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Floyd Mayweather added another wrinkle to the fallout of his fight against Manny Pacquiao by saying he would be open to a rematch after the Filipino southpaw recovers from shoulder surgery, according to an ESPN report on Tuesday.

Mayweather has one fight remaining on his Showtime contract and has repeatedly said he intends to retire after a bout fight in September, although after Saturday’s fight he told reporters that he is “human” and occasionally contradicts himself.
“I will fight him in a year after his surgery,” Mayweather, who earned a unanimous decision over Pacquiao, told Smith in a text on Tuesday, according to ESPN.
His reported comments added to the complicated aftermath of the so-called “Fight of the Century,” with possible lawsuits in the works and Pacquiao likely to face disciplinary action for failing to disclose a pre-bout shoulder injury.

READ MORE ;10 Mythical Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fights That Would Rewrite Boxing History

Barely one hour after the contest ended, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said the 36-year-old southpaw had been hampered by a previous injury to his right shoulder.
On Monday, an MRI scan in Los Angeles confirmed the boxer has a torn rotator cuff that will require surgery.
Apparently neither Pacquiao nor his team informed the Nevada Athletic Commission about the shoulder issue until a couple of hours before the start of the fight when they asked for an anti-inflammatory injection.
Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather 2 Announcement | Hypebeast
When Team Pacquiao filled in its pre-fight medical questionnaire on Friday, a query about any shoulder injury was clearly marked “No” before the form was signed by Pacquiao and his advisor.
The fact that Pacquiao did not disclose his injury until the night of the fight could also lead to possible lawsuits from boxing fans who may feel cheated after paying record sums for tickets in the MGM Grand Garden Arena or pay-for-view (PPV).
Some of the ringside spots in the 16,800-seat arena demanded up to $350,000 on resale site StubHub while a record $300 million or more is expected in PPV revenue from at least three million customers who paid $100 to watch.

Heavyweight legend ‘Iron Mike’ coached Ngannou for his fight against Tyson Fury last year but the 59-year-old hasn’t helped him out for his upcoming fight against Joshua

Francis Ngannou has revealed that Mike Tyson hasn’t been helping him prepare for his upcoming fight against Anthony Joshua.

READ MORE ;Anthony Joshua Ngannou is the biggest challenge of my life

Ex-UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou is currently preparing for his second boxing fight following his stunning debut against Tyson Fury last October. Ngannou recruited ‘Iron Mike’ to help him train for the Fury fight and the boxing legend’s services paid off as Ngannou put his rival down to only lose by a single point in a controversial decision.

Ngannou has been in Saudi Arabia for the past five weeks training at Tyson’s new boxing gym in Riyadh. “To be honest with this fight since my training was here [Riyadh], we didn’t get Mike Tyson here,” Ngannou told Mirror Fighting. “He came in like three times [for Fury], he was more advising. He would come and watch our training, we would be there to give advice.”

Anthony Joshua agrees deal to face Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia

Ngannou and Tyson did reunite over the weekend as they sat next to each other whilst cageside for the PFL vs Bellator Championships event in Riyadh. The first major MMA event in Saudi Arabia cemented Ngannou’s opponent for his cage fight return as he will fa s Renan Ferreira after the Brazilian knocked out Ryan Bader in just 21-seconds.

Ngannou was goaded by Fury in the build-up to their crossover clash but former two-time heavyweight champion Joshua has taken a different approach by refusing to belittle the Cameroonian. Ngannou isn’t surprised by Joshua’s lack of trash talk and explained why any nerves shown by the Brit could be a good thing.

UPDATE ;Surprise world title fight added to Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard at late notice

“Anthony Joshua never trash talks, his personality is more serious unlike Tyson Fury who is more like a playboy. I think when it comes to fighting, they both know how to fight and that’s what I’m focused on. He might have been nervous but that doesn’t mean anything, in fact I think being nervous means he is taking things very serious. It’s very important because he’s going to do his best to show up on the day with everything,” he added.

