Don Robbie

What should Francis Ngannou do next? By Jonny Bray Francis Ngannou has the world at his feet at the start of 2022. The MMA fighter and reigning UFC Heavyweight Champion is known as the hardest recorded puncher in the world, he's beginning to enter the sporting mainstream, and he's just beaten Ciryl Gane at UFC 270. The victory was via a unanimous decision, and now Ngannou has a professional record of 17 wins and three losses. But his next step is far from clear. Many will want to see the UFC Heavyweight title defended again as soon as possible, but Ngannou has plenty of options as to who his next opponent will be. He could even leave the octagon to set up some big-money exhibition bouts against WBC Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who is reportedly open to fighting Ngannou in what would be an incredible clash between MMA and boxing. In recent weeks, Jake Paul has also thrown his hat in the ring, but would he really step into the octagon or a boxing ring against one of the most ...

Are Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce ready for world title fights? By Jonny Bray  Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce are two of the most exciting young talents in British boxing but have taken different routes to the top. Dubois opted to turn professional rather than go to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while Joyce won silver at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. Despite navigating different pathways, neither fighter will look back on their decisions with any regret. Frank Warren has said that a heavyweight title opportunity is on the cards for both the young talents but that a rematch between the two is being placed on hold for now. The two fighters were undefeated when they met in London in November 2020, and it was Dubois who suffered his first defeat in controversial circumstances. He outrageously received criticism after dropping to a knee after realising the extent of the damage to his eye and nose. Regardless, there is a real buzz around both fighters heading into 2022, but are they ready for ...

Should Tyson Fury fight Francis Ngannou? by Jack Lacey-Hatton The start of a New Year always has boxing fans trying to predict which fights will define the sport over the next twelve months and 2022 is no different. But who could Britain’s sole World Heavyweight Champion Tyson Fury step into the ring with? WBA, IBF and WBO champ Oleksandr Usyk and the man he beat last year, Anthony Joshua, look tricky deals to broker from the outside. The Deontay Wilder story has been written, so where else can Fury look for a showdown this year. One potential option, that has sparked a lot of talk this week, is a dream cross-sport clash with MMA fighter Francis Ngannou. Ngannou is the reigning UFC heavyweight champion and an in-ring clash between the two would generate eye-watering revenue. But would he be the right opponent for the Gypsy King at this stage in his career?   Yes While boxing purists will always be wary of the sport’s stars facing off against mixed martial artists, a meeting between...

The boxers to watch out for in 2022  By Andy Baber There’s no doubt that boxing is in rude health at the moment and 2022 promises to only capitalise on the sport’s popularity with a host of blockbuster fights in the making.  The heavyweight division alone is enough to get pulses racing, with Tyson Fury ordered to face WBC mandatory challenger Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua set for a rematch against Oleksandr Usyk. Amir Khan and Kell Brook’s all-British grudge match has already been confirmed and in the women’s division, Katie Taylor has Amanda Serrano and Jessica McCaskill in her sights.  That’s only the tip of the iceberg as well, with Josh Taylor and Chris Eubank Jr returning to the ring in February - as well as Conor Benn going from strength to strength - while Canelo Alvarez is rumoured to be considering a step up to cruiserweight.  With a number of Olympians from Tokyo also set to begin their professional careers, it looks like being a year to savour. So, with...

By Oli Dickson Jefford Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte are two men who will be happy with their 2021. Fury rounded off his trilogy versus Deontay Wilder with a thrilling victory against the American, while Whyte gained revenge against Alexander Povetkin in March after losing to the Russian in 2020. Now, it is possible that the two could face each other in 2022. Whyte is the mandatory challenger for Fury’s WBC belt and a date for an all-British heavyweight bonanza could be sorted soon, but nothing is guaranteed. Though Whyte has expressed interest in the fight, Fury has so far kept surprisingly quiet about fighting his compatriot. One big question looms: should the two fight? Would it work? On paper, there is no major obstacle to stop the fight happening. Whyte is mandatory challenger for one of Fury’s belts and as such he should be near the top of Fury’s list in terms of who he fights next. However, Fury is likely to fight abroad once again with Saudi Arabia a rumoured destination for his...

By Tom Masters BBC Sports Personality of the Year is one of the Sporting Calendar’s most important days as every British sportsperson dreams of lifting the infamous trophy in the Sunday preceding Christmas.  This year was no different, as Britain’s elite sports stars gathered to celebrate what has been a formidable year in sport, despite the circumstances, with a successful Olympic and Paralympic games, the European Championships, the British & Irish Lions tour and much, much more.  This year, the six nominees reflected the British success, with Olympic stars Adam Peaty and Tom Daley, Paralympic legend Sarah Storey, young tennis sensation Emma Raducanu, Manchester City and England star Raheem Sterling and boxing’s biggest name, Tyson Fury.  Those six stars have achieved an immense amount in the past 12 months, and really any of them would have been worthy winners.  The bookies overwhelming favourite before the show was Raducanu, who became the first British femal...

Dream boxing fights that could take place in 2022 There has been widespread boxing drama across the whole of 2021 but which eye-catching match-ups can fight fans start dreaming about next year? We have had a year in which YouTube boxing exploded, Jake Paul came to the fore and his brother Logan incredibly stepped into the ring with all-time great Floyd Mayweather. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury were both in action too, s o which standout bouts can supporters eagerly await from January onwards? Tyson Fury v Anthony Joshua We thought this colossal battle of the Brits was nailed on this year. It looked like everything was virtually signed, sealed and delivered in the summer, however, Deontay Wilder’s legal right to a trilogy fight with Tyson Fury scuppered things. The Gypsy King duly took care of the Bronze Bomber in sensational style, knocking out his American foe in the 11th round. Meanwhile, Anthony Joshua was thoroughly outboxed by Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in the fight he took in the i...

Has Tommy Fury missed his chance to fight Jake Paul?  By Jack Lacey-Hatton It was supposed to be one of the biggest fights of the year. A very public, modern, online feud finally coming to a head in the ring. Tommy Fury, half-brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson, was set to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Tampa, Florida, this Saturday night.            But on December 6 came the news that no-one, certainly not the broadcasters, wanted. Fury pulled out of the match as he was struggling for fitness. Later it was revealed a broken rib and a chest infection meant anything other than a late withdrawal was impossible. If missing out on the biggest fight of his career wasn’t already a huge blow to the Manchester-born boxer, noises from the Paul camp indicate things may be about to get even worse for him. Any hope of the bout being rescheduled appear to be in tatters, so has Tommy Fury missed his only chance to fight Jake Paul?   Yes Paul’s...

The five heavyweights who could beat Tyson Fury  By Tom Masters Tyson Fury has emerged as arguably the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time, with several boxing greats bestowing him that title while others believe he has work to do to reach the highest of accolades in the sport.    Fury’s record speaks for itself, with only a controversial draw against Deontay Wilder ruining a perfect record, as the Gypsy King has won the other 31 of his 32 fights, with 22 coming by way of knockout.    Despite boasting such an impressive record, boxing supremo Eddie Hearn believes Fury needs to fight against the best modern-day boxers to be able to lay claim to the crown of greatest ever heavyweight.    But are there actually any current heavyweights who could beat him? We look at five who could hand a first defeat to the 33-year-old.    1.     Anthony Joshua    The fight that everyone around the world, and particularly in the UK,...