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Meet the next heavyweight king with 100 percent KO ratio vying to succeed Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

The three kings of the current glamour division Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are all nearing the end of their respective careers – or in Fury’s case, are already retired.

Daniel Dubois knocked out Joshua in September at Wembley Stadium in a passing of the torch while several fresh faces are chomping at the bit to prove that they are the next great heavyweight

The pick of the bunch in most expert’s eyes is two-time Olympic gold medallist Bakhodir Jalolov.

The towering southpaw from Uzbekistan stands 6ft 7in tall and has a monstrous 81-inch reach.

However, he doesn’t move like a man of his size.

Jalolov is light on his feet, possesses blisteringly quick hands and has an elite boxing brain that has paved the way for a glittering amateur career.

Among the mountain of medals in his trophy cabinet are two Olympic golds from Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, two World Championship golds and three Asian Championship golds.

Jalolov also boasts an unblemished 14-0 professional record with every single one of his wins coming inside the distance.

He made his pro debut back in 2018, although his progression has been stunted by his return to the unpaid ranks for two Olympic cycles.

“I have no chance of winning three Olympic titles as I want to get attention in professional boxing.”

He will feature on a card topped by Janibek Alimkhanuly’s defence of his IBF and WBO middleweight belts against Anauel Ngamissengue at Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan.

READ MORE Anthony Joshua next fight plans dealt fresh blow amid Oleksandr Usyk’s….

Standing across from him will be ‘The Ukrainian Hulk’ Igor Shevadzutskiy, who was stopped in the third round by Martin Bakole in 2023 and beaten on points by Kubrat Pulev last year.

Boxing fans are clambering to see Jalolov test himself against the divisional elite and when the question was posed to him as to when he will fight a top ten opponent, he replied: “Soon.

“That is why it took a long time for me to look into professional boxing and start my professional boxing properly.

“My legs are very quick, my hands are very fast, I am going to be a problem for this generation.

Anthony Joshua next fight plans dealt fresh blow amid Oleksandr Usyk’s bold demand

Anthony Joshua’s quest for redemption has hit a snag as Oleksandr Usyk has doubled down on his intention to rematch with Daniel Dubois in his next fight.

After the WBO mandated that Usyk and Joseph Parker enter negotiations for a mandatory heavyweight clash, setting a 30-day window for them to conclude terms following Parker’s win over Martin Bakole, it appeared ‘AJ’ might be back-on-track. In their communication, the WBO asserted: “Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between the subject matters fighters to discharge the WBO mandatory championship obligation in the heavyweight division.

“By virtue of this order, the WBO Interim Championship shall be terminated expeditiously in compliance with our institutional policy of only one world champion per weight class. The two parties have 30 days to reach terms. Failure to do so will result in this Committee ordering purse bid proceedings in accordance with WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.”

AJ, hungry for a chance to avenge his previous defeat to ‘Triple D’, would have welcomed this turn of events. Their previous match-up at Wembley Stadium saw Dubois deliver a knockout blow in the fifth round that floored Joshua.

Nonetheless, Usyk’s latest pronouncement – favouring a fight with Dubois – could derail Joshua’s hopes for a swift return to winning ways. Ukraine champion Usyk has signalled a keen interest to face Daniel Dubois in the boxing ring, letting it be known during a conversation with Al Arabiya News: “We want to fight Dubois. My team is ready.

READ MORE : Anthony Joshua’s hopes of redemption have taken a hit as Oleksandr Usyk has…

“A lot depends on how God will give us a way to do it and the second person who can do that is His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, because he is the person who can organise this fight. I think there would be obstacles otherwise.”

Further extolling the merits of Saudi Arabia as a stage for boxing, Usyk remarked: “The only person who can organise it is His Excellency and the Riyadh season. You know, I always fought on the land of my opponents.

“At present, Saudi Arabia has created the best environment, and organised these fights, so it has become like my second home. When I box in Saudi Arabia, it feels like our second home with great people and great fans. We can go to look around and meet with people. Currently, we can’t host fights in Ukraine, but we can have them in Saudi Arabia – and they are very kind to us.”

Anthony joshua

The anticipated rematch between Usyk and Dubois is generating significant buzz, with speculation mounting that their potential undisputed heavyweight world title clash could even take place at Wembley Stadium in London. Alexander Krassyuk, the promoter for Usyk, revealed to Sky Sports that discussions are underway for the fight, with Wembley being one of the considered venues.

