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After defeating Jermaine Franklin, Anthony Joshua is eager to get back into the ring. At the O2 Arena in London on Saturday, the former two-time unified heavyweight champion defeated the American. Even though Joshua's fight with Franklin  was exclusively broadcast live on DAZN, Joshua still feels ready to fight again after what he called "12 light rounds." The following day, while in a sauna, he shared a photo on his Instagram account with the caption: "Light 12 rounds, cardio, recovery day [and in] 12 weeks I go again. "All glory  to God." Although Joshua, 33, referred to the fight as a "light 12 rounds," he was unhappy with his performance in what was his first victory since December 2020 against Kubrat Pulev. “I should have knocked him out,” the Olympic gold medal winner from the London 2012 Games said in the aftermath, “but what can I say now? “It’s done. On to the next.” The WBO interim champion Joe Joyce and former green and gold custodian Deontay Wilder have also been mentioned as potential opponents who could be in the opposite corner of the potential summer showdown that has been teased. Tyson Fury, the champion who Joshua pleaded with in the aftermath to make a deal and fight sooner rather than later, is also on the radar. In order to generate interest in a rematch between the two in the paid code after the Brixton puncher was knocked out in the seventh round by 'AJ' back in December 2015 when the Commonwealth, WBC International, and vacant British heavyweight titles were at stake, the aforementioned Whyte was present and trashed his British rival's performance against the man he beat by majority decision just five months prior.

The UFC reportedly working on a highly anticipated featherweight bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Yair Rodriguez, set to take place on July 8 at UFC 290. This exciting matchup promises to be a clash of two talented fighters with contrasting styles, making it a must-watch event for MMA fans worldwide. Volkanovski, who currently holds the featherweight championship title, has made a name for himself as one of the most dominant fighters in the division. With an impressive record of 25 wins and just 2 losses, he has consistently proven himself as a force to be reckoned with in the octagon. Volkanovski has successfully defended his title twice against former champion Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, and The Korean Zombie, solidifying his position as one of the best featherweight fighters in UFC history. Volkanovski's 22-fight unbeaten record ended in his most recent contest as he suffered his first octagon loss at UFC 284 in February. To become champion-champ, Volkanovski went up a level and competed against Islam Makhachev for the lightweight championship. Volkanovski was defeated by a very close unanimous decision in the contest. On the other hand, Rodriguez is a dynamic and unpredictable fighter who has quickly risen through the ranks of the featherweight division. With a record of 15 wins and 3 losses, he has garnered a reputation for his unorthodox striking style and high-risk maneuvers. In his last fight against Josh Emmett, “El Pantera” won via second-round submission at UFC 284 to become the interim featherweight champion. The likelihood of the fight almost being confirmed for the event was revealed by MMA writer Ariel Helwani. The heavyweight title fight involving Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic has yet to be settled, therefore it is still uncertain if the fight would be the main event or co-main event. Helwani tweeted: "Alex Volkanovski x Yair Rodriguez is scheduled for UFC 290 on July 8, per sources...Not signed yet but everyone is on board. Featherweight title unification bout. TBD on what will serve as the main event for that card just yet." As the main event of their yearly International Fight Week, which includes an entire week of activities and the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony, it is a significant occasion for the company.

Dillian Whyte Urges Anthony Joshua to Prioritize Their Rematch Over Tyson Fury Showdown Heavyweight contender Dillian Whyte has urged former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua to prioritize their rematch over a potential showdown with WBC champion Tyson Fury. After suffering back-to-back defeats to Oleksandr Usyk, Joshua returned to the ring last weekend and won a twelve-round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin. Whyte, who defeated Franklin in November, was ringside for the fight. According to promoter Eddie Hearn, the plan was to match Joshua and Whyte in a summer showdown. However, Joshua is also pushing for a fight with Fury. Whyte believes that Joshua should focus on their rematch instead, as Fury is unlikely to accept any terms that Joshua could offer. "Fury is not a person to negotiate with, because he'll mess you around," Whyte told Sky Sports. "If he's [Fury] being offered unified heavyweight champion and not taking it, what is Joshua going to offer him to take the fight? Nothing." Whyte feels that the rematch is the best business move for both fighters. "There is someone here who is willing to fight and ready to go, but for some reason Joshua seems to, and I don't know if it's a tactic of his, brush it under the carpet. I don't know if he just doesn't want to fight me or what, because he knows what my mindset is, I'll come to fight and I carry power in both hands." Joshua and Whyte have fought once before, in 2015, with Joshua stopping Whyte in the seventh round. However, Whyte holds a win over Joshua from their amateur days. It remains to be seen whether Joshua will prioritize the rematch or continue to pursue a fight with Fury.

