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Oleksandr Usyk refuses to accept Tyson Fury’s retirement and warns Joshua

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Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

Oleksandr Usyk has made it clear he won’t take Tyson Fury‘s retirement at face value, dismissing the boxer’s latest exit as anything but final. Just months after scoring a second dominant win over Fury in December, Usyk insists the Brit is still in training and could return – a strong signal that a mega-fight with Anthony Joshua remains on his radar.

On January 13, 2025, Fury officially announced his retirement following back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian southpaw.

It was Fury’s fifth retirement in a career marked by dramatic comebacks. Yet Usyk, speaking to The Stomping Ground, was unimpressed: “I think he’s not retired. I think Tyson continues training, continue boxing, because he’s a great man,” he said.

That statement carries extra weight given Fury‘s history of walk-outs. His exits in 2013, 2017, and 2022 were all followed by eventual returns – making his latest retirement announcement sound more like a pause. Usyk referenced this legacy of comebacks to reinforce his prediction that Fury may reemerge yet again.

A clear path to Joshua looms

Usyk’s dismissal of Fury‘s retirement isn’t just lip service – it’s strategic. With Fury allegedly set to sit it out, Usyk hinted at an even bigger showdown: a long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua. He is openly rooting for that fight to cap off his career.

Usyk currently heads into a July rematch against Daniel Dubois, but has already earmarked Joshua – and even Fury – as preferred opponents for a potential swan-song.

This showdown with Joshua would be a blockbuster – Usyk has twice defeated “AJ” (in 2021 and August 2022), both times defending or reclaiming his undisputed status

A trilogy rematch with Fury also remains on the table, should Fury re-enter the ring.

Behind the scenes, Saudi promoters like Turki Alalshikh are already plotting grand finales for the heavyweight division – including Fury vs. Joshua or Joshua vs. Usyk.

But Usyk‘s blunt assertion that Fury’s retirement won’t stand suggests he wants every large-scale option open – especially one that sees Joshua forced to rise or retire.

For now, Fury remains officially retired, and Joshua is rehabbing an elbow injury while negotiations continue. Usyk, however, is already thinking ahead.

Whether Fury stays away or returns once more, one thing is clear – the heavyweight landscape is shifting, and Usyk is eager to book his final act against the fighters who define his era.

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New Opponent In Line For Deontay Wilder If He Wins Comeback And It’s Not Anthony Joshua

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Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder

Deontay Wilder soon makes his comeback to the heavyweight division, and after being linked with big fights like Anthony Joshua, a new potential opponent has emerged.

After a full year out, Wilder fights Tyrrell Herndon on June 27 in a must-win contest if he has any chance of getting back to the top of the division he once ruled. The former WBC world champion and famed knockout artist has lost four of his last five fights, three by knockout to Tyson Fury and Zhilei Zhang, and one on points to Joseph Parker.

Should he beat Herndon, he is being mentioned for plenty of big fights, such as Joshua, who has not fought since losing to Daniel Dubois in September.

However, promoter Eddie Hearn has now told iFLTV that much-loved Brit Dave Allen’s call out has been heard by the American’s team and that manager Shelly Finkel is keen.

“I have heard that Shelley Finkel likes the Dave Allen fight for Deontay Wilder. If Allen wins in September, I’m going to be doing everything I can to make Wilder Allen. Mate, how big is that fight? You know that fight sells out the O2, Manchester Arena and all those, and some.”

Allen’s last fight in May saw him knock Johnny Fisher out cold in their rematch having lost in controversial fashion back in December in the first fight.

The 33-year-old has now had 33 fights, including against top-tier heavyweights like Luiz Ortiz and Dillian Whyte. At this stage and given the momentum, some in the sport believe the durable Brit would represent a challenger for Wilder, who has struggled to find form since beginning his losing streak to Tyson Fury back in 2021.

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Matchroom fuels Joshua-Wilder speculation

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Deontay Wilder and Anthony Joshua

Speculation surrounding a long-awaited bout between Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder has reignited, with Matchroom Boxing publicly expressing fresh interest in staging the heavyweight showdown, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The proposed clash, once touted as a unification decider when both men held versions of the heavyweight titles in 2018 and 2019, failed to materialise at the time.

Years later, the narrative is re-emerging, as Matchroom CEO Frank Smith confirmed the fight remains very much in their sights—provided Wilder successfully completes his upcoming comeback bout.

“If he comes through his warm-up, Deontay Wilder,” Smith told Boxing News when asked about potential opponents for Joshua.

