BOXING

How to get there, Experience Riyadh for Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2…

By Admin November 21, 2024

How to get there Experience Riyadh for Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2: How to get there, where to stay, things to see & more

A huge heavyweight ring rematch looms large on the horizon as the Riyadh Season continues to bring the thrills

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury rekindle their ring relationship this December, as the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, hosts another huge boxing extravaganza. ‘The Gypsy King’, Tyson Fury, enters the Riyadh ring on Saturday, December 21, aiming to avenge his first-ever professional defeat. The British boxer missed his chance to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion this millennium back in May. Instead, that honour went to Usyk, who won their first encounter in a split decision to claim all four world heavyweight belts. The full set of titles won’t be up for grabs on this occasion, with the IBF crown currently sitting pretty on Daniel Dubois’s head, with Usyk having vacated that belt earlier this year. That fact, of course, doesn’t detract from the enormity of the December clash.

Usyk vs Fury will go head-to-head once again at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The arena is located in the area known as Boulevard City, in the northwest region of Riyadh. Construction of Kingdom Arena (initially known as the Boulevard Hall) began in mid-2023. It was intended to be an entertainment focal point, hosting events associated with the winter Riyadh Season, where the world’s best athletes and artists would meet, converge and perform. In September 2023, the Kingdom Holding Company (KHC) made a major investment in the venue, and Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal would begin playing regular home games there. As part of the agreement, KHC also received the naming rights to the stadium. In October 2023, the annual Riyadh Season activities got underway at the Kingdom Arena, when it held the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou heavyweight encounter. Several epic boxing clashes have taken place at the venue over the past year, including Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou (March 2024), Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk (May 2024) & Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol (October 2024).

Riyadh Season, which is a series of entertainment, cultural, and sporting events held in the Saudi Arabian capital, has helped raise the profile of the city of Riyadh and the nation of Saudi Arabia as a whole in recent years. Riyadh Season, first introduced in 2019, typically runs from October through to March, with events and experiences dispersed into ‘zones’ that now include the likes of Kingdom Arena, Boulevard City, Boulevard World, Riyadh Zoo and Wonder Garden. The inaugural edition of Riyadh Season proved to be a huge success, resulting in a sizable increase in tourism, with 11 million people visiting Riyadh during the 66-day period. Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority also estimated that the combined 2019 Season events generated SAR 6 billion in revenue. Riyadh Season continues to expand and grow each year, and the 2024 edition is proving to be the biggest and best yet.

The city of Riyadh is situated at the centre of the Arabian peninsula and is not only the capital but also the largest city in Saudi Arabia. With a population of over 7 million, it is a bustling metropolis that offers a wide range of attractions and activities for visitors. Riyadh holds a significant position as the cultural capital of Saudi Arabia, boasting a rich history and heritage that dates back centuries, but if you’re looking for a luxury city break or to take in an event or show, Riyadh definitely ticks all those boxes too these days.

Riyadh is home to some of Saudi Arabia’s most extraordinary sites of natural and historical beauty and is a must-visit destination for any cultural enthusiast, with the added benefit of numerous art galleries and historical centres to explore. While Riyadh is known for its rich history, it is also a city of modern architecture. The cityscape is filled with stunning contemporary buildings and structures that showcase the country’s commitment to innovation and development. Riyadh is also the perfect location for shopping addicts. The city is home to numerous modern malls and traditional souks where you can find everything from luxury brands to local handicrafts. Riyadh has it all, whether you’re travelling to Riyadh for a standout event, like Usyk v Tyson 2, travelling with your family, planning a romantic trip with your loved one, or visiting on business.

Flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Riyadh is served by King Khalid International Airport, which HRH King Fahd opened on 16 November 1983. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, and its partner airlines run numerous regular flights to Riyadh from all over the globe.

Exploring and planning your route to Riyadh via Etihad Airways is the best option, allowing you to compare prices and flight times and find the best option for you.

Tickets to Usyk vs Fury 2

Demand for tickets to Reignited 2: Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury has obviously been very high, but tickets are still available, ranging from 50-1000 SAR ($20-250 / £10-200). For the latest ticket news and availability, go to Webook, the official ticketing platform for Riyadh Season events.

