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Keyshawn Davis: If Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis does fight Jake Paul, ‘it’s good for boxing’

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Keyshawn Davis and Gervonta Davis

Keyshawn Davis isn’t holding out hope for a lightweight unification bout with Gervonta “Tank” Davis materializing anytime soon.

“I ain’t going to lie, I think Tank is just thinking on a different stratosphere right now. I feel like he’s definitely chasing that Jake Paul fight,” Davis told Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” on Wednesday.

“Tank wants to just do things differently at this point. I don’t think he really wants to fight us fighters. … I don’t really think he’s paying attention to us at this point. He’s trying to get his rematch [with Lamont Roach] settled, get his respect back in the sport, and then go fight Jake Paul and maybe do an exhibition with a WWE fighter or whatever. He’s trying to do things differently so he can get them real big paydays.”

Rumors have floated for months about the possibility of a Tank vs. Paul exhibition bout later in 2025. The two sides were reportedly in talks for a match to take place after Tank’s first fight with Roach, but plans were temporarily halted from the WBA champ’s side in favor of pursuing a Roach rematch.

While many make the case that Tank’s apparent lack of desire to face the top names in the red-hot 135-pound division is bad for the sport, the WBO lightweight champion has a different view on the situation.

“At the end of the day, man, we’ve been doing this for so long, we’re in a position where we need to do what we want to do,” Davis said. “We’ve been doing this for a long time, taking punches for a long time. It’s not easy to go in there in front of millions of people and take punches. [Tank] earned the right to do what he wants to do. Outside of that, he and Jake Paul are going to bring so [many] eyes on the sport of boxing — I think it’s good for boxing.”

When Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally hung up his gloves in 2017, Tank took over as the biggest American attraction in boxing. He’s expected to rematch Roach on Aug. 16 in Las Vegas after their first fight ended in a controversial majority decision draw. In a bizarre moment in the ninth round, Tank took a knee so he could wipe his eyes after complaining that grease from his braids was bothering him. The rules of boxing are clear in not allowing timeouts, though, so the impromptu kneel-down should’ve been deemed a knockdown, which would’ve resulted in the round being scored 10-8 in favor of Roach — meaning Roach would’ve likely won the closely contested fight on all three judges’ scorecards.

“Gervonta, he’s running the show. It’s his show,” Davis said of the controversy. “So it’s hard. At the end of the day, he’s the cash cow when it comes to the [lightweight] division. That’s just what [it is], he’s running the show. It’s going to take somebody to really beat him up or somebody to knock him out for you to get that win, because he’s the cash cow. That’s just how it goes in boxing, which is not right.

“[Lamont Roach] proved a lot of naysayers wrong. He proved all the critics wrong, and honestly, it’s a real 50-50 fight going into the rematch. I just hope he gets a fair decision, even if it’s a close decision.”

Another rival WBO champ Davis believes isn’t particularly keen to share the ring with him is the WBO’s own super lightweight champion, Teofimo Lopez.

After Lopez struggled in a title defense against Jamaine Ortiz in February 2024, Davis — the co-feature on the night — confronted Lopez from ringside about a future fight. Lopez was noncommittal to the matchup, citing Davis’ lack of achievements in the sport as the reason.

The back-and-forth between the pair continued into the fight week of Davis’ title challenge against Denys Berinchyk this past February, when Davis posted on social media he received a package containing bananas and a watermelon at his hotel room. Shortly after, Lopez posted video of him watching Davis’ press conference rant while eating a banana. Although Lopez didn’t directly claim responsibility for sending the package, many — including Davis — assumed the post equated to an admission.

“First of all, Teo needs to stop being racist, period,” Davis said. “His racist antics [are] disgusting. He made a tweet [apologizing] because Turki Alalshikh told him to make the tweet. The only reason I know that is because he put that in the tweet. It wasn’t genuine. He just needs to stop the racist antics, that’s No. 1.

