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Eddie Hearn has admitted to talkSPORT that Anthony Joshua is ‘hurting’ after his devastating defeat at the hands of Daniel Dubois.

Joshua was knocked out by his fellow countryman in front of a capacity crowd at Wembley Stadium in September.

It marked the fourth defeat of his professional career and his most damaging to date, with Dubois dropping Joshua four times en route to the eventual fifth-round stoppage.

JUST IN: ‘Blanked out’: Mike Tyson makes alarming revelation about Jake Paul fight

Several members of the boxing fraternity called for the two-time unified heavyweight champion to hang up his gloves immediately after the contest.

However, AJ came out a couple of days later and insisted he would continue fighting.

And according to Hearn, his future was never up for discussion.

Asked if Joshua ever considered retiring during an appearance on talkSPORT‘s White and Jordan show on Thursday afternoon, Hearn replied: “No, never, never.

“One because physically he feels good and he’s looking good.

“But also because when you suffer a loss like that the decision is not, ‘Shall we retire?’ It’s now about, ‘How do we look when we come back?'”

That isn’t to say that Joshua didn’t battle his own demons though.

“Honestly, I think after a fight like that, he is a very brave faced guy publicly, he wants to show you how to accept defeat humbly,” Hearn added.

“And I think a fighter off the back of a defeat a couple of weeks after they are generally okay.

“They go back to the gym, everyone is giving them a pat on the back and they are okay.

“But I would say he has struggled if I am honest. I always say to a fighter, ‘I want you to struggle, I want it to hurt really bad’.

“I don’t want AJ to go, ‘Oh well,’ and he’s never going to be that type of fighter.

“Yeah, he is hurting. He took a pasting at times in that fight and I think he has got his back up and he wants to come back stronger.

“I don’t think it is ever easy. The reason this sport is so compelling is because you are on your own in there.

“When you are scrambling on the floor to get up and hang on for dear life, time and time again it is very humbling and probably very humiliating.

“He had to go through that experience. He never stopped trying, he never stopped trying to get up till the point where he couldn’t get up.

“I think he showed a lot of heart but he got well beaten and he needs to go back and work out why.”

When Joshua suffered back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022, he rebuilt his career by knocking over multiple fringe-level contenders.

But Hearn insists that won’t be the case this time around.

In fact, the Matchroom Boxing chief believes there are only two fights left for his client.

“I mean, for us, obviously, talking to His Excellency, if Fury was to win, we have a chance to make Fury against AJ for the unified world heavyweight championship, which will be the biggest fight in the sport,” Hearn continued.

“If he loses, we still have the chance to make AJ against Fury.

“Maybe as a, ‘Go on, boys, go to war for two fights and then maybe sail off into the sunset.’

“Who knows? Or Tyson Fury could lose and you might never see him again. So for us, you know, with the AJ hat on, there’s only really two fights for him in boxing.

“One is a Daniel Dubois rematch and one is a Tyson Fury fight.

“I don’t think there’s interest in us having an interim fight or coming back against this guy in the top 15.

“But how many fights have we got left? Could be one, could be three, but it’s that range.”

TENNIS

I ended Serena Williams’ 26-match winning streak at the US Open in one of the biggest shocks in tennis history

Serena Williams was one of the most dominant stars tennis has ever seen, winning 23 Grand Slam titles during her career.

There aren’t many stars who can say that they had a career on the WTA Tour as impressive as Williams.

Surpassing Steffi Graff’s record of Grand Slam wins was once seen as impossible, but the American did so in style, always impressing whenever she stepped onto the court.

JUST IN: Serena Williams Fans Worry She’s ‘Losing a Lot of Weight’ as She Flaunts Slimmed-Down Figure

After 27 years in the sport, she retired in 2022, and Williams recently revealed whether she misses playing tennis.

Williams’ career was full of big wins and dominant displays, but things didn’t quite go to plan for her back in September 2015.

Roberta Vinci: The woman who ended Serena Williams’ 26-match unbeaten run at the US Open

Williams was the dominant force on the WTA Tour in 2015, having won the first three Grand Slams of the year.

She seemed a favorite to complete the illusive Calendar Grand Slam, as she entered her semi-final match at the US Open against Roberta Vinci with a 26-match winning streak at the event.

The American had won the tournament in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and it seemed inevitable that she would take home her fourth consecutive title in 2015.

Things started well for Williams, who took the first set 6-2 against her unseeded opponent, before things quickly unravelled.

TENNIS

Serena Williams Fans Worry She’s ‘Losing a Lot of Weight’ as She Flaunts Slimmed-Down Figure

Serena Williams is looking trimmer than ever these days—and fans think they know the reason why.

