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‘I’m the best fighter in the world!’: Canelo powers past Berlanga

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CANELO ALVAREZ EDGAR BERLANGA

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez proved he is still the man to beat in the super middleweight division after a win by unanimous decision against Edgar Berlanga.

Despite the dominant nature of the Mexican’s victory, Alvarez’s wait for a knockout continues. The 34-year-old has had to wait almost three years for a stoppage victory, since beating Caleb Plant in November 2021.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez successfully retained his unified super-middleweight world title after a unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas.
The 34-year-old won after scoring 117-110, 118-109, 118-109 on the judges’ scorecards, to inflict the first loss of Berlanga’s career.
Canelo Álvarez defeats Edgar Berlanga via unanimous decision - Los Angeles Times

JUST IN: Put me in the game!’: Terence Crawford reacts to Canelo’s win over Berlanga

Alvarez retained the WBA, WBC and WBO titles with this result, and hit back at his critics after the victory.
He said: “I did good. Now what are they going to say? They said I don’t fight young fighters.
“They always talk, but I’m the best fighter in the world.”
It looked like Canelo may have ended his three-year wait for a knockout when Berlanga was caught with a shot to the head in round three, but the American held on until the 12th round.
The 27-year-old took plenty of punishment from Canelo after the Mexican successfully landed a brilliant uppercut in the fifth round and a superb hook in the sixth.
Berlanga fell to the canvas in round seven after missing with an overhand shot and received a warning for a headbutt in the eighth.
Alvarez admitted to being upset by his opponent’s antics on a huge night for Mexican fighters, with seven mixed martial artists also taking part in the UFC 306 event to mark Mexican Independence Day on Sunday.
“I got a little angry with his tactics, but I’m Mexican man,” Alvarez added. “It means a lot to fight on this day. It’s an honour to represent my country on this day.”
However, Alvarez’s decision to take this bout cost him the IBF belt after failing to fight the division’s No.1 challenger William Scull.
It remains to be seen what lies next for Alvarez, with WBA super welterweight champion Terence Crawford stating he would be open to a super-middleweight bout with the 34-year-old.
However, those plans were put on the back-burner with Turki Alalshikh reportedly turning his attention away from setting up what would have been a mouthwatering clash.
He posted on X: “I decided to disregard the Canelo fight, as I don’t want it anymore.
“Instead, I will be focusing for the US market with bigger fights, especially for the legend Crawford.
“Additionally, I will support making fights for Boots [Jaron Ennis], [Devin] Haney, Shakur [Stevenson], Ortiz, [Jared] Anderson, [David] Benavidez, [William] Zepeda and more.
“Regarding Tim Tszyu, there’s something unclear with the communications from his team with our team, so I believe I will reconsider his situation.”
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Put me in the game!’: Terence Crawford reacts to Canelo’s win over Berlanga

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford is still angling for a fight with Canelo Alvarez.

Terence Crawford was ringside for Canelo Alvarez’s win over Edgar Berlanga tonight, and though his dream fight seems unlikely, he’s not given up on it just yet.

“Put me in the game, coach!” Crawford posted on social media, still angling for a bout with Canelo, which has been repeatedly shot down by Alvarez himself.

Terence Crawford

JUST IN: Canelo Alvarez rolls past Edgar Berlanga in one-sided decision

Canelo has most notably said that fights he does will happen on his terms, not on those of Turki Alalshikh, who attempted to make Crawford’s dream a reality with a big money offer.

Crawford is a current titlist at 154 lbs, while Canelo fights, of course, at 168, and because of that he feels that he would not get any credit for beating Crawford if the fight were to actually happen.

But you can’t blame “Bud” for continuing to hope, because it would potentially be an enormous amount of money for both sides.

Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KO) dropped Berlanga (22-1, 17 KO) and won a wide decision, but Berlanga got some credit from fellow fighters for his display of toughness.

“Edgar will learn a lot from this fight,” said Jamel Herring. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”

In a really thought-out bit of insight, Devin Haney declared that Berlanga is “not a hoe.”

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Canelo Alvarez rolls past Edgar Berlanga in one-sided decision

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Canelo Alvarez Edgar Berlanga T-Mobile Arena

Canelo Alvarez, boxing’s top star, retained his unified super middleweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Alvarez floored Berlanga with a monstrous left hook in Round 3 — his money punch — and prevailed via scores of 117-110, 118-109 and 118-109. ESPN scored it a 120-107 shutout.

