The historic card be on 23rd December.

Frank Warren has insisted that a ‘historic’ night of boxing will still go ahead on 23 December, despite Tyson Fury’s fight with Oleksandr Usyk being pushed back from that date.

It was announced in late September that Fury and Usyk had signed a contract to clash in Saudi Arabia before the end of March, with 23 December a mooted date.

However, after Fury suffered a knockdown by ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou in October, when the Briton ultimately won a controversial decision, the undisputed heavyweight title fight has been delayed until 2024. Despite that development, Fury’s promoter Warren still plans to stage a fight night in Saudi on 23 December.

“There’s gonna be a big night in December,” he told Talksport on Thursday (9 November). “We’ll be announcing it very soon, and it will be massive.

“You’re gonna love it, I promise you you’re gonna love it. I can’t give you all the information at the moment, but everything’s going in the right direction for something to be a historical night of boxing.

“It’s gonna feature boxers from all over the world. You will be surprised by the names. There’s some great fights involving British fighters, too.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...1fd80263&ei=69

Well, it probably won't be bigger than Christmas but let's see what ol Warren pulls out of his big bag of coal. Final Showtime card supposed to go the week prior ? or same. Not sure.

Anthony Joshua has reportedly agreed to fight Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia on 23 December with Deontay Wilder set to face off with Joseph Parker on the same night.

Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk were set to meet in their historic undisputed heavyweight title fight on that date in Riyadh. But ‘The Gypsy King’s bruising night at the office against Francis Ngannou last month has seen that date pushed back to February.

Boxing officials in Saudi have decided the show will go on however and are in the process of assembling a huge night of boxing for that night just before Christmas.

Both Joshua and Wilder are ‘working to finish deals’ with Turki Alalshikh of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, the man most responsible for bringing Fury and Ngannou together last month.
While the plan is for the heavyweight rivals to face each other in 2024, the December card will have them in action in separate fights.

Should those deals be finalised this week, two-time heavyweight champion Joshua will take on Wallin in the main event, Dan Rafael reports.

The Swedish southpaw has won 26 of his 28 professional fights with his only blemish coming against Fury in 2019.

Wallin turned in an impressive display that night, opening a large cut above Fury’s eye with a well-timed right hand before falling to a decision defeat.

Wilder meanwhile would take on former WBO champion Parker in the co-main event. The American has fought just one round of boxing in two years, knocking out Robert Helenius inside three minutes in October last year – his first and only fight since his trilogy defeat to Fury.

Parker meanwhile has rattled off three victories in 2023, part of the Fury vs Ngannou undercard last month where he knocked out Simon Kean in three rounds.

Talks are also underway for British heavyweight Daniel Dubois to join the card. A deal for the Londoner, who fell short in his world title fight against Usyk in August, to fight Jarell Miller is currently in the works.

Miller infamously failed a string of drug tests that saw him 2019 showdown with Joshua scrapped.

Other heavyweight fighters who could be involved in the card are Filip Hrgovic, Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Junior Fa. Light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, who is still to fight in 2023 is expected to be involved, as could cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...08e2fa8c&ei=19

does anyone really want to see either of these fights.........

If it was Wilder v AJ then yes but nothing else.

So your answer should have been no

Same Country, same arena, same night, in the same ring...but nope. Let's stall out and marinade Aj vs Wilder until their even further on the decline and a year older. Brilliant. That said and it needs to be called out...I don't mind these fights non ppv :-X. It's not exactly historical or massive it's simply what was done all the time not too long ago. Top contenders fighting. I'm catching onto the sly grift Saudi has going as a location and selling itself as "the event". It feels a bit seemly listening to grown professional fighters fawn over camera time with your majesty. That lavish luster and spectacle is very much factored into price tag, that massive purses for basic match ups, but the precedent may have already proven problematic for mega fight being made. It's playing out. Still have to see how the match ups that come off Dec 23.

sounds like dmitry bivol will fight lyndon arthur on this card

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-6RqYxX...g&name=900x900

this is the rumoured card, let's see how many turn out to be true

anthony joshua v otto wallin
deontay wilder v joseph parker
dimitrii bivol v lyndon arthur
jai opetaia v ellis zorro
filip hrgovic v mark di mori
arslanbek makhmudov v agit kabayel
frank sanchez v junior fa
daniel dubois v jarrell miller

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TIC

this is the rumoured card, let's see how many turn out to be true

anthony joshua v otto wallin
deontay wilder v joseph parker
dimitrii bivol v lyndon arthur
jai opetaia v ellis zorro
filip hrgovic v mark di mori
arslanbek makhmudov v agit kabayel
frank sanchez v junior fa
daniel dubois v jarrell miller

