The Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells believes there is a desperate need for a woman to shake up the world of British boxing behind the scenes having made her first steps back into the sport.

Swindells, a former amateur champion boxer herself, secured investment to the tune of £250,000 from Lord Alan Sugar to help set up her Bronx boxing gym in Camberwell earlier this year.

Since hanging up her gloves, women’s boxing has undergone huge growth with 2022 a crowning year, featuring the all-female card led by Savannah Marshall and Claressa Shields and Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano tearing the house down on a historic night in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

In the ring, the sport has taken on new life, with Taylor’s undisputed super-lightweight title rematch against Chantelle Cameron this weekend in Dublin serving as one of the biggest fights to see out 2023.

But outside of it, there is a lack of female figures at an administration level, as well as the promotional side of the game ruled by Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren of Queensberry Promotions in the UK.

Intent on building her own boxing gym empire to produce future world champions, Swindells also has an eye firmly on entering the world of boxing promotion, believing the sport is crying out for ‘a women’s perspective’ at the top table.

‘I have so much respect for the female pro boxers who have paved the way and been persistent,’ Swindells told Metro.co.uk in an exclusive interview.

‘From my perspective, there is still a huge gap in the market for a woman in boxing on the business side of things. When you look at the climate for promoters, managers and behind the scenes in the sport, there are no women on the business side of things. So I would like to bang on that door. The landscape has come on leaps and bounds but the more women involved, the more competitive things get, the more characters we have and the more fights we will see.

‘My ultimate goal is to open as many gyms as possible. But with that, there will come talented fighters and I will be damned if I sit back and watch them leave and go be with other managers and promoters.

‘I would eventually like to develop an inhouse pathway starting right at the bottom, bringing in amateurs and protecting them, pushing them up to the professional ranks and to put on professional shows as a promoter. I want people to know we have arrived.’

The landscape of boxing has undergone major changes with the rise of the influencer scene, spearheaded by KSI, Jake Paul and Tommy Fury and standalone promotions Misfits and Kingpyn Boxing.

Even compared to the wild west of professional boxing, its influencer and YouTuber alternative that attracts a huge following has drawn criticism. Out of control press conferences, bizarre match-ups and borderline dangerous fights have left the sport with a black eye at times with its traditional values of little concern to those looking to cash in ahead of others who have dedicated much of their lives to learning their trade.

Intent on growing her own stable of fighters, Swindells is eager to harness the best of both worlds, believing the traditional side of the game can learn something from its chaotic counterpart.

‘Professional boxing has a lot to learn from the likes of Misfits and what they do to build a fighter,’ Swindells said. ‘There is a lot of chaos but what they do around PR, branding, marketing, social media, that gets overlooked in the world of real boxing. There is a stigma there for real boxers who won’t recognise it as real. But what they do in terms of promoting themselves is incredible and I think pro boxing can take a leaf out of their book.

‘I think there is a little bit of jealousy there from the purists’ perspective,’ she continued. ‘I think they will see what the influencer boxers are doing and say, “hold on a minute, I’ve worked my a**e off all this time building an amateur career and I’m not getting anywhere near enough attention as these guys”.

‘Sometimes they do not appreciate the work that has gone into the marketing and that is where the influencer focus has been. That is where there is a bit of jealousy, where these guys are earning so much more than what a pro is earning for doing a very similar job.’

Swindells’ connection with boxing is not a recent development. After taking up the sport at the age of 17, she had a successful amateur run, winning the Haringey Box Cup while also coaching others before taking a new direction.

Her Bronx gym is growing, with the current premises in south London expanding with plans to add more sites in the near future. With some emerging young talent already working out the gym and a few ‘really interesting amateur prospects’ following suit, the aim remains to build a hybrid of the traditional gyms that have produced some of the country’s most decorated champions aligned with her own vision.

‘The ultimate thing for a boxer is training and what they do in the ring,’ she said. ‘I want them to have that at Bronx but also where all the other stuff is taken care for them too. We can pad everything else around them and that is not necessarily what you get at old school boxing clubs. While the coaching is unparalleled in those places, we can offer guidance and support from the business perspective to help shape their career.

‘A lot of fighters gets lost on the way up. A lot of talent gets lost because they can’t get the right the deals, they can’t make a genuine living out of it,  they can’t get sponsorships.

