Natasha Jonas was pushed to the limit but retained her IBF welterweight crown with a razor-thin split decision victory over American rival Mikaela Mayer in a thriller in Liverpool.

Jonas started strongly in the first defence of the world title she won by defeating Kandi Wyatt last July but Mayer steadily grew into the bout and was the busier of the two in several riveting exchanges.

It was an all-action affair but, despite being left with a cut below her left eye, Jonas, who raised her arm aloft at the final bell, was given the nod 96-94 and 96-95 as a third judge sided with Mayer 97-93.

The result divided opinion on social media but, after Jonas extended her record to 15 wins and two defeats with one draw in her home city, she indicated 2024 will be her final year in the sport.

The 39-year-old has won six fights in a row since losing on points to long-time rival Katie Taylor in May 2021, becoming a unified world light-middleweight champion before stepping down to reign at 147lbs.

She told Sky Sports: “Unfortunately I can’t be around forever, this is probably my last year in boxing and we want to make it the best chapter of the book.”

A rematch against an opponent six years her junior, a former unified world super-featherweight champion who was fighting at welterweight for the first time on Saturday night, would surely be welcomed.

Jonas said: “She’s in the top two people I’ve fought, she’s a very, very skilled operator and her time will come again. She beats a lot of the champions that are already here.

“That little bit of fear factor brings out the best in me, I need opponents like her to tango. With no disrespect to the likes of Kandi Wyatt, I knew I would dominate and I was supposed to win.”

Mayer, who slipped to her second defeat in 21 fights, wants a chance at gaining revenge over Jonas.

She said: “I thought I did enough to win. I would have given her the first round or two but after that, I feel like I out-punched her and landed the cleaner shots. I think that fight is worth seeing again.

“I just hope Natasha will be the stand-up champ that she is and give me another shot at the belt – I feel like I deserve it.”

World champions Shericka Jackson and Antonio Watson were crowned Jamaica’s Sportswoman and Sportsman of the year, respectively, at the 2023 RJRGLEANER Sports Foundation National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards ceremony at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Friday.

Jackson claimed the award for the first time after a phenomenal 2023 season which saw her successfully defend her World 200m title with a personal best 21.41, the second fastest time ever, in Budapest in August.

In addition to her 200m title, Jackson also ran 10.72 for 100m silver. She ended her season with the sprint double at the Diamond League Final in Eugene with times of 10.70 and 21.57, respectively, in September.

The 29-year-old also achieved a new personal best in the 100m with 10.65, the fifth fastest time ever, to defend her National title in July.

Antonio Watson shocked the world to become the first Jamaican man in 40 years to win 400m gold at the World Championships.

After running a massive personal best 44.14 in the semi-finals, the 22-year-old produced 44.22 to take gold in the final. Watson also ran 44.54 for second at the National Championships in July.

Watson also took home the people’s choice award for his gold medal winning performance.

Danielle Williams was named runner-up for Sportswoman of the Year while Hansle Parchment was runner-up for Sportsman of the Year.

Williams, like Watson, shocked the world in Budapest by claiming her second 100m hurdles World title, the other coming all the way back in 2015.

Parchment, the reigning Olympic champion, claimed his second World Championship silver medal with a 13.07 effort in Budapest. He followed that up in September with a new personal best 12.93 to win at the Diamond League Final in Eugene.

The recipient of the 2023 Icon Award was 400m hurdles Olympic and World champion Deon Hemmings-McCatty while West Indies Under-19 batsman Jordan Johnson was named the winner of the VM Group Y.O.U.T.H award.

Some other athletes receiving awards for their individual sports included CAC Games bronze medallist Tahlia Richardson for badminton, Ricardo “Big 12” Brown for boxing, Sherea Clarke and Wayne McCalla for bodybuilding, West Indies batter Rashada Williams for cricket and Sara Misir and Fraser McConnell for motorsport.

Arguably Jamaica’s two most successful sports teams, the Sunshine Girls and the Reggae Girls, were given special awards for their performances in 2023.

The Reggae Girls were rewarded for their historic performance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand from July 20-August 20.

They became the first Caribbean team ever, male or female, to advance to the Round of 16 at a FIFA World Cup.

The Sunshine Girls also had a historically good year with a gold medal at the CAC Games held in El Salvador from June 25-29 and bronze at the Netball World Cup held from July 28-August 6 in South Africa.

That World Cup also saw the Jamaicans get their first ever World Cup win over world number one and eventual champions, Australia.

