Boxing
REVENGE-SEEKING ANTHONY JOSHUA LANDS IN SAUDI ARABIA
The clock is ticking down to the December 7 rematch of Anthony Joshua and his conqueror, Andy Ruiz Jr as the former is attempting to regain his lost four title belts.
Joshua has moved to Saudi Arabia for the last phase of his preparation for the bout. According to UK’s Daily Mail, Joshua ispromising to produce a performance to remember when the pair enter the ring.
Joshua, who was handed his first professional defeat by Ruiz Jr earlier this year at Madison Square Garden in New York, is fighting in a bid to reclaim the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts and set up a unification fight in 2020 with WBC champion Deontay Wilder.
The 30-year-old was all smiles on arrival with his entourage as he was met by some fans and attention now turns to avenging defeat with a performance that boxing fans will speak of for years to come.
With four of the five heavyweight division belts on the line and Joshua’s credibility at stake, there is a lot of pressure on the Watford-born fighter ahead of the rematch.
But Joshua appears relaxed despite the pressure and was in high spirits as he arrived at King Khalid Airport in Riyadh.
‘It’s going to be an incredible night and I’m thrilled so many of my fans are going to be there, particularly from the UK,’ Joshua said.
‘It’ll definitely be a night people will tell their grandchildren they were at, one of those iconic evenings of boxing. Everyone from Saudi has been brilliant to work with.’
Now having touched down in the country, Joshua will set-up his pre-fight training camp in a bid to acclimatise in the build-up to the fight.
The ‘Clash On The Dunes’, as the fight is being dubbed, is the first World Heavyweight Boxing title fight to be held in the Middle East.
Joshua and defending champion Ruiz Jr will fight at the custom-built 15,000 seat Diriyah Arena in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Victory is essential for Joshua if he is to get his career back on track with 2020 set to be another box-office year in the heavyweight division.
Wilder will be watching the Middle East contest with interest as the WBC champion is keen to agree a unification bout with the victor.
The Bronze Bomber defeated Luis Ortiz in their rematch on Saturday night with a brutal knockout and so with confidence flowing, he is keen to establish himself as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Remaining last few tickets for the fight are on sale at www.diriyahseason.sa
The Nigerian boxing landscape has been thrown into uncertainty following reports that the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF) is considering steps to regulate professional boxing—an area traditionally overseen by the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC).
Reacting swiftly, the NBBofC has dismissed the reports as misleading, warning that any such move could destabilise the established structure of the sport in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Board reaffirmed its statutory authority as the sole body responsible for the regulation, control, and sanctioning of professional boxing in Nigeria.
“The attention of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has been drawn to insinuations that another body intends to assume regulatory authority over professional boxing in Nigeria. We wish to categorically state that such claims are unfounded and should be disregarded,” the statement read.
The Board stressed that the NBF’s mandate is confined strictly to amateur boxing, in line with global sports governance frameworks, and does not extend to the professional ranks.
NBBofC President, Rafiu Ladipo, warned that any attempt by another organisation to assume control of professional boxing could trigger administrative conflicts, weaken regulatory standards, and expose athletes to unnecessary risks.
The Board also cautioned promoters, managers, and boxers against engaging with unauthorised bodies claiming regulatory powers.
“We advise all promoters, managers, and boxers to remain vigilant and not be misled by such insinuations. The NBBofC remains fully committed to its responsibility of regulating and sanctioning professional boxing in Nigeria in accordance with established rules and international best practices,” the statement added.
Observers within the boxing community note that clarity in regulatory authority is critical—not only for safeguarding athletes but also for ensuring fair competition and maintaining Nigeria’s credibility within the global boxing ecosystem.
For now, the NBBofC has reiterated its resolve to continue overseeing professional boxing in the country, even as stakeholders await further clarification on the reported position of the NBF.
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Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title belt on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, Ring Magazine announced on Friday.
The Ukrainian three-times undisputed champion holds the IBF, WBA and WBC titles after vacating the WBO belt.
The 39-year-old has not boxed since beating Britain’s Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last July.
“I respect his (Verhoeven’s) journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings,” said Usyk, who has a 24-0 record.
“I’m ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
The ‘Glory in Giza’ fight will be streamed live on DAZN.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven, 36, told The Ring.
“But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger; it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed champion in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
Verhoeven has sparred in the past with former champion Tyson Fury and had one professional bout in 2014, which he won by a knockout.
-Reuters
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off in a professional rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix, the fighters and promoters announced on Monday.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return from retirement and will be the first professional boxing match held at the Sphere.
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
That bout generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” Mayweather said in a statement.
Pacquiao, whose record stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts, expressed confidence he would hand Mayweather his first professional loss.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” the Filipino fighter said.
The rematch will stream to Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers worldwide, continuing the platform’s push into live boxing.
The streaming platform has recently broadcast several high-profile fights, including Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the company said drew 108 million live global viewers
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