UK Boxing
Oleksandr Usyk proved himself right by barely blinking in response to a question from Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz
Published
4 months agoon
Oleksandr Usyk’s 2019 prediction that Anthony Joshua would be a “tougher fight” than Andy Ruiz Jr. proved true. The Ukrainian boxing champion, now 37, rose to the top of heavyweight boxing in May with a split decision victory over Tyson Fury after a grueling 12 rounds.
The triumph saw Usyk add the coveted WBC heavyweight title to his impressive collection of IBF, WBO and IBO belts, cementing his status as a preeminent heavyweight with an unblemished record of 22-0. Usyk’s journey to the top has been full of challenges, but he has not been deterred.
In July 2019, with a 16-0 win streak and a knockout win over Tony Bellew under his belt, Usyk was asked by Sky Sports about his preferred opponent, Joshua or Ruiz Jr. With unwavering confidence, Usyk said: “Anthony Joshua at Wembley. I think it would be a lot harder for me to fight Joshua than Ruiz.”
At the time, the announcement sent shockwaves through the boxing community, especially since Ruiz had secured a TKO victory over Joshua the month before to claim the IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles. As we move into 2024, Usyk’s foresight seems to be spot on, reports mirror.
Joshua bounced back with a unanimous decision over Ruiz in December 2019, regaining the titles, and then knocking out Kubrat Pulev almost a year later. AJ’s long-awaited fight with Usyk finally materialized in September 2021, taking place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium instead of Wembley.
Although Usyk secured a unanimous decision after 12 rounds, their rematch in August 2022 was a closer affair, with the scorecards reading 113-115 (Joshua), 115-113 and 116-112 (Usyk). Joshua has managed to redeem himself from back-to-back defeats, boasting a four-fight win streak over Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou – ahead of a clash with Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight world title next month.
Ruiz Jr., on the other hand, has been unable to challenge for another title since losing a rematch to Joshua in December 2019. Despite defeating Chris Arreola in 2021 and Luis Ortiz in 2022, Ruiz was largely absent from the ring last year. His anticipated return on Sunday (Aug. 4) against Jarrell Miller turned out to be a disappointment, with the fight ending in a draw against a fighter who had a 26-1-1 record at the time.
Miller managed to score it 116-112, but the other two judges had it 114-114, resulting in a majority draw. Ruiz dominated the first three rounds with “Huge Baby,” but signs of fatigue began to set in, which ultimately left Miller seemingly gaining the upper hand in the fight.
Ruiz Jr, known as “The Destroyer,” has a tough road back to the top of the heavyweight division if he wants to challenge for a title anytime soon. But at 34 years senior and having fought just three times since losing to Joshua in 2019, that’s no basic feat. His future at the elite level is uncertain, suggesting Usyk may have been right all along.
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UK Boxing
Jake Paul was unaware of Mike Tyson’s sedate health problems before the fight
Published
3 hours agoon
November 21, 2024Jake Paul and his team reportedly had no idea about Mike Tyson’s health concerns ahead of his boxing fight, even though the heavyweight icon revealed he feared for his life.
Last Friday, Tyson, 58, returned to the professional ring for the first time since 2005 to face social media star-turned-boxer Jake Paul. In the fight in Texas, “The Problem Child” won by unanimous decision, although he failed to land any knockout blows during the fight.
CompuBox post-fight statistics showed that Tyson landed just 18 punches over eight rounds, landing only four of 13 robust body punches and missing none of his five jabs.
After his defeat, Tyson, a former world heavyweight champion, confessed on X that he “almost died” before the fight.
“It’s one of those situations where you lost but you still won. I’m grateful for last night. I don’t regret stepping into the ring for the last time. I almost died in June. I had 8 blood transfusions. I lost half my blood and 25 pounds in my body to the hospital and had to fight to get well to fight, so my kids saw me go head to head and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy Stadium, that’s an experience that no man has ever experienced. the thank you.”
Paul’s business associate, Nakisa Bidarian, revealed on “The Ariel Helwani Show” that he was unaware of Tyson’s health issues prior to the fight, stating: “That sentiment he expressed in that post was never shared with us. We have a doctor’s opinion reports that we talked to doctors, we never thought about it… he was close to losing his life, or whatever it was that he said in the post.
“I appreciate that there was a lot of emotion leading up to this event and I appreciate how he reflected the next day on what he had been through, but I can say unequivocally that every report we received from his team, every conversation we had, was his doctor’s opinion. “there was nothing other than to say he would be 100 percent fit to compete starting in tardy August and early September.”
Tyson’s fight with Paul was initially scheduled for July, but was delayed due to Tyson’s health problems on the plane. Tyson spoke about the terrifying experience ahead of the postponed match, revealing: “I was in the bathroom vomiting blood. I asked the doctor: “Will I die?” He said, “We have options.” Options? I couldn’t believe it. I had about eight blood transfusions.
