Boxing

The Gypsy King went public with his proposal to Joshua as he pushes to set up a 'Battle of Britain' clash with the WBC heavyweight belt on the line before the end of 2022.

Fury and Joshua had an agreement to fight in Saudi Arabia in August 2021 but those plans came crashing down after a judge ordered Deontay Wilder to be granted his rematch with Fury.

But now the fight looks likely to go ahead, and is set to be held in the UK, after Hearn confirmed an offer has been accepted.

"We offered Tyson Fury the fight when he wasn't champion, at 60-40, and he turned it down; he asked for 50-50," he told IFL TV.

"I spoke to AJ [this time], and he said, 'Look, I don't believe he's for real, but yeah, I'll take the fight. See what the offer is'.

"They came back yesterday, and me and George [Warren] kind of had an agreement that we weren't gonna talk about it, but obviously Fury came out and basically let the world know the offer.

"Sixty-forty was the offer, as Tyson said. They want a rematch clause, and they asked for a date at the beginning of November [for the initial fight]. 

"I don't know whether that was a wind-up or whatever, but we just went back this morning and said: 'We think, I think particularly, he deserves more than 40 per cent, but he's happy. And I don't make the decisions, he does'.

"So, I went back this morning and said: 'We accept 60-40, we want that reversed in a rematch, rightfully so. [Fury is] the champion here, you want the biggest split, which I think is fair - and we want to do the fight in December'." 

Fury said on Wednesday that his team had secured provisional dates for Wembley and Cardiff, with Hearn suggesting December 17 as a good option for the bout.

Hearn added: "Interestingly, they have [a date booked for] 17 December held at [what was formerly] Millenium Stadium, so that's perfect. That's perfect for us."

Fury had initially set Joshua a deadline of Monday to sign the contract for a December 3 bout and said discussions were "officially over" after the paperwork was not received.

However, the WBC heavyweight champion then backtracked on Thursday and issued his compatriot another deadline for the 'Battle of Britain' bout, giving him until the end of the day to agree terms.

An imminent end to the saga seems unlikely, however, with Joshua's promoter Hearn questioning why the Gypsy King was setting "unrealistic deadlines".

"I don't want to get involved with back and forths that are going to negatively impact this fight being made, but to be honest, we are quite baffled by the situation," he told Sky Sports.

"Firstly, when we agreed terms for the fight, it took us over a week to receive a draft contract. We have not had that contract for 14 days.

"Over the next week, we've worked tirelessly and had a number of meetings with Queensberry to get the contract in some kind of decent shape. Last Monday, we sent our final draft of the contract to Queensberry, only to see that Tyson Fury had publicly pulled out of the fight and it was no longer on the table.

"Yesterday we then received comments back from Queensberry on our final draft of the agreement, of which is now being reviewed.

"I'm not sure why Tyson Fury keeps setting unrealistic deadlines whilst also offering the fight to a number of other heavyweights for the selected date. If he is serious about the fight being made, I suggest he allows Matchroom and Queensberry to keep working hard to make the fight, of which everyone has been trying hard to do.

"You can't publicly keep pulling out of a fight and then restart negotiations when there has been so many positive conversations had. We'll see what happens from here."

Discussions between Joshua and Fury regarding a December 3 bout collapsed earlier this month, with promoters on both sides publicly blaming each other for the breakdown in a deal.

It was the second time a proposed 'Battle of Britain' fight between the two had fallen through, having previously agreed to face one another in Saudi Arabia last year before Fury was ordered to honour his rematch with Wilder.

While a second collapse of the fight was disappointing for boxing fans, Hearn conceded he always felt it was not the right move to make.

"I don't sit here today, as someone who represents Anthony Joshua, devastated that fight didn't happen," he told Talksport.

"He wanted to take it, so I was all in, but it was a very quick turnaround for him in a fight of that magnitude."

While Fury will return to the ring in December, facing Derek Chisora in a trilogy bout at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Joshua is unlikely to fight until the first quarter of 2023, with Hearn naming Whyte and Wilder as potential opponents next year.