Commenters on the legendary athlete’s most recent Instagram posts noted the 43-year-old mother-of-two’s noticeably slimmer frame, with many speculating that a medication like Ozempic might have had something to do with her weight loss.

In a video posted earlier this week, Williams danced for the camera wearing a short black tennis dress and neon green shorts, showing off her toned legs.

READ: Serena Williams leaves her ‘retirement’ to show off her life of luxury at Disney

While some fans applauded her “slight twerk” and “sashay,” others couldn’t get over her appearance.

“That Ozempic weight loss medicine ain’t no joke,” wrote one person.

“Ozempic?” asked another.

“Poor baby, What happened,” a third commenter wanted to know.

Fans similarly reacted to another pair of photos shared on Instagram which showed Williams snuggled under a blanket on a plane, even though she was snacking on what appeared to be a sandwich in one of the pics.

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“She losing a lot a weight?” one social media user asked.

Others came to the tennis icon’s defense, however.

“nothing wrong with that…everyone is trying to lose weight. I lost 34lbs so far. Not a bad thing. Happy for her,” shared someone else.

Williams has been open about her weight loss journey since welcoming her second daughter, Adira River, with her husband, Alexis Ohanian, in August 2023. They also share a 7-year-old daughter, Olympia.

In May, Williams shared a video of herself trying on a denim skirt that she’d been hoping to fit into for some time.

“I am going to try on my skirt again to see if it’s any closer than it was four weeks ago. Really it’s been about six weeks. Honestly, I feel like it’s gonna fit the same because I’ve been gym-ing a lot but I don’t know if the needle is moving,” she said in the clip, adding, “I wanna cry, but I’m not. I’m gonna stop eating all those snacks,” she joked.

BOXING

‘Blanked out’: Mike Tyson makes alarming revelation about Jake Paul fight

Mike Tyson has made a terrifying admission about his fight against YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul.

In an eye-opening interview, the 58-year-old former heavyweight champ says he can barely remember the fight.

Paul won the bout via unanimous decision in a fight that drew widespread backlash with Tyson landing only 18 punches through eight rounds.

READ: “I Couldn’t Walk for Three Days”: Almost Quit in the Ring, Mike Tyson’s Startling Revelation Resurfaces on the Internet

Now less than a month on from the contentious bout, Tyson has admitted he “blanked out” and can’t really recall anything from the fight.

“I don’t remember the fight that much, I kind of blanked out a little,” he told Fox Sports Radio.

“I remember coming back from the first round and Jake is doing some kind of … I don’t know what he was doing (leans forward pretending to bow) and that’s the last thing I remember.”

The moment Tyson is referencing came in the dying seconds of the final round when Paul bowed to his opponent as a show of respect.

Tyson was asked about the power of Paul, but again his memory is foggy … all he remembers is waking up the next day and being sore.

“I don’t remember it. But my body was really sore (after the fight). My chest, my stomach was really sore,” he said.

The baddest man on the planet said upon reflection the next day he couldn’t understand why he had just put himself through it all.

“The day after I woke up and said to my wife, ‘why did I do that?’ I just don’t know what the hell was going on,” Tyson said.

The 58-year-old released a statement a day after the fight where he detailed the health issues he overcame to fulfil his goal of getting in the ring — something his kids didn’t get to see him do at the peak of his powers.

“This is one of those situations when you lost but still won,” the 58-year-old said.

“I’m grateful for last night. No regrets to get in ring one last time.

“I almost died in June. Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs (11kg) in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.

“To have my children see me stand toe to toe and finish 8 rounds with a talented fighter half my age in front of a packed Dallas Cowboy stadium is an experience that no man has the right to ask for. Thank you.”

Jake Paul replied to the post: “Love you Mike. It was an honor. You’re an inspiration to us all.”

BOXING

“I Couldn’t Walk for Three Days”: Almost Quit in the Ring, Mike Tyson’s Startling Revelation Resurfaces on the Internet

Mike Tyson‘s name conjures images of an unstoppable force—a gladiator in the ring, ferocious and unyielding. But even the mightiest warriors have their moments of doubt. In a surprising confession at San Diego Comic-Con 2023, Mike Tyson pulled back the curtain on his indomitable persona, revealing that he once teetered on the edge of quitting mid-fight.

You see, ‘Iron’ Mike was headlining ‘The Art of Fighting’ panel presented by TEKKEN 8, a video game developed by the brilliant minds of Bandai Namco Entertainment America Inc. The panel brought together real-world champions, including Cris Cyborg, and WWE Superstar Xavier Woods a.k.a. Austin Creed, to discuss shared themes and look at how fight techniques have evolved.

