Tag: kubrat pulev

Anthony Joshua’s next foe? Talks with Oleksandr Usyk add to intrigue

Anthony Joshua, his promoter Eddie Hearn and Oleksandr Usyk promoter Alexander Krassyuk met at a London hotel Thursday.

Anthony Joshua, his promoter Eddie Hearn and Oleksandr Usyk promoter Alexander Krassyuk met at a London hotel Thursday. It wasn’t a chance meeting. They were there to talk, and it’s fair to assume they did more than exchange gardening tips.

Joshua posted photos of the three, igniting further speculation about a Joshua-Usyk fight.

“Good to catch up with Eddie Hearn, Alex Krassyuk and 258 Management. Talking all things boxing. #JoshuaVsUsyk”, Joshua said in an Instagram post.

Hearn and Krassyuk also posted comments about the meeting on social media.

“More meetings planning 2020,” Hearn said.

Krassyuk posted: “Interesting talks in London with Eddie Hearn, Anthony Joshua.”

The question is when in 2020. Negotiations for Joshua in a mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev are ongoing. Deadline for a deal is Jan. 31.

Usyk, a former unified cruiserweight champion who made his heavyweight debut in a victory over Chazz Witherspoon in October, is the mandatory challenger for another one of Joshua’s belts.

If there’s no deal for a Pulev fight, Joshua could turn to Usyk. He then would probably relinquish the belt he would defend against Pulev. There is talk that Joshua vs. Pulev would likely take place in the spring, which has fueled ongoing speculation that Usyk would fight Joseph Parker.

But Joshua’s meeting Thursday is further evidence that he holds most of the pieces to a heavyweight division that is still a puzzle.

Heavyweights galore: Top Rank in talks with Jarrell Miller, Tony Yoka

Bob Arum’s Top Rank is close to signing Jarrell Miller and Tony Yoka, according to various reports.

Top Rank’s burgeoning heavyweight stable could get a little more crowded.

The Las Vegas-based promotional company headed by Bob Arum is in talks with highly regarded heavyweights Jarrell Miller and Tony Yoka on multifight deals, according to various reports. The fighters would join a heavyweight roster headed by Tyson Fury, who will challenge titleholder Deontay Wilder on Feb. 22 in Las Vegas.

Miller (23-0-1, 20 KOs), a 31-year-old New Yorker, is one of the top heavyweight contenders. He came under fire last summer after he tested positive for multiple banned substances ahead of a scheduled fight against British titleholder Anthony Joshua, who ended up losing to Andy Ruiz Jr. in a historic upset in June. Miller is co-promoted by Dmitry Salita and Greg Cohen. (Cohen was recently sentenced to six months in federal prison for wire fraud unrelated to boxing).

Yoka (7-0, 6 KOs), a 27-year-old native of Paris, won the super heavyweight gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. He was promoted in the past by Richard Schaefer. Like Miller, Yoka saw his career stymied for reasons related to PEDs. In 2018, French officials suspended him for one year for allegedly missing three scheduled doping tests. Yoka returned to the ring in July 2019 with a knockout win over Alexander Dimitrenko. He followed up that with a stoppage victory over Michael Wallisch in September.

Arum was in France recently to meet with Yoka. Arum told the French news outlet RMC that negotiations were headed in the right direction.

“All the parties are in agreement, even if we haven’t signed anything yet,” he said. “The reason we’re here is to discuss the terms of the contract. Tony is a unbelievable young man, very intelligent, and we hope to see him fight in the United States in the spring under the Top Rank banner.”

After years of relative neglect when it came to boxing’s so-called glamour division, Top Rank has spent the past couple of years stockpiling heavyweights. It signed veterans Kubrat Pulev and Agit Kabayel. It has also scoured for big men on the grassroots level, scooping up prospects Sonny Conto, Guido Vianello and Jared Anderson.

Both Miller and Yoka are managed by James Prince, who also handlesTop-Rank promoted featherweight Shakur Stevenson and heavyweight Bryant Jennings.

Joseph Parker’s promoter: Parker A-side vs. Oleksandr Usyk

Joseph Parker’s promoter is already preparing for possible talks with Oleksandr Usyk, saying Parker deserves the lion’s share of the purse.

Joseph Parker’s promoter is already preparing for possible negotiations for a fight with Oleksandr Usyk, saying that Parker deserves the lion’s share of the total purse.

