Boxing news: Anthony Joshua issued ultimatum, Tyson Fury demand, Canelo choice questioned
Boxing news - Express Sport brings you the latest ongoings in the boxing world.
Anthony Joshua says he’s ‘looking forward to new challenges’
Anthony Joshua title defenced ordered
The WBO have officially ordered Anthony Joshua to defend their heavyweight title against former cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua regained the WBO crown - as well as the WBA (Super), IBF and IBO titles - last weekend in Saudi Arabia with a unanimous decision victory over Andy Ruiz Jr.
Shortly after Joshua’s dominant win in Diriyah - which saw him avenge his first and only professional loss - the WBO Paco Valcarcel announced Joshua had 180 days to defend the belt.
And less than a week removed from the ‘Clash on the Dunes’, the WBO have officially sent a letter Joshua demand he reach a deal to face the Ukrainian.
“The WBO World Championship Committee hereby orders the parties herein commencement of negotiations for the above-mentioned WBO heavyweight mandatory championship contest,” read a WBO statement
“Please be advised that the parties have 30 days upon receipt of this letter to reach an agreement. If an accord is not reached within the time frame set forth herein, a purse bid will be ordered pursuant with the WBO regulations of world championship contests.”
They will have to fight sooner or later unless one of them retires, gets hurt or has a bad loss
Joe Calzaghe demands Anthony Joshua
Former undefeated super-middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe insists Joshua and Tyson Fury must face off to ensure the integrity of the prestigious heavyweight division is protected.
“I’m not really interested in Pulev - you want to see Fury or Wilder,” Calzaghe said. “The fans need to see that because they get paid enough money to fight. One name, one champion.
“Fury and Joshua are both superstars, there is no doubt about that. But I'm a fighter and I wanted to be the best. It's about being the best in the division and building a legacy.
“Unless those two fight each other, I think it is going to be a disappointment.
“But they will have to fight sooner or later unless one of them retires, gets hurt or has a bad loss.
“They are the three main heavyweights and they need to get in the ring to see who is the best.”
Terence Crawford hits out at Canelo
Terence Crawford is adamant newly-crowned WBO light-heavyweight champion Canelo Alvarez doesn’t deserve to be above him in the pound-for-pound rankings.
“No, I don’t believe anyone of those guys have passed me at this point in time,” said Crawford when asked if Canelo Alvarez and Vasiliy Lomachenko have passed him in the pound-for-pound rankings.
“[Segey] Kovalev has been stopped before, so he didn’t do nothing to Kovalev that hasn’t already been done.”
“I always go out there looking to put on a great performance to show the world why I think I’m pound-for-pound #1 over any other fighter.”