"I think he's going to fight [in] January or February, early next year. I think the fight you'll see is Dillian Whyte against Anthony Joshua," he added.

"Wilder is [also] definitely a fight for 2023. He's got to fight Andy Ruiz Jr in a final eliminator for the WBC, which is a tremendous fight.

"I think AJ vs Wilder might just be the biggest fight in boxing, you only need the edge of your seat to watch that fight. It's super dangerous and someone's going to sleep, but it's two fast, explosive, huge punching, heavyweight machines.

"I think you'll see either Wilder or Fury against AJ next year, but I think you'll definitely see the Dillian Whyte fight if he can get through Jermaine Franklin."

Whyte is due to face Franklin in London on November 23.

Heavier than at his previous top weight of 18st 2lb for his 2017 clash with Carlos Takam, Hearn anticipates an "explosive knockout" from Joshua at O2 Arena.

By contrast, Franklin has lost 23lb since facing Dillian Whyte, weighing in at 16st 7lb to seemingly give Joshua a clear advantage in terms of power, if not mobility.

"There's always an over-analysis with his weight, but clearly he's come in with bad intentions for this fight," said promoter Hearn.

"In some fights, where you need speed and agility, he comes in lighter. But I think you're going to get an explosive knockout."

Joshua is backing himself for the same, adding: "I know I've got the possibility of doing it, but there's a process to get there. I just follow the process."

Franklin claimed to have "a chin of steel", but that is set to be put to the test by the focused Briton, who has vowed to retire if he loses.

"I've got my gameplan, got my mind right, and I'm ready to go for war," Joshua said.

Fury captured the WBC belt in Las Vegas on Saturday with a seventh-round stoppage of Wilder and attention immediately turned to a unification bout with Joshua.

The WBA, WBO and IBF titles all belong to Joshua after he avenged his shock loss to Andy Ruiz Jr. with a points win in Saudi Arabia in December and Hearn has said Fury is the man his fighter wants next.

When Wilder was the WBC champion, a fight with Joshua proved too complicated to arrange, yet Hearn sees no issue now Fury is the belt-holder.

"I spoke to Top Rank and I spoke to MTK straight after the [Fury-Wilder] fight," Hearn told Sky Sports.

"Everybody's very clear on this, everybody wants this fight. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, MTK, Top Rank, [Fury's promoter] Frank Warren, Matchroom.

"There's some hurdles to overcome but nothing too much. I promise you this fight will happen."

He added: "You will get this fight. We will do everything that it takes to make this fight.

"Last time you had us and you had Team Wilder and we were locking heads. Right now you have two guys and two camps that genuinely want this fight, that genuinely will do everything they can. It is the only fight.

"We'd be clowns, idiots if we didn't make this fight."

Yet the possibility of that heavyweight clash occurring next appears highly unlikely as Wilder can exercise his right to a rematch and a third fight with Fury, the first ending in a draw in 2018. 

Fury's promoter Frank Warren has already indicated he is expecting Wilder to want a trilogy fight with his boxer and Hearn admitted he would do likewise if he was part of the American's team.

"I don't want him to take the rematch but if you're asking me honestly, you have to take the rematch," added Hearn.

"If you don't take the rematch now, do you ever get your shot? Right now my money is on Wilder to rematch Tyson Fury.

"It's the timing, we don't mind waiting for the Fury fight until November, December but it must happen this year."

Hearn also revealed there are already firmed-up contingency plans in place for Joshua's next fight should Fury and Wilder meet in the ring again.

In that instance, IBF mandatory challenger Kubrat Pulev will fight Joshua at Premier League side Tottenham's stadium on June 20.

"We have an agreement in principle with Team Pulev," Hearn said.

"We're very close to a deal now with Spurs. That is our stadium of choice."

Povetkin and Whyte were due to fight at Wembley Arena on November 21, but their clash has been provisionally moved to a January 30 date.

Hearn suggested Whyte should instead tackle British rival and WBC champion Tyson Fury before the end of the year.

