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‘Tragedy’ in Tyson Fury’s Family Has Left Oleksandr Usyk’s Manager Feeling Heartbroken

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Tyson Fury Paris Fury Oleksandr Usyk

“Nothing outside the ring matters, there is no emotion,” said a broken Tyson Fury as he revealed that his wife, Paris Fury had suffered a miscarriage during the biggest fight of his career.

During the press conference for the upcoming fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 12, Fury revealed the misfortune that his family suffered just a night before he faced Oleksandr Usyk back in May.

Fury, 36, has seven children with his wife and the pair has been together for nearly two decades now. “I have been with the woman for longer than I wasn’t with her,” said the 34-1-1 boxer while describing his sorrow in front of the crowd in London. The devastating news has brought the world together, as Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas also reacted to Fury’s distraught with a heartfelt message on his social media account.

Tyson Fury has revealed that wife Paris had a miscarriage the day before he fought Oleksandr Usyk - Boxing News - SPORTbible

JUST IN: Joshua Could Face Fury Over The Dubois Rematch

While only a few days ago, the two were trading swear words at each other, as soon as the news broke it was no longer about fight promotion for Usyk’s manager. Klimas took to his ‘X’ and wrote, “Sorry to hear about this tragedy, just first time did learn about it.” Klimas further stated that it is a terrible feeling and even he had a fighter who suffered the same tragedy. “It’s terrible feelings, I had ones same situation with one of my fighters just two days before his fight happened,” recalled Klimas.

Usyk and Fury have been in a fierce rivalry for over a year, but as soon as the Ukrainian boxer’s camp learned about the tragedy, Klimas prayed for Fury and his family. “It’s really big family tragedy! Sorry Tyson! Hope God will give you few more in near future,” said Klimas emphatically. The sympathetic message was a perfect example of how a sport can bring even rivals together.

During the press conference, Tyson Fury also stated that he is not using this terrible loss as an excuse. Rather, he is telling everyone what a big scar it has left on his own family, as this was not the first time they were going through it.

While speaking to reporters during the media day on Wednesday, Fury revealed that he had sensed something was wrong even before the fight. According to Tyson Fury, Paris did not want to affect Fury’s mental condition before the fight and hid the news from her. But “when she said she couldn’t come over, I knew there was a problem,” stated Fury as his mind wandered off to the worst.

Paris, who is often ringside for most of Tyson Fury’s matches, was not able to come due to the accident even though His Excellency Turki Alalshikh offered a private jet for her. But she hid the truth from Fury till the end. “She never told me she had lost the baby, but I knew,” said the 36-year-old while acknowledging his wife’s sacrifice.

Fury further stated that he regrets that he was not with her wife during the tragedy. “But she was six months pregnant. It’s not like a small miscarriage at the beginning. You have to physically give birth to a dead child, on your own, while your husband is in a foreign country,” said Fury in a calm yet broken voice. He further mentioned how this has left a scar on his family as he recalled a similar misfortune some time ago.

Fury further added, “We have had miscarriages before and, it happens. Will we have any more kids? I don’t know if she’s back to normal from that. It takes a lot of getting over.” The couple has been open about their struggles with miscarriages in the past. In 2014, Paris gave birth to a stillborn while she was pregnant with her third child. This had happened shortly before Tyson’s comeback boxing match in 2018.

A visibly morbid Fury almost broke down before collecting his emotions, stating, “But no more of this morbid stuff now because I’ll break down in tears,” as he switched his focus to exact revenge on Oleksandr Usyk come December.

This is real tragic news that no one should suffer. And Tyson Fury, an honorable man, has assured everyone that he wouldn’t let this affect his goal of becoming the unified heavyweight champion and is ready for the challenge.

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Joshua Could Face Fury Over The Dubois Rematch

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Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua may choose to fight Tyson Fury next instead of rematching Daniel Dubois.

That is according to Eddie Hearn. Joshua was knocked out in the fifth round by Dubois, who retained his IBF Heavyweight Title. He suffered a one-sided beating as Joshua hit the canvas four times before the referee waved the fight off. In his post-fight comments, Joshua said he would not retire. He indicated his desire to run things back with Dubois, who was also open to the rematch. However, Joshua has to make the right move. Another defeat to Dubois will increase the narrative on him to retire.