“This sport is about narrative. It’s about buying into fights that people have an interest in and that’s a fight that everyone would still have interest in. Regardless of whether it didn’t happen five years ago, people still want to see it now.”

Wilder, now 39, is scheduled to face Tyrrell Herndon in Kansas on June 27. The former WBC champion has suffered four defeats in his last five fights, including losses to Tyson Fury, Joseph Parker, and most recently Zhilei Zhang.

Despite this decline in form, the American knockout artist remains a major draw, and victory later this month could earn him a shot at Joshua.

Joshua, meanwhile, has been sidelined following surgery on an elbow injury but is expected to return to the ring in the Autumn.

Talks have reportedly been held with organisers of Riyadh Season over a potential two-fight deal. Names such as Dillian Whyte and Jared Anderson have been mentioned, though Whyte now appears to be lining up a separate bout with Moses Itauma in August.

Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder

Frank Smith acknowledged that Whyte is no longer a frontrunner to face Joshua next, hinting instead that the Wilder fight could make more commercial and sporting sense.

“I personally like the Deontay Wilder fight myself. I think there’s so much narrative there,” he explained in a separate conversation with BoxingScene.

“AJ’s in a great position. He’s still commercially the biggest draw in the sport, I believe, but we’ve got to make the right decision and this is the biggest decision he’ll make of his career.”

Smith added that the priority remains for Joshua to return to full fitness before finalising any plans. “Get back in the gym, get 100 per cent, and then we’ll go for it,” he said.

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Anthony Joshua draws up new three fight hit-list with Tyson Fury yet to make U-turn

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Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury

Anthony Joshua still wants to face Tyson Fury, but has included Deontay Wilder on an alternative list of potential opponents.

AJ has yet to compete since being brutally stopped by Daniel Dubois last September.

But the British heavyweight is still hugely keen on a showdown with Tyson Fury, albeit his long-term rival insists he is retired from boxing.

Joshua recently revealed that he would have surgery which will delay his ring return until later in the year.

But with time ticking on his career, he is keen to enter the world title mix again as quickly as possible.

He said: “Hopefully [the Fury fight] happens.

“The industry should not be left without it, and those [who are] interested should be able to witness it.

“I think a potential fight with Martin Bakole, Agit Kabayel or Deontay Wilder would work too.

“To be completely honest with you, Joseph Parker deserves a shot at the winner [of Usyk vs Dubois 2] more than me right now.”

Bakole and Joshua have had history of a clash, with Ben Shalom claiming they reached a deal earlier in the year.

But it hasn’t yet materialised, but a bout in Africa could well be a lucrative option for a comeback.

Kabayel is ranked well in the governing bodies, and a victory over the German for Joshua would throw him right back into the mix.

Meanwhile Joshua and Wilder have still yet to face after years of rivalry.

The pair had signed an agreement, but the ‘Bronze Bomber’ lost back-to-back fights against Zhilei Zhang and Parker.

He was linked with retirement, but victory over Tyrell Herndon in his return clash on June 27 could thrust him back into the limelight.

Clearly AJ is still hopeful Fury will reverse his decision, and he indicated he could with a cryptic call-out for a trilogy with Usyk.

And in the meantime, he has suggested he will try to rebuild physically to ensure he is in prime condition.

“My body has been through the works,” he added.

“If I want to be here for the long time I just want to make sure my body is really really good before I get back into the ring.

“Sooner than later. I’m still training but I’m just kind of rebuilding.

“To be good is not enough in boxing, if you want to be a world champion you’ve got to be great.

“Throughout the last year or so, especially my last fight I was good but not great.

“To be a champion you gotta be ‘on your s***’ basically and I need to step my game up.”

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Larry Holmes Has No Doubt Who Gets KO’d In Prime George Foreman vs

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George Foreman and Mike Tyson

Larry Holmes Has No Doubt Who Gets KO’d In Prime George Foreman vs Mike Tyson Bout: “Too Powerful”

A fantasy showdown between heavyweight icons George Foreman and Mike Tyson has been debated for many years.

‘Big’ George burst onto the scene during the early seventies, capturing world honours for the first time in 1973 when he defeated Joe Frazier. He returned to the sport in 1987 after a ten year hiatus, going on to become the oldest heavyweight champion of all time when he beat Michael Moorer in 1994.

Tyson rose to prominence during the early-to-mid 80s, winning his first nineteen professional fights by knockout. He became the youngest heavyweight champion of all time in 1986 when he blasted out WBC champion Trevor Berbick inside just two rounds.

