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.
By Adeyemi Shonibare
Heavyweight boxing has never been a sport for the faint-hearted. It is the theatre of concussive knockouts, shattered dreams and immortal champions. Here, one punch can crown a king while another can end a career in an instant. It is the glamour division of boxing, where courage is tested, reputations are forged, and legacies are written in sweat, blood and determination.
Last weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the boxing world was once again reminded of this unforgiving reality as Anthony Joshua climbed off the canvas twice to stop Albania’s Kristian Prenga in the second round with a dramatic technical knockout (TKO). It was vintage Joshua—hurt, tested, but ultimately victorious. The performance rekindled hope that the former two-time heavyweight champion may yet have one more run at boxing’s ultimate prize.
The opening round was a nightmare. Prenga landed a sharp uppercut inside the opening minute before flooring Joshua again with a powerful right hand. In that moment, memories of Joshua’s recent setbacks resurfaced. Had age, punishment and personal tragedy finally caught up with one of boxing’s biggest stars?
Then came the response.
Joshua returned for the second round behind a disciplined jab, improved footwork and renewed composure. He rediscovered his timing, unleashed his trademark combinations and detonated a devastating right hand that sent Prenga crashing through the ropes. The referee had seen enough. The comeback was complete.
This victory meant far more than another addition to Joshua’s record.
It marked his first major bout since the tragic road accident on the Ibadan Expressway in Nigeria in late 2025 that claimed the lives of two close friends and members of his team. It was a deeply emotional return for a fighter who has endured both personal loss and professional disappointment.
After the fight, Joshua remained composed and reflective.
“I learned a valuable lesson,” he admitted, acknowledging that he briefly lost focus before regaining control. Those words reflected the maturity of a fighter who has experienced both the ecstasy of championship glory and the agony of defeat.
Born on 15 October 1989 in Watford, England, to Nigerian parents from Ogun State, Anthony Joshua’s rise remains one of boxing’s great success stories. Olympic heavyweight champion at the London 2012 Games, Joshua carried that success into the professional ranks, becoming a unified world heavyweight champion and one of the sport’s biggest global attractions.
At his peak, Joshua defeated some of the biggest names in heavyweight boxing, including Wladimir Klitschko in an unforgettable Wembley classic, Joseph Parker, Alexander Povetkin, Dillian Whyte, Kubrat Pulev, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou. His professional record now stands at 30 victories, 4 defeats and 27 knockouts, confirming his status as one of the most powerful punchers of his generation.
Heavyweight boxing, however, has never been a forgiving business.
Andy Ruiz Jr. shocked the world in 2019 before Joshua brilliantly reclaimed his titles in the rematch. Oleksandr Usyk then delivered two masterclasses in movement, timing and ring intelligence to defeat Joshua twice. Daniel Dubois later inflicted another painful setback, prompting many to question whether Joshua’s championship days had come to an end.
The victory over Prenga has reopened that debate.
Yes, Joshua showed the heart of a true champion by rising twice from the canvas.
Yes, his finishing instinct remains among the best in heavyweight boxing.
Yes, his right hand still carries frightening knockout power.
But elite heavyweights rarely forgive defensive lapses.
If Prenga could knock Joshua down twice, what happens when he faces Oleksandr Usyk, Daniel Dubois, Tyson Fury, Agit Kabayel, Joseph Parker, Fabio Wardley, Filip Hrgović, Moses Itauma or Deontay Wilder?
Only time will provide the answer. The Heavyweight Throne
The road back to the summit is now clearer than ever.
The current heavyweight championship picture is led by Oleksandr Usyk, who remains the universally recognised No. 1 heavyweight in the world. Usyk holds the WBA (Super), WBC, IBF and The Ring Magazine Heavyweight Championships, while Britain’s Daniel Dubois is the reigning WBO World Heavyweight Champion.
The WBA also recognises Murat Gassiev as its Regular Heavyweight Champion, while Agit Kabayel holds the WBC Interim Heavyweight Championship.
The heavyweight rankings are equally formidable. Oleksandr Usyk sits atop the division, followed by Daniel Dubois, Agit Kabayel, Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, Anthony Joshua, Fabio Wardley, Filip Hrgović, Moses Itauma, Murat Gassiev, Martin Bakole, Efe Ajagba, Richard Torrez Jr. and Zhilei Zhang. It is arguably the most competitive heavyweight landscape in over two decades.
Anthony Joshua remains firmly in the world-title conversation. Another convincing victory over a top-five contender could propel him back into mandatory challenger status.
The fight every boxing fan still desires, however, is Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury.
For almost a decade, the “Battle of Britain” has remained the biggest fight never made. Negotiations have collapsed, mandatory obligations have intervened and shifting circumstances have delayed what could become one of the most lucrative heavyweight contests in boxing history. Yet, with both men returning to winning form, optimism has never been higher that the showdown could finally materialise.
Could Joshua beat Fury? Absolutely. Every boxing trainer understands one timeless truth:
“The heavyweight division is only one punch away from history.” Joshua possesses that punch.
Could he defeat Deontay Wilder? Certainly—but only if he avoids Wilder’s devastating right hand, arguably the most dangerous single weapon in modern heavyweight boxing.