“And honestly, he is ducking me. I can’t speak on Devin [Haney’s failed negotiations with Lopez], but he is definitely ducking me. Turki Alalshikh, I had a meeting with him, and he put Teofimo on FaceTime, and Turki said, ‘Yo, Keyshawn wants to fight you right here. Why do you keep bringing up [welterweight champ Jaron Ennis]?’ Because [Lopez kept saying], ‘Turki, you promised me [Ennis].’ I’m on a FaceTime with him in front of Turki, saying, ‘Yo Turki, you want us to fight? Let’s fight. Let’s make it happen.’

“He’s like, ‘No, no, no, I want to fight [Ennis].’ That was very shocking to me, honestly, that he was so adamant [about] fighting ‘Boots’ over me for the same money, and it’s going to be basically the same type of [fight]. He’s definitely ducking me. I don’t know why he’s scared to fight me, but it is what it is.”

Before Davis can look toward any major names, he has a stern challenge in front of him Saturday at the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, where Edwin De Los Santos ends an 18-month layoff by challenging for Davis’ WBO lightweight title. De Los Santos hasn’t tasted action since a competitive unanimous decision loss to Shakur Stevenson for the WBC lightweight title in November 2023.

Gervonta Davis 

Stevenson’s fight with De Los Santos largely failed to entertain, and the performance was subject to plenty of criticism, mostly stemming from Stevenson’s safety-first approach in the bout. With 14 knockouts in his 16 professional wins, De Los Santos has a reputation for being a big puncher, and Stevenson was clearly wary of the Dominican’s power in their fight.

“Heck no,” Davis replied when asked if he was looking to one-up Stevenson’s showing. “When I took this fight, it [had] nothing to do with nobody. I was just looking for an opponent, and Edwin De Los Santos called me out in the media, and I accepted his callout, honestly.

“When it comes to ‘The Businessman,’ I try to stop everybody — and that’s what makes me exciting. I don’t go there and try to box with you. I’m trying to stop you in the most high-value fashion. I always tell people around me, I’m not a fighter that likes to take damage. I don’t take no damage. So if I can go in there and make you miss and make you pay and stop you, it’s perfect.

“Every fight, I feel like it [puts] me a step closer to my first pay-per-view fight — to my first mega-fight when the whole entire world is watching. We just going to keep taking these steps. People are telling me that after I stop De Los Santos, this going to put me right [on top], ‘You’re really going to be that guy.’ I don’t really let none of that get to my head. I just keep fighting, keep knocking guys out, and whatever God’s got for me, that’s what it’s going to be.”

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Rival Gives Props To Gervonta Davis And Hails His Potential ‘Amazing’ Jake Paul Fight

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Gervonta Davis 

One rival hails Gervonta Davis for continuing Floyd Mayweather’s legacy in boxing and thinks Jake Paul fight is amazing.

Gervonta Davis is a polarizing figure in boxing. Inside the ring, he brings an added layer of excitement that few can match. Outside the ring his personality shines, making him a fan favorite.

However, at times, he might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Given his superstar status, Davis is often called out by opponents in his weight class. And in a bid to grab Davis’ attention, they also ridicule him.

One fighter who has wanted to fight the WBA lightweight champion for a while is the WBO title holder in the division, Keyshawn Davis. Davis, though, had nothing but praise for his namesake in a recent interview with Sean Zittel.

Keyshawn Davis claimed Gervonta Davis kept the excitement factor alive in boxing following Floyd Mayweather’s departure from the sport. He further added that ‘Tank’ fighting Jake Paul would be massive for boxing. Gervonta Davis has been in talks to fight Paul later this year following his upcoming rematch against Lamont Roach.

Keyshawn Davis, who fights Edwin De Los Santos this weekend, said:

I think that him [‘Tank’] going to fight Jake Paul is amazing. I think he should go do that. I think that’s gonna be great for the sport of boxing. It’s gonna get more eyes on the sport of boxing. You got the YouTuber eyes, the casual eyes. ‘Tank’ got a lot of casuals.

He thinks sports fans will be intrigued to see Gervonta Davis vs Jake Paul. Keyshawn Davis then compared ‘Tank’ to Floyd Mayweather, saying:

I talk a lot of sh*t about a lot of people but I am starting to just maturing in this game. At the end of the day, after the Floyd era, Tank carried that torch and made sure boxing was lit for fighters like me…. People are scared to admit that and I’m not. ‘Tank’ did a hell of a job in carrying the torch that Floyd passed on to him.