‘I’ve watched so many great talents dwindle away into nothing because they are having to buy their own tickets, promoters on that small hall show level need their cut and the house needs to get paid. There is a huge weight on their shoulders and more promoters, more avenues and routes to the top can alleviate that.’

MORE : John Fury warns Tyson Fury ‘needs more time’ to prepare for Oleksandr Usyk fight after revealing major concerns over his fitness and tactics

MORE : Deontay Wilder gives his prediction for Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin for Saudi Arabia showdown in December

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John Fury has warned there has been a worrying decline in Tyson Fury, fearing major changes are needed in camp ahead of his fight against Oleksandr Usyk.

WBC champion Fury and IBF, WBO and WBA king Usyk will finally meet on 17 February in Saudi Arabia to crown heavyweight boxing’s first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999.

Their historic bout was originally scheduled to take place on 23 December. But a bruising night at the office for Fury against Francis Ngannou changed those plans. ‘The Gypsy King’ clinched a narrow split decision win but endured a difficult night against the former UFC heavyweight champion, dropped in the third round in what was his worst performance in a number of years.

Among Fury’s critics from that night is his father John, who fears the 17 February date may come too soon for his son with more time needed to get him back to his physical best.

Fury Snr believes there has been a noticeable decline in ‘strength, power and physical condition’ in each of Fury’s last three fights, coming against Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora last year and October’s meeting with Ngannou, and says he was ‘shocked’ by his son’s preparation levels after flying into Saudi last month.

‘The 17th February is the date they have got to work towards. But in my opinion, Tyson needs a bit more time to get his conditioning right and his weight right,’ Fury Snr told Metro.co.uk via Free Bets UK. ‘For me it looked like he had lost 20lbs of muscle last time. Something was wrong.

‘For my money, his last three fights, I have seen a bit of decline. Not a decline in ability but a decline in strength, power and physical condition. I don’t know what they are doing up there, you have to address it. He didn’t look himself out in Saudi.

‘He didn’t look right, everything had changed about him, his demeanour, his body. I was puzzled. He said he had been training but there is training and there is training. If you’re going at your own pace no one is going to tell you otherwise, no one is going to offend you or kick you up the backside.

‘No one can teach Tyson how to box, or teach him more than he knows. All they can do is put some muscle on there and make his body rock solid. For my money he looked fat-thin, he should have been better, a bit heavier with a lot more muscle. Tyson is a mammoth fella. He needs to power up in the body department and the only way you do that is a proper course and they take time and we don’t have the time.’

John Fury has previously hit out at Tyson’s trainer SugarHill Steward, who has been the man in his corner since his explosive title-winning win over Deontay Wilder in February 2021.

The WBC champion comfortably dealt with Whyte and Chisora last year before his scare against Ngannou but against Usyk, the fleet-footed former cruiserweight king, he faces a very different sort of challenge.

In addition to those concerns over Tyson’s conditioning, John Fury has not been convinced by the tactical approach in recent fights, believing urgent adjustments are also needed in that department. If those are not carried out, Usyk and his camp will be ‘licking their lips’ ahead of their historic fight next year.

‘He still won the fight [against Ngannou] because that is what he does best. But for my money, the tactics were all wrong too,’ Fury Snr continued.

‘You don’t try meet an express train head on, do you? He would have been better boxing off the back foot, slipping and sliding. Against the old Tyson, Ngannou wouldn’t have landed a glove on him.

‘They keep missing this in the corner. They aren’t looking at what the other man is doing. He needs to change it up. All of a sudden, they think one tactic works for all fighters but it isn’t like that.

‘The style I am seeing is no good, it won’t be any use boxing Usyk like that, just stood in front of him. You have to be clever and agile, as much as he [Usyk] is. But unless you are trained to do that, what can you say?

‘Usyk is nowhere near as big and powerful as Ngannou who is one of the hardest punchers in the world. But he is a skilful heavyweight and they need to practice for that. The style Tyson has right now, he wouldn’t have beaten Wladmir Klitschko [Fury’s maiden world title victory in 2015] with that.

‘He is not a man who just stands in front of you and puts your lights out. That’s not his job, his job is to be clever, box well, make them miss and make them pay. That is his best attribute. But now they have changed that all around.

‘He is taking more punches now than he has taken in his whole career and that could have shortened his career. That is the worry we have got here. Tyson is a remarkable man but sometimes he needs to listen to a bit of common sense.

