Boxing
BOUT IN US IS TO ‘TAKE –OVER, NOT TAKE PART’, SAYS ANTHONY JOSHUA
Anthony Joshua is confident of winning Saturday’s bout in the US, saying he was in the US ‘to take over, not take part’.
Those were his words ahead of Andy Ruiz Jnr fight
Anthony Joshua insisted that he was not in the United States “to take part, but to take over” as he towered six inches over Andy Ruiz Jnr, the Mexican-American.
Joshua said he wanted “to make a statement” in the style of Deontay Wilder, the World Boxing Council champion, who continued his unbeaten reign in dramatic fashion last weekend when he knocked out Dominic Breazeale.
Nothing less than an emphatic knockout will suffice for Joshua at the Madison Square venue.
“I do want to have a great night. Even though Andy Ruiz is not Wilder or Tyson Fury, he is a fighter who will give me a great contest,” said Joshua, undefeated in 22 contests and holder of the International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Organisation belts.
“As long as Ruiz puts up a good fight, it doesn’t matter that he is a late replacement. It’s all about the fight night. You could be the greatest fighter on earth, but if you go in there and don’t perform then everyone will be booing. I’m looking forward to going in there and doing what I do best: putting my name alongside those great heavyweights. This will be a night to remember.”
The 29-year-old’s American debut comes six years into his professional career, after his rise to prominence with the super-heavyweight gold medal at the London 2012 Olympics.
“We’ve built ourselves to a position where we’re able to fight at Madison Square Garden. It takes a long time, but we’re here now. Now it’s about defining fights going into the second phase of my career. Ruiz is the first step of coming to America, to US turf and to take over. I’m not here to take part, I’m here to take over. You’ve got to be thick skinned and tough-minded in boxing. It’s a tough sport, an unforgiving one. I prepare well and I’m going to go out there and do my best.”
Ruiz had a message of his own, all the way to President Donald Trump, as he seeks to become the first heavyweight of Mexican blood to hold the world heavyweight title.
“Hopefully the President comes down on June 1,” said the 29-year-old, recalling that Trump had visited his home town of Imperial on the border with Mexico recently.
“Donald Trump went over to my hometown to talk about the border wall. It’s hard for everybody in the world who is struggling, and there are people on the United States who are not letting Mexicans come over to the United States. We are part of the backbone of this country. It’s hard for the Mexican people coming over here to make a living. This is where you make more money. As Mexicans we have a lot of family and kids to support. But, God willing I win this fight and I’ll be here to help my Mexican people.”
“And when I become the first Mexican heavyweight champion of the world, I’m going to be helping out my people. But you know what, if I win the world title, I’d rather go to the Mexico White House. I’d rather be over there then get an invite to Trump’s White House.”
Ruiz, though, intends to bring Mexico in his fighting style, too, intent on attacking the reigning champion. “It won’t go the distance. I feel good, feel blessed with this opportunity. I’ll go in there fast and throw combinations. As long as I stick to the game plan, we’re here to shock the people. I feel there’s a little pressure because I don’t want to let my family down or my Mexican people down. I want to come out victorious. I’m going to die trying. I’m going to give it all I’ve got.”
Ruiz, with 32 victories from 33 contests, added: “I have respect for him right now, but inside the ring it’s a whole different ball game. I don’t have respect for nobody. Outside of the ring, it’s a whole different show.”
Joshua added: “It is a big night, but I won’t be overawed. I want to have a great night at Madison Square Garden and this is now all about legacy fights in my career.”
Daniel Dubois came back from two knockdowns to deal Fabio Wardley a brutal and bloody first defeat as a professional and take the WBO heavyweight title in a thunderous all-British clash on Saturday.
Referee Howard Foster finally stepped in at the start of the 11th round to signal the end of the fight, with Wardley bleeding heavily from the bridge of the nose and with his right eye almost closed.
Dubois rose twice from the canvas, including being dropped by a right hook in the first 10 seconds of the fight, to pulverise Wardley and become a world heavyweight champion for the second time in his career.