Fury is planning a December 5 title defence and German fighter Agit Kabayel is his expected opponent, but Hearn tweeted: "Dillian Whyte v Tyson Fury anyone?"

The clash between Povetkin and Whyte was set to be a rematch following their dramatic August showdown, when Povetkin won with a fifth-round knockout, despite having been dominated and knocked down twice in the early stages of the fight.

Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "Unfortunately we got the news today that Alexander Povetkin is in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.

"The fight will now be rescheduled to a target date of Jan 30. An announcement on our Nov 21 show will be made shortly."

Hearn added on Matchroom's website: "Firstly we want to wish Alexander Povetkin a speedy recovery.

"This is a challenging time for shows. There will be lots of ups and downs over the next few months. We look forward to the fight happening in late January."

Povetkin holds the WBC interim heavyweight title thanks to his previous win over Whyte.

Fury offered terms to Joshua's camp following his compatriot's second defeat to Oleksandr Usyk last month, when the former Olympic champion failed to regain the WBA, IBF and WBO belts back from the Ukrainian.

A provisional December 3 date has been pencilled in for a blockbuster all-British bout and Hearn, Joshua's promoter, says progress has been made with talks after an initial offer from the Fury camp was turned down.

"It's not unusual to get a contract that you're not over the moon with - and it wasn't that they were playing games or anything like that," he told ID Boxing.

"It's just really down to the format of the agreement, which is being rectified and we're working positively to try and get that in the right shape and I think we're nearly there in terms of the format of that agreement.

"[The contract] wasn't really as we expected, but that was a few days ago and we've had some positive conversations. Reshaping that slightly, which seems to be positive.

"We've still got a long way to go. Obviously, the broadcasters have got to have their discussion. There's not a lot more to tell you other than both teams are doing everything they can to try and find a way to make it happen."

George Warren, the son of Joshua's UK promoter Frank Warren, hopes further progress can be made in talks this week.

He told Sky Sports: "We're still talking. Everything at the moment is very amicable.

"We're having fresh conversations this week. We're hoping that we're going to move forward. We're all working hard to make it happen.

"I'm not going to put a timeline on it. We need realistically to know what we're doing, what Tyson's doing. There's no ifs, buts or maybes, Tyson's fighting the end of this year.

"Timetable-wise, timescale-wise, for both fighters it looks like it could work. Everything's very amicable, everything's going okay so far and fingers crossed we get some good news for British fight fans very soon."

Usyk outclassed Joshua to claim the WBA, WBO and IBF titles at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last September.

Plans for a second bout have been up in the air after Usyk returned to Ukraine to defend his homeland following the Russian invasion.

Hearn, Joshua's promoter, believes Usyk will be allowed to leave his country in order to step into the ring with Briton Joshua again.

Asked whether Joshua will face Usyk next, Hearn told The DAZN Boxing Show: "I think that's the most likely scenario.

"We had those conversations about a week ago and I had my doubts as to whether Usyk would be ready, but I believe now that there’s been some kind of conversations with Usyk and even [Vasily] Lomachenko as well with the government to say 'look, how do we sit in terms of competing in major sporting events'.

"I don't think Usyk's going to want to wait, once you start waiting anything can happen, so we actually had some talks this morning."

Hearn says Joshua could take an interim fight if he is made to wait for another bout with Usyk.

He added: "I do think Usyk will take that fight next, we're looking at the end of June for that fight and that’s when the fight has got to take place by.

"If he's not ready, we'll push for an interim fight, but my gut feeling right now, and this could change is that you will be seeing Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk for the unified world heavyweight championship next."

A bout between the two - both world champions at varying points in their career - looked to be on the rocks last week after Fury repeatedly issued deadlines to sign a contract for a December 3 date.

Earlier this week, Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn admitted the fight looked dead in the water for now after negotiations collapsed.

And Fury's promoter Arum claims it was his opposite number who is to blame for the turn of events, claiming he "sabotaged" any potential deal.