‘Usyk is a tricky man and you have to be on your best to beat him and the style he has got now, it won’t do the trick. He has got it in his head he can knock everyone spark out. But no fighter in the world can keep taking big shots. He can’t keep taking them because all of a sudden a jab can sit you down. You have to be clever and the way he beats Usyk is more brain than brawn.’

MORE : Deontay Wilder gives his prediction for Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin for Saudi Arabia showdown in December

MORE : Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk CONFIRMED with historic undisputed title fight set for 17 February in Saudi Arabia

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Deontay Wilder is backing Anthony Joshua to put away Otto Wallin inside eight rounds to set up their fight in 2024.

Joshua and Wilder will share spectacular card in Saudi Arabia on 23 December with Wilder in action against former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker on the same night.

Should the heavyweight rivals come through those respective tests unscathed, it is hoped they will return to Saudi in 2024 to meet in a fight that has been in the making for eight years.

Joshua has fought twice this year, outpointing Jermaine Franklin in April before a devastating knockout win over Robert Helenius in August.

And Wilder is backing the Briton to record one more knockout before the year is out. Asked for a fight prediction, he told ES News: ‘I think Joshua knocks him out. Six to eight rounds.’

Joshua and Wallin fought as amateurs and have sparred each other over the years but their cordial relationship took a turn during a press conference announcing the fight last week.

Wallin, whose only defeat in 28 fights came against Tyson Fury in 2019, took aim at Joshua when addressing the media, insisting the former Olympian is ‘past his peak’.

The two then came face-to-face in an intense stare down with Joshua sending a chilling warning to the Swede.

‘You talk a lot, don’t worry about me, worry about yourself,’ Joshua said.

‘All your doing is giving me more motivation. Keep talking s**t, all you’re doing is digging your grave.

‘You’re talking about I’ve had my peak? Your next on my list. Good luck anyway, yeah. I’m f*****g you up December 23rd. And if you’re talking s**t, don’t shake my hand after.’

In addition to Joshua vs Wallin and Wilder vs Parker, Daniel Dubois takes on Jarrell Miller on the stacked card in Saudi.

MORE : Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk CONFIRMED with historic undisputed title fight set for 17 February in Saudi Arabia

MORE : Deontay Wilder says there is only ‘one thing’ stopping Anthony Joshua fight after burying the hatchet with Eddie Hearn

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Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will finally meet in their undisputed heavyweight title showdown on 17 February in Saudi Arabia.

WBC champion Fury and Usyk, who holds the IBF, WBO and WBA titles, will collide to unify the four major belts and crown the first sole champion of boxing’s blue riband division since Lennox Lewis.

The historic fight was officially announced at a press conference in London on Thursday after months of negotiations between both parties.

Fury vs Usyk had been scheduled to take place on 23 December after contracts were signed in September ahead of ‘The Gypsy King’s non-title fight against Francis Ngannou.

Fury was left battered and bruised from his narrow decision win over the former UFC champion however with his meeting with Usyk moved to early 2024 as a result.

Saudi boxing officials changed their plans for that December date but the show will go on with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder featuring on a star-studded card in Riyhad instead.

Joshua will take on Otto Wallin with Wilder in action against Joseph Parker with hope victories will pave the way for the long-awaited meeting between the two rivals.

Fury and Usyk have been on collision course for almost a year, coming face-to-face in London last December following the Briton’s victory over Derek Chisora with hope their historic fight would be agreed for the first half of 2023.

An April date at Wembley Stadium looked set only for talks to fall through in spectacular fashion after the two camps were unable to agree final terms.

Usyk, who took the world titles from Anthony Joshua with a masterful performance in 2021, went onto defend his belts against Daniel Dubois in Poland in August.

The undefeated Ukrainian, a former undisputed champion at cruiserweight, will be competing in his fifth consecutive heavyweight fight against English opposition.

Fury, also undefeated, attracted criticism for his lacklustre display against Ngannou despite doing enough to win the fight on the judges’ scorecards.

MORE : Anthony Joshua refuses to discuss trainer situation after linking up with Ben Davison for Otto Wallin fight

MORE : Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder now a promise that must be delivered… but they cannot take their eye off the prize like Tyson Fury did

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Promoter Eddie Hearn and Deontay Wilder have buried the hatchet to help clear the path for a showdown with Anthony Joshua next year.