“It was a war. We came through the sticky moments. Thank you, Fabio, for that,” said Dubois, who was previously IBF champion after the belt was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, with the Ukrainian winning it back in July 2025.
“What a great fight. What a great battle, man”.
The win was Dubois’s 23rd as a professional in 26 fights, while Wardley now has a 20-1-1 record.
Veteran promoter Frank Warren, who manages both men, said it was the best heavyweight fight he had ever put on and confirmed there was a rematch clause in the contract.
For some viewers, however, it was also an uncomfortable watch that could have been stopped earlier.
The 31-year-old Wardley, who was promoted to WBO champion last November after Usyk vacated the title, was making his first defence and showed immense heart as he took a tremendous beating yet refused to capitulate.
He had his opponent on the floor, a blow Dubois, 28, later dismissed as a ‘flash knockdown’, almost with the opening bell still sounding.
Dubois was back on one knee in round three but came close to a stoppage in the sixth with the reigning champion bleeding heavily and on the ropes.
The Londoner continued to land blow after blow on Wardley, who wobbled but refused to give up.
His corner inspected the facial wounds after the eighth, and doctors and the referee took a look in rounds nine and 10, but still the fight continued, with Wardley increasingly struggling to stay on his feet and fighting on instinct.
“You witnessed something special tonight,” Warren told the BBC. “Two men baring their hearts and souls in the ring gave everything, didn’t leave one bit outside the ring.
“They were getting hit with bombs that would take people out, and they stood it.”
-Reuters
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World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has backed Anthony Joshua to defeat Tyson Fury in their long‑anticipated clash later this year and has been helping him with his game plan.
Usyk, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBC belts, has been working with former opponent Joshua in recent months and said he has been impressed by the Briton’s development.
He added that 36-year-old Joshua deserves to beat compatriot and fellow ex-champion Fury, 37, after changing his approach.
“Fury is an unbelievable fighter, and Fury is a very dangerous guy, but I look at how Anthony works and how he has changed,” Usyk told the BBC.
“I like Fury, he is my greedy belly’s best friend, he’s an amazing fighter, but I want Anthony to win – he deserves it.”
Joshua, a former two‑time world heavyweight champion, is scheduled to return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25. The bout will be his first since a car accident last December in which two close friends were killed.
Usyk said his recent work with Joshua has focused on technical and mental preparation.
“We speak about strategy, boxing skills and psychology. We speak about fights, our fights, and I say ‘champ, come on, don’t stop’,” he said.
The Ukrainian is set to defend his world titles against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt.
-Reuters
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- Summary
- *Joshua to face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh after car accident hiatus
- *Fight marks start of Joshua’s multi-fight deal in Saudi Arabia, announced by Turki Alalshikh
- *Promoter Hearn says Joshua vs Fury is signed for later in the year
Former world heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have signed up for a long-awaited clash later this year, promoter Eddie Hearn said on Monday.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!,” Hearn posted on Instagram.
The announcement came after confirmation that Joshua will return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25 in the Briton’s first fight since he was in a car accident last December that killed two close friends.
U.S.-based Albanian Prenga, 35, is a former kickboxer with a ring record of 20 wins and one defeat since he turned professional in 2016.
The fight, billed as “The Comeback”, was announced by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh and will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.
Turki also posted on X a message “to my friends in Great Britain – it’s happening. It’s signed” while his Ring Magazine said the fight would happen in Q4 2026 on Netflix.
SIXTH-ROUND KNOCKOUT
Joshua, 36, has a record of 28 wins and four losses with his most recent fight a sixth-round knockout of American Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and today is the next step on that journey,” said Joshua.
“I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.”
Hearn told Sky Sports television he wanted a “tune-up bout” in July before facing Fury potentially in November.
“July and November are the two dates that have been presented to us now and we expect to move forward,” he said. “Fury has just had his tune-up fight with 12 really vital rounds to get him sharp for the next one and I expect us to do the same.”
Fury called for a showdown with Joshua after he outclassed Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11.
“Next, I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for. I want you AJ, Anthony Joshua, let’s give the fight fans what they want, the Battle of Britain,” he said then.
-Reuters
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