Bermane Stiverne dishonoured boxing’s most important crown when destroyed by the American and with a lack of contenders the sport needs Joshua v WilderThe good news is that Deontay Wilder is making all the right “Bomb Squad” noises about putting his WBC belt up against the IBF and WBA “super” titles owned by Anthony Joshua, holding out the possibility that this most anarchic of sporting industries may soon have a universally recognised world heavyweight champion again. It’s been a while.The complicating factor is Joshua is determined to fulfil his other mandatory defences. Once he has rested properly from his 10-round win over the stubborn Carlos Takam two Saturdays ago in Cardiff, he is happy to accommodate the WBO champion Joseph...
Carlos Takam faces a defining night as he seeks to unsettle the WBA and IBF heavyweight champion’s well-planned roadshow in CardiffAs his wait for a fight wound down, the world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua looked and sounded like a man guarding against complacency rather than the unknown threat ahead of him at the Principality Stadium on Saturday night, the low-key Frenchman Carlos Takam.Hitting the scales in Cardiff on Friday at a heavier than expected 18st 2lb, heftily more than Takam’s 16st 11lb of honed muscle, Joshua said his 36-year-old challenger – pitched in late to replace the mandated but injured Kubrat Pulev – deserved his full respect. “I’m confident but not too cocky” he told an adoring crowd, his voice...
When the replacement for injured Kubrat Pulev was announced for Cardiff world heavyweight fight he must have been the most Googled boxer in the businessCarlos Takam, a heavyweight contender of towering anonymity, will be excited and no doubt surprised to be a pay-per-view star in Cardiff on Saturday week when he steps in as a replacement challenger for the world titles held by Anthony Joshua.Equally put out of their stride will be those boxing fans who had paid upfront to watch the unbeaten Joshua, the sport’s No1 attraction, put his WBA and IBF belts on the line against the more credible Kubrat Pulev, who withdrew on Monday with a shoulder injury. And Pulev, the Bulgarian veteran with a passable CV,...
The Mancunian is more active on social media than in a ring at the moment and can be removed for now from the heavyweight equation which is really all about when Joshua will fight Deontay WilderNearly two years – and a good deal of partying - since Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko, the semi-retired heavyweight still has a hold over boxing matched by few since the crazy days of the feared fighter after whom he was named.While Mike Tyson created mayhem inside and outside the ring, Fury does so these days with enigmatic messages through social media. Indeed he is often more interesting when talking about his sport than doing it, as fine a technician as he became on his...
The New Zealander believes Joshua will be easier to beat than the awkward Mancunian proved to be and is decamping to the UK to make the fight happenHughie Fury will not be getting a quick rematch against Joseph Parker – unless the Mancunian heavyweight’s promoter, Mick Hennessy, can deliver on his optimistic promise of having his points loss overturned, and the odds must be slim.After winning over 12 close rounds at the Manchester Arena on Saturday night – and benefiting from outrageous 118-110 scores on two cards – to retain the WBO world title he inherited from Hughie’s cousin, Tyson, Parker said the British heavyweight he is way more interested in fighting is Anthony Joshua. Related: Hughie Fury’s defeat by...