Joshua and Wilder will fight on the same star-studded card in Saudi Arabia on 23 December against different opponents in Otto Wallin and Joseph Parker respectively.

Should they come through those tests, it is hoped the two will finally meet in the ring in a fight that has been eight years in the making.

Previous efforts to make one of the biggest fights in boxing have repeatedly fallen through over the years. In the past, former WBC champion Wilder has taken aim at Joshua’s promoter Hearn, accusing him of blocking efforts to get it over the line.

Wilder doubled down on those claims on Wednesday, telling the Mail: ‘It’s his management that have held him back from fighting me because, you know, he’s a fighter. It’s been over six years. But there comes a point in time we’re you’re like, ‘Forget it’.

‘Many times he wanted to fight, he wanted to accept it but his handlers didn’t want it because Joshua is the money-maker for the company. And if he goes down, so does the business.’

After Wednesday’s press conference in London, Hearn and Wilder appeared to be on the same flight heading to Los Angeles with the American sharing a picture of himself and the Matchroom chief.

Wilder’s caption suggested he and Hearn have now put their differences aside, with all roads now leading to the Joshua fight being delivered in 2024 should both get the win in Saudi next month.

‘Damn, this is wilder than Wilder. If you know the history then you know what’s understood don’t have to be explained. I will title this picture “Old Endings For A New Beginning.“

‘Finally, the boxing fans will get what they’ve been waiting YEARS for. The only thing that stands in the way now is Dec 23rd.’

While the boxing world would expect Joshua vs Wilder next year, there not yet a final deal in place for that fight.

Hearn told IFL TV: ‘Those discussions continue. We have business to take care of on 23 December, it has been been made very clear to us that the plan is to make Joshua vs Wilder but they both have to win.

‘You’ve potentially got the Filip Hrgovic [mandatory challenger for the IBF title] fight for the world title… we have got options. But we like the vision, we like the plan and the first stage of his is 23 December.’

MORE : Anthony Joshua refuses to discuss trainer situation after linking up with Ben Davison for Otto Wallin fight

MORE : Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder now a promise that must be delivered… but they cannot take their eye off the prize like Tyson Fury did

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Anthony Joshua has refused to discuss his trainer situation after linking up with Ben Davison for his December fight against Otto Wallin.

Joshua will take on Wallin on a star-studded show in Saudi Arabia on 23 December, sharing the bill with Deontay Wilder who fights former world champion Joseph Parker.

The 2012 Olympian has fought twice in 2023, recording a points win over Jermaine Franklin in April before a vicious knockout of Robert Helenius in August.

At the start of the year, Joshua partnered up with a third trainer in two years in Derrick James, moving his training camp over to the US to work with the highly-respected coach whose stable of fighters includes Errol Spence Jr, Jermell Charlo and Ryan Garcia. The latter is currently in camp with James for his fight against Oscar Duarte on 2 December.

The Daily Star reported this week that due to logistical reasons, James will not be training Joshua for his December showdown against Wallin with Davison stepping in. Coincidentally, Davison was the man in Tyson Fury’s corner when he fought the Swedish heavyweight five years ago.

Joshua was seen working the pads with Davison after Wednesday’s press conference unveiling December’s card. But speaking to reporters backstage, Joshua said: ‘I don’t want to talk about trainers.’

Joshua has made a string of changes behind the scenes in recent years. After turning professional with Rob McCracken, the man who also guided him through Team GB, the 33-year-old parted ways with his long-term trainer following his defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021.

Robert Garcia was brought in for the rematch a year later having also retained Angel Fernandez as part of his team. Joshua put in a much-improved performance in that second fight with the Ukrainian but still walked away defeated. Joshua and Garcia would split before the end of that year.

While James remains Joshua’s head trainer, Eddie Hearn revealed earlier this month that Davison has worked with AJ in a minor capacity ‘for the last few fights’.

While James remains Joshua’s head trainer, Eddie Hearn revealed earlier this month that Davison has worked with AJ in a minor capacity ‘for the last few fights’.

‘Ben’s been a small part of the team for the last few fights. They get on very well and whilst he’s in the UK he would train with Ben,’ Hearn said.

‘Derrick James at the moment remains the coach, happy with him, couple of performances and building on that. So no change in that respect.