"He wanted to kill it because even as late as [Monday], if he'd have said let's all get together and sit in a room and get everything finalised, it could have been done in a couple of hours," Arum told Sky Sports.

"He didn't want the fight to happen from the get-go, so he slow-played it.

"I've been in this business almost 60 years, so I can tell when somebody doesn't want something to happen and then slow-plays a negotiation.

"I knew that Eddie would find a way to sabotage the fight. He has nothing left really in his stable and he is clinging to AJ as his only potential attraction."

Fury's consistent public demands for an agreement have seen him criticised for apparently attempting to backtrack out of any fight, but Arum refutes any suggestion he is to blame.

"Tyson Fury is Tyson Fury," Arum added. 

"He hasn't been trained in law school so he wants a fight, if he's imposing deadlines which aren't really deadlines because he's sending a message, get off your asses and get this thing done.

"It was clear that was the case. So, nobody should be blamed for this fight not happening, not Tyson, not AJ, not anybody else other than Eddie Hearn."

The British rivals have yet to finalise a date or destination for the first of potentially two fights between the pair in 2021.

Fury - who holds the WBC belt following his impressive win over Deontay Wilder - tweeted a picture saying "the clock is ticking" on Wednesday, along with the words "three days left".

Meanwhile, John Fury - Tyson's father – aired his concerns over the ongoing negotiations in an interview with Boxing Social, citing the financial difficulties in the current climate following the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, promoter Hearn has made clear there are proposals ready to be put on the table before he leaves each side to work out which is the best option available.

"At the end of this week, both fighters and the teams will be presented with all the offers and options on the table, of which there will be multiple ones," Hearn told Sky Sports.

"We're in a good place. I saw John Fury's comments. It's almost like they don't really want the fight. I'd like them to talk it up, rather than talk it down.

"We're quite aware that there has been a global pandemic. We're quite aware that it's not easy, but we're out there grafting away every day to get this done. A little support would be nice, John and Tyson, thank you very much.

"But there will be three or four offers presented to both camps this weekend, then it's over to them to discuss which one they want to take.

"It is a summer fight, that's everything we are working towards. I'm as confident as ever that this gets done.

"I know that there are some negative people out there and people that believe we can't pull it off, but we spend a lifetime pulling things off. I believe we will get this done, and I believe you will see this fight in the summer."

Joshua is the reigning WBA, WBO and IBF champion, having successfully defended his titles with a ninth-round stoppage of Kubrat Pulev at Wembley Arena in December.

The unbeaten Fury, meanwhile, has not fought since his rematch with Wilder in Las Vegas in February 2020.

Usyk outclassed Joshua last September to win the WBA, IBF, WBO, and IBO world heavyweight titles.

With Usyk in Ukraine to defend his country following the Russian invasion, Joshua must wait for a second fight with the 35-year-old.

Hearn, Joshua's promoter, says Joshua is eager for a big challenge before doing battle with Usyk again.

"If we can't fight him in May or early June, we would like an interim fight before we go into the Usyk fight," he told the 5 Live Boxing podcast.

"AJ's idea of an interim bout is very different to mine. An interim bout while you're waiting should be a nice little stroll in the park.

"He's messaging me saying: 'What about Wilder? What about Otto Wallin? What about Luis Ortiz? What about Joe Joyce?'

"But this is AJ all over. He's like a caged lion."

Hearn added: "The most important thing is he rematches Oleksandr Usyk. He's turned down a lot of money not to and he's not about to let that opportunity go.

"I think now's the time to have an easy touch. He doesn't. He wants to prepare. Maybe Ortiz, maybe Wilder in that southpaw gearing him up for Usyk.

"I expect if he does have an interim, knowing Anthony Joshua, it'll be a real fight."

Joshua's camp continues to negotiate a huge heavyweight unification fight against British rival Tyson Fury, but he first must face Pulev.

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted the boxing world, yet promoter Hearn is adamant Joshua cannot afford to wait for the crisis to pass.

Matchroom Boxing's Hearn is targeting test events with crowds in the coming months with the aim of getting "a strong crowd" in London for Joshua.