This was the fifth consecutive decision victory for Alvarez, who hasn’t scored a knockout win since he defeated Caleb Plant in November 2021. It’s also the fourth consecutive bout where Alvarez scored a knockdown.

Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga: Live updates and start time - Los Angeles Times

READ: Terence Crawford will never fight again and Canelo Alvarez is the ‘only way’ he returns

“Now what are they gonna say?” Alvarez, 34, said during his postfight interview. “I fight younger fighters. They say I fight older fighters. They always talk. … My experience, my talent, my hard work, my intelligence, everything together [makes me the best]. If you have talent but you don’t have discipline, you have nothing.”

Alvarez, ESPN’s No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer, is an all-time great. Berlanga, meanwhile, was fighting on the world-class level for the first time. Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) was a -1600 favorite, per ESPN BET, and a -250 favorite to earn the win inside the distance.

However, Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) rarely threw a power punch, clearly wary of presenting a counter-punching opportunity for one of the sport’s best at capitalizing on such openings. Following the knockdown, as Berlanga sat on the canvas and banged his gloves together, he entered survival mode.

Alvarez pressed forward and tried to close distance as Berlanga pumped his jab from out of range. And while Berlanga was rugged on the inside and showed some toughness, he clearly wasn’t willing to sell out and risk becoming a knockout victim.

“I’m upset,” Berlanga said. “I fought a legend tonight. Hopefully this is the start today of me becoming a future legend. … I took his best shot, I believe, in the third round.”

The Brooklynite of Puerto Rico heritage began his career with 16 first-round KOs, but as he stepped up in competition, his power dissipated. Berlanga, 27, entered his first title shot on the heels of a sixth-round knockout victory over Padraig McCrory in February.

Alvarez, naturally, is several levels above such an opponent, and his wealth of experience showed. He was the far more comfortable fighter, though he was frustrated on occasion by Berlanga’s roughhouse tactics, as referee Harvey Dock warned the pair numerous times.

“Fighters like to throw each other off their games,” Berlanga said.

Alvarez was once again headlining on Mexican Independence Day Weekend, one of two boxing holidays reserved for the sport’s top attraction. And he wasn’t ready to discuss whom he wants to face when he eventually returns on Cinco De Mayo Weekend.

In the lead-up to the bout, Alvarez told ESPN on Wednesday he was interested in a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, who defeated him in May 2022 at 175 pounds. That’s provided Bivol beats Artur Beterbiev for the undisputed light heavyweight championship Oct. 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Another option was ringside: Terence Crawford, the future Hall of Famer who remains undefeated. He made his 154-pound debut last month with a win over Israil Madrimov and told ESPN on Thursday he’d like to fight Alvarez at the full-fledged 168-pound limit with no rehydration clause.

“I think it would tell the No. 1 guy of this era in the post-Mayweather era, who’s the king of kings,” Crawford said.

Whomever Alvarez fights next, he’ll still be in search of his first knockout victory since November 2021, though he hasn’t lost many rounds in the process.

Said Alvarez: “I’m the best fighter in the world.”

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[VIDEO] BOXING UPDATE: Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul Fight at Risk of Being Downgraded, Says Report

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Mike Tyson  Jake Paul

There has been much bellyaching about the fight itself, but from all accounts, the Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight is still a go.

However, there is a chance that the fight could be downgraded from a professional bout that’ll count on both fighters’ record, into an unofficial match — an exhibition — instead, according to a recent report by World Boxing News.

With Netflix, owner of over 270 million subscribers, airing the widely discussed fight, there’s plenty of incentive for all parties involved to put on the event despite a recent Tyson health issue that shifted the first scheduled date from July 20, to November 15. It’s being reported that both combatants will be thoroughly examined ahead of the fight to ensure everything goes according to plan.

Mike Tyson: Boxer 'doing great' after medical episode during cross-country flight, rep says | CNN

JUST IN: Rejecting Gervonta Davis Fight: Jose ‘El Rayo’ Valenzuela Eyes Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz Rematch But Has One Condition

Before ‘Iron Mike’ entered the ring in 2020 for the first time in 15 years to face fellow former world champion Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition match, he’d made it known that training was a thing of the past as it would spark his ego to hit the heavy bag.

