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Anthony Joshua will step into the ring with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on Friday, March 8. Joshua has returned to form over the last year and will be looking to get the better of Ngannou, who lost a close fight to Tyson Fury on his boxing debut in October. Joshua has said he is aiming for a knockout win, while Ngannou is also confident in his powers ahead of the bout.

Anthony Joshua

Image credit: Getty Images

Anthony Joshua wants to “make a statement” and knock out Francis Ngannou when they face off in Saudi Arabia this week.

 

Joshua will be looking for a fourth successive victory after beating Otto Wallin last time out on December.

 

But former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou could pose a tricky test.

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Ngannou impressed on his boxing debut in October as he knocked down WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury and only lost via a split decision.

“I believe I can knock him out,” Joshua told Sky Sports ahead of fighting Ngannou on Friday, March 8.

“Definitely. I would love to knock him out and make a statement.

“Physically I feel strong, feeling good. Strong enough to get the job done and mentally I’m in a place where I’m ready for war. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

“Mentally I don’t worry so much about my opponent and look at what my opponent can bring to me and think, ‘how can I overcome these challenges they present?’ I work really hard to up my game and look forward to showing everything I’ve worked on.”

 

Joshua has put himself back in contention for a world title shot after his recent winning streak.

He could be in line to fight the winner of May’s undisputed heavyweight clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, a clash which will be live on TNT Sports Box Office.

How to watch UFC 299: O’Malley v Vera 2, Page makes debut – Exclusively live on TNT Sports

But first he will need to get past Ngannou, who believes he has the power to knock out Joshua.

“I believe if I land on anyone, I will knock them out. The question is how to land? That’s the hardest thing.

“Almost everyone in this division can knock anyone out, but how do you land or carry that power and energy from first round to fifth round to 10 rounds and still hit someone hard or knock somebody out after all the fatigue? It’s a chess game.”

Asked about Ngannou’s belief that he could deliver a knockout, Joshua said: “I’m optimistic and I think, ‘brilliant, I want that’. I want someone in front of me who thinks they can knock me out.

“But let’s see how good they really are. I want to be right in front of them, making it difficult for them to achieve their goal and see how much they really want it.

“This Friday it’s going to go down, so I can’t wait for the opportunity to show my skills and combat this person who thinks he can knock me out.”

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JOHN FURY claims Mike Tyson accepted his offer of a boxing clash when the pair met in Saudi Arabia.

The two bumped into each other in February while watching Tommy Fury’s win over Jake Paul.

 

They warmly embraced by shaking hands with Fury delighted to have met his idol and the man he named his son Tyson after.

And now the duo could meet again in the ring with Fury claiming Tyson has accepted his invitation to fight.

He told the Mirror via FreeBets.com: “I did say to him in the podcast [not yet released] me and you should do something and fight.

“You know what he said? ‘Yeah I would love that’. When he said that to me that is the highlight of my life.

“If I can get in the ring, punch-for-punch, whatever he wants to do if I get carried out or die on a stretcher that is my life completed.

“Because who is better than a man who meant a lot to me because I named my son after him. Tyson is the heavyweight king so I think the world of him.

“He is a great guy, a man’s man with no bull**** and he has learned from his experiences knowing what people are now. He is a rough ride like me we have both learned a lot haven’t we.”

The pair recently enjoyed dinner together alongside Tyson Fury, Derek Chisora and legendary announcer Michael Buffer.

 

Tyson, 56, has not fought since coming up against Roy Jones Jr in an exhibition bout in November 2020.

But he is keen to return to the ring and admitted he would even be willing to compete in WWE.

He is even eyeing a clash with Logan Paul, claiming he would “kick his ass”.

Tyson said: “Have you ever seen me wrestle before?

“I would do it! I would kick his ass, yes I would do it. Even though I love him, though.

“This is what I found out about WrestleMania: Everybody says ‘that’s fake, that’s fake.’ But the check is real.