Regardless, a clip from this event has resurfaced on the internet once again, as boxing reporter, Elie Seckbach, reposted the clip on Instagram, giving fans a blast from the past. This comes weeks after 58-year-old Tyson lost a unanimous decision 10-round fight to YouTube star Jake Paul in Arlington, Texas.

JUST IN: Canelo, Bivol, and Beterbiev Face Immediate Threat as Benavidez, Munguia Receive Mandatory Orders

Responding to a fan’s question during the panel, Tyson recollected his bout against Mark Young all the way back in December 1985. “My second 10-round fight—the guy wasn’t that great of a fighter, really,” Tyson said. “But he hit me in the stomach a couple of times and it hurt and I wanted to stop.”

The former heavyweight champion claimed despite the pain from Young’s punches, he didn’t quit and went on to win. In fact, Tyson won that fight via 1st round knockout—it was his 15th consecutive knockout win. He would go on to knockout his next four opponents as well before recording his first unanimous decision win over James Tillis in 1986.

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Coming back to Tyson’s story, Tyson claimed despite his spectacular win, the punches left him unable to walk for three days. “I was proud that I didn’t stop and I fought back, but I couldn’t walk for three days,” Tyson recalled. This prompted the fan to guess that Tyson tried to avoid body shots from then on. But the reality was different.

“No, not really, but I know I can take them now,” Tyson quickly corrected the fan. Meanwhile, Tyson has revealed something interesting about his bout against Jake Paul.

Mike Tyson has dismissed claims that age slowed him down during his recent fight against Jake Paul. Despite losing via unanimous decision, the 58-year-old insisted he wasn’t fatigued during the eight-round bout, his first in almost 20 years. “Magically, it just happened so quick,” Tyson told 7News. “Eight rounds were over fast. I wasn’t tired, I wasn’t sweating. I didn’t understand that.”

The fight, which Tyson’s son Amir called his father’s ‘best effort’ at this stage of his life, fueled rumors of being rigged—claims Amir denied. “His gas tank after the third round was just shot,” Amir clarified to Seconds Out. “He did the best he could at his age.” While Tyson appears retired for good, he remains optimistic about the future, saying, “The sky is the limit. I’m very grateful to be able to do everything that I want to do in this and beyond.”

BOXING

Canelo, Bivol, and Beterbiev Face Immediate Threat as Benavidez, Munguia Receive Mandatory Orders

With the year drawing to a close and next year’s schedule falling into place, the lower divisions are looking pretty sharp. But that doesn’t mean upper echelons are sulking in silence.

The crosshairs still feature the Usyk-Fury rematch. Reports suggest moves heralding potential shake-ups at the light heavyweight and super middleweight divisions.

In the 175 lbs division, the decks are cleared for the rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Following their high-octane duel on October 12, the duo will team up for yet another dance. But it appears that the winner of the face-off will have a short time to celebrate. He will be staring at a challenger. One division below, at the super middleweight, the main character still drives the plot. With the crown atop his head still intact, Canelo Alvarez could face yet another title claimant early next year. It’s possible he may meet a familiar face.

JUST IN: Claressa Shields Rips Apart by Cris Cyborg for Fighting 42-Year-Old Opponent

Reportedly the WBC has taken a few critical decisions. First, a challenger for the winner of the bout between Beterbiev and Bivol. The two are now ready for yet another big showdown in Riyadh. Many consider the February 22 mega card as the greatest in boxing history. A string of exciting matches includes the likes of Daniel Dubois, Shakur Stevenson, and Vergil Ortiz Jr. defending their titles.

But before the fight, on February 1, at the T-Mobile Arena, David Benavidez and David Morrell Jr. will meet. A final title eliminator, the bout for Benavidez’s WBC interim light heavyweight title and Morrell Jr.’s regular WBA belt, will clear the path to challenge the winner of the Artur Beterbiev–Dmitry Bivol match, it seems.

A close perusal suggests a win-win, crackerjack array of matchups. Be it Beterbiev vs. Benavidez or Bivol vs. Morrell Jr. or just the reverse, either way, the lineups will be something purists will look forward to.

Given it already has a supremo reigning over it, the situation at the super middleweight might be slightly different, though.

On September 15, Canelo Alvarez defeated Edgar Berlanga during the year’s second title defense. Though no longer an undisputed champion, he still remains a formidable force to reckon with. It may be difficult to dislodge the Mexican superstar; nevertheless, the WBC has taken measures to dry-run a test. Date and venue details are yet to be confirmed; however, there will be a fight between Jaime Munguia and Christian M’billi for the WBC ‘interim’ super middleweight title. The winner stands a chance to dare Alvarez as the mandatory challenger.

