Rory McIlroy confirms reason wife Erica Stoll missed his latest award win
Rory McIlroy has disclosed that his wife, Erica Stoll, and daughter, Poppy, were absent for his BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2025 triumph. He revealed that the duo remained in the United States while the golf icon is scheduled to reunite with them on Friday following his festivities in Salford.
McIlroy wrapped up an incredible 2025 with one last accolade, defeating contenders including F1 world champion Lando Norris and darts phenom Luke Littler. The Northern Irishman finally captured the Masters this year to achieve a career Grand Slam before contributing to Europe’s triumph in the Ryder Cup.
The 36 year old, alongside Tommy Fleetwood, also received the Team of the Year honor during a triumphant evening. McIlroy honored his fellow contenders and family while acknowledging the influence Erica and Poppy had on his remarkable year.
“First of all I’d like to congratulate the other finalists, I know how much hard work and dedication it takes,” said McIlroy on stage. “It’s a pleasure just to be in this room and I feel honoured just to be a part, so congratulations.
“Look 2025 was the year I made my dreams come true, from Augusta to the Ryder Cup and everything in between. It really has been the year that dreams are made of.”, reports the Mirror.
“I have a lot of people to thank, firstly the public for voting for me, but my family, my mum and dad. They sacrificed so much for me and I wouldn’t be here without them. Thank you.
“My wife Erica, my daughter Poppy. They’re what holds me together, they’re my rock.
“They couldn’t be here tonight, they are back in America, but I can’t wait to get back to see them tomorrow and celebrate with them. I can’t wait to see you, I love you.”
Before the award announcement, McIlroy was asked about how fatherhood has shifted his perspective.
He expressed his deep respect for Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, two fathers who ran the London Marathon in memory of their daughters, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, who tragically lost their lives at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport in July 2024.
“I think being a father of a little girl, seeing the dads up there tonight, they are absolute heroes,” said McIlroy.
“Being a dad, it makes the losses a lot easier. It makes the wins even more special to be able to share that with Erica [wife] and Poppy [daughter].
“My family, they’ve watched me go through all of this like I’m sure a lot of the public has. I feel like everyone’s been on this journey with me.”
American tennis star Coco Gauff, celebrated for her ferocious groundstrokes and clutch Grand Slam performances, recently shared a more personal memory: as a child, she used to sneak her mom’s perfume because she couldn’t get enough of it.
Gauff’s anecdote surfaced in the context of her new collaboration as the U.S. ambassador for Miu Miu Beauty’s “Miutine” fragrance. The partnership marks a fresh chapter for Gauff, one that ties together her heritage, her youthful curiosity, and her evolving sense of identity outside of tennis.
“I used to steal my mom’s perfume all the time,” Gauff said. “She prefers more stronger perfumes that I wouldn’t necessarily wear. I remember there was one that was super light. When I smelled Miutine, it reminded me of the first real fragrance that I actually loved.”
Her growing bond with Miu Miu has been evolving for some time, since the Italian fashion house previously collaborated with her sponsor New Balance to create distinctive on-court outfits.
Their interest in both her marketability and discipline made extending the partnership a natural step.
Furthermore, this new fragrance role emerges alongside a portfolio of major endorsements that helped Gauff top Sportico’s highest-paid female athletes list for 2025.
The 21-year-old amassed approximately $31 million through a combination of prize money and sponsorship deals. Her earnings for the year included $7.9 million from competition, while close to $23 million came from endorsements.
New Balance remains one of her most significant partners, and its 2022 renewal has continued to drive her commercial success across global markets. Gauff has also added an impressive range of companies to her resume for extra measure.
She is also busy filling her time by representing Bose, Mercedes-Benz, Head, Rolex and Baker Tilly, among others as their commitments reflect both her influence and a vote of confidence to her talent.
Meanwhile, Aryna Sabalenka trailed her by a narrow margin with $30 million, followed by Iga Swiatek at $23 million, cementing tennis as the most dominant force in women’s sports financially, and highlighting her remarkable consistency at the pinnacle of the list.
Amid the commercial spotlight, Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci recently predicted substantial growth for Gauff’s game, as having reached World No.2 in 2024, she remains third and continues pushing toward overtaking the gap to the top.
This projection comes after a mixed 2025 season in which Gauff reached the Australian Open quarterfinals and captured the French Open title, yet suffered early exits at both Wimbledon and the US Open, illustrating the volatility that still sometimes shapes her campaigns.