MIKE TYSON broke down in tears the day after seeing his hero Muhammad Ali take a pasting from Larry Holmes.

The former undisputed heavyweight champion returned from a two-year layoff in 1980 at the age of 38 to challenge Holmes for the WBC and Ring Magazine titles.

 

Father Time had well and truly caught up to The Greatest – who had been struggling with vocal stutters and hand tremours – who was beaten from pillar to post until trainer Angelo Dundee halted the fight in the tenth.

 

A 14-year-old Tyson watched on in horror with trainer Cus D’Amato as Holmes battered his hero and was stunned into the silence

 

Iron Mike told Boxing Arabia: “We went to see Muhammad Ali fight Larry Holmes on closed circuit. [Holmes] beat the s**t out of Ali.

“We all went back home, 30 miles south, nobody said a word in the car for 30 miles.

“We got in the house, went to our beds, all went to sleep, nobody said nothing.

“The next morning [Tyson’s trainer Cus D’Amato] is on the phone with Ali.

“I’m hearing him say, ‘He’s a bum, Ali, why you let that bum beat on you?’”

 

D’Amato eventually passed the phone on to Tyson – who vowed to avenge his fallen hero.

 

He said: “I was on the phone, I said [to Ali], ‘When I get big I’m gonna avenge you.

 

“‘I’m gonna knock him out for you.’

“Ali said, ‘Yeah I’m the greatest fighter ever and I took medicine.

“And I got sick and I’m gonna come back and knock out Holmes.’

Ali’s words, however, didn’t have the desired comforting effect on a teenage Tyson.

He said: “I’m on the phone crying.

“He thought he was making me happy but he was making me sad cause he ignored the fact of me saying I’m gonna avenge you.”

Tyson got his opportunity to avenge Ali eight years later when he fought Holmes in Trump Plaza, Atlantic City in January 1988.

Ali was in attendance for the fight, and told Tyson seconds before the tussle: “Get him for me.”

“Get him” Tyson did as he overwhelmed Holmes and stopped him in the fourth round to retain the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles.

Mike Tyson’s legacy in heavyweight boxing is iconic, mainly due to his achievement of becoming the youngest world champion in the division’s history.

 

His reputation as a powerful puncher and swift mover allowed him to secure 44 knockouts out of 50 wins, with 35 of those victories occurring in the early rounds. Notably, Tyson successfully defended his title nine times during his tenure in the heavyweight division.

Recently, Tyson was enlisted by MMA star Francis Ngannou to assist him in preparing for his debut in professional boxing. This endeavor is made particularly challenging as Ngannou is set to face the undefeated world champion and namesake of Tyson’s legend, Tyson Fury. Despite skepticism from many quarters, with few believing that a former UFC champion could transition effectively to boxing, Tyson exudes confidence in his new trainee.

In a conversation with ES News, Tyson commended Ngannou’s training progress as “beautiful” and confidently asserted that they were poised to “shock the world.”

Tyson hinted that if Ngannou manages to connect a punch, it could potentially result in a knockout, adding to the intrigue surrounding the crossover bout.

 

Is Iron Mike just trying to drum up promotion for Fury vs Ngannou?

Consensus says this fight should be a mismatch. After all, Ngannou is still a novice who shouldn’t be able to compete with an elite amateur heavyweight let alone the best heavyweight boxer in the world. However, his great punching power is what makes things interesting. If Ngannou is skillful enough to capitalize on a Fury mistake, who knows what can happen?

But, again, simply having a nuclear weapon is an altogether different circumstance than being able to deploy it.

Tyson Fury’s decision to face Ngannou has attracted criticism from both boxing fans and fellow fighters, as it implies that Fury might not defend his WBC world title in 2023. This crossover event will be recorded in the professional records of both fighters and promises substantial earnings as they collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

 

If Tyson’s prediction materializes, it could be one of the most monumental upsets in boxing history. Such an outcome would prompt Fury to provide explanations for his performance, leading to a significant decline in his reputation. However, the majority of the sports community views Tyson’s claim with skepticism, with Fury expected to maintain his undefeated record and proceed to engage in more conventional heavyweight clashes in the future.