The two heavyweights previously met in 2023, with Usyk securing a ninth-round TKO victory.

Rematch is clocking as Oleksandr Usyk Delivers His Honest Verdict On Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois

Oleksandr Usyk has seen off the challenges of both Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua.

The current unified world heavyweight champion remains unbeaten in the professional ranks having cleaned out the cruiserweight division to become undisputed before repeating that feat up in the banner division

Along the way, he knocked out Dubois in August 2023 despite being down for several minutes after what was ruled a low blow, having already dispatched ‘AJ’ twice over 12 rounds.

Since then, he had to vacate the IBF belt to honour a rematch with Tyson Fury, which he won having beaten him the first time to become undisputed.

It was Dubois who picked up that belt after his win over Fillip Hrgovic, then he defended it with a career-best showing against Joshua back in September. He had his man down at the end of the first round and by the fifth round knocked him out and left him unable to continue to retain his crown.

READ MORE : Anthony Joshua backed to land surprise world title shot in undisputed ‘tournament’…

Anthony Joshua opted not to take an immediate rematch at the time, but that is a fight that is now a real possibility for Dubois as he looks to return to action following an illness that kept him out of his proposed fight with Joseph Parker back in February.

Speaking to Al Arabiya English, Usyk was asked if that rematch was possible and how it might go.

“There’s always a chance. In the first fight, Daniel was a winner, but it’s boxing, if there was another fight, I’m not a great predictor. It would be interesting to see another fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.”

Usyk is rather hoping it will be he who faces Dubois as he strives to become a two-time undisputed champion before he retires.

Anthony Joshua backed to land surprise world title shot in undisputed ‘tournament’ after Oleksandr Usyk order

Anthony Joshua has been backed to land a shot at the WBO world title if Oleksandr Usyk vacates.

That is according to talkSPORT pundit Spencer Oliver, who believes he has cracked the ever-complex heavyweight conundrum.

Oleksandr Usyk is keen to fight for the undisputed crown against Daniel Dubois with preliminary talks underway for a summer bout.

But a stumbling block was produced by the WBO who subsequently ordered Usyk to defend his title against Joseph Parker

He could be forced to vacate if he chooses to face Dubois, or could look to file for an exception with the WBO to grant all four belts being on the line.

If he chooses to face Dubois and vacate the WBO strap, a small possibility could see Parker immediately upgraded or thrust into a shot at the belt.

And Oliver discussed what he believes will unfold, with Joshua to be first in line for a shot at Parker if the situation resolves itself.

He said on the latest episode of talkBOXING: “Yeah I am across it, I think Oleksandr Usyk is looking for another dance partner.

READ MORE : Anthony Joshua’s hopes of redemption have taken a hit as Oleksandr Usyk has…

“Who I believe will be Daniel Dubois. I think that fight happens next even though the WBO will want him to fight someone new.

“He will be a full world champion and then Anthony Joshua boxes him for that WBO title.

“Then the winners box each other for the undisputed titles, that is the route and road map I see.”

When asked if Joshua was a credible challenger for a world title despite his defeat to Dubois, Adam Smith insisted it was a valid option.

He added: “Of course, he’s reigned as a two-time heavyweight champion and a poster boy for boxing for many years.

“He’s lost to Dubois who was in great form and brilliant. AJ is still a massive name in boxing.

“Of course he deserves it, under Ben Davison he was looking good, He got beaten up, but he can recover from that, he did against Andy Ruiz.

“The Fury fight is the big fight for Joshua, but I still think that can too so I worry before that.

“But does AJ deserve a chance to fight for a world title again? 100 per cent.”

Joshua was on a positive run beating Francis Ngannou and Otto Wallin before losing to Dubois.

oleksandr usyk

The British powerhouse is also still a commercial juggernaut, and was eyeing the huge fight with Fury this year.

But Fury chose to retire from the sport and his future remains uncertain having yet to pencil in his next meeting.

His promoter Eddie Hearn suggested it will still be another month or two before he can return to a full training camp, which could see him fight just once this year.

Anthony Joshua’s hopes of redemption have taken a hit as Oleksandr Usyk has reiterated his wish to face Daniel Dubois in his next bout.

