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‘Dr Sleep’ : I got dropped by Anthony Joshua and fought Joseph Parker but…

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Anthony joshua

‘Dr Sleep’ : I got dropped by Anthony Joshua and fought Joseph Parker but nobody hit me harder than ‘Dr Sleep’

Zhilei Zhang has gone toe-to-toe with some massive punchers – but one stands out above the rest.

‘Big Bang’ returns to action on February 22 in a WBC interim heavyweight title fight against Agit Kabayel on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II undercard in Saudi Arabia.

It comes eight months after he flattened a timid Deontay Wilder in a low-output affair.

Wilder landed just 16 of his 95 punches during the contest and appeared hesitant to let his hands go throughout.

The former WBC heavyweight spent the majority of the fight with his back against the ropes and didn’t open up until the ill-fated fifth stanza where he was stunned and then knocked out by two punishing lead hooks.

Despite this, Zhang revealed to talkSPORT.com that nobody has hit him harder than ‘Dr Sleep’.

“Right now it is Deontay Wilder,” he said during an exclusive interview.

READ MORE : The Race begins as Martin Bakole’s trainer surely ‘knows’ Anthony Joshua is….

“He hits very hard, I got caught with a big punch in the fifth round but I managed to take it and knock him out.”

This is high praise coming from Zhang, who has fought the likes of Joseph Parker and Joe Joyce in the pros as well as Anthony Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr during his amateur days.

AJ famously dropped and defeated Zhang in the quarter-finals of the London 2012 Olympics en route to winning gold in the English capital.

Zhang would later accuse Joshua of ‘running away’ in the final stretch of the fight and is desperate to re-write the wrong in the paid ranks.

The Watford powerhouse was heavily linked to a two-fight deal with Tyson Fury in 2025.

But after suffering back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, ‘The Gypsy King’ opted to retire from the sport for the fourth time, thus putting an all-British showdown with Joshua on ice.

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Joshua’s promoters are now scrambling to find him an opponent for the summer whilst Zhang has put his name forward.

“Who knows what to make of Fury [retiring],” he added.

“If Joshua wants to fight me after the Kabayel fight then we can talk.

“He hasn’t wanted to rematch me before, let’s see about now.”

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‘It’s on’ – Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford appears to be confirmed by….

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Terence Crawford

‘It’s on’ – Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford appears to be confirmed by member of boxer’s team

Terence Crawford’s right hand man Bernie Davis appears to have confirmed he will fight Canelo Alvarez in 2025.

‘Bud’ hasn’t fought since becoming a four-weight champion with victory over Israil Madrimov last August, but has been heavily linked with a clash against superstar Alvarez.

It would be a mega-fight with huge commercial potential, with Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh having opened talks with both fighters in London earlier this month.

The showdown will be a huge challenge for Crawford, who will need to step up 14lbs to reach Alvarez’s weight and fight for the unified world titles, but it promises to be a blockbuster.

Reports indicated that an agreement is currently being finalised for the pair to meet in September in Las Vegas.

And Davis, who is a permanent fixture of Crawford’s team, insists it signed and sealed for September 13.

He told Fight Hype: “We will climb that mountain. It’s on, baby. September 13th, look forward to it.

“Crawford vs. Canelo. As I said, Crawford vs. Canelo. Yeah, it’s confirmed. Crawford vs. Canelo, not the other way around.

RELATED : Why is Terence Crawford looking for Canelo Alvarez fight at a higher weight…

“Team Crawford stands up. Pound-for-pound, the best in the world. Soon to be the super middleweight champion of the world.

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Why is Terence Crawford looking for Canelo Alvarez fight at a higher weight…

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Terence Crawford

Why is Terence Crawford looking for Canelo Alvarez fight at a higher weight class?

As a rising star in the junior middleweight division, Charles Conwell is eyeing the biggest names in his weight class. However, he also sees why Terence Crawford, a legendary figure in boxing, may opt to move up to super middleweight for a shot at Canelo Alvarez, rather than staying at 154 pounds.

Terence Crawford, having recently captured the WBA world title at 154 pounds with a win over Israil Madrimov, is no stranger to conquering different weight classes, but Conwell believes Crawford may now be considering his options more carefully.

