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UK Boxing

Oleksandr Usyk has clearly stated who he would prefer to fight: Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz

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Oleksandr Usyk summed up his approach to boxing by expressing his desire to fight Anthony Joshua over Andy Ruiz Jr in 2019. The up-to-date undisputed heavyweight champion has just vacated his cruiserweight titles to move up the division.

He was focused on his long-term goal in the sport, as evidenced by his mindset that “to be the best, you have to beat the best.” At the time, Usyk was the mandatory challenger to Joshua or Ruiz, who were scheduled to fight for the unified heavyweight championship in a rematch in Saudi Arabia.

In a surprising turn of events, Joshua, considered one of the most hazardous heavyweights, was defeated by the underdog Ruiz in an unforgettable fight at Madison Square Garden in the summer of 2019. However, Joshua took revenge for his loss by defeating Ruiz by unanimous decision in a rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Before this victory, Usyk was asked to choose between Joshua and Ruiz. Despite his smaller weight, height and reach, the Ukrainian chose the former, seeing it as a bigger challenge. IN

With AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently hinting at a trilogy fight with Usyk, it seems the undisputed champion would welcome another opportunity to face Joshua. “Anthony Joshua at Wembley. I think it would be much more challenging for me to fight Joshua,” he said Heavenly sports five years ago, by mirror.

“I was asked: ‘Who would I like to fight?’ Of course, I mentioned the top three heavyweights in the division today. If you want to be the best, you have to fight the best.

“These guys today are the best, and I wanted to fight the best. If I’m going to fight regular fighters, I’ll be in line with regular fighters, I want to be at the top.”

After losing to Joshua, Ruiz picked up unanimous decision victories over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz, and is scheduled to face Jarrell Miller in Los Angeles on August 3. The Mexican-American himself expressed his desire to fight Usyk, saying he “loves” the fight.

However, Usyk’s goal is a rematch with Tyson Fury after his split decision triumph over the Gypsy King on May 18, and Saudi Arabia has been named as the venue for their October fight. In a twist of fate, Usyk may enter the ring for the unified heavyweight championship instead of the undisputed title, as he is in danger of being stripped of the vacant IBF title.

Filip Hrgovic, who has been the mandatory challenger for the IBF title for almost two years, may consider his upcoming fight against Daniel Dubois to be a title fight. This comes as Usyk’s team asked for an exception to allow him to retain undisputed status ahead of his rematch with Fury.

In other news, Eddie Hearn has revealed that Joshua would be open to fighting Fury or Usyk this year in a trilogy fight if their rematch fails. While the pair are believed to be preparing for their own rematch in October, the Matchroom boss has expressed doubts over the feasibility of the schedule.

I keep talking Matchroom YouTube Channelhe said: “I don’t think Tyson Fury will be thrilled after five or six weeks off, but it’s an obligation because you need a lot of money. Who knows? If Usyk is injured I can’t get a date, will you do a Rage against Joshua with the winner fighting Usyk? What I mean is the answer is, “Yes, please.”

However, he added that the final decision rests with His Excellency Turki Al-Sheikh and the fighters themselves. He noted: “But that depends on His Excellency [Turki Al-Sheikh] and fighters to make decisions. They have a rematch contracted, but they have to be physically able to meet that deadline and I think that’s another hurdle to overcome.”

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UK Boxing

Anthony Taylor collapsed minutes after Darren Till KO and viewers were left terrified

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There were disturbing scenes during the last Misfits Boxing gala in Manchester on Saturday evening when Anthony Taylor collapsed after being stopped by fellow MMA fighter Darren Till.

The American took up the fight shortly after Tommy Fury withdrew, but he was no match for Till, who dominated from the very beginning.

In his first boxing fight, the Liverpudlian looked outstanding from the bell, displaying impressive hand speed and having no trouble countering Taylor’s aggressive approach.

Threatening to KO from the start, Till secured a stoppage in the sixth round.

But what happened next shocked those who watched the event. Taylor, who entered the fight with a 7-4 boxing record, broke down in post-fight interviews. He was later taken away from the Co-Op Arena in a wheelchair.

Many assumed that Taylor was then taken to the hospital for tests. However, according to Ariel Helwani, after being given oxygen and found to be stable, he was allowed to return to his accommodation.

Misfits co-founder Mams Taylor later confirmed that Taylor had regained consciousness. He also said Taylor did not need a hospital visit because he was “conscious and well” when he entered the locker room.

He later posted a video on social media in which he spoke clearly and promised to bounce back from the shocking defeat. “It’s OK, I took the L (loss) like a motherfucker,” he said.

“I’ll be back. I’m fine. Thank you all for your love and support, thank you to everyone who makes fun of me too. I don’t give a damn. I deserve it. But at the end of the day, I’ll fucking come back.”

“Pretty Boy,” who has a professional MMA record of 7-5 but has not fought since August 2019, also took aim at Fury. WX wrote, “Now we know why Tommy Fury backed out,” along with two laughing emojis.