The WBO had ordered Usyk and Joseph Parker to start negotiations for a mandatory heavyweight fight, giving them a 30-day deadline to agree on terms after Parker’s victory over Martin Bakole. The WBO stated: “Please be advised that the WBO World Championship Committee is hereby ordering the commencement of negotiations between the subject matters fighters to discharge the WBO mandatory championship obligation in the Heavyweight Division.”

The organisation further declared: “By virtue of this order, the WBO Interim Championship shall be terminated expeditiously in compliance with our institutional policy of only one world champion per weight class. The parties have 30 days to reach terms. Failure to do so will result in this Committee ordering purse bid proceedings in accordance with WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests.”

This development initially seemed like good news for ‘AJ’, who is eager to reverse his previous loss to ‘Triple D’. Their encounter at Wembley Stadium last September saw Dubois secure a knockout victory in the fifth round against Joshua. Yet, Usyk’s latest declaration of intent to challenge Dubois throws a wrench into Joshua’s plans for a comeback fight.

READ MORE : He will regret not fighting Anthony Joshua”if Tyson Fury stays retired says….

Ukrainian boxer Usyk has expressed his eagerness to take on Daniel Dubois in the ring, stating in an interview with Al Arabiya News: “We want to fight Dubois. My team is ready. A lot depends on how God will give us a way to do it and the second person who can do it is His Excellency, Turki Alalshikh, because he is the person who can organise this fight. I think there would be obstacles otherwise.”

Usyk praised Saudi Arabia as a boxing venue, saying: “The only person who can organise it is His Excellency and the Riyadh season. You know, I always fought on the land of my opponents. At present, Saudi Arabia has created the best environment, and organised these fights, so it has become like my second home. When I box in Saudi Arabia, it feels like our second home – great people, great fans. We can go to look around and meet with people. Currently, we cannot host fights in Ukraine, but we can have them in Saudi Arabia – they are very kind to us.”

With anticipation building for a rematch between Usyk and Dubois, speculation is rife that the potential undisputed heavyweight world title bout could be staged at London’s iconic Wembley Stadium. Alexander Krassyuk, Usyk’s promoter, confirmed to Sky Sports: “We are now working on this fight [Usyk vs Dubois II], Wembley as one of the options.” The two heavyweights previously clashed in 2023, where Usyk emerged victorious with a ninth-round TKO. The fight was not without controversy, however, as Dubois had floored Usyk with a body shot that was subsequently ruled a low blow before the fight reached its halfway mark.

Anthony joshua

RELATED : Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua ‘won’t be able to punch again or train properly for…

If Usyk achieves his goal and defeats Dubois once again, he has his sights set on a bout with ex-UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira. Despite Pereira’s recent title loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, ‘The Cat’ is still keen on a showdown with ‘Poatan.’ “Yes, I would be interested [in a Pereira fight], but only after the fight with Daniel to merge our belts,” Usyk declared. “I even considered the option of fighting in a cage. It is a joke, but every joke contains an element of truth.”

‘Fury will fight Joshua for money’ on the anticipated British heavyweight showdown being discussed and Fury announced his retirement

British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes he knows what it will take for Tyson Fury to leave retirement and get in the ring with Anthony Joshua.

The much-anticipated British heavyweight showdown was being discussed until Fury announced his retirement from the sport in January following consecutive defeats to heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Since then, the Gypsy King has given no indication that he plans to reverse his decision, but fellow Mancunian Hatton, a close friend of Fury’s, has shared his thoughts on the situation.

The former light welterweight world champion believes that for the “right money”, Tyson would “jump” at the chance to share the ring with his fellow countryman.

He told Sky Sports: “Tyson’s retired before. It just so happens they were trying to make the Joshua fight. They were trying to make it for 10 years, and it looks like they’re still not going to make it now Tyson’s retired.

“But I would take that retirement with a pinch of salt, knowing Tyson. If he gets offered the right money, the right purse for the AJ fight, knowing Tyson as I do, I think he’d jump at it.”

Hatton recommended that Fury take the Joshua fight, asserting that missing the opportunity could lead to the 36-year-old having regrets down the line.

READ MORE : He will regret not fighting Anthony Joshua”if Tyson Fury stays retired says….