“The doctor said I had lost half of my blood. I almost died. I lost 25 pounds in 11 days. I couldn’t eat. Only fluids. Every time I went to the bathroom it smelled of tar. It didn’t even smell… — It was disgusting.
“It threw me off [when I continued training]. All my coordination, stamina, everything was hectic on the way back. I was already at the top. I could fight him that day. Now I have to start from scratch. I just don’t give up. Sometimes I’m an asshole. I am advertising***. If I haven’t outlived my enemies, I’ve turned them into friends.”
UK Boxing
Eddie Hearn names four potential future opponents for Callum Smith
Published
7 hours agoon
November 21, 2024Eddie Hearn has mentioned four names as Callum Smith’s potential big-money fights in 2025, ahead of his return to the ring next weekend.
Smith hasn’t boxed since his seventh-round defeat of Artur Beterbiev in their unified airy heavyweight world title fight in January, and many – including Hearn – had doubts whether the Liverpudlian would fight again.
However, this week it was announced that “Mundo” would return for round eight on the undercard Sunny Edwards vs Gal Yafai November 30, and an opponent has not yet been announced.
Hearn stated that once the cobwebs are cleared next week, the former super middleweight world champion will go straight into the substantial fight in 2025.
I speak at Matchroom Boxing YouTube channelSmith’s longtime promoter teased domestic feuds with Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yard and Lyndon Arthur, as well as a clash with Dmitry Bivol.
“He will come back after an eight-round fight, get rid of the cobwebs after the Beterbiev fight and then he will jump straight into action!
“Joshua Buatsi, Anthony Yarde, Lyndon Arthur, even Dmitry Bivol.
“Any of these great opportunities at 175 pounds.
“Just one little run next week and then whoever wants.
“I’m excited. Sometimes I feel like I’ve rejoined the stable.
“We have been with Callum since his professional debut, so I am looking forward to his performance in Birmingham and then he will have a substantial fight in 2025.”
The world is back 💥 @callumsmith23
We’re back in the ring in Birmingham ready to get back into the mix 👊 #EdwardsYafai survive @daznboxingNovember 30 pic.twitter.com/Hx5AcVFmXc
— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) November 17, 2024
Smith looked like a disruptive force in the airy heavyweight division before losing to Beterbiev, following two previous fights that saw victories over Lenin Castillo and Mathieu Bauderlique.
His only other loss was against a pound-for-pound star Canelo Alvarez in 2020and the 34-year-old will no doubt still feel he has enough energy to pull off a substantial win next year.
UK Boxing
A doctor is calling for a major change to boxing rules as a direct result of the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight
Published
11 hours agoon
November 21, 2024A German doctor has argued that athletes should not be allowed to box after the age of 40, following Mike Tyson’s penniless fight against Jake Paul earlier this month. “Iron” Mike entered the ring as a professional for the first time since his defeat to Kevin McBride in 2005 on November 15, so he was already 58 years aged.
The fight with 27-year-old Paul went exactly as many viewers expected: “Problem Child” tore apart the former heavyweight champion over the course of eight rounds before getting his hand raised via unanimous decision. Thousands of fans left AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before the fight was over to protest the exhibition, which pitted a juvenile, up-and-coming fighter against a much older and slower opponent.
Although both men emerged from the fight virtually unscathed thanks to the fact that there was no knockout, Professor Walter Wagner called for a ban on people over 40 years of age entering the squared circle for safety reasons. I’m talking to BILDthe doctor said: “As a rule, you should not be allowed into the ring after the age of 40.”
He added: “If you are not able to protect yourself enough in the ring, i.e. defend yourself, it can lead to stern health consequences. And the athlete’s health should be the top priority.”
Tyson was ultimately able to defend himself over the course of the eight-round fight, but he never really looked like winning the fight. The former WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight champion came out swinging in the first fight, looking to catch up with Paul and finish the job quickly, but nothing landed.
Visibly tired by the third round, Paul calmly began attacking Tyson, defeating the legend of the game 80-72, 79-73, 79.73, even though everything was already said and done. Although Wagner seems to care about the safety of the fighters, his requests will unfortunately go unheeded by many combat sports fans.
This is because some of the greatest fighting champions in the world managed to pick up belts in their weight classes after the age of 40. George Foreman won the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles at the age of 45 with a 1994 knockout over Michael Moorer, and Vitali Klitschko still held the WBC belt at the age of 42.
Bernard Hopkins was also still fighting for titles at the age of 51, facing Joe Smith Jr. for the WBC International lightweight heavyweight title in 2016 – although he lost by eighth-round TKO.
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