In what looks to be a trial balloon, David Higgins calls Parker the A-side. The so-called B-side, Higgins says, belongs to Usyk despite credentials that include an Olympic gold medal and a spot among the Top 10 on virtually every pound-for-pound list.

Usyk figures to counter that he has the bigger name and hence deserves the bigger paycheck. After all, Parker has neither Olympic gold nor a mention in the pound-for-pound debate. But talks have to start somewhere and that usually means the media. It’s a place to begin before the bargaining table.

In a sure sign that Higgins expects the fight to happen sometime in 2020, he staked out some early turf, all of which can change once lawyers and networks join the discussion.

“Usyk has not earned his stripes at heavyweight,” Higgins told Sky Sports. “Joseph Parker is the A-side.’’

Higgins, one among many, is waiting on Anthony Joshua’s next move. If Joshua and Kubrat Pulvev agree to a deal for a mandatory defense, Joshua figures to relinquish a belt, opening the way for Parker-Usyk.

Higgins is already seeking some leverage, arguing that Parker fought and lost to Joshua in March 2018 at sold-out Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. He also said that Parker, currently training in Las Vegas for a fight against a yet undisclosed opponent Feb. 29 on a card featuring Mikey-Garcia-Jessie Vargas, lost to Dillian Whyte in front of a capacity crowd at the O2 Arena in London.

“If Usyk wants to share the ring with Parker, I would be expecting 70-30 [in Parker’s favor],’’ Higgins said. “I’ll get ridiculed for that, but listen, Parker has beaten Andy Ruiz, he’s sold out the Principality and the O2.

“He’s a big name in the U.K., so Usyk is the B-side.’’

Expect many sides before anybody hears an opening bell.

Oleksandr Usyk’s co-promoter: Usyk will fight Anthony Joshua in 2020

Anthony Joshua’s next move remains uncertain, yet Oleksandr Usyk’s co-promoter is confident Usyk will still fight Joshua sometime in 2020.

The waiting game for Antony Joshua’s next move continues, yet Oleksandr Usyk’s co-promoter is confident Usyk will still fight Joshua sometime in 2020.

Whether Joshua will relinquish any of his heavyweight belts or show up at Tyson Fury’s training camp as a sparring partner for the Fury-Deontay Wilder rematch is still anybody’s guess. But Alexander Krassyuk says that at some point during the next 12 months Joshua will fight Usyk.

“This is a fact,’’ Krassyuk told Sky Sports. “The question is whether it happens in the next fight or the other. At this stage, we wait for AJ’s decision.’’

Joshua might opt to fight Kubrat Pulev in a mandatory title defense sometime this spring. There are reports that Joshua and Pulev have until Jan. 31 to strike a deal.

If they reach an agreement and Joshua loses his WBO belt as a result, Krassyuk said Usyk will probably fight Joseph Parker instead of Derek Chisora for the vacant title.

“Chisora is impossible for the title,” Krassyuk said. “In case it turns out that the WBO title is vacant, Usyk will be happy to fight for it. And Joseph Parker is the highest available contender.’’

Anthony Joshua, Kubrat Pulev in negotiations for title fight: report

Anthony Joshua, who holds three major heavyweight titles, and IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev reportedly have set a deadline to make a deal.

It’s looking more and more as if Anthony Joshua will fight Kubrat Pulev next.

Joshua, who holds three of the four major heavyweight titles, and IBF mandatory Pulev reportedly have set a deadline to make a deal.

An IBF spokesperson told Sky Sports, “I have just been told that the Pulev and Joshua camps have asked until January 31 to negotiate.”

Joshua was ordered by both the IBF and WBO, whose titleholder is Oleksandr Usyk, to face his mandatory challengers immediately. Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, has been working with the organizations to come up with a solution that would allow Joshua to keep both belts.

In that process, Pulev seems to have emerge as the favorite to challenge for a title next.

Meanwhile, Oleksandr Usyk, the former cruiserweight champion, reportedly has been offered a fight against longtime contender Dereck Chisora in London. Usyk presumably would fight Joshua if he beats Chisora and Joshua does the same against Pulev, although a lucrative showdown with the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury II winner looms.

Hearn said the working date for Usyk-Chisora in March 28.

Another possibility is that Joshua is forced to vacate the WBO title. Usyk could then face No. 2-ranked Joseph Parker for the vacant title.