Eddie Hearn Wants Anthony Joshua to Have Another Fight Before Facing Tyson Fury Eddie Hearn, the promoter for former two-time heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, has expressed his desire to see the British star have another fight before potentially facing WBC champion Tyson Fury. In his first fight with new head trainer Derrick James, Joshua won a twelve round unanimous decision over Jermaine Franklin, snapping a two-fight losing streak after dropping back-to-back decisions to Oleksandr Usyk. Hearn believes Joshua should continue to polish the lessons he learned from James and fight another opponent before facing Fury. Joshua aims to fight three times in 2023, which means his next fight must take place in the summer. A rematch with division rival Dillian Whyte is still the likely scenario for Joshua's next bout. "Some fights are there to be made, and you get one chance to do it," Hearn said in an interview with Boxing Social. "I think that is potentially the case with Tyson Fury. At the same time, I would still like him to have another fight with Derrick James to improve on what he has been working on. Dillian Whyte is a great fight. He needs to get back in the ring in July [or] August at the latest if he is to get three fights in this year." Hearn plans to stage the third bout on a date in December if Joshua can have his next fight in the summer. "I would like to see him have a little rest then get straight back to Texas with Derrick and try to have an end-of-summer fight and then try to fight in December. It would be great for his career," he added.

Demetrious Johnson will try to end his feud with Adriano Moraes by raising his hand in their trilogy bout at ONE Fight Night 10 on Amazon Video. By joining ONE Championship, Johnson has added a new chapter to his already famous career, which has been defined by two memorable fights with Moraes. No opponent has ever defeated 'Mighty Mouse' twice. Moraes is hoping to add the biggest win of his career on May 5 at the 1stBank Center in Colorado, after being the first man to knock him out. While Johnson's place as one of the greatest of all time is secure, the question remains: how long can he continue to compete at the highest level of the sport? Johnson recently spoke with FOX 13 Seattle on the longevity of his career and what he attributes it to: “I credit it to great training, the coaches, great lifestyle. The family’s support back at home with my wife and the kids and my mother-in-law and father-in-law. I’ve just been blessed with a healthy body and just been smart. I keep telling everybody, this might be the horse’s last ride, we shall see.” The trilogy bout between the two flyweight greats will close out the stacked ONE Fight Night 10 card. The entire event will be broadcast live and for free to all Prime Video subscribers in North America.

John Fury, father of WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has hit back at recent statements made by Deontay Wilder regarding his son. Wilder has continued to make allegations that Tyson Fury cheated in their 2020 rematch, claiming that Fury loaded his gloves with "egg weights." However, these allegations have been vehemently denied by the Fury camp. During a recent interview with ES News, Wilder made it clear that he still harbors negative feelings towards Tyson Fury, calling him a "cheater." Despite appearing to exchange pleasantries with Fury during the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury showdown in Saudi Arabia, Wilder made it clear that he has no respect for the British boxer. John Fury, who is known for his outspoken nature, did not hold back when responding to Wilder's comments. He called Wilder a "horrible, decrepit man" and stated that he does not like him at all. Fury went on to say that Wilder is a sore loser and will never earn his respect. Fury also criticized Wilder's behavior following his loss to Tyson Fury in the trilogy fight last year. While Jake Paul handled his defeat well and went back to the drawing board, Wilder continued to howl and scream abuse, according to Fury. He questioned how someone can accuse another of cheating when they have been knocked out. Fury further added that if he was a young man like his son, he would have hit Wilder both hands straight in the mouth. He stated that Tyson Fury is a great boxer but does not have his fire, and if someone insults him, he will hit them straight in the mouth. It is clear that tensions are still running high between the two camps, despite their apparent meeting at the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight. Whether or not there will be a fourth fight between the two heavyweights remains to be seen, but it is clear that John Fury will not be backing down from defending his son's honor any time soon.

Although they aren't in a fight, Jorge Masvidal and Kevin Holland came close to starting UFC 287 a few days early in Miami. The welterweights were separated by security at the host hotel on Wednesday, though it appears there was no physical altercation, only a verbal one. A short video of the fighters shouting at each other leaked on social media, with UFC security holding them apart. “Let me just say it,” Holland said on Instagram after the video surfaced. “Before that video’s gonna come out, they’re probably gonna do an opponent change again.” There's no indication on what sparked the incident, but sources told that the fight was "nothing significant" and that neither fighter threw a punch. According to sources, UFC security was already aware of a developing feud between Holland and Masvidal and took precautions to ensure they didn't go too close to one other before their fights on Saturday.