Anthony Joshua has the chance to embarrass Tyson Fury against Francis  Ngannou | Metro News

Joshua and Ngannou have been promised an undisputed world title fight against the winner of Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk with a win on March 8. Ngannou is seemingly hoping Fury can get past the Ukrainian as he wants the chance to avenge his heavily-scrutinised points loss to the Brit.

Many observers criticized Tyson Fury for not respecting Francis Ngannou enough during their boxing bout last October. Anthony Joshua, the Cameroonian’s next opponent, is determined not to repeat the same mistake. The Nigerian-born Briton has already lost two fights to Andy Ruiz and Olexandr Usyk when he was considered the favorite.

READ MORE ;Tyson Fury stance on withdrawing from Oleksandr Usyk fight revealed after Anthony Joshua offer

“Before, we were already talking about this fight and I said: ‘No, it’s a buzz fight’.But today, no, it’s the biggest challenge of my life. I wanted to fight for titles, I wanted to lead my career towards the belts. This fight always takes me to glory. I have to win, and when I win, I’ll fight for the title, that’s boxing: snakes and ladders.You win, you go up, you lose, you go down.I’ve got to win to keep going,” says Anthony Joshua.

Anthony Joshua v Francis Ngannou: Heavyweight fight set for 8 March in  Saudi Arabia - BBC Sport

His fight against Francis Ngannou is scheduled for March 8 in Saudi Arabia.

Former American boxer Mike Tyson announced in a video posted on his Instagram account that he will be attending the big boxing event scheduled next March 1 in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

“Hello boxing world, I am pleased to announce that I will be in Benghazi, Libya attending the big boxing event. It’s going to be great. It will be on March 1 and it will be broadcast worldwide on ‘Fight Nation’,” said the 57-year-old athlete.

READ MORE ;Jeff Goldblum Reflects on Witnessing Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield Infamous Bloody Fight Firsthand

Dictator Muammar Gaddafi banned boxing in the country in 1979 until it resurfaced with his overthrow in 2011 and the reestablishment of the national federation, created in 1962.

Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield launch 'Holy Ears' cannabis edibles

The Libyan Boxing Federation picked up the gauntlet and announced Tyson‘s attendance on its social networks and invited all Libyan fans to participate in the “most outstanding sporting event” organized in a country resisting more than a decade of conflict and instability.

UPDATE ;Mike Tyson time traveller theory debunked after smartphone spotted at fight in 1995

Benghazi, Libya’s second largest city, is located in the east, controlled by Marshal Khalifa Haftar and administratively separated from the Government of National Unity (GNU), based in the capital, Tripoli.

Gervonta Davis took to social media platform X to reveal the offer he had received for a potential bout with Conor Benn.

Benn was last in action on February 3, against Peter Dobson at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, defeating Dobson over 12 rounds to claim a unanimous points win as the 27-year-old Benn continued to rebuild his career following his anti-doping issues, which has seen Benn carry on boxing in the USA.

READ MORE ;Gervonta Davis leaks email showing exact amount Eddie Hearn offered him for Conor Benn fight

Following his victory, Benn said he wanted to fight the likes of Chris Eubank Jr, Kell Brook, Devin Haney, and Davis, with promoter Eddie Hearn throwing down the gauntlet to Davis to discuss terms.

Hearn claimed he had submitted a substantial offer which would see Davis earn a career-high payday. However, Davis refused to entertain the offer. 

Hearn had reportedly submitted an offer of around $25 million to Davis, but the Baltimore star posted a picture of an email to his followers on X, which showed an offer of $10 million in an email sent to Davis’s representatives.

Hearn wrote in the email to team Davis: “Gervonta asked me to contact you regarding our offer to fight Conor Benn.

Gervonta Davis leaks email showing exact amount Eddie Hearn offered him for  Conor Benn fight | talkSPORT

“We would like to talk further regarding this fight, and our plan would be to stage this fight in May in the USA. We would offer $10million plus an upside on the gate and PPV that I would like to discuss further with you.

“Do you have a good time to discuss this week? Kind regards, Eddie.”

