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Tyson Fury has surprisingly returned to The Ring Magazine’s heavyweight rankings at the number one spot despite announcing his retirement from boxing last month, as speculation grows about a potential super-fight with Anthony Joshua, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 36-year-old “Gypsy King” stunned the boxing world in January when he proclaimed his fifth retirement from the sport following his second consecutive defeat to unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, but The Ring’s latest rankings suggest the publication isn’t convinced by Fury’s decision to hang up his gloves.

Fury has been placed at the top of the heavyweight rankings behind only Usyk, who holds the WBC, WBA and WBO titles and is recognised as The Ring’s heavyweight champion. His inclusion puts him ahead of IBF champion Daniel Dubois and the resurgent Joseph Parker, who occupy the second and third spots respectively.

Meanwhile, Joshua has received a significant boost in the same rankings, climbing two places from seventh to fifth despite not having fought since his knockout defeat to Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September.

The British-Nigerian’s rise comes as a result of losses suffered by Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II undercard in Saudi Arabia last weekend.

Fury had been removed from the list after his announced retirement but his latest presence in the rankings comes amid growing speculation about a potential comeback. Saudi boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh is keen to lure the former WBC champion back for a long-awaited showdown with Joshua.

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Alalshikh revealed; “I want Tyson (next for Joshua). I spoke with him, but I don’t talk about boxing.

 Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

“I just check about his health and his family. I think maybe he’ll return. Yes, (I think he will return), I hope so.”

While Fury has remained silent on the prospect of a ring return since his retirement announcement, Joshua has expressed interest in facing his long-time rival, acknowledging the commercial and sporting appeal of such a contest.

“I feel like it’s the best fight (for me),” Joshua told iFL TV.

“People might say Parker, people might say – I don’t know. But I think Fury, commercially, is a great fight and it’s a great man’s fight as well. So I think it makes sense.

“You could say it’s been years in the making. But listen, the heavyweight division has been thriving. And why I say it’s probably still a great fight is as I said Parker is, for me, a great story of someone that never gives up. And the thing is, there is going to be one winner and one loser. And there’s going to be blood shed. And it ain’t gonna be mine.”

Fury was removed from all four major sanctioning body rankings last month after announcing his retirement in a brief social media video where he stated; “Hi everybody, I’m going to make this short and sweet. I’d like to announce my retirement from boxing, it has been a blast, I’ve loved every single minute of it.”

Should Fury decide to return, a blockbuster clash with Joshua would undoubtedly be the biggest in British boxing history and a defining moment for both fighters’ legacies, regardless of the outcome.

Anthony Joshua has risen two places in the latest Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings.

The Watford powerhouse hasn’t stepped foot in the ring since being flattened by Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in September.

However, he has moved up from No.7 to No.5 in the heavyweight top 10 following Zhilei Zhang and Martin Bakole’s defeats last weekend on the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol II undercard.

Zhang was stopped by a sickening body shot from Agit Kabayel in the sixth round of their WBC ‘interim’ heavyweight clash.

Meanwhile, Bakole got knocked out by a clubbing blow from Joseph Parker that caught him on the top of the head.

The Congolese heavyweight stepped in to replace Daniel Dubois on two days’ notice and embarked on a 3,800 mile trip from Congo to Saudi Arabia that required three connecting flights.

Bakole received significant praise from the boxing fraternity for taking the fight despite the seemingly insurmountable odds stacked against him, although the defeat did cost him dearly.

Not only did he lose the IBF final eliminator status for his upcoming clash with Efe Ajagba but he also dropped one place in the Ring Magazine rankings.

Bakole was placed No.6 in the previous ratings while Zhang was ranked No.4.

As a result of their recent setbacks, Bakole fell to No.7 and Zhang plummeted to No.6.

Kabayel rose from No.5 to No.4 after his career-best win, with AJ slotting in one position behind the German.

Parker and every other heavyweight remained in their original positions.

Ring Magazine heavyweight rankings

Three-division undisputed champion Claressa Shields has received some good news in her ongoing battle to disprove a positive test for marijuana.

In an email sent to Dmitriy Salita, Shields’ promoter, the WBO founding president Luis Batista Salas agreed to grant Shields a stay of proceedings, which will allow her team time to make its case with the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission and in the meantime avoid a penalty from the WBO – including the possibility of Shields being stripped of its title.