Can Anthony Joshua once again wear the heavyweight crown? Only time—and perhaps one defining fight—will provide the answer.
Perhaps Nigeria should become part of that journey.
Anthony Joshua has never hidden his pride in his Nigerian heritage. With ancestral roots in Ogun State, staging an international heavyweight bout in Lagos, Abeokuta or Abuja would rank among the greatest sporting spectacles ever hosted on African soil.
The National Sports Commission, working alongside the Federal Government, Ogun State Government and Lagos State Government, should seriously consider bringing Anthony Joshua home for a world-class boxing event.
Such a spectacle would boost sports tourism, inspire millions of young Nigerians, attract global television audiences, encourage investment in sports infrastructure and firmly establish Nigeria as a destination for elite boxing.
It would also represent one of the most significant public relations opportunities in Nigeria’s sporting history.
Nigeria’s boxing heritage deserves such recognition.
The nation has produced legendary champions including Dick Tiger, the former World Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Champion; Hogan “Kid” Bassey, Africa’s first world boxing champion; and Samuel Peter, the “Nigerian Nightmare,” who captured the WBC Heavyweight Championship. In kickboxing, Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya first established himself as an elite international kickboxer before becoming one of the greatest mixed martial arts champions of his generation.
There is an old boxing saying: “Champions are not those who never fall; champions are those who always beat the count.” Anthony Joshua beat the count. He answered every doubt with action rather than words. He reminded the world that a lion may stumble, but it never forgets how to hunt.
Whether this victory marks the beginning of one final championship run or simply another chapter in a remarkable career remains to be seen.
One thing, however, is beyond dispute. Anthony Joshua is back in the conversation.
The belts remain within reach. The heavyweight division is still the land of giants.
Somewhere, another bell is waiting to ring.
And somewhere beyond the ropes, history is waiting for Anthony Joshua to write one final chapter.
Welcome back, AJ. The Lion has roared again. Now the world waits to see whether the King can reclaim his throne.
By Prince Adeyemi Shonibare, Sports Marketing and Promotions Consultant
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Oleksandr Usyk has declared that Anthony Joshua is back and tipped his new training partner to knock out Tyson Fury following the Briton’s dramatic comeback victory over Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
According to a report by Boxing News Online, Joshua survived a disastrous opening round in which he was twice dropped by the massive underdog before recovering spectacularly to stop Prenga in the second round on Saturday.
The victory kept alive the prospect of the long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown between Joshua and Fury later this year.
Usyk, who defeated Joshua in their two world heavyweight title fights in 2021 and 2022 but now trains alongside the former champion, was impressed by the manner in which Joshua recovered from his early difficulties.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the Ukrainian two-time undisputed champion proclaimed: “AJ is back.”
Usyk described the difficult opening round as a test for Joshua before praising his recovery and decisive second-round response.
He then went further by predicting that Joshua would defeat Fury by knockout if the much-anticipated fight finally takes place.
Usyk, who has frequently referred to Fury by his “Greedy Belly” nickname, dismissed suggestions that Joshua’s two knockdowns against Prenga exposed a vulnerability that Fury could exploit.
Instead, he backed his new stablemate to overcome the former world champion and even suggested Joshua could eventually become undisputed heavyweight champion.
Usyk himself had experienced a scare only two months earlier when kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven pushed him hard in their May contest.
Joshua’s victory means attention can now turn increasingly towards a possible confrontation with Fury.
Fury also returned successfully on Friday, forcing Mariusz Wach to retire after seven rounds in Thailand.
With both British heavyweights now coming through their respective comeback fights, the path appears increasingly clear for one of the biggest contests in British boxing history.
Joshua and Fury have been linked with a fight for years without the contest materialising.
Now, following victories on successive nights, and with Usyk publicly backing Joshua to knock out his long-time rival, the heavyweight division could finally be heading towards the showdown boxing fans have waited years to see.
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Anthony Joshua climbed off the canvas twice in a nightmare opening round before spectacularly knocking out Kristian Prenga in the second round of a heavyweight thriller in Jeddah.
For three astonishing minutes, a major upset appeared to be unfolding.
Albanian knockout specialist Prenga rocked Joshua inside the opening 20 seconds and floored the former two-time world heavyweight champion twice as his heavy right hand repeatedly found its target.
But Joshua survived — and then turned the fight completely on its head.
Prenga surprisingly failed to press his advantage at the start of the second round, allowing Joshua to seize the initiative.
AJ marched forward, landed a thumping one-two and followed with a barrage of heavy punches that sent Prenga crashing in the corner.
This time, there was no recovery. Prenga failed to beat the count.
The dramatic victory marked Joshua’s first fight since the fatal car crash in Nigeria last December that claimed the lives of his close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele.
More significantly for the heavyweight division, Joshua’s victory keeps alive the prospect of the long-awaited all-British blockbuster against Tyson Fury later this year.
Fury had earlier recorded his own comeback victory, stopping Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in Thailand.
With both British heavyweights now back in the win column, a potential November showdown is firmly on the horizon.
Joshua was twice on the floor in the first round. Prenga was finished in the second. What a turnaround!
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