Connect with us

Sports

Anthony Joshua gives fresh hints on his next fight

Published

on

Two-time heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua, has backtracked on his claim that he won’t fight again until December this year and instead hinted at a potential return to the ring this summer.

Joshua, 33, got back to winning ways at the start of April by dominating Jermaine Franklin in a shut-out points victory at the O2 Arena.

Recall that Joshua had lost twice against Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk, leaving the door open for potential mega-fights with Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury or Joe Joyce.

Yet one week after beating Franklin, fans were left puzzled when Joshua revealed on social media that his next outing would not come for another eight months.

“Not ideal, but everything is part of a bigger picture,” Joshua wrote on Instagram.

That announcement was soon followed by astonishing reports which claimed Saudi Arabian officials are now planning a historic night of boxing which would see Joshua vs Wilder and Fury vs Usyk take place on the same card at the end of this year, with the winners of each bout then going on to lock horns in 2024.

However, Joshua has now suggested he could return to the ring in “July or August” if both he and his new coach Derrick James believe doing so is the right move.

“I thought as I have changed maybe three coaches in three years, it would be good to develop and work under the guidance of my new coach and by the time I am back in the ring, I have cemented and implemented everything he wants,” the British boxer told Sky Sports.

“But the only way we are going to put everything he is teaching me to the test is through fighting.

“So rather than putting pressure on myself, and I don’t want to lie to the fans at the time, I am fighting this date when there is still conversations, I just wanted to draw a line in the sand and say I am not fighting until this date.

“If I, my coach, decide to change my mind… I feel I am able to change my mind, right? So I am able to fight in July or August if I want, but right now, it is off the table, but we are subject to chance providing my coach is happy with what he sees.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

UCL: Mbappe takes blame for PSG’s defeat to Dortmund

Published

on

Paris Saint-Germain forward, Kylian Mbappé, has taken the blame for their Champions League exit on Tuesday.

Their semi-final tie against Borussia Dortmund finished 2-0 on aggregate, after they lost 1-0 in front of their fans in the second leg.

Mbappe has admitted that the result was down to missed chances, a few of which came from him.

The Ligue 1 champions had almost 70% of the possession and took 30 shots in the second leg, hitting the woodwork four times.

“I tried to help my team as best as I could but I didn’t do enough.

“When we talk about being efficient in the boxes, I think I’m the one targeted. I’m the guy who should score goals and be decisive.

“When things are good, I take all the limelight and when they are not, you have to take the shadow. That’s not a problem.

“The first one who should have scored tonight was me. That’s life and we have to move on, me and the team,” Mbappé said after the game at Parc des Princes.

Continue Reading

Sports

NFF appoints Finidi George new Super Eagles head coach

Published

on

The Nigeria Football Federation has announced the appointment of Finidi George as new Super Eagles head coach.

The former international beat Emmanuel Amuneke to the job.

George, who spent 20 months as an assistant to José Santos Peseiro before the Portuguese voluntarily left the post following the accomplishment of Africa Cup of Nations runner-up position at Cote d’Ivoire 2023, took charge of the squad in an interim capacity during two friendly matches in Morocco last month.

George’s immediate task will be to guide the Super Eagles to victory in two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against South Africa and Benin Republic in Uyo and Abidjan, respectively, in a little over five weeks.

The matches are must-win encounters, with the Super Eagles lagging behind in third place in Group C of the African campaign behind Rwanda and South Africa.

Continue Reading

Sports

Arsenal’s recent performance; Arteta’s cautious optimism

Published

on

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta cautioned against overconfidence despite the thrilling 3-2 win over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a hard-fought London derby on Sunday.

The Gunners surged ahead with a three-goal lead by halftime, but Spurs staged a spirited comeback, narrowing the gap to just one goal in the second half.

“Don’t get carried away with yourself. Just understand we have to be better, we want to be better. There’s room for improvement, and we go again against Bournemouth,” Arteta emphasized.

League leaders Arsenal will face Bournemouth next Saturday, followed by crucial matches against Manchester United and Everton, as they aim to maintain their position at the top of the table and fend off competition from Manchester City.

“We are right on it. The motivation and what lies ahead are exhilarating,” Arteta told reporters after a nerve-wracking finish against Tottenham, who nearly salvaged a draw in the closing moments.

Despite setbacks like the recent home loss to Aston Villa and Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, Arsenal has demonstrated resilience. They secured wins against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea, followed by a crucial victory over Spurs, a feat Arteta acknowledged as challenging.

Nevertheless, Arteta expressed confidence in his team’s readiness for the title race, highlighting their courage and determination.

“They’ve played a lot of minutes, a lot of games. It’s an emotionally demanding month, but yesterday I had to stop them in training because they wanted more. That’s a promising sign,” Arteta remarked.

“This team has a lot of courage and determination to make it happen. I have faith in the players.”

Arteta couldn’t help but smile as he admitted to moments of doubt in the final minutes of the match.

Continue Reading

Trending