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Rory McIlroy has done opposite to Scottie Scheffler with $3.6 million at stake

Scottie Scheffler has voiced his concerns about the risk of “draining” himself, echoing Rory McIlroy’s sentiments after the latter chose to bow out of the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

McIlroy, aged 36, stands out as the sole top 70 player not participating in the season’s inaugural FedEx Cup Playoffs event, which boasts a whopping first prize of $3.6 million. However, he recently banked $10 million without swinging a club.

Travelers odds: Scheffler, McIlroy favorites - NBC Sports

READ: VIDEO: What Tiger Woods did on the PGA Tour in

With the PGA Tour wrapped up, all eyes are now on the Playoffs. McIlroy is not taking part, but a PGA Tour sanction threat has been made as a loophole could be banned.

Scheffler will be joining the fray in Memphis alongside the rest of the top 70 contenders. However, despite his commitment to compete, he shares many of McIlroy’s apprehensions.

Speaking at a press conference prior to the TPC Southwind event, the World No. 1 shared: “Well, I think it all comes down to the preparation and showing up ready to play.”

He continued, “Like I said, at this point in the year, that extra practice is maybe only going to be draining for me a little bit. That’s something that I’ve learned to manage as my career has gone on. I would say my prep week last week definitely looked a bit different than it would have looked before the Scottish Open.”

“It definitely looked a little bit different than it would have looked if you go back to the beginning of the year when I was coming off injury. So making sure I’m rested, ready to play.

“My game is in a good spot, and I feel like some extra practice at this point in the year can almost be detrimental in terms of just physical and mental fatigue. Showing up like you’re ready to play.”

Both McIlroy and Scheffler have emphasized the importance of taking care of their bodies and avoiding an overload of golf. However, despite sharing similar concerns, Scheffler, riding a wave of 13 consecutive top-10 finishes, seems to have enough confidence to maintain his playing schedule, doing the opposite of what World No.2 has chosen.

Since as far back as November last year, McIlroy had been contemplating sitting out the event. His track record in Memphis is less than stellar. Last year, he ended up tied for 68th out of 70 players and has yet to clinch a win in Memphis after eight tries, with his closest shot being a third-place finish in 2023.

In a conversation with the Telegraph in November 2024, McIlroy revealed: “I’ll probably not play the first playoff event in Memphis. I mean, I finished basically dead last there this year [tied for 68 in a 70-man field], and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings.”

Entering the FedEx Cup Playoffs in second place, McIlroy has comfortably secured his spots in the subsequent Playoff events, the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship. The celebrated Grand Slam champion is well-positioned, ranking second and holding a substantial lead of 1,661 points over Tommy Fleetwood in third place.

Moses Itauma Hopes To Follow Floyd Mayweather’s Path; Not Focused On Oleksandr Usyk

Perhaps no boxer left a better blueprint for how to navigate their career better than Floyd Mayweather Jr., a five-division champion, 2021 International Boxing Hall of Famer and box-office gold mine.
Rapidly ascending heavyweight contender Moses Itauma hopes he can say that he followed the same path as Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs), ahead of his fight against Dillian Whyte on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on DAZN PPV.
Tony Bellew Didn't Hesitate When Asked If Moses Itauma Is Ready To Dethrone  Oleksandr Usyk - Seconds Out

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“He made a lot of money in this sport, came out with his brains intact, no damage and whatnot and nobody can say, ‘Yeah, I [beat] him up,” Itauma told The Ring’s Louis Hart. “That’s the career that I want. When people are insecure about themselves, they put a little doubt, a little bit of pressure on someone, hoping that they’re going to break because it makes them feel better.

 

“With Floyd Mayweather, he was such a good fighter. [He was] 50-0, people are insecure about that. People don’t want to accept that reality, so they put a bit of doubt and pressure on Floyd Mayweather to get him to crack just so they can feel better. I don’t look at it from that perspective. I look at it like, ‘Wow, he’s achieved a lot.'”

 

Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) has quickly asserted himself as one of boxing’s best heavyweight prospects in recent memory with his dynamic speed, skill and power and can take a significant step in his development with a win over Whyte. The 20-year-old has won eight consecutive fights by stoppage, all of which have come inside the first two rounds.

 

Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs), though, is by far the most significant test of Itauma’s career. He has fought for the heavyweight title and has shared the ring with some of the better heavyweights in the world when he fought them before his sixth-round stoppage loss to Tyson Fury in April 2022. Whyte has won three straight fights since that defeat, though, the level of competition was subpar.

