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Turki Alalshikh confirms Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois rematch date

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Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

We now know when Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois will fight again.

Last night, the eyes of the boxing world were on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Artur Beterbiev became undisputed light heavyweight champion when he beat Dmitry Bivol by unanimous decision.

It hasn’t been a result without controversy.

Many observers had the match in Bivol’s favour.

The fight was so close that others felt a draw would have been the right call.

In the aftermath, Bivol has stated that he wants a rematch with Beterbiev.

The man who will likely make it happen is Turki Alalshikh.

Since getting involved in the world of boxing, Alalshikh has helped broker plenty of high profile fights that previously were taking too long to happen – if at all.

The Saudi Arabian adviser at the Royal Court under the rank of Minister already stated last night that he plans to put the wheels in motion on a rematch for the light heavyweight title.

So that appears to be part of his plans.

He also revealed his plans for the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois rematch.

Anthony Joshua

 

According to The Mirror, Turki Alalshikh has revealed the date for Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois 2.

Last night, Alalshikh initially revealed that he believed that Dmitry Bivol won the fight last night by at least two rounds and that he is now focused to make a rematch between the pair.

Moving on, he is believed to have discussed the plans for future events.

Once we get to February 22nd 2025, Turki Alalshikh has stated that there are plans for two fights for that date.

That’s the date currently being looked at for the Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois rematch.

As part of the undercard for that fight, it’s planned to be the Queensbury vs Matchroom 5v5 rematch also.

If that would come off, that would be one stacked boxing card.

Anthony Joshua will be looking to gain a semblance of revenge for the mauling he suffered in his first fight against Daniel Dubois.

Dubois shocked the world when he produced a stunning knockout victory against AJ and it seems that February 22nd is when Joshua will be able to make things right from his perspective.

From what we’ve seen in the past year or so, once Turki Alalshikh makes a plan for a fight, it tends to happen.

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BOXING

Joshua vs. Dubois’s rematch date confirmed

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Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

 The rematch between IBF world heavyweight boxing champion Daniel Dubois and former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua appears closer, with Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority, revealing February as a tentative date, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Alalshikh confirmed this while speaking after the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol press conference on Saturday night.

The chairman of the General Entertainment Authority that stages the Riyadh Season events revealed that a major fight card was being put together that will pit rival promoters Queensberry and Matchroom against each other.

“See in February again Queensberry against Matchroom, 5 vs. 5, we will finish it maybe this week with a big surprise, and then let’s see the result about this fight, the result of the big fight December 21, [Oleksandr] Usyk-Tyson [Fury],” Alalshikh told Sky Sports.

“Joshua, Dubois, Tyson, Usyk, everyone, everyone on the line.

“This is what we want. We want the big fights and to see who’s really the best fighter in each division.”

Last month, 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 for a fourth career loss.

The defeat sent shockwaves through the boxing world, with some pundits questioning Joshua’s future in the sport.

Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

Reacting to talks about his future, Joshua vowed to continue boxing, with his promoter confirming that the Middle Eastern kingdom will stage the rematch as part of the Riyadh Season, a festival of entertainment and sports events that runs from October to early March.

Queen’s Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, welcomed the prospect of a rematch.

“It’s all about styles, but also with AJ, you’ve got to put him on the back foot, and that’s what he did,” Warren told Sky Sports.

“He put him on the back foot. That first jab he threw snapped his head back, and that set the pattern of the fight. I think it was the fourth round; he caught Daniel with an uppercut; that was his most significant punch.

“But  you want AJ to trade with you, because if he trades, he’s vulnerable. Once he throws that punch, you can catch him on the counter, and that’s what he did.”

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn, who promotes Joshua, when previously discussing the rematch between the two heavyweights said, “I think it would be part of Riyadh Season in Riyadh. Riyadh Season runs from October to the end of February and early March.

“So anything within that period takes place in Riyadh. So yeah, it would be part of the Riyadh Season if it were to happen.”

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BOXING

Joshua Yet To Recover From Dubois Defeat – Hearn

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Anthony Joshua

Anthony Joshua’s agent, Eddie Hearn has admitted that he is yet to recover from his poor performance in the defeat to Daniel Dubois in September.

Joshua struggled to handle Dubois as he was dropped four times in the bout before the latter earned a fifth round knockout win.

