Boxing
ANTHONY JOSHUA BLASTS THOSE CALLING HIM A RACIST
Anthony Joshua has hit back at critics claiming he’s ‘racist’ following the speech he made at a Black Lives Matter protest on Saturday.
Wearing a black hoodie with the movement’s name on the front, the WBA, WBO and IBF world champion joined hundreds of others on the peaceful protest in his home town of Watford, while pictured on crutches and sporting a leg brace.
The unified heavyweight champion was then filmed at a park gathering, where he read a speech from a piece of paper and spoke out in the fight against racism.
The 30-year-old read a speech from a friend Reece Campbell, who wasn’t present at the protests.
A brief snippet of the speech was taken out of context and uploaded to social media on Saturday, which showed Joshua speaking about racism as a ‘virus’, saying: ‘We need to be united in non-violent demonstration, show them where it hurts.
‘Abstain from spending your money in their shops and economies, and invest in black-owned businesses.’
In a longer clip, Joshua had spoken of a need for ‘unity’ in communities and how the issues were ‘not black vs white, black vs Asian, black vs Indian’ and thanked those ‘not from the heritage’ for coming together to support the Black Lives Matter cause.
Following backlash on social media, Joshua responded on Sunday evening with an image, that read: ‘If you think I’m a racist, go f*** yourself!
‘If you watch the full video, the speech was passed around for someone to read and I took the lead.
‘I personally spoke from the heart about the Watford community, ideas of us personally investing seven figures to create unity and opportunities and adding change to the African/Caribbean community.
‘Shops aren’t the issue here. Before you talk s***, you better boycott racism.’
In an earlier statement, Joshua addressed other criticisms of appearing to disobey social distancing rules while attending the protests.
He said: ‘I understand the concerns in regards to social distancing.
‘However I hope those who are complaining about social distancing have the same energy about those gathering for a day at the beach [and] those going to the park for a picnic.’
Joshua attended the BLM protests following the death of African American George Floyd, who was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis, United States.
Police officer Derek Chauvin has since been charged with second degree murder after a video emerged showing him kneeling on Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes while he laid on the floor in handcuffs.
His death has sparked a series of sometimes violent protests across the United States and demonstrations around the world.
Joshua went on to explain that the death of Floyd was the catalyst for the protests.
‘But I know I’ve taken my street knowledge and put it into the corporate world and I’ve gained a lot of respect in that sense. So anyway, gang culture is done.
‘So, where was I. We have to engage with the youth and put an end to black youth gang culture. This postcode war – how many houses do we own on that postcode that we’re fighting for?
Let’s inject the vaccine. Every life matters – 100 per cent I agree with that. But that does include black lives and that’s why we’re here today.
‘George Floyd – we’re all aware of his name – was the catalyst in a list that is already way, way, way too long.’
Joshua’s appearance on crutches also saw fans fear that the heavyweight boxer sustained a serious injury.
However, spokesperson for the 30-year-old confirmed to Sportsmail that his injury is not serious, saying: ‘Anthony felt a slight twinge in his knee whilst training.
‘The brace is a precautionary measure on the advise of physios. It will be further checked by his doctors but there is no immediate concern.’
-Daily Mail
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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