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Tyson Fury’s sympathy for Anthony Joshua did not last long

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Tyson Fury challenges Anthony Joshua after beating Arslanbek Makhmudov in London

Tyson Fury’s crush on Anthony Joshua lasted just a few months before the Gypsy King publicly ridiculed his rival as soon as fight talk returned.

Fresh from defeating Arslanbek Makhmudov at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Fury immediately turned his attention to Joshua, speaking in front of the crowd and Netflix cameras.

“I challenge you, Andy Joshua, to fight me, the Gypsy King, next. Do you accept my challenge?” Fury said.

“Let him say yes or no. Come on, you large shit!”

The call came moments after Fury urged Joshua not to run away from the fight and reiterated his insistence on a showdown that has loomed on the British boxing horizon for more than a decade.

Just a few months earlier, Fury had spoken about Joshua in a completely different tone.

Fury feels sorry for Joshua

After a fatal car crash in Nigeria that killed several of Joshua’s friends, Fury expressed sympathy.

“It’s so depressed. May God give them a good bed in heaven,” Fury said at the time.

While reflecting on the tragedy, Fury also acknowledged how breakable life can be.

“It could have been any of us in that car.”

These comments came at a time when Joshua’s life had been turned upside down.

Just four months have passed since the accident, and the former two-time unified heavyweight champion has shown no public signs of focusing on boxing since then.

Instead, Joshua spent much of that time with his team and alongside Oleksandr Usyk – a rival he faced twice for the world heavyweight title – seeking perspective after the devastating loss of close friends.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has already suggested that Joshua may need much more than a few weeks to properly process what happened that day in Nigeria.

Netflix

Joshua’s ambush was questioned

That backdrop made some watching Saturday night’s events feel uncomfortable.

Joshua was sitting at ringside when Fury suddenly turned his challenge his way, putting the Olympic gold medalist in his seat in front of the arena and a global Netflix audience.

The streaming platform quickly confirmed the news of the Fury vs. Joshua fight on social media, even though Joshua himself did not offer any commitment to the fight.

To many observers, the sequence looked like an attempt to push the fight forward, whether Joshua was ready or not.

Fury may finally get the gameplay he wants.

However, judging by Joshua’s behavior in the immediate aftermath of this fight, the Gypsy King may be wiser to wait until his rival is mentally ready before demanding the biggest fight in British boxing.


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. Read the full biography.

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O’Shaquie Foster says Richardson Hitchins is ‘scary as hell’

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Image: Richardson Hitchins roasted by fans after quitting 140 for 147 move

O’Shaquie Foster took his feud with Richardson Hitchins to another level this week, accusing the former IBF junior welterweight champion of being afraid of sparring and questioning his durability during a lengthy interview ahead of Foster’s May 30 title defense against Raymond Ford.

Foster slammed Hitchins, claiming that people in boxing have been questioning Hitchins’ mentality for years.


“Hitchins is scary as hell. I knew it. That’s what they say in boxing,” Foster said on Sean Zittel’s YouTube page. “They must have pumped him up with some sparring sessions. He knew what I was talking about. They had to put a wrench in his back so he could go to sparring and so on.”

Foster then mentioned that Hitchins was withdrawing from his scheduled fight against Oscar Duarte on the day of the competition in February.

“He has heart problems. It’s not a physical heart problem. He just doesn’t have a heart. See what he did to Duarte? Why am I worried about Hitchins? He’s so terrible,” Foster said.

Hitchins later responded to Foster’s X with a miniature response of his own.

“I’ve got a lot more heart than that alien pussy in my ass, nigga.”

The latest exchange comes just hours after Foster mocked Hitchins over his Olympic path and his past ties to Subriel Matias.

Foster blamed Hitchins for not making the U.S. Olympic team before he later represented Haiti at the 2016 Olympics. Hitchins previously lost out on U.S. selection to Gary Antuanne Russell before qualifying for international play in Haiti via Olympic qualifying.

