Heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk has been painted with quite an unfavorable brush, accused of discrediting his top challenger after losing his WBO world title.
The Ukrainian decided to vacate the title earlier this month, shortly after being ordered to face mandatory challenger Fabio Wardley.
As a result of Usyk’s vacant belt, Wardley was promoted from WBO interim world champion to full WBO world champion, and his first title defense is scheduled for next spring.
However, this first defense is unlikely to lead to a unification with Usyk, who still holds the WBC, IBF and WBA world titles after a fifth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois last July.
With this victory, the extremely talented technician fulfilled his ambition of becoming a three-time undisputed champion.
The 38-year-old left himself little to prove as with two wins over Dubois, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua respectively, the Olympic gold medalist firmly sealed his dominance in the heavyweight era.
Wardley’s manager, Michael Ofo, nevertheless believes Usyk is actively avoiding his vexatious client.
In an interview with conversationSportOfo explained that before Usyk vacated the vacant title, an agreement was reached for the powerful southpaw to face Wardley.
“Before [Parker] fight, Usyk’s team made an offer there. I won’t go into details, but basically we agreed to everything.
“We agreed to all the terms they wanted and then they backed out. Honestly, I thought Usyk was going to take this fight.
“I thought he was the type of champion who doesn’t shy away from a challenge.”
After the vacant belt, Usyk confirmed that he was not interested in fighting Wardley at the moment and instead challenged Deontay Wilder.
Adrien Broner has sparked fresh concern after another live broadcast showed the former four-weight world champion struggling physically while continuing to consume alcohol.
Broner is present every day on the 24/7 broadcasts with influential boxer DeenTheGreat, and alcohol is rarely off limits during broadcasts.
However, many viewers believe that drinking itself is no longer the biggest problem.
Recent broadcasts showed Broner swallowing drinks quickly, taking them from other people nearby and appearing to choke or nearly vomit on several occasions as he continued to drink.
Fresh care
Broner has never hidden his love of nightlife, and many people can drink regularly and still be in complete control.
What concerned some viewers was the increasingly perceptible physical effects of alcohol on the welterweight star in real time.
During recent shows, Broner has repeatedly appeared to be unwell after drinking alcohol, and moments where he appears to be on the verge of illness have become challenging for viewers to watch.
As WBN previously reported, Ryan Garcia publicly urged Broner to stop drinking after watching stream clips while Gervonta Davis was undergoing a health check.
The scenes have heightened concern around the boxer who once built his reputation on training camp discipline and maintaining excellent fitness for much of the year.
DeenTheGreat | Throw
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Other shows featured drunken calls by Floyd Mayweather and increasingly erratic moments.
For a fighter once seen as Mayweather’s successor and one of boxing’s brightest stars, the contrast is making headlines.
What started as a live-streaming venture that Broner thought would make him a millionaire again is now generating a very different reaction.
Broner continues to insist that he is rebuilding his life and finances through streaming.
But as more and more clips spread online, more and more people seem less interested in the entertainment value and more focused on the man at the center of the action.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Since 2010, he has been interviewing world champions, breaking down international titles exclusively and reporting from the ring. His work is distributed on major platforms including Apple News. Read the full biography.
Haney has spent much of the last year being associated with some of boxing’s biggest names, including Ryan Garcia, Brian Norman Jr. and, most recently, Shakur Stevenson, amid reports that Zuffa Boxing is targeting big-name fights on its roster.
When asked about the future and the opportunities that will be available to players as up-to-date platforms enter the sport, Haney pointed to the long-term goals he still has for his son.
“At 27, Devin is still going forceful. He’s still heading towards, you know what I mean, boxer from Mount Rushmore. It’s still growing said Bill to MillCity Boxing.
Haney also shared a favorable opinion of Zuffa’s entry into boxing, suggesting that additional platforms could only benefit fighters looking to advance their careers.
“It’s a platform for the athlete to come through and that’s what it is, he really listens to his coach and his coach really looks at everything. I mean, it’s a great opportunity, man,” Bill said.
While critics continue to debate Devin Haney’s place in the sport’s elite, Bill believes his achievements have already earned him a place among boxing’s greatest fighters.
“Well, that would have to be difficult when you were talking to other Hall of Fame players and they were saying Devin was a Hall of Famer and they were saying you’re wrong. You never hear a Hall of Famer with his game,” Bill said.
“I think once they realize that and sit down, they’d like to have a career like Devin had.”
Haney’s comments come as Devin continues to consider his next move in a loaded welterweight division with several high-profile fights potentially available as boxing’s promotional landscape evolves.
Dan Ambrose is a boxing journalist at Boxing News 24, respected for his direct analysis and extensive coverage of the global fighting landscape. His reports focus on the most vital fights, division development and the most discussed stories in sports.
Johnny Nelson highlighted how Conor Benn’s improvements could impact a “surprising” matchup with Ryan Garcia later this year.
The two pairs are expected to fight in Las Vegas for Garcia’s WBC belt, with the welterweight champion citing September 12 as a possible date.
“King Ry” won the world title in February, dethroning Mario Barrios by unanimous decision after defeating his fighter in the first round.
Previously, Garcia suffered a points defeat to Rolando Romero after defeating a second-round knockout, which occurred in May 2025 after a one-year doping ban.
This penalty was imposed on the American after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine, which resulted in his majority victory over Devin Haney being declared a no-contest.
In the meantime, Benn failed two anti-doping tests, both of which tested positive for clomiphine, and was removed from the 2022 fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
The Briton will eventually face his domestic rival in April 2025, losing a unanimous decision before winning their middleweight rematch by the same margin last November.
Benn subsequently maintained his status as the No. 1 contender in the WBC, which still ranks him at welterweight, defeating Regis Prograis in a catchweight match last April he weighed 150 pounds.
However, considering the 29-year-old to be a clear underdog, former world champion Nelson told Boxing News that he would nevertheless give Benn a chance against Garcia.
“You have to lean towards Ryan Garcia, but you can’t write Conor Benn off. Conor Benn has forever and continually surprised many of us with his decision-making, where he has gone in his career and what he has achieved in his career.
“So don’t write him off because Conor Benn has always improved as a player. Ryan Garcia, we know what he means: he’s quick as hell and we know he’s a hazardous cookie, but we also know Conor Benn is a professional who thinks, ‘I’m going to put my heart and soul into this and prove you all wrong.’
Benn may have proven most people wrong in his rematch with Eubank, but it’s demanding to imagine where else in his career he has pulled off such a major upset.
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