Boxing
Usyk targets Fury after beating Joshua on split decision
Oleksandr Usyk turned his sights on rival heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury on Sunday after beating Britain’s Anthony Joshua on a split points decision to retain his WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts in Jeddah.
The “Rage on the Red Sea” in Saudi Arabia was a rematch of a fight in London in September, which the Ukrainian won on a unanimous decision to take Joshua’s belts, but with more intensity and emotion.
The pressure was on both former Olympic champions, with Usyk this time representing a country fighting for its existence after a Russian invasion while Joshua was battling for his boxing future.
Usyk appeared comfortably ahead as the final bell rang at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena but the American judge surprisingly awarded the fight 115-113 to Joshua.
The British and Ukrainian judgesdecided 115-113 and 116-112 to Usyk.
The victory took the 35-year-old’s professional record to 20 fights undefeated while Joshua, 32, suffered a third defeat in what could prove a watershed in his career.
Joshua, who had held aloft the Ukrainian flag with Usyk as they waited for the decision in what seemed an acceptance of defeat, then had an uncharacteristic meltdown.
He took two of the belts, dropping them as he left the ring and headed for the dressing room before turning around and stepping back between the ropes to take the microphone and address the crowd.
“Usyk is one hell of a fighter. That’s just emotion,” declared the Briton.
“For this guy to beat me tonight, maybe I could have done better but it shows the levels of hard work he must have put in, so please give him a round of applause as our heavyweight champion of the world.
“I was studying Ukraine and all the champions from your amazing country. I’ve never been there. What’s happening there, I don’t know but it’s not nice … under those circumstances he’s managed to become champion.”
SWEAT-SOAKED CANVAS
The opening round was tentative, with Joshua’s corner calling for him to adjust his rhythm, and the bout continued with Usyk using his jab and body shots to good effect.
Round eight was briefly halted for towels to mop the slippery, sweat-soaked canvas but round nine raised the heat again, with Joshua enjoying his best before Usyk came back hard in the 10th.
Needing a knockout and running out of time, the taller and heavier Joshua was unable to land the telling blows against an agile and elusive opponent who hit back hard.
“In the ninth round I thought we had him,” said Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn. “The 10th round was one of the best rounds I’ve seen.
“What Usyk did in the 10th, the 11th and the 12th was incredible and that was the difference tonight because AJ didn’t start fast enough but he fought a much better fight.
“He hurt Usyk badly in the ninth and I felt like he was going to come on strong. But Usyk came out like a train.”
At the final bell the two embraced and the Ukrainian, who had entered the ring in a yellow and blue “Colors of Freedom” top while Joshua was dressed all in black, dropped to his knees.
Usyk’s thoughts then turned to the next chapter and another Briton to beat, although WBC champion Fury has declared himself retired.
“I am convinced he wants to fight me. I want to fight him. And if I’m not fighting Tyson Fury, I’m not fighting at all,” Usyk told the crowd through a ringside interpreter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed a “difficult but important and necessary victory.”
“Defending a world championship title is a symbol that whoever is from the Cossack tradition will not give up what is his, will fight for it and will win without any doubt,” he wrote on Facebook.
British-Nigerian heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua is set to make his long-awaited homecoming fight in Nigeria in early 2026, according to Nigerian promoter, Dr Ezekiel Adamu, a serial entrepreneur, investor and son of Nigerian sports administration legend, Dr Amos Adamu..
Adamu, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Balmoral Group, revealed that discussions with Joshua’s camp had been positive and that plans are underway to stage the bout at the 50,000-capacity Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.
Speaking to The Punch, the promoter disclosed that Joshua has always expressed his desire to fight in Nigeria before the end of his career.
“I spoke with him, I spoke with his team, and they already said to me, ‘If we had an offer from Nigeria, it’s a match made in heaven,’” Adamu said.
He added: “Joshua has always said that before he ends his career, he wants to fight in Nigeria, and we are going to make that fight happen.”
The proposed fight, expected in the first quarter of 2026, would likely feature Joshua against another African opponent. Adamu hinted at possible names, including France’s Tony Yoka, Congo’s Martin Bakole, and former WBC champion Deontay Wilder, who also has Nigerian heritage.
The promoter dismissed rumours that Ghana could host Joshua’s African debut. “I heard rumours about Joshua fighting in Ghana, and I laughed it off because, for me, where is the story in there? Joshua is Nigerian. Now we have a big promotion, and Nigeria is the biggest market. It’s a no-brainer for Joshua to fight in Nigeria,” he insisted.
Joshua, born in Watford, England, spent part of his childhood in Nigeria and proudly wears a tattoo of the country’s outline on his right shoulder.
Adamu maintained that Nigeria has both the infrastructure and the market to become a hub for global boxing.
“We’ve got the population, we’ve got the infrastructure, and we’ve got the technical know-how. This is just the start. October 1 (Chaos in the Ring event in Lagos) is only a sneak peek of what we can make happen,” he told The Punch.
Joshua’s long-time promoter, Eddie Hearn, had previously suggested the possibility of staging a fight in Africa, but Adamu’s plan now appears to be the most concrete yet. If successful, the 2026 bout would mark a historic milestone for African boxing and pave the way for more high-profile contests on the continent.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
British boxing great Ricky Hatton, a former two-division world champion, has died at the age of 46, the World Boxing Association said on Sunday.
Nicknamed ‘the Hitman’, Hatton won the WBA, IBO and IBF light-welterweight titles and the WBA welterweight world championship during his 15-year professional career before retiring in 2012.