Conwell, who has yet to fight for a world title, understands that Crawford is nearing the end of his career.

“What else is there for Terence Crawford to do and who else is there for him to fight to cement his legacy more than he already has?” Conwell remarked during an interview with Gerry Cooney and Randy Gordon on SiriusXM’s At the Fights.

With a legacy built on multiple championships at various weights, Crawford may now be looking for a new challenge-one that could elevate his career even further.

Crawford’s motivation: legacy vs. financial reward

Crawford’s journey has been defined by dominance at lightweight, light-welterweight, and welterweight. But now, at 37 years old, he has fewer opportunities ahead of him. Conwell believes that Crawford’s decision to move up in weight could be driven by both the desire for a lucrative payday and the opportunity to secure an even bigger legacy.

READ MORE : David Benavidez Has 2 Word Message For Canelo Alvarez As Terence…..

“A fight with Canelo at 168 would earn Crawford far more than any other bout at 154,” Conwell stated.

Crawford has earned substantial paydays in recent years, particularly after his victory over Errol Spence in 2023, but the opportunity to face Canelo Alvarez, one of boxing’s most marketable stars, would offer a significant boost to Crawford’s financial standing while also providing a potential career-defining moment.

While Conwell respects Crawford’s pursuit of financial success, he also recognizes that today’s fighters often have to weigh the benefits of legacy against the monetary rewards.

“With today’s fighters, I feel like it’s money first,” Conwell explained.

“You can’t eat legacy. You can’t take legacy home. You can’t cash legacy at the bank.”

This is a sentiment that many athletes in combat sports can relate to, and it underscores why a fight with Canelo is so appealing to Crawford.

For Conwell, the prospect of Crawford facing Canelo presents an exciting opportunity for both a lucrative financial payoff and a chance to cement his place in boxing history. While Conwell is still working toward his own first title shot, he acknowledges the inevitability of Crawford seeking the biggest challenges available before the end of his illustrious career.

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Should Crawford take on Canelo at super middleweight, it would not only offer massive financial rewards but could also be a fitting capstone to an already storied career.

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Would he KO him ? Riddick Bowe Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Deontay Wilder…

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Would he KO him ? Riddick Bowe Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Deontay Wilder Would KO Prime Mike Tyson

Riddick Bowe is a golden era heavyweight who had strong views when asked how Deontay Wilder would fair against Mike Tyson.

Bowe is a former Olympic silver medalist who turned over and soon made his mark in the pro ranks. He held the undisputed world heavyweight championship in 1992 and fought Evander Holyfield three times, beating him twice and losing once.

He famously threw his WBC heavyweight title in the bin rather than agreeing to fight Lennox Lewis and eventually retired in 2008.

Until he faced Tyson Fury and lost two of the three contests in their trilogy, former world champion Wilder was considered one of the best heavyweights on the planet and a punching machine who had stopped every man he faced. ‘Iron Mike’ had a similar record early on, stopping all of his first 19 opponents inside the sixth round

Speaking to Seconds Out, Bowe was asked how he felt about Wilder’s claims he would knock Tyson out

“Absolutely not. I beg to differ. He throws one punch. Me and Mike have three or four-punch combinations like Holyfield. If you’re not punching like that you can forget about it. That long right hand, that one punch is not going to do it.

RELATED : “I want to see it now” Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder likely following…

“Matter of fact, that man gunna gas cause Tyson’s gunna come and throw his right hand. Mike throws his right hand, what’s going to happen? He couldn’t beat Mike with that.”

Wilder has not fought since June when he was stopped inside five rounds by Zhilei Zhang, although he is slated to make his comeback in April with a view to fighting Anthony Joshua down the line.

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The Race begins as Martin Bakole’s trainer surely ‘knows’ Anthony Joshua is….

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Daniel dubois

The Race begins as Martin Bakole’s trainer surely ‘knows’ Anthony Joshua is ready to fight him

Although it is presumed that Martin Bakole will challenge Daniel Dubois, the IBF heavyweight titleholder, if Bakole gets past Efe Ajagba in an IBF eliminator in May, there are other possibilities, too.