Two-time Olympic gold medallist Kayla Harrison has expressed her frustration with not being included in the 2023 Professional Fighters League season. When Larissa Pacheco crushed lightweight season champion Harrison (15-1) last November in the title fight of the 2022 PFL Championships, she couldn't manage to secure the title for her third consecutive season. The two-time Olympic gold medallist had already made up her mind not to participate in an additional tournament which necessitated her to compete four times over approximately seven months after she fought in a third season for the PFL. Harrison was excited to participate in individual fights, particularly after the PFL unveiled intentions to add pay-per-view shows beginning in 2023. Harrison, who won the PFL women's lightweight championship in both 2019 and 2021, was hoping to avenge her loss in the upcoming season. However, the PFL announced their roster for the upcoming season, and Harrison's name was not on the list. “I wanted to be in the season,” Harrison said on The MMA Hour. “Of course, I wanted to be in the season. The second the tournament was over, the second I lost, I wrote down my goals. I was like: ‘145-pound champ. Going to be in the season. Avenge my loss.’ I had all my key areas of focus, and that’s not in the cards for me. That’s not what they want to do. They want me to fight on the pay-per-view. “I don’t know. I think I get paid a lot of money. I think that they feel like (the regular season and playoffs are) not the best way to utilize me. I think they want to put me on a pay-per-view card against a big name.” Harrison acknowledges that she dislikes being a spectator and feels that she lacks the excitement of the season. “I’ve been a little bit depressed about it,” Harrison said. “It’s hard to watch something you helped build. No matter how awakened and peaceful I am, the world is still moving forward and I’m sitting right here. Sometimes that’s hard. I want to fight, I don’t just want to talk about fighting. I want to fight, so it’s frustrating.” There wouldn't have been much of an audience left if Harrison hadn't fallen to Pacheco a third time. But Pacheco's triumph provided the ideal plot for an anticipated fourth match and an effortless publicity chance for the PFL's upcoming pay-per-view. Sadly, the proposal fell apart since Pacheco declared she wasn't expecting another fight with Harrison to happen this year because of her devotion to four fights if she once again makes it to the finals. Pacheco entered the 2023 PFL season at featherweight. Harrison is presently hoping for yet another chance because this has placed her in a position of uncertainty with little clarity concerning what lies ahead.

In his last eight fights, going back to 2018, Vasiliy Lomachenko has competed as a 135-pound fighter. Having won three different iterations of the lightweight championship before losing them to Teofimo Lopez Jr. in 2020, the Ukrainian has achieved great success in the category. In fights against opponents at the lightweight limit, Lomachenko has typically been the smaller fighter despite having also won world championships at 126 and 130 pounds. When Lomachenko, 35, squares off against undefeated champion Devin Haney, 29-0, 15 KOs, on May 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on ESPN+ pay-per-view, he will once more be the smaller boxer. On the tale of the tape, Lomachenko is one inch taller than Haney at 5 feet 8 inches, but when the two finally face off, a rehydrated Haney will appear much larger. Haney has hinted at moving up to 140 pounds because it's getting harder for him to maintain 135 pounds. When asked if he, too, would think about stepping up to 140 pounds for a chance to exact revenge for his loss to Lopez, Lomachenko (57 KG, 60 KG), a two-time Olympic gold medalist, quickly put the breaks on the idea. “One hundred thirty-five, everybody knows, it’s not my weight class. And I can't do 140. After that, you ask me about Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, so sorry,” Lomachenko said in an interview with BoxingScene.com and other reporters. In what appears to be a fantasy fight for now, Lomachenko was also asked if he would go back down to 126 pounds to possibly fight Top Rank stablemate Naoya Inoue, the former 118-pound undisputed champion who has yet to make his 122-pound debut. “Maybe [I would fight Inoue]. I forgot how to make weight,” said Lomachenko. “I need to try to make 126. But of course, it's always interesting fighting top fighters near our weight classes … I've seen his fights. He has power. He's a top fighter.”

