UK Boxing
‘Completely unnecessary’ – Carl Froch HITS warm-up fight with Anthony Joshua
Carl Froch urged Anthony Joshua to go straight to the long-awaited fight with Tyson Fury.
Fury called on Joshua to step into the ring after his victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov last Saturday, but his rival rejected the offer.
Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, maintains that the two-time world heavyweight champion will fight as a warm-up fight for his fight with Fury.
The Matchroom chairman revealed last week that he had received a contract from Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh for two fights, culminating in a mega fight with the “Gypsy King” in November.
However, Froch believes that the 36-year-old should continue to fight his long-time rival rather than risk the fight failing as has happened on numerous previous occasions.
“The sales deadline has already passed, but it’s still a gigantic fight,” the 48-year-old said in his YouTube channel Froch About the fight.
“Those two should just fucking get over it and get in there and make that fight happen.
“All this warm-up before the fight*** is completely unnecessary.
“This will kill.
“𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋, 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓’𝐒 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔”
Eddie Hearn reacts to Carl Froch, saying Anthony Joshua shouldn’t have a warm-up fight for his fight with Tyson Fury
pic.twitter.com/wVX2Tre14M
— Professional boxing fans (@ProBoxingFans) April 19, 2026
“If AJ fights a warm-up fight, even if he fights someone who falls on his side, he could get injured and need to be out for two or three months.
“Then he will need a three-month training camp and we are getting further and further away from that fight.
“This fight has to happen now.
If this is going to happen, it’s now or never for me.”
Joshua hasn’t fought in Jake Paul’s sixth-round knockout in Miami in December.
10 days after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was arrested, “AJ” suffered minor injuries in a fatal car crash that claimed the lives of two of his close friends.
The Watford man has returned to a training camp in Spain alongside former opponent Oleksandr Usyk as he prepares for a likely return in July.
The post “Completely Unnecessary” – Carl Froch SLAMS Anthony Joshua Toasty-Up appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
David Benavidez is already looking to the future ahead of next week’s showdown with Zurdo Ramirez.
Benavidez challenges Zurdo for his unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight world titles next Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, live on DAZN pay-per-view.
“The Mexican Monster” is moving up from lightweight heavyweight, where he holds the WBC crown, in a bid to become a three-division world champion.
An undisputed 175-pound title fight with Dmitry Bivol has so far eluded the undefeated 29-year-old, but he insists he will return to the weight class after the Ramirez fight in an attempt to lure Bivol to fight him.
“My plan wasn’t just to abandon the lightweight heavyweight division,” Benavidez said Ariel Helwani show.
“My plan was this [to] come up, win two titles, come back and make this fight with me and Bivol even bigger.
“My dream is to become unified champion.
“It would be wise for me to go back downstairs.”
Bivol, the holder of the remaining IBF, WBA and WBO belts, will defend his IBF title against mandatory challenger Michael Eifert on May 30 in Russia.
The 35-year-old won the undisputed crown, among others revenge victory over Artur Beterbiev in his last appearance last February.
The Russian gave up the WBC belt, which Benavidez currently holds, in pursuit of a third meeting with Beterbiev, which ultimately did not take place.
Benavidez, who stopped Anthony Yarde in Riyad in November, is also hoping to fight former undisputed lightweight heavyweight champion Beterbiev, who hasn’t fought since his only professional loss to Bivol.
“After this fight [against Bivol] when I win the titles,” he added.
“I’m going to fight Beterbiev.
“I’m probably most excited about Beterbiev.
“These are two monsters heading on a collision course.
“Beterbiev was a bogeyman for a long, long, long time.
“Being the monster I am, I have to go in there and get rid of the bogeyman.”
The post David Benavidez Eyeing Two Names After Zurdo Ramirez appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
Ryan Garcia insists he was not given a contract to fight Conor Benn, despite the Briton insisting he signed a contract for the fight.
Garcia and Benn are reportedly in talks for a welterweight world title clash in Las Vegas in August.
Benn is the number one contender for the American’s WBC crown, which he won by unanimous decision over Mario Barrios in February.
On Wednesday, Benn publicly called on his rival to sign the end of the deal.
“Sign the contract @RyanGarcia,” the 29-year-old wrote X.
“King Ry” sharply criticized “The Destroyer”, claiming that he was not given a contract to sign.
The 27-year-old wrote further X: “If I actually had a contract, Conor, I would sign it as soon as one of these hands touches your jaw on fight night.”
Benn has not broken the 147-pound limit since 2022, although he has signaled his intention to return to welterweight, and his last fight was at 150 pounds.
The player from Ilford said goodbye to former two-time world champion, Regis Prograis unanimous decision at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this month.
Benn fought at middleweight in his two fights, then fought Prograis in two hard-fought matches against Chris Eubank Jr.
Prior to his victory over Porgrais, the 29-year-old controversially left former promotional team Matchroom to join Zuffa Boxing on a one-fight deal reportedly worth $15 million.
Benn resigned last week from the company formed by UFC president Dana White as part of a five-fight contract.
“I just signed a fresh multi-fight contract, which I am very joyful with,” he said.
“Our visions are consistent.
See this post on Instagram
If I actually had a contract, Conor, I would sign it as soon as one of those hands touched your jaw on fight night.
— RYAN GARCIA (@RyanGarcia) April 22, 2026
“Our goal remains the same, which is to win the world title, but more importantly, to give people the fight they want.
“Give people mega fights.”
The post Ryan Garcia denies receiving contract to fight Conor Benn appeared first on ProBoxing-Fans.com.
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