ANTHONY JOSHUA TAPS USYK'S TEAM TO BEAT JAKE PAUL
Anthony Joshua is training with Oleksandr Usyk's team for his upcoming fight against Jake Paul. The former heavyweight champion has split from trainer Ben Davison ahead of the December 19th bout in Miami.
Anthony Joshua isn't taking any chances as he gears up for his fight against Jake Paul, the YouTuber who turned to boxing. The match is set for Miami next month.
Joshua, 36, hasn't been in the ring since his tough loss to Daniel Dubois last September. Now, he's teamed up with Oleksandr Usyk's crew to get ready for the eight-round fight on December 19. Usyk is the current world champ.
At the fight announcement in the US, Joshua said he's no longer working with his usual trainer, Ben Davison. Davison had told Boxing News Online that the fight was not good for boxing. Joshua mentioned he was invited to train with Usyk's team.
He’s one of the best, and it's not just him; it's the team around him, Joshua said. I've joined them to learn from someone who's achieved a lot. It's a great, tough experience.
Joshua, who lost to Usyk twice in 2021 and 2022, brushed off the criticism about the fight. His contract says he can't weigh more than 245 lbs. Still, he'll probably outweigh Paul by a good amount.
“I don’t worry about the people against me,” Joshua added. I focus on those who support me. I have nothing to say to the haters.
"I give credit to Jake and his team," Joshua continued. They reached out, and it was a good chance for me to fight. I wanted a year off, and then it was time to get back to work. I was planning to fight anyway, so I thought, ‘Why not? ’It’s huge news, bringing both marketability and skill together.
Paul, with 13 fights under his belt, has mostly fought former UFC fighters or older boxers. He won against 58-year-old Mike Tyson a year ago. In his last fight in June, he won against 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez, a former middleweight champ.
At the press conference, Paul respected Joshua's success but still thinks he can win. He said he's ready to go all out. He's one of the best, but fighting someone smaller can be tough for a heavyweight because of the speed advantage,” Paul said.
“He has power, and I need to avoid that one shot for eight rounds. I believe I can. Self-belief is strong. I know this is harder, but I know what I can do. This will be fun. I want him to hit me, even break my face. He’ll have to kill me to stop me, and I’m ready to die.
NO THREAT: DAVID BENAVIDEZ DISMISSES BENAVIDEZ'S YARDE WIN AS PREDICTABLE, EASY WORK
David Benavidez stops Anthony Yarde by 7th-round TKO in Riyadh. 'The Mexican Monster' retained his WBA Light Heavyweight title with relentless pressure, improving his record to a devastating 31-0 with 25 KOs.
David “The Mexican Monster” Benavidez (31-0, 25 KOs) kept his undefeated record intact on November 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He stopped Anthony “The Beast from the East” Yarde (27-4, 24 KOs) in the seventh round, holding onto his WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship (175 lbs). This fight, part of the Ring IV: Night of Champions, confirmed Benavidez is a top force in boxing and hinted at even bigger matches to come.
From the start, Benavidez came out strong, pressuring Yarde with a lot of punches and power. Yarde tried to answer with quick shots, especially in the second and third rounds, landing some good hits that pushed Benavidez back for a moment. Still, Benavidez took the hits and kept up the pressure.
As the fight went on, Benavidez's consistency gave him the edge. He landed combinations to Yarde's head and body, tiring him out. By the fifth round, Yarde was showing it, moving back more, keeping his distance, and looking for one big punch to turn the fight around. But Benavidez didn't give him any space to breathe.
In the seventh, Benavidez finished it. He hit Yarde with a left hook to the body, followed by a right hand that clearly hurt him. Then, Benavidez unloaded over a dozen punches, finishing with a left to the chin. Yarde couldn't defend himself, so the referee stopped the fight.
With this win, Benavidez is set for bigger fights in the light heavyweight division.
For Yarde, this loss is a tough one, marking his third failed attempt at a world title. He showed some good moments early on, but he couldn't beat Benavidez. Despite the loss, he remains a dangerous fighter in the division.
Benavidez's win makes the light heavyweight division one of the most exciting in boxing right now.
With his aggressive style, strength, and confidence, David Benavidez keeps proving why he’s called the Mexican Monster. His victory over Anthony Yarde secured his WBA title and put him among the most feared fighters in the world.
HEARTBREAK: CANCER ENDS THE JOURNEY OF FIGHTER VANES MARTIROSYAN
American Olympian and professional boxer Vanes Martirosyan has died at 39 after a two-year battle with skin cancer. The former world title challenger, known for his 2018 fight with Gennady Golovkin, leaves behind a wife and two children.
It's sad to report that Vanes Martirosyan, the former junior middleweight fighter, has died at 39 after fighting skin cancer for two years. Martirosyan, who boxed for the United States at the 2004 Olympics, ended his career in 2019 with a record of 36-4-1, including 21 knockouts. His career included wins against fighters such as Ishe Smith, Kassim Ouma, Joe Greene, and Willie Nelson. He retired after losing to Erislandy Lara and Gennadiy Golovkin.
Born in Armenia, Martirosyan moved to Glendale, California, with his family when he was four. He got his love for boxing from his dad and started boxing at the young age of seven.
At 18, he boxed for the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, as a welterweight. Later in his pro career, he fought Gennady Golovkin but lost in two rounds.
Martirosyan is survived by his wife, a son named Andrew, and a daughter, Arianna. On Sunday, his family shared a message on social media, saying, Our hearts are broken today. We've lost an amazing man—a loving husband, a great dad, a kind person, and someone who touched everyone he met.
Anyone who knew Vanes knew how special and loving he was. The emptiness he leaves will be with us always.
We love him so much and will miss him terribly. It won't be easy, but we believe he's going to a better place, free from pain and suffering, a place of peace.
Please pray for him so he can rest peacefully.
He became a pro at 20 and was coached by the famous Freddie Roach.
Most people will remember Martirosyan for his 2018 fight with Gennady Golovkin. He filled in for Canelo Alvarez and only had three weeks to get ready.
Golovkin knocked him out in the second round. Martirosyan said Golovkin's punch felt like being hit by a train.
StadiumNest team is deeply saddened to hear about Vanes Martirosyan's passing, and we send our heartfelt condolences to his friends and family.