“Listen, if you’re asking me if I was 20 years old, then yes, there’s no doubt.”

Mike Tyson has claimed he would have beaten British duo Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in his prime.

 

 

Tyson won his first world title at the age of 20 and went on to become undisputed heavyweight champion.

 

His standout wins are against Larry Holmes, Frank Bruno, Trevor Berbick and Michael Spinks.

The boxing legend returned in 2020 to fight fellow American Roy Jones Jr. in an exhibition and has insisted he will fight again.

Joshua and Fury – who currently own the heavyweight division with all four major world titles – were set to face off before a court arbitration ordered Fury to face Deontay Wilder in a rematch.

Fury will fight Wilder for a third time on October 9 while Joshua is in action against Oleksandr Usyk in September.

Tyson, 55, believes there would be ‘no doubt’ about the outcome had he fought both men in his prime.
“Yes. Listen, if you’re asking me if I was 20 years old, then yes, there’s no doubt.” Tyson said on his Hotboxin’ podcast.

“They’re really good fighters and I respect all these skills. It would have been very tough fighting them.”

 

Tyson admitted he was impressed by Fury’s performance in his first fight against Wilder, which ended in a dramatic draw.

“In the first fight I was hoping for Tyson Fury, I always pulled for him because he was named after me, that is the natural thing to do, right?

 

“He amazed a lot of people by getting up. He showed he is tough, he got up and won the final round. I thought it was over, then he got up and it was like Rocky, he then fought back. It was amazing, it made me a fan. It takes great fortitude and belief.

“Hey, I really like him. You know what he is? He’s really a breath of fresh air,” Tyson said when talking about AJ.

“He’s really clean, he really looks clean, he’s a clean guy, he’s a clean fighter, he’s a good puncher.

“You just wish the best for him. I don’t know. My ego says, ‘nobody would beat you’ – but you look at him and… he just looks beautiful.
“He just looks like a fighter, you know? He looks like he was born to do what he has to do. He needs more experience of course, but that will come in life.”

The American took a heavy beating and got knocked out inside seven rounds. Prior to his defeat, the “Bronze Bomber” insisted he would have knocked out Tyson at his peak.

“Me vs. Tyson in ’86, I’d kick the hell outta that guy,” Wilder said. “Listen, I’ve got to keep it real. I know people always go back to the old school or look at the new school and there’s no school where I’m not number one on earth.”

Replying to what he said, Tyson was unsure as to whether he would be able to deal with the one punch power Wilder possesses.

“I don’t know. I love the fact that he thinks that, because that’s the way I would think as well. “He’s supposed to think that way, he is the heavyweight champion of the world and that’s something very special.”

‘Losing interest’: Major sign Netflix will axe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid content strategy overhaul

Major changes at streaming giant Netflix could spell trouble for the future of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s $100 million content partnership amid rumours the deal will be axed next year.
Streaming giant Netflix is reportedly “losing interest” in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid growing speculation the Sussexes’ $100 million content partnership could be torn up.

The Sussexes inked a five-year deal with Netflix soon after “stepping back” from royal duties and moving to the United States in 2020.

The deal, made in partnership with Harry and Meghan’s Archewell production company, has produced projects like the Sussexes’ controversial docu-series slamming the monarchy.
Royal insider Richard Fitzwilliams believes the appetite for Harry and Meghan content has faded following the conclusion of Netflix’s long running the drama series The Crown.

The Sussexes in a scene from their Netflix docu-series. Picture: Netflix.

The controversial series, which broke streaming records and swept the annual Emmy awards, was an often-unflattering look at the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and her family and concluded after season six with the introduction of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s characters.

“(The Sussex deal) runs out next year and Netflix are no longer producing the series of The Crown, as they previously were. They might therefore have less interest in the Sussexes,” he told the Daily Mail on Thursday.

