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After Reviewing Anthony Joshua Punch Doctor Makes Worrying Jake Paul Claim

A neurosurgeon with more than 25 years of experience has broken down Anthony Joshua’s sixth-round knockout of Jake Paul from a medical perspective.

Joshua’s hand was raised on Friday after the former two-time unified heavyweight champion scored four knockdowns, including a heavy right hand in the sixth round that broke Paul’s jaw in two places.

“The end goal was to pin Jake Paul down and hurt him,” said Joshua in his post-fight interview. “It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.”

JUST IN: Why Gervonta Davis Is A More Difficult Fight Than Shakur Stevenson

The punch that put a stop to the contest could be a career-altering one for Paul, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.

“He may never be able to fight again,” Hearn said. “People just think, ‘Oh, you just get your jaw wired, bolted together by a couple of screws, and on you go.’ There have been many fighters who have had their jaws broken that never boxed again.”

Chris Algier, a former boxing world champion, described the injury as “catastrophic”, adding: “He’s going to be out of the ring for a while. We’ll see how that jaw comes together.”

Many people have had their say on the knockout, including Dr Brian Hoeflinger, a board certified Neurosurgeon who has been practising in Ohio for the past 25 years.

Hoeflinger, who has over 450,000 followers on Instagram, explained the damaging effect a punch like Joshua’s can have on the brain.

“Jake Paul got knocked out by Anthony Joshua this past Friday night, so I want to break this down from a medical perspective,” he said in the Instagram video.

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“I’m a neurosurgeon with over 25 years of experience and, what happens when you get hit in the head with that kind of force, like in boxing, our brain actually moves inside our skull and it can bump into the skull, which is a firm structure, and cause bruising in the brain, even bleeding.

“It causes repeated trauma to the brain and over years and years of this happening, people can get what’s called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE syndrome.”

He added: “It’s almost like a disease. Repeated trauma to the brain can lead to memory problems, mood swings, even trouble with movements. Eventually, people can develop diseases like Alzheimer’s and even Parkinson’s.”

Paul’s injury has also been studied by Dr Brian Sutterer, a doctor who uses his YouTube channel to analyse the medical side of sport.

Sutterer explained that the first phase of treatment will be checking for head injuries, including a concussion.

“Step one [is checking for] head injuries, airways, breathing, and evaluating the teeth,” he said. “They will also look at the temporomandibular joint and evaluate the degree of displacement.

“If you can successfully reduce and get everything in good position and get fixation between the maxilla and the mandible through something like wires for a short temporary amount of time, that’s great.

“If that reduction cannot be maintained, that’s when you’re going to have to go and consider something like a surgery.”

BOXING

Why Gervonta Davis Is A More Difficult Fight Than Shakur Stevenson

Abdullah Mason doesn’t want to take his eyes off Sam Noakes, but he’s looking ahead, too.

The Ring’s No. 9 lightweight contender is getting his first crack at a world title when he takes on Noakes, ranked No. 8 by The Ring, on “The Ring IV: Night of the Champions” card Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Getting his hands on the WBO crown is salient, but if everything goes according to plan Mason knows he’ll have several options. Shakur Stevenson (24-0, 11 KOs) occupies most, including The Ring’s, No. 1 spots at 135 pounds.

JUST IN: “Sign It”: Anthony Joshua Offered Two Dangerous Opponents Ahead Of Tyson Fury

However, Mason believes that if the time comes to face Stevenson, he won’t be as difficult to deal with as a certain hard-hitting star from Baltimore.

“I feel like Tank [Gervonta Davis] may prove to be a tougher test,” Mason told Boxing Social.

Davis’ talent has never been denied, but his mental state has been questioned. The 31-year-old WBA titlist is dealing with a civil lawsuit filed by ex-girlfriend Courtney Rossel. In the suit, Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs) is accused of aggravated battery, false imprisonment, kidnapping and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Those allegations led to the cancellation of his exhibition against Jake Paul, which was supposed to take place on November 14 at Kaseya Arena in Miami.

Also, Davis said before his most recent legal challenge that after his matchup with Paul, he would retire. Still, Mason (19-0, 17 KOs) respects what he brings to the table.