The Usyk v Fury undercard is due to get underway at 10 pm local Riyadh time (2 pm ET / 7 pm GMT), with main event ring walks commencing at approximately 2 am Sunday local time (6 pm ET / 11 pm GMT). Yet again, for a Riyadh Season event, it will deliver a thrilling undercard that includes the likes of Israil Madrimov v Serhii Bohachuk (super welterweight), Dennis McCann v Peter McGrail (super bantamweight) and Isaac Lowe v Lee McGregor (featherweight).

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BOXING

Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised…..

By Admin November 21, 2024

Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised ‘Joshua to wait for Fury fight’

Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised Anthony Joshua to hold off on other fights and wait for a mega-bout with Tyson Fury before retiring from boxing, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The British-Pakistani fighter believes Joshua, who has amassed over $200m in career earnings, should conclude his illustrious career with the long-awaited all-British showdown against the Gypsy King.

“He should wait for the big fight against Tyson Fury,” Khan told New Zealand Daily. “They’re both such big names and I think he should call it a day after that.

“Anthony joshua has done phenomenal in boxing and has made a lot of money, won a lot of titles, fought around the world, and is a big name but for him, why not finish on a big high by taking the Fury fight and then call it a day?”

The Olympic gold medallist is currently nursing injuries following his fifth-round knockout loss to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois in September, with his promoter Eddie Hearn confirming he won’t return to action until at least May 2024.

Talk of the Town, Gervonta Davis Caught in Crossfire as Floyd Mayweather’s…

By Admin November 12, 2024

Talk of the Town, Gervonta Davis Caught in Crossfire as Floyd Mayweather’s Call to Keyshawn Davis Becomes Talk of the Town

Lightweight prospect Keyshawn Davis is coming off a dominant 2nd round knockout win over Gustavo Lemos. He dropped the Argentinian opponent three times in the 2nd round before getting his hand raised in his hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. Since the fight, Davis has revealed details about his post-fight calls with five-division champion Floyd Mayweather on social media.

‘Money’ Mayweather retired from the sport in 2017 following his win over former UFC champion Conor McGregor. However, his relationship with boxing didn’t end there. He has been guiding several boxers through the pro ranks and into stardom. Regardless, since Keyshawn’s post on Instagram about the call with Mayweather, Gervonta Davis seems to have gotten caught in the crossfire, as fans share their opinion.

Keyshawn Davis reveals Mayweather’s call amid feud with Gervonta Davis

Earlier today, 25-year-old undefeated lightweight Keyshawn Davis took to Instagram to reveal insights into his post-fight conversations with boxing legend Floyd Mayweather. “It’s crazy, Floyd calls me after every fight just to discuss my performance. Not only is he the GOAT, but he’s also a real mentor,” Davis wrote while sharing a screenshot of his FaceTime conversation with ‘Money.’ Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis, who once fought under Mayweather’s promotional banner, departed from the promotion in May 2022, citing a desire to promote his own fights. However, tensions between them had been apparent for some time, as the two frequently clashed on and off social media.

In more recent times, the Davis duo has been clashing on social media. Before Keyshawn’s fight earlier this week, the 25-year-old was taking shots at ‘Tank,’ with the latter firing back on X. So, given their newfound animosity against each other, people started speculating a fight could be on the horizon.

In what appears to be an attempt to fan the flames, Keyshawn Davis shared details about his phone call with Mayweather. It’s also worth mentioning that the legendary boxer was previously pushing for a fight between ‘Tank’ and WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson, but that never ended up happening.

Gervonta Davis is currently slated to fight Lamont Roach sometime in January next year, but no location or specific date has been revealed as of the time of writing. That said, Keyshawn’s post today seems to have been enough to send fans into a frenzy.