‘Ben’s been working behind the scenes a little bit with AJ tactically on the last few fights. They get on very well. He’s a fantastic coach and I think AJ feels comfortable, whilst he’s in the UK, working with Ben.’

MORE : Anthony Joshua vs Deontay Wilder now a promise that must be delivered… but they cannot take their eye off the prize like Tyson Fury did

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In his latest column, the former Olympian and heavyweight contender reacts to some stunning developments in the heavyweight division after the biggest show in the history of boxing was confirmed for 23 December.

Wallin and Parker are serious tests

Something truly special is coming in December. The show in Saudi Arabia featuring Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin, Deontay Wilder vs Joseph Parker, Daniel Dubois vs Jarrell Miller with Filip Hrgovic, Dmitry Bivol, Jai Opetaia among others involved is like nothing we have seen before – a lot of those fights are good enough to headline a show on their own.

If you are a boxing fan you have to be excited. As far as Joshua and Wilder are concerned, these are very competitive fights they have ahead of them. If they are not going to box each other before the year is out, these are the sort of names that fit the bill.

Joseph Parker is coming off a great win in Saudi against Simon Kean on the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou card just a few weeks ago. Wallin himself is coming off a very good win against Murat Gassiev fighting out in Turkey in September.

Of course, there will be people questioning why Joshua vs Wilder couldn’t be made for this show. But without boxing each other, you can’t really ask for anything else because there aren’t really too many other realistic options around.

Wallin, a man who gave Fury some good work a few years ago and Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, these guys have been at or close to the top of the mountain and they will be confident this fight can put them back there and put them in that world title picture once again. And if they lose they are still walking away with a few million quid. Everyone is happy.

Lessons to be learned from Fury scare

Joshua vs Wilder has been a story in boxing for so long. Getting them on the same card, in the same room, even the same country is a massive step in the right direction. It will create a buzz that cannot be ignored that must be delivered on.

We all want to see that fight. But this is heavyweight boxing, no one is to be overlooked. Both have to concentrate on what is in front of them. Joshua is dealing with a very tricky southpaw in Wallin. Parker is a former world champion who has been very active this year. All you have to do is look at what we have just seen with Fury and Ngnanou. That is a lesson to everyone.

I believe the undisputed fight against Oleksandr Usyk fight was a bit of a distraction as far as Fury was concerned, and it probably hindered his performance and put that fight back even more. Had he wiped out Ngannou we would have been seeing that fight just before Christmas. It was a lesson to everyone, especially AJ and Wilder.

Elsewhere on the card, there is some unbelievable talent on show. I think in terms of names and superstars, this has to be the biggest card in history. It will be bigger than Fury vs Ngannou and that was some event, I was out there to see it and it was off the scale. It will 100 percent be the biggest boxing spectacle of all time.

Like it or not, Saudi was the only option

Away from the fighters, it’s a big breakthrough to have everyone working together behind the scenes. Queensberry and Frank Warren, Matchroom and Eddie Hearn, PBC and Wasserman are all involved here with the Saudi officials.

It is probably not the thing people want to hear but this is where the role boxing in Saudi bridges the gap and keeps everyone at the top table happy in a financial sense, allowing them to work together and get the fights on. No one is losing out and everyone is gaining a bit. This isn’t great for fans in the UK, not many people will be able to afford to go to Saudi a few days before Christmas.

But if we do want to see these fights, boxing fans are going to have to come to the conclusion that having them in Saudi might be the only way. That is just the landscape of the sport right now. The money these guys are demanding in this new era of mega fights means that it is the only destination.

Azim’s rise continues

There is so much positivity around Adam Azim right now. He is answering all the questions asked of him and passing all the tests. He is developing the right way, fighting the right opponents and getting the right experience as we saw in his last fight where he was given the rounds he maybe needed.

We know this game, it is all good blasting people out but at world title level, which is what he is aiming for, you need those learning fights in the bag too.

He is not afraid to call out the big names and set huge goals for himself – we know all about his dreams of becoming a world champion younger than Amir Khan managed it at 22 years old. He is well in his rights to do that. It is a good test for him this weekend and beating Franck Petitjean to add the European title to his collection will be a huge next step.

Bentley vs Heaney could be a fight of the year

Do not sleep on Denzel Bentley vs Nathan Heaney this weekend in Manchester, that is a very good fight. It is about as 50-50 as you can get, you probably give Denzel the edge given his recent results and the momentum behind him. But Heaney is a very capable fighter.