Davis typically takes out his opponents before the final bell. He did, however, settle for a majority draw against Lamont Roach on March 1 in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Stevenson, on the other hand, has been near perfect. He successfully defended his WBC 135-pound crown twice this year, against Josh Padley (TKO 9) in February and William Zepeda (UD 12) in July.

Stylistically, Stevenson is normally a nightmare. Mason would rather deal with his boxing ability than get in there with a fighter who can end it all with one punch.

“You gotta watch out with Tank and him having that power,” Mason said. “I feel like Tank would be a tougher test.”

BOXING

“Sign It”: Anthony Joshua Offered Two Dangerous Opponents Ahead Of Tyson Fury

Former world champion Anthony Joshua is now back in action and looking for big fights in 2026.

He is coming off a sixth-round KO of Jake Paul, which was his first contest in more than a year since being stopped by Daniel Dubois in September 2024.

The question for Joshua, who is now 26 years old, is whether he needs another tune-up fight or if he is ready to go back into the most entertaining fights out there.

READ: Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua: Details Why Undisputed Fight Collapsed

Speaking to The Stomping Ground, Frank Warren suggested two of his men that Joshua could fight next.

“If he really wants to fight, fight Moses now, fight Fabio Wardley now. Do it tomorrow, sign it tomorrow. If he says yes, on Christmas Day I’ll go round there and we’ll get the deal done. Of course I’ll do it, why wouldn’t I do it? You want fight of the world title, fight Fabio Wardley.

“In the meantime, you want to wait for Tyson, wait for Tyson. All these people saying he needs to get back in there to get back to a world title, he’s not a spring chicken, is he? He’s been around, he’s a former two time world champion, get back in there, fight Fabio Wardley. Let me tell you what it is, what he doesn’t need to do, ‘AJ,’ is fight anyone who can punch, cause there won’t be a fight with Tyson.”

Moses Itauma is still a young and rising star with a perfect record of 13 wins, 11 by KO and nine inside the first two rounds, though he is busy at the end of January fighting American Jermaine Franklin who has previously taken Joshua and Dillian Whyte the full 12 rounds.

Wardely meanwhile, is looking to make a first defence of the WBO title he holds, having been elevated to full champion once Usyk vacated his belt rather than face his mandatory.

BOXING

Deontay Wilder vs Anthony Joshua: Details Why Undisputed Fight Collapsed

For the first time, Deontay Wilder has addressed in detail — and in his own words — the collapse of an undisputed heavyweight title fight with Anthony Joshua.

The clarification matters because the Joshua–Wilder saga has been repeatedly distorted over the years, with later negotiations and unrelated decisions used to blur the original timeline. Wilder’s recent remarks draw a clear line between what actually happened and what was later claimed, explaining precisely when — and why — the fight fell apart.

The $50 Million Offer That Was Rejected
In 2018, the WBO, IBF, and WBA champion, Joshua, publicly demanded a guaranteed $50 million to fight WBC ruler Wilder in the United States. That figure was met.

READ: VIDEOS: Why Logan Paul Tried to Steal Anthony Joshua’s Chain at Jake Paul Fight

As WBN exclusively reported at the time, Wilder’s team — backed by Showtime — produced a written term sheet confirming the offer. Wilder was authorized to make the proposal public after Joshua named his price.

Speaking recently on Cigar Talk, Wilder confirmed that sequence, explaining that once Joshua requested the figure, sponsors and broadcasters immediately stepped forward, confident the fight would generate far more through pay-per-view and commercial revenue.

Wilder said he was instructed to announce the offer publicly — a decision later questioned by critics, despite the existence of written documentation.

That documentation was outlined by Wilder’s co-manager, Shelly Finkel, in a June 2018 WBN exclusive, in which he confirmed that Matchroom Boxing had received the terms but had never issued a response.

Wembley Counteroffer Accepted — Then Silence
After rejecting the U.S. offer, Joshua countered with a £15 million proposal to fight at Wembley Stadium.

Contrary to popular belief, Wilder accepted those terms.

