"If Deontay Wilder knocks out Anthony Joshua, then I don’t think Joshua will want to fight again after that, I don’t think he can build up after that. If Wilder knocks out Anthony Joshua, then I think that’s the end of Anthony Joshua, I don’t think he comes back from that."Froch expressed his concerns about Joshua's mental state, stating:
"Anthony Joshua since the Ruiz loss – I think he’s been a damaged fighter, I’ve got to be honest. I don’t think he’s ever been the same since that loss. You can see by his performances what he’s thinking, when I watch him fight I’m concerned that he’s not there [points to his head] anymore."While Froch has publicly indicated his belief that "The Bronze Bomber" Deontay Wilder will prevail over "AJ," he also discussed the possibility of Joshua winning. In that case, Froch suggested that the long-anticipated fight against Tyson Fury should be pursued. "Depending on how the fight went, if it was a one-punch knockout, then my opinion would be that he’s broken the curse and he’s back, and let’s get the Tyson Fury fight on ASAP because I think that fight is getting further and further away the longer Fury is out of the ring." While the Joshua-Wilder bout had been anticipated for early next year, promoter Eddie Hearn has acknowledged that progress has slowed due to changes in the sporting landscape in Saudi Arabia, prompting consideration of alternative locations.
"Ohara Davies. He’s quit twice, I’ve seen him step up against Josh Taylor and he quit and he’s going on about how he should be world champion. When he stepped up against Josh Taylor he got his a** absolutely handed to him on a plate and he spewed it, he watched the referee count to ten when he was on one knee."Bellew's criticism stems from Davies' actions in his fight against Josh Taylor, where he went down to the canvas and appeared to turn his back to the action, leading to the referee waving off the fight. Davies has defended himself, claiming he couldn't breathe after the knockdown. Davies currently holds a record of 25 wins from 27 fights, with his two losses coming against fellow Brits Josh Taylor and Jack Catterall. He has since rebounded with a seven-fight win streak and is now the WBA mandatory challenger for the current belt holder, Rolando "Rolly" Romero. While Davies is next in line to face Romero, the American is currently dealing with an injury. Talks of a potential clash against Ryan Garcia have also emerged, with Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya pushing for the fight. Davies has recently signed with Golden Boy Promotions.
"When I come back into boxing I said I wanted to make the most money as possible, that’s what I said to my lawyer. I didn’t come back this time for belts or titles or anything; I come back to secure my family and their family and their kids and their grandkids. And I’ve done it. I’ve done it. The reason why I’m even boxing anymore, when I come back was to regain the belts, which I’ve done; and two, more than that, is to get the biggest bags possible."These remarks might raise concerns among boxing enthusiasts, especially those eager to witness a four-belt unification showdown involving WBA, WBO, and IBF champion Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs). Alternatively, fans have been anticipating a match against his long-standing domestic rival and former two-time unified heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua (26-3, 23 KOs). As things stand, it appears more likely that Fury will square off against another boxing debutant, Jon Jones, the current UFC heavyweight champion. Fury confidently stated:
"I have no interest in fighting those guys because I’m bigger than all of ’em. I’m a superstar; they’re nobodies. I’m happy; they’re not. I have everything that they want, and there’s nothing they can do about it—apart from get yourself in line, get yourself mandatory by ten organizations, fight eliminator after eliminator for no money, like I did. And take ten years getting there, and when you get there and you’ve been the lineal champion for the longest ever, then come back to me and preach."These statements may not align with the hopes of his co-promoter, Bob Arum of Top Rank, who expressed his desire to see Fury in a unification fight with Usyk before retiring. On the other side of the promotional spectrum, Alexander Krassyuk, Usyk's promoter, conveyed Usyk's readiness to face Fury but indicated a willingness to wait if necessary. Krassyuk explained, "Do you think Fury can stop time from passing? Usyk is on his top now. If Fury wants to defeat him, he would have to wait something like five years because he will be on his top for the next two, three years, for sure. He’s 36. This is the golden era for a heavyweight." It seems that the ultimate unification of the heavyweight division is still awaiting resolution, and Tyson Fury remains a central figure in this ongoing saga.
