Lennox lewis on Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson FUry 2: “I think we’re going to get a different Tyson for this fight.”
If anyone knows a thing or two about high level championship boxing, it’s one Lennox Lewis, the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, as well as an all time great. Now long retired, Lewis’ opinion carries weight when he speaks about the contemporary boxing scene. Needless to say, the man has interesting things to say about the upcoming rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, which will go down in Saudi Arabia on December 21t.
On a recent interview with Fight News, Lewis weighed in on the fact that Fury, who lost a squeaker to Usyk on the cards their first fight, claimed he won’t change much about his approach for the second fight. All he needs, he argues, is to do more of the same, just at a higher volume. Lewis isn’t buying it.
“No, it’s not as simple as that,” said Lewis. “He (Fury) does need to make some adjustments. If he didn’t make any adjustments, then he would lose the fight again. He would have to make some adjustments to win the fight, so he definitely has to go in there with a focused attitude and being able to throw a lot more punches.” The truth, however, is that Lewis isn’t sold on the argument that Fury is simply going to do more of the same in his rematch with Usyk.
“I don’t think he wants to give too much away,” Lewis admitted, “and I think we’re going to get a different Tyson for this fight. I think he realizes what he did wrong in the first fight.” With an ability to fight expertly as both a defensive and an offensive fighter, Fury is indeed a man with numerous tools in his toolbox. Will they be enough to best Usyk, though?
Although smaller than the towering Fury, Usyk is a profoundly skilled fighter. What’s more, he has a history of doing well against bigger men. Not only has he bested Fury in the ring, Usyk has also handily defeated former world titlist Anthony Joshua on not one, but two occasions. When asked how Usyk would do well in Lewis’ time, Lewis made it clear the undefeated Usyk would fit in well. “He would have got on good,” Lewis said of Usyk. “Just look at how Evander Holyfield got on.” Holyfield, like Usyk, successfully made the jump from cruiserweight to heavyweight during his career.
Suffice to say, Lewis defeated Holyfield in November of 1999 after fighting the popular titlist to an extremely controversial draw the previous March.
Frank Warren rules out Daniel Dubois vs Anthony Joshua rematch and names alternative fight he ‘likes’
Frank Warren has confirmed that Queensberry Promotions are now looking at alternative opponents for Daniel Dubois’ next fight.
‘Triple D’ was expected to rematch Anthony Joshua next after blasting him out inside five rounds in September.
In the days that followed the crushing defeat, AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that talks were underway and moving in a positive direction.
However, negotiations have now come to an abrupt halt due to Joshua and Dubois’s uncoordinated timelines.
According to AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn, his client is still nursing some ‘niggles’ from their inaugural encounter and will need time to recover.
Meanwhile, Dubois is targeting a return to the ring on February 22, which Hearn is concerned will be too tight of a turnaround for the Watford powerhouse.
Hearn held out hope for the fight being pushed back to a date that benefits both men.
But Warren wants Dubois to stay active and so is moving on from the rematch for the time being.
“I don’t see that happening next,” Warren said of Dubois vs Joshua II to BoxNation.
“We are looking at a couple of things at the moment and we will make a decision.
“I was hoping we would get it done fairly quickly but we won’t. I was hoping to get it done last week and this week.
“So sometime next week we are going to be in a position where we can close on something and we are talking to a few other guys…
“I’m hearing that he [Joshua] is injured. Whatever it is, if things are going to happen they happen and it has taken a while so you’ve got to feel it won’t happen.
“Unless I get a phone call saying it is on. But we have got to make some decisions and with the greatest respect to everyone we are in the Daniel Dubois business.
“He is the one that matters for me… I want him out on that date and he wants to be out [February 22].
IBF president Daryl Peoples confirmed earlier this week that Dubois can make an optional defence against any ranked fighter before April 22′, leaving the door open for a domestic dustup with Wardley.