Fan alleges Floyd Mayweather is behind Keyshawn’s post

Even though ‘The Businessman’ never mentioned Gervonta Davis in his post, fans were quick to rope in the WBO lightweight champion. One user implied Keyshawn’s post was a direct jab at ‘Tank.’ “Y’all love making tank mad for some reason😂😂💯,” the user wrote. However, it’s difficult to say whether Gervonta Davis even cares about such a thing.

Another user felt Floyd Mayweather may have pushed Keyshawn to start the feud with ‘Tank.’ “Now we know why you beefing wit tank 😂,” the user commented. Despite their beef, it’s unclear whether this will spill over into a full-blown fight.

Meanwhile, this user thought Keyshawn’s post about Mayweather was genuine. “I can definitely tell he been mentoring you with your defense in the fight. You barely got touched and counter punches were 🔒,” the user wrote. However, why would a rising boxer wait so long to announce his affiliation with one of boxing’s biggest stars when he could have done it earlier to attract more attention?

Someone else alleged that Floyd Mayweather was the one stirring up trouble for Gervonta Davis.“Floyd sending everybody after Tank 😂,” commented the user. Well, he has done this in the past. Why not now?

The next user proposed Keyshawn should fight someone else. “Fight Andy Cruz what makes u think u going to get fight before shakur smh,” the user wrote. However, it appears neither of them are getting the fight against Gervonta Davis. Having said that, the post from Keyshawn Davis seems to have failed to make people buy into the whole post-fight discussion with Floyd Mayweather. Instead, the prevailing sentiment seems to be that it was a clear dig at Gervonta Davis. What do you think?

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Accuses Keyshawn Davis of greed for wanting Gervonta Davis’ salary….

By Admin November 12, 2024

Accuses Keyshawn Davis of greed for wanting Gervonta Davis’ salary himself

Keyshawn Davis is known for his hard-hitting fights, but also for his controversies outside the ring, and now he received a serious accusation against him: he wanted to collect the salary of Gervonta Davis by avoiding Andy Cruz.

Andy Cruz’s reaction

Andy Cruz, gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, took to social media to react to Keyshawn Davis, who said that his team had contacted him for a fight and that there was no interest. Cruz called Keyshawn today and said, “My son, knock knock. Send me the contract”.

In one of his most convincing fights, Keyshawn Davis made it clear that he is ready to fight anyone in his category, as he destroyed Gustavo Lemos in the light middleweight category. But it is even more noteworthy that Davis did it in his opponent’s home: Norfolk.

The emphatic victory moved him closer to his world championship dreams. Needless to say, ‘Tank‘ remains the main target in his sights. But many feel that ‘The Business‘ is still not ready to face a boxer of Gervonta’s calibre. That would be the jackpot for Keyshawn.

Keyshawn and his refusal to fight Andy Cruz

Cruz belongs to the promoter Matchroom and wants to see that “imaginary contract” that Keyshawn talks about, because he would never refuse to fight him. It is not clear why Keyshawn would say that Cruz was not interested in fighting him when he had soundly defeated him four times when they were amateurs. Cruz dominated Keyshawn in the finals of the 2020 Olympic Games, defeating him by a score of 4-1 and making the process easy.

Curiously, Top Rank hired Keyshawn instead of Cruz and matched him carefully in the style of Berlanga to make sure he was not defeated, that is why the anger of Andy Cruz, because he knows perfectly well that he can beat him, once again.

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Promoter Eddie Hearn : Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury ‘fighting’ to….

By Admin November 12, 2024

Promoter Eddie Hearn : Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury ‘fighting’ to fight Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua has not announced his next opponent, but the two most likely candidates are Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury, at least that is the dream of promoter Eddie Hearn, who chatted about Joshua’s return to the ring.

Hearn spoke to Ariel Helwani and said that Joshua, who is recovering from the injuries suffered in his big fight in September at Wembley against Dubois, would not be ready to fight when Dubois makes his first title defense on February 22.

“He going to fight Daniel Dubois or Tyson Fury,” Hearn told Helwani. “They’re the only two fights I see. He wanted to go on February 22 and fight Daniel Dubois and he just wouldn’t have been 100 percent. He’s still got a couple of minor niggles from that fight. He still can’t start camp and he needs to do that now, if he’s going to fight on February 22.”