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Who Are Some of the Top Active Women Boxers Right Now?

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Claressa Shields

(JUNE 4) Tens of millions of people tuned in to watch the Tyson-Paul fight. The match of Jake Paul fighting Mike Tyson. Jake defeating a boxer twice his age and decades retired.  People were, of course, excited to see the return of Iron Mike, even in this capacity. However, true boxing fans knew that the real fight was happening later in the card. The true main event was a long-anticipated rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

This fight was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and followed up their 2022 clash. Katie Taylor wound up retaining her title in a unanimous decision.

It was a brutal fight that involved a headbutt to Serrano’s eye, among other things.

What does that tell us about the state of the game? Female boxing is both growing in popularity and in quality. Many of the best fighters in the world today are women, but who are they? Read on to find out.

Katie Taylor

Let’s start with one of  the best of the best. Katie Taylor is arguably one of the most dominant force in modern female boxing. She was born in Bray, Ireland, and began establishing a name for herself overseas long before any American had ever taken to women’s boxing.

She is a gold medal winner from the 2012 London Olympics, which was the first year the sport was included at all. She turned pro in 2016 as a lightweight.

By 2019, she was the undisputed champion, winning all four major belts. Katie Taylor is known for fast footwork and high-volume punching.

She works at a pace that wears down and overwhelms her opponents. She also happens to be one of the most popular fighters in the world. Her first fight against Amanda Serrano in 2022 sold out Madison Square Garden.

Claressa Shields

Claressa Shields another one of the top in the sport, has not gotten quite as much exposure as Serrano vs.  Katie Taylor fight(s). Selling out Madison Square Garden and getting booked on the same card as Mike Tyson is going to put you in front of a lot of eyeballs.

Claressa Shields is one of the most decorated professionals in boxing history. And no, we don’t only mean on the women’s side of the sport.

She was born in Flint, Michigan, and won an Olympic gold medal in 2012, then again in 2016. That same year, she turned pro and quickly rose to the top.

She’s a three-time division world champion, a record she claimed with stunning speed. Claressa Shields is known for being fast, strong, and ruthless.

Amanda Serrano

Amanda Serrano was born in Puerto Rico but grew up in Brooklyn. Her résumé is beyond doubt: a seven-division world champion and the most decorated professional in women’s boxing.

Since turning pro in 2009, she’s built her career on steady consistency. Many of her wins came on small cards, but she’s never been afraid to step into the spotlight.

She’s aggressive and strong — a combination that has made her particularly effective at getting knockouts. The 2022 Katie Taylor fight was an enormous moment for her as well, exposing Amanda Serrano to millions of new fans. She lost the fight, but contributed to a major win for women’s boxing.

Watch Women’s Boxing

Interested in more women’s boxing? First of all, we should mention that there are countless more names that are worth paying attention to. The women we’ve included above made their way on our list for a few reasons. The first is that we’re working with limited space here. An entire book could be devoted to the subject of women’s boxing.

The other thing—these women have contributed not just through their talent, but also through their exposure, bringing the game in front of more and more eyes. Speaking of bringing boxing to a wider audience, there is a high-profile match coming up this summer. Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano are going at it again.

Their fight, which can be watched on Netflix, takes place on July 11th. It’s actually a pretty enormous moment for the sport as well, making history as the first all-female professional boxing card. If you are interested in making a wager, check how to wage with  YouBet.com.

Katie Taylor is currently favored by oddsmakers but by just the most marginal amount. They have flip-flopped several times, and the biggest takeaway is that this will be a pretty close competition.

In fact, it’s worth keeping in mind that Taylor’s two previous wins could actually be a handicap going into this match.

It’s very hard to beat someone as high-level as Amanda Serrano three times in a row. So, can Katie Taylor do it? Well, if anyone can, it’s her. What we can say for certain is that this will be an exciting fight that anyone with any interest at all in female boxing should tune in for.