Pulev (28-1, 14 KOs) lost to Wladimir Klitschko by a fifth-round knockout in 2014, his only title shot. The 38-year-old Bulgarian was scheduled to challenge Joshua in 2017 but had to pull out because of an injury. He regained his mandatory status by outpointing Hughie Fury in 2018.

Joshua (23-1, 21 KOs) defeated Andy Ruiz Jr. by a wide decision on Dec. 7 to regain the titles Ruiz took from him by knockout in June.

Joseph Parker ready to fight Usyk for vacant title if Joshua opts for Pulev

Joseph Parker could get a shot at the WBO title if Anthony Joshua opts to fight Kubrat Pulev instead of Oleksandr Usyk.

If Anthony Joshua opts for his IBF mandatory over the No. 1 WBO challenger, Joseph Parker could be the beneficiary.

Joshua has been ordered by both sanctioning bodies to fight their mandatories – Kubrat Pulev (IBF) and Oleksandr Usyk (WBO) – immediately, which means he might have to give up one of his three heavyweight belts.

That would set up a bout between Usyk and WBO No. 2 Parker for that organization’s vacant title.

Parker is tentatively scheduled to fight next month in the United States, although neither an opponent nor a site has been announced. Usyk reportedly is considering a fight with Dereck Chisora while waiting for Joshua’s situation to sort itself out.

“Usyk is a very tough fight,” said David Higgins, Parker’s manager. “He’s a southpaw, he would dissect Anthony Joshua. We know this, but if you’re the better boxer and you get a world title shot, you have an obligation to take it. Joseph being old school will not take a backward step, so if that does happen, Joseph will be straight in and he’ll fight Usyk.

“Usyk is a very skilled professional. I respect him and his manager, but it would be a good fight. Hopefully, we might see that this year.”

Parker (26-2, 20 KOs) was scheduled to fight Chisora on the Josh Taylor-Regis Prograis card Oct. 26 in London but pulled out because of what he said was a spider bite.

The Kiwi, who held the WBO title between 2016 and 2018, recovered after a few weeks and wanted to reschedule the Chisora fight before the end of 2019 but the fight didn’t materialize. Thus, Parker will have been out of the ring for seven months if he fights in February.

“Chisora spent two years calling out Joe and now he’s running a mile, so it’s a bit silly really,” Higgins said. “Joe fights the man in front of him and he would fight Chisora tomorrow, but Chisora has gone from wanting to fight to a U-turn.

“I’m not sure about the Usyk-Chisora thing. Joseph would fight either of them.”

Parker stopped Alexander Flores and then Alex Leapai after losing consecutive decisions to Anthony Joshua (who took his title) and Dillian Whyte.

Anthony Joshua vows to win back title if he has to vacate

Anthony Joshua might lose two of his three belts because both sanctioning bodies are demanding he fight their mandatory challengers.

What would Anthony Joshua do if he has to vacate one of his heavyweight titles? Easy. He’ll just win it back.

At least that’s his plan.

Joshua, who holds three of the four major titles, might lose his IBF or WBO belts because both sanctioning bodies are demanding he fight their mandatory challengers immediately.

Kubrat Pulev and Olexsandr Usyk are the IBF and WBO mandatories, respectively. Joshua hasn’t made an announcement as to whom he will fight.

In the meantime, Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn, is trying to concoct a deal that would save both titles. If he fails, Joshua said, he’ll be fine.

“I always said the belts do not represent me,” Joshua told Sky Sports. “I will stand as a champion, even if I have to give one up. It would give me an opportunity to face another world champion. I’ve beaten four world champions on my record now.

“If I give up a belt, it creates more history and entertainment. If I have to, I’ll give it away. But I’ll get it back again.”

Joshua regained his belts by outpointing Andy Ruiz Jr. on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia.

Anthony Joshua reiterates that heavyweight title goes through him

Anthony Joshua is conducting a campaign to remind everyone that he has most of the heavyweight belts and most of the clout.

Anthony Joshua isn’t fighting anybody in February, yet he continues to keep himself squarely in the middle of all the talk swirling around the Feb. 22 Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury rematch on Fox/ESPN pay-per-view.

It’s still not clear whether he’ll be Fury’s sparring partner or in training for his own fight, a mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev about a month from now. Maybe he’ll do both. Maybe not.