Possible opponents for Anthony Joshua’s return

“You’ll see him (Joshua) around May or June, and I think he’s desperate to do the rematch with Daniel Dubois, but obviously, win or lose Tyson Fury on December 21, it will be a fight that will be very difficult to walk away from,” Hearn admitted. “Those two have to face each other before it’s all over. And that could be next.“Win or lose. If he (Fury) wins, it would be absolutely fantastic. He could defend his unified world championship against Anthony Joshua. If he loses, it’s the last dance for both of them. Either way, it’s compelling. I want Fury to win. I want Fury to be heavyweight champion of the world because that’s what AJ wants, to try and become three-time heavyweight champion of the world. That’s why he wants to do the rematch with Dubois, because there’s a world title opportunity there. Yes, Fury can win and we can do the fight with AJ, definitely that would be my preferred route, but we’ll see what happens on December 21.”

Eddie Hearn could leave ATT Stadium before Paul vs Tyson fight

Matchroom director Eddie Hearn will be at the AT&T in Dallas on Friday for the big event between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. But he won’t necessarily stick around for the main event, as he admitted that he plans to leave early.

Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano Dismiss Claressa Shields’ Callout but It’s….

By Admin November 11, 2024

Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano Dismiss Claressa Shields’ Callout but It’s What You Think.

Though it may be all about Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, the upcoming MVP-Netflix card at the Cowboys Stadium promises to make it a night to remember for boxing purists as well. The crowd and millions of viewers across the world will be treated to a historic duel. Two years after leaving their marks at Madison Square Garden, Amanda Serrano and Katie Taylor are poised to create yet another magic.

Serrano and Taylor will face off for the latter’s undisputed light welterweight title. Ahead of their match, the two champions had a chance to meet face-to-face and share their thoughts on their rematch. The discussion covered several topics, including a callout from undisputed champion Claressa Shields. The two-time Olympic gold medalist had issued an open challenge to settle the much debated ‘Greatest Woman of All Time’ (GWOAT) title. As their conversation unfolded, it became clear the matter could be viewed from different angles.

There’s enough room for all of us

Did Amanda Serrano’s response spark the ‘GWOAT’ issue? When asked for the reasons behind moving up a division to chase the 140-pound undisputed title, ‘The Real Deal’ replied, “I want to be great. I’m chasing greatness, and that’s what I want to do. Fighting Katie Taylor is just that, and you know, becoming a two-division undisputed champion would be amazing.”

Addressing Taylor, the host asked, “So Clarissa Shields actually challenged both of you females to see who’s the best woman’s fighter on Earth. What do you have to say about that, Katie?” The London Olympic gold medalist laughed it off. For her, the entire focus was on what lay ahead—the fight against Amanda Serrano. But Katie Taylor seemed a bit perplexed. Given the sheer weight difference, why Claressa Shields should call them out?

Nevertheless, she stressed that both she and Serrano were fighters who were willing to go against anyone. “I don’t understand how there can’t be just more than one great. You know, we’re all great in our own ways. We all bring different things to the women’s boxing. We’re bringing more eyes to the sport of women’s boxing, and I’m just so proud to always have been in the top three pound-for-pound.” Amanda Serrano made her pitch. Katie Taylor couldn’t have agreed more.

Highlighting Claressa Shields’ achievements in women’s boxing, ‘The Bray Bomber’ suggested that perhaps picking the best pound-for-pound best among the three of them would be highly subjective. Still, Katie Taylor felt honored to be included in such a pivotal conversation.

‘The Greatest’ conundrum

On July 27, Claressa Shields stepped into the ring to face Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse. Their light heavyweight duel occurred at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. It appears she wasn’t too pleased with Amanda Serrano’s usage of the term ‘GWOAT’.

