Anthony Joshua boxing news and latest headlines
17,000 tickets were sold on the opening day of sales for Anthony Joshua’s IBF World Heavyweight title defence against Eric Molina at the Manchester Arena on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on SHOWTIME in the US.
Joshua defends his crown for the second time in his third fight in a row against American opposition – with limited tickets remaining on sale priced £40 to £500 from http://www.manchester-arena.com/ and on 0844 847 8000.
Eddie Hearn has said whilst speaking with Kugan Cassius of IFILM TV that the response to the recently announced Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina fight has been “lukewarm” in the UK, although better in the US, where Molina, 25-3(19) is of course far better known. Hearn said he has once again heard the moans and groans regarding why the December 10 fight, and it’s card, will be pay-per-view on Sky Box Office.
The WBA have officially sanctioned a blockbuster battle between Anthony Joshua MBE and Wladimir Klitschko for the spring of 2017 for the Super title – but only if Joshua successfully defends his IBF World Heavyweight title against Eric Molina at the Manchester Arena on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on SHOWTIME in the US.
Joshua defends his crown for the second time in his third straight clash with American opposition having ripped the strap from Charles Martin with a second round KO win in February at The O2 and defending the belt against Dominic Breazeale with a seventh round stoppage at his London fortress in June, extending his impressive run of KO wins to 17 in the paid ranks.
Anthony Joshua MBE is set to defend his IBF World Heavyweight title against Eric Molina at the Manchester Arena on December 10, live on Sky Sports Box Office in the UK and on SHOWTIME in the US.
Joshua puts his crown on the line for the second time and fights his third American in a row having destroyed Charles Martin inside two rounds to rip the title from the St Louis man in April at The O2 in London and then stopping Dominic Breazeale in the seventh round at the same venue in June, extending his unbeaten run in the paid ranks to 17 wins, all inside the distance.
Heavyweight legend George Foreman was a guest of honour in London over the weekend, meeting and greeting those fans of his who were lucky enough to attend. And while he visited London, “Big” George paid Londoner Anthony Joshua, the reigning IBF heavyweight champ, some very big compliments.
Foreman is often guilty of saying nice things to nice people, but the former two-time king of kings does seem to genuinely rate Joshua very highly; this despite AJ being just 17-0(17) as a pro right now.
Retired heavyweight great Lennox Lewis believes Wladimir Klitschko’s vast experience will prove too much for Anthony Joshua if the two meet next spring as is a strong possibility. Speaking with Sky Sports News HQ, Lewis said he favours 40-year-old Klitschko to beat 27-year-old Joshua, but only “slightly.”
“I would have to say Wladimir [wins] because of the experience,” Lewis said. “We have seen a lot of Anthony Joshua’s fights but he has knocked out everybody so what has he learned?
Eric Molina has been the frontrunner to challenge reigning IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua for a few days now and fans will not be at all surprised to see the Mexican/American in the ring with Joshua in Manchester on Dec 10. Yet so far there has still been no official confirmation from Joshua promoter Eddie Hearn.
Yet the fight is up on BoxRec and it seems we will see Molina tackling the 17-0(17) star next. What kind of a fight will it be? Molina, still judged my a number of people by the loss he suffered to Chris Arreola over four years ago, is sick of telling people he has improved since then, when he was inexperienced and it showed. Stopped in the 1st-round (after stunning Arreola himself with a good shot to the head) Molina has had a tough time making people forget about this defeat, but is Molina, 25-3(19) a different fighter today?
As fight fans are no doubt aware, Anthony Joshua will not be fighting Wladimir Klitschko on Dec 10. Due to, officially, a “minor” injury suffered by Klitschko, the two heavyweights will now look at fighting in the UK, in a big stadium, next spring some time. By then the 41 year-old Klitschko will not have fought for around 17 months.
In the meantime, Eddie Hearn says he is now back to square one, as far as looking to find a suitable challenger for IBF ruler AJ. Hearn told Sky Sports yesterday evening that he is now working on building a “huge card for Manchester.” After all they’ve been through, with promised big fights falling through, maybe the fans deserve a great card, stacked from top to bottom with good fights. Let’s hope Eddie can deliver. But who will it be in the opposite corner to Joshua, 17-0(17) on Dec 10?
Thanks to the man who has all the boxing news, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, we now know Wladimir Klitschko will definitely NOT be fighting IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua on December 10; nor will the 40-year-old ex-champ be squaring up with anyone on that date. Klitschko, who has had a history of pulling out of/delaying fights due to injury, has picked up another one; apparently to his calf.
With Anthony Joshua’s next fight, set for December 10, still up in the air opponent-wise, a number of name heavyweights are calling for the next shot at the reigning IBF heavyweight title holder. With no decision yet given by the WBA with regards to whether or not the organisation will sanction a Wladimir Klitschko-Joshua fight, promoter Eddie Hearn has already been eyeing potential replacement foes for his fighter.
And two men who have thrown their hat into the ring are Mexican/American Eric Molina, and fellow Brit David Price. At one point in time it looked as though Price and Molina would fight each other on the Joshua under-card in Manchester – and this intriguing fight could still happen – but now both contenders want AJ next.