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Reason why Heavyweight denies being Deontay Wilder’s BLK Prime opponent

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Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder had an opponent for his spring return for a few hours before the prospective opponent denied the main event.

Stephen Shaw was announced by more than one boxing outlet as the boxer in the opposite corner to Wilder for a return to action in April on Black Prime. Manouk Akopyan made the initial confirmation that Wilder would make a comeback after several months of being linked to retirement.

Once the news of Wilder’s imminent return was out in the open, discussions began over who ‘The Bronze Bomber’ would face. Without any official word, Shaw’s name was put out there as a done deal on Pay Per View.

Deontay Wilder

READ: “Killing Me”- Gervonta Davis Makes Feelings Clear After Exchanging Blows With Lamont Roach Online

However, another boxing writer, Hans Themistode, quickly realized this wasn’t the case. Themistode spoke to Shaw directly, and the American denied any notion of the clash.

First, Themistode said, “OK, I did some digging, and I’ve been told that Shaw isn’t lined up to fight Wilder next. Shaw and his entire team would love to fight Wilder, but they told me that no discussions have taken place. I’m scheduled to talk to Shaw in a few hours, so I’ll do my best to provide some clarity.”

After the call, Themistode added, “I just spoke with Stephan Shaw about a possible Deontay Wilder fight, and he told me it’s all ‘smoke and mirrors.’

“Expect Wilder to return, but it probably won’t be against Shaw next.”

In the video, shared by WBN, Shaw said, “I just woke up one morning, and they were talking about the fight. A couple of weeks ago, they were like, Wilder fight da da da – like I hadn’t heard any particulars,” the 20-2 heavyweight told Themistode.

“Then today, I just saw a blog run with this, so I just shared this. I feel like that’s a fight that would be perfect for me. I’ve sparred with Deontay since 2017, and I’ve been his primary sparring partner. I’ve been part of every camp since he fought Gerald Washington to his last fight with [Zhilei] Zhang. I feel like it was just something to run with.

“Then I spoke to my manager, and he spoke to his manager; it’s a fight we’d love to take, but it’s all smoke and mirrors right now, to be honest,” he concluded.

Wilder is expected to confirm his next opponent this weekend after dropping off the major broadcaster platforms.

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Canelo Alvarez Faces Repercussions After $150M Demand for David Benavidez Fight

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Canelo Alvarez

It has been 3 months since Canelo Alvarez last fought and the hunt for his next opponent is picking up the steam.

However, the search has been yielding slim results, as the unified super middleweight champion has either defeated every good contender or rejected any potential fight with big opponents. While the rumors of him considering Terence Crawford are rising rapidly, there is no confirmation regarding that. Furthermore, a few months ago, he also declined the chance to face former two-time champion David Benavidez, claiming he would only fight for a payout of at least $150 million.

On Sunday, in a conversation with FightHype, Matchroom boxing honcho Eddie Hearn who has had a long association with the Mexican champ before he left to join up with the PBC, reflected on Canelo’s choice of rejecting the Benavidez fight. Furthermore, he also stated how his unfathomable demand might leave him hanging without a possible good opponent.

JUST IN: “Killing Me”- Gervonta Davis Makes Feelings Clear After Exchanging Blows With Lamont Roach Online

While talking about how Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez might be a mismatch, Hearn shifted his focus to the lack of opponents the 62-2-2 boxer currently has. He asked, “What are the options for Canelo Alvarez?” as the interviewer dropped the name of David Benavidez as the first suggestion.

Even though Hearn knows that it would be a brilliant match, the time has almost passed. “Yeah, but I don’t think that’s going to happen either. You know’s he’s put his flag in the sand, isn’t he?” exclaimed the British promoter. He further talked about the insane payout demand by Canelo and how Benavidez can target better things rather than chase a fight with Canelo. “150 million? I know he takes less but I just don’t see that.”