Hearn told Matchroom: "Someone said to me last night: 'Presumably, if you can't get crowds back, AJ won't fight.' No, AJ will fight behind closed doors if he has to this year.

"He must fight. He's progressing as a fighter, he's learning all the time, he's challenging himself. He doesn't want to sit on the shelf.

"We believe through the pilot schemes that we'll run in September and then fans coming back in October, there's a good chance that Anthony Joshua can have a strong crowd at the O2 on December 12.

"That's the target date for that fight. Things are nearly wrapped up with Pulev's team as well for that date. Hopefully we can build towards a massive finish to the year."

That finish could see Oleksandr Usyk versus Derek Chisora followed by Dillian Whyte's rematch against Alexander Povetkin.

Hearn says he is "still grinding away" on the Usyk fight for late October, while the Povetkin bout should be announced for November in the coming weeks - Whyte looking for swift revenge after the Russian veteran sensationally knocked him out at Matchroom Fight Camp last month.

Attention is already turning towards booking the clash with Fury, though.

"Fury against AJ's a must," Hearn said. "I saw the comments [by Fury and his co-promoter Frank Warren], 'they don't want it, they don't want it'.

"You have to understand: why would you not want the fight that's the biggest ever for British boxing history?"

He added: "I spoke to [Fury's co-promoter] Bob Arum. We've been having some deep conversations about that fight all week. Actually, me and Bob are ready to move forward and close that fight now."

Joshua cleared a potential hurdle in the way of the lucrative heavyweight showdown by beating Kubrat Pulev on Saturday, in the process retaining his IBF, WBA and WBO belts. 

Fury is the reigning WBC champion, and the two British boxers now appear on a collision course for 2021. 

Hearn believes it will be a historical occasion when the pair do finally meet in the ring, as he plans to begin negotiations with Fury's team immediately. 

"Since he [Joshua] came into my office, he's wanted to be undisputed heavyweight champion of the world," Hearn told Sky Sports Boxing. 

"Less talk from us, more action. We're going to be friendly, we're going to be nice. We know what we have to do, starting from tomorrow, we make the Tyson Fury fight straight away. 

"It's the only fight to be made in boxing – and it's the biggest fight in boxing. It's the biggest fight in British boxing history, too. 

"I know he [Joshua] wants it. He's the best heavyweight in the world, I promise you. He will break him down and knock him out. 

"We know what we have to do, we know what we want to do. It's about legacy – and we will get it done."

Top Rank's Bob Arum, who works with Fury, also made clear that his priority is to get the fight signed and sealed, insisting it will be as big as Muhammad Ali against Joe Frazier, which is known as the 'Fight of the Century'.

"It looks like the stage is set for the biggest heavyweight championship fight since Ali-Frazier in 1971, when Tyson Fury meets Anthony Joshua for the undisputed crown," Arum posted on Twitter.

"We at Top Rank will start on Monday working to put that fight together."

Fury shelved plans to fight before the end of 2020, while he and Joshua – who stopped Pulev in the ninth round at Wembley Arena – agreed a two-fight deal earlier this year.

WBC champion Fury on Saturday warned Joshua he will "move on to fight someone else" if Joshua does not agree terms that have been offered at the start of next week.

December 3 has been pencilled in as a date for the English duo to do battle in what would be a mouth-watering and long-awaited bout.

Hearn, Joshua's promoter, says Fury must be patient as there is no way a deal will be struck so quickly.

He said on the Seconds Out YouTube channel: "There is no chance this fight will get signed by Monday. There is no need for this fight to get signed by Monday.

"If he doesn't [want to fight Joshua], and I guess he doesn't, then he'll do what he'll do and the fans might even fall for it."

Hearn this week stated the first offer from the Fury camp was not acceptable, but "positive conversations" had taken place between the two parties.

He revealed Fury will be fighting Joshua if he is realistic with his deadline.

"We have a meeting on Monday, with DAZN, with BT, with everybody, but it's going to take time," added Hearn. "If he wants to put a time frame on it of Monday then it’s clear to the whole public he doesn't want the fight.