“I don’t know the political situation, obviously Shane Fury is working with the new entity so he’s going to be supportive of that and I’m sure we’ll work with that new entity as well, they do a great job. For us, we’ve agreed terms for Joshua-Wilder but until we receive a contract the fight is not happening. Obviously politically it sounds like there is a lot going on but for us we’re ready to take that fight. Wilder’s team are ready to take that fight, everybody has agreed the terms, but until the money is put in place, the fight is not happening. It doesn’t just have to happen in in Saudi Arabia, there are other talks about other countries it could take place in. Regarding the comments I think there is some truth to it that there is a movement of management and ownership of boxing in Saudi and it’s up to them for what they want to do. If they don’t want to do Joshua-Wilder, maybe it goes somewhere else.”In an interview with Boxing King Media, Hearn acknowledged the shifting dynamics in the ownership of boxing within the region. He also identified two potential opponents for Joshua if the Wilder deal failed to materialize.
“If we don’t get something sorted soon we’ll probably see AJ fight in December at a level above where he’s been fighting because he wants to stay active. It’s frustrating because we’ve been waiting and waiting, we’ve been patient for them and we’ve agreed everything but now it’s slow. Filip Hrgovic, Andy Ruiz, I don’t know, but it needs to be a step up.”Furthermore, Hearn hinted at the possibility of a fight between Joshua and Fury early next year, emphasizing that it would be the most significant bout for both fighters.
“That’s dead. Andy don’t wanna fight Deontay, and his way of saying it was asking for 20, 30 million dollars for a fight that you don’t deserve 20, 30 million dollars for. Hiding behind the business is what he did, and I truly believe he never really wanted to fight Deontay, but it was a good sales pitch and something to keep his name going.”Despite this, Ruiz had recently expressed his desire to face Wilder. Instead, it appears that Wilder and Scott are now gearing up for a showdown with Anthony Joshua in early 2024. Joshua, after losing his world titles, has secured two victories this year, and his team has confirmed their interest in facing Wilder next. Whether either fighter takes on lesser opponents before the anticipated Saudi Arabia showdown depends on the timing. If the bout is scheduled for January, it will likely be their next fight. However, if it's set for March or later, they may step into the ring for another match in the meantime.
“Jealous. Haters gunna hate. B***hes gunna hate. Bellew’s a b***h and so is Carl Froch. Get Up.”One person who believes in Ngannou's chances is Mike Tyson, who has been training the Cameroonian-French fighter in recent weeks. When asked if this bothered him, given that he was named after the former heavyweight champion of the world, Fury dismissed any concerns. He also shared his thoughts on what might happen if his father's proposed fight with Iron Mike were to take place on the undercard, stating that it's all business. He's making money, right? My dad would handle him.
“It’s just business. He’s getting a bag, isn’t he? My dad would beat him up.”Regardless of people's opinions on the Fury vs Ngannou fight, it's creating a lot of buzz and keeping boxing in the headlines.
"I only trained for six weeks for Deontay Wilder, I'm dedicating 12 weeks to prepare for Francis Ngannou. So, I need to be at my absolute best because there's more at stake now than just a boxing match. Losing to a fellow champion might not be too bad, but losing to an MMA fighter would be a humiliation I couldn't live down. People would mock me forever. So, this fight means more to me than any other."Ngannou, at 37, had knocked out 12 opponents in 20 professional MMA matches (17-3) before agreeing to box Fury. He had an impressive six-fight winning streak in the UFC before leaving the organization last year when his contract expired. Despite the doubts, Fan Duel still lists Fury as a 13-1 favorite to win the Fury vs Ngannou pay-per-view main event. Earlier this year, Fury and his team attempted to negotiate a title unification fight with Oleksandr Usyk's representatives, but they couldn't make it happen. This added to the criticism when it became clear that Fury's only fight in 2023 wouldn't even be against a professional boxer, let alone the undefeated IBF/IBO/WBA/WBO champion. Nevertheless, Fury suspects that Ngannou, who stands at 6 feet 4 inches and weighs 260 pounds, might pack just as much, if not more, punching power than the taller and lighter Wilder. Fury, who stands at 6 feet 9 inches, insists he's treating his training camp for this unique event as seriously as he would for a fight against Wilder.
