the second loss of his eight-match professional career.
      Antonio Mireles continued his unbeaten run in the ringCredit: Getty More