"It's not going to get signed on Monday so if he's walking away on Monday the fight's off."

The event promises an action-packed night of bouts, accompanied by special surprises. A portion of the fight's proceeds will be allocated towards essential infrastructure enhancements at Ruddock's alma mater, the Good Hope Primary School in St. Catherine. Additionally, support and resources will be provided for the Jamaica Boxing Board's (JBB) Sport for Development initiative, "Gloves Over Guns."

Ruddock, at 59 years old, expressed his motivation for coming out of retirement, stating, "My whole reason for getting back into the ring is to assist my primary school and help the 'Gloves Over Guns' program eradicate violence. Jamaica needs assistance in fighting the crime monster."

Equally enthusiastic about the bout, Toney shared, "This boxing match will be fun! I am excited to return to the ring and dance with another heavyweight great, Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock."

Ruddock's daughters, Kleopatra and Karese, who are spearheading his philanthropic efforts and coordinating the exhibition, expressed their excitement for the event. Kleopatra, CEO of Red Ground Productions, the organizing banner, stated, "We are thrilled to bring this incredible event to Jamaica and use this platform to invest in the next generation."

Stephen Jones, president of JBB, welcomed the event, highlighting the positive impact it will have on young boxers: "Having them witness such an event will further cement in their minds boxing as a vehicle for the way forward."

Triller Sports will serve as the official global marketing and distribution partner for the event. The Triller ecosystem, known for its successful pay-per-view events, will bring new heights of engagement through digital collectibles and merchandise sales.

The exhibition represents the beginning of a new era, as Red Ground Productions combines the thrill of combat with the beauty and mystic energy of Jamaica.

Donovan "Razor" Ruddock and James "Lights Out" Toney have left indelible marks on the sport of boxing. Ruddock's devastating power and relentless style, along with Toney's outstanding defense and smooth counter-punching, have solidified their legacies as heavyweight legends.

This showdown between two boxing greats promises an unparalleled experience for fans worldwide and underscores their shared commitment to giving back and making a positive impact.

Heron made a successful professional debut at the recently held Wray & Nephew Fight Nights at the Cling Cling Oval in Olympic Gardens and the sweet taste of victory has left him yearning for more. 

Boxing has always been a part of his life as his father was a boxer before him. Despite growing up in the sport the 24-year-old stayed away from pursuing it as a career until he was 20 years old. 

“My dad taught me here and there since I was 5. However, I never took it seriously enough and officially picked it up until 2019,” he revealed. 

“I always felt a calling towards boxing to begin with, especially since I saw The Wray & Nephew Contender as a child.” 

Challenged by his uncle to find a purpose for his life, Heron decided that he wanted to become a professional boxer and he was then introduced to Rikardo Smith who became his first mentor in the fighting game. 

“Although he is not my current coach, he did inspire me regarding resilience. Seeing him and the way how he became the first winner of The Wray and Nephew Contender by defeating someone who no one expected him to defeat was heavily inspiring.” 

“He showed me through example that I have to put myself through hell since I have vowed to reach the top and that I must surpass him at his prime to become the Undisputed World Champion.” 

Heron works at Pure National Ice Company and enjoys the support from his “work family”. 

“When they know I'm fighting, who can't make it to the match tunes in to TVJ.” 

He has excelled in his short boxing career and has learned very valuable lessons along the way. 

“I won the 2020 Novice Amateur Lightweight Championship, fought many exhibitions, made a name for myself in my communities before I went professional in boxing, and I have continued to hone my skills. Boxing is a sport where comfort can kill you literally if you let it.” 

But Heron was using his innate boxing skills very early in life, even though for the wrong reasons. 

A victim of bullying which began in primary school due to a speaking disability (lisp), he would use his fighting skills to get them off his back. 

“The boys made the most fuss about it and whenever they attempted to get physical since I would follow the adults’ advice and ignore them most times, I would be forced to use what my dad taught me to overcome the bullies.” 