 

In his last fight, Whyte, 37, stopped Ebenezer Tetteh after the seventh round on Dec. 15.

 

Itauma, who is a 6-foot-4 1/2 southpaw and is ranked No. 1 (WBO), No. 2 (WBA), No. 6 (IBF) and No. 11 (WBC), could be in a position for a world title shot with an impressive win Saturday. That title shot, if it came to fruition in the near future, could come against undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs).

 

His Excellency Turki Alalshikh hasn’t been bashful about his intentions to make Usyk vs. Itauma should he get past Whyte. For Itauma, though, a chance to face the best heavyweight of this generation for all of the belts is the last thing on his mind.

 

“I’m not thinking about it,” Itauma said. “I’m not [thinking], ‘I wish that could happen’ because right now, I’ve got a serious contender like Dillian Whyte in front of me, but after, maybe.”

 

Terence Crawford Reveals Future Plans Before $200M Canelo Alvarez Fight

Over a year ago, Terence Crawford made his 154-pound debut. In the lead-up to the Israil Madrimov bout, talks of a showdown with Canelo Alvarez had begun to swirl.

So during a catch-up with Crawford’s trainer, Brian ‘BoMac’ McIntyre, Marcos Villegas got ahead of himself and asked, “If you guys win this, the undisputed titles at 68?” The award-winning trainer responded, “We could all can retire from that; after that, you know what I’m saying, we can retire after that, and we just sit back and do what you doing.” Twelve months later, the fight — perhaps the decade’s biggest — is just around the corner.

Only a few weeks remain before Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez settle the debate at Allegiant Stadium. Yet one question still lingers: what will the two best pound-for-pound boxers in the world do after September 13? Canelo, at just 35, is likely to continue for some time. It’s Crawford most people seem to worry about. A fortnight after the match, he will turn 38. Considering the mouthwatering split of the $200 million purse, some might think Crawford will call it a day.

Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

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After all, he told Piers Morgan, “I always say I was going to retire from boxing. I wasn’t going to let boxing retire me.” But it seems the Nebraskan isn’t shy about entertaining other options.

Yesterday, Pro Boxing Fans shared a comment from Terence Crawford. “@tbudcrawford on what the future may hold after @canelo 🔮,” their caption read. So according to Crawford, he isn’t rushing into anything at the moment. It’s “one fight at a time,” he stated.

It largely depends on the outcome of the Canelo match. There’s a good chance he might move back to 154 pounds; Crawford currently holds the light-middleweight WBA belt. “Maybe I’ll go back down to 154. And try to become undisputed,” he said. There is another option. A rematch with Canelo. To sum it up, everything is still up in the air.

Right now we’re just focused on the task at hand, and that’s Canelo,” Terence Crawford made clear. To set the record straight, he expressed similar thoughts during a fan Q&A in Sydney, Australia. Not looking beyond the Canelo fight, he said, “I don’t eat before my food on my table. So, right now, I’m at 168 to fight Canelo. And that’s the only thing I’m thinking about right now.

In a previous instance, Crawford spoke about a move back to 154 pounds.

The 154-pound landscape and Terence Crawford

With the likes of Bakhram Murtazaliev, Sebastian Fundora, Vergil Ortiz Jr., and now Xander Zayas leading the pack, light middleweight has become boxing’s most stacked and exciting division. Two years ago, Terence Crawford humbled Errol Spence Jr. to unify all four belts in the welterweight division.

Win or lose against Canelo, he could scale down from 168 and first face one of the reigning champions for title unification. Fans might recall. Amid the talks for the Canelo fight, a matchup between Crawford and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora, who also held the WBO title at the time, appeared on the horizon. But it quickly fizzled out.

But considering his age and achievements, which include a guaranteed Hall of Fame career, a few believe Crawford could step down and hang up the gloves. Floyd Mayweather’s uncle, former super featherweight titleholder turned trainer Jeff Mayweather, opined, “I think if he beats Canelo, I think that’ll be enough for him.

Perhaps what Crawford said remains the most sensible course of action. Take things one at a time and stay focused on the task ahead, rather than worrying about the future.

Jake Paul scores first blood in Gervonta Davis rivalry

Topps has unveiled its first boxing trading card set since 1951. However, the debut has already ignited fierce debate among fans after the company included Jake Paul and suddenly removed Gervonta Davis.