After many battles with his fluctuating weight that he ultimately conquered, plus, finding content from within, Tyson made the decision to once again lace the gloves up and compete under the bright lights. Even in his 50s, the now humble boxer has stolen the internet’s attention with some flashes of excellence on the mitts:

Though the stocky fighter is built like a house, the recent health issue of a stomach ulcer earlier this summer set off red flags. It could have been connected to pushing his body a bit too hard in training, and high-ranking officials aren’t taking any chances when it comes to sanctioning this wild fight.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) will be leading the charge in terms of being diligent about whether this massive, cross-generational fight should be hosted as a professional fight to count on both competitors’ records, or as an exhibition bout. Nobody wants to see something horrific take place on live TV…

Back in May, Tyson had an ulcer flare up that was severe enough that he had to pull out of the fight. The TDLR will be making sure the former heavyweight champion is fit to compete. When speaking with the TDLR, World Boxing News discovered that they are aware of the public concerns over this controversial fight:

“TDLR is aware of media reports regarding an episode involving Mr. Tyson. At present, Mr. Tyson and Mr. Paul have met the medical requirements for this event, before the event, TDLR will conduct pre-fight physicals to ensure the health of both fighters.”

WBN reports that Tyson “has much to prove to convince organizers, including Netflix” that it should go ahead as a pro fight. “Tyson could face a rigorous health assessment, far more than the usual professional boxers undertake,” the news site added.

Downgrading the contest to exhibition status would unlikely take anything away from the attention and marketability of the event. As it stands, it still goes ahead, as a legitimate contest on each fighters’ record, when they trade blows November 15 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

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Rejecting Gervonta Davis Fight: Jose ‘El Rayo’ Valenzuela Eyes Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz Rematch But Has One Condition

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Gervonta Davis Jose Valenzuela

Jose Valenzuela rose to the occasion and shocked the boxing world, as he battered, bruised, and outboxed Isaac Cruz.

The American fighter bagged the WBA super lightweight gold as a result, and he is taking some time off before deciding on what he wants to do next. It seems the decision is out, and it might upset or cheer fans, depending on whom they support.

Valenzuela, 25, finds himself mentioned either as a logical rematch with Cruz, 26, or a stepping stone for Gervonta Davis if he finally decides to move to 140 and realize his long-muted move. However, the case is not a toss-up between the opponents. The champion wants to spend the rest of the year with family and mull over his choices, of which a rematch with ‘Pitbull’ makes more sense to him.

READ: Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: ‘Fear is my friend when I’m in the ring’ –  Dubois

Fight Hook News turned to its X handle and reported that ‘El Rayo’ would not fight ‘Tank’ next and rather prefer to cherish some moments with his family. The handle also pointed out that Valenzuela, at 14-2, would return to the boxing ring in 2025 for a rematch with Cruz, at 26-3-1.

The post read, “WBA Junior Welterweight Champion Jose ‘EL Rayo’ Venezuela will Not be fighting Gervonta Tank Davis and will take off the rest of the year to spend time with family and return in 2025 for a Rematch with Pitbull. #pbcboxing #josevenezuela #elrayo #mexicanboxing #venezuelacruz2.”

While the Renton resident is away from the ring for the moment, his gritty display against Cruz remains the talk of the town. Leonard Ellerbe believed it was a long time coming, but gave full credit to Valenzuela.

In a conversation with Fight Hub TV, Ellerbe expressed that he watched the fight but didn’t score it. But Valenzuela had made it look easy by executing the game plan to the teeth. He said, “I didn’t really score, but he made it look easy. I fully expected Rolly to do that. But that didn’t happen. Great game plan. Just boxed the guy, turned him, made him miss, and scored.”

Interestingly, contrary to the recent report by Fight Hook News, the former Mayweather Promotions CEO didn’t shun a fight between Valenzuela and Davis. But a report by Fernando Barbosa disclosed that Davis was to return to the boxing ring on November 2. His opponent is not finalized yet. But it might be safe to say that Valenzuela might not be the one because of his family commitments.

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Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois: ‘Fear is my friend when I’m in the ring’ – Dubois

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Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois

Victory is all in the mind for the reigning IBF heavyweight world champion

Daniel Dubois will be meditating over, and visualising how, he plans to defeat Anthony Joshua when they meet at Wembley Stadium on September 21.

The IBF world heavyweight champion takes on the former unified king of the division in a blockbuster clash, live on Sky Sports Box Office, where the winner will be line to face the victor of the Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury rematch later this year.

AJ's a freak' - Anthony Joshua will KO Daniel Dubois so quickly that fight won't even last six minutes, Tony Bellew predicts | talkSPORT

JUST IN: Backup Plan If Mike Tyson Bails On Jake Paul Again, What The YouTuber And Boxer Has To Say

Dubois already has visions of standing across the ring from Wembley against Joshua and how he believes the contest will end and will be focusing hard in training camp to ensure that becomes a reality on fight night.