Joe Joyce admits it would be a crazy decision to retire now as he targets a return to winning ways in “thriving” heavyweight division against Kash Ali.

Frank Warren announced the first “Magnificent Seven” boxing card of 2024 on Thursday, including Joyce and Nathan Heaney, will take place in Birmingham on March 16.

Joyce will look to bounce back from two defeats to China’s Zhilei Zhang in 2023 and try to return to world title fight contention.

“It’s good to be back and get back into camp and to start the year with a bang,” Joyce said at a press conference at Birmingham’s Resorts World Arena.

“I’m still here. I’m not retiring and I have plenty of fights to be in. It’s an exciting time to be in. Why retire now? I’d be crazy to.

“I want to get back to winning ways again with a nice victory and then there are plenty of fights on the horizon. The heavyweight division is thriving at the moment especially with the opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

“Styles make fights and he’s a hard hitting durable southpaw (Zhang). I learnt from the first fight but I didn’t get the result (in the second). He got the beating of me and I’ll see what he’ll do next.”

Following his victory over Denzel Bentley in November, the undefeated Heaney will headline the event when he defends his British middleweight title against Brad Pauls.

The Stoke fighter said: “I’ve got the British title and the next title after that is the English title (which Pauls holds) so he is no easy pick at all.

“It was something I’ve always dreamt about (winning British title). That motivation is there for everyone. He’s better than people think, he has got a good jab and it sets up for a good fight.”

Birmingham’s Solomon Dacres features on the card, Eithan James fights Owen Cooper for the English welterweight title and Zach Parker faces Germany’s Tyron Zeuge.

Dennis McCann will also return to the ring after August’s technical draw with Ionut Baluta when he goes head-to-head with Liverpool’s Brad Strand while Erik Robles fights Liam Davies for the IBO world super bantamweight title.

The news comes soon after the announcement of Anthony Joshua’s next bout against MMA star Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia on March 8.

Queensbury promoter Warren said: “We have so many quality fights, great for those buying tickets.

“We have top talent with youngsters coming through. It’s a competitive fight for everyone on the card. We have revived the format, we will do this a few times this year.”

Ivy-Jane Smith hopes her push towards a place at next year’s Paris Olympics will continue to help shift perceptions and blaze a trail for young Romany and traveller girls to pursue careers in elite sport.

Like girls in her community, Smith left school at the age of 13, but was encouraged by her parents to continue her successful junior boxing career, which has lifted the Dorset light-flyweight to the brink of a place at the Games.

Smith, now 24, concedes that others within her wider community may not always have been so happy to see her pursue a less traditional path, but is comfortable assuming a role in helping to slowly change those attitudes.

“As a young girl (in my community) you usually marry and have children early, and I haven’t followed that path and some people will probably have a problem with it,” Smith, who fights on home soil for the first time in six years in the GB Open in Sheffield next week, told the PA news agency.

“It’s my personal life and and at the end of the day you’ve got to be proud of who you are. I know there’s still an idea out there that everyone’s got to follow a certain way, and that’s the way it is.

“It’s not a nasty way, it’s just tradition, but if you keep following tradition you’re never going to know anything different. You see a lot more young girls staying in school these days and I think it’s slowly changing for the better.”

Smith’s boxing career has been fully supported by her parents, John and Ivy, since she was first encouraged to try boxing at the age of three. In her teens, Smith won a series of national titles and caught the eye of GB performance director Rob McCracken, who rated her one of the best young prospect he had seen.

But no sooner had Smith established her place on the GB development squad at the age of 18, than she chose to abruptly walk away from the sport, ignoring her coaches’ entreaties to return and barely so much as wobbling a punchbag for the next four years.

“I was quite a young 18-year-old and travelling up to the GB gym from Southampton got too much for me,” continued Smith, who maintains her decision had nothing to do with external pressure from others.

“I hit a point where I thought, I just don’t want to do this any more. I could feel myself not giving everything in the gym. It wasn’t because of any pressure, I just don’t think I was ready for it back then, and I just quit completely.”

Seemingly lost to the sport, Smith settled into a part-time job before feeling the familiar urging to lace back on the gloves at the beginning of last year.

“I was fed up in my job so I just went back for something to do,” said Smith, who by a twist of fate also happened to move to Sheffield, home of the GB Boxing set-up, during her extended lay-off.

“I started really pushing for it, I got selected for England again and I won a gold medal in a tournament in Poland in September, which got me back onto the GB squad.

