Boxing
TYSON FURY TIPS ‘LITTLE FAT PIG’ ANDY RUIZ JR TO BEAT ANTHONY JOSHUA AGAIN
Tyson Fury has been quoted by the Global Audo partner of the Premier League, Talksport, as predicting another defeat of Anthony Joshua by Andy Ruiz Jr.
Tyson Luke Fury, a British professional boxer who in 2015 won the unified WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO titles believes Andy Ruiz Jr will knock out Anthony Joshua once again in their world heavyweight title rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Despite the bookmakers dismissing the Mexican-American’s chances in New York six months ago, Ruiz shocked the world to stop Joshua and hand Joshua his first professional defeat.
The pair are set to put the WBA, WBO and IBF titles on the line on December 7 in Riyadh as Joshua aims to correct the wrongs he felt he committed in the June 1 fight.
But Fury, who watched the contest with a keen interest, believes the belts will be going back to the States.
“I see it going pretty much similar to the first fight,” Fury said on the True Geordie podcast. “Now, I know they’ve both lost some weight and whatever and they’ve had more time to prepare and they’ve changed a few things in the training team and the training camp.
“And they will have different game plans and different approaches, but Mike Tyson said it and it is very true; ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.’
“And it is so true because you can be working on something for ages and then you work on it, work on it, work on it and then you get tagged.
“And that’s it; you go back to how you once was and you want to fight and that’s exactly what I see happening.”
Much was made in the build-up to the fight about Ruiz’s rather rotund stature, particularly in comparison to Joshua’s physique.
But Fury, who admits he is not exactly an Adonis himself, does not believe looks matter at all in this heavyweight division.
In fact, he claims to have asked his nutritionist to let him indulge in more treats after watching Ruiz shock the world.
“There’s three rules to boxing; train hard, eat well and get your rest,” Fury added.
“Especially for heavyweights, there’s nothing else. Because when you want to start implementing all these different technologies into your game – improvements, 1% here and there – it’s a load of s***e to be honest with you.
“Andy Ruiz, let’s just use him because he’s a great example, little fat pig who comes in on three weeks notice. Murdered every doughnut and taco in California and then goes in with a man who’s had a 12-week training camp with every sports scientist in the United Kingdom.
“And whatever else he has done, he’s broken every heart monitor in sight, he’s done every cross-fit machine, he’s done everything totally correct and he’s had the best nutrition and the best diet you can get.
“But the little fat fella goes in there and bowls him over in seven rounds. How do all those scientist look at me then and say ‘this is better, this is how you should do it’? Because they can’t.
“Because it is still one-on-one combat and anything can happen.
When asked if Joshua was ‘wasting his money’, Fury replied: “It’s all mental, it’s all in the mind.
“I believe if you get all those people and if you think, and if you believe, that they are going to improve you then they probably will.
“But I believe there is no substitute for hard work and dedication for the job and that is it.
“And now when my nutritionist says ‘we want you to eat this or that’ I say ‘No, I’m’ going to have a Mars bar, a chocolate biscuit and a cup of coffee with ten sugars.’
“Because it’s not going to alter my performance because I am a heavyweight and if you’ve got anything to say about it, go and watch the Andy Ruiz vs Anthony Joshua fight.”
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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