“When I’m in training camp, I sharpen up my mind,” Dubois told Sky Sports. “I play out the fight over and over, and just meditation and just visualising.

“I do a lot of that, and the sparring helps. The camp atmosphere all helps as well.

“This fight sells itself, based off me and AJ and what we both bring – and what I bring especially.

“We’ll see as it goes on, but I’m going to be in camp, locked in and focused. I’ll have tunnel vision about getting that victory.”

September 21 will not be the first time Dubois and Joshua have shared a ring, with the duo having sparred together when the former was part of the Great Britain amateur squad.

There have been rumours Joshua was knocked down by his future opponent in one session, although the former champion has denied that.

Dubois insists he has no memories of those sessions either and even if he did, is adamant they would be of no relevance as he has come on so much as a boxer since then.

“Those spars were seven years ago, and I can’t remember a thing about them, to be honest,” Dubois said.

“I’m not here to spar him now, I’m here to fight him, so I’m thinking about that. I haven’t brought my headguard, that spar is in the past for me.

“At the time it was a great experience, but seven years on I’m a different fighter now with different experiences in the fight game.”

Among those experiences are those big nights on boxing’s grand stages, such as stadium fights against Kevin Lerena and Usyk in Tottenham and Wroclaw respectively, not to mention the clashes with Jarrell Miller and Filip Hrgovic in Saudi Arabia.

He has tussled for titles too, beating Trevor Bryan in Miami to claim the WBA regular heavyweight crown two years ago and then take the IBF interim crown, later upgraded to full world champion status, in the bout with Hrgovic.

“Especially Saudi,” Dubois said, reflecting on what he has learnt from those big nights. “It was an amazing journey and I feel like it has empowered me to move on from here and get this next W.

“To go out there and the way we got the [WBA regular belt] with Don King in Miami was just a dream – it was a trip, it was good.

“It’s back in London, fighting again – I’ve missed it. It’s going to be a great night to have that feel, that energy and that buzz in the city.”

Having now compiled a 21-2 (20) record as a professional and holding a world title, Dubois has little to fear when he takes on Joshua in front of 90,000 fans at Wembley.

But he is adamant he will be able to utilise any fear there is on the night rather than let it get to him.

“You can never let that happen,” Dubois said. “Even if you are scared you’ve got to act brave!

“For a fighter, if you don’t have a bit of fear then you’re crazy. But fear is good and it’s my friend when I’m in the ring.”

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Backup Plan If Mike Tyson Bails On Jake Paul Again, What The YouTuber And Boxer Has To Say

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Mike Tyson Jake Paul

What will they do if Tyson isn’t ready again?

The most-hyped televised fight of 2024 is happening this fall, or at least that’s the plan right now. Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul is hitting Netflix’s upcoming lineup on its rescheduled date of November 15th, which isn’t far away, but what happens if Tyson has to back out, as it went when he had a medical emergency over the summer? It’s a question worth asking, and Paul was able to give a definitive answer on the current contingency plan, in a manner of speaking.

JUST IN: “We’ll fight in Africa”: Claressa Shields’ promoter wants her to fight in the Middle East and Africa

On the heels of Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi facing off in the live Unfinished Beef special, fans with Netflix subscriptions want to know what to expect for the next big showdown on the streamer if one of the fighters cannot perform. Jake Paul spoke to TMZ Sports about the current backup plan, and whether or not he’s concerned about Mike Tyson’s readiness, saying:

I don’t have concern. He’s doing great. He’s super healthy behind the scenes and feeling great. So, that’s what we’re focused on, and there’s not a backup [plan] currently.

Despite it happening on the original date, Netflix did not stream that replacement fight, and it didn’t take place in AT&T Stadium, the venue reserved for Tyson vs. Paul. Given that, and the fact that there still aren’t any backup plans this time around, it would seem like if these two fighters aren’t going to trade blows, Netflix still wouldn’t be interested in carrying any substitutions.

Thus far, Mike Tyson hasn’t given any reason to suspect he’ll be anything less than 100% come fight day. While he was reportedly dealing with complications from an ulcer when the fight was first postponed, he’s been pretty active as of late. In addition to uploading pictures from training, Tyson is attending many events, so he’s seemingly feeling well enough for this big bout come November.

