Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are nearing the end… but the next generation of top UK heavyweights is ALREADY here – and talents like Moses Itauma and Johnny Fisher can prove they are superstars in Saudi

Oleksandr Usyk’s camp are demanding that Tyson Fury shaves his beard ahead of their mega rematch on Saturday night, claiming it ‘violates’ boxing rules.

Fury, who is aiming to avenge his defeat to Usyk from earlier this year, has sported an impressive beard in Saudi Arabia during fight week.

In a statement released on the eve of the fight, Usyk’s promoter Alex Krassyuk said: ‘[The] beard rule is grossly violated.

READ: VIDEOS: Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2 simulation predicts another 12-round affair with shock winner

‘WBC rules clearly say: “A boxer may spouse a trimmed beard and/or moustache as long as, in the discretion of the commission and the supervisor, the facial hair thickness does not: (1) cushion or in any way affect the impact or trajectory of punches; or (2) cause cuts or abrasions to his rival.”

‘So, Tyson Fury’s beard has to be trimmed. We will push it further.’

Fury’s promoter Frank Warren attempted to downplay the remarks from Team Usyk and said it was not uncommon for bearded boxers to enter the ring.

‘He has a beard and there’s been a lot of fighters over the years who’ve fought with beards, and that’s it,’ he told Sky Sports.

While Usyk’s representatives appear displeased by Fury’s look, the man himself has also downplayed the surprising talking point.

‘For me it doesn’t matter, for me,’ he told iFL TV shortly after the weigh-ins on Friday night. ‘It will not help Tyson Fury.’

Fury has kept his cards close to his chest during fight week but vowed to do some ‘f*****g damage’ as he prepares to re-enter the ring with Usyk in a mega rematch.

‘I’ve got nothing to say, apart from there’s going to be a whole lot of hurt and pain in this fight you watch,’ the Brit said.

‘That’s all I got to say. Talking’s been done. You know, the first fight I talked, I joked, through all my career.

‘This time I’m serious. I’m going to do some f*****g damage here on Saturday night. Watch me go to work on this f*****.’

Fury, 36, weighed in a career-high 20st 1lb for Saturday’s bout at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena. Usyk, 37, is exactly four stone lighter.

A bizarre face-off between the two fighters on Thursday night lasted more than ten minutes.

A victory for Fury could pave the way for a trilogy fight against Ukrainian Usyk or bouts with British rivals Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

British boxing legend Lennox Lewis expects Fury to overturn his defeat in the first fight but only if he takes it ‘seriously’.

‘Tyson Fury wins this because he is the bigger man,’ Lewis told BBC Sport. ‘He will use his jab and needs to throw more punches than the first fight.

‘He can’t muck around and needs to be totally serious. Usyk is good at making you pay. He moves well and that movement is to make you miss and then make you pay.

‘It’s not easy to move around the ring for 12 rounds and I think it will come down to who seizes the moment, who has the best stamina and who punches the most accurate.’

BOXING

Claressa Shields vs. Danielle Perkins is now for the undisputed heavyweight championship

All four heavyweight world titles – three of them vacant, one of which never existed before – will be on the line when Claressa Shields takes on Danielle Perkins on February 2.

That means Shields vs Perkins will be for the undisputed heavyweight championship, giving Shields an opportunity to become undisputed in a third weight class.

This may get a little confusing, so stick with us for a moment:

When Shields defeated Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse in July, she won the WBC heavyweight title and the vacant WBO light heavyweight belt.

The weight limit for Lepage-Joanisse was at 175 pounds. In women’s boxing, the WBC goes from super middleweight straight to heavyweight, with anything above 168 pounds being considered a heavyweight bout.

Shields will defend her WBC heavyweight title against Perkins – and will be vying for the vacant IBF, WBA and WBO belts.

The IBF’s rankings list only two fighters at heavyweight: Perkins and Minellis Blanco. The world title is vacant.

The WBA has never had a heavyweight division before but will be creating one for this fight, according to Chris DeBlasio, a spokesman for Salita Promotions, which promotes Shields.

