“I want to see him take each fight as it comes, not to keep looking down the road and thinking about how he wants to be the youngest guy to win a world title. I want him to look at that [next] fight like he is fighting for a world title and go out there and put a world title performance on. Go out there and look the absolute business, that is what I want to see from him, in every fight. I want the world to see what we see in him, because he is exciting, he’s young and I believe that he will be the face of the heavyweight division in the future.”Up next for Itauma is a bout against Amine Boucetta from Belgium, who has a record of 7-8. The fight is part of the undercard for the rematch between Zhang and Joyce. Itauma will aim to add another knockout to his record, although Boucetta has proven to be a durable opponent, having been stopped just once in his career.
“A fight with Conor Benn down the line would be huge, but he shouldn’t be fighting right now – he shouldn’t be anywhere near a boxing ring, that guy. I think it’s pretty bad for the sport. It’s a bad look, guy popping dirty twice and still getting to box. He’s basically had a slap on the wrist and is getting away with it and is now getting back to it. I don’t think it’s a great look for the sport.”As for Benn's career plans, promoter Eddie Hearn has suggested that Benn might stage a comeback in a less high-profile match in the U.S. soon. Additionally, there's buzz that Benn could square off with family rival Chris Eubank Jr., who recently triumphed over Liam Smith. Negotiations for this matchup are said to be in the works, even though Eubank has expressed an interest in fights with other notable boxers like Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.
“I don’t know, what’s Triple G done in a while? He’s 41 years old … I don’t think [Eubank] does, no. Cause the last things to go is a boxer’s power, and he’s that well-schooled that even an old, past his best, reflexes gone a little bit [Golovkin] lands a shot on Eubank Jr I think it’s fight over. So no, I don’t think he beats Triple G if I’m honest.”Golovkin has been inactive since his trilogy defeat to Saul 'Canelo' Álvarez at 168 pounds in September of the previous year, and his future plans in boxing remain uncertain. Meanwhile, Eubank seems to be leaning more towards a fight with Conor Benn. This match had been scheduled previously but was canceled at the last minute due to a banned substance being found in Benn's system. Eubank's promotional team is confident that they can secure a British license for the fight in time for December and potentially host it in a stadium setting.
“I think that it’s sad, actually. The man that I am named after, a legend, has to go against me and then come out as a loser, having lost to a man who was named after him. I think that it’s sad and I think that he should be in my corner, not the opposing corner.”When asked about going against his namesake by TNT Sports, Mike Tyson responded succinctly, stating,
"This is business, and he understands."Indeed, it is a business venture for both fighters. Fury is expected to earn a substantial sum, likely in the tens of millions, for the bout, while Ngannou will also receive a career-high payday compared to his previous UFC championship stint. Mike Tyson believes that Ngannou will deliver a surprise on fight night, despite some skeptics viewing it as part of the promotional strategy. Tyson expressed confidence in Ngannou's abilities, highlighting his power punching and impressive speed for a heavyweight of his size (260 pounds). He expects Ngannou to exceed the expectations of many. The fight between Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou will be contested over ten rounds in a professionally sanctioned bout. However, Fury's WBC World title will not be on the line.
“The only one out there who can challenge Tyson, and they all avoid him and they won’t fight him, is Deontay Wilder. They’re all terrified of him, and Tyson straightened him up three times!” “All those people will never get in with ‘The Bronze Bomber.’ Usyk, AJ, none of them will fight ‘The Bronze Bomber.’ Andy Ruiz Jr will – for a price. Because he’s got big you know what’s, and if the money is right and it makes good business sense, I can only see Andy Ruiz fighting him.” “He’s the only one who comes to mind who is in that bracket. He’s the only one who’s going to fight Deontay Wilder because there rest are terrified. They know what’s coming.”Wilder had been in talks for a matchup with Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia, but those plans seem to have hit a roadblock due to changes in the country's boxing management. Discussions have also taken place for an all-American showdown with Ruiz, although financial negotiations appear to be a significant hurdle in finalizing that bout.
“I’m really looking forward to a challenge. This might sound strange but I’ve been a professional for 13 years and I’ve been travelling the world to find somebody who can beat me basically and I haven’t found him so far in 32 fights.”Bruno also shared his thoughts on the matchup, stating that he believed Fury would provide Joshua with a "boxing lesson" and cautioning Joshua against facing Fury.
