Boxing

At last, Anthony Joshua returns to the ring

Published

2 years ago

January 23, 2023

After successive defeats in the hands of Ukraine’s Olelsandr Usyk, the latest being last August, Anthony Joshua is returning to the ring to fight American heavywight Jermaine Franklin at the O2 Arena on 1 April.

He had earlier turned down a title fight with Tyson Fury, the holder of the WBC belt. Joshua had earlier lost his three belts – WBA, WBO and IBF to the Ukrainian in September 2021 and failed in the bid to regain them last August.

But Joshua will face Franklin – who trained alongside Tyson Fury in the build-up to the former’s showdown with Dillian Whyte in November 2022.

For Jishua, this is a must-win fight as he looks to work his way back to the top of the heavyweight division.

Joshua and Franklin haJoshua (right) suffered a second-straight defeat by Usyk (left) in August (above), having lost his WBA, WBO and IBF belts to the Ukrainian in September 2021ve agreed on the financials for the fight and will sign the final paperwork later on Monday afternoon.

Joshua will be looking to reassert his dominance in the heavyweight division, while Franklin will be looking to bounce back from his defeat by Whyte in November 2022.

Joshua looked set to face Fury in December but negotiations between the two British boxers collapsed in October after the Gypsy King grew frustrated with how long AJ’s team were taking to sign the contract.

AJ was disappointed to see the deal fall through as they had made good progress – having agreed on the financial terms of the fight, splitting the purse 60/40 in the favour of the WBC champion.

The pair had also named the Principality Stadium in Cardiff as the chosen location and agreed on the TV rights – which were said to be stumbling block. However, it wasn’t meant to be.

AJ was then linked to unbeaten Australian heavyweight Demsey McKean as the southpaw called for the fight after he won the IBF Intercontinental heavyweight belt last October.

However, Sportsmail can confirm that Joshua has agreed a deal to face Franklin at the O2 Arena on April 1 instead.

Franklin went toe-to-toe with Whyte in November 2022 but the British boxer emerged victorious with a majority decision after their 12-round contest at Wembley Arena.

Franklin felt as though he had been ‘robbed’ – with Michael Alexander scoring their bout level at 115-115 while Juergen Landos and Grzegorz Molenda scored the fight 116-112 in favour of Whyte.

Therefore, Franklin will be back with a vengeance when he face Joshua at the O2 Arena on April 1.

Boxing

Tyson says Paul will ‘run like a thief’ in the ring

Published

4 weeks ago

August 20, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Boxer Mike Tyson attends a news conference, ahead of a sanctioned professional fight versus Jake Paul which is set to take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on July 20, in New York City, U.S., May 13, 2024. REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File Photo

Mike Tyson said he was fit and ready for his Nov. 15 fight against Jake Paul as the two boxers had a joint news conference in New York City on Sunday.

The match was originally scheduled for July 20 but was postponed after former heavyweight champion Tyson, 58, had an ulcer flare-up that forced some resting time.

“Iron Mike”, who has a 50-6 record with 44 knockouts, was one of the most feared heavyweights in history but has not fought a professional fight since 2005.

When asked why he returned to the ring so long after retirement, Tyson’s response was clear: “Because I can. Who else can do it but me? We have a YouTuber fighting the greatest fighter ever to live.”

“He may have been in the ring with people who have the same intentions, but the actuality, no.

“As soon as I catch this guy it’s going to be totally over, he is going to run. He is gonna run like a thief.”

Paul, who was booed and heckled by the crowd, claimed he would put Tyson to sleep.

“I am here to make 40 million dollars and knock out a legend,” Paul said.

“I love Mike and I respect him but we are not friends anymore until Nov. 15,” he said.

When asked if he was afraid of being in the ring with Paul, Tyson replied sarcastically: “I am terrified.”

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul, 27, is 31 years his junior and has a 10-1 boxing record.

The fight will be streamed live globally on Netflix and will take place at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

-Reuters

Boxing

Anthony Joshua’s opponent, Helenius gets two-year ban

Published

2 months ago

July 19, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Anthony Joshua v Robert Helenius - O2 Arena, London, Britain - August 12, 2023 Robert Helenius in action during his fight against Antonhy Joshua Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo

Finland’s Robert Helenius has been banned for two years due to Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) for the presence and use of a prohibited substance for his bout against Britain’s Anthony Joshua in August 2023, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) said on Friday.

Former heavyweight world champion Joshua beat stand-in Helenius with a seventh round single-punch knockout at the London O2 Arena.

But Helenius’s sample from a voluntary drug test the day before the bout tested positive for clomifene, which the Finnish boxer said may have originated from consuming eggs and chicken.

Helenius, now 40, was provisionally suspended and UKAD said he was unable to provide proof that “the eggs and chicken meat he had consumed in advance of the bout originated from hens that had been administered clomifene”.

“Mr Helenius was therefore unable to identify the source of clomifene in his sample and therefore unable to reduce the applicable period of ineligibility of two years,” UKAD added.

However, UKAD said that since Helenius was provisionally suspended on Sept. 18, 2023, he has already served 10 months of his ban which will expire on Sept. 17, 2025.

-Reuters

Boxing

Dubois promises to put an end to Anthony Joshua era

Published

3 months ago

June 26, 2024

Kunle Solaja

It promises a tough time for Anthony Joshua if the words of Daniel Dubois are anything to go by, as both will clash in September.

“I’m aiming to be the best. AJ (Joshua) has been the King for a long time but on the night I need to be the ‘King slayer’. That’s the goal, the mission I have,” Dubois said at the news conference on Wednesday.

“I’m ready to let my fists do the talking. I’m 100% ready to go and to train like a beast.”

Dubois has a 21-2 record with 20 knockouts while 34-year-old Joshua’s record is 28-3, including 25 knockouts.

Usyk beat two-times heavyweight champion Joshua twice – first in 2021 to seize the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts and again in 2022 when he defended the belts – but the Briton has won his last four fights.

“I went out to watch his last fight… Dubois has been on my mind for a while and he will be for the next 12 weeks,” Joshua said.

“Whoever was going to be there, I was ready to fight in September. It just happened to be him.”

When questioned about the age difference, Joshua said: “It don’t matter, we’re in peak condition. Age is just a number.”

Usyk had knocked out Dubois in nine rounds last year in a bout overshadowed by a low blow controversy when the Ukrainian went down gasping for breath after he was hit on the band of his shorts.

“Anthony and Daniel, I know the IBF title is important to you. It is my present to you on September 21,” Usyk said on X, opens new tab when he vacated the belt.

The winner of the bout between Joshua and Dubois could then get a crack at the undisputed champion after Usyk and Fury have their rematch.

The undercard will have five bouts, including two for the IBF super-featherweight title and the WBO interim light-heavyweight title.

“This is probably the most stacked card in British boxing history, certainly in my lifetime, headlined by Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua,” Queensberry promoter Frank Warren said.

“Where better to do it at the national stadium, Wembley?”