As 96,000 people poured out of Wembley’s gates, a pile of well-laid plans rose delicately into the London night sky. Ahead of his headline fight against Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua, the pay-per-view star and longtime poster boy of British boxing, had already been quizzed about potential fights with the likes of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.

Fury and Usyk are tied for a rematch in December, while AJ has already failed to beat Usyk in 24 rounds. That hasn’t stopped talk of Joshua’s next move if he beats Daniel Dubois…

After his British colleague beat AJ, a rematch now seems more realistic than a clash with one of the huge boys. Everything was going so smoothly under novel trainer Ben Davison.

Wins upon wins. The momentum slowly built. Joshua looked confident as he dispatched the likes of Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou. But none of them had the hunger and raw punching power of Frank Warren’s dynamite destroyer.

The rebuild would not be officially complete until a victory over a live dog. With Ben Davison jumping into the ring, pushing referee Marcus McDonnell aside, and Joshua lying prostrate on the canvas, the final part of Operation AJ was cleaning up the scene.

Bypassing four non-roster contenders, including a noble newcomer to the art (Ngannou) who improved his stock after the Fury loss, Joshua set his sights on becoming a three-time world champion.

It wasn’t meant to be. Daniel Dubois made sure of that. Joshua was uncertain from the start. He staggered, dazed, held in the clinch, neglecting his top-notch jab as his brain cells fluttered. While not ideal, a rematch with Dubois is key to a comeback for the 34-year-old, stumbling towards the end. Failure to right the wrongs of last night will spell the end of any fleeting hopes for Fury or Usyk.

Raymond Ford will try to win another world title, but in a different weight class.

Ford will face Orlando Gonzalez on Nov. 9, promoter Eddie Hearn announced Friday. The 10-round fight will take place at the Wells Fargo Arena and precedes the main event between IBF welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Karen Chukhadzhian.

On the next Matchroom Boxing show, Jesse Rodriguez will defend his WBC Ring junior bantamweight title and fight Pedro Guevara.

All three fights will be broadcast live on DAZN.

“Featherweight World Champion @raysavage856 moves up to 130lbs in Philadelphia!” Eddie Hearn said in a post on social media. “’The Savage’ and Two Kings… in an incredible show in Philadelphia, November 9th.”

Ford (15-1, 8 knockouts) will fight in front of a biased crowd from his home in Camden, Up-to-date Jersey, across the Delaware River from Philadelphia.

The 25-year-old left-hander won the WBA featherweight world title on March 2, overcoming an early deficit to stop Otabek Kholmatov in the final round. Entering the final round, Ford was trailing 106-103 on two judges’ scorecards.

Ford became the first American fighter to sign an amateur contract and win a world title under the Matchroom Boxing banner. Ford and super middleweight title challenger Diego Pacheco were the first two American fighters to sign with Matchroom Boxing directly from the amateur ranks.

In his first attempt to defend his WBA featherweight title on June 1, Ford lost a split decision to Nick Ball.

The move to 130 pounds shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Ford had been considering moving up one weight class from featherweight following his knockout win over Kholmatov.

Gonzalez (23-2, 13 KOs), who lives in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, last fought on June 28 in a close fight, stopping goaltender Jose Santos Gonzalez in the third round. In his previous fight on November 29, the left-handed Gonzalez won a split decision over Jorge Castaneda.

The 29-year-old has fought his last three fights under the ProBox TV banner. He is the older cousin of undefeated junior lightweight LeBron Henry and has won his last five fights since losing to Misael Lopez in September 2022.

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Boxing Scene: What is the current status of Olympic boxing ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics?

McAtee: That’s a great question. As of now, boxing is still not on the program for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That’s due to a decision by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following the suspension of the International Boxing Association (IBA). However, the IOC felt it was necessary to hire an international federation to oversee boxing at the Games. USA Boxing, along with about 42 other countries, has joined World Boxing, a fresh international federation that we helped found. World Boxing is working to meet IOC requirements, such as anti-doping rules, financial transparency and integrity of the game. We are sanguine that a decision on boxing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be made by the IOC in early 2025.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since this interview was conducted, World Boxing has announced the addition of two fresh members – Japan and Algeria – bringing World Boxing’s membership to 44.)

Boxing Scene: Could you outline the specific requirements that boxing must meet to be included in LA 2028?

McAtee: There are around 35 to 40 requirements that must be met, according to the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) guidelines. These include issues such as procedures for selecting officials, governance standards and financial transparency. For example, World Boxing will hold an international event, the world qualifiers in Colorado later this year, to demonstrate our compliance with these requirements. Each of these elements is indispensable to ensuring that the sport is managed with integrity and transparency, and we work difficult to meet all of them.

Boxing Scene: How would you describe the current state of boxing in the U.S., especially after the recent Olympics?

McAtee: USA Boxing has grown tremendously since 2016. When I started, we had about 38,000 members and 1,800 boxing gyms. Today, we have over 62,000 members and 2,600 gyms. Last year, we had 30,000 fights. Although we fell compact at the Paris Olympics, losing a couple of split decisions, we remain committed to our goal of consistently placing athletes on the top of the podium. Our grassroots efforts continue to grow, and we are constantly analyzing our results to improve. We also invest in developing not only elite athletes, but also good citizens through our programs that serve thousands of boxers across the country.

Boxing Scene: USA Boxing has found success on a local level. How are you working to continue to grow the sport?

McAtee: Grassroots development is key. The larger the base, the greater the opportunity to develop high-achieving athletes. Since 2016, we have grown our membership and are now expanding into adaptive boxing programs and esports platforms such as Virtual Reality Golden Gloves. Boxing may be a niche sport, but it has huge potential for health benefits and building confidence in adolescent people. We also work with our alumni and professionals to continue to grow the sport. The future is dazzling for USA Boxing and we are focused on bringing fresh eyes to the sport, both at the grassroots and elite levels.

Boxing Scene: How does USA Boxing deal with modern-day challenges like social media and disinformation?

McAtee: We see these challenges as opportunities. At USA Boxing, we prioritize serving our members, providing correct and timely information, and educating the public on the benefits and safety of Olympic-style boxing. Our communications team is evolving to better engage with our community through a variety of channels, including podcasts and other digital platforms. Boxing is one of the safest sports in the U.S., despite popular perceptions. We are committed to growing the sport while maintaining transparency and compliance with all regulations. Our goal is not only to perform well on the international stage, but also to develop great citizens through our programs.

Boxing Scene: How does USA Boxing plan to stay relevant when there have been so many changes to the sport and youth participation?

McAtee: The sports landscape has changed dramatically, with adolescent people generally participating less in sports. As such, we are evolving with the times, looking for ways to engage youth in boxing through inventive programs like esports and adaptive boxing. We have also strengthened our partnerships with organizations like the Golden Gloves and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. We know that growth won’t happen overnight, but we are committed to showcasing the value of boxing as a sport and community builder. As we look ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Games and beyond, we remain focused on our mission of developing both elite athletes and good citizens.