EDDIE HEARN ISSUES VITAL UPDATE: ANTHONY JOSHUA WILL DECIDE BOXING FUTURE WHEN READY
Is AJ retiring? Eddie Hearn discusses Anthony Joshua’s boxing future following the loss of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele.
Eddie Hearn just gave an update on Anthony Joshua, who’s already back in the gym, only weeks after losing two close friends in a car accident. Joshua, 36, was in a terrible crash in Nigeria—he survived, but his friends and team members, Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, didn’t make it.
Joshua came out with just minor injuries. He’d actually switched seats right before the trip, which probably saved his life. Now, he’s been seen training again, lacing up his gloves in Dubai.
Hearn, who’s promoted Joshua for years at Matchroom Boxing, met up with him recently and posted about it on Instagram: “Great to catch up with @anthonyjoshua today.” He called Joshua’s resilience “inspiring” but said the loss is hitting hard. Hearn said Joshua is taking his time, and he’s grateful for all the support and love people have shown for Latz and Sina.
Ever since the crash, people have been speculating about Joshua’s future in boxing. Hearn made it clear Joshua’s not rushing back—he’s taking a real break. Speaking to Sky Sports, Hearn said, “No one really wants to talk about what’s next for him right now. That’s a conversation for later.”
He added, “You just have to give someone space to process something like this. It’s not just a bad situation—it’s one you can never prepare for. No one wants to see a friend go through this.”
“It’s heartbreaking. When he’s ready, he’ll decide what’s next. You’ll hear it from him, and that’s the only voice that matters right now. We’ll give him all the time he needs to heal, in every way. What happened is anything but normal, and it’s devastating, especially for the families of Sina and Latz. Those guys were so loved.”
Joshua hasn’t said anything publicly about his plans for boxing yet. Earlier this month, though, he posted a moving tribute to Ayodele and Ghami on social media.
He wrote, “Thank you for all the love and care you’ve shown my brothers. I didn’t even realise how special they were. I’d just be walking and joking with them, not knowing God put me in the presence of great men.
“It’s definitely tough for me, but I know it’s even harder for their parents. I’m strong, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.”
Meanwhile, proceedings against the driver, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, are set to be reopened on Tuesday. He’s facing charges for causing death by dangerous driving, driving without due care, and not having a valid licence.
MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO 2: CAN THE LAS VEGAS SPHERE BREAK REVENUE RECORDS?
Mayweather vs. Pacquiao 2 at the Sphere! Read about the $4,000+ ticket prices, the 17,600 capacity, and new streaming rumours.
When it comes to the Floyd Mayweather Jr vs Manny Pacquiao rematch, the choice of venue, Las Vegas Sphere, changes the game. You just can’t rely on ticket sales the way you could back in 2015. There’s only so much space, and that puts a cap on one of the biggest money-makers from their first fight.
People are already throwing around some wild numbers about how much this rematch could pull in. They keep looking back at that first fight, which still holds the record for the highest-grossing boxing event ever.
Back then, they raked in about $72 million from just over 16,000 fans at the MGM Grand. The Sphere isn’t much bigger at best; you get 17,600 seats, and that’s if you squeeze in every last one. So, even if you max out the space, you’re only adding about 1,300 seats. That’s not a game-changer.
So, how do you make more money? It comes down to charging more for tickets. The 2015 fight already had an average ticket price north of $4,000. To top that, promoters need to crank up the prices for premium seats and VIP experiences.
Mayweather hasn’t fought since he stopped Conor McGregor in 2017. Pacquiao came back last year and fought Mario Barrios to a draw for the WBC welterweight title. Even now, both guys are still huge names. Their first fight had the whole world watching, and it paid off big time.
But this second act could look different. In 2015, the pay-per-view model pulled in a record 4.6 million buys in the U.S. This time, there’s talk about going with a streaming deal instead. If that happens, most of the money comes from broadcast rights and sponsorships, not just people splurging on tickets.
The Sphere itself will give the rematch a unique vibe. But with the limited number of seats, what really matters is how they price those tickets and how much they can bring in from media rights. The days of packing in way more fans for the gate are over, at least for this fight.
UNDISPUTED METRICS: ANALYZING USYK’S 24-0 RECORD AGAINST THE HEAVY-HITTING DUTCH "KING OF KICKBOXING."
Usyk vs Verhoeven is ON: Read why the WBC sanctioned this heavyweight title fight and get the May 23 Giza match details.
Oleksandr Usyk’s unexpected fight with kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven is officially set to be for the WBC world heavyweight title.
Usyk, now 39, will put his iconic green and gold belt on the line when he faces the 36-year-old Dutch star in a massive crossover event in Giza, Egypt, on May 23.
No one really saw this coming, especially since Usyk is still unbeaten at 24-0, with 15 knockouts. Truth is, he’s run out of real challenges in the heavyweight division. After dominating as undisputed cruiserweight champion, he’s managed to repeat that feat at heavyweight, beating Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua twice each along the way.
People expected Usyk’s next fight to be against Deontay Wilder, who’s clearly past his prime. But the chance to step into the ring with Verhoeven, a huge name in kickboxing, was just too tempting. Verhoeven almost fought Joshua back in February, but that plan blew up after Joshua’s tragic car accident in Nigeria, which took the lives of two of his closest team members.
Even though Verhoeven has just one official boxing match, a knockout win over Janos Finfera back in 2014, the WBC agreed to put its title up for grabs in this matchup.
The WBC released a statement, saying, "After careful consideration, the WBC Board of Governors has decided to sanction Oleksandr Usyk’s voluntary title defence against legendary kickboxing champion Rico Verhoeven.
At our 63rd Annual Convention in Bangkok, we granted Usyk a voluntary defence. After that, we got a petition to approve Usyk vs Verhoeven as that defence.
Usyk’s been incredibly active, taking on and beating top fighters like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Daniel Dubois twice each while keeping his undefeated streak alive. That kind of run is unheard of in heavyweight boxing.
Rico’s been at the top level in kickboxing since 2005, and over nearly twenty years, he’s become one of the sport’s all-time greats. He’s headlined massive stadium shows, fighting in front of 30,000, sometimes 40,000 fans. At 36, he’s fought 76 times professionally and just recently gave up the Glory Kickboxing Heavyweight title after staying unbeaten for 11 years.
Switching from kickboxing to boxing isn’t new. Plenty of Muay Thai fighters have moved to boxing and fought for WBC titles early on. This decision sticks to our rules and regulations.”
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