The Ipswich puncher knocked out Frazer Clarke earlier this month to defend his British heavyweight title and is currently ranked No.12 by the IBF.
Dubois recently came on talkSPORT and welcomed a fight with his Queensberry stablemate but Warren expects them to meet further down the line.
“I don’t see that happening next,” Warren added. “Fabio will fight anyone, he is a fighting man, this is a man who comes from an unlicensed background.
“You’ve seen what he is all about. He goes in there and he gives everything.
“For me, that fight could be built into something mega there is no doubt about that.”
Another possibility that has been floated around is a clash with Joseph Parker.
The Kiwi isn’t currently ranked in the IBF top 15 due to his WBO ‘interim’ champion status but Warren likes the fight.
“I like most of the fights for him and that is one of them,” Warren said of a possible bout with Parker.
“But we will see we are not going to be rushed into anything and we will look where we are and what to consider and then make a considered choice.
“But it has got to be something that suits everybody that is involved and more importantly something that suits Daniel because he is the champion.”
Anthony Joshua’s defeat by Daniel Dubois affected those at the Ben Davison Performance Centre like “someone had died”, according to Moses Itauma.
The 35-year-old Joshua was in September stopped by Dubois in five unexpectedly one-sided and dramatic rounds, at the very least stalling the revival of his career that his trainer Ben Davison was considered to have overseen.
Joshua had impressed under Davison in victories over Otto Wallin and Francis Ngannou, and in so doing further enhanced Davison’s reputation at a time when Joshua’s decision to recruit him had already provided a lift to those also at his gym.
The talented Itauma – widely considered among Joshua’s successors towards the very top of the heavyweight division – has perhaps benefitted by observing him while they have used the same facilities, and after his return to the gym in preparation for his fight on December 21 with Demsey McKean found it to be suffering as a consequence of Joshua’s defeat.
Fabio Wardley, another heavyweight, was by then preparing for the rematch with Frazer Clarke in October that he won with Davison in his corner, but the 19-year-old Itauma told BoxingScene: “The first week, the gym was like someone had died. But I’m happy that it’s like that, because if we got back in the gym and [Davison’s] lovey, dovey; happy; cheering, I’d be like, ‘AJ’s just got knocked out and you’re here…’, so I’m happy.
“The gym vibe – in the middle of pads I went and said, ‘Ben, you’ve gotta liven this up – there’s other people in this gym’. He was like, ‘Yeah, I know, mate, but it’s just…’ – and it’s kind of the energy I want. If that was me, getting knocked out, I don’t really want people to go to the gym and be happy. I want that – not passion – but that commitment from my trainer. If he came to the gym and was all happy, it’d show how much commitment he’s got.”
Itauma had been asked about the criticism of Davison in the aftermath of Dubois-Joshua when he had said so, and he also intriguingly said: “I know a few things, but it’s not my place to speak on it. Ben Davison’s a great trainer, and in time it shall show how good of a trainer he is.
“It’s just typical boxing, though, isn’t it? Even ‘AJ’ – everyone’s calling him ‘X, Y, Z’, because he’s had that one loss. People are forgetting what he’s done for British boxing. Before AJ, the boxing scene was dead, and now he’s revived it. People are always going to talk; they’re always going to have something to say.
“It’s just doing the best for you and your family and your circle. AJ didn’t really have to take that fight, and like he said, he took a shot at greatness and came up short.
“With me, with this fight, I’m not deluded. I do believe I’m going to go in there and knock him out, but there’s a possibility that could happen to me. I just train, and hope that that’s not me.”
Itauma in July stopped Mariusz Wach before taking the holiday his manager Francis Warren and his promoter, Francis’ father Frank, had wanted.
In his first 19 months as a professional prizefighter he had fought 10 times, but after travelling to the Paris Olympics, Cyprus and Spain with the satisfaction of knowing that he had recorded 10 victories, he revealed that he became agitated because of his desperation to return to the ring.