Furthermore, the ‘Mexican Monster’ is all set to face David Morrell in his first defense of his Interim WBC light heavyweight championship and a win here will put him in a brilliant position to face the winner between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. “He’s now up at 175. I don’t see him coming back to 68. Got a great fight against Morell by the way. It’s a serious fight,” stated Eddie Hearn, claiming that the 29-0 has no reason to look back to Canelo now.

Not long ago, Benavidez was the top contender in the super middleweight division. After defeating the likes of Caleb Plant and Demetrius Andrade, he was next in line to challenge Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed super middleweight championship. But that opportunity never came and in the end, he made the switch to 175 lbs and immediately won the interim title there. As Hearn said, he has no reason to look back now.

The Matchroom Boxing head then discussed all the potential opponents for Canelo Álvarez. Even though his list had many viable options, he was doubtful about every single clash.

The first name that Hearn suggested was Dmitry Bivol. He declared, “You know, Bivol beats Beterbiev on February 22nd, Canelo could fight Bivol for the Undisputed light heavyweight world championship. There’s a fight.” However, even though Canelo has shown interest in re-matching Bivol, the 23-1 boxer has shown no interest whatsoever.

Hearn then dropped the names of fighters like Jermall Charlo, and William Scull, but had his reservations about them too. “There’s a fight, Charlo. People talk about William Scull. I mean you know. Canelo will fight anyone but I don’t see a lot of options for him right now,” explained Eddie Hearn begrudgingly.

He circled back to Terence Crawford and claimed that with the lack of options, Canelo Alvarez might even accept fighting ‘Bud’. However, “if it happens, as good as Terence Crawford is, I just think he’s (Canelo) too big for him,” contended Hearn.

As Hearn stated, it looks like the options for Canelo Alvarez are lessening with each passing day.

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“Killing Me”- Gervonta Davis Makes Feelings Clear After Exchanging Blows With Lamont Roach Online

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Gervonta Davis

After days of confusion, the March 1 showdown between Gervonta Davis and Lamont Roach Jr. is back on track.

On January 5, Davis shocked the world as he announced the cancellation of the highly anticipated fight on his Instagram story. The story sent the fans into a state of panic, who, despite their reservations, were excited to see the Baltimore native in action.

PBC has already postponed the upcoming fight twice, and considering ‘Tank’ has declared 2025 to be his last year in boxing, a cancellation would hurt the fans. However, it looks like things are back on track as the duo went back and forth online to hype up the fight. However, it does not look like the WBA lightweight champion is a fan of such altercations.

lamont roach Gervonta Davis

JUST IN: ‘I Broke His Nose Twice’: Bakole accuse Anthony Joshua of ducking

Tank and Roach have previously indulged in a few spats online in the lead-up to the upcoming fight. This time was no different, as the WBA super featherweight champion took a cheeky dig at the 30-0 boxer on his Instagram story. He posted a selfie of himself with the caption, “I’m now to the gym man. Ya be cool like how ya be cool,” claiming that while Gervonta Davis focuses on worthless stunts online, he will be busy training.

Tank did not let it pass as he reposted ‘Reaper’s’ story and wrote, “Laugh now… ya son gonna be crying later!..” issuing a warning that the Washington native will regret talking like this on March 1. ‘Tank’ then got a little personal and wrote, “And you better not be over there f*****g pretty girl Becuz you know what’s the crowd leaves… what’s right behind em.. the women😜,” taking a shallow dig at the 29-year-old.

As the spat continued, the digs got slightly more irritating and personal as Roach fired back with another selfie and caption reading, “😂😂😂😂 Ya man back at it again lol stay focused champ. I’m working! Worry bout them little angels you got not what boys f*****g other boys,” and advised Tank to stay focused on his training.

The way this online feud is processing, both boxers will be better off focusing on training, rather than this spat. Furthermore, it looks like even Gervonta Davis regrets getting into this online scuffle as he later took to his ‘X’ to show his grief over the turn of events.

After the back and forth, the Baltimore native took to his ‘X’ and posted a confession showing extreme remorse. He wrote, “I’m a lowkey type of guy..this being in public eye be killing me fam.” Tank declared he rarely gets into these online battles, which makes him severely uncomfortable.

