Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has been tipped to make his ring return in the summer following his shock knockout defeat to IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois last September, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Speaking to BetFred, Matchroom CEO Frank Smith confirmed Joshua’s timeline while discussing the current state of the heavyweight division.
“There’s a lot of movement in the heavyweight division. You’ve got Daniel Dubois vs Joseph Parker on February 22nd, we’ve got to wait and see what Oleksandr Usyk does next. But I think you’ll see Anthony Joshua back out in the summer,” Smith said.
A rematch with Dubois was initially planned for February, but the British-Nigerian was advised by his team to recover from niggling injuries.
Meanwhile, British heavyweight Dillian Whyte has thrown his hat in the ring as a potential opponent, vowing to send Joshua into retirement if they meet for a third time.
“If he wants to fight, then all they’ve got to do is call me. I’m always up for fighting AJ. No problem for me. However, personally, I think he’s finished. I think he made a huge mistake not taking the immediate rematch with Dubois,” Whyte told Sky Sports Boxing.
The pair have history, with Whyte winning their amateur bout 16 years ago before Joshua claimed victory in their professional encounter in December 2015 with a seventh-round knockout.
A potential trilogy fight was scheduled for August 2023 but was cancelled after Whyte returned an adverse finding in a doping test. He was later cleared after an investigation found it was a contaminated supplement that caused the findings.
The possibility of a long-awaited clash with Tyson Fury appears remote after the WBC champion announced his fifth retirement following his second straight defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December.
However, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn remains skeptical about Fury’s retirement.
“I saw that coming. I think, if you ever want to come back and get the max you’ve gotta retire first, ain’t you? Someone’s gotta bring you out of retirement,” Hearn told iFL TV.
“For AJ, we have options to pursue and we are looking at them currently,” he added in a separate interview with The Daily Mail.
Joshua, who has earned over $200m in his career, will look to rebuild his reputation after suffering his fourth professional defeat to Dubois at Wembley Stadium.
Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, and forward, Ademola Lookman, have both been shortlisted for the FIFA Best Awards 2024.
In the list which was released on Friday, the Super Eagles players, including Paul Onuachu, and super falcons player, Asisat Oshoala, were all nominated in various categories.
Ademola Lookman, who plays for Atalanta in the Italian Serie A, was nominated in the Best Attacker category, and will battle it out with the impressive Vinicius Junior, Lamine Yamal, Bukayo Saka, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo among other high-profile players.
Nigeria’s stand-in captain Troost-Ekong was named in the Best Defender category alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba, Manuel Akanji, Antonio Rüdiger, Dani Carvajal, and others.
Oshoala, who has won the CAF Women’s Player of the Year crown for a record number of times was listed in the newly-introduced Marta Award. The prize is for the best goal in women’s football.
Her compatriot and Southampton forward Onuachu earned a place for the male version – the Puskas.
Super Eagles player Victor Boniface, has opened up on how he feels about being excluded from the shortlist for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Men’s Player of the Year award.
Recall that the Confederation had announced its shortlist in October, where Nigerian stars Ademola Lookman and William Troost-Ekong both made it to the nominees list.
Boniface and Victor Osimhen, on the other hand, were absent from the final 10 nominees.
Reacting to this, Boniface in an interview with sports journalist Pooja on Sunday, expressed disappointment at being excluded.
He stated that he had had a great run and an amazing season last season, and so should have been part of the nominees for the award.
He stated, “Not sad, but disappointed because I had an amazing season last season, so for me not to be there… maybe the award is for African players in AFCON, I don’t know. But in general, if it’s for African Player of the Year, I think I had a great season.
“I don’t need to prove to anybody; I don’t really care about awards and stuff. But of course, as a football player, I want to improve, I want to do more for myself.”
Popular Mike Tyson’s controversial return to boxing ended in a one-sided defeat on Friday, with Youtuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul cruising to victory by unanimous decision against the heavyweight icon in Texas.
Tyson, 58, barely landed a punch during the eight-round bout at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with Paul winning by big margins on all three cards — 80-72, 79-73 and 79-73.
Paul, 27, used his superior speed and movement to dominate the ageing Tyson with ease, and had the former undisputed heavyweight champion in trouble after landing a flurry of punches in the third round.
Yet the younger fighter was unable to land the knockout blow he had promised to deliver during Thursday’s ill-tempered weigh-in, where Tyson slapped him across the face.
Tyson, however, looked every bit of his 58 years, managing to land only a handful of meaningful punches during the fight.
