The two fighters should look to boxing history before signing up to their world heavyweight rematch in the Middle EastIt is nearly 45 years since the Rumble in the Jungle – and still the myth of that wild night lingers, dangerously ignored.There is much to learn from deconstructing the most famous sporting event of the 20th century. When a fierce storm swept through Kinshasa shortly after Muhammad Ali had landed his perfect finisher on George Foreman in the eighth round, coming off the ropes to level the most feared champion since Sonny Liston, it was not enough to cleanse Zaire of the stench of collusion and bad dealings. Related: Amnesty International criticises sanctioning of Joshua v Ruiz Jr in Saudi...
The heavyweight cartel that includes Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury has been broken but the Mexican is still Joshua’s best friendEddie Hearn has a problem: how to repackage a beaten champion. When Anthony Joshua was led away from his disastrous American debut at Madison Square Garden on Saturday night minus his world championship belts, he slipped out of the informal cartel that included Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury – temporarily, perhaps – into a lesser arrangement with the fat man who lives five miles from Tijuana and who had just knocked him down four times in seven rounds, Andy Ruiz Jr. Related: Andy Ruiz Jr shocks world with knockout of Anthony Joshua for heavyweight championship Related: Andy Ruiz Jr beats...
First-round destruction of Dominic Breazeale was bookended by grim gutter talk and a sketchy future fight scheduleDeontay Wilder is a man of towering physical presence and contradictions. He is a man of God who expressed no regrets for welcoming the chance to “get a body” on his CV by killing Dominic Breazeale in the ring, yet apologised and wished the poor man and his family all the best after icing him inside a round in Brooklyn on Saturday night.To some this is just the gutter talk of the business. But it is tasteless and dangerous. And it most certainly has nothing to do with God. Related: Deontay Wilder defends title with first-round destruction of Dominic Breazeale Continue reading...
Heavyweight stars cash in with little risk but fight fans are missing out on the spectacle they wantRomeo and Juliet had an easier time getting together than Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury have experienced lately. The courting of the voluble Gypsy King as the perfect ticket-selling foil for the sweet-talking triple-belt world heavyweight champion continues behind the scenes, while each prepares for marking-time bouts against fighters with clean but thin records.Yet again boxing fans will miss out on the spectacle they want, as Fury prepares to deliver the obscure young German, Tom Schwarz, his first defeat in 25 bouts when they meet in Las Vegas on 15 June. It will be the Mancunian’s debut for ESPN, after signing a staggering...
Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom has connections with the American streaming site DAZN and if the latter signs up Deontay Wilder then a heavyweight unifying bout could be on the tableEddie Hearn’s assertion that there is a “brilliant chance” Anthony Joshua will fight Deontay Wilder in November or December, unifying the heavyweight title for the first time since Lennox Lewis owned the division nearly two decades ago, is the best news boxing has had in a long while.The sport and the business need an undisputed heavyweight champion. And confused fans want someone they can identify with as the best fighter in the world, without argument, someone who can rule for more than a few fights – like it used to be in...