The 30-0 boxer further confessed, “I’m not chasing no image at all nor a female I be gucci away from this shit,” claiming he does not want any fame. He is content with his life and family and keeps his desire at arm’s length.

This latest confession by Tank is similar to his retirement announcement when he claimed he started hating the sport and just wanted to spend time with his family. “After next year, I’m out of it. Yeah, out of this sport… S**t’s trash. This s**t is trash, garbage. Fed up. I’m fed up with the whole s**t,” stated Tank as he announced his retirement.

However, the Baltimore native has left all his reservations for the upcoming fight at the Barclays Center behind. He is focused on the bout and was even spotted rocking a new ponytail look. The renewed intensity of the online spat is great news for fans. However, fans would rather prefer Davis to answer all the hate inside the ring; something he has done throughout his career.

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‘I Broke His Nose Twice’: Bakole accuse Anthony Joshua of ducking

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Martin Bakole Anthony Joshua

Martin Bakole has bashed Anthony Joshua, accusing him of ducking. 

Bakole is considered one of the most dangerous boxers in the heavyweight division. He secured an upset win over Jared Anderson in his last fight. Anderson was considered as the future of the heavyweight division. But Bakole dropped him numerous times before getting a stoppage in the fifth. However, Bakole has struggled to get a big fight. He has called out Joshua on numerous occasions.

He said previously that he hurt Joshua while sparring. Meanwhile, the same was said when it came to Daniel Dubois. Now, Bakole has responded to AJ, who allegedly backed Efe Ajagba to beat Bakolie in their IBF title eliminator. Efe is 20-1-0 with 14 wins by knockout. His biggest win so far has arguably been Frank Sanchez. Bakole is his biggest test, raising questions over whether he can deliver. Bakole hit back at Joshua’s claims.

Bakole Threatens To End Joshua's Career - 'I Broke His Nose Twice'

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“Hey, Anthony Joshua this video is for you. I called [you] out, I wanted to knock you out, and now you’re saying Ajagba is going to beat me. Shame on you. How many times did I call you out? How many times did I ask you to fight in Africa? You should feel ashamed of yourself. I want to fight you. Look at Daniel Dubois – I broke his nose twice [in sparring] and he knocked you out cold. I will knock you out in the first round. You’re talking about Ajagba? Ajagba is a baby, wait till you see how I’m going to knock him out,” Bakloe said

But Joshua’s focus is on facing Tyson Fury following the Dubois loss. Dubois dropped him three times on his way to a fifth-round stoppage. There were talks over a rematch, but it never happened. Dubois will now face Joseph Parker on February 22. A Joshua-Fury fight is the biggest bout out there, meaning Bakole may not get his shot.

Joshua will likely secure his career-highest purse for that fight, which could be his last. He also has more incentive to run things back with Dubois. Bakole does not offer Joshua any belts. But if Bakole becomes an interim champion for the IBF, he will be in a position to face Dubois. But for now, Joshua is eying Fury with a possible Dubois rematch. Eddie Hearn said as much.

“I think Tyson Fury is still potentially at the peak of his powers, just not good enough to be Oleksandr Usyk tonight. But for me, AJ against Fury is the one, it’s the one at Wembley, I’m going to be pushing His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] to make the fight, but that’s maybe one for another day, tonight belongs to Oleksandr Usyk. But Fury will struggle with this, I think. All fighters do, AJ struggled with the Dubois defeat as well, you’re a winner and when you get beat it hurts and this will hurt Fury,” Hearn said

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Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree as Deontay Wilder ‘prepares announcement’

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Deontay Wilder Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

Deontay Wilder is reportedly planning a major return to boxing – a move that Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree on.

At 39, the Bronze Bomber holds a remarkable record of 43-4-1 in the squared circle, having clinched the WBC heavyweight crown in 2015, and defended it 10 times before ultimately relinquishing it to the Gypsy King. The two men initially met in December 2018, with Wilder defending his WBC belt via an incredibly tight split draw, before coming to blows again in February 2020.