At the pre-fight press conference, Shields took the opportunity to clear the air. Who deserves the ‘GWOAT’ status—all Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor, and Alycia Baumgardner need to do is fight her. Highlighting how she can enter any weight class and win, Shields said, “Everybody talking about ‘who’s the GWOAT.’ Who’s undefeated?! Who got the most belts?! Who made the million dollars the last couple times she fought without a promoter giving her a handout?! That’s who the GWOAT is. Who fights the best?! Who doesn’t struggle in fights no matter what style?”

Claressa Shields puts women’s boxing on notice. Calls out Amanda Serrano, Katie Taylor, Alycia Baumgardner. “I’m the GWOAT”
byu/OkEscape7558 inBoxing

She added further, “I’ll be winning Saturday night, and any of those girls who want to be the GWOAT, all you got to do is make a fight with me: Alycia Baumgardner, Amanda Serrano, and Katie Taylor. All you got to do is make a fight with me, and then I can show you you’re not the GWOAT for many reasons.

Perhaps Amanda Serrano’s response best sums it all up: Women’s boxing has come a long way. Given where it stands today, there’s definitely a space for a few contemporary greats to stand together and collectively inspire the new generation.

What is your take on the ‘GWOAT’ debate? Who is your favorite woman boxer of all time?

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Not Oleksandr Usyk or him : Tyson Fury names ‘most talented heavyweight in….

By Admin November 11, 2024

Not Oleksandr Usyk or him : Tyson Fury names ‘most talented heavyweight in the world by far’ – and it’s not Oleksandr Usyk or him

Tyson Fury believes Jared Anderson is still the most talented heavyweight in the world despite falling to defeat in his last outing.

‘The Gypsy King’ previously branded Anderson the ‘heir to his throne’ after sharing some rounds with him in the gym

But Anderson looked a long way off the finished article as he was battered from pillar to post by Martin Bakole in August en route to a crushing fifth-round knockout loss.

The devastating defeat has seen his stock fall considerably, however, Fury still has faith in the young American.

“I would also like to see Jared Anderson back in the mix,” Fury told the Pound for Pound Podcast.

“The young big baby. Now, for me, he’s the most talented heavyweight in the world by far.

“But coming off his last fight, he had a knockout loss, so talent sometimes doesn’t cut it if you are rushed into fights you are not ready for.

“He fought this guy called Martin Bakole, who is an absolute seasoned man, 30 years old, in the prime of his life, as strong as a rhinoceros.

“And he goes in there with a 24-year-old kid, who has had 17 tomato cans and has come through them with flying colours.

“But he wasn’t ready for that fight, maybe five or six more fights, a year or so away from that.

“It’s put him back a long way now and that does a lot for a fighter’s confidence but I’d like to see him back in the ring as well.”

Fury is set to run it back with Oleksandr Usyk on December 21 after suffering the first setback of his professional career in May at the hands of the Ukrainian.

Both men will only be fighting for three of the major sanctioning body belts after Usyk was stripped of the IBF strap due to his contractual obligation to give Fury a second fight.

This meant he wasn’t able to box IBF mandatory Daniel Dubois, who was subsequently upgraded from interim to full world champion as a result.

While Usyk’s manager Egis Klimas insists a fight with Dubois for the final piece of the undisputed puzzle is the only challenge left for his client if he beats Fury again, the Mancunian is angling for a trilogy.

“When I win this fight with Usyk, then there has to be a third fight,” he added.

Memory: After Bland Performance Terence Crawford Sends ‘Boots’ Ennis

By Admin November 11, 2024

Memory: After Bland Performance Terence Crawford Sends ‘Boots’ Ennis A Message

Terence Crawford could have hopped on the bandwagon blasting Jaron “Boots” Ennis following his unimpressive unanimous decision win over Karen Chukhadzhian on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Arena in Philadelphia, but he didn’t go that route.

Instead, Crawford took to social media to offer his would-be rival some advice and a smidgeon of encouragement.

Crawford admitted he didn’t see the fight but heard about Chukhadzhian giving Boots more than he bargained for in their rematch. The four-division champion told Boots, “every nights not going to be the same,” and urged him to “never get too comfortable in this game.”

Crawford’s post was sage advice and pretty admirable–especially by boxers’ standards. Ennis has repeatedly called Crawford out for a fight.