He has already made over $200 million in the sport whilst also becoming a two-time unified heavyweight champion. But a win over Dubois makes him the IBF Heavyweight Champion and puts him in a position to fight the winner of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who rematch on December 21. That would be for the Undisputed Heavyweight Championship.

Tyson Fury Has No Doubt Who Wins Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois Rematch: "He Won't Take It" - Seconds Out

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But the Fury fight is also there. That is the biggest domestic fight in British boxing, which Joshua had signed for. However, Fury’s arbitration case with Deontay Wilder prevented the fight from happening, as the Gypsy King eventually went ahead with the Wilder rematch. But now Hearn has said that AJ may simply wait to face Fury.

“AJ wants revenge, but the only issue is timing. For the rematch to happen in February, training camp will have to start in a couple of weeks. There are always niggles, and he had a few, so physically, it’s just a case of whether AJ is ready to do that. It would be frustrating if we made the Dubois rematch and Fury won [the Usyk rematch]. Then we’re sitting there going, ‘Hang on a minute, we’re fighting Dubois, but we could have fought Fury in May for the biggest fight in boxing,” Hearn said 

Nevertheless, that depends on several factors. If Fury beats Usyk, that could set up the narrative for a trilogy fight. The Gypsy King narrowly lost a split decision in the first bout. While most of the boxing community felt that Usyk won a unanimous decision, it showed that Fury could hang in there with the Ukrainian until the end of the fight. Joshua would also have to depart from what he usually does.

When he lost against Andy Ruiz Jr. on his American debut in Madison Square Garden, Joshua had the rematch immediately. He outboxed Ruiz and beat him to win a unanimous decision. When Joshua lost the Usyk fight, he immediately took the rematch. Although he came out second best again, it showed that Joshua has a tendency to try and avenge his losses. The failure to do that against Dubois may suggest he no longer feels he can cut it at the elite level. The motivation may simply be to get as much money as possible before retiring. Joshua has plenty to ponder.

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Fury Couldn’t Spar For The Usyk Fight – ‘It Encouraged Usyk’

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury’s coach, Andy Lee, said that his fighter was not able to spar in the build-up to the Oleksandr Usyk fight.

Fury suffered a split decision loss as Usyk became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. It was the first time that Fury had been defeated. Coming into the fight, the Gypsy King reassured everyone that his preparation was on point. He was also praised for his physique, with Fury coming in leaner than he usually would. However, the original fight date was rescheduled after Fury suffered a cut over his right eye in sparring.

This meant that the original day in February was moved to May. The cut reportedly would take around three months or more to heal fully, leaving questions about whether Fury would have been ready for the fight. However, the cut ended up healing. While it did not become a factor in the bout, Fury was ultimately dominated. Usyk was the better fighter in the earlier rounds, finishing strongly at the back end.

Tyson Fury Trainer Andy Lee Has Now Revealed His Honest Usyk Scorecard After Rewatching Fight - Seconds Out

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Fury’s main success came in the middle rounds, but the Ukrainian almost knocked him out in the ninth round, only for the referee to impose a standing eight count. However, Lee has now confirmed that Fury’s preparation was disrupted since he was not able to spar for fear of the cut reopening. If that is the case, then Lee will fancy his fighter to do much better in the rematch. They will square off on December 21. It will not be for undisputed after Usyk vacated his IBF belt. Daniel Dubois took that belt, knocking Anthony Joshuaout to retain it. Lee expects to see a different Tyson Fury coming into the rematch.

“Fights are won and lost in the training and preparation. Because of the rearranged and rescheduled fight due to a cut, Tyson couldn’t spar in the camp. The conditioning, sharpness and your ability to concentrate to stay ready and to sustain attacks. When Tyson would have success in the fight, he would have to back away and look to rest to build up his energy again before mounting his next attack. In the meantime, it encouraged Usyk to come forward and gave him the emphasis to go forward to take it now because ‘I’m taking a break.’ It’ll be different because he’ll be able to spar,” Lee said 

Nevertheless, it is important to consider the following points. Those comments could simply be used to move attention away from how Fury faded in the fight. He had talked up a big game, stating that he would retire if he came out second best. He also repeatedly referred to the Ukrainian as a blown-up cruiserweight and a rabbit, talking down his opponent’s skills. Fury also had a 40-pound advantage and a seven-inch reach advantage. But the Ukrainian was able to negate those disadvantages and dominate his man.

