Boxing
Anthony Joshua targets knock out against Usyk
Anthony Joshua has revealed his pride after a stunning 40-foot mural was unveiled on Tottenham High Road ahead of his bout against Oleksandr Usyk.
Joshua’s mantra of ‘stay hungry, stay humble’ is displayed alongside a picture encapsulating the night he avenged his shock defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr, regaining his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in a memorable evening in Saudi Arabia back in 2019.
Joshua is seen getting a glimpse of the mural for the first time on a laptop as he prepares for Saturday night’s match-up.
The heavyweight, who was clearly highly impressed by the finished product, spoke of his honour after joining an illustrious group.
‘I’ve seen what Akse has done with Captain Tom, George Floyd and Rashford, as well as Leeds United’s Kalvin Phillips and Ian Curtis,’ Joshua said.
‘So, to be amongst these great people is an honour and I’m happy that he chose me to be a part of this great history that he’s creating.’
He continued: ‘I’m not saying that I’m an icon, but the fact that he’s painting people that are doing big things makes me feel humbled and honoured.
‘The fight in this painting is also taken from when I became two-time heavyweight champion of the world, so I feel like it has a pivotal history.’
Joshua is pursuing an historic all-British undisputed showdown against Tyson Fury, who is set to defend his WBC belt against Deontay Wilder on October 9.
The pair have a long-standing history and were on the precipice of a mega-fight this summer, with promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren indicating the bout will be made should the pair overcome their upcoming hurdles.
It would be a landmark moment in British sport, another to add to the collection for Joshua, who has already been awarded an OBE in 2018 to add to the MBE he received following his gold medal at the London Olympic Games in 2012.
Joshua’s impressive mural, commissioned by JD Sport, of whom the heavyweight is an ambassador, is the latest piece of work in Akse P19’s ever-growing collection.
The artist commemorated Rashford’s charity work, in which he worked tirelessly to ensure that poverty-stricken children are fed during school holidays, with an equally eye-catching mural in Manchester.
The mural was subsequently defaced following England’s Euro 2020 final penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy this summer, with the Manchester United star subjected to racist abuse on social media alongside team-mates Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.
Hundreds of tributes were subsequently placed on the mural, which were then removed and preserved at a library and on a virtual ‘Wall of Hope’.
Akse P19’s work also includes a mural of Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, pictured alongside club legends Albert Johanneson and Lucas Radebe to honour the club’s diverse history, in addition to depictions of Captain Tom Moore and George Floyd, both in Manchester.
The 31-year-old is set to defend his collection of titles against the former undisputed cruiserweight champion and now heavyweight contender on Saturday evening at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Joshua, fighting in front of a packed stadium in London for the first time since stopping Alexander Povetkin at Wembley in 2018, will headline the first boxing event at Tottenham’s state-of-the-art arena.
Ahead of the eagerly-anticipated heavyweight clash, artist Akse P19 – who has a growing reputation following his poignant depictions of Marcus Rashford, Captain Sir Thomas Moore, George Floyd, Kalvin Phillips, Ian Curtis and others – has created another stunning spectacle.
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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