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Gervonta Davis reveals who he considers the greatest boxer in

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Gervonta Davis 

Gervonta Davis reveals who he considers the greatest boxer in history: ‘I’ll always appreciate him’

Gervonta Davis surprised many with his pick for the greatest boxer of all time. His choice reflects both admiration and a complex personal history.

  • WBO Champion Keyshawn Davis drops honest take on Terence Crawford vs Canelo Alvarez fight
  • Ex-two division king targets Canelo Alvarez fight following Terence Crawford bout

Undefeated in 31 professional fights, Gervonta “Tank” Davis is widely regarded as one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound stars. Known for his massive drawing power at the gate and in pay-per-view sales, Davis recently had one of the most questioned performances of his career, earning a split draw against Lamont Roach on March 1st while defending his WBA lightweight title.

That result ended a perfect streak of 30 consecutive wins since his pro debut on February 22, 2013, when he knocked out Desi Williams in the first round. Of those victories, 28 came by knockout, a testament to his explosive punching power and reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the sport.

Despite his knockout prowess, Tank’s pick for the greatest boxer ever leans toward style and skill over brute force. Gervonta Davis named Floyd Mayweather—the undefeated five-division world champion with a 50–0 record—as the greatest to ever step into the ring.

A relationship strained over time

Davis began his professional career under the guidance of Mayweather, who acted as his mentor and promoter. For years, Davis was seen as Mayweather’s prized protégé. However, their relationship began to fracture during the build-up to Davis’ May 2022 bout against Rolly Romero.

Following his sixth-round TKO victory in that fight, Davis announced he was leaving Mayweather Promotions, stating that he felt it was time to take control of his own career. Mayweather reportedly saw the decision as a betrayal and a sign of ingratitude.

Yet Davis has never denied the impact Mayweather had on his career. After Mayweather was notably absent for Tank’s bout against Hector Garcia in January 2023, he reappeared in Davis’ corner for the high-profile showdown against Ryan Garcia in April, where Davis won by seventh-round knockout.

“He just gave me great words. Told me to stay calm,” Davis said at the post-fight press conference. “I always like listening to Floyd when it comes to big moments like this, because he’s the only one who’s been in my shoes and has fought on this kind of stage. He just helped keep me grounded and on the right path. So I’ll always appreciate Floyd for being in my corner and backing me, always.”

Mayweather’s daughter at the center of the rift

While some of the tension stemmed from Mayweather’s limited presence during the Romero fight promotion, Davis recently suggested that rumors about a possible relationship with Mayweather’s daughter contributed to the fallout.

“I don’t want to get too deep into that because I don’t want to bring it back,” Davis admitted. “But they were saying I was involved with his daughter because she kept messaging me on Snapchat. She kept sending messages, so someone showed them to Floyd and he lost his mind. These are things people on the outside don’t see.”

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Anthony Joshua lined up to fight two heavyweight rivals in new deal… but

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ANTHONY JOSHUA and Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois

Anthony Joshua lined up to fight two heavyweight rivals in new deal… but they are NOT Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois

ANTHONY JOSHUA is in talks over a new two-fight deal – but it may not include Tyson Fury or Daniel Dubois.

AJ has been out since September when he was knocked out by Dubois at Wembley.

An arm injury has ruled him out of returning – leaving Joshua to have surgery on his elbow in May.

And promoter Eddie Hearn revealed talks with Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh have taken place in the meantime.

Hearn told BoxingScene: “We are actually discussing a two-fight deal with Riyadh Season.

“We’ve been doing that, [Turki Alalshikh] said that on the night of Canelo [vs. William Scull, May 3], when we had our meeting, and that’s the plan really.

“We want to box sometime this year, October, November, December.”

Joshua, 35, snubbed a rematch with Dubois, 27, the IBF champion.

Dubois now rematches Oleksandr Usyk on July 19 at Wembley two years after losing to the Ukrainian.

Fury, 36, was twice beaten by Usyk, 38, in 2024 and announced his shock retirement in January.

It dashes hopes of a British blockbuster with AJ but Hearn said: “We’ll see what happens with Dubois-Usyk, we’ll see what happens with Fury.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois

“And if we don’t fight those guys, we’ll fight, and then maybe we’ll follow one of those guys next year.”

