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ROAD BECOMING CLEARER FOR ANTHONY JOSHUA-TYSON FURY CLASH

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Dual national, Anthony Joshua could face Birtish Tyson Fury in their unification bout as early as this December if Deontay Wilder pulls out of a third fight against the Gypsy King, Daily Mail  has quoted Joshua’s promoter,  Eddie Hearn as saying. 

After losing for the first time in his career to Fury in February, Wilder then made it known that he wishes to enact his rematch clause for a trilogy bout, with a current date for the bout pencilled in for December 19. 

Yet Joshua, who also needs to schedule a mandatory fight against Kubrat Pulev, is keen to fight Fury for all the heavyweight belts and Hearn says the fight could happen in just three months time should Wilder opt against taking to the ring. 

‘I am the only one that has put this [the Joshua vs Fury deal for 2021] in writing that the deal is agreed,’ Hearn told IFL TV.

‘So I have already written to their team saying, “Just to let you know, we have agreed to the following deal,” which is agreed.

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‘I didn’t actually get a reply, but I believe they do want the fight. So we’re ready for the fight. I saw the comments about December. It’s all very well saying, “Well, if that doesn’t happen in December, I’ll fight you now.”

‘We will fight you in December. If the world is ready for that fight, and these offers that are coming in are legit for that period in December, then we don’t have a problem going into that fight. 

‘But he’s [Fury] under contract for another fight. No, we’re not under contract yet, but we have to agree to terms with Pulev now. We probably will. 

‘If Deontay Wilder doesn’t take that rematch, he should retire from boxing. What’s the point? You’ve been a world heavyweight champion, and now you’ve lost.’

A financial agreement was reached earlier this year for two fights in 2021 between Joshua and Fury, which currently would be for the right to be named unified heavyweight champion of the world. 

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Hearn added that Joshua would be prepared to lose his WBO belt if that facilitated an all-British showdown. 

‘We want to have an undisputed fight,’ Hearn said. ‘So by doing that, we fight Pulev, he [Fury] fights Wilder.

If we have to drop the WBO belt, then we worry about that then. But AJ doesn’t have a problem with going into that fight [Fury] next. But he understands that his obligation is to fight Pulev.

‘If he doesn’t want to do it, then he loses his belt. Fury’s obligation contractually is to fight Deontay Wilder, and I don’t believe Deontay Wilder is going to let that fight go. 

‘If he lets that fight go, he’ll never get another shot at a world title until he’s mandatory.’ 

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Dual national, Anthony Joshua could face Birtish Tyson Fury in their unification bout as early as this December if Deontay Wilder pulls out of a third fight against the Gypsy King, Daily Mail  has quoted Joshua’s promoter,  Eddie Hearn as saying. 

After losing for the first time in his career to Fury in February, Wilder then made it known that he wishes to enact his rematch clause for a trilogy bout, with a current date for the bout pencilled in for December 19. 

Yet Joshua, who also needs to schedule a mandatory fight against Kubrat Pulev, is keen to fight Fury for all the heavyweight belts and Hearn says the fight could happen in just three months time should Wilder opt against taking to the ring. 

‘I am the only one that has put this [the Joshua vs Fury deal for 2021] in writing that the deal is agreed,’ Hearn told IFL TV.

‘So I have already written to their team saying, “Just to let you know, we have agreed to the following deal,” which is agreed.

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‘I didn’t actually get a reply, but I believe they do want the fight. So we’re ready for the fight. I saw the comments about December. It’s all very well saying, “Well, if that doesn’t happen in December, I’ll fight you now.”

‘We will fight you in December. If the world is ready for that fight, and these offers that are coming in are legit for that period in December, then we don’t have a problem going into that fight. 

‘But he’s [Fury] under contract for another fight. No, we’re not under contract yet, but we have to agree to terms with Pulev now. We probably will. 

‘If Deontay Wilder doesn’t take that rematch, he should retire from boxing. What’s the point? You’ve been a world heavyweight champion, and now you’ve lost.’

A financial agreement was reached earlier this year for two fights in 2021 between Joshua and Fury, which currently would be for the right to be named unified heavyweight champion of the world. 

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Hearn added that Joshua would be prepared to lose his WBO belt if that facilitated an all-British showdown. 

‘We want to have an undisputed fight,’ Hearn said. ‘So by doing that, we fight Pulev, he [Fury] fights Wilder.

If we have to drop the WBO belt, then we worry about that then. But AJ doesn’t have a problem with going into that fight [Fury] next. But he understands that his obligation is to fight Pulev.

‘If he doesn’t want to do it, then he loses his belt. Fury’s obligation contractually is to fight Deontay Wilder, and I don’t believe Deontay Wilder is going to let that fight go. 

‘If he lets that fight go, he’ll never get another shot at a world title until he’s mandatory.’ 

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Usyk to put WBC title on line against kickboxer Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Egypt

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 Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois - Undisputed World Heavyweight Title - BoxPark Wembley, London, Britain - July 19, 2025 Oleksandr Usyk during the press conference after winning the fight against Daniel Dubois Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

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.”

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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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Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch set for September at Las Vegas Sphere

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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.

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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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Boxing

Floyd Mayweather to come out of retirement – again

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. gestures on the day of a press conference, ahead of an exhibition fight with John Gotti III, in Mexico City, Mexico, August 23, 2024. REUTERS/Henry Romero/File Photo

Former multi-weight world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather will come out of retirement this year for his first official fight in nearly a decade, his new promotion CSI Sports/Fight Sports said on Friday, though his opponent has yet to be decided.

Before his official return, Mayweather is set for an exhibition bout with fellow boxing great Mike Tyson, with the date and venue still to be announced.

“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing – from my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards – no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event – than my events,” Mayweather, 48, said in a statement on his new promotion’s website.

It will mark the American’s fourth comeback from retirement, following previous exits in 2007, 2015 and 2017 — the last after beating Conor McGregor to extend his record to 50-0. He has, however, fought several exhibitions since.

Across a three-decade career, Mayweather defeated many of his era’s top fighters and headlined the three highest‑grossing bouts in history, against Manny Pacquiao, McGregor and Canelo Alvarez.

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-Reuters

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