“I done everything I wanted to do,” he said ahead of the fight with McKean, of Australia, on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury II at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “I went to the Olympics; went Cyprus; went Spain a couple of times. Went back home [to Kent, England], to see the family; I went everywhere, pretty much. I did have a good holiday.
LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 01: Anthony Joshua looks on prior to the Heavyweight fight between Anthony Joshua and Jermaine Franklin at The O2 Arena on April 01, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)
“When I was out in Spain, I was thinking, ‘I can’t wait to get back in the gym – I’m actually tired of this’. So, yeah, I needed it. When I’ve taken a break from boxing, I’ve realised how much I need it. It’s addictive. I just can’t be the one sitting around not doing anything. I have to do something. When I came back from my holiday I was eager to get back into the gym. Enjoying my life’s not really for me, because I don’t really deserve to enjoy it yet. I need to make an impact on boxing first. Not even in boxing – in people’s lives.
“I was calling him out, so when Demsey McKean was like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna give you the fight’, I’m like, ‘Yeah, let’s crack on – let’s not waste no time’.
“It wasn’t just him. I called out Demsey McKean; [David] Adeleye; [Solomon] Dacres. I called out everyone. Obviously McKean said, ‘Yeah, I’ll have a bit of that’, so we’re here now.
“It don’t bother me. At the end of the day I go in there and fight – that’s my job. Making fights happen is not my job. I just leave that down to my team. Maybe they [potential opponents] have got to make their money’s worth.
“Boxing’s my job – I get in the ring and fight. Whatever happens outside the ring, that’s not down to me. Let’s say I fight Johnny Fisher in a year or so. I wouldn’t care about the titles. It’s just me and Johnny, the two English heavyweights, coming up. We have to fight, title or no title. Maybe I am coming up; maybe I’m not. I don’t care. I just want to get in the ring.
“Maybe I do want [Daniel] Dubois, but not because of his titles – because he’s the heavyweight on the British scene. He’s number one. He’s seen as the best, and I want that. I’m not bothered about the titles, and X, Y, Z, because you’ve got to look at the rankings.
“Some of these guys, I’m like, ‘How are you ranked?’. I’m not too bothered about the titles. I just want to be the best, really, and I just want to make the best fights happen. Even with Demsey McKean – I’m pretty sure this is for the Commonwealth title. I’m not really too bothered. I just wanted to fight Demsey. That’s just how it is.”
In his day, Mike Tyson was one of the most watchable fighters on the planet.
The ferocious heavyweight from Brownsville, Brooklyn won the world heavyweight championship at age 20 and continued to strike fear into opponents until he was shockingly knocked out by James ‘Buster’ Douglas in 1990.
A subsequent stint in prison saw Tyson out of the ring for many of his prime fighting years, but on his return he still delivered entertaining nights under the lights, going up against the likes of Frank Bruno, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis.
In an interview with the Pound 4 Pound podcast, Tyson was asked to name his top five favourite fighters to watch…
Benavidez is a two-time super-middleweight champion who recently won the WBC Interim Light-Heavyweight belt, putting him in line for a shot at the full title in the future, currently held by Artur Beterbiev. Currently undefeated, the man fans want to see him and his all-action style in against most is Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Next up is David Morrell.
Gervonta Davis
‘Tank’ Davis could be the hardest puncher, pound-for-pound, in the entire sport. With just two men hearing the final bell against him in 30 fights, his explosive shots have catapulted him to stardom. The 29-year-old holds the WBA Lightweight World Title and will face Lamont Roach Jr next.
Shakur Stevenson
By CompuBox numbers, Stevenson is one of the least hittable fighters in the sport. A three-weight world champion at the age of 27, he is currently alongside ‘Tank’ in the lightweight ranks holding the WBC belt. Shakur is sidelined with a hand injury but has said he will return in February of 2025 to face number one contender William Zepeda.