“I think Tyson will kick himself if he’s sat on his sofa 10 years down the line and thinks to himself: ‘I wonder what would have happened if I’d have fought AJ?’ He’s in a position to do something about it now rather than be cursing himself for the rest of his life.”

Fury’s decision to retire left boxing fans around the world disappointed as the former world heavyweight champion announced his decision on social media.

Hatton, who was in Fury’s corner for his 2018 fight against Deontay Wilder, acknowledged that while Joshua might tempt Fury out of retirement, he believes the Gypsy King has accomplished enough and would like to see him hang up his gloves for good.

“If he does, that’s the last one I’d like him to have. Because you don’t like to see your mates get hurt.”

He will regret not fighting Anthony Joshua”if Tyson Fury stays retired says : Ricky Hatton

British boxing legend Ricky Hatton believes if Tyson Fury stays retired, he will come to regret not fighting Anthony Joshua.

Fury and Joshua are both former world champion heavyweights, both from Britain and their rivalry has been building for a number of years now

Fury publicly announced his retirement from boxing in January and has given no indication as yet that he plans to reverse that decision.

But Hatton told Sky Sports: “Tyson’s retired before. It just so happens they were trying to make the Joshua fight. They were trying to make it for 10 years and it looks like they’re still not going to make it now Tyson’s retired.

READ MORE : Tyson Fury will kick himself if he doesn’t box Anthony Joshua, says British…

“But I would take that retirement with a pinch of salt knowing Tyson. If he gets offered the right money, the right purse for the AJ fight, knowing Tyson as I do, I think he’d jump at it.”

“I think Tyson will kick himself if he’s sat on his sofa 10 years down the line and thinks to himself: ‘I wonder what would have happened if I’d have fought AJ?’” Hatton said.

“He’s in a position to do something about now rather than be cursing himself for the rest of his life.”

However if Fury does box Joshua, Hatton believes he should then call time on his career. “If he does, that’s the last one I’d like him to have. Because you don’t like to see your mates get hurt,” Hatton said.

‘He’d jump at it’ – Ricky Hatton reveals what it would take for Tyson Fury to accept Anthony Joshua fight

Ricky Hatton knows what it would take to get Tyson Fury in the ring for a mega-fight with Anthony Joshua.

However, the British boxing legend would rather see Fury stay retired, claiming ‘The Gypsy King’ has already ‘done enough’ in his beloved sport.

Tyson Fury announced his retirement from boxing in January following consecutive defeats to undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

The Briton said he had ‘loved every minute’ of his stellar career in a ‘short and sweet’ social media statement.

The 36-year-old Mancunian had been heavily linked to a two-fight deal with Joshua in 2025, but dashed boxing fans’ hopes of a blockbuster encounter with ‘AJ’ after his announcement.

Hatton, a former light-welterweight world champion, asserted the ‘right money’ would leave him with no choice but to fight Joshua.

“Tyson’s retired before,” he told Sky Sports. “It just so happens they were trying to make the Joshua fight.

“They were trying to make it for 10 years and it looks like they’re still not going to make it now Tyson’s retired.

“But I would take that retirement with a pinch of salt knowing Tyson. If he gets offered the right money, the right purse for the AJ fight, knowing Tyson as I do, I think he’d jump at it.”

The 46-year-old then asserted that fighting Joshua is the right thing to do for Fury, but still believes the ex-heavyweight champion should stay out of the sport altogether and his legacy wouldn’t take a hit.

“I think Tyson will kick himself if he’s sat on his sofa 10 years down the line and thinks to himself: ‘I wonder what would have happened if I’d have fought AJ?” Hatton added.

READ MORE : Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua ‘won’t be able to punch again or train properly for…

“He’s in a position to do something about now rather than be cursing himself for the rest of his life.

“I’d like to see him retire. I think he’s done enough. I would like to see the AJ fight but I think he’s done enough.”

Hatton played a pivotal role in getting Fury back into the squared circle when the Brit returned to boxing three years after his remarkable victory over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

Fury defeated Sefer Seferi and Francesco Pianeta upon his return in 2018 before beginning his trilogy with Deontay Wilder and claiming the WBC heavyweight title.

“Let’s have it right, a few years ago when he was 26 stone, we never thought he’d fight again,” Hatton concluded.