I spoke to both men about the callout earlier this year, and while there is mutual respect, there appeared to be some frustration on Ennis’ part because Crawford wouldn’t accept his challenge. After Saturday’s win that saw Ennis take far too many punches and again struggle to get the finish against an opponent that even Boots called a “lower-tier guy.”

Ennis maintains his desire to fight better competition despite the less-than-impressive showing on Saturday. He spoke to the media after Saturday’s fight and shared his belief that if he were fighting better fighters, it would bring the best out of him. That remains to be seen, and it is a tough sell to fans and others in the boxing community.

Fighters like Ryan Garcia didn’t waste time offering harsh criticism following Ennis’ victory. Garcia predicted he’d knock Boots out if they fought, and based on the frequency in which Chukhadzhian was landing his left hook, it doesn’t sound like a crazy prediction when you consider how deadly Garcia is with the same punch.

Ennis did have an answer for Garcia, whom he said only “talks and tweets.”

Golden Boy Promotion’s Oscar De La Hoya immediately posted about a potential fight between Boots and Vergil Ortiz Jr. That fight could potentially headline the suddenly more practical Matchroom-vs-Golden-Boy fight card.

The time Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated Also Tired of Terence..

By Admin November 11, 2024

The time Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated Also Tired of Terence Crawford Fight Questions

If there is one fight that every single fan wants to see at 147, it must be between IBF welterweight champion Jaron Ennis and former undisputed welterweight champion Terence Crawford. Everyone got excited when the 32-0 boxer expressed his desire to fight Bud, as this might be one of the best fights one could have asked for.

But the hope died down instantly when the 37-year-old Omaha native moved up to Light Middleweight and even flat out refused to entertain the potential fight. According to the 41-0 boxer, he had nothing to gain from this fight and it is understandable considering he is at the latter stages of his career now. While every fan slowly lost all hope, Ennis was still holding on to it. But it looks like even Boots has given up now, and he doesn’t expect anything from Terence Crawford.

Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated

‘The Stomping Ground’ asked Ennis about the idea of the Terence Crawford fight and the Philadelphia native was visibly furious at the question. He stated, “I’m tired of answering your questions about it,” with a huge sigh. He continued, stating how Crawford has completely shut down the idea of the fight again and again. “He(Crawford) already said millions of times that he’s not fighting me or looking my way,” stated Ennis, trying to explain the situation.

The 27-year-old then explained that he had lost all hope of the fight happening. Even though he wants the fight and wants to prove himself against one of the greatest welterweights ever, he has accepted the situation. He stated, “If the fight happens, it happens. I want it to happen, but if not…”

While Boots has made peace with the fight not happening, he does not agree with what Crawford’s camp had to say about him. Earlier this year, Bud’s longtime trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre shut down the questions of a potential fight stating Ennis “don’t bring nothing to the table.”

According to Bomac, the fight with Jaron Ennis does not make sense for Bud at this stage of his career. Bomac further stated, “He(Ennis) got our leftovers” in reference to the IBF welterweight title that was handed over to Boots. Naturally, the comments did not sit well with the Philadelphia native as he hit back at the boxer-trainer duo.

Boots hit back at Terence Crawford

While addressing the comments, Ennis talked about how Crawford has fought many boxers who had nothing on him. “He has fought other fighters that didn’t have nothing. He fought David Avanesyan too.” This is not the first time when Boots has cited his frustration with Crawford’s choice of opponents. So, according to the 32-0 boxer, “none of that stuff makes sense.” While he understood the point that Terence Crawford is at a point “where he could fight whoever he wants and pick whoever he wants,” he is not fine with being sidelined completely.

Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but…

By Admin November 11, 2024

Could not believed I was KOd by Anthony Joshua in 86 seconds but nobody hit me as hard as ‘The Sniper’

Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but it wasn’t the hardest he was ever hit.

During a punishing 71-fight (42-29) professional boxing career stretching from 1996 to 2018, Sprott took on all comers.

In 2007, Sprott – a former British and Commonwealth champion – handed Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison the first knockout loss of his career.