“I don’t think Joshua should go anywhere near you because you’ll teach him a lesson you know, a boxing lesson.”Regrettably, fans never had the opportunity to witness whether Bruno's prediction would come true. Fury was compelled to engage in a third fight with Deontay Wilder after the American won an arbitration battle. The trilogy bout concluded similarly to their second encounter, with Fury knocking out 'The Bronze Bomber' in an exciting heavyweight showdown. Following this, Fury successfully defended his title twice, first against mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte and then in another trilogy bout against his old adversary Derek Chisora. Meanwhile, Joshua faced a setback, losing all his titles in back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, a former cruiserweight undisputed champion. In the upcoming period, Fury is scheduled to compete in a crossover contest against MMA star Francis Ngannou, while Joshua had seemed poised to square off against Wilder in the near future. However, talks for that bout have hit a snag, with promoter Eddie Hearn acknowledging the possibility of exploring alternative opponents.
“Has it ever been my priority? Did I ever say I wanted undisputed? It’s always been some other little b**** dream. I’ve got Francis Ngannou to deal with. Should the other little sausage want to fight for the undisputed, and if he’s willing to take a small percentage then we might be able to make it happen. But if he wants a large bag? Not happening. Him [Usyk] and his team were s***houses! They get offered the fight at Wembley, and we moved on. That was it. Now we’re fighting Francis Ngannou, who is stepping up to the plate.”The failed negotiations earlier in the year, which involved disputes over purse splits, choice of venue, and rematch clauses, had cast blame on Tyson Fury by many observers. However, his promoter, Frank Warren, recently expressed quiet confidence in the possibility of arranging a Fury vs. Usyk bout in 2024. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether Fury's recent comments are merely a diversion or a genuine reflection of his stance on the matter.
“They’re all pretty tough fights and all important – every one of them. Cause if you slip up here, you go back and got to start again. I think the one for me that I expected to be the toughest fight – against Wladimir Klitschko, who was undefeated in eleven years – it was one of the easiest fights.”Fury highlighted how significant every fight is, emphasizing that a single loss can reset a boxer's career. The fight against Klitschko, who hadn't lost a match in 11 years, turned out to be easier than he anticipated. He explained that the intimidating power of the Ukrainian fighter, who is now a Hall of Famer, fueled his training regimen.
“I think he did need a bit of counselling after that. Mentally focusing for that fight, in training camp we were focusing on like if he hits me, I’m gonna get knocked out. With that fear factor, I went in there and I boxed unbelievable. Then I took his best shots and I was like ‘is that it?’ That was supposed to be my hardest fight. I prepared mentally, physically and emotionally for it to be my hardest fight.”Fury recalled preparing intensely for the match, thinking Klitschko's punches would be lethal. However, he was surprised that Klitschko's best shots weren't as devastating as he had expected. Initially slated for a rematch, Fury instead took a hiatus from boxing, struggling with depression and substance abuse issues. After a hiatus of two and a half years, he made an awe-inspiring comeback, defeating another reigning champion, Deontay Wilder, in 2020. Currently holding the championship belt, Fury has opted not to defend his title this year. Instead, he plans on participating in a crossover fight against MMA sensation Francis Ngannou.
“It is with deep sadness that we have been informed of the sudden death of Argentine coach Diego Arua, who suffered a devastating heart attack during the Sabrina Pérez fight in Tijuana. The medical services did everything possible and he died at the QDEP general hospital.”Matchroom, the promotional company involved, extended their heartfelt condolences to Perez. Eddie Hearn, who was present ringside, was one of the first to recognize the severity of Arrua's condition.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with Sabrina Perez and your loved ones.”The boxing community and fans have been offering messages of support and expressing sorrow for the untimely demise of Arrua, who was 58. He was widely admired for the close working relationship he had with his wife, Perez, and for their collective achievements in the boxing world.
“Lopez will probably never be forgiven for the Kambosos loss. If Lopez didn’t have that loss – which is utterly ridiculous, every time I see Kambosos fight I still can’t understand how Lopez got beat by that guy – but if you take it away, which you never will so he’ll never be forgiven, that guy’s on the pound-for-pound list maybe top three or four.”Malignaggi, speaking on ProBox TV, expressed his strong opinions about Lopez's performance, stating, "Lopez may never be able to live down the Kambosos loss. It's almost unbelievable; every time I watch Kambosos fight, I still can't fathom how Lopez was defeated by him. But that loss will haunt him forever. Without it, he could have been on the pound-for-pound list, possibly in the top three or four." Subsequently, Kambosos lost the belts to Devin Haney. After nearly a year of absence from the ring, Lopez moved up to the 140-pound division. He delivered two decent performances before challenging Josh Taylor, the former undisputed champion in that weight class.
Malignaggi believes that Lopez's victory over Taylor establishes him as the top fighter in the division. He stated: “Lopez has done some insane things, man, including coming back and beating Josh Taylor. He was dynamite at 135 pounds and he’s shown at 140 when he’s on point he’s dynamite there as well. For me, he is the guy to beat at 140.”Despite briefly announcing his retirement after the Taylor fight, Lopez has confirmed his intention to continue competing. Additionally, he has been elevated to the status of Super Champion by the WBO, granting him certain privileges and choices regarding his opponents. Devin Haney, who has also moved up to super-lightweight, may be his next challenger.
