Breaking
sport now
Tag

boxing

Browsing
BOXING

Robert Helenius denies doping for Anthony Joshua fight

By
Anthony Joshua

Heavyweight Robert Helenius says he would “never cheat” after a voluntary drug test taken before his bout with Anthony Joshua returned an “adverse analytical finding”.

The 39-year-old Finn stepped in to face Joshua after initial opponent Dillian Whyte also returned an “adverse analytical finding” before the fight.

“I did not use any performance enhancement, now or ever,” he said.

Joshua knocked out Helenius in round seven in London on 12 August.

In a statement on social media, Helenius added: “I have been tested my entire career.

“I was just told that I tested positive for the presence of a non-steroid substance in my system and I wanted to send an immediate direct message to Anthony Joshua and boxing fans that I didn’t cheat and never would.”

Promoters Matchroom were informed of the results on Friday, two weeks after the fight.

The Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) told Matchroom and the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) that Robert Helenius “returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a random anti-doping protocol,” Matchroom said.

“I volunteer to work with Vada and the BBBofC to do whatever it takes to clear my name,” Helenius said.

He stepped in to replace Whyte at the O2 Arena with less than a week’s notice, after beating Mika Mielonen on 5 August.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

ROBERT HELENIUS RETURNS ‘ADVERSE ANALYTICAL FINDING’ FROM TEST BEFORE ANTHONY JOSHUA CLASH

By
anthony joshua

Following Dillian Whyte’s adverse analytical finding in a voluntary drug test ahead of his fight with Anthony Joshua, a replacement opponent was brought in, in the form of Finnish heavyweight Robert Helenius. Now, Matchroom Boxing have reported the results of a voluntary drug test for Helenius taking a day before the Joshua clash, saying that he also returned an adverse finding.

Heavyweight boxer Robert Helenius returned an “adverse analytical finding” for a voluntary drug test he took the day before his fight with Anthony Joshua.
Joshua and Helenius fought on August 12 for the Briton’s second fight of 2023, with Joshua winning by a seventh-round stoppage.
The 39-year-old Finn was stepping in as a late replacement for the originally scheduled B-side for the fight, Dillian Whyte.
Whyte himself had also returned an adverse analytical finding around a week before the fight, leading Helenius to be selected as the new opponent to avoid cancelling the card
Matchroom Boxing, who oversaw the event, released a statement confirming the news.
They said: “Today, the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (Vada) has informed Matchroom and the British Boxing Board of Control that Robert Helenius has returned an adverse analytical finding as part of a random anti-doping protocol,” Matchroom said in a statement on social media.
“Matchroom defers to the relevant regulatory authorities on next steps. We vehemently continue to support voluntary anti-doping testing. We are committed to promoting a clean and fair sport for all athletes.”
Helenius was in action on August 5, when he defeated Mika Mielonen in Finland.
Joshua is now expected to fight in early 2023 against Wilder, potentially on the same card as Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk.
Usyk fights his mandatory challenger Daniel Dubois on Saturday night in Poland, live on TNT Sports Box Office.
Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Floyd Mayweather Punked & Humbled Adin Ross During Live Stream

By
floyd mayweather

Popular treamer Adin Ross was humbled by Floyd Mayweather. For the past week, Ross and his friends have been training at Miami’s BOXR gym. During one session, Ross got dropped by boxing phenom Ryan Garcia.

Ross would later try to connect with Mayweather during his live stream at the BOXR gym, but Mayweather immediately instructed him to turn off his camera.

Mayweather, who had no idea who Ross was, asked Ross how much money he would pay him to participate in his live stream.

“You can’t film me for free, where’s my check?” yelled Mayweather while off camera. A dejected Ross walked away in shame after his interaction with Mayweather during his live stream.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Anthony Joshua Gives Dubois a Chance To Win, But Feels It’s a “Tough Ask”

By
anthony joshua

Former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is giving countryman Daniel Dubois a shot at pulling off a major upset on Saturday night, when he faces Oleksandr Usyk.

Dubois, the mandatory challenger, will attempt to capture the IBF, IBO, WBA, WBO titles when he collides with Usyk in Poland.

Uysk is coming off back-to-back wins over Joshua.