Two names also on Joshua’s radar are Dillian Whyte and American Jared Anderson.

Hearn said: “Two guys that have been discussed, but nothing concrete.”

AJ knocked out Whyte in 2015 and they were due to meet in a rematch in August 2023.

That was until Whyte returned “an adverse finding” in his pre-fight drug test – having to subsequently withdraw.

He blamed the failed test on a tainted supplement and returned last year with wins in Ireland and Gibraltar.

Whyte is due to return on Saturday on Fabio Wardley’s undercard in Ipswich – but is yet to have an opponent.

Anderson, 25, meanwhile was KO’d by Martin Bakole, 31, last August but beat Marios Kollias in his February comeback.

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I boxed Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois but forgotten

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Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois

I boxed Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois but forgotten heavyweight hit harder than them all

Kevin Johnson has shared the ring with a who’s who of heavyweight greats during his 20-year stint in professional boxing.

The American veteran started out as a contender, building up a respectable 22-0-1 record in his first six years in the paid ranks before landing a WBC title shot against Vitali Klitschko in 2009.

He lost the fight via unanimous decision, and after falling to a second defeat against Tor Hamer in the Prizefighter 25: heavyweight final, his career took an entirely different route.

In the preceding years, Johnson established himself as one of the most recognisable journeymen in boxing, sharing the ring with the likes of Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois and Andy Ruiz Jr, to name a few.

He has since lost 20 out of his last 29 fights and currently holds a 36-22-2 record.

Yet his durability and defensive craft mean only three men have been able to stop him at the time of writing (Joshua, Petar Milas and Martin Bakole).

Given that he wasn’t able to withstand the punishment of the aforementioned trio, the expectation is that one of them would be considered the hardest hitter he has ever faced.

However, when the question was posed to him by Russian newspaper Sport Express, Johnson picked an opponent he actually beat.

“Alex Leapai from Australia,” he replied. “Alex Leapai is the physically strongest boxer I have ever met in my life.

“Not only in a fight – I went back to Australia later, lived there for a while, and we sparred together every day. He is powerful.”

In an interview with iFL TV a few years prior, Johnson also said of the Samoan slugger: “The worst punch I ever felt was Alex Leapai.

“And I s*** you not it was harder than Vitali’s.”

Videos of their fight, which took place in Australia in 2012, are scarce, but we do know that Johnson won the bout via ninth-round TKO.

Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois 

Following the crushing defeat, Leapai ended up fighting Wladimir Klitschko a couple of years later for the WBA, IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles.

But he proved to be no match for Klitschko as he was blown out in the fifth round.

Leapai was never the most subtle fighter, although he possessed plenty of punching power, with 26 of his 32 wins coming via knockout.

He eventually hung up his gloves in 2019 with a 32-8-4 record, following a 10th-round stoppage loss to Joseph Parker.

His son, Alex Leapai Jr, has since followed in his father’s footsteps by turning over as a professional.

The 19-year-old prospect holds a pro record of 4-0-1 with three knockout wins to his name.

He drew his last fight with debutant Tim Tusa, but is looking to get back on the winning track when he returns to the ring on July 16 in Sydney.

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Lennox Lewis Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Tyson Fury Beats

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Tyson Fury and Mike Tyson

Lennox Lewis Didn’t Hesitate When Asked If Tyson Fury Beats Prime Mike Tyson

Lennox Lewis has given his view on a fantasy match-up between Tyson Fury and Mike Tyson.

Lewis is one of boxing’s greatest heavyweights, having become a three-time world champion and the last man to be undisputed before Oleksandr Usyk repeated that feat – against Tyson Fury – in May 2024.

‘The Lion’ defeated almost all of the top fighters in his era, including ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Vitali Klitschko in his final fight before retiring in 2004 with a record of 41 wins, 2 losses and 1 draw and never having lost his titles in the ring.

For many years, it seemed as though Fury was on track to match many of those records after becoming unified champion when he beat Wladimir Klitschko, then defeating American knockout artist Deontay Wilder in two thrilling fights after years out. However, he more recently tasted defeat twice to Usyk, prompting him to announce his retirement.

