Boxing
Anthony Joshua weighs heavier than Oleksandr Usyk ahead of their heavyweight title fight
A huge 40-foot mural of Anthony Joshua has been unveiled at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium ahead of his fight with Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk this Saturday.
Meanwhile, Joshua has weighed in 19lbs heavier than his challenger ahead of the heavyweight duo’s title bout tomorrow night.
Home favourite Joshua came in at 240lbs for the defence of his WBO, IBF and WBO straps, the same weight he carried for his fight against Kubrat Pulev in December.
The lead-up to the showdown in London has seen experts voice their opinions over Joshua’s leaner shape, but he will be heavier by more than a stone against Usyk
That is an increase on the 199.5lbs from his debut at heavyweight and the 217lbs for his triumph over Derek Chisora.
In his attempt to stun the crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and rock Joshua, the 34-year-old has been visibly piling on muscle in recent months.
Both fighters shared an intense stare down the day before they take to the ring, before Joshua accepted Usyk’s handshake and the two men smiled.
In front of the media and a small crowd at the O2 Arena in the capital, they took it in turns to flex their muscles, with Joshua amicably handing over to his challenger.
Joshua also holds advantages in height and reach and is the favourite among bookmakers – although the bout is still expected to be a stern test.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the Watford-born titan hinted at what his game-plan may entail, and plans to outmuscle Usyk.
‘I can out-box him, of course I can,’ Joshua said. ‘And I can out-strength him.
‘You have to have a bit of aggression, boxing skill, head movement. There is not just one factor that determines a fight.
‘Obviously we have our go-to, our strength. I will use my strengths.
‘But it’s called a boxing match for a reason. I love the sweet science. I will display my boxing skills, but I won’t make it too complicated in there.’
He has also insisted that he will attempt to knockout the wily Ukrainian, but will be equally prepared for a lengthy slugfest.
‘You always aim to prepare for a 12-round fight but hope to cut it short – you aim to knock people out,’ Joshua added.
‘You learn where their strengths are, where their weaknesses are. He has good stamina. So we work around, not just losing weight, but rounds of sparring and rounds on the heavy bag to generate good stamina.
‘We build boxing memory in our muscles so they don’t get fatigued when they are exploding on the opponent’s body and face.’
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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