Until now, the highest weight class for the WBA was light heavyweight, which has seven fighters, including titleholder Che Kenneally.
The WBO has cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, though there is no one currently ranked at cruiserweight and only two people are rated at heavyweight: Lepage-Joanisse (who hasn’t fought above 200 pounds since 2017) and Blanco (whose entire career has been above 200 pounds).

Shields-Perkins will be held at a contractual catchweight, although the show’s promoters did not disclose what that weight limit will be.

Shields, 15-0 (3 KOs) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who won world titles at 168lbs, moved down in weight to become the undisputed champion at 160 and 154, then returned to middleweight to regain a title she had vacated and become undisputed at 160 once again. She jumped from 160 to 175 for the Lepage-Joanisse bout.

Perkins, 5-0 (2 KOs) won an amateur world championship in 2019. She had her first three professional fights between August 2020 and March 2021, weighing in between 195 and 198lbs for each. Perkins then spent three years out of the ring before returning earlier this year much lighter than before. She came in at 178 for a victory over Timea Nagy in March and at 175.5 for a July victory over Christianne Fahey.

Shields-Perkins will headline at the Dort Financial Center in Shields’ hometown of Flint, Michigan. The card will be broadcast on DAZN.

BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury 2 fight predictions, odds, undercard, preview, start time, expert picks

The rematch is set for Saturday night in Saudi Arabia and should deliver another instant classic

In May, Oleksandr Usyk completed his mission, defeating Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the modern four-belt era. On Saturday in Saudi Arabia, Usyk will look for a repeat performance when he rematches Fury, this time with three world titles on the line.

Usyk was stripped of the IBF championship for moving ahead with his contractually obligated rematch with Fury, though the lack of one of the four world titles from the first meeting has done nothing to diminish the excitement or importance of this rematch.

The first meeting was the first time Fury had suffered defeat as a professional, having gone undefeated across 35 previous bouts that also saw him twice reign as world champion. Fury started that fight well, using his size and reach to keep the much smaller Usyk at range. Fury was so comfortable in the early rounds that he repeatedly danced and showboated, seemingly feeling he had the fight in hand.

Usyk was able to make the necessary adjustments as the fight wore on and not only started to successfully use his boxing skills, but also scored a knockdown in Round 9. A perfect left hook landed on Fury and the following flurry from Usyk sent Fury’s 6-foot-9 frame stumbling into the corner where it was ruled the ropes had held him up and thus counted as a knockdown.

That knockdown was the difference between a split decision win for Usyk and a split draw, with one judge scoring the fight 114-113 Fury and two turning in Usyk scores of 115-112 and 114-113. Without the knockdown making for a 10-8 Usyk ninth round, that third card would have been 114-114.

“I’ve got nothing to say apart from there’s going to be a whole lot of hurt and pain in this fight, you watch,” Fury said. “The talking’s been done. The first fight, I talked, I joked, all my career. This time I’m serious, I’m going to do some damage here on Saturday night. Watch me go to work.”

Usyk’s win ran his career record to 22-0. More impressive than his spotless record, Usyk has managed to go undisputed at two different weight classes.

Now we just have the performance. Talks, cameras, lights, kind of show. Everything is going to be taking place Saturday night on the 21st,” Usyk said at the final press conference. “Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone. See you on Saturday.”

Usyk ran through the cruiserweight division before winning the World Boxing Super Series in 2018 to unify all four world titles at 200 pounds. In October 2019, Usyk made the move to heavyweight with a win over Chazz Witherspoon. Two fights later, he’d defeated Anthony Joshua to capture the IBF, WBO and WBA heavyweight titles.

Now the two meet again with legacy on the line. Can Fury make the necessary adjustments to maintain his early momentum from the first fight or will Usyk again conquer the giant and prove his place atop the heavyweight division?

The undercard was set to feature a solid matchup between Serhii Bohachuk and Israil Madrimov at junior middleweight. Unfortunately, Madrimov was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering from bronchitis during training camp. His next appearance is expected to be on the Feb. 22 card featuring Artur Beterbev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 in the main event where he will face another top contender in Vergil Ortiz.