Despite Meghan and Harry’s waning popularity in the US and the embarrassing demise of their Spotify podcasting deal, Netflix has persevered with the former working royals and currently have two new Sussex programs in production.

The first is a Nigella Lawson-style cooking show helmed by the Duchess of Sussex while Harry is understood to be spearheading a Drive to Survive-style series on elite polo.

The streamer paid about $100 million to the couple for a five-year partnership. Picture by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU.
“Meghan’s programme for Netflix on cookery and entertaining and her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard and Harry’s series for Netflix on polo, show some much-needed activity (but) they clearly need more A-list endorsements,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.

Perhaps more concerning for the Sussexes, Netflix has recently brought in Dan Lin to handle the streamer’s film production division following viewer backlash to a number of big budget but poorly received original movies.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Mr Lin will aim to create “fewer, bigger, better” films and series for the giant at lower prices, which could be a death knell for the Sussexes at Netflix.
“Gone are the days when Netflix would fork over seemingly unlimited budgets,” the outlet warned.

January 22, 1988, the stage at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City was all set to witness one of the biggest heavyweight showdowns yet. Then 21-year-old Mike Tyson (50-6-2, 44 KOs) placed his WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight titles on the lines as he locked horns with Larry Holmes (69-6, 44 KOs). However, this fight had an iconic backstory that would give sports movies a run for their money. As Tyson vs. Holmes turns 36, here is a recap of the fight that was rightfully called ‘Heavyweight History.’

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Tyson was fresh off a 7th-round TKO victory against Tyrell Biggs (30-10, 20 KOs) when he was pitted against Holmes.

‘The Easton Assassin,’ on the other hand, had lost his previous two fights against Michael Spinks (31-1, 21 KOs). Moreover, he had defeated boxing legend Muhammad Ali (56-5, 37 KOs) a few years prior—a loss that Ali had not forgotten. Ali went inside the ring to wish both fighters ahead of the fight but he had a few words in particular for Tyson. “Remember what you said, get him for me,” he said.

These words were enough to set Tyson off like a cannonball. He was sure to showcase his boxing prowess from the get-go and dominated most of the first three rounds despite Holmes trying to slow him down. The fourth round saw Holmes get back at Tyson by hitting him multiple times with a left jab. However, the young Tyson quickly picked himself up and took Holmes to the ropes. He then went on to hit Holmes with a left jab–right-hook combination, quickly sending him to the canvas.

While the world witnessed one of the most iconic showdowns in boxing history, many believed that Holmes was too old to be pitted against a prime Tyson. HBO analyst Larry Merchant even referred to the matchup as “a bull in an antique shop.”

A promise was made

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The fight was a culmination of a promise that Tyson made Ali years prior.

 

Ali faced Holmes at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1980. He came out of a 2-year hiatus for the showdown, billed as ‘The Last Hurrah!’. But Ali’s advancing Parkinson’s made it hard for him to keep up with the younger Holmes. He was defeated in the tenth round via a stoppage.

Tyson, then 14, watched the fight live on TV with his trainer, Cus D’Amato. He was crushed to see his idol losing the fight in that manner.

“Cus had wanted me to beat him so bad. I was offended by how bad he beat up Ali,” Tyson recalled. “He said to Ali, ‘I have this young black kid who is going to be heavyweight champion someday, and I want you to talk to him.’”

D’Amato then handed the phone over to Tyson, who made a promise to the boxing legend.

“When I grow up, I’ll fight Holmes, and I’ll get him back for you,” he said.

Now, 36 years later, Tyson vs. Holmes remains one of the most sensational fights in boxing history, not only as a spectacle of Tyson’s pugilistic prowess but also a reminder of the vow to one of the greatest boxers of all time.

Anthony Joshua ‘would have knocked out a prime Mike Tyson’ claims former heavyweight champion.

 

Former heavyweight champion Larry Holmes believes Anthony Joshua would have been able to knock out Mike Tyson in his prime.

