Boxing
ROAD BECOMING CLEARER FOR ANTHONY JOSHUA-TYSON FURY CLASH
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.
‘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.
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.’
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.
‘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.
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.’
Daniel Dubois came back from two knockdowns to deal Fabio Wardley a brutal and bloody first defeat as a professional and take the WBO heavyweight title in a thunderous all-British clash on Saturday.
Referee Howard Foster finally stepped in at the start of the 11th round to signal the end of the fight, with Wardley bleeding heavily from the bridge of the nose and with his right eye almost closed.
Dubois rose twice from the canvas, including being dropped by a right hook in the first 10 seconds of the fight, to pulverise Wardley and become a world heavyweight champion for the second time in his career.
“It was a war. We came through the sticky moments. Thank you, Fabio, for that,” said Dubois, who was previously IBF champion after the belt was vacated by Oleksandr Usyk in 2024, with the Ukrainian winning it back in July 2025.
“What a great fight. What a great battle, man”.
The win was Dubois’s 23rd as a professional in 26 fights, while Wardley now has a 20-1-1 record.
Veteran promoter Frank Warren, who manages both men, said it was the best heavyweight fight he had ever put on and confirmed there was a rematch clause in the contract.
For some viewers, however, it was also an uncomfortable watch that could have been stopped earlier.
The 31-year-old Wardley, who was promoted to WBO champion last November after Usyk vacated the title, was making his first defence and showed immense heart as he took a tremendous beating yet refused to capitulate.
He had his opponent on the floor, a blow Dubois, 28, later dismissed as a ‘flash knockdown’, almost with the opening bell still sounding.
Dubois was back on one knee in round three but came close to a stoppage in the sixth with the reigning champion bleeding heavily and on the ropes.
The Londoner continued to land blow after blow on Wardley, who wobbled but refused to give up.
His corner inspected the facial wounds after the eighth, and doctors and the referee took a look in rounds nine and 10, but still the fight continued, with Wardley increasingly struggling to stay on his feet and fighting on instinct.
“You witnessed something special tonight,” Warren told the BBC. “Two men baring their hearts and souls in the ring gave everything, didn’t leave one bit outside the ring.
“They were getting hit with bombs that would take people out, and they stood it.”
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
World heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk has backed Anthony Joshua to defeat Tyson Fury in their long‑anticipated clash later this year and has been helping him with his game plan.
Usyk, who holds the IBF, WBA and WBC belts, has been working with former opponent Joshua in recent months and said he has been impressed by the Briton’s development.
He added that 36-year-old Joshua deserves to beat compatriot and fellow ex-champion Fury, 37, after changing his approach.
“Fury is an unbelievable fighter, and Fury is a very dangerous guy, but I look at how Anthony works and how he has changed,” Usyk told the BBC.
“I like Fury, he is my greedy belly’s best friend, he’s an amazing fighter, but I want Anthony to win – he deserves it.”
Joshua, a former two‑time world heavyweight champion, is scheduled to return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25. The bout will be his first since a car accident last December in which two close friends were killed.
Usyk said his recent work with Joshua has focused on technical and mental preparation.
“We speak about strategy, boxing skills and psychology. We speak about fights, our fights, and I say ‘champ, come on, don’t stop’,” he said.
The Ukrainian is set to defend his world titles against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 in Egypt.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- Summary
- *Joshua to face Kristian Prenga in Riyadh after car accident hiatus
- *Fight marks start of Joshua’s multi-fight deal in Saudi Arabia, announced by Turki Alalshikh
- *Promoter Hearn says Joshua vs Fury is signed for later in the year
Former world heavyweight boxing champions Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have signed up for a long-awaited clash later this year, promoter Eddie Hearn said on Monday.
“Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!,” Hearn posted on Instagram.
The announcement came after confirmation that Joshua will return to the ring against Kristian Prenga in Riyadh on July 25 in the Briton’s first fight since he was in a car accident last December that killed two close friends.
U.S.-based Albanian Prenga, 35, is a former kickboxer with a ring record of 20 wins and one defeat since he turned professional in 2016.
The fight, billed as “The Comeback”, was announced by Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority chairman Turki Alalshikh and will be broadcast live worldwide on DAZN.
Turki also posted on X a message “to my friends in Great Britain – it’s happening. It’s signed” while his Ring Magazine said the fight would happen in Q4 2026 on Netflix.
SIXTH-ROUND KNOCKOUT
Joshua, 36, has a record of 28 wins and four losses with his most recent fight a sixth-round knockout of American Jake Paul on December 19 in Miami.
“It’s no secret I’ve taken some time to consolidate and rebuild to be ready for stepping back into the ring, and today is the next step on that journey,” said Joshua.
“I’m delighted to have agreed a multi-fight deal starting with July 25th in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I’m looking forward to competing and picking up where I left off. The landlord will collect his rent. That is certain.”
Hearn told Sky Sports television he wanted a “tune-up bout” in July before facing Fury potentially in November.
“July and November are the two dates that have been presented to us now and we expect to move forward,” he said. “Fury has just had his tune-up fight with 12 really vital rounds to get him sharp for the next one and I expect us to do the same.”
Fury called for a showdown with Joshua after he outclassed Russia’s Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11.
“Next, I want to give you the fight you’ve all been waiting for. I want you AJ, Anthony Joshua, let’s give the fight fans what they want, the Battle of Britain,” he said then.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Morocco’s Saibari Joins World Cup Fast-Goal Elite with Scotland Winner
Koeman Gets Revenge as Netherlands Thrash Sweden 5-1 at World Cup
BET9ja FACT FILE
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup1 day ago
‘Most Oppressed Team’: Iran Set for FIFA Showdown Over Travel Rules
- World Cup5 days ago
Back in Canada After 39 Years: A Return to Where the Journey Began
- World Cup7 days ago
Atlas Lions Roar Again: Morocco Hold Five-Time Champions, Brazil In Another World Cup Statement
- World Cup5 days ago
Doku Faces World Cup-or-Fatherhood Dilemma as Belgium Star Awaits First Child
- World Cup5 days ago
Tunisia Become Second African Casualty as Sweden Hit Five in World Cup Rout
- World Cup5 days ago
Salah Eyes Birthday Gift as Egypt Seek Historic World Cup Breakthrough Against Belgium
- World Cup1 week ago
Ghana Protests Canada’s Visa Denial to Thomas Partey Ahead of World Cup Clash
- World Cup6 days ago
Advocaat Set to Make World Cup History as Curaçao Face Germany