As contracts were exchanged, Finkel requested clarification on two specific points, a routine part of negotiations at that level. According to WBN’s reporting at the time, no response was ever received.

Shortly afterward, the World Boxing Association ordered Joshua to agree terms with mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin.

Rather than continue toward the undisputed fight, despite active negotiations, Joshua and promoter Eddie Hearn moved immediately toward the mandatory defense.

The WBA Exception That Was Never Requested
Hearn later cited pressure from the WBA as the reason the Wilder fight could not proceed. That explanation did not withstand scrutiny.

In a second June 2018 WBN exclusive, Finkel revealed that Joshua never requested an exception from the WBA — something the organization had previously granted for major unification bouts, including Wladimir Klitschko’s.

Finkel stated that had Joshua asked, the WBA would almost certainly have approved the Wilder fight over the mandatory defense.

The sanctioning body, therefore, was not the obstacle it was later portrayed to be.

When you were going through your darkest time, I told you that if you got yourself together I would give you a title shot. Being a man of my word, I gave you the title shot…

— Deontay Wilder (@BronzeBomber) October 31, 2020

Where the Narrative Went Wrong
The confusion surrounding Joshua vs. Wilder stems from comments made years later, during a different phase of both fighters’ careers.

Promoter Lou DiBella has acknowledged that Wilder did decline a Joshua offer, but that occurred after the undisputed fight had already collapsed and during a later DAZN-era window.

Joshua did not sign with DAZN until 2022, making those discussions unrelated to the $50 million Showtime offer, the Wembley acceptance, or the failed 2018 unification attempt.

Those timelines were repeatedly merged, leading to a misunderstanding of how the original collapse occurred.

Wilder’s Position — Then and Now
Wilder has consistently maintained that he was willing to compromise, even accepting a lower financial structure than other champions had received, while remaining true to his word in subsequent fights.

His position has not materially changed. What has changed is the clarity surrounding the sequence of events and the willingness to address them directly.

A Fight That Finally Happened — Then Didn’t
Wilder and Joshua eventually signed contracts to fight in December 2023, agreeing to face each other in a long-awaited matchup.

Both fighters were placed in separate bouts on the same Day of Reckoning card, with the intention of meeting afterward.

That plan unraveled when Wilder suffered a loss to Joseph Parker, while Joshua won his fight, ending any immediate path to the matchup.

The proposed rescheduled fight for March 2024 never materialized. Instead, Joshua faced Francis Ngannou on the same night he had been expected to meet Wilder.

The Record, Corrected
Wilder’s recent comments do not rewrite history. They confirm it.

World Boxing News reported the facts as they unfolded in 2018:

– A $50 million offer was made in writing
– A Wembley fight was accepted by Wilder
– Clarifications were requested and ignored
– No WBA exception was sought
– Joshua chose a mandatory defense instead

The later claim that Wilder “turned down” Joshua belongs to a different period, involving different broadcasters and different negotiations.

With Wilder now addressing the collapse directly — and the modern chapter closed — the timeline is no longer in dispute. What remains is a clearer understanding of how long it took for the record to be accurately reflected.

CELEB NEWS

Why Serena Williams’ ex-coach is pushing for her comeback in 2026

Serena Williams may have stepped away from professional tennis, but her name continues to spark debate and excitement across the sport.

As the tennis world reflects on the highs and lows of the 2025 season, some influential voices are already looking far ahead. Among them is Patrick Mouratoglou, Williams’ former coach, who recently shared his hopes for what the 2026 season could bring, including a surprising wish involving the 23-time Grand Slam champion.

Mouratoglou recently outlined his personal vision for the future of women’s tennis on social media, spotlighting several players he believes could define the next era.

READ: Serena Williams Breaks a Major Wedding-Guest Rule in a Plunging

While he praised younger stars and their potential growth, his third and most eye-catching desire stood out clearly: seeing Serena Williams compete again on the professional stage. For many fans, the suggestion felt bold, but not entirely unrealistic.

