Latest news with #AJ
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
'I know where Anthony Joshua has gone wrong – nobody will dare tell him'
Anthony Joshua has suffered a fall from grace following his knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois, and one former world champion has raised suspicions around his camp Former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson believes Anthony Joshua 's days of challenging for the biggest belts in boxing are over. And he has attributed the former world No. 1's fall from grace to his lack of a support network that will drive him to his best. It was only three years ago that Joshua, 35, was in contention to unify the heavyweight division before consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk. The Olympic gold medal-winner then appeared to be back on the rise after putting together four straight wins, only to suffer a devastating fifth-round knockout defeat to Daniel Dubois last year. Nelson, who retired in 2006 after going a decade undefeated, believes the boxing world has "seen the best" of Joshua. He at least partially blamed his plummet from the world title spotlight on 'AJ' not having the right people in his entourage. "It's very hard to have people around you that'll tell you how it is," said 'The Entertainer' in an interview with Mirror Sport, courtesy of "You're going to have people around you that want to stay in your employment, stay in that circle. So they're going to tell you stuff that you want to hear. "They're not going to tell you, 'You need to be doing this, you need to get a hand up, you're getting hit, you're getting beat up by this guy here. Why are you doing that? Why aren't you running this time? Why are you going to open that crisp packet when you should be in the gym?'" Nelson determined: "Nobody on his squad are going to dare tell him that with any conviction. And so now all of a sudden the roles have changed, whereas when you're hungry, and you need it, they want to drag you up. "Now he's the boss. They work for him. And so that's where the problem is. And I think that along with time, along with age, along with experience, along with appetite, once they get out of kilter [it's over]. AJ's in that position." There was a palpable sense of regret in AJ's voice when he witnessed Usyk's knockout of Dubois at Wembley on Saturday. Promoter Eddie Hearn told his fighter they "should have beaten Dubois," to which the former world champion replied simply: "I know." Joshua's undefeated career came to an end when he suffered another surprise loss in June 2019, a seventh-round stoppage at the hands of Andy Ruiz. Although he avenged that loss just six months later, it served as another example of the Briton's oversight. His two decision defeats to Usyk could hardly be considered lamentable given the Ukrainian's success since moving up to heavyweight. But the same perhaps can't be said for his IBF title clash against Dubois, particularly in the form he was in at the time. However, it's perhaps pertinent that each of those unexpected losses to Ruiz and Dubois came at points when AJ was enjoying surging highs in his career. The former materialised when Joshua was 22-0 and held the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, and IBO belts, while Dubois got the better of him just when it seemed he was back on top, having finished each of his previous three fights. He now faces an uncertain future, with a clash against YouTuber Jake Paul being mooted, while speculation of a Tyson Fury matchup are never far. Nelson went on to liken his situation to that of former training partner Prince Naseem Hamed, who was a world-beater at one stage himself. "I've been around Prince Naseem, an amazing fighter. And I was around him from the very beginning of his career," he continued. "But then all of a sudden he started to surround himself with yes men. He deleted all the people that kept him grounded and said it how it was to him to keep him real. "And the more yes men he surrounded himself with, the more his boxing life turned into chaos. He lost fights he shouldn't have done. He was surrounding himself by the swimming pool in Bob Hope's house when [Marco Antonio] Barrera was up in the mountains training. And he's saying, 'Yeah, I don't have to do this.' There was nobody around him to say, 'What are you doing?' It's the same with a lot of modern fighters now." The money on offer to boxing's elite today is bigger than ever, and Nelson is happy for Joshua that he's made enough to make a clean getaway from the sport. But while some may scratch their head as to why Britain's former poster boy hasn't quite lived up to his full potential, there's a sense those around Joshua have to carry some of the blame.