Even if Fury spars and fights on the front foot, there is a danger that he will play into Usyk’s hands. Usyk is a master counterpuncher, known for picking his opponents off. If Fury continues to come forward, he risks giving Usyk a much bigger target to hit. Usyk had also shown that he could hold his own in his clinches. This is pivotal if Fury tries to lean on Usyk, much like he did against Deontay Wilder in their second fight. But if Fury’s preparation is on point, he will back himself to come out victorious. But the question is whether Fury can back up his words come fight night.

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Fury vs Usyk II: ‘You’re About To Feel The Wrath’ – Fury warns Usyk

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury warned Oleksandr Usyk that he made a mistake by not knocking him out, stating that he would become a three-time heavyweight champion. 

Usyk defeated Fury to become the first Undisputed Heavyweight Champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. He dominated the first part of the fight while also finishing strongly at the back end. Fury’s best parts were in the middle rounds when he pushed Usyk on the back foot.

The turning point in the fight came in the ninth round. Usyk landed a big left hand, followed by numerous combinations which buckled Fury. The Gypsy King was bouncing off the ropes as Usyk had him backed up in the corner. Just when the Ukrainian was going to go for the knockout, the referee imposed a standing eight count.

Tyson Fury issues chilling X-rated threat to Oleksandr Usyk as he looks for revenge in December rematch | The Sun

READ: [WATCH] ‘I’ll Get It Like Wilder 2’ – Fury Says He Will KO Usyk

It was very controversial since it prevented Usyk from finishing the fight. There was also an argument that Fury had not walked forward quickly enough, following the count, with suggestions that the fight should have been stopped. In his post-fight comments, Fury refused to accept defeat, stating that Usyk had been given the decision due to Russia’s war with Ukraine.

The Gypsy King also called Usyk an amateur boxer after having rewatched the fight, doubling down on his belief that he had won. Fury’s brother, Shane Fury, later admitted that Usyk had won the fight. Fury’s behavior has shown that he is struggling to accept the defeat.

He was thrown out of a nightclub in Morecambe, in his hometown, after appearing drunk. While he would later post a video showing himself back in the gym, there is doubt whether Fury can mentally overcome this. But his following comments show that he is ready to give it his all, as he had eyes on avenging the loss.

“You had your shot but couldn’t finish the job! Mistake. Now you’re about to feel the wrath of a menace. Gypsy King 2024 is coming for you. December 21 is mine. Me against the world. incoming 3x heavyweight champ,” Fury said

Nevertheless, Usyk does not appear fazed. During the build-up for the first fight, the Ukrainian showed that he would not let Fury get in his head. Fury had repeatedly called him a blown-up middleweight and a rabbit. The Gypsy King even went as far as to state that he would retire from the sport if he came up short. Usyk warned Fury that he would not leave him alone, which later showed in the fight.

He pressed the action from the off, pushing the Gypsy King on the back foot, targeting the head and midsection. Fury could not keep up with the pace. While it is true that Fury slowed down, a large proportion of that was due to the pressure Usyk was exerting.

The Gypsy king will have to change his tactics, something which he did against Deontay Wilder in the second fight. Fury boxed on the front foot and eventually got the American out before the distance. But in doing so, Fury will leave himself open as Usyk is known for being an expert counterpuncher. That has left the fight in a very intriguing place.

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[WATCH] ‘I’ll Get It Like Wilder 2’ – Fury Says He Will KO Usyk

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Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury is confident he will knock out Oleksandr Usyk in their December 21 rematch.

Fury lost the first fight via a split decision to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. In his post-fight comments, the Gypsy King refused to accept the loss. He felt that Usyk had only been given the decision because of Russia’s war with Ukraine.