In 2021, Usyk captured the unified crown with a twelve round decision win over Joshua. The following year, Usyk retained the belts with another twelve round decision victory in their contracted rematch.

While Joshua gives Dubois a shot to win, he fully admits that it’s going to be a difficult task to achieve.

“Of course [Dubois] has [a chance to win],” Joshua told Sky Sports News. “It’s a tough ask, of course.

“The thing with Usyk is. He doesn’t depend on his power to knock you out. He depends on his skill. That’s why it’s a tough ask. Because he’s going to box rings around you if you let him.

“Dubois, good luck, Don Charles [Dubois’ new trainer] good luck, Great British boxing good luck. We potentially might have the heavyweight championship back on our soil.”

Dubois was training for some time with Shane McGuigan. They parted ways earlier this year. Dubois would later hire veteran coach Don Charles.

Several years ago, Charles was part of the training team for Derek Chisora, who gave Usyk a difficult fight in 2020.

According to Dubois, he’s gone through the toughest training camp of his pro career.

“I’m ready. I’ve suffered in training camp. I’ve done all of that. I’m ready now. I’ve prepared. I’ve left no stone unturned. I’m ready, I’m confident. I’m just ready to go now,” Dubois said.

 

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Mike Tyson takes verbal swing at Floyd Mayweather for claiming to be greater than Muhammad Ali

By
Mike tyson

Two of the biggest names in the boxing world have been locking horns away from the ring once again with Mike Tyson discussing Floyd Mayweather‘s latest claims.

Floyd Mayweather has been one of the most recognisable boxers in recent years, and he ended his career undefeated in 2017.

Tyson recalls that at one point the American fighter compared himself to Muhammad Ali, even calling himself superior, something Tyson did not like at all.

“Don’t tell me you’re the greatest fighter with 50-0,” Tyson said on his podcast.

“You’re great, no doubt about it, but 50-0? Julio Cesar Chavez had 90.

“He was fighting like, what? Eight times a year? Against whoever was in the rankings.

“He wasn’t picking. It was ‘whoever you want, come on’.”

Floyd Mayweather compares himself to Muhammad Ali

It was some time ago that Mayweather decided to make comments about Ali, comparing himself to the legend.

“Is Ali the same fighter that got beat by a fighter with seven fights?” Mayweather said.

“Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali when he only had seven fights. We’re just telling the truth. Next.”

Tyson picked that argument apart too, criticising Mayweather further.

“He’s very delusional,” Tyson said of Mayweather.

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Sean O’Malley believes crossover clash with boxing star ‘Tank’ Davis ‘Would be f*cking massive’

By
gervonta-davis

Fresh off his shocking second-round knockout of Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, Sean O’Malley has his sights set on another world champion.

On Saturday night, O’Malley stunned fans and oddsmakers around the world when he delivered a perfectly-timed counter right that sent the ‘Funk Master’ crashing to the canvas inside Boston’s iconic TD Garden. As the new king of the bantamweight division, O’Malley has a heap of options available for his first title defense, but ‘Sugar’ seems to have already gravitated toward a rematch with the only man to defeat him inside the Octagon, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.

“I thought I’d shoot a promo, but we’ll see,” O’Malley said at the UFC 292 post-fight press conference. “Just the way [Vera] acts, he’s so annoying. He’s not funny, he tries to be. He’s so ugly. He dresses like an idiot. It’s like, ‘God, do I really have to give this guy an opportunity?’ I’ll probably just go out there and whoop his ass, make a lot of money, so I could. So that could be it.”

Sean O’Malley also hopes to one day have the opportunity to step inside the squared circle with one of the best lightweight boxers in the history of the sport.

“I also wouldn’t mind knocking out Gervonta Davis, and I know people are going to go, ‘Ooh, you’re a wannabe Conor.’ I’m telling you, that fight is going to happen” (h/t MMA Fighting).

Sean O’Malley Believes the UFC Could Make His Dream Fight with ‘Tank’ Davis Happen

Though there is a lot of work to do before a crossover fight of that magnitude can happen, the UFC has shown a willingness to put its top stars against some of the world’s best boxers.