The Misfits Boxing 20 main event was only organized after the Manchester fighter withdrew. The younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson stated that he was not content with Till’s claim that he would resort to “MMA tactics” if he lost the fight.

Do later denied that he wasn’t stern when giving the warning, saying it was simply a marketing tactic. It wasn’t until December 29 that it was confirmed that Taylor had stepped in as a replacement.

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UK Boxing

Darren Till’s Mystery Woman Tattoo Explained in Response to Paige VanZant’s Claims

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Former UFC welterweight title challenger Darren Till covered up a tattoo of a girl, sparking debate among fight fans.

The Liverpudlian is set to make his Misfits Boxing debut tonight against Anthony Taylor, almost two years after his departure from the UFC. Till left the MMA promotion to explore other opportunities. He was scheduled to make his professional boxing debut against former Mexican WBC middleweight boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr last July, but the fight was ultimately canceled.

Instead, he faced Palestinian mixed martial arts champion Mohammad Mutie in an exhibition boxing match at Social Knockout 3 in Dubai the same month. Despite a blow to the back of Muti’s head, Till was declared the winner by technical knockout in the second round.

He is currently expected to move to Manchester but faces a tough opponent in Taylor, who has extensive experience in the Misfits world. Fans noticed that Till covered up a tattoo of his girlfriend’s face with a gorilla. He previously stated that he got the tattoo so that the woman, the mother of his two children, would always be close to him, even during fights.

Many fans wrongly believed that Till’s tattoo resembled former UFC star Paige VanZant, but the Liverpool MMA fighter rejected such suggestions. “That’s my girl,” Till explained about the ink. “It was a surprise for her on her birthday. I thought, ‘Yes, I’ll do something different. I’ll put a tattoo on her face.”

The topic of tattoos continued, but Till insisted: “It’s not Paige VanZant, I don’t even know who she is. As I said about my girlfriend, she is second to none. So every time I fight, she fights too. And she gets beat up by me, so if she pisses me off, I just go to the gym and let some guys beat me up.”

The combat sports world has also been abuzz with news of Till’s potential fight with Tommy Fury, which has now fallen apart. Fury explained his decision to withdraw in a statement on social media: “I can’t believe I’m writing this but now I’m not fighting Darren Till on January 18. For one straightforward reason: Darren has repeatedly stated that he does not want to follow the rules of professional boxing and that if he loses a fight, he will resort to kicks and other stupid MMA tactics.”

Fury continued to explain, emphasizing his dedication to boxing and lamenting the wasted preparation. “I’m a professional boxer, I’ve been out of the ring for over a year and I wanted it to be a great boxing match for the fans. I wasted weeks in training camps. We are working demanding to find a fresh opponent and I promise that I will find a better opponent and a better fight for you. Good news just around the corner.”

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UK Boxing

The former Chelsea footballer joined the KSI boxing fight amid a major career change

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Former Chelsea footballer Wayne Bridge is reportedly set for a surprise career change after being lined up as KSI’s next boxing opponent.

The former Chelsea and Manchester City star won the Premier League playing under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 and added the FA Cup and EFL Cup in 2006-07.

In 2009, he moved to Manchester City, where he spent three years before spending time on loan at West Ham, Brighton and Sunderland.

The former England international retired from football in 2014 after leaving Reading. However, he has remained in the spotlight because he is married to singer Frankie Bridge (née Sandford), former lead singer of girl band The Saturdays.

Now he is ready for an unexpected career change from football to boxing after being selected as one of KSI’s potential opponents.

According to Daily mailBridge is “one of the names mentioned” to fight the famed YouTuber and social media personality, with the fight scheduled for March 29.

KSI – whose real name is Olajide Olayinka Williams Olatunji and also goes by the nickname “JJ” – got into boxing alongside fellow YouTubers Logan and Jake Paul.

The London-born star is a household name in the celebrity world, having released her own rap album and enjoying success in various ventures, including The Sidemen and launching a drink called PRIME.

The 31-year-old recently expressed his desire to fight former UFC champion Conor McGregor in an exhibition fight. However, it looks like he will face a completely different opponent in Brydra.

Bridge, now 44, was plagued by injuries later in his career but is now said to be in “top form”. He has also entered the ring once, so he is no stranger to fighting with ropes.

Seven years ago, he faced Spencer Matthews, who previously appeared on the reality show Made in Chelsea, in a charity fight for Sport Relief and emerged victorious.

In the meantime, KSI fought Logan Paul twice and his record in six fights in the ring is 4-2.

His only defeat was against Tommy Fury in September 2023, when Fury, the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson, won the fight by majority vote.

He has previously touched on the topic of fighting bridge when the topic was broached by another former footballer, Peter Crouch, on his podcast in October 2023.

He said, “You know, if you ever need someone to step in, I know someone who trains all the time. So if you need someone last minute, Wayne Bridge.”

KSI replied, “If he really cares about it, it would definitely be great to have him on Misfits.”

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