Dubois retained his IBF heavyweight title as Joshua is left to rue his poor performances and to contemplate on his future plans.

Joshua defeated Francis Ngannou earlier in the year to spark talks of returning form after he suffered back to back losses. But the defeat to Dubois has raised question marks over his future.

Joshua’s producer, Eddie Hearn has opened up on how he is dealing with the aftermath of the defeat and his future plans.

He said, “It’s still quite fresh, only three weeks ago. He’s devastated by the defeat.

“Daniel’s had a great time in Brazil as the new champion, and it’s well deserved. There’s a period of time within AJ’s contract where he has to make a decision, and it’s not up yet, but he’s thinking hard. He’s resting his body and figuring out what he wants to do.

“When you start thinking about it, there’s no bad decision.

“He wants to win the world heavyweight title, and that could mean fighting Dubois again rather than facing Deontay Wilder or waiting for Tyson Fury. If it’s solely up to AJ, which it will be at the end of the day, I think it’s going to be hard to talk him out of taking the rematch.”

Dubois has held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight title since June 2024.

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BOXING

Jermall Charlo To Return on Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach Dec. 14 PPV Show in Houston

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Jermall Charlo and Gervonta Davis

Jermall Charlo has landed a homecoming fight to end his latest ring hiatus.

The Ring has confirmed that the former two-division titlist will return to the ring on Dec. 14. Charlo (33-0, 22 knockouts) will appear on the Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis-Lamont Roach PBC on Prime Pay-Per-View event from Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

Jermall Charlo and Gervonta Davis

An opponent was not yet identified as this goes to publication. However, The Ring has learned that the leading candidate is Thomas ‘Cornflake’ LaManna (38-5-1, 17 KOs). Such a fight would take place at the full super middleweight limit.

PBC creator Al Haymon was scrambling to replace an injured Nico Collins on his NFL Fantasy Football team and not in a position to comment.

Houston’s Charlo will have been out of the ring for a little more than a year by fight night. He ended a 29-month ring absence with a ten-round win over Jose Benavidez Jr. (28-3-1, 19 KOs) last Nov. 25 in Las Vegas. Charlo missed the agreed-upon weight for the bout, checking at a career-heaviest 166.4 pounds.

Gervonta, David, and Lamont Roach Jr

With that will come his second straight fight at super middleweight. Charlo previously held the IBF junior middleweight and WBC middleweight titles.

Previous rumors had Charlo potentially facing fellow former two-division titleholder Demetrius Andrade. However, The Ring has confirmed that it was false hope and that such a matchup was never budgeted for the Davis-Roach undercard.

Charlo’s last fight at home came in a June 2021 points win over Juan Macias Montiel (23-6-2, 23 KOs). The bout also took place at Toyota Center, and marked the fourth and final defense of his WBC middleweight title.

Personal issues forced an extended ring break. With it came canceled plans for a June 2022 title defense versus Maciej Sulecki at this very venue.

Charlo was eventually relieved of the WBC 160-pound bout due to an inability to defend versus interim titlist and mandatory challenger Carlos Adames (24-1, 18 KOs). A designation of ‘Champion in Recess’ was bestowed upon Charlo, though he is not due to return to middleweight.

Gervonta, David, and Lamont Roach Jr

Should this matchup transpire, it will mark the third career fight above 160 for LaManna.

The 32-year-old from the southern part of New Jersey has won eight in a row since a May 2021 knockout loss to Erislandy Lara. The bout come with a secondary version of the WBA middleweight title. Lara was since upgraded to full titlist, while LaManna has been on the comeback trail.

In his most recent start, LaManna scored a second-round knockout of the normally serviceable Juan Carlos Abreu (26-8-1, 24 KOs). Their June 8 clash took place in LaManna’s home region of Atlantic City.

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BOXING

Floyd Mayweather Rallies for His Nephew’s NFL Debut in a Heartfelt Birthday Wish

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floyd mayweather

Former five-division champion Floyd Mayweather has taken to social media to rally behind his nephew, the former BYU Cougars cornerback Eddie Heckard for his NFL debut. Heckard received a rookie mini-camp invite from the Denver Broncos following the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft. In the meantime, ‘Money’ Mayweather seems to have turned into his biggest cheerleader.