Shields won a unanimous decision over Danielle Perkins in her hometown of Flint, Michigan, on February 2, capturing the women’s heavyweight undisputed championship. But she was later suspended by the Michigan commission after her post-fight drugs test came up positive for marijuana. The WBO subsequently issued a “show cause notice” that gave Shields 30 days to clear her case.

Thursday’s WBO communication to Salita was an acknowledgment that Shields is waiting on a meeting date with the Michigan commission to seek a revocation of her suspension and an agreement on the part of the sanctioning body to pause any judgments against Shields in the interim.

“Having considered the arguments raised by Team Shields, this Committee hereby grants the request for a stay of proceedings,” wrote Salas.

The WBO’s decision comes on the heels of Monday’s public statements from Michael Mazzulli, the head of the Association of Boxing Commissions, who told BoxingScene that the Michigan commission’s actions were “overkill” and advised against stripping Shields of her belt.

Claressa Shields

“You can blame a system that’s broken within the state of Michigan,” Mazzulli told BoxingScene.

Shields, 29, is suspended from fighting only in Michigan, but she is seeking full exoneration. She maintains that she has never used marijuana, and on Thursday she appeared on the “Tamron Hall Show” to discuss her case.

“The place reeked of marijuana,” Shields said of the Dort Financial Center after her win over Perkins. “And then, before I got to do the mouth swab, everybody was hugging and kissing me in Flint. Everybody there, my cousins, sister, brother, friends – everybody was hugging and kissing me. And I know some boxers don’t stop and greet the fans, but I’m not one of them. I hugged and kissed everybody back.”

Hall essentially made Shields’ case for her, citing a study published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology that asserts inhaling second-hand marijuana smoke can lead to false positives in testing. Shields says she also submitted to a urine test that came back negative for marijuana.

“I guess I’m just guilty and I don’t get to prove my innocence,” Shields said. “I’m just already guilty.”

Anthony Joshua knows the ‘menace’ of Joseph Parker and will not want a rematch, says the New Zealander’s promoter David Higgins.

Joshua watched from ringside as Parker produced a ruthless knockout victory over Martin Bakole, who stepped in as a replacement opponent after Daniel Dubois was ruled out through illness.

Parker’s promoter Higgins believes the Dubois vs Parker fight might not be rescheduled, but has raised doubts about whether Joshua will take a rematch with the Kiwi instead.

“Joe would jump in with AJ in a heartbeat but I reckon AJ wouldn’t take the fight,” Higgins told Sky Sports. That’s my view.

“I think AJ is a nice guy and he’s had a good career but I think in recent times he hasn’t looked comfortable in the ring, particularly in that last fight. He didn’t want to be there.

“The way that Joseph is fighting, it would be a very risky call by him and his handlers to jump in the ring with Parker. Most boxers take the lower risk option, except for Joseph Parker. He takes the highest risk and the toughest option.”

Parker was beaten on points by Joshua in their first fight in 2018, but the former WBO world champion is enjoying the most impressive spell of his career, with recent wins over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang and Bakole.

Anthony Joshua 

“I think fight by fight, the last three, Joseph is establishing more credibility, more menace and fight by fight, they will all be going, ‘This fighter is dangerous.’

“After the other day, they’ll all be going, ‘He really is dangerous.”

“We’ll see what happens next. We’ll wait and see what the Saudi authorities and Queensberry offer next and we’ll go from there.

“Joseph would like to get back in the ring as soon as possible. Four months. He doesn’t mess around, he just wants to keep going.

“Anywhere, it would be ideal in the summer.”

The WBO announced Parker as the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk after his win over Martin Bakole.

But Usyk, who has confirmed that he will retire after two more fights, is expected to take a rematch against Dubois for the undisputed world heavyweight titles.

According to Higgins, Anthony Joshua is fearful of the form of Joseph Parker and will not accept a rematch.

British-born Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua has been accused of not wanting a massive fight.

According to the New Zealander’s promoter David Higgins, Joshua is aware of Joseph Parker’s threat and will not desire a rematch.

As Daniel Dubois was sidelined by illness, Parker defeated Martin Bakole a replacement via brutal knockout while Joshua watched from the ringside. .