Even after having rewatched the fight, Fury was adamant that he had comfortably won. He called Usyk an amateur, but the wider perception was that Usyk had done enough to win. The Ukrainian dominated the earlier and latter parts of the fight, while Fury’s success came in the middle rounds.

Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk Undisputed Heavyweight Champion

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Usyk almost knocked out Fury in the ninth round, with him bouncing off the ropes before the referee imposed a controversial standing eight count just when a stoppage appeared likely. The rematch is not for undisputed since Usyk vacated the IBF Heavyweight Title.

Daniel Dubois, the current champion, defended the belt successfully by knocking out Anthony Joshua in the fifth round. Fury has plenty on the line, as a win would secure an undisputed title shot against Dubois. But even if there is a loss, there is the potential to face Joshua in a mega-domestic clash.

Given that Fury is coming off the first defeat of his career, there are question marks over whether he can bounce back. The Gypsy King felt that he would get his comeback. He singled out his rematch against Deontay Wilder in the second bout where he knocked him out. Fury was outboxing Wilder in the first fight before the Bronze Bomber dropped him in the final round.

That was enough to secure a draw, even if the majority of boxing fans felt Fury had done enough to win. Fury is using Wilder’s performance as motivation to come forward in this rematch. But it is important to bear in mind the following. Usyk fights very well when fighters are coming to him. This is due to his ability to counterpunch.

He sat in the pocket against Joshua in his two fights. He still managed to pick off his opponent, almost stopping Joshua in the first fight in the last round. While Fury will be looking to impose his size on Usyk, there is a risk that he will leave himself open by giving the Ukrainian a bigger target to hit. But if he can get his balance right, then Fury has a good chance of avenging his only loss.

“I didn’t think he beat me last time, and I’m damn sure not going to let him beat me this time. I’ve got to knock him out, and I’ll be training for a good knockout, and I’ll get it like Wilder 2. I said I was going to knock him out, and I did.

“I’m going to knock him out this time, and I will. Believe it first. He got the decision over me, and I got to run it back. It makes sense to do the rematch and get my victory back. I’ve got past the point of really caring. It probably took that decision to wake me up and give me the type of aggression back where I want to smash someone in,” Fury said 

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Anthony Joshua suspended from boxing

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Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois KO

Anthony Joshua hasn’t had the best of weeks.

After going in as favourite for his fight against Daniel Dubois, the former two-time unified world heavyweight champion was stopped in brutal fashion.

It was a stunning display by Dubois, the current IBF world heavyweight champion, as he dominated Joshua in a manner that no previous boxer has been able to.

Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois

READ: :You Found A Way To Fumble His Career”: De La Hoya Rips Hearn After Joshua’s Knockout

In a thoroughly deserved victory, Dubois showed that he should not have been underestimated as he had been.

For Anthony Joshua, it asked more questions for him at this stage of his career.

Does he want to continue boxing?

Or should this be the end of the road for the Olympic gold medalist?

The latest news emerging for Joshua is likely not what he wants to hear right now.

That’s because the British Boxing Board of Control has handed out a 28 day suspension to Anthony Joshua.

Before anyone panics, this is a pretty standard procedure to British boxers when they suffer a stoppage defeat.

This rule is primarily there for the safety of the boxers.

Boxers face further medical examinations before they may re-enter the ring and that’s what is happening with Anthony Joshua at this moment in time.

The good news is that the suspension finishes on October 19 and it’s highly unlikely that Joshua plans to fight before that period in any case.

The British heavyweight is likely to look at 2025 as the next time for when he is set to step back in the ring and get his career back on track.

It is believe that his options will largely centre around the result of Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch against Tyson Fury on December 21.

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“You Found A Way To Fumble His Career”: De La Hoya Rips Hearn After Joshua’s Knockout

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Oscar De La Hoya Anthony Joshua Eddie Hearn

Oscar De La Hoya taunted Eddie Hearn after Daniel Dubois knocked out Anthony Joshua. 