Terence Crawford
Crawford is the latest four-weight world champion in the sport having won belts at 135, 140, 147 and 154 pounds. He tops many pound-for-pound lists given his switch-hitting and punishing fighting style is yet to be deciphered in 41 contests. Like Benavidez, he’s in the market for a fight against Canelo, though that would require jumping up a further two divisions.
Errol Spence Jr
Spence was undefeated in 28 fights before coming up against ‘Bud’ Crawford last year and losing in the undisputed welterweight fight. With wins over the likes of Shawn Porter, Kell Brook and Mikey Garcia, fans would like to see him come again and a return up at super-welterweight has been touted.
British boxer Tyson Fury, in a shocking admission, said he felt sorry for former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua following his surprise knockout defeat to IBF world heavyweight boxing champion Daniel Dubois at Wembley in September, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Joshua was the favourite going into the fight only to be overpowered by Dubois, who earned a knockout victory in the fifth round to hand the 32-year-old his fourth professional career loss.
Joshua’s bid to become a three-time world champion and return to the division’s top table ended dramatically and unexpectedly, with Dubois dropping him several times at Wembley Stadium in front of 98,000 fans before he landed the final blow, a crunching right-hand, in Round 5 that left Joshua sprawling on the canvas.
Promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that Joshua’s next contest will be a rematch with Dubois or a clash with Fury.
First, Fury, who has long been linked with a super fight with Joshua, will face unified champion Oleksandr Usyk on December 21 after losing to the Ukrainian in May.
The Gipsy King, while looking forward to a clash between the two, said he felt sorry for his rival.
“I feel sorry for him at the minute, being cleaned out in the last fight in five rounds, so he’ll have to do that again—or not—and then decide his future,” Fury told Sky News.
“When an adversary loses, and it’s not to you, you do feel down and depressed about it. I felt sad for him. It was heartbreaking to see a worthy opponent lose his crown.
“I’d still fight him whether he’s got five losses, 10 losses, or 20. It’s not important because, at this stage of our careers, it’s about having good fights.
“I think it would still be an entertaining and interesting fight for the paying pundit.”
However, Fury says his immediate goal is for a third fight with Usyk, after previous trilogies versus Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora.
“I would like to have a trilogy with Usyk. It would be 1-1, and then we would have to do a rubber match, and I’d be the only heavyweight in history to have three trilogy. That would be quite impressive.”
anthony Joshua’s anticipated February rematch against Daniel Dubois is now uncertain, with promoter Eddie Hearn raising concerns over the quick recovery period. Joshua, who suffered a knockout loss to Dubois in September, has been focused on a comeback in Saudi Arabia.
However, Hearn hinted that a May rematch might be more realistic, explaining, “It’s a fast turnaround.” Despite Joshua’s desire to face Dubois again, Hearn is cautious about the timeline to ensure proper preparation.
Plans could also shift if Tyson Fury triumphs in his December rematch against Oleksandr Usyk, potentially setting up a high-stakes summer showdown between Fury and Joshua.
Anthony Joshua’s potential rematch with Daniel Dubois in February has been cast into doubt due to minor injuries and timing issues.
Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, told BBC Sport that whilst AJ “desperately wants revenge”, there are concerns about the tight turnaround.
“For the rematch to happen in February, training camp will have to start in a couple of weeks,” Hearn explained.
“There are always niggles and he had a few so physically it’s just a case of whether AJ is ready to do that.”
The uncertainty comes just months after Dubois shocked Joshua with a fifth-round knockout at Wembley Stadium in September.
Hearn further elaborated on the timing concerns in an interview with Sky Sports. “Ideally we’d like to return around May time,” he said.
“It does feel as though it’s coming on quite quickly.”
The promoter emphasised that Joshua has categorically expressed his desire for the rematch.
However, the decision on whether he will be ready for February is yet to be made.
“From a body perspective we could probably do with a little bit more time ideally,” Hearn added.
“Sometimes it’s not ideal and you just go for it. But we just need to decide are we going to be ready.”