Final statistics showed Tyson connected with just 18 of 97 punches thrown while Paul threw some 278 punches and landed 78 of them.
As the final seconds of the eighth round counted down, Paul could even afford to bow in respect to Tyson before the bell sounded.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have secured their qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, following Libya’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda in Kigali.
This result leaves Rwanda with five points from five matches, rendering them unable to surpass Nigeria in the standings, even if they win their upcoming match against the Super Eagles in Uyo.
Currently, Nigeria leads Group D with 10 points, followed by Benin with six points, Rwanda with five, and Libya at the bottom with four points.
Benin remains in contention for the second qualification spot and will face Nigeria in a crucial match tonight.
Libya is set to host Benin in the final Group D game on Monday.
Nearly 40 years after his professional debut, and 19 years after retiring, 58-year-old Mike Tyson will return to the ring on Friday in a Netflix-backed bout that has stirred widespread condemnation in the boxing world.
Tyson, who dominated the heavyweight division in the late 1980s, will lace up the gloves once more to face YouTuber Jake Paul, 27, in an officially sanctioned fight at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
The bout, set for eight two-minute rounds, was initially scheduled for July but was postponed in May when Tyson required medical treatment after vomiting blood on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles due to a bleeding ulcer.
The incident has fuelled criticism of Friday’s fight, with many condemning it as a macabre spectacle that poses undue risk for Tyson, who last appeared in a professional ring in 2005, ending in a technical knockout loss after quitting on his stool against Irish journeyman Kevin McBride.
US boxer Mike Tyson looks on during a press conference ahead of his heavyweight bout against US boxer-actor Jake Paul, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas on November 13, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)US boxer-actor Jake Paul gestures during a press conference ahead of his heavyweight bout against US boxer Mike Tyson, at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas on November 13, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)
‘It Shouldn’t Be Happening’
“Mike Tyson retired from boxing 20 years ago and was already worn out,” British promoter Eddie Hearn said this week.
“If anyone thinks Mike Tyson should be in a ring at this age, you either have absolutely no concern for him, or you’re being reckless. This shouldn’t be happening.”
Hearn’s fellow promoter, Frank Warren, echoed the sentiment.
“Mike Tyson is 58 years of age and he shouldn’t be fighting,” Warren said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Comparing the fight to a roadside accident, Warren added, “You’re on the motorway, and everyone’s slowing down just to look at a crash — that’s what this is.”
Tyson, reportedly earning around $20 million for the bout, has dismissed concerns for his wellbeing, claiming critics are motivated by jealousy.
“I’m beautiful, that’s all I can say,” he responded earlier this year. “Those who criticise wish they were in my place. No one else can do this.”
US boxer Mike Tyson (L) and US boxer-actor Jake Paul (R) face each other during a press conference ahead of their heavyweight bout at The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory in Irving, Texas, on November 13, 2024. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)IRVING, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 13: Mike Tyson pose and Jake Paul pose after the final press conference for their upcoming heavyweight fight at Toyota Music Factory on November 13, 2024 in Irving, Texas. Ed Mulholland/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ed Mulholland / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
At an open workout in Texas this week, Tyson declared that his intense training camp had convinced him he was tougher than he’d realised.
“When I agreed to this fight, I thought, ‘What was I thinking?’ But I completed the process. The fight is the celebration. All the hard work is done.”
At Wednesday’s press conference in Texas, a focused Tyson avoided pre-fight hype, saying simply, “I’m just ready to fight.”
Injury Fears
A global audience on Netflix and thousands in AT&T Stadium will be watching on Friday to see if Tyson’s efforts pay off.
Paul, who was born six months before Tyson famously bit off a portion of Evander Holyfield’s ear in their 1997 rematch, first gained fame on YouTube before turning to boxing.
Since his first bout against a fellow YouTuber in 2018, Paul has fought various opponents, including a basketball player, MMA fighters, and other professional boxers. In 11 matches, he has won 10 (seven by knockout) and lost one.
“I feel really good, sharp, powerful, and explosive. It’s going to be a short night for Mike,” Paul said at Tuesday’s open workout, where he sported a rooster-shaped headdress.
IRVING, TEXAS – NOVEMBER 13: Jake Paul and Mike Tyson pose after the final press conference for their upcoming heavyweight fight at Toyota Music Factory on November 13, 2024 in Irving, Texas. Ed Mulholland/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ed Mulholland / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
It’s clear that a prime, 1980s Tyson would likely have disposed of Paul within minutes. But does Tyson still retain any trace of the power and skill that made him the youngest heavyweight champion in history in 1986, at age 20?