“I’d always wanted to go to the Olympics, and even when I quit I had a few regrets and thought, ‘what if?’ Now it’s almost there, I won’t disappear again. I want to go to the Olympics in Paris and make a difference.”

Conor Benn admits he fell out of love with boxing following his failed drugs tests but is willing to “spend every last penny” to prove his innocence in the appeal.

Benn’s career was thrown into turmoil in October 2022 after he twice tested positive for the banned drug clomifene in the lead-up to a bout against Chris Eubank Jr that was subsequently shelved in fight week.

His provisional suspension was lifted by the independent National Anti-Doping Panel, although the British Boxing Board of Control and UK Anti-Doping have lodged an appeal against that decision.

The 27-year-old was hoping to face Eubank Jr in a rearranged clash following the collapse of the initial fight until talks fell through and is now instead preparing for his second fight since returning to the ring, against Peter Dobson on February 3 in Las Vegas.

Benn emotionally explained his struggles to stay motivated in the aftermath of the failed tests.

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He said: “I’m willing to spend every last penny I have to fight my innocence, that’s how much this means to me.

“I know how hard it is to drag myself to the gym, fall out of love with boxing and still have to stay disciplined.

“I’ve been so demotivated for the past year-and-a-half. It wasn’t motivation that got me through, it was discipline and determination to do what’s right.

“I will continue to shout it from the rooftops for my innocence because I am.”

Benn made a first high-profile public appearance since the episode when Anthony Joshua fought Jermaine Franklin in April 2023 at the O2 Arena and was overwhelmed with the attention he received.

The son of former two-division world champion Nigel Benn felt his family’s name had been tarnished and has spoken about how the news of the failed tests left him feeling suicidal.

“That (affecting family reputation) was the worst thing to deal with, the shame. You get so emotional talking about it. My dad still loves me, I still love him,” he said.

“I went to AJ v Franklin in April. When I talk about anxiety, I thought I’m not ready to front this and had security with me and I thought I’d have it there for different reasons. I got mobbed, I couldn’t walk.

“I didn’t leave the house – when I walked to Sainsbury’s, I had to walk back and forget the shop because I couldn’t handle it. I’m one hell of a fighter, I’m bold, fearless, but I’m still human. I care about my name.

“It has been taxing, testing, like I’ve been through hell and back. Some days I’ve not been motivated and down in the dumps, some days I have been suicidal. I’ve learned a lot in the process and it’s made me a better man.”

Benn now switches his attention to the fight with American Dobson, his second consecutive fight outside the UK.

Benn is looking forward to coming back and fighting in the UK in the future but knows he has a job to do before he starts thinking about bigger fights.

He added: “I treat him (Dobson) as the world title fight, the big fight because without him there is no big fight.

“Fighting in Orlando and now Vegas is not under the best conditions, but it’s a big chapter and I like the way my book’s coming along.

“I just can’t wait for the homecoming. I’m excited to fight in America because that’s where all the world titles are. It’s every fighter’s dream to show in America, let alone Vegas, the home of boxing over there.”

:: Conor Benn and Peter Dobson will put their unbeaten records on the line live on DAZN

Following a five-year absence, Kemahl 'The Hitman' Russell returned to the ring three times for a total of eleven rounds in 2023. Despite limited ring time, he claimed the Newcomer-of-the-Year award as a member of the Toronto-based ‘United Boxing Promotions’ stable, further reclaiming his reputation, as he climbs through the middleweight ranks.

As the name of the award suggests, the honour is awarded to the best first-year fighter. To determine the winner, boxers, who have competed during the current year, must first be nominated for the award, then votes are cast by fans, media, and promotional staff. Notwithstanding the other nominees, it was Russell who emerged winner through the 2023 selection process.

The official announcement was made on Thursday, December 28th, by United Boxing Promotion boss Tyler Buxton.

“Kemahl made a big impact in his first year, three fights with three knockouts, the Hitman is a fan favorite," Buxton said.

Russell, 34, has won 16 of 17 fights, scoring 14 knockouts in the process since turning professional in July of 2013. The highly-touted middleweight boxer, has built a reputation as a devastating puncher. For this year, he dominated all three of his fights leaving a succession of opponents on the canvas unable to continue.  

The Hitman’s first saw action in 2023 on April 29, against Argentina’s Marcos Jesus Cornejo (4KO), and then Mexico’s Juan Carlos Raygosa (4KO) on September 9. He closed out his year's campaign with a knockout win over former Mexican Champion Rafael Amarillas Ortiz (3KO) on December 2.