“They [Fury, Joshua and Wilder] don’t have no skills. They throw punches like this for a jab, you’ve got to throw them straight. They don’t know how to throw a 1-2 and get out and protect yourself. But I had my day, I had great times doing what I was doing. They don’t move like Larry Holmes. You have to give punches, you shouldn’t take punches – and he [Fury] takes punches. I guess he wants to prove to people he can take punches, but you should hit and not get hit.”Larry Holmes, a dominant force in the heavyweight division during the early 1980s, held the Ring Magazine and lineal titles from 1980 to 1985, the WBC world championship from 1978 to 1985, and the inaugural IBF belt from 1983 to 1995. While some may find Holmes' assessment of today's heavyweight contenders to be critical, it's clear that the Easton Assassin isn't overly impressed with the current big names in the heavyweight division. Despite ongoing discussions about potential fights between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk for an undisputed title and a potential transatlantic showdown between Joshua and Wilder, negotiations for these matchups have, thus far, failed to yield concrete results.
Tony Bellew is of the opinion that Benn's speed and explosiveness could prove decisive against Eubank. He acknowledges that Benn's condition and performance in the ring after a year of inactivity would need to be assessed before making a definitive prediction. "Too quick, too explosive, I just think he beats him. I don't know how it'll go, I just need to see Conor back first to see what the year's took out of him, but I still favor Conor. Explosive, powerful, quick- Conor Benn's one of them, you're going to have to put him to sleep. He's going out on his shield,"However, before a potential Eubank matchup, Conor Benn must resolve legal issues with the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). Benn has been out of action since his knockout victory over Chris Van Heerden in April. While the National Anti-Doping Panel cleared him to box earlier this year, both BBBofC and UKAD have appealed this decision. Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom expects the matter to be resolved in the coming months. On the other hand, Eubank is exploring various options for his next fight, including a potential showdown against former middleweight world champion Gennadiy 'GGG' Golovkin.
“In my head, in the last fight Joe got greedy. As in he tried to knock him out. Worse thing you can do, because when you punch him you’re eventually gassing yourself out. So what he’s been doing to everybody else was done to him. What Joe should do it not get greedy, be Joe. Let the shots go. This happens when you fight somebody that’s easy to hit. When I was at cruiserweight and I fought heavyweights, you can get greedy because you’re faster than them. You whack him, and whack him again and think ‘I’m gonna get rid of him.’ He’s still there and you’re gassed.”Nelson provided a strategic plan for Joyce's rematch, taking into account Joyce's decision to come in at a heavier weight this time.
“In this fight, Joe’s got to be consistent, be The Juggernaut, let the shots go in and out. Don’t stand in the pocket with the guy because you’re up against a bigger version of yourself, but he’s smarter than Zhang. And that’s how he beats him as far as I see it. He can win, I believe he does win.”Joyce's opportunity for redemption is scheduled for September 23 in London, and fans in the UK can catch all the action on TNT Sports. Nelson expressed his belief that this time around, it will be revenge rather than a repeat of their previous encounter.
“A prime Carl Froch against a prime Tony Bellew at a catchweight, who wins?”Bellew initially demurred, responding with humility, 'Oh mate, let's just say you'd come out on top.' Froch disagreed and tried to engage Bellew in a discussion about their private sparring sessions.
“I’m not so sure about that, you can’t just give in that easy. Look at the spars.”Bellew chided Froch for bringing up their sparring history, remarking:
“Yeah but they were behind closed doors. What happens in the gym stays in the gym until you, you silly b**tard, you put it in your book. I don’t believe in telling gym stories. And I don’t believe in talking about shoulda, woulda, coulda.”Froch elaborated on the incident and admitted to being knocked down.
“Yeh but I was being honest. You walked me onto a nice right hand. But did I or did I not get straight back up and carry on the spar?”The debate continued as the two argued about the specific punch. Bellew claimed that it had a more significant impact than Froch believed, asserting,:
"In reality, it was a left hook, you silly guy."Both fighters agreed that it would have been an incredibly exciting fight, and Froch proposed one final time if they should make it happen.
“Yeh, it would be a barnstormer. Shall we do it as an exhibition?”Bellew ultimately expressed his willingness, provided the financial terms were right. As far as fantasy fights go, this matchup would undoubtedly be a captivating spectacle.