"Regardless of how the media portrays it, know this - Tyson Fury will leave no stone unturned, and I will come into this fight in the best shape of my life to defeat this man. And if I don't, and I get knocked out, then laugh at me. I would deserve it. I'd be an idiot not to give my absolute all in training for someone like Francis. He's a powerhouse, and I have the utmost respect for him. I'm in the gym every day, training as hard as I possibly can."
“It’s still TBC, it’s still a conversation we’re having. Obviously we want it on the line … If that’s not the case, the fight’s going ahead regardless. It’s still a great fight.” “He’ll be gone within the distance most definitely.”Adeleye paid respect to his opponent but made it clear that he believes he will secure his thirteenth victory and maintain his flawless record.
“I’m confident. I know what I’m about. I don’t take nothing away from him. He’s a big guy just like me, both undefeated. He does what he needs to do every time, but at the end of the day it’s gonna be me or him – and I choose myself.”Afterward, they had a face-to-face exchange of words, which quickly turned physical. Wardley approached Adeleye, who immediately pushed him. When Wardley attempted to retaliate, he stumbled over equipment. Wardley was later seen with a cut near his left eye and another under his chin. Tensions were already high, and this altercation has intensified the animosity between the two fighters. Unfortunately, the injuries have the potential to delay Wardley's sparring sessions, making the possibility of the fight being postponed a real concern for fans.
"Later that day, Danis reposted the explicit photograph in order to maximise the number of views it would receive."TMZ further reports that Agdal is seeking unspecified damages but not less than $150,000 per violation of federal law that prohibits the unauthorized sharing of intimate images. In addition to the lawsuit, she has also sought a restraining order against Danis. Danis acknowledged the lawsuit on social media, stating:
"Nina Adgel has filed a massive lawsuit against me. She filed a restraining order against me and is seeking prison time, so the fight is in jeopardy if I’m in jail. "This is actually wild but I won’t stop f*** the system come get me. Logan Paul is a dead man walking."It's important to note that the lawsuit doesn't explicitly mention jeopardizing the fight or seeking prison time, contrary to Danis's claims in his social media post, as clarified by a community note on X.
“The WBA, now that it has received a formal appeal from Dubois’ team, will proceed with a review as per the regulations. “Any decision made regarding this situation will be made under WBA rules and communicated in a timely and appropriate manner.”Luis Pabon, the referee from Puerto Rico, provided Usyk with nearly four minutes of recovery time after the controversial blow. Dubois and his team maintain the hit was legitimate, as it seemed to connect at the champion's belt line. After the match, Dubois, feeling exhausted and defeated by Usyk, did not participate in the post-fight press event. During this event, both Warren and Dubois' coach, Don Charles, expressed their disagreements with the referee's call. Regardless of the WBA's final decision on the match's outcome, Dubois and his team are hopeful that, at the very least, a direct rematch will be sanctioned to address the prevailing disputes.
“That’s what my feelings was. A lot of people were like, ‘Man, you didn’t look too happy after you won. I didn’t see the excitement in you.’ I was like, man, I was happy. I was happy I had to prove myself to the world how great I knew I was. But at the same time, I was kinda disappointed at the same time that it took this long for me to get my recognition, for me to get a big marquee fight at this status, at 35 years old.”Crawford went on to detail his long pursuit of a match against Manny Pacquiao, which spanned almost half a decade before his bout with Spence. Being a champion for nearly a decade, Crawford lamented not always securing the big challenges he sought after. However, he takes pride in his accomplishments, being the first to achieve undisputed status in both junior welterweight and welterweight divisions during the four-belt era. Reflecting on the aftermath of the Spence fight, Crawford mentioned:
“You know, when you go in the back room and everybody want to see the excitement and I was just like, ‘I got that off my back.’ It was a sign of relief.”