“I am pleased but not surprised that I won the award. I also think that I am deserving of it based on my performances throughout the year,” said Russell.

“I mean what I said and said what I mean, I did exactly what I said I was going to do throughout the year," he added.

Russell has been training with Grant’s MMA, under the watchful eye of trainer and owner Ryan ‘RG’ Grant. Grant shared that the award sets the stage for his charge heading into the New Year.

“Onward and upward from here, he had a monster year, he looked really good getting back into the swing of things after being off for a period of time," Grant noted.

And as it relates to his expectation for Russell in the coming year, Grant has set bit targets.

“The middleweight division is open, so a huge move can be made in 2024 to take the division over," he declared.

Buxton echoed Grant’s sentiment.

“I expect Kemahl to be in the top 15 by the end of 2024."

The expectations from trainer and promoter can be overwhelming for some, but a confident Russell embraces the moment while he is on the cusp of ushering in the next chapter of his career. 

“The ring rust is gone now so every time out, I feel stronger and faster. I moved through the middleweight rankings, made a mark and gained new fans. Next year, will be even more exciting," Russell said.

The Newcomer-of-the-Year award not only recognizes another achievement in the career of Russell, but also sets the stage for even bigger things in the coming year. With anticipation mounting as he climbs through the rankings, Buxton promised that 2024 fight news would be coming soon.

Joseph Parker is certain Tyson Fury will improve on his underwhelming performance against Francis Ngannou when he takes on Oleksandr Usyk in their huge unification bout in February.

Following months of discussions between the fighters' representatives, WBC heavyweight champion Fury will finally take on Usyk – who holds the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO, IBO and the Ring belts – in Riyadh on February 17.

Fury's plans to face the Ukrainian were almost dealt a surprising blow in October, when he was fortunate to score an unconvincing split-decision win over former UFC Heavyweight Champion and boxing debutant Francis Ngannou.

While many believe Fury's sloppy performance against Ngannou spells bad news for his meeting with Usyk, Parker is certain he will bounce back.

Asked whether he was confident in Fury's chances of victory, Parker told Stats Perform: "Very confident. I'm very confident that Tyson will take care of business.

"Francis Ngannou is a champion himself, the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world and he put on probably the best camp of his life and a good performance against Tyson. 

"Tyson wasn't the best, he didn't put on the best performance and best display that he could have, but he got the win which is the main thing. 

"Now he's locked in this fight with Usyk on February 17. I think locking in that big fight with Usyk has been a big change for him, and hopefully he has the best camp and puts on the performance that we know he can."

Parker managed a stunning win over Deontay Wilder on Saturday, with the duo fighting on the same card as Anthony Joshua, who stopped Otto Wallin in the fifth round.

Wallin is also backing Fury to step things up for his next fight, suggesting Ngannou's performance simply caught the Gypsy King off guard.

"I didn't think that Ngannou was going to stand any chance, but he did a really good job," Wallin told Stats Perform.

"He lasted 10 rounds, which is really amazing with the limited amount of boxing experience that he has, he did a really good job.

"At the same time, I don't think Fury looked the same in that fight. He didn't look like he was really prepared. He looked off and Ngannou is a strong guy. 

"It's probably awkward coming from MMA, it's not easy to fight those guys. But I think when Fury is going to fight Usyk, he's probably going to step it up.

"Fury really has to be on his A-game. If he is, I think that he's going to win the fight."

Anthony Joshua moved closer to regaining a version of the world heavyweight title after his crushing win over Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia on Friday night.

Joshua, who has been without a belt since his loss to Oleksandr Usyk in October last year, dominated the 33-year-old Swede with a performance that suggested he is back to his destructive best.

Joshua had been slated to meet former champion Deontay Wilder in his next bout but, after the American was defeated by Joseph Parker, the Londoner’s promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed he will now target a fight against hard-hitting Croatian Filip Hrgovic.

Hrgovic is mandatory challenger for the IBF title currently held by Usyk, but the assumption is the Ukrainian will relinquish or lose the belt when he invokes a rematch clause following his undisputed fight against Tyson Fury in February.

Hearn said: “It was a tough decision between the championship and Deontay Wilder. We signed for Deontay Wilder but he lost tonight and maybe that’s a blessing, because really this guy is about championships.

“It’s going to be Hrgovic against AJ for the world title. I’m so happy to see him smiling and performing so well.