A bout between the late, great Foreman and Tyson had reportedly been discussed during the 90s but never came to fruition – mainly due to ‘Big’ George’s quest to regain a world title and ‘Iron’ Mike losing his in a shock upset to Buster Douglas – leaving fans wondering what would have happened had the heavyweight greats locked horns.

One man who has had his say on the outcome of a fantasy match-up is Larry Holmes, who reigned as the world heavyweight champion for seven years between 1978 and 1985.

Despite sharing the ring with ‘Iron’ Mike and experiencing his thunderous power first hand, Holmes claimed in an interview with Sky Sports Boxing that Tyson would not have coped in with Foreman.

“I ain’t knocking Mike Tyson, but no.. George Forman would win in two seconds, he hit too hard.

Anybody come at George Foreman you got to box like I did, or Ali did, you can’t stay there and take those punches. They take your head off. Bam, bam, it’s like the kitchen sink he’s hitting you with.”

Tyson made a shock return to boxing at 58-years-old last November, suffering a unanimous decision defeat to Youtube star turned fighter Jake Paul at the AT&T Stadium in Texas.

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Danny Jacobs Has No Doubt Who Was Better Between Canelo And Golovkin After Facing Both

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Canelo Alvarez

Canelo Alvarez and Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin are two of the greatest fighters of their generation.

They shared the ring on several occasions between 2017 and 2022, producing one of the most entertaining and closely fought contests of all time in their first encounter which ended in a split decision draw, although most thought that ‘GGG’ should have had his hand raised

Their rematch took place exactly one year later, although it was Canelo who got the win on this occasion to capture the unified WBC and WBA world middleweight titles.

The trilogy bout between Canelo and Golovkin took place four years after the rematch, ending with Canelo having his hand raised once again after a dominant performance to successfully defend his undisputed super-middleweight champion and put their intense rivalry to bed.

One man who has shared the ring with both fighters is former IBF middleweight champion Danny Jacobs, revealing in an interview with DAZN Boxing that Golovkin was the better fighter out of the two, as well as admitting that the Kazakh legend was actually the hardest opponent of his career.

“Honestly I think my toughest opponent was GGG, out of both the guys he was a stronger guy and mentally he put that pressure on you to where physically you’re like it’s just so much to take on in one fight, he was a great champion, I believe I got the victory but nonetheless it was a great fight.”

Golovkin defeated Jacobs via unanimous decision in March 2017 to unify the WBC, WBA and IBF middleweight titles. This was the first time ‘GGG’ had been the entire twelve round distance in his entire professional career, having defeated his last 23 opponents prior to this inside the scheduled distance.

Jacobs also went the full twelve rounds and again lost out on the scorecards against Canelo back in 2019.

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Manny Pacquiao enshrined in boxing’s Hall of Fame just as he

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Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao enshrined in boxing’s Hall of Fame just as he resumes his record-setting career

Manny Pacquiao’s fighting days aren’t finished yet, as he’s coming out of retirement at 46 for a shot at another title next month

Manny Pacquiao’s fighting days aren’t finished yet, as he’s coming out of retirement at 46 for a shot at another title next month.

No matter what happens in the remaining stage, it’s hard to find many better resumes than the one he already assembled in a career that landed him in the International Boxing Hall of Fame on Sunday.

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Manny Pacquiao fights back tears during emotional Hall of Fame induction speech

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Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao took his rightful place in the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) over the weekend.

But unlike the rest of the class of 2025, his career isn’t over just yet.

The 46-year-old is gearing up to return to the ring for the first time in four years against Mario Barrios in a controversial WBC welterweight title clash on July 19.

Pacquiao looked like a shadow of his former self in his last outing against Yordenis Ugas back in August 2021.

Yet the WBC have chosen to rank ‘Pacman’ at No.5 in their 147lbs ratings while simultaneously sanctioning him to face a champion that is 16 years his junior.

Regardless of what happens in the ring next month, Pacquiao’s legacy is cemented.

And on Sunday, he joined former foes Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya in the IBHOF with a ceremony at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York.

Fighting back tears in an emotional induction speech, Pacquiao recounted his remarkable journey from the poverty-stricken streets of the Philippines to the top of the world.

“I came from nothing. Just a small boy from the streets of General Santos City. No shoes. No food. No chance,” he said.

“Just a dream in my heart. I know hunger. I know pain. I know what it means to be counted out.

“But I also know what God can do when you keep the faith and never give up…

“Boxing gave me a way out. It turned my struggles into strength, my failures into lessons. And my pain into purpose…

“It was not just for me but for my family, for the Filipino people, and to all the fans, and for the glory of our God.