“Coco will be a different player in 2026,” Macci tweeted. “Serve will be a weapon and the forehand more compact and overall strategy controlling the center of the court.
“She has the best defense on the tour and with these additions she will be knocking on that number one door.”
Although she has acknowledged that becoming World No.1 is a dream, Gauff recently reiterated a focus on major titles.
“I prefer another Grand Slam, I’ve always said that,” Gauff said. “I don’t know, I feel like people remember you more for the titles you’ve won than for your world No. 1 ranking.”
She added: “Now, if I had already won four and still hadn’t reached No. 1, then maybe the story would be different.
“But having only one, I would like to have another to strengthen my record a little more.”
Floyd Mayweather retired undefeated and wealthier than any boxer in history. Even so, he has since acknowledged that he stayed active longer than necessary.
For many fighters, knowing when to walk away is the hardest decision in boxing. For Mayweather, the line between competitive ambition and commercial opportunity blurred — and he chose to keep going and delay retirement.
When the Money Never Stops Calling
By the time Mayweather faced Conor McGregor in 2017, the boxing icon’s legacy was already secure. He had proven his greatness at 50-0 across multiple divisions, dominated an era, and rewritten boxing’s financial ceiling.
Following that, Mayweather continued fighting beyond his competitive peak.
Exhibition bouts, overseas appearances, and carefully managed events extended his career beyond its competitive peak. The risk was controlled, but the motivation shifted from legacy to opportunity.
Mayweather has since acknowledged that walking away earlier would have benefited his body, even if it meant leaving money behind.
The Cost of Staying Too Long
Unlike fighters who linger in pursuit of relevance or redemption, Mayweather stayed because the business model continued to reward him.
That distinction matters.
But extended careers — even controlled ones — come with a cost. The clarity of a fighter’s exit fades. The final image becomes less definitive. The conversation shifts from achievement to endurance.
Greatness is not erased; the ending simply becomes less clean.
Legacy Versus Longevity
Boxing history is filled with champions who struggled to let go. Some stayed chasing validation. Others stayed chasing closure.
Mayweather stayed because opportunity never stopped presenting itself.
He did not suffer a competitive decline. He did not tarnish his record. But the longer he remained active, the further his career drifted from the moment when walking away would have felt complete.
Musicvibe
Why Timing Shapes the Story
How a fighter exits often defines how a career is discussed in hindsight.
A clean departure brings resolution. A prolonged one invites reassessment.
Mayweather remains one of the greatest defensive fighters boxing has produced. Yet his extended post-prime years shifted attention from competitive excellence to financial spectacle — a trade-off that now forms part of his legacy.
There could also be one more stage to come in the form of a Manny Pacquiao rematch, for which WBN reported exclusive details.
The Lesson Modern Fighters Are Watching
Today’s elite fighters are increasingly aware of how exits are judged. The conversation has evolved.
Walking away at the right moment is no longer viewed as quitting, but as control.
Mayweather proved that a fighter can earn everything imaginable. His later reflections suggest that even unlimited success does not remove the importance of timing
First things first: you’re allowed to be disappointed, angry, or even jealous.
Such feelings are always valid when professionals are paid so handsomely for turning in the kind of work performance that would have others fearing for their jobs. That’s what happened on Friday night in Miami. And yes, Anthony Joshua underperformed by his own admission, but if you’re expending the majority of your energy on him, I’m afraid you got his fight with Jake Paul completely wrong.
The craving was intense for Joshua, a former two-time world heavyweight champion, to make Paul a meme by leaving him staring up at the lights in the Kaseya Center. Many wanted to see that happen inside 30 seconds. Many said that “AJ” going four or more rounds with this YouTuber-turned-boxer would ruin his legacy. Hell, many said this fight would be rigged – a claim easily disproved but spouted repeatedly regardless.
Truthfully, many of these desires and predictions betrayed a fundamental lack of understanding of boxing, and that is not meant condescendingly. There was always going to be a lot of “I told you so” on Saturday, regardless of what happened between Joshua and Paul. If Joshua, 36, had erased his opponent in 30 seconds, it would have been “I told you so”; if Paul, 28, had survived the full eight rounds, it would have been “I told you so”.
And there’s a temptation to claim an “I told you so” of our own, having suggested that fans wouldn’t get their desired, internet-breaking image of a pulverised Paul; rather, Joshua breaking down the American and forcing a stoppage always felt likelier to us. That is what happened in the end. However, anyone who told you pre-fight that they truly knew what was going to happen was lying to you. They didn’t.