Paul has made a habit out of facing past-their-best combat stars from boxing and UFC, pushing to a 12-1 ledger and losing to the only real prime boxer he ever faced, Tommy Fury.

Jake Paul Gervonta Davis Topps

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Davis, meanwhile, has out-of-the-ring problems, ring inactivity, and a recent jail term behind him, which Topps obviously wouldn’t elaborate on in its announcement.

Topps Boxing Card Controversy
The company confirmed, “Our first boxing trading card set since 1951 is here.

“Topps Chrome Boxing features legends, rookies, and stars, and is the first boxing release in history to be officially licensed by multiple boxing promotions.”

The set is available for pre-order on August 11.

They added, “UPDATE: Gervonta Davis will not be included in this collection.”

The official checklist now confirms the appearance of Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Tyson Fury, and Jake Paul among the headline names. Top Rank has also revealed their fighters will feature, with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions yet to confirm.

No Reason Given
The image of Davis’s gold-framed “1/1” autographed card, part of early promotional material, confirms Topps initially slated the Baltimore fighter to appear before being dropped.

WBN has reached out to Topps and PBC to see if the decision to remove Davis has any bearing on the likes of Manny Pacquiao and David Benavidez featuring in the collection.

While Topps did not cite a reason for the change, the decision comes as Davis faces an August 12 court date following a string of legal issues and arrests.

Fan Reaction
Fan reaction to the Paul vs Davis (who once called each other out) situation, in which the YouTuber scored first blood, was swift and heated on social media.

“Why did you put Jake Paul in it? Be for real. Not a serious group,” said one regarding the influencer boxer’s ‘Hidden Gems’ card.

Another added, “This was great until I saw the Jake Paul card. He’s not a real boxer; he doesn’t even fight boxers.”

“So you drop Tank but keep Jake? Wild,” stated a third.

With Davis gone and Paul in, the launch of Topps Chrome Boxing is already shaping up to be one of the most controversial trading card releases in recent sports history.

Anthony Joshua could earn himself a whopping £100m for fighting Jake Paul, according to boxing promoter Eddie Hearn.

In March, Paul called out AJ on his podcast ‘BS w/ Jake Paul’, stating: “I want to fight Anthony Joshua – exclusive – because I know I will f***ing beat Anthony Joshua’s ass.

“He doesn’t have a chin, and he has no skill and he’s stiff. I love you Anthony, we’e friends, all this s*** but I want to fight you.”

Jake Paul: Anthony Joshua 'likely' to fight Jake Paul next, says Eddie  Hearn - BBC Sport

READ: Anthony Joshua promoter explains why Jake Paul clash would be…

And Joshua called Paul’s bluff by phoning the YouTube later that day, adding fuel to the fire as he posted on his Instagram a shot of his call with Paul and the caption “2026”.

Hearn also revealed AJ is on board for a fight with Paul, stating: “I spoke to AJ shortly after and I mean, look, we don’t own the world heavyweight championship anymore. We’re not chasing undisputed.

“That’s always been the dream and will remain the dream until the career ends, but at the same time, we haven’t even got an opponent.

“So when Jake Paul comes out and you know you’re gonna make £100million to fight Jake Paul, obviously like any man with a brain would go, ‘Oh, OK, line it up.’”

Paul frontrunner to face AJ

On Friday, Hearn spoke up over the idea of the pair getting in the ring together, telling Sky Sports News: “I think Jake Paul is absolutely the frontrunner to fight Anthony Joshua next. I’m here in New York for meetings about the fight, there’s an open dialogue between myself and MVP.

“I don’t know what to tell you other than it’s mental. I can’t sit here and tell you that this is a 50/50 match. The whole thing is bizarre, I think it’s extremely dangerous for Jake Paul.

“The general feedback is that the boxing world is say ‘Please AJ, go in there and evaporate this young man from the boxing world so we can all get on as normal’.”

With such a vast amount of money to be made on a fight between the pair, this would take Joshua closer to his ‘billionaire’ dream.

In an interview with GQ in 2017, the former Olympian said: “When I first started, the aim was to become a multimillionaire. But now there are ordinary people, grandmas and granddads, who are worth millions just because of property prices.

“So the new school of thought is that I need to be a billionaire. Being a millionaire is good, but you have to set your sights higher.”

Joshua and Paul net worth revealed

Latest estimates put Joshua’s net worth at £195m according to the Sunday Times Rich List published earlier this year, though Forbes has this figure at $83m (£61.7m).

