Boxing
Promoter, Hearn loses hope on Anthony Joshua…tipped to lose again to Usyk
Anthony Joshua reign as World heavyweight boxing champion may have been over as even his promoter, Eddie Hearn appears to have lost faith in the boxer ever regaining his titles by beating Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in a rematch slated for next year.
Joshua activated his rematch clause over the weekend after losing his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO titles to Usyk, having been outclassed by the wily southpaw at the Hotspur Stadium last month.
The pair are expected to face in March or April next year in the United Kingdom, although many fans and pundits have written Joshua off given the one-sided nature of their 12-round contest.
And during an appearance on The DAZN Boxing Show, Daily Mail reports that Hearn slipped up by forecasting that Tyson Fury would have to wait until September 2022 to unify the heavyweight division – against Usyk.
‘Dillian Whyte against Tyson Fury is a massive fight here, massive fight,’ Hearn, who also promotes Whyte, started. ‘The build-up would be maybe as good as the fight, but we know Dillian Whyte deserves his shot.
‘Victory against Otto Wallin, nobody can deny him that shot at the world heavyweight title.’
On Fury’s future, Hearn made the faux pas in which he overlooked Joshua: ‘He’s had two fights in two years, Tyson Fury, and he hates inactivity.
‘If he sits it out, AJ’s going to fight Usyk in March or April and Usyk’s going to fight Fury in September or October.
‘It’s going to be three fights in three years, let’s get a bit of momentum.’
Fans have reacted to Hearn’s faux pas, claiming that it speaks to a lack of confidence in his fighter to get the job done in 2022.
‘Freudian slip I guess, he loves AJ as a great friend but let’s be real even Eddie must be disappointed,’ one fan said. ‘He must be finding it tough to sell this timid and scared version of AJ who seems to have regressed as a fighter since Ruiz 1 as he’s seemingly so paranoid about taking hits now.’
Another added: ‘Lets just hope its just mind games to make Usyk over confident haha. still bad look tho [sic].’
One fan wrote: ‘I can’t believe he just threw AJ under the bus’ while another said: ‘If my promoter has this little faith in me I’m ripping up that contract and going on my way.’
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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