Brooklyn’s Tyson – who Fury was named after – holds the record for being the youngest ever heavyweight world champion, aged just 19.

A fantasy fight between the two heavyweights presents an intriguing clash of styles – Mike’s ferocity, speed and ability to close the distance versus Fury’s tricky style, huge weight advantage and movement.

Speaking to the Daily Mail for a round of winner stays on, Lewis was asked to pick who would win between the two and sided with his former foe.

“Mike Tyson.”

Another fight that may be resigned to the ‘fantasy’ category is that of Fury versus Anthony Joshua. Though the path seems clear to make the all-British banger after years of failed attempts, ‘The Gypsy King’ is adamant that he will not be returning to the ring.

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Prep Kitchen names Anthony Joshua as its latest

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Anthony Joshua

Prep Kitchen names Anthony Joshua as its latest brand ambassador

Anthony Joshua OBE, steps into the ring with Prep Kitchen to inspire a range of meals celebrating his Nigerian heritage.

, the leading brand of chef-cooked and healthy meals, has teamed up with two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua, who joins the brand as its newest ambassador and inspiration for a limited-edition recipe range.

This high-profile partnership marks a significant milestone for Prep Kitchen. As one of Britain’s most iconic athletes known for his discipline, drive, and dedication to peak performance, Anthony Joshua embodies the values at the heart of the brand – making nutritious, gourmet-level meals developed by Michelin-trained chefs accessible to people with ambitious health and fitness goals.

As part of the collaboration, Anthony Joshua will work closely with Prep Kitchen’s Head of Food, Paul Mason to craft an exclusive range of meals inspired by the vibrant flavours of Nigerian cuisine – a celebration of his heritage, and a bold new addition to Prep Kitchen’s weekly menu.

The meals featured in the range include West African Style Red Pepper and Peanut Chicken, Suya Beef with Jollof Rice, and a fragrant Nigerian Fish Curry. The first meal will be available for deliveries from June 22.

On the partnership, Anthony Joshua, said: “Being able to achieve excellence relies so heavily upon the foods we fuel our body with. Yet, it can be difficult to maintain a level of discipline when immersed in an intense training schedule. That’s why partnering with Prep Kitchen affords me the peace of mind that I am receiving protein packed meals that keep me fuelled during training without compromising on the quality. Simply put – I can prep less, and train more.”

Anthony Joshua

Will Fish, co-founder at Prep Kitchen, adds: “At Prep Kitchen, we are beyond delighted to partner with Anthony Joshua – a sporting icon we respect so highly, who shares our passion for achieving excellence and elite standards both in the ring and on the plate. We hope that this partnership will demonstrate that there exists high-quality meals for people looking to achieve their health goals and that you can eat well, even on your busiest days.”

Prep Kitchen currently works with a host of elite athletes brand ambassadors whose training efforts are fuelled by the brand, including World Champion, Commonwealth Champion, British Record Holder, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and former World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall.

The new range of Nigerian inspired meals will be available nationwide via prepkitchen.co.uk, starting with West African Style Red Pepper and Peanut Chicken, which has 40.4g of protein. Viewers can follow along for behind-the-scenes insights, meal previews, and Anthony’s favourite picks at @prepkitchenuk and @anthonyjoshua.

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Dave Allen reveals earnings from sparring Fury, Usyk, Joshua and Klitschko

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Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua and Dave Allen

Dave Allen reveals who pays the most for sparring

Speaking to TalkSport, WBA International heavyweight champion Dave “The White Rhino” Allen (24-7-2, 19 KOs) revealed who pays the most for sparring sessions.

The 33-year-old has been a pro for over 12 years now, and in that time he has sparred some of this generation’s best world champions, including Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

“The most I earned in sparring was with Wladimir Klitschko,” revealed Allen.

“I lied about my height, I lied about my weight, and I lied about my fitness levels to get into that camp.

“I wasn’t there for long, but he was a lovely fella. Klitschko would have 10 sparring partners, he was the ultimate professional.

“I was earning £1500 a week, and everyone was on the same money.

“He was spending nearly £100,000 on sparring partners.

“He was the ultimate professional. We sparred hard, there were no prisoners taken.