In addition, from endorsement deals alone in the world of boxing, Joshua was actually level with Paul.

Paul’s net worth, meanwhile, is estimated to be between $100m and $120m (£74.5m and £89.2m) however, Forbes suggest his net worth is closer to $50m (£37.2m).

Earlier this weekend, TV personality Piers Morgan moved to clarify his comments that Paul’s fights were staged after the boxer sought legal counsel following the Brit’s claims.

What Tiger Woods did on the PGA Tour in 2019 that stunned Tommy Fleetwood

Tiger Woods once did something so impressive on the PGA Tour that Tommy Fleetwood was left stunned.

Woods is widely regarded as the best player of all time, and he has the joint most wins in the history of the PGA Tour, with 82 to his name.

The 49-year-old won 15 major championships throughout his career as well, and one round he played six years ago left Fleetwood in awe of his talent.

Tiger Woods revelation: Tommy Fleetwood on what it's like to play vs legend  at Ryder Cup | Golf | Sport | Express.co.uk

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Even Scottie Scheffler has admitted that comparisons between himself and Woods are ‘silly’, such was the 15-time major champion’s dominance during his peak.

Woods now puts most of his focus into golf course design, but he will obviously be remembered most for his prowess during tournament weeks.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner had a knack of surprising his fellow PGA Tour players at times with his peerless performances.

What Tiger Woods did on the PGA Tour in 2019 stunned Tommy Fleetwood

Fleetwood played alongside Woods in the third round of the ZOZO Championship in 2019.

The 49-year-old went on to win the event by three strokes, but it was his third round 66 that really blew Fleetwood away.

The Englishman was speaking on the Rick Shiels Golf Show back in 2021 about Tiger’s prowess on the golf course.

And he raved about what he witnessed Woods do at the ZOZO in 2019.

Fleetwood said: It was probably the best round of golf I’ve ever watched.

He hit shot after shot that was perfect and I was having one of those days where I was playing distinctly average, I’m grafting away to be around par or 1-over.”

At the end of the day, he taps in for his 66, nine birdies in his last 15 holes and he cruised to it. I shook his hand and I said, ‘that was really good today Tiger’.

Tommy Fleetwood in action during the 123rd U.S. Open Championship

Then he looked at me, he winked and he went ‘How ’bout that huh?’ He knows he’s played well there, so that must be very, very good.

He is so self-focused. It’s not that you don’t feel part of his round of golf, if he wants to talk he’ll talk, but he’s got that amazing focus that he’s always had and it almost makes it easier for you.

Tiger Woods’ incredible PGA Tour record

Woods’ record on the PGA Tour is truly incredible.

He finished inside the top-10 in more than 50% of the tournaments he played, and he won more than 20% of the events he played.

Results Tiger Woods’ totals
Events played 378
Wins 82
Top-5s 163
Top-10s 199
Missed cuts 39
Money earned $120,999,166

It’s such a shame that Woods has suffered so badly with injuries over the past 15 years or so.

He would have undoubtedly won many more tournaments and, indeed, major championships had he remained healthy.

Still though, Woods will go down as one of the two best players to have ever graced the game, alongside Jack Nicklaus.

And the truth is that many people would put him right at the top of the list.

Coco Gauff still alive in Montreal despite singles loss

Coco Gauff is on the rebound. Despite losing to 18-year-old Victoria Mboko in the Canadian Open singles tournament, she will remain in Montreal.

Gauff has qualified for her first Canadian Open doubles final, per George Patten of The Tennis Gazette.

She, along with doubles partner McCartney Kessler, will face the pair of Taylor Townsend and Zhang Shuai. Townsend and Shaui came out on top during the Washington Open.

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Gauff and Kessler scraped by in a tie-breaking (6-4, 3-6, 10-7) semifinal win over Barbora Krejcikova and Jelena Ostapenko.

This will mark the first time Gauff has appeared in a WTA doubles final since 2024. That year, she and Kateřina Siniaková defeated Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini in the French Open.

The Canadian Open has been the opportunity for Gauff to move past her upset at Wimbledon.

She’s also aiming her sights on the US Open, which is scheduled from August 24-September 7 in New York. The biggest highlight for Gauff was winning the French Open singles title.

Oftentimes, Gauff is seen through the lens of what she can do as an individual. But her doubles pedigree is just as impressive.

The doubles career of Coco Gauff

Altogether, Gauff has won 9 WTA doubles titles. She reached the finals of the 2021 U.S. Open and 2022 French Open.