In 2017, Irish megastar Conor McGregor stepped inside the ring with legendary pugilist Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather, and most recently, the promotion was in talks with Tyson Fury before ‘The Gypsy King’ ultimately signed on for a clash with former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

“I feel like it could happen sooner than later,” O’Malley said. “But I also know, OK, UFC is down to get behind stuff like that if it’s big enough. With that performance, we’re getting close, but maybe I have to go out there, win a couple more fights, win another belt, I don’t know if he’s even considered a big enough star for the UFC to let that happen. It’ll happen.

“I said [winning the UFC title] was going to happen years ago, and I got so much sh*t saying I was going to be the champ, I’m going to be the next big star, I’m going to be this, I’m going to be that. I got so much hate and sh*t for it, but look at me now.”

‘Tank’ Davis currently carries an undefeated record of 29-0 with 27 of his victories coming by way of knockout. Most recently, Davis scored a seventh-round knockout against Ryan Garcia at the T-Mobile Arena in April.

“I don’t really follow boxing, but I’ve heard of Gervonta Davis,” O’Malley said. “I think he’s undefeated. I want to have crazy, massive fights. That sh*t gets me excited. I love that stuff. There’s no stars in the bantamweight division. Gervonta, you can consider him almost a star, and that’s what gets me excited. Me vs. Gervonta would be f*cking massive.”

 

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Mayweather Had Canelo Level Power, Says Shane Mosley

By
floyd mayweather

Once Floyd Mayweather pushed his record to 50-0, he brought down the curtains on his Hall of Fame career. Having retired several times in the past, Mayweather has always appeared ready to jump back into the sport whenever he wanted. Over the years, however, the now 46-year-old hasn’t had the itch to return. But that doesn’t mean former fighters aren’t still talking about him.

In 2010, Shane Mosley was confident that he would be the man to crack the flummoxing Mayweather code. At the time, the former five-division champ strutted to the ring perfect through 40 career fights. But, despite being flawless, his power wasn’t always lauded. With roughly half of his fights going to the judges’ scorecards, including against Mosley, from the outside looking in, it was ostensible that his boxing skills were elite but his power was nonexistent. That statement, however, couldn’t be further from the truth according to Mosley.

JUST IN:Floyd Mayweather Reveals Who He Wants Gervonta Davis To Fight

“When I fought Floyd, his power was really good,” explained Mosley to FightHype.com recently who lost a unanimous decision to Mayweather. “His power was actually the same speed and power when I fought Canelo at 154.”

Canelo, who currently holds all four world titles at 168 pounds and was once a champion at 175 pounds, also fought Mayweather in 2013, losing a majority decision.

JUST IN:Anthony Joshua’s claim about carrying the heavyweight division

Mosley’s need to bring up his matchup against Mayweather stems from the present-day handiwork of Terence Crawford. Just a few short weeks ago, the 35-year-old pounded Errol Spence Jr. to the tune of a ninth-round stoppage win, netting him his second undisputed reign.

Now, considering his performance, many have wondered how Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) would have fared against Mayweather. Mosley though, wouldn’t entertain that hypothetical showdown. He did, nevertheless, feel the need to defend Mayweather from the prognosticators who believe Crawford would have found a way to get the stoppage win due to the Hall of Famers lack of KOs.

READ MORE:Floyd Mayweather Wants Leigh Wood To Defend Against Prospect Curmel Moton

“That’s why people weren’t just running in.”

 

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Eddie Hearn provides update on Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder

By
anthony joshua

Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder will be finalized shortly according to Eddie Hearn.

Over the last few months, the Matchroom executive has been vocal about his disagreements with ‘AJ’. Specifically, Hearn has wanted Joshua to sit on the sidelines to avoid losing out on his December fight.

Later this year, the British boxer is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia to face Deontay Wilder. Saudi Skill Challenge are the promoters helping arrange the event, having also slated Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou for October.