For example, even those who felt Joshua might take several rounds to get rid of Paul were largely taking this stance because they thought the Briton – after 15 months out of the ring, following a brutal loss – might just want to take his time and enjoy being in the ring, under the brightest lights once again.
Not many predicted that the fight would have gone so long because of a very specific tactic by Paul; that is the crux here.
In fact, some pundits felt that Joshua might struggle to pin down Paul, believing that the YouTuber’s shorter stature would prove awkward for AJ, and that Paul would be on the move for the majority of the bout. Both of these predictions were proven true, having already been vindicated by the revelation that Paul had obtained a larger-than-usual ring.
But no one specifically predicted that a key part of Paul’s survival plan would be to dive at Joshua’s legs time and time again, seemingly in a bid to buy time and avoid damage.
This might seem a shallow observation on which to pin this article, but really, one particular recap video highlighted in just 90 seconds how flagrant Paul was with this tactic – if one can call it that, and it seemed deliberate enough to validate the word. Paul landed a reported 16 punches in the fight, and he seemed to dive at Joshua’s legs almost as many times.
In any other contest, a referee would surely be much more tempted to dock the fighter a point or even wave off the action, due to the boxer’s lack of desire to engage.
For what it is worth, it still feels there is a duty to give Paul some credit. You might not like that, but the fact that Paul landed 16 punches should hoist your shoulders into an accepting shrug. It is also honourable that he climbed off the canvas three times after separate knockdowns – apparently with a broken jaw – before succumbing to a fourth in round six. He was in with Anthony Joshua, for goodness’s sake.
The issue is, where one might want to give Paul credit for simply sharing the ring with Joshua in the first place, much of this credit was erased – in the way that many fans wish Paul had been. That’s courtesy of his approach to the fight. Let’s be clear: most viewers would likely have found themselves clinging to Joshua’s legs, seeking an escape, in the way Paul did. But the viewers were the ones buying the fight (or at least signing into Netflix), not selling it.
And once again, Paul sold something that did not come to pass. The problem here is that, while we can and should criticise him for this, viewers must also take responsibility.
How many swore never to watch Paul box again, after he went eight two-minute rounds in an action-light fight with a 58-year-old Mike Tyson 13 months ago? How many of those viewers tuned in on Friday, regardless?
Furthermore, how many will tune in for one of his future fights, once he picks the right opponent? You may tell yourself you won’t, and it’s not fair of us to tell you that your word is not worth the cost of a month’s Netflix subscription, but make no mistake: Joshua did not kill off Paul in the boxing ecosystem; the YouTuber will be back.
These pages have been more accepting and forgiving of Paul’s boxing venture than many others. He has brought countless eyeballs to the sport, and he has weaponised people’s loathing in a way that demands at least some credit, whether you can bring yourself to respect him or not. This has always been at the heart of Paul’s boxing journey: he has made his money off knowing how to wind you up, so it’s not worth falling for it, yet so many people do.
In that regard, some of this disappointment in AJ may be projection. Deep down, many viewers are probably disappointed in themselves. But the anger? Yes, you are very much allowed to be angry at Jake Paul. He sold you a fight, and fight he did not.
Canelo Alvarez makes surprise appearance and meets Undertaker at AAA Guerra de Titanes
Worlds collided in combat sports when AAA visited Guadalajara for Guerra de Titanes (Dec. 20, 2025), and there was a special appearance from Canelo Alvarez. The boxing superstar also met with the Undertaker backstage.
La Parka scored the win in the opener, then he danced with a child in the ring to celebrate. When La Parka brought that child over to its seat, there was another La Parka in the crowd. That imposter removed his mask to reveal Canelo in the audience. The child was Canelo’s son. This was a cool way to spice up the show with a celebrity appearance.
WWE also posted a backstage meeting between Canelo and the Undertaker. This is not an in-depth conversation, but it’s just surreal to see the two legends together.
Come for the Canelo headline, stay for the cool moves.
La Parka & Octagon Jr. were victorious in a four-way tag team bout over Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa, Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde, and Bravo Americano & Rayo Americano in the opener to Guerra de Titanes (full results).
It’s funny that the local crowd loves El Grande Americano and yet they immediately boo Bravo and Rayo. Bravo won over some support when he demonstrated impressive strength to lift super heavyweight Niño Hamburguesa for an inverted airplane spin slam.