In 2021, Gauff partnered with Venus Williams for the French Open. They lost in the first round to Ellen Perez and Zheng Saisai.

Both times she was partnered with Caty McNally. In terms of growing her game, Over time, Gauff has emphasized the importance of excelling in both singles and doubles.

It turns out, Gauff’s ability to excel in both registers dates back to her junior years. In 2018, Gauff was the Junior World No.1 player.

That year, she won the French Open girl’s singles title. Then, she won the U.S. Open girl’s doubles title.

Deontay Wilder Catches Strays as Canelo-Crawford Undercard in Jeopardy After Heavyweight Pull Out

Jarrell Miller threw a single stone — which seems to have hit two birds at the same time. The Brooklyn-born heavyweight, currently ranked sixth on the WBA roster, went on an unfiltered rant. Clips of him slamming fellow heavyweights Jared Anderson and Deontay Wilder have been steadily gaining attention. According to Miller, while Anderson pulled out of a fight, Wilder is actively avoiding one.

For now, there have been no official statements confirming Jarrell Miller’s claims. The heavyweight, whose career hit a major roadblock due to a doping controversy, gradually clawed his way back into the divisional standings. A knockout loss to Daniel Dubois served as a rude awakening. But a draw against former champion Andy Ruiz Jr. helped him remain in contention. Reports suggested a fight between Miller and Jared Anderson, who has been dealing with his own set of challenges, could feature on next month’s Terence Crawford vs. Canelo Alvarez undercard. If Miller’s claims are true, fans may miss out on what could have been an intriguing thriller.

Deontay Wilder 'Turns Down' Huge Fight Set For Canelo vs Crawford  Undercard: "Try And KO Me" - Seconds Out

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Jarrell Miller posted two videos. One taking potshots at Jared Anderson, and the other mocking Deontay Wilder. “😱 OMG @jaredanderson419 Pulled out of the fight, @bronzebomber is still softer than baby shit,” read the caption on his post. Speaking from inside his car, Miller appeared relaxed and composed.

Jared Anderson has pulled out of the fight. We all see it coming though,” Jarrell Miller said. According to him, there appears to be some discontent within Anderson’s promoters, Top Rank. Taunting the young heavyweight for “getting high,” Miller added that a search for Anderson’s replacement is already underway. “Ain’t going to lie, I’m sick right now, but you kind of figured Jared was going to pull that sh*t,” he said.

But Jarrell Miller wasn’t finished. It appears there was an attempt to line up Deontay Wilder for a fight. However, according to Miller, the former heavyweight champion pulled out. Wilder, for his part, reportedly felt that Miller was too disrespectful and brash. So responding to that, Miller said, “If you had a problem with what I was saying, get in the ring and punch in my face. Get in the ring and try to knock me out.

However, Jarrell Miller seems certain that Deontay Wilder will not accept a fight with him on the Crawford-Canelo undercard.

Jarrell Miller’s war of words

For now, fans may have to take Miller’s words for what they are — just claims. As Ring Magazine reported, Turki Alalshikh had expressed interest in a super middleweight bout between interim champion Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez to feature alongside the proposed Miller-Anderson clash on the Crawford-Canelo undercard.

The other day, Miller raised several eyebrows when he claimed to have the key to solving the Usyk puzzle. “I would run him over. Usyk has a problem with guys who put their chin down and want to bang out,” he’s reported to have said recently.

Still, a fight between Jarrell Miller and Jared Anderson, or, for that matter, Deontay Wilder, would have been an exciting addition to the September 13 card at Allegiant Stadium. Given his flair for hyperbole, Miller would likely have helped boost the hype.

Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis Coach Addresses Rumored Pay Refusal

It has not been a good year to be a fan of Gervonta Davis, and this is owed to several unfortunate pieces of news.

The most notable of which stems from Davis earning a majority draw decision against Lamont Roach on March 1, in what was arguably the worst performance of his life to this point.

Calvin Ford & Kenny Ellis: The Masters Behind Gervonta Davis

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While Davis escaped with a draw, most believe that he deserved to lose the fight, especially because he took a knee out of nowhere in the ninth round that should have cost him at least a point, which would have resulted in his defeat.

Boxing outcomes aside, Davis also has had a disappointing year outside of the ring. This is because “Tank” was arrested in Florida on July 11, on charges of assault after an alleged domestic violence dispute with his ex-girlfriend.