“I never chase greatness. I just worked hard to be better than the Manny Pacquiao I was yesterday.

“I never picked the easy fights. I chose the hard ones.

“I moved up weight one after weight, not to protect a record but to test my limits.”

The Filipino boxing legend became the first, and to date only, fighter to win world titles in eight separate weight classes.

Pacquiao started his career at flyweight (106lbs), and picked up belts all the way up to super welterweight (154lbs) over the course of four decades.

Along the way, he beat a who’s who of boxing greats, including De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales, while he was rarely in a dull fight.

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Canelo vs Crawford: Turki Alalshikh Reveals Key Detail

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Turki Alalshikh and Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford

Turki Alalshikh recently revealed Canelo vs Crawford will take place on September 13. There had been rumours of a falling out between Alalshikh and Dana White, who was set to promote Canelo vs Crawford – but His Excellency has seemingly rubbished those rumours by confirming White’s involvement in the super-fight.

Canelo vs Crawford Set for September 13 – Turki Reveals Key Detail

Turki Alalshikh Confirms Dana White Involvement

On September 13, two of the best boxers in the modern era will collide for undisputed super middleweight glory. It will surely be an exciting build-up and an intriguing fight night supported by a talented undercard. Speculation has been swirling over key details of this mega-fight, including the venue, date and promoter.

Canelo vs Crawford: Turki Alalshikh Reveals Key Detail

Turki Alalshikh recently revealed Canelo vs Crawford will take place on September 13. There had been rumours of a falling out between Alalshikh and Dana White, who was set to promote Canelo vs Crawford – but His Excellency has seemingly rubbished those rumours by confirming White’s involvement in the super-fight.

Canelo vs Crawford Set for September 13 – Turki Reveals Key Detail

Turki Alalshikh Confirms Dana White Involvement

On September 13, two of the best boxers in the modern era will collide for undisputed super middleweight glory. It will surely be an exciting build-up and an intriguing fight night supported by a talented undercard. Speculation has been swirling over key details of this mega-fight, including the venue, date and promoter.

Turki Alalshikh has today confirmed one of those key details via a post on X, where he said: “My brother Dana will promote this fight It is the fight of Riyadh Season, and we have a deal with TKO to promote it and it will the biggest fight in boxing, and tomorrow I think I will tell the details and the platform and the place for this fight, me and Dana.”

Canelo vs Crawford

5 Times Canelo Alvarez SHOCKED The Boxing World

Should Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) be victorious, he will become only the second fighter in the four-belt era to become undisputed in three weight classes. This unique feat was first achieved by the GWOAT, Claressa Shields. She defeated Danielle Perkins to obtain the vacant IBF and WBO heavyweight titles.

Crawford will surely look to move and potshot Canelo, especially early on. The Mexican will need to cut the ring off more effectively than he did in the snooze-fest against Scull.

Stay with Big Fight Weekend for the build-up, fight night and all the post-fight fallout.

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Usyk Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Tyson Fury Should Stay Retired After

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Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury

Usyk Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Tyson Fury Should Stay Retired After Beating Him Twice

Oleksandr Usyk has given his view on the retirement status of Tyson Fury.

‘The Gypsy King’ walked away from the sport back in January just weeks after a second consecutive defeat to Usyk. The first was in May 2024 when he failed in a historic bid to become undisputed champion, and the rematch went the same way with Fury losing a unanimous decision after 12 rounds.

The announcement dashed hopes of Fury and long-time British rival and fellow former champion Anthony Joshua fighting, at least for now. Joshua – who also lost twice to the Ukrainian – has not fought since September when he was stopped inside five rounds by current IBF ruler Daniel Dubois, and has been recovered from an elbow injury since to prepare for a comeback in the second half of this year.

Fury has retired before and made successful comebacks to the sport, so he has precedent for it. Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Usyk was asked about Fury and whether or not he thinks he is really retired. When it comes to fighting ‘AJ,’ the former undisputed champion says he prays it happens.

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury

“I think he’s not retired. I think Tyson continues training, continues boxing, because he’s a great man. Yes, Tyson Fury a lot of speak, blah blah blah blah blah, but he’s a great man … I believe in Jesus so I pray to say hey, help these two guys organise this fight. It will be a great fight, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.”

Right now, the man from Morecambe remains away from the sport and as such, Joshua is being linked with potential fights with the likes of Deontay Wilder instead, who makes his own low-key comeback later this month.

As for Usyk, he rematches Dubois in July on a bid to become two-time undisputed heavyweight champ.

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