Instead Bohachuk will take on Ismael Davis. Elsewhere on the card, more heavyweights give support to the main event. Rising teenage phenom Moses Itauma is back in action when he takes on veteran Demsey McKean. The 19-year-old has thrilled in his early career, scoring eight knockouts in 10 professional fights. His last was most impressive when he stopped veteran Mariusz Wach in the second round in July. He gets a durable veteran in McKean, who is coming off the first defeat of his pro career when he was stopped by Filip Hrgovic in August.

Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the undercard before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event.

BOXING

Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury predictions: Mike Tyson, Anthony Joshua, Lennox Lewis and more give verdict with stunning KO on the cards

The monumental rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury is just one day away – and everyone has an opinion.

Usyk eked out Fury via split decision in May and they are now due to run it back on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Follow Fury vs Usyk 2 LIVE HERE

En route to getting his hand raised, the Ukrainian had Fury in real trouble in the ninth stanza when he scored a dramatic standing eight-count.

Fury miraculously survived to see out the round and showed immense powers of recovery to finish strong down the home straight.

However, it wasn’t enough for him to get the nod.

In the end, the scorecards read 115-112 to Usyk, 114-113 to Fury, and 114-113 to Usyk with the knockdown proving to be decisive.

Ahead of their rematch, Fury has promised not to leave the result in the hands of the judges and insists he will enter ‘destroy mode’ on the night.

“I’ve always been a bad man my whole life, and I’m still one today at nearly 40 years old, a few years off 40,” he said.

“I’m going to go in there with destroy mode. Last time, I went to box him, I was being cautious.

“Anybody can get caught as we have seen in a lot of these heavyweight fights. But this time I’m not going for a points decision. I’m going to knock that motherf***** out.”

Some believe Fury has what it takes to make the appropriate adjustments to topple Usyk while others think it will be repeat rather than revenge.

Here, takes a look at how several of the most prominent names in combat sports see the second bout going.

Lennox Lewis told Droeks on Boxing: “Well, I cannot go against Usyk. Oleksandr Usyk has proven himself time and time again, and he’s still undefeated.

“It really comes down to who boxes the best. Who’s smart in the ring. I didn’t think Tyson Fury was smart in the first fight.

“I think he played around a little bit too much and allowed Oleksandr Usyk to really pile up the points.

“Oleksandr Usyk is a difficult opponent. He moves all the time, he’s always throwing punches, he’s in great shape, and that’s hard to beat.”

“I want Fury to win, I think he’s capable of winning. I think he’s going to have to do something extraordinary, which we’ve seen him do before,”

BOXING

Mike Tyson drops three-word verdict on Mayweather claiming he’s better than Ali

Mike Tyson has had enough of Floyd Mayweather’s claim of being the best boxer in history—even better than Muhammad Ali—and has fired back with a sharp three-word verdict.

Floyd Mayweather has claimed several times that he is the greatest boxer in history, even better than Muhammad Ali. This statement made Mike Tyson furious, dropping a sharp three-word verdict on Mayweather’s thoughts.

Boxing has had several legends worldwide who have brought the sport to global prominence. Naturally, this has sparked debates among fans about who is the greatest of all time.

For many fans, no boxer has matched the talent and charisma of Muhammad Ali. However, Floyd Mayweather disagrees with this notion, asserting that he himself is the best pugilist in history. Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Tyson: Who was a bigger PPV star?

Floyd Mayweather claims he’s better than Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson fires back

Boxing has seen many top-tier pugilists throughout history. The sport has evolved significantly, with boxers adopting various styles to dominate in their respective eras.

For many analysts, Muhammad Ali remains the pinnacle of boxing greatness. With 56 wins and only five losses, Ali overcame countless adversities to secure his place as one of the sport’s icons.

However, Floyd Mayweather strongly disagrees. ‘Money’ Mayweather, with his perfect 50-0 record and multiple world titles, believes his achievements place him above Muhammad Ali.

“No one can ever brainwash me to make me believe that Muhammad Ali was better than me,” Mayweather said to ESPN in 2015. “Leon Spinks beat him when he had seven fights. They’d never put a fighter in there with Floyd Mayweather with seven fights.”