Why a Serena return still captivates tennis fans

Despite officially retiring and welcoming her second child in 2023, Williamshas remained visibly connected to the sport. Recent training clips and workout images shared online have showcased her strength, athleticism, and commitment to fitness.

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Mouratoglou pointed to these visuals as proof that Williams appears physically prepared, emphasizing her dedication and enduring love for tennis.

He also acknowledged the challenge such a comeback would present. Returning after several years away from competition, combined with the physical demands of motherhood, would test even the greatest athletes.

Still, Mouratoglou believes Williams’ unmatched mentality and competitive instincts set her apart. In his view, the question is not whether she could play again, but how close she could come to matching the world’s best after such a long break.

Fueling speculation further, Williams’ name recently appeared on the ITIA’s drug testing registry, a routine requirement for active players. While this alone does not confirm a return, it added momentum to ongoing conversations among fans and analysts alike.

Her social media presence, filled with intense training moments, has only amplified curiosity.

The final decision rests entirely with Williams. Having already reshaped tennis history, she has little left to prove. Yet the idea of her testing herself once more remains compelling. As Mouratoglou suggested, tennis lovers everywhere would eagerly watch to see what level Serena Williams could still reach, should she decide the time is right.

Whether or not a comeback ever materializes, the discussion itself highlights Williams’ lasting influence on the sport. Even in retirement, her presence continues to shape expectations, inspire athletes, and remind audiences that greatness does not fade easily with time, age, or changing priorities in life.

CELEB NEWS

Here’s a bunch of Tiger Woods stats you haven’t heard before

Since first compiling a compendium of Tiger Woods‘ most staggering statistics a decade ago, I have tried to add new insights to the list every year.

That exercise might sound challenging considering that in recent years injuries have limited Woods’ competitive schedule — but, in fact, the reservoir of “he did what?” numbers is seemingly bottomless.

Scottie Scheffler’s inspired play also has been helpful, as Scheffler’s ascent has steered me into confirming any number of superlatives on a near-weekly basis. Those deep dives not only almost exclusively lead me back to something Woods accomplished but also serve as reminders of the yawning gap between Woods and his competition — a statistical canyon that, in many instances, will never be matched.

READ: What Tiger Woods Faced While Supporting Charlie Woods at Am

Here, on the occasion of Tiger’s 50th birthday, are 50 of my favorite Tiger Woods statistics…

50. In 2025 on the PGA Tour, Scottie Scheffler had an adjusted scoring average of 68.13, the fifth-best single season average in Tour history. On that same list, Tiger Woods owns spots 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8.

49. This week marks the 171st in which Scheffler has been the No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking. To tie Woods for most weeks all-time on that list, Scheffler would need to stay in the top spot every week from now until October 2035.

48. Scheffler has successfully converted each of his last 10 outright 54-hole leads on the PGA Tour. It’s the longest such streak since Woods, who did it 37 consecutive times.

47. Five times in PGA Tour history a player has won a specific event seven or more times; Woods has done it four times.

46. On three occasions in PGA Tour history a player has won eight or more times at a single venue. That player is Tiger Woods (Bay Hill, Torrey Pines and Firestone).

45. There are two instances since World War II on the PGA Tour in which a player won the same tournament four consecutive years: yep, Woods (Bay Hill and Torrey Pines).

44. Woods has won the Arnold Palmer Invitational eight times; no other player has won it more than twice. From 2000-13, Woods was 109 under par at Bay Hill, 73 shots better than any other player (Vijay Singh, -36).

43. With his win at The Open this year, Scottie Scheffler has successfully converted his first four 54-hole leads in major championships. That’s tied for third most all-time to begin a career, one behind Peter Thomson, who converted in each of his first five. Woods leads the all-time list: He converted the first 14 times he held a 54-hole lead in a major.

42. There are six instances in USGA history when a player — male or female — won a single championship three consecutive years. Tiger owns two of those and did it in consecutive streaks: the U.S. Junior Amateur from 1991 to 1993, and the U.S. Amateur from 1994 to 1996.

41. Woods is the only player all-time to win the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open in a career. He has won each championship three times.

40. Woods won both the 2000 and 2002 U.S. Opens wire-to-wire, holding the outright lead after each round. He is the only player to win multiple U.S. Opens in that fashion.