If he wins, Munguia, who will face the year’s fourth opponent on December 14, will be walking into a rematch. Early in May, he lost the title challenge to Alvarez on the Cinco de Mayo fixture. Nevertheless, he still retains the WBC silver super middleweight belt.

On the other hand, unbeaten M’billi defeated Sergiy Derevyanchenko to retain the WBC Continental Americas Championship. The ambitious Cameroonian-French fighter dreams of a shot at facing Canelo Alvarez, making the Munguia fight the opportunity he’s been waiting for. A win over the granite-chinned Munguia could bring him closer to his much-coveted dream.

BOXING

Claressa Shields Rips Apart by Cris Cyborg for Fighting 42-Year-Old Opponent

It’s been some time since fans witnessed a virtual war of words between Claressa Shields and Cris Cyborg.

Representing the worlds of boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA), these two champions have captivated audiences for years. Now, as their professional paths intersect, their public exchanges have become the talk of the combat sports world. Most recently, Cris Cyborg took a jab at Shields following the announcement of her next fight.

In June, Claressa Shields marked her heavyweight debut with a victory over Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Earlier in February, after a three-year hiatus, she returned to MMA and defeated Kelsey DeSantis at the ‘PFL vs. Bellator’ event in Saudi Arabia. Cris Cyborg moved to Bellator after her last UFC bout in 2019. With a win over Larissa Pacheco, she secured the PFL featherweight championship two months ago. Cyborg dabbled in boxing as well, claiming two victories via early stoppages this year.

READ: Real Reason for Tyson Fury’s Downfall Against Oleksandr Usyk Explained

Fight Hub TV’s Marcos Villegas shared an update. “Claressa Shields vs. Danielle Perkins will happen in Feb for her WBC heavyweight title,” his tweet read. It didn’t take much time before the report caught Cris Cyborg’s sharp eyes.

Mocking Claressa Shields, she said, “😂😂😂😂 @Claressashields out here fighting 42-year-old women with 5 professional fights, hiding in a division with only 17 active fighters IN THE WORLD.” Brooklyn-born Danielle Perkins entered professional boxing four years ago. She has only participated in four fights, with her last bout against Monika Harrison taking place in 2021.

Nearly a year after she defended her undisputed middleweight title from Maricela Cornejo, Shields returned for a hometown fixture. At Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena, she faced the Canadian Lepage-Joanisse. The bout ended much earlier than expected.

As both Shields and Cyborg now fight under the PFL banner, speculation about a potential clash between them continues to grow. While an MMA bout seems likely, a showdown in the boxing ring cannot be ruled out. The intrigue surrounding their rivalry is heightened by their history—Shields revealed in an interview with Ariel Helwani that they had sparred in the past.

Soon after she defeated DeSantis, during an interview, Claressa Shields revealed, “I don’t give a damn about Chris Cyborg, and she knows that. Chris Cyborg can’t beat me in a fight; she can’t beat me in boxing. Why is she worried about my weight class and what I fought at? I’m not the only catchweight fight that’s on the card.” Shields suggested Cyborg was upset because her absence in Saudi Arabia allowed the Shields-DeSantis bout to make history as the first women’s MMA fight in the country.

Cris Cyborg later called out Claressa Shields for a fight. “I’m 10 years older and 30 pounds lighter, but I will beat the brakes off the “GWOAT”: Goofiest Woman Of All Time in a real fight. My last fight was 145 lbs. @Claressashields last fight was 175 lbs. I will fight her inside the @PFLMMA cage at an open weight. Just sign the contract.”

Cyborg added that in an MMA fight, she would easily dominate Shields. However, if the bout were to take place in the boxing ring, Cyborg demanded that Shields drop down to 147 pounds. If Shields couldn’t make the weight, Cyborg suggested they fight at open weight under MMA rules.

As the rivalry heats up, fans eagerly anticipate whether the clash will happen inside the MMA cage or the boxing ring.

CELEB NEWS

Exclusive – Suni Lee reflects on difficult year: “It taught me that I’m a lot stronger than I think I am”

U.S. gymnast Suni Lee finally feels like she’s back on the right track.

The Tokyo 2020 all-around gold medallist spent the last nearly 12 months adjusting to the realities of a kidney-related health concern that ended her NCAA career at Auburn University early and prevented her from making a run at international competition months later.

Now, she has once again found a consistent rhythm to her training.

“I’ve been back in the gym every single day, eight hours a day, and it’s been going pretty well,” Lee told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview ahead of her 2024 competitive debut at the Winter Cup, Saturday (24 February) in Louisville, Kentucky.