Tyson (50-6-2 record in boxing, 44 knockouts) is regarded as arguably the greatest “fighter” in boxing, gaining notoriety for his early knockout wins and intimidating demeanour.

“Iron Mike” was also a heavyweight champion from 1986 to 1990, a period generally regarded by the combat world as his prime years, before his first-ever defeat at the hands of Buster Douglas.

Holmes was one of Tyson’s victims in 1988 as he was knocked out in the fourth round of their title fight in New Jersey.

However, Holmes believes Joshua would have been able to knock out “The Baddest Man on the Planet” in his prime.

“If he fought a guy like Mike Tyson, he’d win,” Holmes said, as quoted by The Express. “He would have knocked out a prime Mike Tyson. There’s no reckon about it.

 

“Mike Tyson went down low and then came up and tried to throw roundhouses. But Joshua would just hit him with a straight right hand on the side of his damn chin and Mike wouldn’t get up.

“He never fought anyone who was coming up and trying to make their way in the sport. He just went in there – bang, bang, bang and knocked everyone out. That’s how he got the reputation as a puncher.

“I’m not taking anything away from Mike Tyson – he kicked my a**. But I was out for two years, I had quit boxing, I hadn’t done anything for two years apart from sing with the band and travel.”

 

Holmes, who recently also claimed that the Briton had the potential to become “one of the greatest fighters of all time”, also warned Joshua against overtraining for his title defence.

“If you run too much, lift weights too much or box too much, you can overtrain,” Holmes added. “You’ve got to take it round-by-round and take your days off.”

Bob Sapp has gone in on Mike Tyson for not fighting him.

MMA veteran Bob Sapp made his professional debut in 2002 under Pride before moving on to K-1 where he would enjoy a successful brief run. His career spanned 16 years with his final outings coming in 2018.

 

 

Although he won his retirement fight against Abdelrahman Shalan in September 2018, ‘The Beast’ dropped 17 of his previous 18 outings with 14 of those losses coming in a row including 15 overall defeats by KO or TKO finishes.

 

Sapp recently made headlines for a video he uploaded online where he took aim at Mike Tyson. The 48-year-old said that he would rip out the boxing Hall of Famer’s heart in hopes of setting up an exhibition bout.

Bob Sapp says he brought Tyson out of retirement.

In an interview with MMAnytt.se, Bob Sapp detailed the origins of his beef with Tyson and talked about the potential showdown claiming he brought Tyson out of retirement.

“We first got involved in 2003 in Las Vegas,” Bob Sapp said. “There was some pushing and shoving when I met him at the Bellagio. I am responsible for bringing him out of retirement. It’s impossible for anyone to be a Mike Tyson fan without them being a Bob Sapp fan, because I’m the guy that brought him out of retirement! Nobody would be talking about him at all if it wasn’t for me!”

‘Iron’ Mike marked his return to boxing in an exhibition bout with the former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr in November 2020. Sapp alleged that he was the initial opponent who was supposed to fight Tyson and that Jones was found as a replacement to cut him out of the lucrative deal.

Sapp was supposed to be Tyson’s original opponent when he made his anticipated return. Tyson finally ended up fighting former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. in November 2020, but according to Sapp, this bout was done to leave him out of the multimillion dollar deal. Sapp partly blames Tyson’s manager and brother-in-law Azheem Spicer but ultimately points a finger at Tyson for being too scared to take the figh

 

‘The Beast’ claims Mike Tyson is scared of him

Sapp fired shots at Azheem Spicer, Tyson’s manager, and brother-in-law, for giving him the stick but also claimed that Tyson was frightened at the idea of fighting him.

“They decided to draw up some scheme in which they decided to circumvent me because [Tyson] is very scared to fight me,” Sapp said. “I got him from 10 million to 20 million and then the price raised to 50 million, and we ended up selling at 30 million dollars with the PPV that would take it up to 50 million. However, it never worked out because Azheem wanted millions of dollars to go straight to his pocket, and then with Tyson being so scared and all, these price increases came after he saw a picture of what I looked like.