The Irish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Derek Chisora stunned after finding out about Oleksandr Usyk's outrageous training regime ahead of Daniel Dubois fight
WHEN Derek Chisora bumped into Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 - he was stunned to find out his old rival had been swimming for FIVE hours. The two reunited one year after 7 Oleksandr Usyk swims for hours on end Credit: 7 The training regime left even Derek Chisora stunned Credit: 7 Chisora revealed Usyk's crazy swimming regime on SunSport's No Glove Lost Credit: The Sun Usyk, 38, was preparing to fight Anthony Joshua for the first time and was using a fitness centre owned by one of Chisora's friends. And he stunned Chisora after revealing he had been swimming non-stop lengths for hours on end. Chisora, 41, said on SunSport's No Glove Lost show in association with "You know, I bumped into him the first AJ fight. Walked in there, my guy who owns the place says, 'Usyk's up there.' READ MORE IN BOXING "Usyk came downstairs, started talking and he says, 'I arrived earlier on but I've been swimming.' Been swimming? "And he goes, 'I've been swimming for six hours.' Non stop! Do you understand? "Olympic swimming pool, he's going up and down, up and down up and down. Non stop. "Because in Ukraine they go in one of those big rivers and they will just swim to the end and back." Most read in Boxing Usyk vs Dubois 2 - All the info OLEKSANDR USYK and Daniel Dubois meet again in a blockbuster heavyweight unification fight at Wembley Stadium THIS SATURDAY! Usyk won the first fight in August 2023 via a ninth round KO - but only after Dubois knocked him to the canvas with a body blow that was ruled a low blow. Dubois, 27, has improved massively since that first meeting, reeling off stunning wins over Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the big fight... INFO All the info for Usyk vs Dubois 2 Latest ticket availability and price How much are Usyk and Dubois earning for the rematch? Get either fighter at 50/1 to win with talkSPORT BET LATEST NEWS, EXCLUSIVES & FEATURES CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 7 USYK VS DUBOIS 2: Stream, TV channel and undercard info for blockbuster Wembley fight Usyk went on to twice beat Joshua, 35, on points while also doing the same against Tyson Fury, 36, to become undisputed king. Those wins were in between a ninth-round stoppage victory over Daniel Dubois, 27, although the pair now rematch on Saturday at Wembley. He is fighting a guy who is crazy! Chisora | No Glove Lost: Usyk vs Dubois 2 fight preview - The Sun Sport And Chisora - who has remained close friends with Usyk - reckons the masterful Ukrainian is as perfect as a fighter can be. He said: 'Daniel has to walk into Wembley Stadium and just become a demon. And just go with that. Don't even doubt yourself, just go with it. 'But, let's be honest. These Europeans are different from us English. We are mummy's boys and those guys are real men. 'He's a religious guy. He's a man of God. Do you know when someone's got it all perfect? He's got it all perfect.' 7 Usyk and Chisora are still close friends Credit: Dave Thompson Matchroom Boxing 7 Usyk beat Daniel Dubois in 2023 Credit: RICHARD PELHAM 7 Now they rematch on Saturday at Wembley Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Jake Paul in first official meeting over Anthony Joshua fight after making amends with Saudi boxing boss Turki Alalshikh
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JAKE PAUL has moved a step closer to making an unthinkable fight against Anthony Joshua a reality after meeting with Turki Alalshikh. The YouTuber-turned-boxer first called out AJ earlier in the year - setting into motion and verbal back-and-forth between the two in private. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Turki Alalshikh pictured with Jake Paul Credit: @Turki_alalshikh But now Paul has actually brought talks to life after linking up with Saudi boxing chief Alalshikh in New York - despite their previously rocky relationship. Paul's promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian revealed the meeting was no exclusively about a fight with AJ - but the topic was discussed. Bidarian told SunSport: "We talked about a number of things with Turki and AJ was certainly a fighter that we discussed. "It wasn't necessarily (just) about fighting AJ etc - but we talked about a number of fighters with Turki, yes. READ MORE IN BOXING WORLD OF PAIN Paul called out by unbeaten KO artist after replacing him in world rankings "But make no mistake, Jake Paul wants that fight and if timing lines up, Jake Paul will fight Anthony Joshua." Joshua's last three fights - including his recent knockout loss in September to Daniel Dubois - have all involved Alalshikh. And AJ's promoter Eddie Hearn revealed talks for a fresh two-bout deal with the Saudi chief were ongoing earlier in the year. WBC cruiserweight champion Badou Jack's last fight - a controversial win