They are two gents and I think Heaney will be taking an army with him, those Stoke fans will be making themselves heard. With the British title on the line, it could be a classic.

Any fighter competing for that belt is heading in the right direction. I really do think that could be one of the fights of the year.

MORE : Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk finally settle on date for unification fight

MORE : Deontay Wilder arrives in London as speculation intensifies over Saudi Arabia show with Anthony Joshua in December

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Anthony Joshua issued a chilling warning to Otto Wallin during their heated face-off ahead of their meeting in Saudi Arabia on 23 December.

The two-time world champion will fight for a third time this year against the Swede, sharing the card with Deontay Wilder who is in action against Joseph Parker on the same night.

Joshua and Wallin previously fought as amateurs and have sparred each other over the years but there was no love lost during Wednesday’s press conference.

Wallin, whose only defeat in 28 fights came against Tyson Fury in 2019, took aim at Joshua when addressing the media, insisting the former Olympian is ‘past his peak’.

Joshua hit back during their intense stare down on stage.

‘You talk a lot, don’t worry about me, worry about yourself,’ Joshua said.

‘All your doing is giving me more motivation. Keep talking s**t, all you’re doing is digging your grave.

‘You’re talking about I’ve had my peak? Your next on my list. Good luck anyway, yeah. I’m f*****g you up December 23rd. And if you’re talking s**t, don’t shake my hand after.’

Joshua also shared the stage with Jarrell Miller, the man he was scheduled to fight five years ago before the American failed a string of drug tests, leading to their New York showdown being cancelled.

Miller is part of the stacked Saudi card two days before Christmas, taking on Daniel Dubois who fights for the first time since his world title defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in August.

Given their bitter history, he took a swipe at Joshua during his section of the press conference, with Joshua bluntly responding: ‘F**k Jarrell Miller.’

He continued: ‘Don’t start with me, Miller. Miller, don’t start with me.

‘You know I’ll come over there and slap you and I see you brought your mum yet again. F******g clown.’

MORE : Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder fights CONFIRMED with heavyweight rivals to share spectacular Saudi show on 23 December

MORE : Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk finally settle on date for unification fight

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A historic night for boxing has been confirmed with Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder to fight in separate bouts on a star-studded show in Saudi Arabia on 23 December.

Joshua will take on Otto Wallin in the main event while Wilder will be in action against former world champion Joseph Parker two days before Christmas.

Those fights are viewed as a stepping stone to bring the heavyweight rivals together in the ring in 2024 in a fight that has been eight years in the making.

The confirmed card also includes Daniel Dubois in action against Jarrell Miller, the American who failed a string of drug tests in 2019 that led to his world title fight against Joshua being cancelled.

In total, there will be eight fights on the card, six of those at heavyweight, bringing together some of boxing’s biggest names and promotional rivals, including long-time rivals Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren.

The show is backed by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and the man most responsible for bringing Tyson Fury and Francis Ngannou together in the region in October.

The 23 December date had been reserved for Fury’s undisputed title showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.

But after his bruising night against former UFC champion Ngannou, that date has now been pushed back to 17 February with their fight set to be officially confirmed on Thursday.

That December date has now been considerably filled by series of fights that make up one of the most spectacular nights in boxing history.

Joshua’s opponent Wallin has just one defeat in his 28 professional fights, going the distance with Fury in 2019 having opened up a huge cut on ‘The Gypsy King’ in what was an impressive performance from the Swede.

Due to logistical issues, Joshua will be trained by Ben Davison in the lead up to his December date, the same man who coincidentally was in Fury’s corner for that fight four years ago. The Briton’s full-time trainer remains Derrick James, with their partnership expected to resume for his next fight.

Wilder, 38, will be fighting for just the second time in over two years – with his only other ring appearance in that period lasting just one round in his demolition job on Robert Helenius in October 2022. ‘The Bronze Bomber’ takes on Parker, the former WBO champion who has rattled off three victories in 2023.

WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, the man who outclassed Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in 2022, will also be part of the card, fighting for the first time this year against Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur.

Arthur stunned Anthony Yarde with a superb performance in 2021 before suffering a knockout defeat in their rematch later that year. Having won his last four, picking up the IBO title in September, he challenges for one of boxing’s major world titles for the first time in his career.

IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia also returns to action against British opposition in Ellis Zorro.