This time, Fury saw his hand raised via a seventh-round TKO to take the title from Wilder before an eleventh-round knockout in their trilogy fight the following year in Fury’s favour diminished any hopes of the American putting himself in the championship picture. Wilder was once one of the world’s most feared heavyweights, but he now finds himself on a two-fight skid in 2025, which has left Fury calling for his retirement.

Tyson Fury loves the fight with Anthony Joshua - rejects the trilogy with Deontay Wilder - Telegraph - Telegraph

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Wilder suffered a unanimous decision loss to Joseph Parker in December 2023 at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena before finding himself on the receiving end of a fifth-round TKO at the hands of Zhilei Zhang last June at the same venue. As a result of his back-to-back losses, Fury told the Pound 4 Pound podcast: “Being truthful, I’d like to see poor old Deontay retire from boxing.

“Obviously, he lost the three fights to me. We took a lot of years off of each other’s lives. That war that ended in the 11th round by knockout, that takes a lot out your tank and you don’t recover from fights like that. Between me and Wilder in our trilogy there were 10 knockdowns. It takes a lot out of a fighter.

“Even when he’s come back and had a couple of fights since against Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang, he’s only a shadow of his former glory. The only thing left of Deontay is his name. And that’s it. So I’d like to see him retire for sure before he does damage to himself.”

Despite Fury’s assessment, Wilder is reportedly posed to announce his return to the ring – with boxing journalist Manouk Akopyan reporting that he’s looking at April for his next fight against an opponent who will be named in the near future.

Akopyan wrote on X: “I’m told @BronzeBomber will return for a comeback fight in April on BLK Prime. Wilder and manager Shelley Finkel will meet with the media in Los Angeles on Saturday to announce the opponent.”

The Gypsy King’s long-time rival Joshua has a different view on Wilder and whether he should retire from the sport. Speaking to DAZN about the prospect, AJ said: “It’s completely up to him, I can’t say.

“I just look at and say, ‘If you want to do it, do it’, it’s not a big deal boxing, if you want to fight, fight on, and if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it any more, it’s just where your heart’s at. He went in there against a good fighter in Zhilei, he’s an Olympian, Zhilei, people forget that.

“He’s come through, he’s got a great style. I fought him before in the Olympics and he’s still doing what he does now, so many years on. He was in with a real good, seasoned professional with a great pedigree. It doesn’t matter, come again if you want, and if you don’t, you’ve got your family there. There’s another life outside of boxing for him.”

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‘The country would stop to see it,’: Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua doesn’t need a title

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Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua fighting without a title on the line would not detract from the scale of the event, says Top Rank’s Todd DuBoef.

Fury and Joshua have a long-running rivalry but the two Britons are yet to box each other. Both have been heavyweight world champions previously, though failed to reclaim titles in 2024.

Oleksandr Usyk repeated his points victory over Fury in their December rematch, while Daniel Dubois knocked out Joshua in a September clash for the IBF championship.

anthony joshua Tyson Fury

READ: Boxing Insider: Why Anthony Joshua Targeting Tyson Fury in 2025 Is Not Good News

Nevertheless, 2025 could be the year when Fury and Joshua finally box, even without a world championship belt on the line.

Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank which co-promotes Fury, told Sky Sports: “It’s still two great fighters in the ring. The end.

“I think the brands are so strong,” he continued. “In the UK, the country would stop for an hour to see what happens and I think that’s a wonderful thing.

“They’ve created an incredible fanbase and passion towards who they are. So I always think it lives there.”

But first, DuBoef says, both Fury and Joshua must choose, not just whether they want to box each other, but whether they want to box at all.

“That everyday hard training, that discipline,” he said. “They have to decide if that’s what they want to do.”

DuBoef explained: “I think they both have to decide if they want to fight, let alone each other. I’ve always said for years the two brands and the two fanbases for both of them are so big and so wonderfully connected to them, that fight is always there.