Former UFC lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez has called for a fight with Nate Diaz in the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship to settle an old score. Alvarez, who is known for his aggressive fighting style, has long been regarded as one of the toughest fighters in the game. Diaz, on the other hand, is a fan favorite who has built a reputation as a warrior who is never afraid to go toe-to-toe with anyone. A while back Eddie Alvarez inked a contract with BKFC, meaning that he will clash with Chad Mendes in his first fight. On April 29, the two are scheduled to face off at BKFC 41. In a press conference before his BKFC 41 match versus Mendes, the former lightweight champion of the UFC and Bellator was questioned about who he would want to face. He added that they argued in earlier years that almost resulted in a physical confrontation and instantly referenced Nate Diaz. "I confronted him in Mexico City about grilling me and doing some weird little kid bullsh*t and we got into then UFC broke it all up. We never got to hash that out, and I beat up his teammate so I thought after I beat [Gilbert] Melendez that maybe that would warrant a fight against him, but still, he never fought me. So, I think this is the right stage the right opportunity to get this done." Along with Francis Ngannou, Nate Diaz remains one of the most desired free agents since departing the UFC. Everyone is seeking to get involved in a conversation with the Stockton king. It's not hidden that he is connected to other organizations as he assesses the best course of action. The Stockton native is the only adversary that "The Underground King" has expressed interest in facing off against, he said: "I think he'd transition well over to here with that real 'gangster' style or whatever he wants to be. I think it'll do good here and I think that's the only opponent that I would only want to fight. I don't really have a desire to fight anyone besides him." The BKFC, which has been gaining in popularity in recent years, would be the perfect stage for a fight between Alvarez and Diaz. A fight between Alvarez and Diaz would undoubtedly draw a huge crowd, as fans of both fighters would be eager to see who comes out on top. Of course, there are still many hurdles that would need to be overcome before a fight between Alvarez and Diaz could take place. Both fighters would need to agree to the terms of the fight, and the BKFC would need to be willing to put up the necessary funds to make it happen. However, if all parties can agree, a fight between Alvarez and Diaz would be one of the most anticipated bouts in BKFC history.

Canelo Alvarez has already heard it all. The undisputed 168-pound champion from Mexico, who will defend his title against John Ryder on May 6 at Akron Stadium in his hometown of Guadalajara, did not exhibit any signs of being impressed by David Benavidez's most recent display during a recent media workout. Fans have been calling for a fight between the two super middleweights for years, and the clamour peaked last Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when Phoenix, Arizona's Benavidez comprehensively beat Caleb Plant over 12 rounds. Early on, Plant had the upper hand, but Benavidez's emergence on the inside in the second half of the fight rapidly changed the momentum. After the fight, Mexican fighter Benavidez, dubbed The Mexican Monster by none other than Mike Tyson, challenged Alvarez to a fight.  Alvarez defeated Plant in just 11 rounds in November 2021 when they competed for the championship Alvarez, 32, who recently defeated Gennadiy Golovkin by unanimous decision in the third round of their trilogy fight last September, made it obvious he was not intimidated by Benavidez or the idea that the 26-year-old posed a real threat to him. Alvarez emphasised that he has previously faced several opponents who were regarded as "monsters," including Erislandy Lara and Golovkin. “Everybody say the same thing,” Alvarez told a group of reporters from his San Diego gym. “Before I fought with Golovkin, [people were saying], ‘Wow, he’s a monster. He’s gonna knock out Canelo, this and out. At the end of the day, being in the ring with other fighters isn’t like being in the ring with me. It’s different.” When asked if he thinks Benavidez is a tougher fight than one with Dmitry Bivol, the light heavyweight titlist who defeated Alvarez by unanimous decision last spring. Alvarez has been adamant about wanting to face Bivol again later this year. He replied “I don’t know,” Alvarez answered. “I need to find out, right? What I already experienced, Bivol is a great fight, a top fight. Benavidez? We don’t know. We need to find out. Alvarez, who had Benavidez defeating Plant, thought their fight went according the way he envisioned, with Plant winning the early rounds and Benavidez coming on strong in the second half. In other words, Benavidez looks “good”, not “great.” “He’s a good fighter,” Alvarez said of Benavidez, adding, “He’s a good fighter, but look, I’m a great fighter.”

George Sotiropoulos will meet Josh Togo in a lightweight match at Hex Fight Series 26 — which takes place May 26 at the Melbourne Pavilion in Australia — according to the organisation, which confirmed the event on Tuesday. Sotiropoulos competed on the sixth season of The Ultimate Fighter and had 11 fights inside the UFC's octagon between December 2007 and October 2013. Sotiropoulos won his first seven UFC fights and was on the verge of a featherweight title chance before he lost a decision to Dennis Siver at UFC 127 in February 2011. George Sotiropoulos has important victories over George Roop, Joe Stevenson, and Joe Lauzon. The defeat to Dennis Siver ruined his momentum and sent his career spiraling downward. The 21-fight pro lost his next four fights, including his final three in the UFC and a decision loss to Mike Ricci. Josh Togo enters the battle on a three-fight winning streak and has won seven of his last eight fights. In his most recent fight, the Australian Top Team standout won a decision against Tahir Abdullaev to earn the UAE Warriors welterweight title in September 2022.