The south Londoner is undefeated in 17 professional bouts but comes up against an opponent in Opetaia who has stopped 18 of his 23 opponents to date, including a brutal knockout of another English fighter in Jordan Thompson in September.

Filip Hrgovic, the mandatory challenger for Usyk’s IBF title takes on Mark de Mori, the veteran Australian who was knocked out in one round by David Haye eight years ago.

In the two other heavyweight fights, Cuban sensation Frank Sanchez takes on Junior Fa with the unbeaten Arslanbek Makhmudov up against Agit Kabayel.

MORE : Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk finally settle on date for unification fight

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Tyson Fury’s long-awaited unification fight against Oleksandr Usyk is set to be announced this week after an agreement was struck to face off in February.

The two heavyweights had hoped to do battle on December 23 in Saudi Arabia but Fury’s tougher-than-expected fight against MMA star Francis Ngannou last month prompted a delay.

According to ESPN, the undisputed bout has now been rearranged for February 17 and will once again take place in Riyadh.

The fight is expected to be officially announced on Thursday this week, with all four of the major heavyweight world titles – WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO – on the line.

Fury sent a video message to Usyk at Tuesday’s WBC convention, saying: ‘Usyk, get ready, because I’m smashing you into pieces. Four rounds and you’re out of there!’

The looming announcement coincides with news of an enormous night of boxing in Riyadh on December 23, with a host of huge names secured to fill the void left by Usyk and Fury.

A press conference has been scheduled for Wednesday evening to announce the plans in full, but Deontay Wilder, Otto Wallin and Jai Opetaia have all touched down in London.

Although many had hoped to see Wilder take on Anthony Joshua, the American is set to take on Joseph Parker instead – though AJ will fight on the same card against Wallin.

Boxing officials in Saudi want to put on one of the biggest shows in the sport’s history with Wilder and Joshua the co-headliners, though there could be a smorgasbord of other eye-catching fights on the menu too.

Opetaia will defend his IBF cruiserweight crown, potentially in a rematch against Mairis Briedis, while Daniel Dubois could also be on the undercard in a showdown with Jarell Miller.

It is also being reported by Dan Rafael that Dmitry Bivol will make an appearance on December 23, defending his WBA light heavyweight title against Lyndon Arthur.

The likes of Filip Hrgovic, Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Junior Fa could also be involved.

Full details of the event will be announced on Wednesday but it is shaping up to be a true Christmas cracker of boxing entertainment – and a perfect appetiser before Usyk and Fury’s unification fight in February.

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Deontay Wilder has arrived in London with his fight on the same bill as Anthony Joshua in Saudi Arabia in December expected to be announced on Wednesday.

Speculation over a historic night of boxing bringing together some of the biggest names in the heavyweight division has been mounting this week.

Reports on Saturday claimed Wilder and Joshua were close to finalising deals to fight in separate bouts in Riyadh just before Christmas on 23 December.

That date was originally reserved for the undisputed title showdown between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk – a fight which has now been moved back to February as a result of ‘The Gypsy King’s bruising night at the office last month against Francis Ngannou.

But Saudi boxing officials have been determined for the show to go ahead.

Joshua has been lined up to fight Otto Wallin that night, fight talk further fuelled when he and promoter Eddie Hearn were this week pictured alongside Turki Alalshikh, Saudi’s boxing power broker and the man most responsible for bringing Fury and Ngannou together in October.

A press conference has been called for Wednesday to announce the December show with Wilder and his trainer Malik Scott arriving in the capital on Tuesday.

Wilder and Scott were pictured sitting down having a cup of tea with the caption: ‘The Real is back… You’re all f****d.’

Wilder is reportedly lined up to fight former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker on the show.

Other reported bouts involve Daniel Dubois, who fell short in his world title challenge against Usyk in August.

Jarrell Miller, the American fighter who failed a string of drug tests ahead of his doomed world title fight against Joshua in 2019, is reportedly in the running to fight the Londoner.

Heavyweight contenders Filip Hrgovic, Frank Sanchez and Arslanbek Makhmudov are also rumoured to be involved along with IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia and WBA light-heavyweight king Dmitry Bivol.

Opetaia also appeared to be on his way to the capital, sharing an update on Instagram of him making the journey from Brisbane to London.

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MORE : Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder opponents revealed with rivals set to fight on the same night in December in Saudi Arabia

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