Daniel Dubois, the IBF heavyweight champion, is set to defend his title in February regardless of Joshua’s decision.
With the Dubois rematch uncertain, Joshua may instead set his sights on a potential bout with Tyson Fury.
Hearn told BBC Sport: “It would be frustrating if we made the Dubois rematch and Fury won [vs Oleksandr Usyk]. Then we’re sitting there going ‘hang on a minute, we’re fighting Dubois but we could have fought Fury in May for the biggest fight in boxing.'”
The promoter added: “Win or lose, we can fight Fury next summer. But if he wins, AJ fights him for the world title.”
Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, told Sky Sports: “Daniel will defend his title in February and if it’s not Joshua then it’ll be against somebody who is ranked in the top five.”
Warren added that Dubois would take the rematch “in a heartbeat” but questioned whether Joshua’s team would advise him to do so.
The IBF rules allow Dubois a nine-month window for a voluntary defence, which opened the possibility for the Joshua rematch.
However, after this period, Dubois must fulfil a mandatory title defence.
Fury is set to face Usyk on 21 December, with the outcome potentially influencing Joshua’s next move.
Former lightweight champion Anthony Crolla has advised Anthony Joshua to consider retirement from boxing if he is not motivated by the financial rewards.
Anthony Joshua, who suffered a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last month, has dropped to seventh in the heavyweight rankings. Despite Joshua’s desire for a comeback, Crolla suggests retirement may be the best option if the monetary incentives no longer hold appeal.
“There are some huge fights out there as Anthony Joshua is still a huge name,” Crolla said. “Monster paydays out there for him. If he’s not interested in that, then yeah, I think he should retire.”
Crolla acknowledges Joshua’s impressive career and contributions to British boxing. However, he questions Joshua’s ability to compete with Usyk, Fury, or even Dubois.
The potential rematch between Joshua and Dubois is a topic of discussion, with some believing it could be a turning point. However, Crolla suggests a victory wouldn’t necessarily mean a prolonged career.
“If he beats Daniel in the rematch, then call it a day,” Crolla said. “Unbelievable what you’ve done, you’ve avenged a one-sided loss, but that’s only up to him.”
Crolla also acknowledges the diminishing hype surrounding a potential Joshua vs. Fury fight. While the fight would still attract attention, Crolla believes it wouldn’t have the same excitement as it once did.
“There’s always going to be demand for an Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury fight, but is it going to be the same as what it once was? No,” Crolla said.
Anthony Joshua might get a chance to redeem himself against Daniel Dubois at the beginning of 2025.
Dubois managed to drop Joshua four times in his victory in September. It was his fifth straight victory and he managed to retain the IBF heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium.
Plenty of talk for their immediate rematch caused the sensation after Dubois knocked out AJ back in September. Due to this, the IBF has set an April deadline for the rematch to take place.
Many felt that their encounter back in September would easily favour Joshua’s victory as he rebuilds towards another shot at the undisputed world heavyweight title.
To their surprise, Dubois emerged victorious with a knockout on Joshua and this has led to many intriguing factors in the rematch.
The deadline has been set because Daniel Dubois is the current IBF world heavyweight champion, and as IBF champion, Dubois has a mandatory fight that is due on June 21, 2025. He needs to conclude any optional defences at least 60 days before that date.
April 22, 2025, is the last date that the Joshua fight could happen.
It will be very interesting to see which route Dubois decides on, he said he would be very much open to fighting Joshua a second time because he is quite confident, he will defeat him again.
Joshua is almost desperate to fight Dubois again because it will be a chance to redeem himself from the defeat.
Dubois vs Joshua is a big and interesting fight, though his match against Bakole or Kabayel is also something to forward to.
Bakole and Kabayel will face each other and the winner will face Dubois for the IBF title.
This is a make-or-break opportunity for Anthony Joshua because if he wins, he will be able to redeem himself but if he loses, he might be forced to early retirement.