39. Strokes gained: total is the differential of a player’s score compared to the field’s scoring average in a particular round. In the 2000 major season, Woods had 81.3 strokes gained total, the most for any player in a single major season since the first Masters was held in 1934. Second-best? Arnold Palmer, with 74.4 in 1962.

38. From 1999 through 2007, Tiger Woods played in 17 World Golf Championship stroke-play events and won 12 of them. In those tournaments, his combined score to par was 188 under, 131 strokes better than any other player (Jim Furyk, -57).

37. “Bounce back percentage” is the rate at which a player makes birdie or eagle immediately following a score of bogey or worse. In the 2000 season, Woods had a bounce back rate of 36.5%, the best single-season average all-time, even to this date. The PGA Tour average for that metric in the 2000 season was 18.6%.

36. In 2025, Scheffler led the PGA Tour in scoring average in rounds one, two, three and four. Over the last 40 years (since they started keeping track), Tiger in 2000 is the only other player to do this.

35. Woods has a record of 14-1 in playoffs on the PGA and DP World Tours. His only defeat came to Billy Mayfair at the 1998 Nissan Open.

34. From 1998 through 2009, Woods played in 180 rounds in the majors. He beat the field scoring average in 164 of those rounds, a preposterous 91.1%. The second-highest rate among players with 50 or more rounds played in the majors in that same span was Ernie Els at 78.4%.

33. Remarkably, Tiger won his 100th, 200th and 300th official starts on the PGA Tour. They were the 2000 WGC Invitational, the 2006 Buick Invitational and the 2013 Players Championship, respectively.

32. When Webb Simpson won the 2018 Players Championship, U.S. players held all four majors, as well as the Players Championship, for the first time in 17 years. The previous instance was in 2001, when Tiger Woods held all five titles simultaneously.

31. From the 1999 Memorial through 2001 Memorial, Woods won 20 times in a stretch of 40 official PGA Tour starts. Then he did it again — winning 20 times in 40 official starts from the 2005 WGC American Express through the 2008 U.S. Open. For context, fewer than 40 players in PGA Tour history have 20 wins or more.

30. Woods has 199 top-10 finishes in official PGA Tour events, the most of any player over the last 40 years. Phil Mickelson is second, just one behind (198).

29. Tiger is still the last player to win PGA Tour events in three consecutive weeks. It’s been nearly 20 years since he did it at the 2006 PGA Championship, WGC Invitational and Deutsche Bank Championship.

28. From 1996 through 2019, Woods beat his playing partners on the PGA Tour (the other players he was grouped with that particular day) by a combined 3,811 strokes.

27. The player with the biggest stroke differential when playing with Woods in their PGA Tour careers is Jeff Sluman. In 17 official PGA Tour rounds, Woods beat Sluman by a combined 61 strokes.

26. Over the last 15 seasons on the PGA Tour, players have successfully converted a 54-hole lead of three strokes or more at a rate of 64.5%. Woods is 25-for-25 in those situations in his career.

25. Across Tiger’s 82 PGA Tour wins, fellow competitors were born across a span of 77 years: 1922 (Doug Ford, 1997 Masters) to 1999 (Devon Bling, 2019 Zozo Championship).

24. Woods is credited with 41 career wins on the DP World Tour, third-most all-time. He has never played a full season on that tour.

23. Among the four events currently recognized as the men’s major championships, there are two instances of a player winning by ten strokes or more. They both belong to Woods — at the 1997 Masters (12 shots) and 2000 U.S. Open (15 shots).

22. Over the last 30 seasons, there are seven instances of a player beating the field scoring average in all 16 rounds of a year’s major championships. Tiger is the only one to do it twice in that span (2000, 2007).

21. The Official World Golf Ranking began in 1986. Tiger Woods has more major victories while ranked in the top spot of those rankings (11) than every other player combined (8).

20. Tiger has led or co-led following 48 major rounds. That is the exact same total as Jack Nicklaus (48). The two legends are tied for most such rounds led in the modern era of major championships.