These claims didn’t sit well with Mike Tyson. “He’s very delusional,” Tyson said in a 2015 UCN interview, firmly rejecting Mayweather’s assertion and emphasizing Ali’s unmatched legacy.

Will Floyd Mayweather fight again in 2025?

According to multiple reports, Floyd Mayweather is considering a return to the ring in 2025, with a potential rematch against Manny Pacquiao on the table.

Recently, Pacquiao responded to Mayweather’s challenge and expressed his willingness to fight. However, the Filipino legend insists that the exhibition match must include judges to ensure a decisive outcome.

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather will return to the ring next year with a surprising fight

The boxer will face ex soccer player Rio Ferdinand in Dubai around March

The arguably best boxer of all time, Floyd Mayweather, is expected to return to the ring one year after since his last fight, when he beat John Gotti for the third time in June 2023.

That event was meant to be Floyd’s last fight, but now, he apparently is expected to come back for an exhibition match. His rival, ex soccer player and Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand.

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This clash will take place in Dubai and the date is said to be in March, probably on the 16th.

Since his retirement from soccer, Rio Ferdinand has been collaborating with multiple TV and sports shows, showing his knowledge and experience on the game. This jump to boxing is as new as unexpected. He has done boxing before but not more than training sessions.

Mayweather on the other side, has enjoyed his absence from the boxing world by spending the money he has earned. Fully deserved, he is now living a lifestyle that not everybody can reach. Surely he wants to be back at training.

This is still an idea as there is not much about it yet, nevertheless, is something that both parties want to do and is just a matter of time for it to be confirmed.

BOXING

Wayment! Claressa Shields Says She’ll Step In The Ring With Remy Ma For Just $1

Whew, chile! Claressa Shields isn’t backing down from Remy Ma. The world champion boxer recently sat down with Jemele Hill to talk about where she stands in the drama between her, Rem, and Papoose. In case y’all forgot, Claressa and Rem have smoke with each other for a number of reasons, but things reached a new level when Remy leaked alleged text messages between Claressa and Pap and even claimed Claressa was Pap’s girlfriend.

Claressa Shields Drops Her Price To Fight Remy Ma In The Ring

Claressa Shields recently chopped it with Jemele Hill about the drama with Remy Ma and Papoose. When Hill straight-up asked how much it would take for Claressa to step in the ring with Remy, Claressa laughed but said she’d throw hands for “just $1 at this point.”

“It don’t have nothing to do with whatever else. It’s just that part alone. That part there is where it’s like… I’m a businesswoman don’t leak my number. Why would you do that?” Claressa said.

Shields made it clear that she’s not really involved in the beef between Remy and Pap, but she knows drama sells. Still, she doubled down on the fact that her smoke with Rem is all about the rapper allegedly posting her number.

“So people like, ‘Oh, she wants to fight her over a dude. Stop it!’ That is so beneath me. It’s the [disrespect] of the leaking my number part. And that’s it!” Claressa continued.

Are Claressa & Papoose Really Dating?

Remy Ma had social media gagging when she dropped texts between Papoose and Claressa Shields on Dec. 12. She also accused Pap of cheating with Claressa, but Pap didn’t hold back, firing back and saying she’s the one who stepped out during their marriage.

Social media went wild, with many questions about whether Remy’s claims were confirmed after a video of Pap and Claressa resurfaced days after the drama kicked off. As TSR reported earlier, the footage shows Claressa and Papoose backstage before her match.

BOXING

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are nearing the end… but the next generation of top UK heavyweights is ALREADY here – and talents

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are nearing the end… but the next generation of top UK heavyweights is ALREADY here – and talents like Moses Itauma and Johnny Fisher can prove they are superstars in Saudi

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua have put the United Kingdom at the forefront of heavyweight boxing for the past decade, with both men involved in some of the biggest nights the sport has ever had.

Who can forget Fury returning from a three-year layoff before knocking out Deontay Wilder twice? Or how about Joshua getting up off the canvas to stop Wladimir Klitschko in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley Stadium?