JUST IN ;Gervonta Davis agrees deal to next fight fellow unbeaten American Frank Martin, who was accused of ‘ducking’ Shakur Stevenson

Benn took to social media to respond to Davis.

“Clearly, Gerv-umpalumpa doesn’t know what upside means. Stick to fighting women. All talk, no smoke @Gervontaa,” Benn wrote.

Davis then accused Hearn of a lowball offer, knowing Tank would not accept it due to the contrasts in sums reported to what was submitted.

“U will beat the dog shit outta you [sic]. We all know this! I was just trying to be good for the sport and beat ya ass in ya home town, but the spoon-fed white boy keep trying to cheat me outta my f****** money b****.”

Eddie Hearn On A Potential Gervonta Davis And Conor Benn Fight

Benn then instructed Davis to get Al Haymon to make the Englishman an offer..

“U beat the dog shit outta you? Calm down you little angry stumpy man,” Benn said, mockingly.

.“If you feel lowballed tell your daddy Al to make me a counter offer and I’ll fight you in America and knock your head clean off and then you’ll be 2 foot 2.”

RELATED ;Gervonta Davis vs Frank Martin to reportedly headline PBC PPV

Davis is set to face Frank Martin with a date and venue yet to be confirmed by Premier Boxing Champions, but Davis closed the online exchange suggesting his career is not dependent on Benn or Hearn.

“Too late, dummy, what y’all people don’t understand [is] I DON’T NEED Y’ALL.”

Undisputed boxing world champion Claressa Shields secured her second victory in MMA after a split decision win over Kelsey De Santis in Riyadh.

The fight made history as the first professional MMA bout in Saudi Arabia featuring two women.

Shields, a three-weight world champion in boxing, was visibly emotionally when she was confirmed the winner.

READ MORE ;Claressa Shields wins first female MMA bout in Saudi Arabia as she triumphs on return to octagon

“There was days in camp where I was literally in tears. I didn’t want to go back because it was so hard,” she said.

The MMA event came 18 months after British fighter Ramla Ali and the Dominican Republic’s Crystal Garcia Nova became the first female boxers to compete in a pro fight in the kingdom.

Shields was competing on the undercard of the Professional Fighters League’s champion versus champion event, in which Bellator’s best compete against the PFL’s best.

PFL vs. Bellator results: Claressa Shields narrowly escapes massive upset  with split nod over Kelsey DeSantis - MMA Fighting

Women’s rights continues to be a major issue in the country despite recent reforms, and human rights groups continue to say sport as a whole is being used by the Saudi government to distract from long-standing reputation issues and accuse it of sportswashing by investing in high-profile events.

For Shields, a two-weight undisputed boxing champion, it was her first MMA fight since 2021. The American was beaten in her second MMA fight, having won her first bout in June 2021 by stoppage.

UPDATE ;MMA star Claressa Shields’ next big fight is a first for women in Saudi Arabia

After starting strongly, De Santis tried to take advantage of Shields’ novice capabilities on the ground but the boxer’s striking in the first two rounds was enough to convince two of the three judges at cageside.

“It has such a hard camp. It’s not easy what I’m trying to do. I’ve been so respectful of the sport and I put in a lot of work,” Shields added.

Photos: Claressa Shields def. Kelsey De Santis at PFL vs. Bellator

She is part of a rare group of boxers like former UFC champion Holly Holms who have tried their hand at MMA beyond a one-time fight.

RELATED ;Claressa Shields lists one unusual sport she thinks she beat Savannah Marshall at

The 28-year-old is undefeated in 14 pro fights in boxing and is regarded by many as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, female boxer of all time.

Simone Biles won’t be on the floor when the Olympic season officially kicks off for the U.S. women.

More than 30 women will compete Saturday at Winter Cup, the first meet of this all-important season. That Biles won’t be among them isn’t a surprise, however. She traditionally begins her season at the U.S. Classic, which is later in the spring.

READ MORE ;Will Simone Biles compete in 2024? Everything to know about the gymnast plans for the Olympic year

Besides, Biles doesn’t need to do Winter Cup, which many women are using to qualify for the U.S. championships in May. She’s already qualified as a member of last year’s team for the world championships, where she won, well, everything.