---

I can’t wait for Joshua to get Zero credit for this. If Wallin puts 50 stitches in his head like he did with Fury, the media will start digging Joshua’s grave in the desert.
So let’s go to Saudi and get a few fringe Brits World title shots jumping the queue and give them undeserving paydays and spotlight as well.
and then we’ll give the Di Mori’s of this World a bit of a favour by lining them up for a quick bout of concussion! Isn’t this the guy that sold his padded unbeaten record to David Haye with a 1st round KO by a jab?
Oh, and wasn’t he the original You Tube Boxer? That’s where he learnt to box didn’t he?
Dubois v Miller? The less said about both of these clowns the better.
I’m not sure who the bigger mugs are , the Saudis or the fight fans!

The fights seem to have a firm favourite and glad Lydon Arthur gets an opportunity for a world title. I assume the winners fight one another next year?

It is not an historic card. Don King did those.

i think aj & deontay have potential banana skins. they should be the favourites but otto has the style to trouble aj & if joseph can remain switched on & intense he could also trouble deontay. he also has andy lee in the corner who should be pretty clued up on deontay. agit is a good step up for arslanbek & daniel v jarrell could be fun

Ah the boxing fraternity on cue as always with the faux outrage at James Toney Donovan Ruddock. The following day Jarrell fucking Miller gets employed again.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Primo Carnera

I can’t wait for Joshua to get Zero credit for this.

---

Yep. Despite having the one loss, and that being on points to the baddest man on this and any other planet. The boxing experts will gather round the camp fire and decide that Wallin should be cannon fodder for Joshua. He'll then get crucified when he beats him on points.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Memphis

Ah the boxing fraternity on cue as always with the faux outrage at James Toney Donovan Ruddock.

---

it's the only time i've ever seen the rounds being reduced from three minutes to two minutes during the fight. comical

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-_pid8W...jpg&name=small
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F-_aEqJb...jpg&name=small

Dec23 Wilder Parker
And,..... Joshua Wallin

#DayOfReckoning

2 decent fights with fighters doing what top fighters did normally just a number of years ago. And 6 filler/showcase fights. Not exactly seeing the historical reveal and again, half of the hoopla is grounded in that some fella named Turki in a far-off land is "saving boxing". The circus atmosphere continues. Fact that multi time drug cheat and walking lab experiment Miller is being afforded a farking PPV stage shits on it right off for me.

Mark De Mori's name rang a bell. Chinned in a round by Dave...on Dave at a sort of disco boxing event. Say what you want about Mark De Mori. No one beats up men named Laszlo better. OK he beat the same Laszlo up three times but it still counts.

BoxRec: Mark De Mori

AJ is lining himself up for the IBF title when they split after Tyson v Usyk unification and rematch.

Hrgovic should be his challenger and in his way to becoming a 3 weight world champion.

Wouldn't be surprised if they trotted out Helenius.... As far as big baby goes...... He has great hands and speed and hopefully he has changed his life and'll use this new life, is lucky new chance he has.

This is a solid card. But the only thing I would do is swap Kabayel with Sanchez. But other than that, realistically, it could not get any better. We all know Joshua don't wanna get in the ring with Miller and definitely not Wilder. hahahahaha....

PS: The other "Big Baby" should have been on this card, too.

How does Joshua not want to get in the ring with Miller or Wilder? Last I checked it was Miller who failed a thousand drug tests and it was Wilder who publicly (tripped himself up) admitted to swerving the Joshua fight. Fury did the same. All Joshua's fault that the fight fell through. He also exposed himself as a liar on his TV show. His team were begging him not to pull the plug because it was almost over the line. Tyson decided otherwise. Say what you want about Joshua. But those fights were all there to be had and the blame each and every time was in the other corner. I don't think he's ever ducked anyone.

Some people are making too much out of this card
The best fight on the card is Joshua vs. Wallin
It should have looked more like this:

Joshua vs. Wilder
Hrgovic vs. Wallin
Parker vs. Sanchez
Makhmudov vs. Kabayel
Dubois vs. Miller

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F_uU7vSW...jpg&name=large

The event is being offered for just £19.99 in the UK $39.99 in the US and Canada, and $21.99 across the rest of the world.

jai is probably going to have to drop his ibf belt because they are being cunts

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TIC

jai is probably going to have to drop his ibf belt because they are being cunts

---

He may have had a better reception if he was facing a top 15 opponent as a showcase. Maybe a non title route v Zorro after Briedis rematch was ordered but no idea on status of Briedis. Himself being inactive for a year+ now. Some alphabet groups let guys sleep on the trinkets for years and some make and "enforce" their rules. Pretty sure Ibf did both :-X

