Boxing
Usyk and Joshua hit the scales heavier for their title rematch
Ukraine’s defending world champion Oleksandr Usyk and British challenger Anthony Joshua hit the scales heavier than before ahead of their heavyweight title rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Usyk weighed in at 100.5kg (15st 11lbs and 10oz), barely changed from before although still the heaviest of his career, while Joshua was 110.9kg (17st 6lbs and 8oz) — four pounds more than when he lost the titles last September in London.
Former undisputed cruiserweight world champion Usyk weighed 15st 11lbs last time around but the 35-year-old had been expected to bulk up considerably for his first defence of the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in Jeddah.
“You see, your expectations are not always met,” the unbeaten champion said unsmilingly when asked if he had been tricking everyone ahead of the ‘Rage on the Red Sea’ clash.
Joshua went first, keeping on his trousers and socks, before the two big men stood face-to-face after the weigh-in, staring fixedly at each other with Usyk looking up at his taller opponent.
Asked what he had seen in Joshua’s eyes, the Ukrainian replied: “Myself. It was the reflection of myself.”
Joshua, 32, shrugged off the pre-fight psychology when asked what went through his mind.
“Not much. Just a face-off. For me personally face-offs don’t mean nothing. Face-offs don’t win fights,” he said.
“All this stuff doesn’t matter. It’s just about the fight. Real talk. All this stuff, weight and face-offs, none of it matters to me. I’m just looking forward to the fight.
“I’m just ready for 12 rounds. 100%. Anything short of that is a bonus.”
British bookmaker William Hill has Usyk as the 4/7 favourite on Saturday night, with 80% of customers backing the Ukrainian to win by knockout or stoppage. Joshua was down as a 13/8 underdog, with a draw at 16/1.
Usyk is also carrying the hopes of a nation, one scarred by battle and fighting a real war for survival after Russia’s invasion, while another defeat for Joshua would pose big questions about his future.
-Reuters
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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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.
-Reuters
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