In the end, La Parka and Octagon Jr. executed a double Spanish Fly to Cruz, then La Parka finished with a dancing two-step spinning suplex.
La Parka y Octagón Jr. VENCEN en la lucha de parejas de cuatro esquinas con la Doble Mosca Española y el Suplex sobre Cruz del Toro, en un gran comienzo de la noche en Guadalajara.
That’s just a taste of the action from the match. The full show is available for free on YouTube (WWE in English, AAA in Spanish). Share your reaction to the tag team bout and the surprise appearance from Canelo Alvarez.
As Joshua prepares for the final stages of his career, the two-time heavyweight champion has enlisted the services of Oleksander Usyk’s training team, with Golub the main voice in the corner.
Immediately after Joshua’s win, a long-awaited showdown with Fury became the immediate topic of conversation, but in the eyes of Golub, AJ is not ready to face the former WBC heavyweight champion just yet.
Earlier this month, various outlets were reporting that Joshua and Fury had finally signed a deal to fight in 2026, but before this particular contest takes place, the pair will participate in warm-up bouts.
The idea of warm-up fights before a contest of this magnitude is a double edged sword. In terms of the benefits, it will allow both men to get back into fighting shape, shake off ring rust and generate even more excitement ahead of the opening bell.
On the other hand, if either Fury or Joshua, or possibly both, lose their warm-up bouts, then interest in the Battle of Britain will vanish.
Following Joshua’s win over Paul, Golub spoke to The Voice of Boxing, and claimed that his charge is not ready to go up against ‘The Gypsy King’ just yet.
“We need one more fight before Fury, Fury is a very dangerous boxer,” Golub said.
“He has a lot of skills, a good intellectual fighter, he must be ready for this, not now.”
With Golub being part of the team which masterminded Usyk’s two wins over Fury last year, he knows what it will take to topple ‘The Gypsy King’.
Against Paul, Joshua did not look great. While the American ran away from the two-time heavyweight champion, Joshua looked slow, especially when it came to his footwork.
Instead of urgency and hunting for the knockout, Joshua was plodding towards Paul who was constantly on the move until he tired and got knocked out in the sixth round.
Joshua said he wasn’t satisfied with his performance, despite breaking Paul’s jaw in two places.
“No, I needed to do better,” Joshua said at the post-fight press conference.
“It’s a win but it’s not a success. I think my coach expects more from me and I expect more from myself. But what can we do? We can’t reverse the clocks. We have to move forward. I have to put that in the past now.
“After today, you might see a bit of social media, trying to lap up all of the algorithm attention but for me, it’s in the past. I can’t live off of that win. I’ve got a lot of improving that I need to do. I’m not happy.”
Joshua explained that the expectations were high in this fight because Paul was a novice boxer.
“There was a lot riding on this fight,” Joshua said.
“A lot of pressure. A lot of expectations. I had to perform. A lot of people doubt me. A lot of people don’t respect me. There’s a lot of pressure. I had boxing on my back today and that was what it was really.
“I took Jake as serious as I needed to but most importantly, I take myself as serious as I need to. I respect myself. I respect boxing. I know what it takes to get in the ring. You have to be prepared. One slip up could cost you in that ring. Credit to Jake.”
February is being rumoured as the possible date for Joshua’s next outing, and if this is being used as a warm-up before facing Fury, Joshua and his team need to pick a credible heavyweight who is a slick mover to give the Olympic gold medallist the best preparation ahead of the eagerly awaited Battle of Britain.
The past 12 months had a little of everything — a career Grand Slam, Ryder Cup chaos and so much more.
With 2026 on the horizon, our writers look back at the most memorable moments from 2025 and explain why they mattered.
Stories of 2025 No. 9: Tiger Woods’ next role
One of the oddities — and, from a scenery and lodging perspective, one of of the real joys — of covering professional golf is that the sport’s most iconic figure reliably speaks once per year, at a relatively chill, limited-field golf tournament in a quiet corner of the Bahamas.