“It’s a great fight. We all know who my pick is, and we mean them no good over there. I’m tryna stop what they doing over there, and that’s continuing to win fights. My job is to make sure that Deontay is prepared, violent, focused and ready to put a hole in him. And that’s what he’s ready to do. I truly, truly believe that’s what’s gonna happen.”Scott also highlighted Wilder's impressive record, pointing out the 'Bronze Bomber's' 42 knockouts. He believes Joshua's movement, or the lack of it, will make him an easy target, leading to the 43rd knockout for Wilder. Scott pointedly remarked, He’s too big to get out of the way of anything. Come on man, Robert Helenius was hitting you at will with the jab.
“He’s too big to get out the way of anything. Come on man, Robert Helenius was hitting you at will with the jab.”While Wilder seems eager to dive into this much-anticipated Wilder vs Joshua match, it's known that his team might consider another bout in the meantime. On the flip side, Joshua's representatives have implied that if an agreement isn't reached soon, Joshua might schedule a fight in December.
“I don’t expect Ngannou to out-box Tyson but I know that he’s a tremendous puncher. He’s a roughhouse... he’s a tough, tough guy."Warren believes the only path to victory for Ngannou would be a knockout, a feasible outcome given Ngannou's reputation as the world's hardest puncher. Warren stated:
“You know that [Ngannou] is going to come throwing bombs."For the safety of the fighters, he underscored the need for a vigilant referee to enforce boxing regulations strictly. Elaborating on Ngannou's potential strategy, Warren said,
“He’s going to have to throw bombs and put Tyson out of his stride."He also pointed out that one solid punch could dramatically alter the course of the fight. To underscore this point, he referred to Daniel Dubois's recent bout with Oleksandr Usyk. In reaction to Simon Jordan dismissing the event as 'rubbish', Warren defended its significance, stating:
“It’s not rubbish, it’s two guys getting in the ring and you’ve got to have balls to get in the ring."Warren highlighted that combat is not new to Ngannou. Expecting a win for Fury, he remains cautious, concluding that the bout promises to be thrilling. Warren also responded to suggestions that the fight is primarily for monetary purposes. Comparing boxing to any profession, he explained that everyone works for monetary compensation. Asserting the magnitude of the event, Warren hinted at significant developments over the coming weeks.
“Because the drug testing is so sensitive now, people are getting popped a lot more, whether it be through speckles of contamination or it's because they've done a f------ cycle, and they've timed the detection wrong. Do you know what I mean? Whatever it is. The main thing and good thing is people are getting found out." “That stack that she's taken is a very common bodybuilding stack. I was an ex-bodybuilder, and it's a very common bodybuilding stack for women, so it's going to be a hard one for her to explain, but if she is innocent, then I hope she gets justice, but if not, then I hope her opponents get justice. all I want is the truth. And in time it should come out.”Being away from competitive boxing since the last year, Bridges is now keen to re-enter the ring.
“My priority right now is to bash some b!tches. I want to defend my belt because I've put my life on hold waiting to box. I can't travel. I can't eat, I can't go home and see my family. I can't do all these things because I'm in camp and always training, and always making sure I'm staying fit and ready, so I can get a fight. It's very hard,” Bridges said. “I think I'm deserving of a voluntary after not getting a voluntary and being forced to fight my mandatory straight away, and also coming off an injury. If I was to fight in America, I'd like to fight Avril Mathie because: I think it would be a great fight for both of us. It's a fight that will bring a lot of attention, a lot of eyes on the sport. She's a swimwear model as well, and she's got a great record, she's a tough fighter, Australian, she comes to fight, and I know that she'll come into the fight wanting to win, and I think it would just be a really good fight got women's boxing to bring eyes on it, and to show two females going hard at it. “I don't need boxing to make money. But that’s not the point, I have a bigger goal which is to be undisputed, and that keeps me focused on what I want to do, and that keeps me doing all these sacrifices day in and day out. Being away from my family, not going traveling with my friends, not eating out for dinners and stuff like that, because I have to keep weight. It’s f------ because the amount of times that I wanted to go back home but I can't afford that time out. I’m frustrated.”
