Boxing
EVANDER HOLYFIELD ENLISTS HEAVYWEIGHT LEGEND WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO TO HELP HIM TRAIN FOR MIKE TYSON
Evander Holyfield has brought former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko into his training camp as he gears up for a sensational return to the ring.
The 57-year-old, who hung up his gloves back in 2011 after 57 professional fights, is eyeing a trilogy bout against his old rival Mike Tyson later in the year.
Holyfield has insisted that any meeting with the man who famously bit off part of his ear would be a gentle, no-knockout fight, but his latest training video – which features Ukrainian legend Klitschko – suggests otherwise.
In the clip, which was posted to Holyfield’s Instagram account in the early hours of Friday, the 44-year-old is pictured shaking hands with the American.
He is also seen with a clipboard in his hands as Holyfield works out and appears to be helping Tyson’s long-time foe get up to speed ahead of a potential third fight between the pair.
The latest video is captioned ‘Team Holyfield preparing for battle’, suggesting Klitschko is likely to remain part of the veteran’s camp as he works towards his first fight in almost 10 years.
Holyfield appears to be in excellent shape in the new clip, which features him working out on the pads with his trainer, former world light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, and shadow boxing.
The 57-year-old is also seen skipping, lifting weights and working on his speed and movement in the video, which has fuelled talk of another meeting with Tyson.
The clip ends with Tarver, who also posted a picture of himself with Holyfield and , declaring: ‘The real deal is back, baby’.
Last week, Holyfield revealed to Sportsmail that he has spoken with Tyson about arranging an exhibition fight.
‘Mike and I talked once about this (the exhibition) and from that point on his people have spoken to my people. We are not at a point where we are at an agreement but there have been conversations.
‘There are some big people from different countries who would like for us to do it. My whole thing is, “Yes, if there is a way we can do it, then do it”. Me being me and Mike being who Mike is, I know it could be something big.
‘If it could be worked out then there has to be an understanding that there can be none of this other stuff that happens (with Tyson). Ain’t nobody getting a decision or win or lose or going for knockouts. Exhibition.
‘I didn’t really want to get back in the ring because I always said when I stop I will stop. But an exhibition, that is different. I am not killing myself for nobody. I ain’t looking for knockouts and I ain’t going more than three, three-minute rounds.
‘We do it in an appropriate way. But I am going to be in great shape. And if someone thinks they going to hit me, I don’t want them to think I ain’t going to hit them back. I don’t know if it will be Mike. If it don’t work then it weren’t meant to be.’
Holyfield’s training video was posted just a couple of days after Tyson gave fans another glimpse of his trademark power and speed in his own clip.
The 53-year-old has also been training hard ahead of a controversial return to the ring, with Shannon Briggs claiming that he had agreed to take on Tyson.
Launching his own page on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, Tyson told fans that: ‘There’s a possibility I might come back’.
Wearing just a pair of jeans and no top, the American then proceeded to shadow box, showing off the speed which once made him the most feared man in boxing.
In the short clip, Tyson throws a series of jabs, hooks and uppercuts, teasing the sort of punches we could see again if a fight with Briggs – or Holyfield – is made official.
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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