For one, Dubois could come unstuck against Joseph Parker in a 50-50 fight on February 22 and lose his belt in the process. Secondly, even if Dubois does win that fight, it still won’t guarantee that he will defend his belt against Bakole anytime soon. Instead, Dubois may look to go directly to a unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk, with whom he has history. Or, if not that, he may decide to vacate the IBF belt altogether.

“Daniel Dubois won’t fight us,” Billy Nelson, Bakole’s coach, told BoxingScene. “I’ll tell you right now, I spoke to somebody at Queensberry Promotions in Saudi Arabia and they said to me: ‘I would advise Daniel not to fight Martin.’

“Martin schooled him in sparring. He is levels and levels above him. He has improved – of course he has. But do you think Martin Bakole hasn’t improved in those five or six years? Martin blows Daniel out of the water.”

Given a “three-fight plan” by Turki Alalshikh in Saudi Arabia, Bakole at least knows he will be busy in the coming months. He also has a backup plan should Dubois, as Nelson predicts, do all he can to avoid having to fight him.

This backup plan will require the cooperation of Anthony Joshua, as well as patience on the part of Bakole, 21-1 (16 KOs).

READ MORE : “I See Him In Control”: Kell Brook Has No Doubt Who Would Win Tyson Fury….

“No, I don’t think he will,” said Nelson when asked if he thinks Bakole will get his hands on a world heavyweight title this year. “I think the winner of Daniel and Joseph will fight Usyk, and we will fight Ajagba in New York and then Anthony Joshua in Africa – probably in the Congo.

“I know the Congolese government will fully support the fight going there, with the support of the Saudi Arabians. We can beat Anthony Joshua and fight for the world title after that. But you mark my words, if Daniel Dubois beats Parker and somehow beats Usyk and wins the unification, he will drop the IBF title rather than fight Martin Bakole.”

With Tyson Fury recently taking to his car to announce his latest retirement, the path back for Joshua no longer seems as clear or as obvious as it was a few weeks ago. Now he is suddenly without a big-name opponent with whom he can make a big pile of money and justify carrying on. Now he is having to think outside the box, get a little creative and consult the bucket list of things he might want to do before calling it quits.

One of these things, of course, is to fight in Africa.  
Daniel dubois

“He is very interested,” said Nelson. “I mentioned the idea to him when they sparred years ago and I know he will take that fight. The bottom line is, it’s the biggest commercial fight for Anthony other than Fury. Daniel’s not going to fight him. He’s going to fight Usyk. But Anthony Joshua would earn massive money to go and fight in Africa. He’ll get more for that than he got for Dubois at Wembley, I’d say.”

As for whether Joshua would, like the rest, see Bakole as a risk not worth taking, Nelson suggests it is irrelevant at this stage of his career. “It doesn’t matter who he fights,” Nelson said. “With the fullest respect, the way Anthony is right now, all these fights we’re talking about are going to be tough for him: Dubois, Fury, Martin. He won’t be fighting Dubois or Fury, so there’s only Martin for him.”

READ MORE : ‘Big’ Fight Prediction Anthony Joshua Fought Both Daniel Dubois And…

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Elliot Worsell is a boxing writer whose byline first appeared in Boxing News magazine at the age of 17. He has, in the 20 years since, written for various publications, worked as press officer for two world heavyweight champions and won four first-place BWAA (Boxing Writers Association of America) awards. In addition to his boxing writing, Worsell has written about mixed martial arts for Fighters Only magazine and UFC.com, as well as worked as a publicist for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has also written two non-fiction books, one of which, “Dog Rounds,” was shortlisted at the British Sports Book Awards in 2018.

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Lennox Lewis Is Certain Who Would Win Between Prime Mike Tyson And…..

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oleksandr usyk

Lennox Lewis Is Certain Who Would Win Between Prime Mike Tyson And Oleksandr Usyk

Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson and Oleksandr Usyk are three of the greatest heavyweights of all time

Oleksandr Usyk has recently cemented himself as one of the all-time greats after claiming a second victory over Tyson Fury in December, successfully defending his unified WBC, WBA and WBO heavyweight titles in the process.

In their first fight last May, the Ukrainian icon became the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the ‘four belt era’, having already achieved undisputed status at cruiserweight back in 2018.