Joshua was dropped four times before Dubois ended the fight in the fifth round. The defeat ended Joshua’s hopes of becoming a three-time heavyweight champion as Dubois retained his IBF Heavyweight Title. Joshua was the massive favourite coming into the fight after having stopped his last two opponents, Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou.

There was a consensus that Joshua was back to his best. After having teamed up with Ben Davidson, he returned to a combination power puncher. However, on reflection, it appeared that his opposition level was not up to scratch. Joshua was tagged and sent to the canvas from the first round, as he never recovered. Davidson’s instructions in the corner also came under fire after he told his fighter to roll the dice.

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Just before Joshua stopped, the Brit landed a few right hands, pushing Dubois back. But rather than staying calm and composed, he opened himself up only to get tagged by a right hand. The result also followed after Frank Warren won the Queensberry vs Matchroom 5 v5 tournament early in June, making it difficult for Hearn against his biggest rival. De La Hoya looked back at the incident by trolling Hearn and urging fighters not to sign with Matchroom Boxing.

“Anthony Joshua was knocked out in the fifth round by Dubois. It was actually an amazing and entertaining fight, and I like AJ. However, this was another huge L for Eddie Hearn, who is literally 0-11 to Frank Warren this year.

“This continues the Matchroom curse, meaning if you sign with Matchroom, you’re either guaranteed to lose or get injured. To make matters worse, Eddie Hearn faced off with his old buddy Devin Haney at the crowd at Wembley. Eddie, you can’t build a fighter to save your life. Anthony Joshua had the world at his fingertips, and you found a way to fumble his career,” De La Hoya said 

Nevertheless, there is always a chance that Joshua can come back stronger. In his post-fight comments, he clarified that he would not retire. This raises serious questions over who his next opponent will be. Joshua can take the Dubois rematch and try to avenge that loss. He did so when he took on Andy Ruiz Jr. by changing his game plan and outboxing him. The danger is that Joshua gets stopped once again, which will increase the calls on him to call it a day.

There is also the option of just waiting things out and facing Tyson Fury. The Saudis have said that they want to make Fury and Joshua fight regardless of what results they end up getting. If Fury comes out second best against Oleksandr Usyk in the December 21 rematch, there is a narrative in place to make Joshua-Fury the next. It is the biggest boxing fight out there and would undoubtedly sell out. It would also allow the winner to take on either Dubois or Usyk, who would likely face off.

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Potential date set for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois 2 as rematch ‘agreed’

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Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois

Boxing fans won’t have to wait long to see the rematch between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois as ‘AJ’ looks to avenge his crushing defeat to the IBF champion

The heavyweight rematch between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois seems increasingly likely and could take place in February.

Dubois was a huge underdog coming into the first contest at Wembley Stadium, but came out guns blazing, with Joshua unable to deal with the champion’s power and speed. Just moments into the opening round, Dubois had sent Joshua tumbling, and it would only get worse for ‘AJ.’ The Brit went on to drop Joshua three times before securing a sensational knockout in the fifth round to retain his IBF title.

Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois full fight video highlights - MMA Fighting

READ: Anthony Joshua blames training ‘fatigue’; for speeding

The next big fight in the heavyweight division is Oleksandr Usyk’s clash against Tyson Fury in December. It looked likely that Dubois would wait for the winner, however, it would appear a rematch with Joshua seems more realistic. Frank Warren, Dubois promoter, has revealed that ‘Dynamite’s’ next fight will take place early next year and is very much open to the rematch between the two heavyweight giants with February 22 pencilled in for a fight card in Riyadh.

When quizzed about a rematch between the pair, Warren told TNT Sports: “I’m not against that at all. That’s not an open door for me, I’ll take the door off the hinges and we’ll do it. That fight is there. If they want it, they’ve got it, have it in a heartbeat. His next fight will be in February. That’s when he’ll fight next, and we will work out who that’s going to be in the next week or two weeks.”

Warren isn’t the only one who is chomping at the bit to see a second fight. Fellow promoter Eddie Hearn has revealed Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh intends to see Joshua take on Dubois again. “Rematch clauses come in many different forms,” Hearn told talkSPORT. “We have a fight with Riyadh Season. One of our options is to fight Daniel Dubois again, and our contract is with them. His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] will deal with Frank and Daniel and make that fight happen. The terms will have to be agreed with them.