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Spicoli

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TIC

jai is probably going to have to drop his ibf belt because they are being cunts

---

He may have had a better reception if he was facing a top 15 opponent as a showcase. Maybe a non title route v Zorro after Briedis rematch was ordered but no idea on status of Briedis. Himself being inactive for a year+ now. Some alphabet groups let guys sleep on the trinkets for years and some make and "enforce" their rules. Pretty sure Ibf did both :-X

---

it's a bit rough. jai had two mandatories pull out, mateusz masternak & then richard riakporhe & apparently marius was okay to wait

Anthony Joshua says British rival Tyson Fury looked like a “flat slob” in his recent fight with former mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou.

The 34-year-old told TNT Sports Boxing YouTube Channel: “He just looked like a flat slob that just can’t fight. He says that bodybuilders can’t fight, but he got smacked up by one.

“I’ve always wanted to get in the ring with him. He does a lot of talking, calls me a bodybuilder and stuff, but I want to marvel at the African power – he’s a bodybuilder, steps in and smacks him up for me.”

Joshua returns to the ring against Sweden’s Otto Wallin in Saudi Arabia later this month and fears the belts will be separated again before he has the get the chance to fight the victor.

He said: “It won’t happen anymore. I think it’s just the reality.

“What will happen is that Usyk and Fury are now in position to compete for the undisputed, and once they compete for the undisputed, the belts will get split up again.

“And I feel probably it would take me about five to six years to go through and get all the belts, beat all the independent champions. That will probably take me on to being 40-41, so it’s probably not in my timeframe.”

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/boxi...66a829e&ei=230

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V502IkO5HU

Opetaia, 28, told Main Event TV he had been forced to vacate his belt as Zorro is not the IBF's number one contender.

"It's very short-sighted of the IBF if they go down this road," Warren said.

"Everybody on board, including the number one [mandatory challenger Mairis Briedis], were all happy for it to take place," the veteran promoter told BBC Sport.

"But, you know what, the fight is going on.

"Everybody knows who he [Opetaia] is, they know he's considered to be the best at his weight out there so we'll just get on with it and the fight will happen.

"It's too big a fight not to happen and it's too big an opportunity for the fighters not to fight.

"It [the IBF's decision] is ridiculous really."

Australian Opetaia beat Britain's Jordan Thompson in September with a brutal fourth-round stoppage.

"They've [IBF] really left me with no choice," Opetaia told Main Event TV.

"This is a massive card that I can't say no to so they've stripped me. It is what it is.

"They can do what they want. I'll get the belts back. All I've got to do is to train hard, keep winning and they'll come back to me."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/67747489

Changed the name of the thread as I do not know who is the main event.

Despite his relative inactivity, Wilder doesn’t expect his 12-round fight with Parker to last into the late rounds.

“You already know: knockout,” Wilder said when asked how quickly he expects to dispatch Parker in an interview with ESNews. “In my head I’m looking at three or four [rounds]. In my head, I see. But you never know. In my head that’s how I got it going. But I’m not going to force anything. I’m just gonna do what I do best. And that fight is going to be a knockout.”

“I like Joe,” Wilder said. “I’m the type of person I don’t have to be mad at you. I don’t have to talk about you and find things to come at you about to make it interesting. I do that naturally. If I like you, I like you. If I don’t, I don’t. I’m a zero to 100 guy. I don’t have a medium. You know what I mean? I’m not a pretender. None of that sh!t. with me I’m even more dangerous like that because people can’t read me.

https://www.boxingscene.com/uploads/wilder-parker-2.jpg

“I can shake my enemy’s hand. I can give my enemy a hug. I can eat at the table with my enemy to let them know that, you know, I can do those things, but know that we’re still entitled to be—when we separate that’s where we go. There’s a time and place for all things.”

https://www.boxingscene.com/deontay-...rounds--180093

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Master

Opetaia, 28, told Main Event TV he had been forced to vacate his belt as Zorro is not the IBF's number one contender.

"It's very short-sighted of the IBF if they go down this road," Warren said.

"Everybody on board, including the number one [mandatory challenger Mairis Briedis], were all happy for it to take place," the veteran promoter told BBC Sport.

"But, you know what, the fight is going on.

"Everybody knows who he [Opetaia] is, they know he's considered to be the best at his weight out there so we'll just get on with it and the fight will happen.

"It's too big a fight not to happen and it's too big an opportunity for the fighters not to fight.

"It [the IBF's decision] is ridiculous really."

Australian Opetaia beat Britain's Jordan Thompson in September with a brutal fourth-round stoppage.