In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Eddie Hearn discussed Anthony Joshua’s return. There, the promoter stated his fight should be finalized shortly, and that it’s all left to Skill Challenge as of now. Hearn revealed:

“[I think it will be finalized in] two or three weeks. I’ve been to Saudi Arabia twice to negotiate this fight. I’ve had two meetings, three meetings in London. I’m not doing it for banter. My instructions from Anthony Joshua [are] ‘I want to fight Deontay Wilder.’ The only way this fight doesn’t happen is if Saudi doesn’t deliver the fight.”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

“Are you kidding me?” – Teddy Atlas scoffs at ‘overrated’ Anthony Joshua’s claim about carrying the heavyweight division

By
anthony joshua

Anthony Joshua has received a scathing review from Teddy Atlas.’AJ’ returned to the ring earlier this month opposite short-notice replacement Robert Helenius. The former two-time champion was originally slated for a rematch with Dillian Whyte. However, after a failed drug test, ‘The Nordic Nightmare’ stepped up on a week’s notice.

While the Icelandic fighter attempted to put on a show, he eventually ran into a picture-perfect right hand. Helenius went down in the seventh, and Joshua had his first highlight-reel knockout win in years. To cap it off, he’s now expected to face Deontay Wilder in December, in a clash in Saudi Arabia.

Given all the recent news around him, Anthony Joshua recently opined that he was carrying the heavyweight division. While a nice win, that’s not something that Teddy Atlas would agree with. The legendary trainer discussed ‘AJ’ on a recent edition of his ‘The Fight’ podcast.

There, he slammed the comments, as well as Joshua’s resume. Atlas stated:

“Do you not see what I’ve been saying? He’s overrated, and it’s not personal… Who has he ever beaten to have been given the stature he has over there? Charles Martin? A 288-pound [Andy] Ruiz in the rematch after Ruiz knocked him out when he took the fight on two weeks notice? A cruiserweight beat him twice, I know, Usyk… [His comments] didn’t bother you a little bit? Really? Really you guys?”

“For him to say that his back was hurting him from carrying the heavyweight division – are you kidding me?”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Shakur Stevenson Believes Gervonta Davis Will Fight Him “In Near Future”

By
gervonta davis

By Craig Daly: Shakur Stevenson predicts that a fight with the Mayweather-promoted Gervonta ‘Tank’ David will happen soon and will be the “biggest boxing fight in the world” when it goes down. Unfortunately for the 26-year-old Shakur (20-0, 10 KOs), he’s likely to be ignored for many years, if not permanently, by Tank Davis because his promoter, Floyd Mayweather Jr., is very calculated, and he only puts him in sure-thing fights where he 100% will win. Tank Davis is a little money machine, churning out green in no-risk fights, beating weak opposition like Ryan Garcia, Isaac Cruz, Leo Santa Cruz, Hector Garcia, and Rolly Romero. It doesn’t take an Einstein to see that the management for Tank Davis has no interest in matching him against someone like Shakur, who could throw a wrench into the green that he’s churning by beating scrubs.

Shakur sounds naive to the world, thinking that someday Tank Davis will fight him. Hopefully, Shakur’s promoter Bob Arum, can talk some sense into him to let him know that the only way Mayweather will allow him anywhere near his golden goose Tank is when he’s old & gray and only has a few marbles rolling around in his head.

Shakur is too hard to hit and defensive-minded for Mayweather to pull the trigger on this fight by allowing Gervonta (29-0, 27 KOs) to fight him. Floyd has the Baltimore native Tank Davis making easy money fighting scrubs with no chance of winning and using catch weights & rehydration clauses to ensure victory further. “There’s only one fight. Me and Tank is going to be the biggest boxing fight in the world when it happens. I can see it happening not too far in the future. I think Tank will sign that contract, and I’m going to sign the contract too,” said Shakur Stevenson to 2ndWindPod about his belief that Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis will fight him. “Hell, no [fight with Tank WON’T happen at 147]. 135, 40, I don’t know,” said Shakur when asked what weight class he’ll fight Gervonta. “It’s a business.”

The only way that the Newark, New Jersey native Shakur can get a fight with Gervonta is if he becomes a massive superstar, but that takes many years due to all the worthwhile opposition avoiding him like the plague.

Given Shakur’s size, his days at 135 are numbered, and he’ll likely need to move up to 140 soon, which is probably where he should be right now. Shakur has more of a chance of making big fights happen at 140 than he does at 135 because he would be able to fight these guys potentially

Keep Reading
By