“He’s a dangerous man when he’s in that kind of mood, and 2024 is going to be very interesting and every heavyweight should be on notice – he’s back.”

Hrgovic, who needed less than two minutes to outclass Mark de Mori on the Riyadh undercard, has won all 17 of his professional fights, all but three inside the distance.

He is currently the mandatory challenger for a shot at the version of the belt held by Usyk, and must be given his shot within a time period that makes it impossible to fit in the prospective Fury-Usyk rematch.

Victory would make Joshua a three-time holder of a heavyweight title belt, having lost previous versions in defeat to Usyk and Andy Ruiz Jr.

Coming after back-to-back defeats to the Ukrainian, Joshua’s win over Wallin capped a satisfying 2023 in which he beat Jermaine Franklin Jr by unanimous decision in April before sealing a seventh-round stoppage against Robert Helenius in August.

While Joshua still has much to do to prove he belongs in the same category as Usyk and Fury, Hearn has no doubts that his win over Wallin will pave the way for him to prove himself as the division’s undisputed number one.

“They told me he’s back, that he’s destroying people in sparring, and I believe that this AJ is the best heavyweight in the world,” added Hearn.

“Otto Wallin is an excellent heavyweight, and he absolutely dispatched him. He broke him down and broke his nose – it was a stunning performance. In this mindset and with this team, I believe he is unbeatable, and 2024 is going to be a massive year for him.”

Otto Wallin believes Anthony Joshua is going through a "decline" and fancies his chances of dealing the Brit a fourth career defeat on Saturday.

Wallin will face Joshua in the main event of a stacked card billed as 'Day of Reckoning' in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after Deontay Wilder takes on Joseph Parker.

Joshua is reportedly close to agreeing to face Wilder twice in 2024, though a surprise defeat to Wallin would surely deal a fatal blow to those plans.

Joshua lost his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 before failing to recapture them in a rematch last year, though he has since responded with wins over Jermaine Franklin and Robert Helenius.

Though Wallin is still wary of the threat Joshua poses, the Swede senses an opportunity to add to his opponent's woes.

"I think that he's still one of the best fighters out there and he's done really well in his career and he deserves respect," Wallin told Stats Perform.

"Losing to Usyk and [Andy] Ruiz, there's no shame in that, they're very good fighters. But I think there's been a decline in his game, he hasn't really been the same lately. 

"But losing against those guys, anybody can. I think the timing of this fight is in my advantage. I have really good momentum and I don't know if he's in the same place."

Asked if he was confident of a surprise victory, Wallin said: "I am. I feel very good. I've done everything I can. 

"I remember my dad, he always used to tell me that once you step in the ring, you've got to know that you've done everything you possibly can to be as prepared as possible.

"I kept that with me over the years and I always try to prepare to the best of my ability. If I'm not ready now, I'm never going to be ready.

"I'm ready to go in there, have fun, I feel like I have no pressure. He has all the pressure and I can just go in and have fun and just beat him.

"We found out about this fight about seven weeks before December 23rd. We didn't have too much time. I think we had enough time because I was already in very good shape. 

"I had just had a win over [Murat] Gassiev on September 30th, I had a week off and then I was back training. I was in a really good place when we got the call so I was happy about that.

"Training has just been going really well. I think me already being in shape from the last fight and then also having the extra motivation for this fight made it all so much better and I feel like I'm in great shape, probably the best shape of my life."

Wallin has won his last six fights since losing to Tyson Fury via a unanimous decision in 2019, but the 33-year-old knows claiming the scalp of Joshua would be his biggest victory to date.

"It would be amazing. It's a big thing for me and a big thing for Sweden," he said.

"I get a lot of support over there. I think it would be amazing for me, my family, my team. So we are really excited about this opportunity."

Joseph Parker believes he can take advantage of any rustiness on Deontay Wilder's part when the fighters meet on Saturday, expressing confidence in his chances of a shock win.

Former WBC heavyweight champion Wilder will face Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, with Anthony Joshua also fighting on the same bill as he takes on Otto Wallin.

Saturday's bout will be Wilder's first since a first-round knockout of Robert Helenius in October 2022, while Parker has already fought three times this year, overcoming Jack Massey, Faiga Opelu and Simon Kean.

Wilder is reportedly close to agreeing a two-fight deal with Joshua for 2024, but Parker is confident he can deal a fatal blow to his hopes of facing the Brit on Saturday.  