“He nearly wasn’t here for all the problems that he had. So for him to do what he’s done, he’s done us all proud and I’d like to see him retire now.

“His fights against Usyk were I think a lot closer than AJ’s fights with Usyk. Daniel Dubois obviously got beat by Usyk and there was a bit of controversy in that one.

“I think Usyk won both the fights against Tyson but I can see why other people thought Tyson might have won them. Because they were that close.

“Tyson, he’s still got plenty in the tank as far as I’m concerned. He’s pushed Usyk furthest out of anyone else.

“He’s come back when no one thought he could and became heavyweight champion of the world. He’s got nothing left to prove.”

Tyson fury

RELATED : Tyson Fury will kick himself if he doesn’t box Anthony Joshua, says British…

Despite Fury declaring he is no longer an active boxer, a whole host of big fights could still await him if he chooses to make another comeback.

An alternative option to Joshua for Fury could be a WBC interim title shot against current holder Agit Kabayel after the governing body’s president Mauricio Sulaiman admitted his organisation would be open to sanctioning the bout.

Eddie Hearn: Anthony Joshua ‘won’t be able to punch again or train properly for eight to 10 weeks’

ORLANDO – Eddie Hearn says he believes that former heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is only motivated to fight two possible opponents as he looks to rebound from a knockout loss to Daniel Dubois in September.

“He’s pretty relaxed, but I’ll be honest, I think the only fights that really get his juices flowing are Dubois and Tyson Fury,” the Matchroom head told BoxingScene during a wide-ranging conversation at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida on Friday. “Doesn’t mean he won’t fight someone else. But he’s beaten Joseph Parker already, although Parker’s on a great run. Agit Kabayel is on a great run, but if you’re AJ, can you get yourself up for that? I don’t know.”
Hearn, who says Joshua “won’t be able to punch again or train properly for eight to ten weeks” after suffering an injury, still thinks the most likely scenario is a long-touted clash with fellow Brit and former champion Fury, even though the “Gypsy King” has again pronounced himself retired following a second loss to Oleksandr Usyk.

READ MORE : Anthony Joshua Offered Shock Route To World Title Against Heavyweight On…..

“In my deluded head, Fury comes out retirement at some point in the next few months, and they end up fighting this year,” Hearn speculated. “But again, no guarantee. Nothing’s led me to think that. I just think that at some point Tyson Fury is gonna sit there and go, ‘Fuck it.’ It’s the biggest fight to make and it’s not like he’s deteriorating. It’s not like he looked shot against Usyk; he just got beat by the better man. So, yeah, I think Dubois and Fury are the two that light the fire, but we’ll see what happens.”

Kieran Mulvaney has written, broadcast and podcast about boxing for HBO, Showtime, ESPN and Reuters, among other outlets. He presently co-hosts the “Fighter Health Podcast” with Dr. Margaret Goodman. He also writes regularly for National Geographic, has written several books on the Arctic and Antarctic, and is at his happiest hanging out with wild polar bears. His website is www.kieranmulvaney.com.

You Must Choose Between Fighting Dubois Or Fury In July, Hearn Warns Joshua

British boxing promoter, Eddie Hearn has told former heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua to make a quick decision between fighting Daniel Dubios or Tyson Fury in July.

Recall that Joshua had built extraordinary momentum in boxing since his back-to-back loss to Usyk, beating the likes of Jermaine Franklin, Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin, and Francis Ngannou, all by knockout, until Dubois completely dominated him inside five rounds at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on the 21st of September, last year.

However, in a chat with Boxing Scene, Hearn stated that Joshua must have a choice between fighting Dubois or Fury.

“Daniel Dubois, I think, will fight AJ this summer, if we want. And AJ wants to fight Tyson Fury,” said Hearn.

READ MORE : I’ m not out of action Anthony Joshua vs Agit Kabayel, Nigerian boxer offered…

“We know right now since Fury retired that’s not an option. But I just want to throw a few other names into the mix and say, because we’re in March and he’ll probably fight in July, or something like that. So I just want to get the flavor.

“The flavor in Saudi where Joshua was in attendance for Joseph Parker-Martin Bakole as part of the DAZN broadcast team, was, ‘I want Fury. If I can’t get Fury, I’d like Dubois.

“And I think everyone’s dangerous. So why not fight for the world heavyweight title?

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