And so the week after Thanksgiving I flew to Nassau, where (with all due respect to Hideki Matsuyama) the main event of the Hero World Challenge was Tiger Woods’ pre-tournament press conference, his first public give-and-take in months. He showed up two minutes early, stayed for a half-hour and gave us a window into how he envisions his future as it relates to professional golf. He’s still recovering from another back surgery, and he hinted towards another playing comeback — but for the first time in Woods’ extensive injury history the assembled media seemed just as interested in his golf-related activities away from the course. Woods was sharp and measured. He connected his past to his future. And he was, for him, unusually forthcoming. The line I keep coming back to is this one:
“I know I’m not really saying a whole lot but I’m trying to say as much as I possibly can because there’s so many moving parts to this and it changes all the time,” Woods said, speaking on the PGA Tour’s future. Re-read the first half of that sentence: that’s a half-apology for not saying more, which is something I doubt Woods did a single time during his competitive prime. But this is a different era for Woods, and for his place within the PGA Tour ecosystem, and for that Tour’s new frontman, Brian Rolapp. Rolapp was in the Bahamas, too, golf’s exciting new outsider pairing with golf’s great insider. To Woods, professional golf is everything. To Rolapp? It’s his next business challenge.
Below is what I wrote from the Bahamas on what could be a complementary collision.
THE FINAL QUESTION of Tiger Woods’ Tuesday press conference at the Hero World Challenge yielded an unexpectedly poignant answer.
“You’re chairing the Future Competitions Committee,” a reporter began. “l’d like to know, personally, what is your motivation to contribute heavily to the strength of the PGA Tour?”
It’s a question central to the present and future of men’s professional golf. Woods has enough money, prestige and time to do just about anything, of course — but he’s chosen to fill his days with Zoom calls and strategy meetings in an attempt to reinvent a tour on which his own competitive days are numbered. Is Woods careless with his time? Nobody thinks that. But nobody knew how carefully he’d thought about his decision to moonlight as a golf bureaucrat. Not until Woods answered the question.
“Well, the PGA Tour gave me an opportunity to chase after a childhood dream,” he said. “I got a chance to hit my first ball in my first PGA Tour event when I was 16 years old. I know that’s what, 33 years ago, but I’ve been involved with the PGA Tour ever since then.
“A little kid from Cypress, California, growing up on a par-3 course got a chance to play against the best players in the world and make it to World No. 1. I got a chance to be involved in a lot of different things on our Tour. This is a different opportunity to make an impact on the Tour.
“I did it with my golf clubs, I made a few putts here and there and was able to do that. Now I’m able to make an impact in a different way for other generations to come. Not just generations that I played against, but for future generations. Like a 16-year-old looking for a place to play, maybe hoping to play the PGA Tour.”
Woods’ monologue hit on a theme we haven’t heard much recently: That the PGA Tour isn’t a [winces] product in need of [winces again] optimization and [bangs head on desk] profit maximization. It asked us to remember that the PGA Tour is also something else entirely: A place where childhood dreams come true.
As Woods reminded us, his first Tour appearance came 33 years ago. He’s set to turn 50, which means he’s lived two-thirds of his life as a PGA Tour golfer. Anybody who watched Tiger Woods play much golf — we’re all old. The multiples and fractions all sound unbelievable. Like this one: Woods has lived more than half his life since hosting the Hero World Challenge tournament for the first time; he launched his first limited-field invitational at the ripe age of 24 … 25 years ago. In this year’s field, only Akshay Bhatia — who turns 24 next month — is younger than Woods was then. Tom Lehman won the 2000 Williams World Challenge. He’s 66 now. Again, we’re all old.
“The guys that I played with when we first had the World Challenge early in the 2000s, they’re all — I’m the youngest one,” Woods said. “I’m about ready to turn 50, so those guys are all on the Champions Tour or even retired from the game of golf. They don’t play anymore.”
A glance around the media center served as a reminder that Woods’ longevity isn’t just about the players — he’s outlasted just about everybody. Reporters, Tour officials, industry trends. How many newspapers had golf writers covering that first event? By my count there were zero this time around.
Time wins and time changes. But that makes Woods’ new role so interesting. The self-described last member of the old guard is now responsible for leading a coalition taking a bulldozer — or at least a pair of sharpened shears — to the Tour schedule and structure as we’ve come to know it. The ultimate insider seems an unlikely fit to rethink the current structure, but that’s Woods’ directive as chairman of the new Future Competition Committee, whose stated goal is to create an “optimal competitive model” for professional golf.
“I mean, to be honest with you, we started with a blank slate,” Woods said. “What would be the best product we can possibly create? What would it look like?”
Enter his partner-in-revolution, new PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp.