19. In the last 100 years, Tiger is the only player to win more than two majors by five strokes or more. Tiger has done that five times.

18. Woods holds the largest margin of victory in the last 100 years at the U.S. Open (15 shots), Masters (12 shots) and The Open (8 shots). Rory McIlroy holds that distinction for the PGA, winning by eight in 2012.

17. From 1999 through 2009, Tiger teed it up at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational ten times, winning the tournament in seven of those years. Woods was 103 under par in that stretch, 67 shots better than any other player (Jim Furyk, -36). Woods was one of 24 players with 30 or more rounds played at this tournament during that time — the other 23 players in that group were a combined 275-over-par.

16. Tiger has 48 career rounds in the majors of 67 or better. That’s six more than anyone else; Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson are tied for second with 42 each.

15. In the modern era (since the first Masters in 1934), three players not named Woods have won 12+ PGA Tour titles and three or more majors in a two-season span. Scottie Scheffler has done it over the last two seasons, while both Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus did it twice. Tiger did it four different times.

14. During the entire 2000 PGA Tour season, Woods recorded one score higher than 73. It came in the first round of the Masters, when he shot 75. The field averaged 75.59 that day.

13. Woods had 46 PGA Tour wins and 10 major championship victories before his 30th birthday. If he had never played another tournament at that point, he would still be one of two players all-time to hit both benchmarks, alongside Jack Nicklaus.

12. Tiger has held the lead or co-lead after the first round of a PGA Tour event 31 times. He went on to win the tournament in 16 of those weeks, a rate of 51.6%. Over the last 20 years, the PGA Tour average win rate for first round leaders is just 10.2%. Last season on the PGA Tour, only four of 79 players who held a share of the lead after the first round went on to win (5.1%).

11. Woods has 24 career PGA Tour wins by four strokes or more. Over the last 40 years, the player with the second-most is Davis Love III, with nine.

10. In a stretch from the 1999 Deutsche Bank through the 2001 Memorial Tournament, Tiger won 23 times. His combined margin of victory was 79 shots and he finished outside the top-10 just six times.

9. In the month of August alone, Woods has 15 career PGA Tour wins including four majors. The only two players currently under the age of 50 with 15+ Tour wins and 4+ majors won are Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

8. From 2003-05, Tiger had 1,543 putts from three feet and in measured by the PGA Tour ShotLink system. He missed only three of them.

7. In the last 60 years, there are three instances of a player winning five or more PGA Tour starts in a row. They belong to Woods (seven straight), Woods (a different run of six straight) and . . . Woods (a third run of five straight).

6. Tiger has successfully defended a title on the Tour 23 times in his career. Over the last 30 years, the player with the second-most is Phil Mickelson, with five.

5. Woods made 142 consecutive PGA Tour cuts from 1998 through 2005. Per the Tour, that’s the longest such streak by 29 (Byron Nelson, 113 straight in the 1940s).

4. From 1997 through 2008, Woods was a combined 126 under par in the majors. Of the 114 players with 50 or more major rounds played in that span, that was 200 shots better than anyone else.

3. From the 1999 PGA Championship through the 2001 Masters, Tiger’s finishes in the majors were: 1st, 5th, 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st. That means in a span of six majors, Woods had more wins (five) than combined players to finish ahead of him (four).

2. Over the last 10 seasons on Tour, players who hold an outright 54-hole lead go on to win less than half of the time — a rate of 47%. Woods is 44-for-46 in those situations (95.7%).

1. Jack Nicklaus’ last career start in each of the four major championships were the 2000 U.S. Open, 2000 PGA, 2005 Masters and 2005 Open Championship. Tiger Woods won in all four of those weeks.

BOXING

Why Muhammad Ali begged George Foreman to end retirement to

Muhammad Ali begged George Foreman to end retirement to beat one man: “I can’t but you can”

When Muhammad Ali lost to Ken Norton in March 1973, there was a growing sense that the best of the floating butterfly and stinging bee might be gone.

Norton earned a split-decision victory in San Diego, a verdict that arguably flattered Ali, who also suffered a broken jaw in the opening round.