This exchange added unexpected warmth to an otherwise serene week in boxing, especially since both fighters weren’t even fighting in the same division. Foster is the 130-pound world champion, and Hitchins recently won the 140-pound belt.

Still, both fighters come from the Recent York boxing scene, know each other’s amateur history, and now seem fully committed to turning their social media spats into something much more personal.

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Last update: 2026/05/13 at 22:39

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Naoya Inoue offered an immediate title fight in a fresh weight class: “I’m already ready”

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Naoya Inoue offered immediate title shot in new weight class: “I’m ready right now”

Naoya Inoue recently cemented his status as one of, if not the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world with a win over compatriot Junto Nakatani. The question is, can anyone defeat him before he hangs up his gloves?

The Japanese phenom defended his four super bantamweight belts for the seventh time in a fight against Nakatani at the sold-out Tokyo Domemaintaining his undefeated record in what many considered to be the toughest test of his career to date.

With retirement not too far away, the undisputed two-division champion is looking to tackle one more weight class before it’s time for a Hall of Fame campaign. Ready and willing to fight at 126 pounds is Bruce Carrington from Brooklyn.

I’m talking to ES Newsthe WBC featherweight champion said that watching Nakatani fight only confirmed his belief that he was capable of defeating “The Monster”.

“Honestly, I’ve seen a lot of things that I can’t say here. I’m ready. Inoue is still a spectacular fighter, but I know I have what it takes to beat him. Nakatani is no slouch. I expected a good fight… he did everything he had to do to win.”

“Shu Shu,” who won the vacant title against Carlos Castro in January and will return to the ring to defend it against Rene Palacios in July, then said he would take the fight to Inoue as soon as it was offered to him.

“100%. I’m ready now, I’m ready today, I’m ready tomorrow, I’m ready whenever. Come to the Shu Shu show, baby. I can’t wait to share the ring with you. It’s going to be fireworks.”

Inoue made his plans clear – to fight once again at super bantamweight, most likely against Jesse Rodriguez, and then move up to featherweight, which he said would be the final challenge of his career. Although he did not mention Carrington’s name, the 33-year-old says he wants to take the belt straight away.

As a long-reigning champion and heavyweight star who is gaining more and more importance, sanctioning authorities would likely have no problem approving such a possibility.

However, many fans will believe that “Bam” Rodriguez can thwart these plans. The 26-year-old is expected to move up to bantamweight to fight for Antonio Vargas’ WBA title, with the fight against Inoue taking place in early 2027.

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David Benavidez Claims Zuffa Blocks Jai Opetaia

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Image: David Benavidez Says Zuffa Boxing Is Blocking Jai Opetaia Fight

“I think this is the biggest fight in the world, especially in this weight class,” Benavidez said at the post-fight press conference.

“It’s definitely a fight I want. Like I said, I’m not afraid of anyone. This is Monstro’s world and if he wants to get the fight, we’ll get it.”

Opetaia recently lost her IBF cruiserweight title after joining Zuffa Boxing and fighting an unsanctioned fight against Brandon Glanton. Benavidez suggested this move, which immediately complicated negotiations for a future fight.

“I don’t know why he went to Zuffa,” Benavidez said. “We could have had this fight right after this one.”

“I’m not going to go out there and fight for the Zuffa title.”

Benavidez also questioned whether fighters associated with Zuffa would have access to the biggest opportunities in boxing, pointing to Dana White’s history with rival promotional companies.

“I think they’re definitely losing their power,” Benavidez said. “There’s just a lot of politics involved.”
“I think Dana White has shown that he doesn’t want to fight PBC, DAZN.”

The undefeated champion later made it clear that he believed he was in a stronger commercial position compared to Opetaia and suggested that there was no reason for him to choose another promotional organization.

“I’m the one filling these stadiums,” Benavidez said. “I’m the one fighting pay-per-view.”

“Jai Opetaia has never fought on pay-per-view. He has never filled an arena like this.”

Benavidez added that he would still be open to fighting if the two sides manage to reach an agreement outside Zuffa’s structures.

“If they want to come to the table here, we can do that,” Benavidez said. “Let’s get it.”

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