Simone Biles Shares How Therapy And Medication Help Her Anxiety

Biles led the U.S. women to the team gold before winning her sixth all-around title. She also won gold on balance beam and floor exercise and a silver on vault. The five medals gave her 37 at the world championships and Olympics, making her the most-decorated gymnast of all time, male or female.

UPDATE ;Simone Biles Teases Undisclosed Vacation Destination As She Flies With Husband Jonathan Owens

Biles and her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, are actually on vacation this weekend, based on their Instagram posts. But expect to see her at Classic, which is May 17-19 in Hartford, Connecticut.

Claressa Shields beats Kelsey DeSantis via split decision on her return to MMA for the first time since 2021; Shields is a three-weight world boxing champion; American says Savannah Marshall would get “torched” if the two fought in the octagon; Shields beat Marshall in boxing ring in 2022

A tearful Claressa Shields secured a historic victory as she won the first women’s MMA bout to be held in Saudi Arabia on her return to the octagon for the first time since 2021.

READ MORE ;MMA star Claressa Shields’ next big fight is a first for women in Saudi Arabia

Shields, a three-weight world boxing champion, defeated Kelsey DeSantis via split decision at PFL vs. Bellator on Saturday, coming through a submission attempt from her opponent in the first round.

The 28-year-old said afterwards while visibly emotional: “There was days in camp where I was literally in tears. I didn’t want to go back because it was so hard. It’s not easy what I’m trying to do.

Claressa Shields wins first female MMA bout in Saudi Arabia as she triumphs  on return to octagon | WWE News | Sky Sports

“I’ve been so respectful of the sport and I put in a lot of work. I’m going to go back to the gym and work harder. I almost got my arm snapped in a freaking armbar, I had to fight out of that.”

Shields’ bout was her third in MMA and first since a split-decision loss to Abigail Montes two and a half years ago, with her debut in the sport a TKO win over Brittney Elkin in June 2021.

RELATED ;Claressa Shields lists one unusual sport she thinks she’d beat Savannah Marshall at

The American recently told Sky Sports she would “torch” Britain’s Savannah Marshall if they ever fought in MMA, with Marshall set to make her first appearance in the octagon this summer.

Shields added in her Sky Sports interview: “Savannah needs to understand – and the sooner she understands the better – you can’t beat me in nothing. The sooner she understands that the better we’ll all be. Just give it up.

Claressa Shields Returns After 2.5 Years with Split-Decision Win Over  Kelsey DeSantis in Riyadh MMA Event - BVM Sports

“We can fight boxing, I’m going to win. We can fight MMA, I’m going to win. We can streetfight, I’m going to win. It doesn’t matter. We can play ping pong, I’m going to win.

UPDATE ;Claressa Shields hits back at Savannah Marshall: ‘You can’t beat me in anything!’

“I’m just better than her at everything. She needs to understand that and I’m going to make sure whatever she wants to challenge me in, I’m better.”

Tyson Fury won’t be withdrawing from his fight with Oleksandr Usyk, his father has claimed.

And that’s a blow for Anthony Joshua, with the Briton’s promoter Eddie Hearn recently admitting he was prepared to step in should the showdown suffer any further setbacks.

Fury and Usyk had been due to meet in the ring earlier this month, only for a gruesome eye injury sustained by the 35-year-old to push the fight back to May instead.

Hearn recently revealed Joshua was ready to step in in the event of another postponement.

READ MORE ;Surprise world title fight added to Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou undercard at late notice

But John, speaking to Free Bets, has claimed that won’t be happening with his son committed to the cause.

Previewing Joshua’s upcoming bout with Francis Ngannou, which will take place on March 8, he said: “He’s got to get past Ngannou first which is a tall order.

“He’s a danger man Ngannou, a big dude, fit, strong, and believes in himself.