But nothing – other than those memories – lasts forever. Joshua was dominated by Daniel Dubois in September at the same venue he stopped Klitschko on that miraculous April night in 2017, and his promoter Eddie Hearn has admitted the 35-year-old is coming towards the end of his glittering career.

Fury will try to reclaim his titles from Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday night in a fight that should determine the best heavyweight of this era. But Fury is now 36 and Usyk will be 38 next month.

The pair delivered a thrilling fight the first time around in May, with Usyk emerging victorious on points, but it is fair to ask how many more times they can realistically go to the well for one last big performance.

It would not be a surprise to see either man or potentially even both walk away after Saturday’s fight, leaving fans wondering who the next generation of elite heavyweights will be. They may well get their answer if they tune in to watch two intriguing match-ups on the undercard.

Itauma and Fisher are undefeated and have been making waves in the UK. Now, on the biggest stage of all, they will get the chance to prove they are the future of the heavyweight division.

Itauma has already fought on two Fury undercards in Saudi Arabia, and has looked the real deal on both occasions. But McKean, who has just one loss on his record and was once considered as an opponent for Joshua, will be a step up in class.

Itauma was born in Slovakia and had to deal with racism in his early years before moving to the UK to live in Kent.

He grew up in poverty, but found his home in the boxing gym. It quickly became apparent that he had talent in abundance, despite throwing up in his first training sessions.

Having turned professional just one month after his 18th birthday, Itauma has already racked up 10 wins, with eight coming inside the distance.

His last outing was the most impressive of the lot as he demolished former world title challenger Mariusz Wach in just two rounds.

Itauma has previously spoken about breaking Mike Tyson’s record of being the youngest heavyweight champion in history. That ambitious goal looks out of reach unless he can grab a belt in the next four months, but a win over McKean would put him in the mix for some big fights in 2025. And one potential option could be a domestic showdown with Fisher if he can get past Allen on Saturday night.

Fisher may be six years older than Itauma, but his career has progressed more steadily due to his limited amateur background.

He has already built a large following of fans, though, while his dad has become a social media phenomenon with his ‘Bosh!’ videos.

Fisher and his dad don’t seem to take themselves too seriously away from the ring, but it’s a different matter when it comes to boxing.

Known as ‘The Romford Bull’, Fisher has stopped 11 of his 12 opponents and has gathered a reputation for being a devastating puncher. Just ask Alen Babic, who lasted less than a round when he took on Fisher in July.

If Fisher can do a similar job on the usually durable Allen this weekend it would be a major statement.

Allen has been in the ring with Dillian Whyte, as well as Olympic medalists David Price, Tony Yoka and Frazer Clarke, and has not been a pushover despite losing all of those fights.

He fancies his chances against the somewhat untested Fisher, but the momentum is with the man from Essex as he eyes arguably his biggest win to date.

How the heavyweight landscape will look after this weekend is unclear. A win for Usyk would cement his status as the best heavyweight on the planet. He would have nothing more to prove and has even teased a possible return to cruiserweight.

Meanwhile, a Fury victory could set up a trilogy bout or a meeting with Joshua before both men likely sail off into the sunset.

What is more certain is that the end is nigh for this era of heavyweight boxing.

Dubois announced himself as a major player in boxing’s blue-riband division by beating Joshua, but there may have been some concerns over a lack of worthy challengers, with the likes of Whyte and Derek Chisora also on the way out.

Fortunately, Itauma and Fisher look ready to step up to the plate, and they can show they are superstars in the making with convincing wins on Saturday night.

BOXING

Usyk vs Fury 2: Heavyweight rivals Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury refuse to back down in epic 11-minute staredown

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury face off for the first time in Riyadh ahead of their rematch for the unified world heavyweight championship on Saturday

The sheer intensity of Oleksandr Usyk’s rivalry with Tyson Fury was encapsulated in an epic staredown that closed out the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s world heavyweight championship rematch.

They locked eyes onto each other and neither would break away from the face off. The minutes ticked by in what felt like, probably, the longest boxing face off in recorded history.

It lasted for a mesmerising 11 minutes and 13 seconds.

Neither boxer wished to show a crack of weakness in their determination to win this weekend’s clash and none of the people crowding around them on the press conference stage particularly wished to get in between the two best heavyweight fighting men on the planet.