“And I still believe that fight is always there. They’re like peanut butter and jelly, Joshua and Fury, they go together.

“I think it’s always there but they have to dig deep and decide if they want it and not it but if they want to get in the ring. Do they want to go back to training?”

Joshua has signalled his interest in fighting his British rival. “2025, I am targeting Tyson Fury,” Joshua said on a trip to meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

Reflecting on the Dubois fight, he added: “Makes me hungry, makes me want to work harder. Time is of the essence, time is limited, so I just want to put in more work.

“When I look back, I believe I could have done more in 2024. I have another chance in 2025 to do more and I am going to make sure I take every opportunity that comes my way.

“I should have won but I didn’t and I am going to go again.

“My life is up and down so I have to get used to the turbulent times and keep riding the wave.

“I can’t stop now. I have to keep going until I reach my destination.”

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Boxing Insider: Why Anthony Joshua Targeting Tyson Fury in 2025 Is Not Good News

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Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury

Winning a major boxing match often opens new doors for a fighter, but in the case of Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, the dynamic appears reversed.

The former unified heavyweight champion recently revealed his intent to pursue a showdown with the former WBC heavyweight champion. However, boxing insider Rick Glaser doesn’t seem too happy about it.

As you may know at this point, ‘The Gypsy King’ lost his rematch to Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk in December via a unanimous decision. This comes after Fury lost their initial fight back in May via majority decision. The same scenario unfolded for ‘AJ’ when he faced Oleksandr Usyk in back-to-back bouts in 2021 and 2022. Not to mention, Joshua’s loss to Daniel Dubois.

anthony joshua Tyson Fury

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Even with the losses, the excitement about a fight between the two Englishmen hasn’t died down, especially in the United Kingdom. The pair have been linked for a fight for years at this point, but nothing ever went past discussion for various reasons. However, with both of their records painted in red, it appears the fight is possible.

Earlier this week, Boxing Scene reported that while speaking in Lagos, Nigeria, where Joshua visited President Bola Tinubu, he said about a Tyson Fury fight, “We’ll see, let’s get in the ring. Only God knows, but for me, we’ll see in the future.” Later, while Joshua was speaking to the State House Correspondents, he revealed much more about his plans for 2025.

“Time is of the essence, time is limited,” Joshua said. “So, I just want to put in more work. In 2024, when I look back, I believe I could have done more and I have another chance in 2025 to do more. I’m going to make sure that I take every opportunity that comes my way. I’m going to go again.”

“Ups and downs, they happen. To some people, it is always up. My life is up and down, so I have got to get used to the turbulent times and keep riding the wave. I can’t stop now; I have to keep going until I reach my destination.” Regardless, in response to this revelation, Rick Glaser offered his candid perspective on the potential matchup.

“Anthony Joshua with no punch resistance left is targeting Tyson Fury,” Glaser wrote on X. “Can’t make this s**t up!!! Wembley Stadium sells out for what will be AJ’s last fight.” Meanwhile, Joshua’s promoter Matchroom honcho feels there’s only one fight left of Tyson Fury.

Eddie Hearn has strongly advocated for a fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, calling it the “biggest fight in the history of British boxing.” Despite both fighters coming off losses, Hearn insists the matchup would be a box office smash. He told DAZN, “The reality is there’s only one fight for Tyson Fury and that’s Anthony Joshua. Everyone will want to see it.”

Hearn also addressed Fury’s performance in the Usyk rematch, stating, “That wasn’t a Tyson Fury who looked finished… He didn’t look gun-shy or like his punch resistance was in question.” He believes Fury is still at his peak, just not good enough to beat Usyk. Hearn is pushing for the fight to take place at Wembley this year, with a potential return to Riyadh following that.

That said, it appears 2025 will be the year fans not only in the UK but all over the world will see two of the best heavyweights of this generation clash in the ring. However, it’s worth noting that nothing has been officially announced.