While his age is a factor, Tyson has asked for certain accommodations made for this match to help compensate for fighting someone thirty years younger than him. The fight will have shorter rounds to encourage both fighters to push the pace, which could prevent Paul from hanging back early and hoping to tire the legend out before starting to fight. Even so, professional boxing matches can be taxing, and we won’t know how tired Tyson will or won’t be until we see this match.

All we know is that Mike Tyson feels confident he can win and that he was once one of the greatest boxers who ever lived. Whether his past experience will be enough to take on Jake Paul is the big question everyone has and one that some, like actor Russell Crowe, would rather not see answered. In any case, there’s no denying that the intrigue is still there to see how this all shakes out and if this fight will happen.

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“We’ll fight in Africa”: Claressa Shields’ promoter wants her to fight in the Middle East and Africa

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Claressa Shields

There aren’t many major boxing matches remaining for Claressa Shields.

That’s why Shields (15-0, 3 KOs) has hopped up and down in weight classes, recently jumping up to 175-pounds to capture a pair of world titles after previously being a titleholder at 168 and the undisputed champion at 160 and 154.

And it’s why Shields has also jumped at other opportunities, be it competing in mixed martial arts or promoting a new major motion picture about her life.

Claressa Shields: 'I can drive through Flint now and not get flashbacks' | Claressa Shields | The Guardian

READ: Terence Crawford will never fight again and Canelo Alvarez is the ‘only way’ he returns

Otherwise, there’s just not enough depth at the heavier weight classes where Shields competes. What, then, can her promoter do to bring his fighter the attention and paydays she’s seeking?

“For Claressa, because of where she stands and what she represents for women in the United States and all around the world, it’s as important where she fights as who she fights,” Dmitriy Salita said on the Boxing with Chris Mannix podcast.

One potential choice in the “who” category is Savannah Marshall, who gave Shields her only amateur loss. But when they met in the pros in October 2022, it was Shields winning via unanimous decision. Marshall has since moved up to super middleweight, defeating Franchon Crews-Dezurn via majority decision to become that division’s new undisputed champion.

“Certainly the rematch with Savannah Marshall is always interesting,” Salita said.

But what about the “where” category Salita mentioned?

“We’ll fight in the Middle East. We’ll fight in Africa,” he said. “I believe that would be very significant and very special and something that can transcend sports. It’d be a human interest story that goes above and beyond the sport of boxing. That would be something I would aim to do. That would be significant and historic.”

Shields, a 29-year-old from Flint, Michigan, has fought outside of the United States before, of course during the amateurs and the Olympics but also twice as a pro, performing in London and Cardiff. In mixed martial arts, Shields competed this February at an event in Saudi Arabia.

For Shields, doing what brings attention isn’t just about marketing herself, but her sport as well.

“There’s been a lot of debate online about who the greatest woman is, and without a doubt it’s Claressa Shields. The only reason this conversation takes place is, most important, because of Claressa’s accomplishments but also because of her personality and because she puts herself out there,” Salita said. “She not only walks the walk, but also talks the talk, which is very important because women’s boxing is much better than it ever was, but it’s still going through birthing pains, and it takes a personality and a fighter like Claressa Shields to push the interest forward.”

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Terence Crawford will never fight again and Canelo Alvarez is the ‘only way’ he returns

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvare

Terence Crawford is only interested in fighting Canelo Alvarez, according to Eddie Hearn.

‘Bud’ could become the first three-weight undisputed champion of the four-belt era if he can unify all the major sanctioning body belts in his new division of super-welterweight, but seems more interested in other goals.

Crawford previously reigned supreme over the super-lightweight and welterweight divisions and opened his account at super-welterweight last month by snatching the WBA belt from Israil Madrimov.

He's trying to stay friends with him," Terence Crawford calls out Eddie Hearn for saying Canelo Alvarez helped promote his fight

JUST IN: Daniel Dubois shuts down Anthony Joshua claim before world title fight

He has now been handed the opportunity to take two steps closer to making boxing history after the WBO ordered their champion Sebastian Fundora – who is also in possession of the WBC title – to make a mandatory defence against Crawford.

However, Hearn doesn’t believe legacy motivates the Baltimore banger anymore.

The Matchroom boxing chief insists money is his main driving force now and anticipates Crawford will hang up his gloves unless he can land a lucrative showdown with Canelo next.

“I don’t think Terence Crawford will fight again,” Hearn told talkSPORT.com.

“Because I think he’s made really solid money in the last couple of fights.