Things changed for the better for Heron when he met Jevoy Prince while at DeCarteret College. 

“I met my big brother Jevoy (not related by blood) who taught me a lot more about life and how to talk a lot more clearly. 

“I went on a journey of self-improvement and part of my self-improvement was to learn how to stop being a bully magnet. My big brother (Jevoy) always supported me and gave advice that usually helped me well. My Dad helped too,” he explained. 

Philosophical in thought and dedicated in approach, Heron is preparing himself both physically and mentally for what it will take to become a boxing world champion. 

“Boxing has brought me different teachers over time. With each, I have learned something different that translates to real life.  Boxing has taught and reminded me about resilience mostly. Sometimes when things seem the toughest, that's the best moment to surpass your limits and keep going forward and onward towards what and who you want. 

The welterweight had expected a tougher fight from his opponent on debut but showed him some amount of respect, nonetheless. 

“Honestly, with how hard I trained for my professional debut, I never expected the fight to be that easy. I felt like a tiger playing with a mouse. He did well, at least attempting to bite back, though I felt nothing, but I can still respect the attempts,” he said. 

Heron is not resting on his laurels after one win and is preparing for his next fight in the Wray & Nephew Fight Nights series with total conviction. 

The Wray & Nephew Fight Nights series which began last month, is set to whet the appetites of boxing fans all the way into 2024.

Frampton (28 wins, two defeats) was set to challenge Herring (22-2) on February 27 in London, in an attempt to add the American's WBO super-featherweight title to the previous successes at super-bantamweight and featherweight.

The bout is now expected to take place in late March, with a date and venue set to be confirmed in due course.

"I've got a bit of a twinge to my hand. Nothing serious, thankfully," Frampton said on his Inside Fighting YouTube channel, before confirming the problem was ligament damage but not a fracture to the right hand he broke during his November 2019 victory over Tyler McCreary.

"I've had to stop sparring but I will resume sparring again next week."

If he manages to overcome Herring, Frampton would become only the fourth UK fighter to reign across three weight classes and the first from the island of Ireland.

"I would have gone into this fight with my hand the way it is, but I would have had less of a chance of winning," the 33-year-old explained.

"If I rest and do what the specialist has told me I will be 100 per cent ready and prepared to win this fight.

"I can't afford to go into this fight half fit. I need to be at my very best. I'm glad that this has been pushed back a little bit."

Frampton has been beset by hand problems over recent years.

He went into the McCreary bout with a broken left hand, having been forced to pull out of a scheduled showdown with Emmanuel Dominguez three months earlier when a seven-foot ornamental pillar fell on him in a Philadelphia hotel lobby and fractured his fifth metacarpal.

"I've had hand problems for as long as I can remember, nothing really major but over the past six years there's always a little niggle," Frampton told Stats Perform News in an interview to preview the Herring bout last week.

"There's a plate and seven screws in my left hand and there's just one screw – the surgeon described it as like a corkscrew – in my right hand."

Herring and Frampton's clash had already been delayed twice, initially by the coronavirus pandemic and then when the 35-year-old champion suffered a scratched cornea during a disqualification victory over Jonathan Oquendo last September.

The main event will showcase the talents of Jamaica's very own Jermaine "Breezy" Richards and Ian "Impact" Darby as they take on the formidable Colombian fighters Francisco Cordero and Julio Feria Jose Augustine.

Adding star power to the night, dancehall sensation Bounty Killer is set to grace the stage, ensuring patrons enjoy not only exceptional boxing but also a fantastic overall experience.

This action-packed evening features two professional headline fights, accompanied by 16 amateur matches that guarantee excitement across various weight classes.