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Reason Why Crawford Can’t Beat Canelo – ‘Canelo Is A Big Bad Wolf’

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Demetrius Andrade does not believe that Terence Crawford can beat Canelo Alvarez.

The fight has been talked about as Canelo’s next bout. The Mexican has said if the terms were right, he would be willing to take the fight. Crawford has been linked with the fight since beating Israil Madrimov in his last fight. The fight would require Crawford to move up two weight classes from 154 pounds.

Canelo has already beaten Jermell Charlo, who also jumped up two weight divisions to 168. Canelo beat Charlo in a one-sided unanimous decision. There is a feeling Canelo would do the same to Crawford. But Crawford’s team have said they can outbox Canelo and secure a historic win. But Andrade does not see that happening.

Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford timeline: Will undisputed boxing champions fight one another in 2024? | Sporting News United Kingdom

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“Canelo is a big bad wolf and he can run the whole night. I think Crawford has the skills, but when it comes to Saul getting shots and blocking his power shots, Canelo knows how to move, too. He has agility. Not like a robot. I mean, it’s gonna be tough. I don’t think Crawford can beat Canelo. But I still think he can give him a good fight.

“And I’ll be sitting there fuming for Canelo all day. That’s a huge fight. A lot of fans wanna see it. Like, a lot of trainers I’ve spoken to have said and feel that Terence can bridge the gap between weight and make it even because he’s so damn good with his IQ,” Andrade said

However, reports indicate that Canelo could faceWilliam Scull next. Alvarez was meant to box him before he faced Edgar Berlanga. Scull was Canelo’s IBF mandatory. But Canelo opted to vacate for Berlanga. Scull faced Vladimir Shishkin for the vacant title, beating him in a unanimous decision. Canelo now has the chance to become a two-time undisputed champion at 168 by beating Scull again. But that fight would not go down well with fans.

A Crawford fight is seen as more competitive and a compromise for fans who do not see the David Benavidez fight happening. Benavidez moved up to 175 after failing to get the Canelo fight. He will now face David Morrell Jr. on February 1. That leaves Crawford with a chance to get the Canelo bout. Dmitry Bivol has said that Canelo had strong power. Given that Bivol is a seasoned 175-pounder, Crawford would have a tough task.

“I felt his power. He has really good power. He has good speed, good power, good sense, but some people are born with the power. I don’t have that type of power. I can throw a power punch if I want to put the power into my punch, I can do it intentionally and some other boxers, they have power in every punch.

“They can just throw a punch and it’s already powerful. To be honest, as a light-heavyweight, I didn’t feel like he had that power that you get from birth, I felt like he was just putting everything he can into every punch and trying to make it powerful,” Bivol stated 

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VIDEO: Gervonta Davis Undergoes Brutal Training for Title Defense

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Gervonta Davis

Gervonta Davis has begun his first day of training, shutting down rumors that he will not fight Lamont Roach Jr. 

Davis is scheduled to face Roach on March 1 in a defense of his WBA Lightweight Title. But Tank ruffled a few feathers by saying the fight was off. This raised alarm bells from the boxing community since Roach said the fight is still happening as far he is concerned. Tank had also said he was retiring in 2025 once he boxed three more times. But now it seems Davis is locked in. The following video shows him going through various training drills as he pushes himself to the limit. Roach will face a tough task since the WBA champion is moving up from 130. Hector Garcia did something similar but failed to beat Davis, getting stopped.

READ: Floyd Mayweather Cleared of Bankruptcy Rumors as Insider Reveals Details of LA Gym Protest

But Tank is facing criticism for not facing the big names. He has been linked with a unification against the WBC Lightweight Champion Shakur Stevenson. The latter will face Floyd Schofield on February 22. Davis has given mixed comments about the fight. He has said he would face Stevenson at some point. But he has also downplayed the fight, stating that Shakur has no special skills. This is despite Shakur being an undefeated three-weight champion. Tank could equally pursue a fight with Devin Haney or Teofimo Lopez at 140.