However, he wasn’t able to produce the same heroics against Harrison’s successor, Joshua, eight years later.

By this point, Sprott was fast approaching 40 and his punch resistance was all-but completely shot.

The first meaningful shot AJ landed buckled Sprott’s knees and as the veteran sunk back into the ropes, Joshua followed up with a ferocious flurry that left the referee with no choice but to step in.

To his credit, Sprott remained on his feet, which is more than can be said for his fight with Corrie Sanders in 2001.

The heavy-handed South African sent Sprott tumbling to the canvas in the first round with a monstrous left straight and despite regaining his footing, the fight was waved off.

Sprott protested the decision at the time but years later in an interview with Through The Ropes, he admitted to having never felt a shot quite like it.

“When it comes to the hardest puncher, it would have to be Corrie Sanders, the South African,” he said.

“I was like, ‘Wow’ and I asked [Vitali] Klitschko when I was at the Klitschko camp, ‘What do you think of Corrie Sanders’ power?’ and he just went, ‘Wow’ so he must have had the same experience.

“That’s what Vitali said and Wladimir said, ‘They put me in with this guy Corrie Sanders, I didn’t know much about him and he did me over’.”

Sanders is best known for knocking out the younger Klitschko brother in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history in 2003.

BOXING

How to get there Experience Riyadh for Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury 2: How to get there, where to stay, things to see & more

READ MORE :“It’s The Only Big Name” Tyson Fury Didn’t Hesitate To Tell Daniel Dubois Who&#8230;.

READ MORE :Next: Anthony Joshua curiously head up To Face One Heavyweight Next But&#8230;.

Flights to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Tickets to Usyk vs Fury 2

Former unified light welterweight world champion Amir Khan has advised ‘Joshua to wait for Fury fight’

READ MORE :Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but&#8230;

Talk of the Town, Gervonta Davis Caught in Crossfire as Floyd Mayweather’s Call to Keyshawn Davis Becomes Talk of the Town

Keyshawn Davis reveals Mayweather’s call amid feud with Gervonta Davis

Fan alleges Floyd Mayweather is behind Keyshawn’s post

Accuses Keyshawn Davis of greed for wanting Gervonta Davis’ salary himself

Andy Cruz’s reaction

Keyshawn and his refusal to fight Andy Cruz

Promoter Eddie Hearn : Daniel Dubois and Tyson Fury ‘fighting’ to fight Anthony Joshua

Possible opponents for Anthony Joshua’s return

Eddie Hearn could leave ATT Stadium before Paul vs Tyson fight

READ MORE : Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but&#8230;

Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano Dismiss Claressa Shields’ Callout but It’s What You Think.

There’s enough room for all of us

‘The Greatest’ conundrum

Not Oleksandr Usyk or him : Tyson Fury names ‘most talented heavyweight in the world by far’ – and it’s not Oleksandr Usyk or him

READ MORE : Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but&#8230;

Memory: After Bland Performance Terence Crawford Sends ‘Boots’ Ennis A Message

READ MORE : The time Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated Also Tired of Terence..

The time Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated Also Tired of Terence Crawford Fight Questions

Jaron Ennis is tired and frustrated

Boots hit back at Terence Crawford

READ MORE : “It Might Be Hard to Come Back”: Terence Crawford, Caleb Plant, and&#8230;.

Could not believed I was KOd by Anthony Joshua in 86 seconds but nobody hit me as hard as ‘The Sniper’

Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but it wasn’t the hardest he was ever hit.

READ MORE : Rematch Will Happen: Frank Warren Reveals Why He No Longer Thinks Anthony

READ MORE :“It’s The Only Big Name” Tyson Fury Didn’t Hesitate To Tell Daniel Dubois Who….

READ MORE :Next: Anthony Joshua curiously head up To Face One Heavyweight Next But….

READ MORE :Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but…

READ MORE : Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but…

READ MORE : Michael Sprott was blasted out by Anthony Joshua inside the opening round but…

READ MORE : “It Might Be Hard to Come Back”: Terence Crawford, Caleb Plant, and….