Lewis and ‘Iron’ Mike fought during the same era back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, eventually clashing with each other in June 2002. ‘The Lion’ overcame the once formidable Tyson, knocking him out in the eighth round to keep a hold of his WBC heavyweight title.

The British legend would go on to fight just once more, stopping Vitali Klitschko in the sixth round of his 44th and final professional appearance.

READ MORE : “I See Him In Control”: Kell Brook Has No Doubt Who Would Win Tyson Fury….

In a round of ‘Winner Stays On’ with Mail Sport Boxing, Lewis was asked to pick a winner between the Ukrainian superstar, and his former opponent ‘Iron’ Mike.

“Mike Tyson.”

Tyson became the youngest world heavyweight champion in 1986 when he blasted out Trevor Berbick in the second round to capture the WBC heavyweight crown.

Despite facing a number of difficulties outside the ring during his tenure, ‘Iron’ Mike is regarded by so many as one of the best heavyweights to ever grace the sport, holding the undisputed championship for three years between 1987 and 1990, defeating the likes of Larry Holmes, Michael Spinks and Frank Bruno.

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“I See Him In Control”: Kell Brook Has No Doubt Who Would Win Tyson Fury….

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Kell Brook

“I See Him In Control”: Kell Brook Has No Doubt Who Would Win Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua: “I See Him In Control”

Former world champion Kell Brook is keen to see Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury.

Kell Brook knows all about grudge matches between countrymen who have not always got on. For many years in his career, he considered himself to be in the shadow of Amir Khan who shot to fame soon after winning a silver medal at a young age in the Athens Olympics and then turned pro to plenty of fanfare.

Khan went on to win a light welterweight title in quick time and had plenty of big nights against the likes of Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez.

Brook also reached the top by becoming a welterweight world champion after defeating Shawn Porter, but later lost to Errol Spence Jr and Crawford.

He and Khan both ended their careers with a much anticipated fight in Manchester back in February 2022 when Brook won via stoppage in the 6th round.

Speaking to Seconds Out, ‘The Special One’ was asked if he thinks Fury and Joshua will share a ring in 2025

“Yeah, I think they’re both at that stage of their career where they fight for big money. This is the time.”

He was then asked how it would go.

READ MORE : ‘I’m up for the fight’: Dillian Whyte says a rematch with Anthony Joshua….

“I’d go with Fury. I just see Fury in control, to be honest with you. Overall, looking at it, I think he’s got more than Joshua. He’s done it all, he’s a fighting man, he can box, he can fight.

“Don’t get me wrong, Joshua is a serious athlete who can punch, he’s an athlete and it’s heavyweight boxing at the end of the day but I’d go with Fury.”

Unfortunately for fans who are looking forward to the fight, Fury threw a spanner in the works recently when he announced his retirement from the sport. That came following two losses to Oleksandr Usyk, losing his heavyweight belt in what he described as ‘robberies’ on the cards

Many feel that he will still be tempted to face ‘AJ’ – who has also been beaten twice by Usyk and recently failed in an attempt to win back a title against Daniel Dubois – later this year.

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David Benavidez Has 2 Word Message For Canelo Alvarez As Terence…..

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David Benavidez

David Benavidez Has 2 Word Message For Canelo Alvarez As Terence Crawford Fight Edges Closer

David Benavidez has long chased a fight with Saul ‘Canelo‘ Alvarez, who now looks more likely to fight Terence Crawford.

Many fans think that the youngest ever super middleweight champion, Benavidez, presents exactly the sort of challenge that multi-weight ruler Canelo needs at this point in his career

He is a naturally big man with a famously high work rate and punching output, who has beaten the likes of David Lemieux, Caleb Plant, Demetrius Andrade and Anthony Dirrell. Last time, the 27-year-old scored a points win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk in his first fight up at light heavyweight.

Despite the intrigue, Canelo has constantly knocked back talk of the showdown, often asking for eye-watering sums of money in the region of $200m. Instead, a fight with two-weight undisputed star Crawford is now edging ever closer with the two fighters reportedly having already agreed a deal.