Anthony Joshua vs Joseph Parker

Higgins, Parker’s promoter, is sceptical that Joshua will accept a rematch with the Kiwi.

With recent victories over Deontay Wilder, Zhilei Zhang, and Bakole, the former WBO world champion is having the best run of his career, despite Parker losing to Joshua on points in their first fight in 2018.

Following his victory over Martin Bakole, the WBO declared Parker Oleksandr Usyk’s mandatory opponent.

To regain the undisputed world heavyweight titles, Usyk is anticipated to rematch Dubois.

Joshua is expected to return to the ring later this year with his promoter working on a fight against the retired Tyson Fury.

Anthony Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davison, has claimed that a heavyweight contest between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury is closer than we might think.

Speaking to Oddschecker, the 28-year-old trainer said the following when quizzed on whether we might finally see a meeting between two of the United Kingdom’s most popular and talented heavyweights.

“I think there’s more chance of it happening now than ever,” Davison said. “With the introduction of Riyadh Season and them having the relationship with both sides, bringing all the broadcasters together and everything else we’ve already mentioned. It’s the fight that boxing fans want to see.”

Davison has trained both Fury and Joshua, and when asked if he believes whether both men want the fight he was clear in his response.

“Yeah of course they would. It’s a legacy defining fight for them both. I always say, I think it’s crucial when you are coming through to have a dance partner and they’ve been each other’s dance partners for long enough now. I think it would have massive interest and it’s the one that everyone wants to see.”

Davison has also had his say on a potential rematch between heavyweight champions Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois. Usyk won their original meeting in 2023, but the bout was overshadowed by a low-blow called against Dubois.

“Yeah I do [think that Usyk wins the rematch], I don’t think Daniel [Dubois] has changed that much. I think he still has the same tendencies from their first fight, there is no shaming a loss to Usyk, obviously. He’s put his name down as one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, in my opinion. I think that the fight won’t look too different, if I’m being honest.”

Saudi Arabian boxing boss Turki Alalshikh is set to tempt Tyson Fury out of retirement with a lucrative offer for a blockbuster clash with Anthony Joshua, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Despite Fury’s announcement that he was hanging up his gloves following his second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December, Alalshikh, a key figure in organising major fights in the Middle East, believes the ‘Gypsy King’ could be lured back into the ring with the right financial package.

The potential super-fight, which has been years in the making but never materialised, would finally settle what many consider to be the greatest rivalry in modern British heavyweight boxing history.

Joshua has expressed interest in facing Fury, acknowledging the commercial appeal of such a showdown. “I feel like it’s the best fight. A fight against Fury will be commercially favourable and against a great man. So, I think it makes sense,” Joshua told mirror.co.uk.

However, when pressed further about the possibility, the British-Nigerian boxer remained cautious, stating, “I think it’s probably best to ask Eddie Hearn,” suggesting the final decision would depend on negotiations handled by his promoter.

Matchroom CEO Hearn recently confirmed Joshua’s interest in facing Fury despite the latter’s retirement announcement in January.

“We want to fight Tyson Fury but he’s retired at the moment. I hope he watched tonight and the hairs on his arms stood up a little bit. We could do something really special. Respect to him, if he doesn’t come back then good luck but if he could, there would be a lot of happy people,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua

While Fury’s promoter Frank Warren insists that his fighter is “happily retired,” Top Rank COO Brad Jacobs shares Hearn’s belief that a Joshua fight could tempt Fury back into the ring.

“Nobody is in Tyson’s head, only himself, of course. I think an Anthony Joshua fight gets him out of retirement, if it’s the right situation and he feels right about it,” Jacobs told Sky Sports last week.

“I believe there is the potential for it. What happens, nobody knows. Tyson has done shocking things before, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he did it again,” Jacobs added.

Joshua, who suffered a knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium last year, is reportedly eager to get back into the heavyweight title picture, with Hearn suggesting a rematch with IBF champion Dubois as an alternative option.

The likelihood of a Fury-Joshua fight happening depends on several factors, including negotiations, financial incentives, and Fury’s willingness to return to the ring. But with Alalshikh’s influence and deep pockets, coupled with the overwhelming demand from fans, the dream matchup between the two British heavyweights remains a distinct possibility.