“And I don’t think he wants to fight Vergil Ortiz, I don’t think he wants to fight Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.

“I think the only way Crawford will fight again is against Canelo Alvarez.

“Because he’s got used to that pay bracket and I don’t think that pay bracket exists anymore outside of Canelo Alvarez.”

Canelo vs Crawford was at the top of HE Turki Alalshikh’s boxing wishlist at the start of the year.

However, a breakdown in communication prompted the Saudi boxing chief to retract his approach and release a lengthy statement, during which he accused Canelo of being afraid of fighting David Benavidez and Crawford.

Bridges have been rebuilt between the pair since and the fight looks a lot more plausible than it once did, although Crawford will have to wait for Canelo’s clash with Edgar Berlanga on September 14 to play out.

Crawford could box Fundora in the meantime or even surging welterweight/super-welterweight contenders Vergil Ortiz or Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, although Hearn thinks this is highly unlikely.

“The problem is when you’ve made that kind of money, to drop down and fight a young contender [would earn less],” he added.

“I think he probably looks at the Israil Madrimov fight and goes, ‘Blimey.’ Not that he got away with it, but could he could’ve lost it all there.

“He probably thinks in his mind that he’ll fight again, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t.

“They’re so inactive as well, really the plan for Crawford was to fight in February. And I don’t see that happening.

“He should be, really, if he wants to continue in the sport, but I think he’s happy to sit out until the end of next year.

“He’ll be just waiting and then if the Canelo fight comes up, great.

“In his mind, something will come up, but I don’t think he’s rushing to get back to training camp to fight Vergil Ortiz or Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.”

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Daniel Dubois shuts down Anthony Joshua claim before world title fight

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Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois IBF heavyweight

Daniel Dubois was elevated to the status of IBF heavyweight champion after the former undisputed champion of the division Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt.

Usyk couldn’t defend the title against Dubois on time as he was contractually obligated to fight Tyson Fury again in a rematch on December 21, 2024. Interestingly, the British boxer became the No. 1 contender for the IBF after defeating Filip Hrgovich in June this year. Subsequently, the belt fell into his lap, and he became the IBF heavyweight champion.

However, Dubois’ very first title defense would be a tough task. The challenger—the former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, is hungry to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. The tense pre-fight build-up adds another layer of intrigue to an all-British heavyweight showdown at the Wembley Stadium on September 21. It all kicked off in the face-to-face chat in June where AJ brutally shut down Dubois, who was eager to throw down then and there. “I’ll throw this f***ing chair across your face. Don’t disrespect me,” Joshia said angrily. Both fighters almost came to blows. As a result, the security had to step in to separate the two blood-thirsty pugilists.

Anthony Joshua to take on Daniel Dubois for IBF heavyweight title at Wembley - Eurosport

JUST IN: Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois: “I Can Feel the Andy Ruiz Situation Happening”

Now, with the date of the clash inching closer, the ‘Dynamite’ has sounded off on AJ for his “disrespect” remark during the face-off. “Disrespect is not the right word, is it? We’re in boxing,” the 26-year-old fighter stated in an interview with Queensbury Promotions. He further conveyed to Joshua that respect should be left at the door when getting into a fight with someone.

Is there respect in that ring? At the end of the day, this is a fight. If you want respect go and become a lawyer or a doctor,” Dubois stated solemnly. “This is a fight game and you know I’m ready, 100% ready, to just go out there and fight now.” Seems the two British boxing stars are going into the fight with the clear intention to hurt one another.

On the other hand, Anthony Joshua too will be heading into the Dubois fight with bad intentions as he has plans to reach the very top of the heavyweight division, once again.

The battle with Dubois is crucial in determining whether Joshua could become an undisputed champion. A win against the Greenwich native would set Joshua up nicely to face the winner of the Usyk-Fury clash in December.

“All he’s got on his mind is Dubois. Obviously, winning the world heavyweight title, but I know that if he wins September 21, the only fight he will want is the winner of Usyk-Fury,” AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn stated.

“He’s always wanted to fight Fury, he’ll definitely do it, but when the decision is read out on December 21 he will want the winner of that fight because he’s only one fight away from being undisputed himself,” The Matchroom Boxing head added.

It is quite evident that AJ won’t hesitate to face Oleksandr Usyk for the third time provided ‘The Cat’ wins the rematch against Fury. Notably, Joshua lost his unified heavyweight title to Usyk in 2021. The rematch the following year also yielded the same result.

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