over Noel Mikaelian - was also on a Riyadh Season card. 3 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS After Paul defeated ex-middleweight champ Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June, he called out Jack and AJ. Bidarian met with Paul on the week of Katie Taylor's trilogy bout win over Amanda Serrano and revealed: "We did talk about the different options that he has in front of him. He is fighting a guy who is crazy! Chisora | No Glove Lost: Usyk vs Dubois 2 fight preview - The Sun Sport "We're still going through it. He has two goals - and I've said that before - he wants to become world champion, and he wants to do big events. "Obviously the money is great, but he wants to create opportunity for other fighters. "He wants to bring attention to the sport. He wants to expand the fan base of the sport." Paul moved up to heavyweight in November when Mike Tyson controversially made a comeback aged 58. Tyson lost the fight on points over eight, shorter two-minute rounds with over 100 MILLION watching on Netflix. He dropped back down TWO STONE to the 200lb cruiserweight limit to beat Chavez Jr - earning himself a top 15 WBA ranking. Paul confirmed he would go back up to heavyweight to fight Joshua, 35, despite struggling to maintain the size. Hearn did not meet with Bidarian in the Big Apple but also confirmed the talks between Paul and Alalshikh over a fight with AJ. We talked about a number of things with Turki and AJ was certainly a fighter that we discussed. Jake Paul's promotional partner Nakisa Bidarian Alalshikh has been critical of Paul's boxing career and opposition - including Tyson who recently turned 59. But the two appear to have made amends with the potential of working together in the future. Bidarian added: "If you look at Jake's statements throughout the past couple of years, it hasn't been about Turki, it's been about fighters, right? "Jake and I are fighter first. And as a fighter, you should always ensure you're in an environment where fighters are first, fighters are the priority, fighters are the product, and that's, that's really been the core of his message. "There's no reason for Jake and Turki to be on opposite side of the spectrum when it comes to boxing, because they have a common goal. "And that common goal is to make boxing the number one sport in the world, once again, like it used to be. And Jake's done a great job of that with the youth. "There's never been more youth interest within boxing and Turki's done a great job of that in terms of breaking down the walls of fragmentation on the men's side and giving boxing some of its biggest fights. "Our strategy is gonna continue to be to be fighter first and we're gonna create an umbrella brand for women's boxing that has the best product. "What you saw last Friday night was eight fights and at least six of them were very high-level boxing. "And that's very unique in the sport to have balanced top tier athletes going at it from A to Z on the card and that's what we want to offer." 3 Nakisa Bidarian has met with Jake Paul over his next fight
The Irish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance revealed after she kept his identity secret despite romantic proposal
BIG Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance has been revealed as an American art director living in New York. The TV presenter, 37, last month in the most spectacular of ways. 4 AJ Odudu's fiance has been revealed as an American art dealer from New York Credit: Instagram 4 The Big Brother presenter officially launched her relationship publicly last month Credit: Instagram 4 AJ's fiance Peter Gibson is said to be relocating to London Credit: Instagram It has now been revealed that her fiance is Peter Gibson, who is originally from Idaho but currently living in the Big Apple. But the pair are planning to settle down in the UK, according to the Peter reportedly works for brand agency Wieden + Kennedy, who also have offices in London and Mexico. READ MORE ON AJ ODUDU The pair are currently together in Seattle as they prepare for their nuptials. It is understood that AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with her partner. A source told the publication: "He's [Peter's] now planning a move to the UK so that he and AJ can live together and properly set themselves up for the future. "With many strings to his bow as an art director and creator, it made more sense for Pete to relocate, especially given AJ's career has taken off to new heights in the UK." Most read in News TV The Sun has reached out to AJ's rep for comment. was flooded with messages of congratulations from her famous pals after revealing her engagement. Fears for AJ Odudu and Will Best as CBB fans spot 'tension' in mistake-filled show - did you? Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "Hiya love," followed by a heart, ring and puppy eyes emoji. The presenter star did not reveal the name of her man, but she shared a string of loved-up snaps in which they embraced and kissed inside a photo booth. Another snap saw AJ proudly show off her sparkler while wearing a gorgeous feathered dress. Her partner - who had not previously been known by fans - looked suave in a cream suit, layered above a black tank top. The Strictly star's post attracted heaps of comments from her celeb friends, with Jourdan Dunn added: "Congratulations!!!" while Joe Baggs, Henry Southan and Yinrun Huang also sent their love. Up until now, AJ had been believed to be single. In December 2021, there were rumours when she was on Strictly that she was dating her dance partner When quizzed on Strictly: It Takes Two, the duo laughed and appeared awkward, before Kai explained: "If people react like this then it means we are doing something right, because that is the way the dance should be danced." He went on to say they wanted to do the "passionate, fiery and intimate" dance justice. "If people want to think that, then great but we are just doing our jobs, she was doing her job," he added. During her time on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, AJ gave an insight into her previous relationships. TV presenter AJ does not have any children. She said: "I've been cheated on by three ex-boyfriends. "One of them was sleeping with my best friends." 4 AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with Peter Credit: Getty
Scottish Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Big Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance revealed after she kept his identity secret despite romantic proposal
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BIG Brother presenter AJ Odudu's mystery fiance has been revealed as an American art director living in New York. The TV presenter, 37, officially launched her relationship publicly last month in the most spectacular of ways. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 AJ Odudu's fiance has been revealed as an American art dealer from New York Credit: Instagram 4 The Big Brother presenter officially launched her relationship publicly last month Credit: Instagram 4 AJ's fiance Peter Gibson is said to be relocating to London Credit: Instagram AJ introduced her hunky man at the same time she announced they were engaged to be married. It has now been revealed that her fiance is Peter Gibson, who is originally from Idaho but currently living in the Big Apple. But the pair are planning to settle down in the UK, according to the Mail. Peter reportedly works for brand agency Wieden + Kennedy, who also have offices in London and Mexico. The pair are currently together in Seattle as they prepare for their nuptials. It is understood that AJ has been quietly making trips back and forth to New York to spend time with her partner. A source told the publication: "He's [Peter's] now planning a move to the UK so that he and AJ can live together and properly set themselves up for the future. "With many strings to his bow as an art director and creator, it made more sense for Pete to relocate, especially given AJ's career has taken off to new heights in the UK." The Sun has reached out to AJ's rep for comment. AJ was flooded with messages of congratulations from her famous pals after revealing her engagement. Fears for AJ Odudu and Will Best as CBB fans spot 'tension' in mistake-filled show - did you? Taking to Instagram, she wrote: "Hiya love," followed by a heart, ring and puppy eyes emoji. The presenter star did not reveal the name of her man, but she shared a string of loved-up snaps in which they embraced and kissed inside a photo booth. Another snap saw AJ proudly show off her sparkler while wearing a gorgeous feathered dress. Her partner - who had not previously been known by fans - looked suave in a cream suit, layered above a black tank top. The Strictly star's post attracted heaps of comments from her celeb friends, with Alexandra Burke writing: "Awww congrats babe! I love this for you!" Jourdan Dunn added: "Congratulations!!!" while Johannes Radebe said: "Awww congrats," and Anita Rani chimed in with: "congratulations." Joe Baggs, Henry Southan and Yinrun Huang also sent their love. Up until now, AJ had been believed to be single. In December 2021, there were rumours when she was on Strictly that she was dating her dance partner Kai Widdrington. When quizzed on Strictly: It Takes Two, the duo laughed and appeared awkward, before Kai explained: "If people react like this then it means we are doing something right, because that is the way the dance should be danced." He went on to say they wanted to do the "passionate, fiery and intimate" dance justice. "If people want to think that, then great but we are just doing our jobs, she was doing her job," he added. During her time on Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, AJ gave an insight into her previous relationships. TV presenter AJ does not have any children. She said: "I've been cheated on by three ex-boyfriends. "One of them was sleeping with my best friends."