The latter two are two-weight world champions, and the fights would generate a lot of attention. But Tank’s insistence appears to be on facing Ryan Garcia, someone he has already beaten, rather than those names. Leonard Ellerbe came out to defend Davis’ retirement decision. Tank was clear he wanted to leave the sport to focus on his real estate portfolio and his newborn son. But if he leaves at his peak without facing the best, there will be an asterisk on his legacy.

Ellerbe Reacts

“I can understand where he’s coming from. Things are different when you have kids. It changed your life. It completely changes your life. He looks at things differently than six or seven years ago. If that’s what he said [he’s retiring] and we all heard him. No, not at all. It’s never good enough what you do, and sometimes that can be frustrating. There’s more to life than something you do for a living. You have respect for fans who pay their money to see you fight, but you have a life outside of boxing.

“They want you to continue to do this, and they really don’t care about your health afterward. Boxing is a brutal sport. You see a lot of fighters from before; they were taken advantage of in a lot of different ways. They went through a lot of health issues, a lot of permanent stuff. I understand the philosophy that you come into the sport and make your mark, and then you leave it at that. Everybody’s opinion is different, and everybody has different goals in life,” Ellerbe said 

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“Usyk Did Not Get $60 Million”: Insider Blows the Lid Off Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 Fight Purses

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Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury

Just over ten days have passed since Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury faced each other once again in the ring.

With Usyk emerging victorious, discussions have naturally shifted toward future matchups. For the Ukrainian champion, there has been clamor for a rematch with Daniel Dubois. For Fury, it is back to the much sought-after clash against fellow Briton Anthony Joshua.

However, amidst the discussions, fresh insights on the Usyk-Fury rematch have appeared. A recent take from an insider digresses on the money part of the showdown. To some, the revelation might be startling. Seven months after their first encounter at the Kingdom Arena, Usyk and Fury met again on December 21 to settle their rivalry. Unlike their initial clash, Usyk secured a decisive win, retaining his unified titles. Alongside his belts, the Olympic gold medalist reportedly earned an unprecedented payout as well. However, Chael Sonnen has cast doubt on the rumored figures surrounding the fight.

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“Usyk was rumored to have gotten 60 million to fight Tyson Fury. 3 weeks ago Usyk did not get 60 million,” said Sonnen. According to him, these numbers are exaggerated. The claim is fabricated for publicity.

Though far from the inflated figures, Tyson Fury’s actual earnings were slightly higher than the $40 million he acknowledged nevertheless. With a realistic ceiling of $100 million for the rematch, he seemed to suggest that even the biggest boxing matches, including those featuring the sport’s top heavyweights, failed to generate anywhere near the rumored sums.

Actually, Chael Sonnen’s discourse was more about the rumored boxing match between Conor McGregor and Logan Paul. Revealing a potential matchup against Jake Paul‘s elder brother, ‘The Notorious’ shocked everyone last month. Reportedly, both McGregor and Paul could take home an astronomical amount of $250 million each from the exhibition fight in India.

Expressing his doubts, Sonnen, however, suggested that under no circumstances would anyone splurge such an astronomical amount. “There’s not a single piece of that that’s true,” he said, adding, “To hand to a guy that’s 0 and 1 in boxing against the current WWE star, there is no part of that story that’s true.”

Sonnen also drew comparisons to other high-profile bouts, including the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight. While Tyson’s rumored earnings of $20 million might hold some truth, Sonnen dismissed claims of an equally substantial payout for Jake Paul. He further noted that even hypothetical superfights, like Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford, would likely struggle to reach the suggested extravagant sums.

Reportedly, the December 21 rematch saw a total payout of $190 million, split 55-45 in favor of Usyk. This marked a shift from their first encounter, where Fury claimed 70% of the $150 million purse. While the exact amount Usyk received remains unclear, it seems that both fighters walked away with substantial earnings.

Chael Sonnen’s perspective offers valuable insight into the economics of combat sports. Fans may continue to debate the feasibility of rumored matchups like McGregor vs. Logan Paul. However, his arguments serve as a reminder to approach such claims with skepticism.

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