In generations past, candidates for Tour commissioner were graded on an unofficial rubric of traits like “golf background” and “golf handicap.” Rolapp, who was the NFL’s No. 2 before taking the Tour’s top job this summer, is woefully unqualified by those metrics but the envy of the sports world in nearly every other. In this strange time in golf, Rolapp’s golfing inexperience is treated as an advantage rather than a hindrance. His outside perspective means he has a fresh set of eyes. He and Woods are an unlikely pair — but as the ultimate insider and ultimate outsider, perhaps they’re perfectly complementary, too.
On Tuesday evening at Albany — the glitzy, exclusive Bahamas retreat that serves as Hero host — Woods and Rolapp led an on-site meeting for players on the progress of the Future Competitions Committee. The subtext was clear: the Tour’s two leaders were going to address the future.
Since his hiring, Tour pros have consistently described Rolapp using two words — “impressive” and “direct.” In no small part because of a general distrust of Tour leadership since the surprise LIV peace accords of June 2023, players make those two attributes sound like a ringing endorsement. The FCC’s plans are not finalized, but an unofficial player poll on Wednesday yielded positive reviews on their process and delivery. Rolapp is transparent. He makes things sound simple. He’s aware of the power of tradition but isn’t personally bound by it. He’s a pragmatist with a laser focus. And every player on site was reportedly in attendance at the meeting, a small but critical show of credibility.
Scottie Scheffler praised Rolapp’s smarts and his work ethic.
“I’ve been very pleased with the conversations that I’ve had with him, the things that I’ve been hearing,” the World No. 1 said. “Think they’re looking at things the right way and I’m excited about some of the changes they’re looking to make.”
Keegan Bradley praised his urgency.
“I think Brian’s trying to make changes right away and he’s definitely got a great vision to make the Tour the best as it can be,” the Ryder Cup captain said. “I really love the fact that we’re not waiting, like this isn’t ‘we’re changing in three years, four years.’ No, we’re doing this next year.”
As for Woods’ assessment?
“Brian’s been fantastic,” he said. “What he’s done so far in a short time with his leadership skills and his personality and how he handles situations, his calmness, his thoughtfulness, his directness, transparency, all the things that we were looking for and we needed on the Tour — he has delivered in spades.”
Now comes the hard part: Action.
Rolapp has met one-on-one with dozens of Tour pros, in person or over the phone. There’s concern about change on the horizon, but many players are cautiously optimistic. After all, there’s a widespread understanding that the Tour has been operating inefficiently for decades — the product of another old guard that revered traditions even when they didn’t always make sense. Why is every event owned and operated by somebody different? Why isn’t the Tour in Chicago or Boston or Seattle or New York? Why is the Tour in Memphis in August? When you have Signature Events and Alternate Events on the same schedule, what does it really mean to win a PGA Tour event? Some things could use simplifying. Some traditions could use a shake-up. Time wins and time changes.
This is why Tiger Woods became a bureaucrat, and this is why he cares about Zoom calls: Because he knows that the old guard is replaced eventually — even when the old guard is Tiger Woods.
Anthony Joshua looks set to lose almost half of the huge payout he received for his fight against Jake Paul.
The British heavyweight reportedly earned around £70 million for the bout, but may actually keep closer to £35 million.
The 36-year-old dispatched the YouTuber-turned-boxer in the sixth round, landing a knockout blow. There has been some strong backlash to the fight, as Joshua was expected to dominate Paul a lot more than he actually did.
While the former two-time heavyweight champion earned his victory, a lot of fans still see the event as a joke that cannot be taken seriously. Both men’s pockets would strongly disagree with that assessment, as they both bagged huge paydays in Miami.
Anthony Joshua’s Pockets to Be Hit After Netflix Blockbuster
AJ may have won the Netflix-broadcast bout, but the Brit is expected to be hit harder than his American opponent. While reported purses for both men have varied slightly, the common number reported to have been split between them was $184m.
That would work out at roughly £70 million per fighter, but Joshua won’t see all of that money. Instead, he’s going to be hit by both British and American tax laws. Per a press release from AceOdds, the Englishman could lose up to £33 million in US Federal Tax, payments to HMRC and National Insurance contributions in the UK.
Data experts worked out the exact breakdown of how much he will have to hand over in tax, as the press release stated: “Assuming the £70m figure is accurate, Joshua would be lumbered with a total tax bill of £31,386,203 on his earnings from the fight.”