In the middleweight category, spectators can anticipate a fierce battle between female boxers Brittany McFarlane and Shanika Gordon, as well as Daniel Elijah Williams and Cayman Tafferel. Welterweight clashes include Delano McLaughin vs. Kirk Patrick Heron and Garvan Garrison vs. Roberto Williams, while the lightweight category presents Chavaun Gordon vs. Kevon McKenzie. The heavyweight bout will see Khamoi Barrette facing off against Sanje Hudson.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the Wray & Nephew Fight Nights platform, Stephen 'Bomber' Jones, President of the Jamaica Boxing Board, stated, "As we continue into 2024, the opportunities for our boxers will continue to increase. Their recognition among international governing bodies will rise as far as their talents can take them. It truly is an exciting time for Jamaican boxing."

Dominic Bell, Brand PR & Communications Manager at J. Wray & Nephew Limited, emphasized the rejuvenated energy that the Fight Night series has brought to the sport. "Wray & Nephew Fight Nights has injected life into local boxing. Each staging has a larger audience, and the response from the boxing fraternity has been positive. Not only is Wray & Nephew the preferred rum, but also a solid partner for sports development and stability in Jamaica."

Don't miss the thrilling Wray & Nephew Fight Nights at Breezy Castle, Downtown, Kingston, on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 7:00 pm. Admission is free for all patrons, providing an excellent opportunity for Jamaicans to rally behind their countrymen in their quest for boxing supremacy.

The 34-year-old former two-time world champion was just over a pound heavier than in his last bout against Otto Wallin during December.

Ngannou weighed in at 272.6lbs, slightly above what he was for the fight against Tyson Fury in October, a first boxing contest for the former MMA star.

Following the war of words between Ngannou and Fury during Wednesday’s final pre-fight press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, there was little drama as the fighters faced off following the weigh-in.

The winner of Friday’s ‘Knockout Chaos’ headline contest is expected to be in line to face Fury or Oleksandr Usyk, who will finally fight in their undisputed heavyweight bout on May 18 before a rematch takes place later in 2024.

Joshua insisted he had plenty of respect for Ngannou – who put Fury on the canvas in the third round before losing a split decision.

The Briton, though, but intends to remain fully focused on his own performance following on from three victories after the disappointment of defeat by Usyk in August 2022.

“Sometimes when you bow your head and make prayers, miracles do happen, that is all I can say – God is working in my favour,” Joshua said following the weigh-in on DAZN Boxing’s YouTube channel.

Joshua added: “Official prediction…? I deliver – I am the postman.”

Ngannou feels he can once again make the most of his underdog tag to prove doubters wrong.

“I have learnt a little bit from the last fight, the last camp, and leading up to this one, so I get a little bit of experience, but the mindset is still the same,” he said.

“This is just my second boxing match, even though I am taking on the two best guys in the world in boxing.

“I am the underdog, I am going out there to prove that you can be an underdog and stand your ground.”

Ngannou added: “Sometimes it just makes me laugh a little bit, because we are going to fight in boxing rules, but what would happen if it was a ‘free’ fight under MMA rules?

“I would smoke this guy. I am the only one to go in their backyard, none of them can come in my backyard. I would take two of them at once.”

Usyk won by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis, and the first to unite all four belts.

The scorecards read 115-112 and 114-113 in favour of Usyk, while a third judge scored 114-113 to Fury.

After an even start, the momentum shifted in a brilliant ninth round for the Ukrainian as he caught Fury with a left hook, forcing the referee to give him a standing count before the bell saved him from a further onslaught.

A defiant Fury was not happy with the result, suggesting that Usyk received a sympathy vote from the judges.

"I believe I won that fight," he said in the ring. "I believe he won a few of the rounds, but I won the majority.

"His country is at war, so people are siding with the country at war. Make no mistake, I won that fight, in my opinion.

"It was one of the daftest decisions in boxing. We run it back in October. I'm not going to sit here and cry and make excuses."

Usyk remained undefeated as he took Fury’s WBC belt to add to his WBA, WBO and IBF collection.

"Thank you so much for my team. It's a big opportunity for my family, for my country," an emotional Usyk said afterwards. "I'm very happy.

"My people will be very happy. I think it's a big win, not only for me, it's a big win for my country, for soldiers who now defend my country.

"I think my father now is watching over me and is very happy. Dad, I love you. I can, you told me I can."