"When I beat him, then we're going to have a great 2024. When I beat him, I'm going to be celebrating on the flight back home," Parker told Stats Perform.

"I've had the best preparation for this fight. Like I said before, I started off in Ireland where we have a great setup. We've got a nice gym that we use, a great house that we stay in. 

"We've got local shops that we go to, butchers that look after us, and we've got the sea right next to us that we jump in every day.

"Then we finished off in England and now we're here in Saudi Arabia. There's nothing more that I could have done to prepare for this fight. I am primed and ready."

With 14 months having passed since Wilder last stepped into the ring, Parker believes the American could struggle to acclimatise on his return to action.

Parker previously spent close to a year out of the ring before losing to Joe Joyce last September, and he says that absence impacted his performance.

"I feel like being out of the ring for a long time can definitely have an impact on performance, but we will soon find out if it's going to have an impact on him or not," he added.

"It did affect me. That's why this year has been a great year, keeping busy, having three fights already and having this fight as my fourth fight. It's going to be a great night for team Parker.

"I feel great. I feel like I've restarted my career but I have all the experience to help me with this new start and constantly learning off Andy [Lee]. Everything is perfect. It's now it's all up to myself to put it all on display on fight night, put it all together."

Former WBO middleweight champion Lee has been preparing Parker for the fight, having also been part of Tyson Fury's team as the Gypsy King overcame Wilder twice in 2020 and 2021.

Asked about the importance of Lee, Parker said: "Andy Lee as my trainer has got all the experience to pass on, being a fighter himself and a champion himself, and he was at the fights when Tyson was fighting Deontay.

"I was there for all three fights myself, it was good to see it in person. It's great to get a bit of advice off Tyson. 

"But ultimately I'm going to be in the ring putting on best performance and I'm going to take care of business myself."

Anthony Joshua insists he remains focused on securing victory on Saturday night and will not be distracted by thoughts of future fights when he goes up against Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old is aiming to make it three wins from three in 2023, having already beaten Jermaine Franklin Jr by unanimous decision in April before sealing a seventh-round stoppage against Robert Helenius in August to earn a 26th professional career victory.

Saturday’s bout in Riyadh is a key clash for the former two-time world heavyweight champion, who has ambitions of returning to the top of the heavyweight division, and he weighed in at 17st 13lbs, nearly 13lbs heavier than his opponent.

Joshua said: “Without Saturday night there is no future. Saturday night I’ve been saying all week is my main focus. Whatever happens in the ring, I know that’s where my heart is. I need to get this win.

“If my prayers are answered, I’ll get the win.

“I’ve been focused, praying hard and, whatever God wants from me, I’m going to follow that path. I’m making sure it’s not just prayer, I’m following up by action as well.”

Amid talk of a proposed fight against Deontay Wilder, who faces Joseph Parker on the same bill, Joshua says he is focused on securing success on Saturday night before considering his next move.

He said: “I’m a serious fighter, I’m a serious businessman, I’ve got a great team behind me and they’re handling business. As I always say, let me focus on what I’ve got to focus on.”

Joshua has recorded three career losses so far – beaten by Andy Ruiz in 2019 before Oleksandr Usyk defeated him twice – while the Swedish southpaw has only one career loss to date against Tyson Fury and claims there will be a “new king” on Saturday.

Wallin said: “I’m a small fighter. I’m a southpaw. I’ve trained for this moment for a very long time so I’m very much ready for it.

“I know tomorrow there’s going to be a new king and he’s from Sweden.”

Wilder and Parker will also go head to head in Riyadh.

Wilder comes into the bout at a lean 15st 3lbs compared to Parker’s 17st 7lbs and the heavy hitter, who has claimed 42 of his 43 victories by knockout, believes Parker have “never felt the power” he possesses.

“I’m just this calm and collected,” Wilder said.

“I’ve been here many times before and I’ve fought his style before. He’s never fought a style like mine. He’s never felt the power that I bring and possess.”

Parker vowed to “be aggressive” ahead of their meeting.

He said: “We’re here, we’re ready and I can’t wait.

“I’m going to be aggressive, go in there, execute the plan, follow the strategies and get the win.”

Anthony Joshua believes he is getting his "rhythm" back after suffering back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk.

Joshua lost his IBF, WBA and WBO heavyweight belts against Usyk on points in London in 2021, before the Brit lost another decision to the former undisputed cruiserweight champion in their rematch in Saudi Arabia last year.