“I’m in remission right now, so I’ve just been getting it under control and starting to work up into routines and getting ready for the season.”

In Louisville, Lee plans to compete on the uneven bars and balance beam only. Her goal there: earn a spot at the upcoming Baku World Cup competition where she can submit an original element she showed the world last month on her social media – a full twisting layout Jaeger catch-and-release move on the uneven bars – to be named in the sport’s rule book.

“I feel really prepared on beam,” Lee said. “Bars… I’m feeling pretty good. We’re kind of just going to get the skill named and then doing a basic bars set. I’m just doing Pak through [to the end of the routine].”

Lee’s confidence ahead of competition belies the struggles she’s faced.

The 20-year-old competed vault and balance beam in August 2023’s U.S. Classic and U.S. Championships, but withdrew from Team USA’s World Championships and Pan Am Games selection competition a month later, ending her season and beginning a difficult five-month period from which she and longtime coach Jess Graba say she’s only recently emerged.

“I had kind of a rough patch, and I was in and out of the gym for about five months,” Lee says.

“It was more just mental, but also trying to figure out my health and just be as healthy as possible coming into the new year because I knew I wanted to not have to worry about it as much, or, like, just make sure that I was going into remission and not going to have a little break out before a big meet.”

But without gymnastics as an outlet, Lee and Graba say times were tough.

“Being depressed,” says Graba in response to a question about how Lee filled her days when she couldn’t make it into practice.

“During that time, I was honestly not doing a lot of anything good for me, I was just kind of rotting in my bed and hoping that it would all go away,” adds Lee, later saying, “Things are definitely way better now. Of course, I still have to go to the doctors every couple of weeks. I just got an infusion. But they said that I’ve been progressing a lot.

“I’ve been able to wake up every single day and I’m perfectly fine,” she continued. “I also have been doing this for long enough now, I think, to know the right time to take my medicine, to be able to be perfect for in the morning.”

CELEB NEWS

Google Rewards Simone Biles With Special Gift Amidst Latest WCC Gymnastics News

Her fans have been saying it for years, and after Paris, even some of the doubters, such as Piers Morgan, have changed their minds. Despite already being history’s most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles sought redemption for her disastrous performance at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, after winning three golds and a silver at the 2024 Olympic Games, even Google search has no more doubts.

Google, who still owns the most popular search engine in the market, has bestowed Biles with a special gift on Google Search. The company, who sometimes attach animated easter eggs to certain popular keywords, has recognized Simone Biles as the greatest gymnast of all time. Simply ‘googling’ the seven-time Olympic gold medalist will last you on the search page, but now there’s a special goat-shaped button.

Clicking the GOAT button will initiate a shower of flower bouquets, confetti and golden goats. While this isn’t any official award, it’s a fun way of celebrating the gymnast who has come to revolutionize every aspect of women’s gymnastics. It’s also another cheerful addition to the news of Biles’ club, the WCC hiring two new coaches to take Laurent and Cecile Landis’ place.

CELEB NEWS

Daily Dose of Social Media: Novak Djokovic hints at Cristiano Ronaldo’s new project, Alcaraz shares funniest fan encounter

Novak Djokovic drew attention on social media after reposting a video from Cristiano Ronaldo, joining several elite athletes amid ongoing speculation about a potential collaboration.

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we look at some of the day’s highlights: Aryna Sabalenka trains in Dubai with a fun challenge alongside her team, while Carlos Alcaraz appeared in a new Q&A round in a viral ATP video.

ATP Shares Alcaraz’s hilarious fan moment and Federer admiration

The ATP shared an old interview with Carlos Alcaraz during the Queen’s Club Championships earlier this year. The 21-year-old Spaniard spoke candidly about topics ranging from the funniest moment he has experienced with a fan to which tournament in another sport he would like to win. He even took the opportunity to praise Roger Federer, whom he chose as his companion if he were ever stuck in an elevator.

The 4-time Grand Slam champion recounted the funniest moment he’s had with a fan:“They asked me for a selfie, and they took the selfie, but with the other camera, the wrong one. We waited like ten, fifteen minutes to take the real selfie,” he said. When asked what he would choose to eat if it were the only thing he could eat for the rest of his life, Alcaraz hesitated before enthusiastically answering: “Let’s say sushi… no. Paella!” he exclaimed. “That’s a good question,” he added.

On another note, he was asked if there’s a question fans frequently ask that bothers him or he’d like them to stop asking. “It’s not annoying, but I would say the comparison with Rafa (Nadal),” Alcaraz replied.