He had been due to make a comeback for an event in Dubai this year.
“A true champion, an indomitable spirit and a legend of the sport. Your legacy will live on in every fight and in the hearts of boxing fans around the world,” the WBA posted on Instagram.
Greater Manchester Police said that a body had been found on Sunday morning at an address in Hyde in the northern English city.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious,” a police spokesperson said.
Hatton had 45 wins in 48 bouts over his career but in the years after he retired he said he had tried to kill himself several times and had been open about his struggle with depression, drink and drugs.
“I was coming off the rails with my drinking and that led to drugs. It was like a runaway train,” he told BBC radio in 2016.
Hatton became an ambassador for the mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably in 2023.
The crowning moment of Hatton’s career in the ring came in 2005 when he stopped Australian Kostya Tszyu in a brutal duel in Manchester to add the IBF light-welterweight title to the WBU belt he already held.
He had a perfect 43-0 record until he was floored by Floyd Mayweather Jr in Las Vegas in 2007 and was never the same again.
Hatton’s second loss came in 2009, when Manny Pacquiao knocked him out.
“I am deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Ricky Hatton. He was not only a great fighter inside the ring but also a brave and kind man in life,” Pacquiao wrote on X.
“We shared unforgettable moments in boxing history and I will always honour the respect and sportsmanship he showed.”
British former light-welterweight world champion Amir Khan described Hatton as “a friend, a mentor, a warrior.”
“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what’s possible … you’ll always have your place in the ring of our memories,” Khan said on X.
Hatton was a lifelong Manchester City fan and wore sky blue shorts, matching the soccer club’s colours, in most of his bouts.
The Premier League club held a thunderous minute’s appreciation ahead of their derby against Manchester United on Sunday with both sets of supporters paying their respects.
“Ricky was one of City’s most loved and revered supporters … everyone at the club would like to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends,” City added.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Boxing
Excitement As Nigeria’s Ibeabuchi, Former Mike Tyson’s Conqueror, Danny Williams Clash in Comeback Fight In Lagos
The boxing world is abuzz with anticipation as legendary heavyweight, Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi (20-0, 15 KOs) prepares to make his highly anticipated return to the squared circle against British knockout specialist Danny “The Brixton Hammer” Williams (55-33, 42 KOs).
This monumental clash, a true spectacle of power and resilience, is set to ignite Lagos, Nigeria.
This event will be live on pay-per-view streaming on www.Prizefighting.tv only on August 23, 2025, at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Surulere.
The times for the event are 1:00 PM New York, 6:00 PM London, noon Dallas, and 10:00 AM Los Angeles.
Ibeabuchi, a fighter revered for his explosive power and unblemished professional record, will step back into the ring after a lengthy hiatus, ready to remind the world of the immense talent that once captivated boxing fans globally.
His return to his ancestral homeland of Nigeria adds an even deeper layer of significance to this historic event.
Facing “The President” will be the formidable Danny Williams, a seasoned veteran known for his knockout power and the monumental upset of Mike Tyson in 2004.
“The Brixton Hammer” brings a wealth of experience and a relentless fighting spirit, promising to test Ibeabuchi’s comeback every step of the way.
This is more than just a fight; it’s a homecoming, a testament to perseverance, and a chance for ‘The President’ to once again showcase his abilities on the world stage. To do this in Lagos, in front of his people, is an incredible honour.
“Danny Williams is a tough opponent, with a very respectable career, but Ike Ibeabuchi is here to make a statement. “The Brixton Hammer’ will be sent back to England hammerless. Danny Williams will be knocked out,” Ibeabuchi has said in what is seen by many as a pre-fight hype.
Danny Williams expressed his readiness for the challenge, “Ike Ibeabuchi is a legend, and I know he’ll be coming to fight.
“But ‘The President’ will not be returning on my timeline. I will come to his hometown, drop the hammer on him and send him back into exile. That will become a fact mate,” Williams has been quoted as saying.
Promoters are anticipating a jam packed arena and a global viewership as fans eagerly await to see these two big punchers. Prizefighting.tv states “pig punchers do not lose power with age.”
With these two big punchers there is no way this fight is going the distance. This fight will end in a knockout.”
Ike Ibeabuchi is an undefeated Nigerian-American heavyweight boxer with a professional record of 20 wins and 0 losses, with 15 knockouts.
He is the biggest “what if’s” in heavyweight championship history.
Danny Williams is a British professional boxer with a record of 54 wins and 33 losses, with 43 knockouts. He is best known for his shock win over the famed Mike Tyson in a non-heavyweight title fight in 2004.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- World Cup1 week ago
BREAKING: At last FIFA’s Axe falls on South Africa!
- World Cup1 week ago
South Africa to Appeal FIFA Ruling Over Mokoena Eligibility Case
- Nigerian Football1 week ago
Super Eagles Set for Double Friendly Showdown with Venezuela and Colombia in USA
- World Cup1 week ago
Sport Minister Orders Probe into SAFA over Bafana’s Costly Points Deduction
- World Cup6 days ago
FIFA Sanction on South Africa Offers Super Eagles a Lifeline — But a Lesson from History Looms
- CAF Confederation Cup1 week ago
Asante Kotoko End Kwara United’s Confederation Cup Campaign in Abeokuta
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Two penalty appeal lost as Flying Eagles stumble at first hurdle
- World Cup4 days ago
Super Eagles Walk Tightrope as Nine Key Players Risk Suspension in World Cup Qualifiers