Joshua returned to the ring with an uninspiring points win over Jermaine Franklin before stopping Robert Helenius in eight rounds in August.

Those victories have put him back in the heavyweight title picture, setting up a bout with Otto Wallin in Riyadh this weekend. Deontay Wilder is set to fight Joshua Parker on the same card, and a two-fight deal has reportedly been agreed for Joshua and Wilder to meet twice in 2024.

Joshua feels he is getting back to form ahead of his fight this weekend, telling Stats Perform: "The [Oleksandr] Usyk fights were definitely tough times. Not perfect but we live to fight another day.

"But I'm here now and I'm definitely finding my feet again, for sure. That rhythm that one needs to be victorious.

"I set out a plan and I'm sticking to that. It was to be competitive, to fight three times this year. Who knows what will happen in this fight? But I'm leading towards victory.

"In terms of sticking to the plan, I've been consistent, which has helped me get my rhythm back for sure."

With all the potential distractions of future bouts hanging over this weekend's card, Joshua is remaining focused on fight week, saying: "I believe getting through a training camp in good fashion is a big part of being victorious. It's been very challenging and I've pushed myself.

"We're still staying focused. I remain in the camp mindset because I want to still be victorious. I don't want to lose myself with only a week to go and I'm going to get to the fight in good health and a good mindset and just do what I'm supposed to do."

The Wallin fight will be Joshua's first working under Ben Davison, his fifth trainer in three years after previously working with the likes of Robert McCracken and Derrick James.

Joshua is pleased with the impact Davison has had, explaining: "Working with Ben has been good. I've been disciplined. I've followed instructions.

"I'm a fast learner, not many are, but I'm a fast learner. So I take on board what they're saying.

"I trust in what he's saying as well. I wouldn't be in Ben Davison's camp if I didn't trust him and now I just have to do what I'm being told to do on the night of the fight."

Former Joshua conqueror Usyk is set to take on Tyson Fury in February, when a first undisputed heavyweight champion in the four-belt era will be crowned.

That fight is not at the front of Joshua's mind, however, with the 34-year-old stating: "I'm not focused on that one at the minute.

"It'll be a good fight. But all I'm focusing on is a day of reckoning and my opponent that's in front of me. I haven't really done a whole breakdown, but I'll be a good fight for sure."

Deontay Wilder claims boxing has missed him more than he has missed the sport during his time away.

Wilder, a former WBC heavyweight champion, is set to fight Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday in his first fight since October 2022.

His last bout was a first round knockout of Robert Helenius, his first fight since losing the third meeting with Tyson Fury in their epic trilogy.

Wilder claims he has not missed the sport during his time out of the ring, telling Stats Perform: "I've been enjoying my life.

"I've been enjoying all my children and enjoying all the loved ones and all my brothers that's been around, so life hasn't been bad for me. It's been amazing.

"So I can't say that I miss it. When you're having so much fun outside of the ring, how can you miss anything when you have so much love around you?

"I think boxing has missed me more than I have missed boxing."

Saturday's fight with Parker could offer Wilder a way back into the heavyweight title picture, with reports that a two-fight deal with Anthony Joshua, who is fighting Otto Wallin on the same card, has been agreed ahead of this weekend's event in Riyadh.

Any slip-ups this weekend will likely spell trouble for that agreement, but Wilder is feeling confident ahead of his fight, saying: "Camp has been amazing. My whole team has been amazing. Being here in Riyadh has been amazing.

"We've put in the rounds and we're ready to go. They say when you put in the work, you have no doubts in yourself.

"When you turn all stones, there's no doubt. And I've done that and more, especially in this short period of time. I'm very proud of myself, of what I've been able to achieve in a short amount of time.

"I think the world is going to be very excited and they're going to be surprised at what their eyes will see come Saturday night.

"I am looking forward to Saturday night. I'm always excited to get back in the ring, to put on a great performance, to knock someone out as people come to see me knock them out."

Wilder has received criticism for comments he has made in the past, once saying he wanted to kill a man in the ring to "put a body" on his record.

Wilder feels the backlash of those comments is unfair, explaining: "Sometimes I have to hold my words of what I want to say because, you know, when I say certain things, I get criticised, I get stones thrown at me.

"But if somebody else says the same thing, they don't have the same punishment. I think because when I say certain things, I think because people know that I can actually do it, then they cast stones at me.

"But they're just as guilty because you pay to watch it, see it happen. So if I speak it, you're paying to see it. So you're just as guilty as I [am] saying it."