As if this wasn’t enough for Davis and his fan base to deal with, there have been recent rumors that Davis is leaning towards retirement, which is the byproduct of his hesitancy to sign a contract to rematch against Roach.

These two were initially supposed to fight for a second time on August 16, but that has been postponed because of Davis’ absence.

Did Gervonta Davis Refuse to Pay His Coaches?

After comments Calvin Ford (Davis’ head trainer) made in an August 7 episode of The Rize Podcast, rumors began circulating that Davis has been refusing to pay his coaches recently. However, one of his other top coaches, Kenny Ellis, set the record straight about this, which was included in an August 7 X post from FightHubTV.

“Stop this narrative about Tank not paying me and Calvin. Each and every time I worked that corner with Tank, Tank took care of me. And he gonna continue to take care of me. Tank is family for life,” Ellis said.

“In Baltimore, we don’t count other men’s pockets. I don’t care if he’s a billionaire, I ain’t counting his pockets. But Tank has always taken care of us, and he’s gonna continue to take care of us. So y’all need to stop that narrative,” he added.

While Ellis made it clear that Davis has always paid him for cornering his fights, his response did leave uncertainty as to whether Davis has been paying him adequately during his fight camps and during regular training when there isn’t a bout lined up.

However, this seems to be the least of Ellis’ worries right now.

Eddie Hearn Names ‘Absolute Frontrunner’ to be Anthony Joshua’s Next Opponent

Following his comprehensive knockout loss to Daniel Dubois back in September of last year, Anthony Joshua is currently plotting his return to the ring, with one frontrunner being named that could split fans as the two-time world champion prepares to step through the ropes once again after a long period out of action.

In his previous bout, coming off a four-win streak after victories over the likes of Francis Ngannou, Otto Wallin, Robert Helenius, and Jermaine Franklin, Joshua suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of fellow Brit Dubois, being knocked out in the fifth round.

Eddie Hearn and Anthony Joshua

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After Tyson Fury revealed that he has ‘zero’ interest in clashing with Anthony Joshua at the moment, the next frontrunner for the Olympic gold medal winner to take on has been revealed, in a move that could leave fans divided, with the British star set to take on a less-than-traditional opponent.

“Too old, look at my beard, all grey. Boxing is a young man’s game,” Fury revealed, speaking in an interview at Doncaster Racecourse recently, potentially slamming the door shut on a bout with Joshua after his loss to Oleksandr Usyk back in December.

However, following the potential end to the long-awaited fight between the two British stars, another boxer has been named as the frontrunner for Joshua’s next fight, one that could not be more different than The Gypsy King.

Eddie Hearn on Anthony Joshua’s Next Fight

Speaking to iFL TV, iconic promoter Eddie Hearn revealed that he has met with the promotional company for Joshua’s next opponent, in a move that could leave fans divided, as the boxer in question has been a divisive figure in the community over the last few years.

“The thing that I wanted to understand is, do they really want to fight AJ or is this just a publicity stunt. And I am 99% sure they want to fight Anthony Joshua. Right now, the absolute frontrunner for AJ is Jake Paul, February or March next year,” Hearn revealed.

Over the last few years, The Problem Child has tried to pursue a career in boxing, with fans questioning whether he truly belongs in the sport due to the quality of his opponents, taking part in questionable bouts, such as against a 58-year-old Mike Tyson.

However, despite taking part in multiple ‘exhibitions’ and matches, the YouTuber-turned-boxing star has stepped into the ring against some real opponents, holding his own in what was ultimately a defeat against the younger Fury brother in Tommy Fury.

In the recent interview, Hearn revealed that despite the potential dangers of Paul stepping between the ropes against one of the best boxers in the world, the commercial value far outweighs the risks, despite the fight not appearing to be ‘overly competitive.’

“I’ll stress, I think it’s a very dangerous call for Jake Paul. I don’t think the fight is overly competitive. Maybe Jake can do something and prove us all wrong. But people are gonna tune in to watch AJ demolish Jake Paul. It’s not a fight that we called for, it’s not a fight that we expected, it’s not a fight that I ever anticipated happening, but I also understand that it may be commercially one of the biggest in the sport.”

With Hearn, who is also Joshua’s promoter, revealing that the clock could be ticking on the British star’s career, predicting that 2026 may be his final year, a decision on his next opponent can be expected in the coming months, looking to potentially finish his career in a commercial blockbuster clash against Paul.