“Tyson isn’t the best in the world for nothing. If he crosses over, the Tyson I know, he can get in the octagon with anybody. I think you’ll see that with Jon Jones. I want to see that with Jon Jones. I don’t want to see a boxing match, I want to see both men with an all-in battle royale and let the best man at the end of it put their hands up and say I’m the best man, the hardest man and the baddest man on the planet. That would be my plan [to see that fight next]. Go out with a bang, let the world see you’re the real deal in all walks of life not just a boxing match.”Bellew, however, has delivered a stern warning to Fury, advising him against taking on Jon Jones under MMA rules. Bellew has previously described Jones as a "monster" and emphasized that no boxer would stand a chance against him in an MMA setting. Bellew cautioned Fury that even if he believes he possesses wrestling skills and strength, Jones's expertise and power would make him extremely dangerous. Bellew predicted that Jones could potentially inflict serious injuries on Fury if he were to engage in an MMA fight with him.
“No boxer has any chance whatsoever against [Jon Jones]. As soon as somebody comes at you and starts doing this (crouches down), just hold your hands up and say ‘I’m good’, I don’t need any of this. Tyson Fury, mate I know you think you can wrestle, I know you think you’re strong and heavy, if he [Jon Jones] gets hold of you he is pulling limbs off. You’re going to lose your ankle your knee, your arm, you’re going to lose something. Jon Jones is a freak of nature, the guys a monster.”The upcoming crossover fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou is set to take place on October 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Despite the outcome affecting both fighters' professional records, Fury's WBC title will not be on the line for this bout.
"I hold him in the highest esteem and the highest regard. He's world champion at his game, he's taking on the best in the world, taking it seriously and I do believe he's going to bring the smoke."To prepare for the fight, Ngannou has enlisted the assistance of former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson as his head trainer. John Fury holds a great deal of admiration for Mike Tyson and acknowledges naming his own son after the legendary boxer. He believes that Mike Tyson's presence in Ngannou's corner will contribute significantly to his training and approach. John Fury highlighted the dynamics at play, suggesting that Ngannou's desire to impress Mike Tyson and Tyson Fury's strong ego create a backdrop for a fierce contest. He emphasized the value of having Mike Tyson as a mentor in Ngannou's training camp, expressing confidence that Mike will provide valuable insights into boxing techniques and strategies.
"Bear in mind he's got Mike Tyson there and he wants to impress Mike Tyson. And then Tyson [Fury] has got an ego as big as Morecambe so the stage is set for a battle royal." "He couldn't have a better mentor in his camp than the great Mike Tyson, I'm sure Mike will show him the boxing moves he needs."
“That was probably the best I have ever seen him against a really, really bad version of Liam Smith. I can’t take credit away from Chris Eubank Jr because he performed really well, but unfortunately for Smith that could be the end of the road for him.”Froch pointed out that Smith seemed uncomfortable at the 160-pound weight class and expressed doubt about his ability to drop down to 154 pounds or move up to the super middleweight division. He observed that Smith's weight challenges played a role in his defeat and suggested that this loss might signal the end of Smith's career.
“I thought he was comfortable at 160. He obviously isn’t. He’s took 42lbs off so he can’t go down to 154, he’s gunna have to stay at middle, and he can’t go up to super middleweight, he’s not big enough. But at middle you’ve just seen what happened to him. He can’t do it.”Froch later stated in an interview on talkSPORT Boxing that he believes Smith's career is finished. He cited Smith's difficulties in finding the right weight class and expressed concern about his prospects moving forward.
“This could be career curtains. He’s had a fantastic career. He’s 35 years old, he got badly beaten because he couldn’t do the weight so I think that could be the end. “I think Liam Smith looks shot and finished at 35 years old. He can’t do 160lbs, he’s 35 years-old had a career at 154lb so if he can’t do 160 what’s he going to do? Step up to middleweight, well he’s not big enough. So for me his career is over.”The boxing community widely viewed the fight as one-sided and turned their attention to Eubank's future opponents.