A few hours ago, the retired undefeated boxer hopped on Instagram to share a clip of Heckard, featuring some inspiring highlights from his time playing for the BYU Cougars. As the clip itself acted as evidence of Heckard’s potential in the sport, Mayweather used it to wish his nephew on his birthday.

“Happy Birthday to my nephew @therealedddd There is no reason you shouldn’t be in the @nfl Enjoy,” Mayweather wrote in the caption of his post on Instagram. Floyd is coming off his exhibition rematch against John Gotti III in Mexico City, which saw the former world champion dominate the grandson of the Gambino Crime Family head.

Although no official winner was declared, it was clear that Floyd Mayweather outboxed and outperformed his opponent. This exhibition match follows several others in which Mayweather has participated, facing off against opponents like WWE star Logan Paul and social media influencer Deji, among others. Regardless, with his latest post, Mayweather seems to be paying it forward, doing for his nephew what his uncle once did for him.

floyd mayweather

A tribute to his uncle from Floyd Mayweather

Back in March 2020, Floyd Mayweather paid a heartfelt tribute to his late uncle and former trainer, Roger Mayweather, following his passing at the age of 58 battling diabetes. A legend of the sport on his own, ‘The Black Mamba’ played a pivotal role in shaping Floyd’s legendary career, which would see Floyd retire undefeated and a pound-for-pound champion.

In his tribute to his uncle, Mayweather expressed his deep love and respect for his uncle, stating, “Roger was a great champion and one of the best trainers in boxing.” A surprise to no one, Roger was more than just a trainer—he often took up the role of a father figure and a mentor to Floyd.

“My uncle was one of the most important people in my life inside and outside of the ring,” Floyd said. Despite the grueling battle Roger had to go through with diabetes, Floyd had found comfort in knowing his uncle could now rest in peace. “It is a terrible loss for all of us,” Floyd added, as the Mayweather family and the boxing world mourned his loss.

That being said, Floyd Mayweather knows quite well the importance of the bond between an uncle and nephew, as he wished the best for Eddie Heckard on social media. Regardless, what are your thoughts on Heckard?

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BOXING

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis to defend his title against Lamont Roach Jr., at Houston’s Toyota Center

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Gervonta, and Lamont Roach Jr

Gervonta “Tank” Davis will defend his World Boxing Association lightweight title against junior lightweight champion Lamont Roach Jr., on Dec. 14 at Houston’s Toyota Center.

Gervonta, David, and Lamont Roach Jr

Although there’s been no official announcement from Premier Boxing Champions, the fight is expected to be a pay-per-view event. Even without an official announcement — it’s also not listed on the Toyota Center website yet — Davis let the cat out of the bag, first by posting on Instagram last week that he’d be fighting in Houston in December, and then by following up with another Instagram post on Monday announcing the date and the opponent.

Gervonta Davis

Davis (30-0, 28 KOs), who turns 30 in November, is a boxing superstar. He’s held the title at three different weight classes and been the WBA champion at 135 pounds since 2023.

This will be Davis’ first time fighting in Houston and second in Texas, having brutally knocked out Léo Santa Cruz in 2020 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Roach (25-1-1, 10 KOs) was given permission from the WBA to move up in weight to challenge Davis for his belt with an agreement that, if he wins, he’ll be given five days to decide which belt to keep and defend, and if he loses, he’ll be required to fight the 130-pound challenger within 120 days.

Gervonta, David, and Lamont Roach Jr

This will be Davis’ eighth straight time headlining a pay-per-view card. Each one has generated at least 200,000 buys with his 2023 knockout of Ryan Garcia going over 1 million.

It will be the first big fight at Toyota Center since Ryan Garcia stopped Oscar Duarte in December 2023.

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BOXING

IBF’s Order Puts Daniel Dubois Rematch in Jeopardy for Anthony Joshua

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Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

Why is there always a buzz around heavyweights? The sheer power, flying punches, exciting action, and brutal knockouts remain a constant theme. IBF has ensured fans witness two hard-hitting heavyweights, as they fight it out to punch a golden ticket to face Daniel Dubois next. However, it might rob fans of another thrilling encounter, as it could potentially derail Anthony Joshua’s plans.

Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

Notably, the IBF has ordered a title eliminator between Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel to determine who will challenge ‘Dynamite’ next for his IBF strap. While Bakole, 31, brushed aside Frank Sanchez in his last fight, Kabayel, 32, turned in the best performance of his career after he knocked out Jared Anderson. Their last respective wins had ensured the two moved up in the IBF hierarchy and looked to challenge for the title next.

TalkSports’ Michael Benson turned to his X handle and revealed this development to the fans. He wrote, “The IBF has ordered an eliminator between Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel to determine a mandatory challenger to heavyweight titleholder Daniel Dubois. Really good matchup; both coming off career-best performances. Bakole is ESPN’s No. 7 heavyweight while Kabayel is No. 8.”

Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

There is no concrete timeline yet for their fight but Bakole’s promoter Ben Shalom recently disclosed his intentions to get a date in December. The details are yet to be chalked out and it might not take time, given that getting a fight date early will only diminish ‘AJ’s chances of securing an immediate rematch with Dubois. But that’s a fight where the money will be, for the fighters and the promoters.

Anthony Joshua insists on Daniel Dubois rematch

Eddie Hearn admitted that Joshua, 34, was leaning towards the rematch to win the heavyweight title. Alternatively, he could fight Deontay Wilder or other top names in the division as the British boxer continued to wait for the result of Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury. If Uysk vs. Fury is detailed, then Joshua, at 28-4, would have to wait longer for a fight.

But Dubois, 27, won’t be available till February too. So, waiting for a rematch could affect Joshua’s activity levels, especially when he has entered the twilight years of his boxing career. Hearn, 45, declared, “If it’s solely down to AJ, which it will be at the end of the day. I think it’s going to be very hard to talk him out of taking the rematch.” It remains to be seen how the IBF title eliminator and Usyk vs. Fury pan out and how these fights affect the Dubois vs. Joshua rematch.

What do you make of this coming fight between Martin Bakole and Agit Kabayel? Do you think it will affect Daniel Dubois’ rematch with Anthony Joshua? Let us know in the comments below.

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BOXING

Derek Chisora Didn’t Hesitate When Asked Who Wins Anthony Joshua vs Daniel Dubois Rematch

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Daniel Dubois and Anthony Joshua

Daniel Dubois shocked the boxing world when he knocked out Anthony Joshua last month.

Although ‘DDD’ went into the contest as the champion he was the heavy underdog before the first bell rang. However, the 27-year-old dominated the action from the first bell and had AJ down in opening round from a thunderous right hand. Dubois sent his man to the canvas a further two times before landing the final right hand in the fifth to close the show.

Many thought the size of the occasion might get to the IBF champion, but Derek Chisora told Seconds Out that it was Joshua who ‘froze’ on fight night.

“There’s no two ways about it, he [Joshua] froze.

Look at the fight. He was chucking like he didn’t want to hit Daniel. He froze from the moment the bell went. I think he froze from the moment he walked out his dressing room. He didn’t feel the canvas around the ring, walk around, things like that. Things he normally does he didn’t do. He came in and went in one corner, that was it. You have to look at people’s way, how they do stuff.”

When asked for his thoughts on the rematch, Chisora was confident that AJ would get revenge.

“The best thing is the rematch, I believe Joshua wins in the rematch. He has to change his ways. He wins in the rematch. He’ll go back and look at it and say this is what I did wrong, this is what I’m gonna fix and he’ll fix it. That is it. It’s just one of those things.”

Although no official announcement has been made, it appears that all parties, including Turki Alalshikh, want the rematch to happen next.

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BOXING

Promoter Arum says Joshua overrated

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Anthony Joshua

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum says Anthony Joshua is an overrated fighter, following the Brit’s shock fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois at Wembley.

Joshua, who was dropped four times en route to the loss, missed out on the IBF belt and saw his hopes of securing an undisputed fight diminish significantly.

The defeat has raised questions about Joshua’s future in the sport, although the former two-time unified heavyweight champion has confirmed he will not be retiring.

Arum, known for his outspokenness, was particularly critical of Joshua’s performance, saying, “I’ve never been high on Joshua, but I never thought he was a great fighter, particularly after the Andy Ruiz fight.

“Again, it didn’t surprise me. I think Joshua is very, very vulnerable.”

The veteran promoter’s comments were largely based on Joshua’s 2019 loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. at Madison Square Garden, where Joshua suffered his first professional defeat.