When is the Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk fight? Postponed date, fight time,  live stream & where to watch on TV | Goal.com UK

 

“He is able, he’s in your face, doesn’t mind a tear up. Joshua has to get past him before he even thinks about stepping in for anybody else.

“And he’s lost to Usyk twice already and if you’ve lost twice, is there going to be that much interest in a third fight?

“It’s only going to be the same thing: Usyk outpointing him.

“People want to see Tyson vs Usyk and Tyson will not be pulling out. I’ll tell you that now.”

John has been called out by numerous stars over the past few weeks.

UPDATE ;Anthony Joshua Changes Tune 2 Weeks Before Heavyweight Fight With Francis Ngannou

The likes of Carl Froch, Joe Egan and Chase Demoor have all revealed they’d fancy their chances of facing the 59-year-old.

But John isn’t interested and believes the trio are mentioning his name, as well as Tyson’s, with their own agendas in mind.

“A lot of people have been talking, shouting, screaming, but yet there’s no genuine, written offers have come to my address or to my people,” he said.

Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk: Tyson Fury predicts winner of heavyweight  fight - Daily Post Nigeria

 

“So, listen, they can all shout, they can all scream, but actions speak louder than words. Put the money across, it’s a business and let’s get on with it.

“But they don’t seem to want to do that. They seem to just want to shout and scream, calling me out, trying to embarrass me, which they can’t do.

“They could never embarrass a man like me, because I’ve been through too much.

JUST IN ;Tyson Fury vs Oleksand Usyk: Who wins? Will Anthony Joshua be champ again? Delicious Orie heavyweight predictions

“To clarify, there have been no written offers, it’s just talk, it’s just nothing, idle chat.”

He added: “It’s nothing new and it’s a good point – that’s what they do.

“They think by mentioning me and people paying them a few hundred quid to run a podcast to run me down, ‘Oh, I want to fight John Fury’, ‘I think this, I think that’, you know what, thinking has caused people a lot of problems in life.

“Thinking and doing are two different things and people don’t seem to understand that today do they?

“But you know what, all those people who think they’re hard men, all of them calling me out hear this…

Oleksandr Usyk: I might want Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder but I'm focused  on Anthony Joshua | DAZN News GB

“The way they’ve gone about it is unprofessional, so therefore it’s caused me to have an instant dislike for these people. Therefore, why would I want to make them any money?

“What they can do, I’ve got a nice barn at the side of me, all of them that think that I’m bothered about fighting, come down.

“Me and him will walk in the barn and the best man will come out, just me and him.

RELATED ;Francis Ngannou announces next fight weeks before Anthony Joshua showdown

“We’ll shut the door, we’ll lock ourselves in and the best man will come out of the barn.

“There’s no money, there’s no fame, there’s nothing but a good hiding for them kinds of people.

“That’s if they think they can take me, and I’m telling you they can’t.”

For one to bestow lofty praise such as being “The Best Ever” upon themselves, their greatness should be beyond reproach, which many can agree is certainly the case for Floyd Mayweather Jr. A native of Grand Rapids, MI., Mayweather Jr. was surrounded by boxing since birth, as his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., was a welterweight contender who famously faced off against Sugar Ray Leonard. His uncle, Roger “Black Mamba” Mayweather, also held championship titles at the super featherweight, light welterweight, and welterweight.

READ MORE ;Floyd Mayweather coy on rumoured rematch with Manny Pacquiao: ‘He shouldn’t have spoken about it’

A prized amateur, Mayweather Jr. competed at the 1996 Olympics, winning a bronze medal in a controversial loss. The defeat would be the last he would experience for nearly three decades and counting, as he has compiled a flawless 50-0 record, with championships in five different weight-classes ranging from featherweight to super middleweight.

Having retired as the most bankable boxer of all-time and one of a handful of fighters with an unblemished record, the Hall of Famer’s place in the all-time ranking has been debated, with some questioning how he would fare against the top champions from past eras.

Floyd Joy Mayweather Jr. (1977- ) •

In celebration of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s 47th birthday, VIBE came up with 10 mythical boxing matches against iconic opponents that would shake up the boxing world and sports history.