JUST IN: VIDEOS: Why Logan Paul Tried to Steal Anthony Joshua’s Chain at Jake Paul Fight

Ali narrowly avoided a second defeat in the rematch, rallying late to secure a split decision of his own after winning the 12th round. With the rivalry locked at 1-1, a rubber match would have to wait.

What troubled ‘The Greatest’ so badly against Norton proved no obstacle at all for George Foreman. A year later in Caracas, Venezuela, the reigning heavyweight champion demolished the chiselled challenger in less than two rounds, flooring him with sledgehammer blows. The 6ft 3ins, 224¾lb juggernaut later declared that he would beat Ali in two rounds.

Instead, Ali went on to do the unthinkable. In 1974, during The Rumble in the Jungle, he stopped Foreman to reclaim the heavyweight crown. Two years later, Ali and Norton met for a third time at Yankee Stadium in New York. ‘The Greatest’ again got the nod, though the decision proved controversial and Norton immediately called for a fourth bout.

It never materialised. Years later, however, Foreman revealed on The Jim Lampley Show that his old foe had approached him for help after Foreman’s retirement in 1977. Ali, keen to avoid a fourth meeting with Norton, believed his old rival could do him a favour.

“I do not know how he got my number. He called me and complimented me for about twenty minutes, then he said, ‘George, would you do me a favour?’ I said, ‘Certainly.’ He said, ‘Please come back and beat Ken Norton and fight him for me… I can’t beat him. George, you can. He’s afraid of you. I’ll let you use my training camp and everything, but please come back and beat him for me.’”

Who knows how history might have shifted had that scenario played out. Had Foreman granted his rival’s wish, he may have earned the chance to avenge his most humiliating defeat.

Instead, Foreman remained retired until the 1980s, before carving out a different kind of immortality in 1994 when he stopped Michael Moorer to become the oldest heavyweight champion in history.

BOXING

VIDEOS: Why Logan Paul Tried to Steal Anthony Joshua’s Chain at Jake Paul Fight

Last weekend’s Jake Paul vs Anthony Joshua fight was full of viral moments.

However, one of the most bizarre came just moments after the fight ended, as Jake’s brother, Logan Paul, attempted to steal a $500,000 chain from around the Brit’s neck.

The contest itself ended in the sixth round, when ‘AJ’ knocked ‘El Gallo’ out with a massive right hand. The first stoppage defeat of Jake’s 14-bout professional career was a costly one. It left the American with a broken jaw in two places, facing a long period out of the ring.

Despite the devastating nature of the finish, the camps for both fighters appeared on good terms as they gathered in the ring waiting for veteran MC Michael Buffer to announce the official decision.

Before that announcement could be made, though, Logan could be seen getting into a scuffle with the Londoner. Netflix cameras showed the two men being separated by security, although it was not immediately clear what had happened.

Video footage later emerged of Logan attempting to unfasten the chain from around AJ’s neck. Per The Sun, the chain was a custom piece gifted to Joshua by crypto company Polymarket.

Anthony Joshua was Raging When Logan Paul Tried to Steal His Chain

Logan Paul got into it with Anthony Joshua’s team after trying to snatch his chain 👀 pic.twitter.com/jFiXn4CtA7

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 20, 2025

Joshua wasn’t at all happy, bellowing: “My chain, my chain.” Logan would plead his innocence, holding his hands up, saying he did nothing wrong, but the Londoner was still fuming as a member of his team would put the chain back around him. As Joshua was leaving the ring, the American tried to get in another nibbling comment in the ear of the victor.

Nothing more was said about the incident in the aftermath, until Logan spoke to DAZN in the days following the bout.

Reflecting on the fight as a whole, ‘The Maverick’ stated: “I think Jake’s just elated with how it went. He lasted way longer than everyone thought he would.”

Logan Paul was Bitten by Anthony Joshua’s Security After His Stunt

The interview quickly turned to Logan’s post-fight antics, where he revealed that a member of Joshua’s security team had actually bitten him. Explaining why he tried to steal the chain in the first place, he said:

“He snatched my brother’s jaw. I snatch your chain,” he said. “It’s a Polymarket chain. Did you see it? Did you see that thing? Like a half-million-dollar chain. You snatched my brother’s jaw. I snatch your chain. Except, I couldn’t get it off. I texted the Polymarket guys. I’m like, ‘Dude, this is a high-quality chain. I couldn’t get it off!