Despite Joshua’s subsequent rematch victory over Ruiz, Arum maintained that the initial loss exposed significant weaknesses in the British boxer’s arsenal.

Joshua’s trainer, Ben Davidson, has also come under fire, with former world champion Roy Jones Jr. suggesting that Joshua should part ways with him.

Anthony Joshua 

While a rematch with Dubois is a possibility, Arum believes it would be ill advised.

“I think the silliest thing for Joshua would be to fight Dubois again,” the promoter warned.

Despite the setback, Joshua still has options for big fights. Reports suggest that Saudi Arabian officials are interested in staging a Joshua vs. Tyson Fury bout, regardless of recent results.

A potential clash with Deontay Wilder also remains on the table, with Wilder’s trainer Malik Scott expressing interest in the matchup despite the American’s recent losses to Joseph Parker and Zhilei Zhang.

As Joshua contemplates his next move, questions linger about his long-term future in the sport.

Given his reported $400m career earnings, the boxer’s financial security is assured, raising questions about the wisdom of risking further punishment in the ring.

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Tyson Fury Reveals Whether Dad John Will be in Corner for Usyk Rematch

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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury looks to bounce back from the sole defeat of his professional career when he faces Oleksandr Usyk in a highly anticipated rematch on the 21st of December. The Ukrainian became the undisputed heavyweight world champion when he defeated ‘The Gypsy King’ via split decision back in May.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

Although Fury saw the final bell that night, many believe that he was fortunate to make it to the end of the fight as it could have easily been stopped in the ninth round. The Morecambe man was in trouble after a barrage of punches from Usyk sent him reeling back into the ropes. Rather than stopping the fight, though, the referee opted to give the Brit a standing eight count, allowing him to continue in the contest.

From that point, Fury needed to do something big to turn the tide in the bout. However, there wasn’t much in the way of tactical instruction coming from the Fury corner, with Tyson’s father John instead opting to bellow at his son, telling him that he was up on the cards and that he didn’t need to seek a stoppage.

As it turned out, though, Fury was in need of a knockout in order to become the undisputed heavyweight champion – and his corner came in for plenty of criticism for not making that clear to their fighter. Tyson himself recently addressed those critics during an interview in promotion of the new ‘Undisputed’ boxing video game.

Tyson Fury Explains Why he Won’t be Making Changes to his Corner for Usyk Rematch

‘The Gypsy King’ scoffed at the idea he should make any ‘drastic’ moves

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

 

“I know what I’ve got to do, nothing drastic,” Fury told host Paul Dempsey of the rematch.

“People can say ‘I want to change trainers or I’ll blame it on me conditioning coach or I’ll blame it on the cook or I’ll blame it on the mouse next door. Same team, same everything, I know what I’ve got to do. I thought I won the fight last time.”

Reflecting on the first bout, Fury explained: “I give him, [after] me boxing all my life and watching boxing my whole career, I gave him rounds eight, nine and ten, and round nine was a 10-8. So that’s what I give him out of the fight, but obviously the judges saw it a bit different, couple of them did, one of them had me winning. That’s what it was, it was as close as it can be.”

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk

Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk judges’ scorecards
Manuel Oliver Palomo Craig Metcalfe Mike Fitzgerald
Rounds Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury Oleksandr Usyk
Round 1 9 10 9 10 9 10
Round 2 10 9 10 9 9 10
Round 3 9 10 9 10 10 9
Round 4 9 10 10 9 10 9
Round 5 10 9 10 9 10 9
Round 6 10 9 10 9 10 9
Round 7 10 9 10 9 10 9
Round 8 9 10 9 10 9 10
Round 9 8 10 8 10 8 10
Round 10 9 10 9 10 9 10
Round 11 9 10 10 9 9 10
Round 12 10 9 10 9 10 9
Total 112 115 114 113 113 114

Fury has no interest in chancing his luck with the judges in December, appearing to believe that he cannot win the rematch on the judges scorecards.

“There’s no secret, I’m going in there to knock him out because I don’t think I’m gonna get a decision no matter what I do,” argued Fury. So I have to take it out of the judges’ hands. I believe I have to get him out of there.”

Fury has scored KO wins in 24 of his 34 victories. If he can secure his 25th stoppage against Usyk, then it will be the biggest result of his professional career.

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