It is just over a year ago that “Prince” Charles Martin, looking anything but regal, capitulated in quite disappointing fashion against Anthony Joshua. Martin was attempting to make the first retention of the IBF heavyweight belt he had won in fluke-like fashion – Vyacheslav Glazkov’s knee blowing during their January 2016 fight that contested the belt that had just been stripped from new world ruler Tyson Fury – and he failed miserably.
James Slater
Win or lose against Klitschko, Joshua may not be able to keep both IBF and WBA belts
If he manages to defeat Wladimir Klitschko a week tomorrow, Anthony Joshua will add the WBA belt to the IBF crown he already holds – but he might find it impossible to keep hold of both belts for long. As his promoter Eddie Hearn explained to The Star, a victorious Joshua is extremely likely to be ordered to defend the IBF belt against Kubrat Pulev, and the WBA belt against Luis Ortiz.
So, unless “a deal can be done,” Hearn says Joshua is going to lose one of the belts he will exit a rocking Wembley Stadium with if he’s victorious on April 29. More alphabet soup madness, or two good fighters getting what they have worked for and fully deserve? Take your pick, but it really does seem next to impossible for any heavyweight to become undisputed king these days.
Tomasz Adamek to return in June, will face Solomon Haumono in Poland
You can now add the name Tomasz Adamek to the current list of once great fighters who simply cannot say goodbye and stick to their retirement for good. Once a terrific light-heavyweight and cruiserweight – winning world titles at both weights – Adamek fell short as a heavyweight (although even here, “Goral” picked up some meaningful wins over good names).
Dillian Whyte-Mariusz Wach on June 3rd – can “The Body Snatcher” stop “The Viking?”
Dillian Whyte, in the hunt for a shot at a world title, will face a man who has already had one, in Polish giant Mariusz Wach, who he will fight at The O2 in London on June 3. Whyte, 20-1(15) and coming off that December thriller with fellow Brit Dereck Chisora, wanted a big name for his next fight and in Wach, 33-2(17) he has found one.
Kell Brook-Errol Spence promises to headline a stacked card in Sheffield on May 27
A Box-Office offering here in the UK (on Sky Sports pay-per-view) the exciting Kell Brook-Errol Spence IBF welterweight title fight showdown would very likely have sold well and pulled in plenty of armchair fans on its own – just like the Joshua-Klitschko fight (which has been bumped up a little in price, going from the usual Sky Sports p-p-v fee of £16.95 to £19.95).
Does Tyson Fury know something we don’t? Fury says Joshua-Klitschko will not happen as scheduled!
How shocked would you be if the big April 29 heavyweight showdown between Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko got postponed due to an injury on the part of one of the fighters? This is just what former, undefeated heavyweight champ Tyson Fury has come out and said he thinks will happen.
Tyson Fury-Anthony Joshua war of words gets nasty – but will they ever fight in the ring?
If it ever happened it would be one of, maybe THE biggest, all-British heavyweight showdowns ever. What is it: Tyson Fury, unbeaten former world ruler, against Anthony Joshua, unbeaten IBF ruler. And these two giants have been attacking one another via social media these past few hours, with both men getting in some verbal digs and good lines.
Would you settle for Canelo Alvarez-David Lemiuex in September? You might have to
Boxing promoters always make sure they have a Plan-B at hand, and Golden Boy has one for this coming September. This is the month, every fight fan knows, when stars Canelo Alvarez (the A-side as far as pulling power goes) and Gennady Golovkin (the B-side but the world champion) have verbally agreed to meet in arguably the biggest non-heavyweight fight that can be made today.
“Money” Mayweather not big on Brook’s chances against Spence: It’s going to be rough coming right after the Triple-G fight
Floyd Mayweather Junior knows all about participating in the big, big welterweight fights, and the former 147 pound king is a very interested observer going into the May 27 shoot-out between reigning and defending IBF welterweight champ Kell Brook and unbeaten challenger Errol Spence Jr.
Wladimir Klitschko inspired by “one of his idols, Bernard Hopkins,” could fight until age 50!
Legendary Father Time-conqueror Bernard Hopkins never, ever said he planned to fight on until the age of 51 – at one point he actually promised his mother he would quit the ring at the age of 40 – it just happened that way. Going fight by fight, Hopkins realised he had it in him to keep going.