Veteran promoter Bob Arum, 92, is blunt.
“The answer is no,” Arum told SecondsOut.com last month.
“A 58-year-old man, no matter how good or athletic they were, can’t compete at that level anymore.”
“I hope Mike doesn’t get hurt, but I really give him almost no chance.”
The South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan, has been arrested and charged with fraud and theft.
South African Police Force disclosed this, in a statement, stating that the arrest was made on Wednesday.
They also noted that the Football President has been charged with using the group’s resources for his own purposes in a fraud and theft case amounting to 1.3 million rand ($72,000).
The Football President was also accused of hiring a private security and public relations company without authorization.
“The allegations are that between 2014 and 2018, the president of SAFA used the organisation’s resources for his personal gain.
“He was accused of hiring a private security company for his own protection and a public relations company without authorisation from the SAFA board.“
He was arrested following an intensive investigation by the Serious Commercial Crime Investigation based in Johannesburg into allegations of R1.3 million fraud and theft,” the police stated.
Jordaan, 73, is reported to have hired the public relations firm after his reputation took a knock when a South African singer and former lawmaker alleged in 2017 that he had sexually assaulted her 25 years previously.
He however, denied denied the charges in a Johannesburg court.
He was arrested with SAFA chief financial officer Gronie Hluyo and businessman Trevor Neethling, head of the communications company cited in the charges, who also denied the accusations.
Jordaan has been SAFA president since 2013 and was elected for a third time in 2022, and led South Africa’s successful bid to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
British heavyweight Anthony Joshua has ascended to third place among boxing’s top earners, following Tyson Fury and Canelo Álvarez.
In his September bout against Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium, Joshua secured a guaranteed £6 million purse, with potential pay-per-view (PPV) revenue possibly elevating his total earnings beyond £25 million if buys reached 850,000.
Tyson Fury leads the earnings chart, reportedly amassing $100 million from his historic heavyweight clash against Oleksandr Usyk in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May.
Meanwhile, Mexican boxing sensation Canelo Álvarez earned $35 million for defending his undisputed super middleweight title against Jaime Munguia at Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena, as reported by boxing journalist Dan Rafael.
Anthony Joshua’s substantial earnings underscore his status as one of boxing’s highest-paid athletes, reflecting the sport’s era of multimillion-dollar bouts and record-breaking contracts.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has claimed the prestigious 2024 Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham in a historic triumph that marks the pinnacle of his inspiring journey.
After receiving his award, the Spanish international reflected on the uncertain path that led him to football’s highest individual honour.
In an acceptance speech on Monday at the ceremony in Paris, France, Rodri revealed a pivotal moment from his early career.
He said, “One day I told my father: stop, I leave football, my dream is over. But he told me… no, keep going, let’s try until the end.”
According to him, that persistence has now been rewarded with football’s highest individual accolade.
“Today I’m here and I’m proud; I have to say thanks,” Rodri added.
The final rankings saw Rodri claim the top spot, with Real Madrid’s dynamic duo Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham completing the top three.
The full list of honourees includes 29 of football’s most outstanding performers, underscoring the competitive nature of this year’s award.
Nigeria were awarded three goals and three points, and Libya was fined $50,000 as the Confederation of African Football finally announced its verdict on the botched 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifying fixture scheduled for October 15 in Benina, Libya, on Saturday.
The verdict followed an intense and seemingly thorough investigation of the matter by the body’s disciplinary committee following a complaint by the Nigeria Football Federation after the Super Eagles were subjected to a 20-hour nightmarish experience in the North African country between Sunday, October 13 and Monday, October 14.
The Libyan authorities had diverted their flight to Labraq Airport, which is about 300 km from the match venue, just when they were about to land at the designated airport in Benghazi. The Nigerian contingent was locked in at Labraq Airport for 18 hours without food and water, and the toilets were completely messed up by the Libyans in anticipation of their arrival.
Drained physically, psychologically, mentally, and emotionally, the Super Eagles, who were apparently were not in the right shape to play the match, returned to the country later on Monday.
The Libyan Football Federation tried to put up a spurious defence that was eventually rightly found untenable by the Disciplinary Committee.
In its ruling on Saturday, which was signed by the chairman, Ousmane Kane, the committee found the Libyan Football Federation guilty of breaching Article 31 of the Africa Cup of Nations Regulations as well as Articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