“We have already agreed our terms, we have the option to rematch with Dubois. Our meetings with His Excellency, he wants the rematch. AJ will always want the rematch. Daniel wants the rematch too it’s the biggest fight for him and they will fancy it. It is a case of going away and talking about, do we go straight into the rematch? And when will it be? It was a heavy night at the office, we aren’t going back to fight in 10-12 weeks, he needs his rest and time to recover.”

Joshua and Hearn confirmed immediately after the main event on Saturday that the intention was to pursue a sequel. Many senior figures in the sport of boxing have suggested ‘AJ’ should consider retiring. However, the Brit is confident that he still has a lot more to give and that he can become a three-time heavyweight champion.

As for Dubois, in a recent interview with talkSPORT, the Brit revealed he will accept the fight that offers him the most money next. “I would love a rematch but either one really, whoever pays me more money,” he said. ‘Dynamite’ added that if the rematch with Joshua wasn’t imminent, he’d certainly consider the bout in the future. “Yeah, if that happens down the line then yes. I want to do even better next time. I know where I need to improve as well, so as a champion and a fighter I want to prove people wrong every time and that’s what we have been doing.”

When asked if he’d do a better job on Joshua, Dubois said: “I think so. I think I would. I think I’d be a lot better than that. It was a great show and it was a great Rocky-type fight, but next time I believe I’ll be more clinical, more sharp, everything better.”

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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

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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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‘I HAVE NO DESIRE TO BOX WITH ANYONE ELSE’ – USYK ONLY WANTS FURY AND JOSHUA REMATCHES

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Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury Anthony Joshua

Oleksandr Usyk has said he is only interested in rematching Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua. 

Usyk secured the biggest career win, beating Fury via a split decision to become the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. It was the first time boxing had an undisputed champion since Lennox Lewisin 1999. The rematch takes place on December 21, but it will not be for undisputed. The Ukrainian dropped the IBF title, as Daniel Dubois became the full champion.

Joshua will box Dubois on September 21 for that IBF belt, with the winner in line to box either Fury or Usyk for undisputed. Usyk has already beaten Joshua on two occasions. He outboxed the Brit in both fights to become the Unified Heavyweight Champion. After winning everything in the sport, Usyk does not have many goals moving forward.

Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury

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“Well, this is a rematch with Fury and possibly a third match with Joshua. Only with these two guys it is still interesting, from now on let the youth get fit and work … The logical line is that, apart from Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, I have no desire to box with anyone,” Usyk said 

There are several other options Usyk could explore beyond that. His team has hinted at the idea of crossing over into BKFC. Conor McGregor, who is a part owner of BKFC, has been mentioned as a possible name. That fight increases Usyk’s profile while also giving him the chance to win a title in another sport. Usyk’s slick defensive skills and footwork do work in his favour.

There is also the chance to help the next generation of fighters. Usyk’s win over Fury was massive for Ukraine since the country is at war with Russia, providing the citizens with a morale boost. But given that Usyk is undefeated, he risks losing that record if he continues fighting for much longer as he is 37. Given the huge amount of money on the table and Joshua’s willingness to fight Usyk again, the Ukrainian could be attempted.

“He wants to beat Usyk. Because the first fight he had with Usyk, frankly he came out second best. He went away, he regrouped, he learned, he studied and he still got beat in the second fight. That’s why he got so disappointed in the second fight.

“It’s a split decision and it was close, but Anthony Joshua’s a very special type of sportsman. The money’s great. He’s got more than enough money, you could float a battleship if you put all his cash in one locker. But they want to win. These people want to win and they want a legacy. I don’t think Anthony Joshua will sleep at night until he is unified,” Eddie Hearn stated 

But before a Joshua fight can be considered, Usyk must overcome Fury in his rematch. It was the Gypsy King’s first career loss, meaning he has more motivation to avenge the defeat. Fury has shown he performs best as an underdog, beating Deontay Wilder and Wladimir Klitschkowhen the odds were against him. Usyk must guard against that.

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