In short, £25,867,333 of the money would be his US tax contribution, while a further £5,618,870 and £1,401,257 would go to HMRC and national insurance payments, respectively. That would leave him with just 53% of the reported £70 million. That’s still a handsome sum of cash.
Anthony Joshua Full of ‘Respect’ For Hospital-Bound Jake Paul
Despite sending his opponent to the hospital with a severely broken jaw, Joshua was quick to send praise Paul’s way after the fight. He stated:
“It wasn’t the best performance. The end goal was to get Jake Paul, pin him down and hurt him. That has been the request leading up, and that’s what was on my mind. It took a bit longer than expected, but the right hand finally found the destination.
“I want to give him his props. He got up time and time again. It was difficult in there for him, but he kept on trying to find a way. It takes a real man to do that. Anyone who laces up these gloves, we always say we give them our respect. We have to give Jake his respect for trying and trying and trying. Well done.”
Heavyweight Title Mandatories On Hold As Usyk Remains Inactive
The heavyweight title picture is stuck heading into 2026.
Oleksandr Usyk still holds three of the four major belts, but he is not fighting.
With no return date set, the mandatory system across the division has slowed to a crawl. Usyk vacated the WBO title earlier this year after being ordered to defend against Fabio Wardley.
That order came after Wardley’s win over Joseph Parker. Instead of taking the fight, Usyk gave up the belt and kept the IBF, WBA, and WBC titles.
His last bout came on July 19, when he stopped IBF champion Daniel Dubois in the fifth round. Since then, there has been no official announcement regarding his next fight.
He is not expected back in the ring until sometime in 2026. That leaves the rest of the division waiting. With Usyk still holding three belts and no fight scheduled, the mandatory challengers are stalled. Rankings continue to update, but nothing moves without a defense or a vacancy.
Fighters can take non-title bouts to stay active, but that comes with risk. A loss can drop them out of position. Others choose to wait and lose time instead.
Agit Kabayel is among the contenders affected by the delay. He remains highly ranked, but there is no date and no enforcement order in place that would move him closer to a title shot.
The same uncertainty applies to other mandatory positions tied to Usyk’s remaining belts. Sanctioning bodies have tools to act, but they have been slow to use them. Stripping a unified champion is rarely done quickly, especially when the champion is coming off a recent win and citing injury.
That has left the system in limbo.
As of late December 2025, Usyk has no confirmed return date. There is also no timetable for resolving the outstanding mandatory obligations connected to his IBF, WBA, and WBC titles. For now, the belts stay put.
The challengers wait. Nothing changes until Usyk fights again or gives one up.
Canelo wanted a sequel after Crawford pulled off a historic upset in September 2025, outpointing Canelo to become a three-weight undisputed champion via a unanimous decision. Canelo, who underwent elbow surgery shortly after that loss, had made a rematch his top priority for a September 2026 return.
After Bud’s camp reportedly demanded $100 million for the rematch, Crawford stunned the sport by announcing his official retirement on December 16. With “Bud” walking away at 42-0, Canelo is left without his chance at redemption and without an opponent for his traditional Mexican Independence Day weekend slot. If Canelo wants to reclaim his undisputed status at super middleweight, he will have to fight some hungry contenders who are no longer waiting in his shadow.
Christian Mbilli: The WBC interim champion is the frontrunner. While he recently fought to a grueling draw against Lester Martinez on the Canelo-Crawford undercard, the WBC has already ordered a rematch. The winner will be the undeniable mandatory for Canelo.
Osleys Iglesias: The undefeated Cuban southpaw has become the boogeyman of the division. As the IBF’s top-rated challenger, he represents a high-risk, low-reward style that Canelo has avoided in the past.
Diego Pacheco & Hamzah Sheeraz: These two towering prospects are linked to a massive “Riyadh Season” clash in February. The victor would immediately become the most “bankable” young challenger for a September showdown.
Jose Armando Resendiz: Resendiz pulled off a massive upset in May 2025 by defeating Caleb Plant, earning him the WBA interim title and making him a viable “all-Mexican” option for Canelo.
If the 168-pound contenders don’t tempt Canelo, he could move up. Rematches with the elite at light heavyweight remain on the table, specifically a chance to avenge his 2022 loss to Dmitry Bivol (the current WBA, WBO, and IBF king) or a clash with the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion David Benavidez. With Canelo skipping his usual Cinco de Mayo date to continue his recovery, the pressure is on for Eddy Reynoso and the “Canelo Team” to find a name that justifies the wait.