Speaking to The Miami Hustle, Benavidez was asked about the current chances of him facing Canelo at some point and called him a ‘f**king p**sy’.

“To be honest with you I feel like Canelo is a f**king p**sy.”

He then expanded on why, drawing up past comments from Alvarez, who said that Benavidez brings nothing to the table.

READ MORE : Canelo and Bud face criticism: Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford, Some…

“If we ever fight the man is making well over 100 million dollars. If he’s saying I have nothing to offer, I’m nobody, I have no experience, this and that, if you’re going to make 100 million fighting somebody with no experience, somebody that sucks, why would you not come beat my ass and collect the big bag on my head after the fight?”

With no Canelo fight yet to materialise, Benavidez takes on top contender David Morrell on Saturday 1 February instead, continuing to focus his attention on the light-heavyweight scene and potentially never returning to super-middle.

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Tyson Fury Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Daniel Dubois Will Beat Joseph…

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Tyson Fury Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Daniel Dubois Will Beat Joseph Parker

Tyson Fury is looking forward to Daniel Dubois versus Joseph Parker, which is one of many great fights on the first major card of the year.

On February 22 out in Saudi Arabia, an epic night of boxing will be topped by the rematch between undisputed light heavyweight world champion Artur Beterbiev and the man he beat back in October

Dubois versus Parker sees two of the banner division’s most in form men square off to do battle for ‘DDD’s IBF world title. He won it after beating Fillip Hrgovic for the interim strap, before he was then elevated to full champion and defended it with a knockout win over Anthony Joshua in September 2024.

Parker’s last two outings have been just as impressive. He beat Deontay Wilder on points after nullifying the American’s ability to land big punches over 12 rounds. He then took on Zhilei Zhang in June and despite being put down, saw out another solid points win.

READ MORE : Mike Tyson Delivers Bad News To Terence Crawford Ahead Of ‘Agreed’….

Fury and Parker have long been friends and gym mates so it’s no surprise that when speaking to TNT Sports Boxing, former WBC ruler Fury picked the New Zealander to beat his fellow Brit.

“I’ve got to go with my old pal Joseph Parker.”

Whoever wins this fight will be well-placed to square up with Oleksandr Usyk for an undisputed fight later down the line.

Dubois has already shared the ring with the great Ukrainian, ultimately being knocked out in the 9th round despite scoring a controversial knockdown of his own that was ruled to be a low blow.

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“He Gasses Out”: Carl Froch Predicts Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker…..

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Daniel dubois

“He Gasses Out”: Carl Froch Predicts Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker Heavyweight Title Fight: “He Gasses Out”

Daniel Dubois versus Joseph Parker is just a month away and Carl Froch has made his prediction for the fight.

Daniel Dubois is on a superb run that has seen him stop Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgvic and Anthony Joshua in his last three fights. In that time he became the IBF world champion and then defended his belt with great displays

As Joshua opted not to take an immediate rematch, Dubois has moved on to this fight with Parker, who is on a good run himself. He has beaten Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in his last two outings but faces a whole different challenge in the younger, hungrier Dubois.

Speaking on Froch on Fighting, ‘The Cobra’ had plenty of praise for Parker.

“They’re good wins, that’s good form. It looks like he’s getting a second wind in his career. If Dubois can beat Parker after the wipeout job against ‘AJ’, he really has established himself as a bonafide world champion. Parker has bags of experience, he’s boxing and moving well, super fit and can move around, and he can punch a bit, and he’s tough. It’s a tough fight for both guys.”

READ MORE : ‘I’m up for the fight’: Dillian Whyte says a rematch with Anthony Joshua….

He was then pushed for a prediction and went for ‘DDD’ by stoppage.

“I think you have to say that Daniel Dubois is a favourite. He’s such a big puncher. He does gas out, and Parker is fit and strong, but he doesn’t punch with the big boys. Dubois has the confidence of the ‘AJ’ win, if he puts the pressure on Parker and starts closing in then lands that right hand, and that right hand is crushing, the big guy beats the little guy. He probably gets him out of there.”

Dubois will be hoping to repeat his destructive ‘AJ’ display when he faces Parker, and the prize could well be a second shot at Oleksandr Usyk who beat him in August 2023, but this time for undisputed honours

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