But it is abundantly clear he will keep himself in the conversation as perhaps the only option for the Fury-Wilder winner. It’s almost as if Joshua is conducting a political campaign, tirelessly reminding everyone that he has most of the belts and most of the clout. Fury-Wilder II looms as the biggest heavyweight fight in years, but Joshua is talking as if the real biggie – the true main event – will happen later in the year. Against him and only him.

That might be why he wondered aloud on Sky Sports this week why Wilder has only one belt in 43 fights while he has three in 24.

Now he has turned to iTV to explain why he’s picking Fury, already a slight betting favorite, to win the sequel at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand. Above all, he says, he thinks it would be easier to put together a fight with Fury than it would Wilder.

“The reason why I thought about it and why it came to fruition for me is because I feel like if Fury was to win that fight, I think he’d be more inclined to fight me next and quicker, than Wilder would,” Joshua said.

A Fury victory would also set up an all-U.K. showdown, perhaps for all of the pieces of the heavyweight title. Between now and then, however, belts and bucks could change hands.

Timing and circumstances might make it hard for Joshua to hold onto the three belts he took back in a rematch decision over Andy Ruiz Jr. on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia. He wants to keep those belts. But mostly he wants what everybody else wants: The Fury-Wilder winner

“That’s why I was rooting for Fury to win, because I just want to fight and collect my last belt,’’ Joshua said. “If I was a betting man, I think Fury wins.”

Frank Warren: Anthony Joshua should give up belts, fight Wilder-Fury II winner

Frank Warren suggests that Anthony Joshua give up his titles and wait to fight the Deontay Wilder-Tyson Fury II winnner.

Tyson Fury promoter Frank Warren is already looking beyond the Fury-Deontay Wilder rematch on Feb. 22, urging Anthony Joshua to relinquish his belts and wait for the winner.

Warren says Joshua’s mandatory title defenses could get in the way of putting together a fight between the unified heavyweight champion against the winner of the Wilder-Fury fight at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand on pay-per-view.

“If I was Anthony Joshua, I wouldn’t fight again until we know the winner of this fight and then make them make the fight,’ Warren told the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph. “I’d let them strip me of my titles and not fight anybody until the big one.”

Joshua, who holds three of the titles, is considering a mandatory defense against Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev in March, April or May of next year. But an upset is always a danger, especially in the heavyweight division. To wit: Andy Ruiz Jr.’s stunner on June 1 over Joshua, who went on to reclaim the belts in a rematch on Dec. 7 Saudi Arabia.

‘The one thing about Pulev is that he can whack,’’ Warren said. “So, for me, I would say: ‘You know what. I want to fight the winner of our fight (Wilder-Fury II).’

“Get all the parties together, work something out, maybe with some step-aside (money), because that’s what the public want.

“They want to know who’s the No. 1. The No. 3 and the No. 4 fought in Saudi. The No. 1 and No. 2 are fighting on Feb. 22.”

Anthony Joshua exploring possibility of fight in Congo

Anthony Joshua became interested in fighting in Africa after visiting Nigeria, the homeland of his ancestors.

The Rumble in the Jungle, Muhammad Ali’s stoppage of George Foreman in 1974, in what was then Zaire has taken on almost mythic proportions. It was the subject of an Academy Award-winning documentary, “When We Were Kings.” It’s remembered by authors, filmmakers and promoters wanting to make a buck.

It begs for a sequel, and one might be in the works.

There is interest in redoing a version of the legendary event, this time involving Anthony Joshua, according to Joshua manager Freddie Cunningham.

Cunningham told Sky Sports that Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn “is exploring an option” in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the former Zaire.

“There has been an approach,’’ Cunningham said.

Joshua, a U.K. heavyweight champion of Nigerian descent, became interested in fighting in Africa after visiting Nigeria about a year ago. He traveled for his last two fights – an upset loss to Andy Ruiz on June 1 at New York’s Madison Square Garden and a rematch victory on Dec. 7 in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua’s immediate plan, however, is for a title defense in the U.K., perhaps against mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham’s soccer stadium.

“For the next fight, Africa is not the right time,’’ Cunningham said. “But, at some point, he 100 percent wants it.

“It went so well in Saudi that they will want to be kept in the loop. And there are always options in the U.K. Tottenham’s stadium is great and local to where AJ grew up.”