“You got the last one right – that’s the only person that could beat me, Gervonta Davis. That’s the only person. Those others cannot touch me at all. They’ve all been in the ring with me and I’ve cracked them both. Devin Haney is no 50/50 fight, how you going to keep me off him when he’s got no power. I sparred him twice – the first time his father took him out the ring, I almost knocked him out in Floyd’s gym, did they tell you that?”Regarding a potential fight with Haney, it might have to wait, as Haney is moving up to the 140lbs division, where he's expected to face Regis Prograis for the WBC title. Stevenson has been struggling to find an opponent but is now likely to square off against Edwin De Los Santos for the vacant WBC lightweight title. As for Davis, he has plans to return to the ring before the end of the year, with a rematch against Isaac 'Pitbull' Cruz currently in the lead as the next bout on his radar.
“He’s got the biggest potential, especially on the American scene. But potential does not always fulfil itself. But yes, I’m one of the ones expecting him to do great but here’s the thing, there are a couple of red flags.”The concerns revolve around Anderson's attitude towards the sport. Anderson has openly admitted that he doesn't love boxing and sees it solely as a job. Despite his impressive record of 14 knockouts in 15 fights, he went the distance only once, against former IBF champion Charles Martin. Anderson has also stated that he doesn't feel the need to become an undisputed champion to validate himself, even claiming to be "broke" at one point. Malignaggi took issue with these comments, especially Anderson's admission of breaking down in tears after what he perceived as a subpar performance against Martin. He questioned whether Anderson truly has a passion for boxing, noting that someone who doesn't enjoy the sport is unlikely to invest the extra effort and time required in the gym, particularly on the way up in the boxing world where passion is paramount.
“I wasn’t really into him crying but hey that can be a moment in the emotions. But you take that then take the fact he only wants to fight for three or four years and you start to think dude, does this guy even like boxing? You can’t be the future of anything you don’t like. You’re never going to put in the extra mile and extra time in the gym. On the way up that passion is everything.”While Anderson possesses the tools, power, and support of Top Rank, Malignaggi emphasized that achieving greatness in boxing hinges on the right mindset. If Anderson can develop a genuine passion for the sport, there's every reason to believe he can reach the pinnacle of the heavyweight division.
“Usyk cannot be taken lightly. He’s the undisputed champion under the heavyweights and he hasn’t lost.”Lewis then focused on Usyk's renowned training methods, which incorporate mental and physical aspects. He also noted that Usyk has never faced an opponent as large as Fury, saying:
“When he trains for a fight, when he boxes for a fight, there is mental and physical involved so it’s going to be a great fight. Whatever he does he will come to win, he will pull out the stops. He’s up against a different man. He’s not up against a 6 foot 7 guy, he’s up against a 6 foot 9 guy who boxes orthodox and southpaw and moves very well about the ring.”Lennox Lewis concluded by favoring Fury due to his size, saying:
“I always says a good small guy beats a good big guy, so there you have it.”Regardless of the outcome, the boxing world eagerly anticipates this potential clash, although Fury has recently expressed disinterest in facing any opponents from the boxing world.
"I’ll go straight with Brock Lesnar."He explained his view that Lesnar's muscular build would be a disadvantage in a boxing match, saying:
"So, I think Brock Lesnar will be way too muscular. So, when you muscular like that, you knock off your flexibility."This potential matchup has the chance to overshadow Tyson Fury's own crossover bout against Francis Ngannou, which took many by surprise. In the past, Fury himself had mentioned wanting to fight Lesnar, stating in an interview with True Geordie:
"I fancy a fight with Brock, for sure."However, his bravado seemed to lessen in a later backstage exchange with Lesnar at a WWE event. In any case, a Deontay Wilder vs Brock Lesnar fight, either in boxing or MMA, would surely captivate fans and generate massive interest.
“Yeah. There is a potential rematch clause. I don’t know exactly how to explain that language, but yes, there is a rematch inside it.”When asked if there would be a rematch in the event of an upset victory over Fury, Ngannou was unequivocal in his response, stating that there would indeed be a second fight.
“Oh, for that one, definitely.”However, it remains uncertain whether the same privilege applies to Ngannou if he were to lose the initial Fury vs Ngannou match. Some insiders have also suggested the existence of a rematch clause in case of a Fury defeat. These comments from Ngannou, made back in July when the Fury vs Ngannou fight was announced, stand in contrast to Fury's initial statement at the press conference. Fury had proudly declared that there was no rematch clause, emphasizing his dislike for such provisions. He argued that once a fighter is beaten, it should be a conclusive result without the need for rematches.
“Oh yeah, by the way, we’ve got no rematch clause. So that sucks, doesn’t it? Imagine that. Couldn’t be bothered. I don’t like rematches. I hate them. I’ve been in litigation loads of times over poxy rematch clauses. When you beat a man once, that should be it, move on.”While it's unclear if the contract terms have evolved since these statements, it's worth noting that the Fury vs Ngannou fight wouldn't have been officially announced and promoted without a finalized agreement in place. Despite the debate over contract details, many fans anticipate that Fury will dominate the bout, making these particulars seem somewhat inconsequential given his overwhelming favoritism in the matchup.