BOXING

Lennox lewis on Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson FUry 2: “I think…

By Al Faqiih November 2, 2024

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.

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BOXING

Fury ‘feels sorry’ for Joshua in shock admission

By Al Faqiih October 28, 2024

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.”

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BOXING

Anthony Joshua ‘could be forced’ into Tyson Fury fight amid injury concern

By Al Faqiih October 25, 2024

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.

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