“But for that money, I didn’t complain.

“Usyk also paid very well, £2000 for two weeks.”

But it’s not always a strict business arrangement between sparring partners, it can sometimes be a favour between friends.

“I didn’t get paid to spar AJ because I was sparring him when we were both amateurs,” Allen added.

“I also sparred him during his first three years as a pro, and I probably should have been paid then, but we were kind of mates.

“Tyson [Fury] used to slip me a few quid, but he was always really nice to me, we were friends.

“I would always do the initial few rounds, he would ease his way in, and then he would go and beat some poor fella up after me.

“I sparred ahead of his comeback fights with Seferi and Pianetta at Ricky Hatton’s gym.

“There was a KFC around the corner, and he gave me money for fuel, a oner [£100] for sparring and an extra £20, which I would go around the corner to get some KFC with.”

Wladimir Klitschko: £1,500 per week

Oleksandr Usyk: £1,000 per week

Tyson Fury: £120 per session

Anthony Joshua: £0

Allen is all too familiar with this harsh reality, having briefly hung up his gloves in 2020 after being knocked out on his feet by Usyk in his gym in Ukraine.

Recalling the scenes, he said at the time, “To be honest, when I sparred Usyk, he knocked me unconscious.

“I never went over, I finished the round. But I can remember him hitting me.

“The rest of the round – next thing I knew I was stood outside the ring, packing my bag.

“I was concussed, so that was the last straw.

“I’m not an idiot, so I know when it’s time to finish.

“Yeah, a lot of money could’ve been made, but at what cost? Being embarrassed?

“Being hurt is one thing, but being embarrassed is another.”

During his career, Allen has fought the likes of Dillian Whyte Luis Ortiz,, Tony Yoka, Nick Webb, Lucas Browne, David Price Frazer Clarke, and most recently Johnny Fisher.

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Anthony Joshua WARNED against fighting American

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Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua WARNED against fighting American prospect

Anthony Joshua should avoid a fight with American prospect, Jared Anderson according to former world champion, Sergio Mora.

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn confirmed that last week that the former two-time heavyweight world champion is in talks over a two-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season, with both Anderson and Dillian Whyte named as potential options.

Anderson was seen as the future of the division, until he suffered a devastating fifth round knockout loss to Martin Bakole last August in Los Angeles.

The 25-year-old got back to winning ways in February with a comfortable points victory over Marios Kollias and Mora feels the Ohio man would be a dangerous comeback fight for ‘AJ’, who is coming off a fifth round stoppage defeat to Daniel Dubois and has just undergone successful elbow surgery.

“I think if he comes back against Anderson, it’s going to be tricky,” Mora said on Chris Mannix’s YouTube channel.

“Because Joshua still has maybe one big mega fight, hopefully against Tyson Fury left.

“But Jared Anderson could ruin those plans.

“Anderson we expected him to do better against Bakole, but he got knocked out, but he bounced back.

“I love when fighters bounce back within a matter of months.

“That means he’s still hungry, he still wants to reach the highest levels of boxing, he still wants to fight the best.

“I think Anderson is going to be a tricky fight for AJ.

“I wouldn’t recommend him to fight him first.”

Instead Mora has advised the 35-year-old to target a rematch with Dillian Whyte, who he stopped in 2015.

The pair were set to fight again in 2023, but Whyte was withdrawn after failing a drugs test.

Anthony Joshua

The Brixton man was cleared to resume his career in March 2024, after an investigation confirmed that the positive test was caused by a contaminated supplement.

The 37-year-old has won three on the spin since defeat to Tyson Fury in April 2022 and is set to return on Saturday on the undercard of Fabio Wardley’s clash with Justis Huni in Ipswich.

“Dillian Whyte he should fight first,” he added.

“Even though Dillian Whyte is on a scary trajectory right now.

“He’s on a run right now, he’s winning some fights.

“He deserves that fight, but he’s already been beaten by AJ, so there’s familiarity right there by Anthony Joshua.

“So if you are going to take those two fights, go for Dillian Whyte, who’s long in the tooth.

“He has momentum, but you’ve already been in the ring with him, you felt that power.”

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