Fury, his eyes wide, sweat glistening on his brow under his hat, barked at Usyk as finally a cautious tide of bodies swept between them and began, inch by inch, second by second to bob the two men apart and then slowly away.

Morecambe’s Fury has cut a menacing figure in the build-up to this fight, his chance to avenge the first defeat of his professional career.

Usyk beat him on a split decision in May to become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, the first of the four-belt era.

Though Usyk subsequently had to vacate the IBF championship, Saturday’s Sky Sports Box Office rematch is a chance for Fury to win back three of the world titles, the WBC, WBO and WBA belts, which he has held at different times in his stellar career.

But he also wants to settle a personal score. If he can overcome Usyk, there’ll no professional opponent whom he hasn’t beaten.

Fury has locked himself away in “beast mode” in training camp. He was just as fierce and uncharacteristically self-contained at the final press conference on Thursday.

He slowly leant to the microphone and spoke solemnly. He promised he’d put Usyk “in the hurt locker for sure”.

“I’m going to dish out a whole lot of pain,” Fury intoned. “I’ve got nothing to say apart from there’s going to be a whole of pain and hurt in this fight.

“This time I’m serious… watch me go to work.”

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather Jr. ended up on Bugatti’s blacklist for something car owners do every day

People sell cars all the time. And most of us mere mortals accept a loss on a used car. Celebrities, on the other hand, can slap their name on a ride and sometimes turn a profit. Who can blame them? Apparently, Bugatti can. Rumor has it Floyd “Money” Mayweather got blacklisted from buying new Bugattis because he flipped at least one of his ultra-rare Veyrons. Here’s how it all went down.

2011-2015: Floyd Mayweather’s Bugattis arrive

Mayweather bought two Bugatti Veyrons: a 2011 Grand Sport and a 2015 Grand Sport Vitesse. The combined price? Well north of $6 million. (Source: The Drive). This is in-line with his claim of buying two of every supercar, a white ones for his Vegas house, a black ones for his LA house. “Money” indeed.

2017: Time to flip

Mayweather listed both Bugattis for sale through Luxury Auto Collection. The 2011 Grand Sport was priced at $2.45 million. The 2015 Vitesse, which he reportedly bought for $3.5 million, went up for $3.95 million. (Source: The Drive, Men’s Health)

2018: No takers? No new Bugatti for Mayweather

Mayweather struggled to sell his 2015 Veyron at auction, dropping the price to $2.3 million, still above its fair market value. He was visibly upset it didn’t sell and told press he was trying to buy the new Bugatti (Bugatti Chiron). But around this time, rumors swirled that Bugatti had blacklisted him for reselling his cars at a profit. (Source: Daily Mail, Marca.com)

2019: Another Veyron sale

Mayweather sold a Grand Sport to rapper Lil Uzi Vert for $1.7 million. This was much less than Mayweather originally paid—$3.3 million—but still marked him as someone who regularly offloaded Bugattis. (Source: TMZ)

2024: Mayweather still holding onto at least one Bugatti

While covering a breach-of-contract lawsuit, Yahoo Autos revealed the court was considering confiscating Mayweather’s remaining Bugatti Veryon. If true, this means he still owned one in November 2024, and has been unable to upgrade to a Chiron. (Source: Yahoo Autos)

Blacklists: Fact or Fiction?

Bugatti won’t confirm if Mayweather is actually banned, which is par for the course. Automakers rarely announce bans unless they’re as notoriously petty as Ferrari. Even the infamous Tom Cruise “Bugatti ban” is likely exaggerated. Yet with Bugatti’s long waitlists and so few used cars on the market, even a “soft ban” could make buying a new Bugatti nearly impossible. That’s because you need to remain in the company’s good graces to get a build slot.

Mayweather is a legend with deep pockets, but his flipping habit could clash with Bugatti’s exclusivity culture. The brand might see him as a liability. Then again, who wouldn’t want Floyd “Money” Mayweather flashing their car on Instagram? If you were Bugatti, would you risk it? Or keep him off the list?