“The guy is truly truly truly scared. We understand that he is scared because of how I look and how big I am. That’s kind of fucked up, but I understand that because all of these other guys are also scared.”

Sapp wants the bout to be in Thailand

‘The Beast’ lives up to his moniker maintaining an impressive physique, especially for his age, and receives plenty of attention for it. Sapp talked further about matching up against the other well-known behemoths in the entertainment industry for a similar showcase.

“Let’s talk about all the pros that have called me out, ones that are scared: Mike Tyson, Thor from Game of Thrones, Shaquille O’Neal, and Evander Holyfield. But we couldn’t understand what [Holyfield] was saying because he is punch drunk and is mumbling all the time. We don’t know if he accepted the offer or denied it because we couldn’t understand what he was saying! It was too dangerous to bring him into the ring because he is too punch drunk!”

Despite the other offers that may be on the table, Sapp is only looking to secure an outing with Tyson. He hinted at a plan to host the potential event in Thailand together with his close friend Samer Suojhayer, CEO of Yuth Sport Gear.

“We have gotten so many offers it is ridiculous. We are discussing how big this is gonna get! Bob Sapp vs Mike Tyson here in Thailand – Let’s go!”

John Fury has revealed he wants to KO Mike Tyson – even claiming he’s in better shape than the ripped boxing legend.

Iron Mike, 55, was subject to much speculation before his fight against Roy Jones Jr.

 

One fight he was linked with was against Tyson Fury’s dad – with John even calling out the American and saying he was ‘willing to DIE’ to beat him.

And Fury Snr revealed last June that while he may have looked ‘as fat as a pig’, he would win because he’s ‘lived cleaner’.

Tyson weighed in at a lean, mean 17st after a stunning body transformation as he prepared to step back into the ring.

Shannon Briggs and reigning WBA champion Tyson Fury himself were also linked with a Tyson scrap.

But he’s no match for 18st 7lbs John Fury – who named his world heavyweight champion son after Iron Mike – according to the man himself.

John said: “Listen, I’d like to have a go. You know, at the end of the day, I named my son after him, it would be a good thing.

“But I know one thing, he’ll be in no better shape than me.

“I tell you what it is, I’ve got the edge in shape because I’ve lived better, I’ve lived cleaner.

 

“Tyson, yeah, he was a great, great champion, probably one of the best there’s ever been.

“If anyone is going to come close to beating Tyson [Fury] in this era, that’s him.

“Mike Tyson has got a better chance than Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua at 53 years old.”

John Fury continued by saying he was eager to get into the ring with Tyson – and warned the former champ not to be fooled by his figure.

He continued: “But listen I’d like to have a go, because I’m big and strong and game and that’s all you need to be.

“He’s past his best. And me? The edge I’ve got is I’ve lived right.

“I don’t drink, don’t smoke, I don’t do things I shouldn’t do and I train every day.

“Listen, we’re not body beautifuls. I look as fat as a pig but I can run ten miles – no problem, today.

“And I’m training all the time, and I’m fit and strong and game. And I’ve got a good heart.

“So if he knocks me out he knocks me out, but I’ll try and knock him out, let’s put it that way.

“I’ll give my all. I’ll do the very best I can. I won’t be afraid to get in the ring, I won’t be beat before I’ve started. I’m going to give it my best shot.”

John went on to say that, with some coaching from son Tyson and his team, he’d happily step into the ring against TWO Iron Mikes.

Fury Snr, now 57, continued: “I’m 18st 7lbs, I’m 55-years-old but I’m in great shape.

“Don’t drink, don’t smoke, don’t take nothing I shouldn’t do and I eat very, very well.

I’d get in with TWO Mike Tysons!

“Plus I’ve got him [Tyson Fury] to train me. I’ve got the best son in the world…

“And if I start sparring with him, and big Shane and my Hughie and Tommy, I’ve got a good chance of beating anybody with that kind of backing.

“With that kind of team, I’d get in with two Mike Tysons!”