Joshua’s career has experienced significant highs and lows, including losses to Usyk, Andy Ruiz Jr., and most recently Dubois. A fight against Fury, regardless of the outcome, would undoubtedly be the biggest in British boxing history and a defining moment for both fighters’ legacies.

Cris Cyborg is set to make her return to the boxing ring on March 3, 2025, when she challenges Karen Fernandes (not Claressa Shields) in a four-round bout in Medellin, Colombia, in the Super Middleweight division (154 pounds).

The former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Bellator MMA Featherweight titleholder is 4-0 as a professional boxer, a career that began in Sept. 2022, earning two unanimous decision wins to go along with pair of knockout victories.

Cyborg has been balancing both her boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) career pretty well, with her last fight in the ring coming in June 2024. Four months later, she won the inaugural PFL Super Fights Women’s Featherweight Championship by defeating Larissa Pacheco via unanimous decision in a hard-fought battle in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, improving her win streak to eight straight.

For now, the fearsome striker does not have another PFL fight lined up (or any other MMA bout) at the moment, but at least she has the freedom and luxury to be able to partake in boxing bouts on the side to keep her skills sharp and schedule busy.

After undisputed world champion boxer Claressa Shields was suspended from competing in Michigan for testing positive for marijuana, her promoter Dmitriy Salita says he’s confident she will be cleared of wrongdoing once the investigation concludes.

A statement from Dmitriy Salita:

“Claressa Shields has built her career on hard work, discipline, and an unwavering commitment to clean competition. She stands by her record, her historic achievements, and her integrity as a world champion. She has been an inspiration to countless men and women throughout the United States and throughout the world since she was a teenage Olympian.

This is a pending matter with the Michigan commission and, as such, I cannot share much more. However, we are 100-pecent confident that Claressa Shields will be vindicated when this matter concludes, and all the evidence is heard. One thing I can say with confidence, Claressa Shields did not and does not ingest illicit drugs of any kind including marijuana. And there is nothing in this instance that will tarnish her still growing legacy.”

Claressa Shields

Dmitriy Salita

According to Reuters, Shields, 29, the undisputed champion in three weight classes, has been suspended from competing in the state by the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission after an oral fluid sample was taken after her bout against Danielle Perkins on Feb. 2.

–>Claressa Shields suspended, under investigation in Michigan after positive marijuana test, per reports

The World Boxing Organization has requested a “Show notice” from Shields to provide an explanation.

The WBO does not have the authority to suspend boxers, but the Michigan Commission is conducting its own investigation to determine whether disciplinary action is necessary.

The Voluntary Anti-Doping Agency tested Shields and Perkins under the World Boxing Council Clean Boxing Program.

Anthony Joshua has fought both Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker.

He beat Parker for the WBO belt back in 2018 in what was his first fight to go the full 12 rounds. That made the Brit a unified champion, but since then he has been dethroned first by Oleksandr Usyk who beat him in 2021 and 2022, then by Dubois in September who stopped him inside five rounds as Just AJ attempted to become a three-time world champion.

Parker and Dubois were due to fight this past weekend but a late illness to ‘DDD’ meant Parker instead faced late stand-in Martin Bakole and knocked him out inside two rounds.

Speaking to BoxNation, Joshua was asked what chance Parker stands against Dubois if the two meet and believes the New Zealander has ‘a great chance’.

“A great chance. He’s a phenomenal fighter, so is Dubois. Great Chance. I feel like Dubois had to show a little bit more with his fight with Hrgovic, he had to dig deep. His fight with Miller, he had to dig deep, his fight with me he kind of like, it’s like he announced himself as the heavyweight slayer as he called himself. Dubois, he’s just edging it.”

Despite Parker coming through adversity after being knocked down in his victory over Zhilei Zhang, ‘AJ’ still sounded caution about his ability to fight through tough moments.

“Look at Parker, he’s gone in there and knocked out Bakole. If it gets tough, I’ve seen it from Dubois, he’s managed to come through, with Parker, he’s gone in there and blasted out Bakole. It would have been nice to see a bit more, see what his engine’s like in the later rounds, see what grit he’s got, but he’s gone in there and done what we all want to do as heavyweights and knock him out.”

Parker will be hoping the Dubois honours their fight and he gets his world title shot, though some believe Dubois may instead push to go straight in with Usyk for an undisputed clash.