Anthony Joshua insisted he remained focused on securing victory on Saturday night and was not distracted by thoughts of future fights when he goes up against Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia.

The 34-year-old is aiming to make it three wins from three in 2023 having already beaten Jermaine Franklin Jr by unanimous decision in April before securing a seventh-round stoppage against Robert Helenius in August to earn a 26th professional career victory.

Saturday’s bout is an important clash for the former two-time world heavyweight champion, who is looking to insert himself back into the top of the heavyweight division.

Speaking after Friday’s weigh-in, Joshua said: “If my prayers are answered, I’ll get the win.

“I’ve been focused, praying hard and whatever God wants from me, I’m going to follow that path. I’m making sure it’s not just prayer, I’m following up by action as well.”

With talk of a proposed fight against Deontay Wilder – who faces Joseph Parker on the same bill – Joshua insisted he remained focused on securing success on Saturday night before considering future fights.

He said: “I’m a serious fighter, I’m a serious businessman, I’ve got a great team behind me and they’re handling business. As I always say, let me focus on what I’ve got to focus on.

“Without Saturday night there is no future. Saturday night I’ve been saying all week is my main focus. Whatever happens in the ring, I know that’s where my heart is. I need to get this win.”

Joshua has recorded three career losses so far, beaten by Andy Ruiz in 2019 before Oleksandr Usyk defeated him twice, and comes into Saturday’s fight weighing 251 pounds, while Wallin came in at 238.6 pounds.

The Swedish southpaw has only one career loss to date against Tyson Fury and insisted there would be a “new king” on Saturday.

Wallin said: “I’m a small fighter. I’m a southpaw. I’ve trained for this moment for a very long time so I’m very much ready for it.

“I know tomorrow there’s going to be a new king and he’s from Sweden.”

Wilder and Parker will also go head-to-head in the other main showpiece this weekend.

Wilder comes into the bout at a lean 213 pounds compared to Parker’s 245.3 pounds and the heavy hitter, who has won 42 of his 43 victories by knockout, insisted Parker had “never felt the power” he possessed.

“I’m just this calm and collected,” Wilder said.

“I’ve been here many times before and I’ve fought his style before. He’s never fought a style like mine. He’s never felt the power that I bring and possess.”

Parker vowed to “be aggressive” ahead of their meeting.

He said: “We’re here, we’re ready and I can’t wait.

“I’m going to be aggressive, go in there, execute the plan, follow the strategies and get the win.”

In a not so surprising turn of events, former West Indies Test captain Jason Holder, along with compatriot Kyle Mayers, has chosen to forego the upcoming West Indies Test tour to Australia in January. Despite this decision, Holder emphatically asserts that it does not signify the end of his Test career, citing a strategic move to maximize his earnings and prioritize participation in the T20 format, specifically targeting the T20 World Cup.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Holder explained the rationale behind his decision: "By no means is this me turning my back on Test cricket. It's not curtains for me in Test cricket by any means. It's my first time going through something like this, and I felt that it was necessary to be as honest and as open with CWI as I possibly can. It was a very difficult decision: I just feel as though this is the right cricketing decision for me at this time."

The West Indies team, already grappling with the absence of Shai Hope, now faces the challenge of incorporating seven untested players into the 15-member squad set to confront one of the world's best Test teams in Australia.

Holder highlighted the opportunity presented by participating in the IPL T20 league in the UAE in January, emphasizing the need to give himself the best chance of playing in the T20 World Cup. "I will probably sleep a little bit better knowing that I've given myself the best opportunity to do that," Holder added.

The decision also comes as a consequence of Cricket West Indies' directive, requiring players to make themselves available for both the ongoing series against England and February's T20Is in Australia to be considered for World Cup selection. This compromised Holder's availability for the Big Bash League, and he will miss the end of the ILT20.

Expressing his desire to feature in the T20 World Cup, Holder said, "I've never played a World Cup at home: I really, really want to be a part of it because I love playing in front of the fans in the Caribbean."

As Holder navigates the evolving landscape of international cricket, he acknowledges the increasing prevalence of players prioritizing franchise cricket, stating, "It all depends on what a player wants in terms of his career. It's a profession, and there's a massive window in terms of franchise cricket early in the year."

 Holder's decision reflects a calculated move to align with the changing dynamics of the cricketing world, balancing professional considerations and personal aspirations as he sets his sights on the T20 World Cup and maximizes his earnings in the upcoming IPL T20 league.