“One of Anthony Joshua’s guys bit me. Then my security then threw him out of the way. It was a whole thing.”

Despite his stoppage loss, Jake intends to fight on. Whenever he next boxes, though, he might just ask Logan to be a little calmer while at ringside.

BOXING

“We can sign that tomorrow”: Anthony Joshua offered world title fight next

After defeating Jake Paul, Anthony Joshua may be just one win away from a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.

Although, the two-time heavyweight champion has been offered the chance to fight for a world title in his next outing.

Joshua ended 15 months of inactivity when he stopped Paul after six rounds and his plan for 2026 now seems pretty clear. ‘AJ’ is expected to return to action in February, where a victory will supposedly tee up a clash with long-term rival Fury for the second half of the calendar.

Anthony Joshua offered world title fight next: “We can sign that tomorrow”

JUST IN: Deontay Wilder Open To Facing Newly Crowned Heavyweight Champion

As far as Joshua’s opponents go for his February return, Dutch kickboxer and former Fury sparring partner Rico Verhoeven has emerged as a frontrunner, with fight news expected imminently.

However, Queensberry promoter Frank Warren told The Stomping Ground that he would be willing to stage a clash between his newly crowned WBO heavyweight world champion Fabio Wardley and Joshua, to potentially add a world title to the blockbuster dust-up with Fury.

“Fight Fabio Wardley, do it tomorrow, sign it tomorrow. If he says yes, I’ll go round to his house right now. Christmas Day I’ll go round there, and we will get the deal done. Why wouldn’t you do it?

You said you want to fight for a world title, fight Fabio Wardley. In the meantime, if you’re not [wanting to fight for a world title] and you want to wait for Tyson, then wait for Tyson.

All of these people keep saying he needs to do these things to get back [and fight] for a world title, he’s no spring chicken, he’s been around and he’s a two-time world champion. If he wants to jump back in, then there you go, Fabio Wardley – another guy who has had no amateur experience.

Let me tell you what it is, what he doesn’t need to do, AJ, is fight anybody who can punch, because then there won’t be a fight with Tyson.”

Eddie Hearn has previously admitted that a world title fight is Joshua’s preferred option, rather than a Fury fight, but money talks and his lucrative meeting with Fury is surely too big to put at any kind of risk by facing a tough February opponent.

BOXING

Deontay Wilder Open To Facing Newly Crowned Heavyweight Champion

Deontay Wilder could head into a world title fight in 2026.

Wilder once ruled over the division with his fierce right hand as the WBC champion. He knocked out the first 40 men he faced despite often falling behind on the cards in many of those fights.

It wasn’t until he faced Tyson Fury for the first time that he failed to win, and after that draw, he fought ‘The Gypsy King’ two more times, losing both by KO in dramatic fashion after hugely entertaining battles.

READ: Deontay Wilder names the one man he ‘must’ face before retiremen

Since then, he has also lost two further contests, one to Joseph Parker on points and one by fifth round KO to Zhilei Zhang back in 2024.

Many thought that could be the end for Wilder, given he is now almost 40 years old and has had 49 fights, with the losses to Fury and Zhang being particularly bruising encounters.

However, the American finally got back to winning ways in June when he stopped the little-known Tyrrell Herndon and was recently called out by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk for a showdown in 2026.

Speaking recently, Wilder also admitted he would be keen to take on Murat Gassiev, who has just beaten Kubrat Pulev by KO to become WBA regular champion.

“Congratulations to Gassiev. I think that would be an amazing fight.”

He had high praise for how Gassiev won.

“That was a beautiful left hook. It was very sneaky.”

Gassiev is a former cruiserweight champion who has had eight fights at his new weight, including a loss to Otto Wallin in 2023, and could now find himself in a fight with ‘The Bronze Bomber’ in 2026.