"They've [IBF] really left me with no choice," Opetaia told Main Event TV.

"This is a massive card that I can't say no to so they've stripped me. It is what it is.

"They can do what they want. I'll get the belts back. All I've got to do is to train hard, keep winning and they'll come back to me."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/67747489

---

Everything you need to know about boxing. A guy gets stripped for not taking on his mandatory when hardly anyone in the division will fight him.
Then others hold onto belts forever not taking a serious fight. Maybe he should have fought an MMA Guy with no pro fights. :rolleyes:

Wilder trying to sound deep always makes me feel uneasy, literally upsets my stomach he’s so dumb but doesn’t know it

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ron Swanson

Wilder trying to sound deep always makes me feel uneasy, literally upsets my stomach he’s so dumb but doesn’t know it

---

Tbh he does sound punchy. He always tries to do this too cool and chill drawl but genuinely sounds confused talking up there :-X.

Card starts at 10am here and well working on Saturdays sucks. And I've never rooted for Dubois like I am now but just the sheer mass alone of a 325lb ??? juice box that is Miller stands a very good shot. But let's hope Dubois smashes him.

Mark De Mori is feeling pessimistic ahead of his biggest fight yet.

The Australian heavyweight is set to take on top contender Filip Hrgovic during the Day of Reckoning card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

British fight fans will remember De Mori as the man who taught himself to box by watching YouTube videos before being knocked out by David Haye in 2016.

Since then, he’s picked up 11 consecutive wins and earned a fight with one of the best heavyweights on the planet, who happens to be the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF title.

Despite being one win, which would admittedly be a monumental upset, away from cracking the heavyweight top 15, De Mori doesn’t believe he will ever be a world champion

The 41-year-old says he came to that conclusion after sparring WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury, who will face Usyk in an undisputed fight on February 17.

https://talksport.com/wp-content/upl...8324.jpg?w=960

“Honestly, I don’t think that, if I caught Hrgovic, that anyone would want to see me fight the winner of Fury-Usyk,” De Mori said during an interview with Boxing Social.

“That’s just being realistic and that is fine, so we would probably do a rematch.

“I sparred Fury once and it was during those rounds that I realised that I’d never become a world champion, that’s how much trouble I had landing a punch on him.

“So, if I managed to knock him [Hrgovic] out, I think that it would be a rematch.”

De Mori’s lack of ambition appears to have freed him from the stress that Hrgovic, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and every other contender fighting this weekend is almost certainly feeling right now.

He added: “It’s all good fun.”

“There is no expectations on me or my career anymore.

“So, I will walk in there with no weight on my shoulders.”

https://talksport.com/sport/1687314/...filip-hrgovic/

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Master

Mark De Mori is feeling pessimistic ahead of his biggest fight yet.

The Australian heavyweight is set to take on top contender Filip Hrgovic during the Day of Reckoning card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

British fight fans will remember De Mori as the man who taught himself to box by watching YouTube videos before being knocked out by David Haye in 2016.

Since then, he’s picked up 11 consecutive wins and earned a fight with one of the best heavyweights on the planet, who happens to be the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk’s IBF title.

Despite being one win, which would admittedly be a monumental upset, away from cracking the heavyweight top 15, De Mori doesn’t believe he will ever be a world champion

The 41-year-old says he came to that conclusion after sparring WBC heavyweight titleholder Tyson Fury, who will face Usyk in an undisputed fight on February 17.

https://talksport.com/wp-content/upl...8324.jpg?w=960

“Honestly, I don’t think that, if I caught Hrgovic, that anyone would want to see me fight the winner of Fury-Usyk,” De Mori said during an interview with Boxing Social.

“That’s just being realistic and that is fine, so we would probably do a rematch.

“I sparred Fury once and it was during those rounds that I realised that I’d never become a world champion, that’s how much trouble I had landing a punch on him.

“So, if I managed to knock him [Hrgovic] out, I think that it would be a rematch.”

De Mori’s lack of ambition appears to have freed him from the stress that Hrgovic, Anthony Joshua, Deontay Wilder and every other contender fighting this weekend is almost certainly feeling right now.

He added: “It’s all good fun.”

“There is no expectations on me or my career anymore.

“So, I will walk in there with no weight on my shoulders.”

https://talksport.com/sport/1687314/...filip-hrgovic/

---

I really don't get this one? could they not find a better opponent for the IBF Mandatory challenger than Mark De Mori??
and the IBF would strip a genuine champion in Opetaia , yet leave Hrgovic as the Mandatory Chalenger when he's fighting this dross?
please make it make sense.

Hrgovic is poor and being set up to face AJ with the easiest fights so the sanctioning body get the highest fee possible.