10 New Year's resolutions for boxers including Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua
Boxing fans can expect a number of huge moments in 2023, after a huge year of fights in 2022 saw new champions crowned, big finishes and more memorable days.
Most notably, there will finally be an undisputed champion crowned at heavyweight after decades of waiting when Tyson Fury faces Oleksandr Usyk in March. The pair first went head-to-head last month at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and now appear to be at the last stages of contract talks for a big money unification bout with all the gold on the line.
However, there will be a number of other fighters who need a push in the right direction for their year, so we've taken a look at a few resolutions for 2023 involving some of boxing's most notable fighters. From Anthony Joshua to Katie Taylor, there are a number of moves that we feel should be made for the benefit of fans in 2023.
Here are ten of our New Year's Resolutions for boxing's biggest stars...
1. Tyson Fury - Stop making U-turns
There's a chance that within a few months of this being written that Tyson Fury becomes the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. If that happens, there's no need for him to pretend he's retired, or open up talks with Anthony Joshua only to end up fighting a much lesser opponent.
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We'd recommend that this year, Fury just plays it straight and fights, instead of making outlandish promises or claims that he's going to finish with the sport. It's obvious he won't be retiring any time soon, and he would be best served just providing to fans instead of attempting to confuse people with his antics.
Tyson Fury isn't retiring any time soon, so there's no need for him to pretend he is (PA)2. Anthony Joshua - Get back to business
What has happened to the Anthony Joshua that tore through the heavyweight division on route to the unified heavyweight titles back in the mid-2010s? He has looked a different fighter, even in his wins against Andy Ruiz Jr in Saudi Arabia or Kubrat Pulev in London, and he needs to get back to the hard-hitting power puncher he once was.
Joshua has his eyes on fighting three times this year, first against a top 15 opponent before moving on to Dillian Whyte and Deontay Wilder. With minimal threat from his initial opponent, the two-time champion needs to go in ferocious and find his way back to the fighter he was when he won all of his belts. He'll certainly need that against Wilder...
Anthony Joshua needs to start brutalising opponents again (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)3. Deontay Wilder - Become a world title contender again
In theory, there's only one fight separating Deontay Wilder from a fourth shot at Tyson Fury. The WBC have said that if he faces Andy Ruiz Jr this year, that the bout would serve as a final eliminator for their world heavyweight title, which is the belt that his old rival still holds after defeating him for it in 2020.
It would be an amazing story if Wilder, having suffered two vicious defeats at the Brit's hands in 2020 and 2021, could return to the point of becoming mandatory challenger again. But he faces a difficult test in Ruiz, who has also had a taste of the top table and wants to get back after his brief 2019 run as champion.
Deontay Wilder returned with a triumphant showing in October (Getty Images)4. Floyd Mayweather - Stop fighting YouTubers
The interest in boxing legend Mayweather's series of exhibition bouts is waining after a disaster at the box office for his recent clash with Deji in Dubai. He seems keen to continue facing influencers, and appears to have bouts lined up in February and April, but we'd love for the 50-0 former champion to just enjoy his retirement and spend time away from the ring.
He did three exhibitions last year, none of which were particularly engaging as he took on former sparring partner Don Moore in Dubai before viciously knocking out Mikuru Asakura in Japan and getting rid of Deji in a six-rounder. If Mayweather is to continue on the exhibition circuit, it would be better to start moving around with former boxers.
Floyd Mayweather vs Deji was a flop at the box office (Getty Images)5. Jake Paul - Fight a boxer
If Jake Paul wants to get fans onside in 2023, he'll need to finally face a full-time professional boxer at some point within the year. He is obsessed with forcing through a fight against Tommy Fury, who has pulled out of two scheduled bouts between the pair, and reckons he will provide the legitimacy he craves as a fighter.
Paul has three times been scheduled to face a "real boxer"; with two Tommy Fury dates falling apart before his planned fight with Hasim Rahman Jr also being cancelled back in August. He did beat Anderson Silva this year, who had defeated former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez in his post-UFC boxing career, but he was in his late 40s and fans still aren't fully convinced.
Jake Paul should face a legitimate boxer this year (Getty Images)6. Canelo Alvarez - Get revenge on Dmitry Bivol
Undisputed super-middleweight champion Alvarez dared to be great last year when he moved up to light-heavyweight in an effort to add a further world title to his collection. He fell short against Bivol, but there is a real feeling that he could win a rematch between the pair, which would be a massive fight for 2023.
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It seems as though Alvarez will first come to the UK to defend his belts against John Ryder, who is the mandatory challenger to his WBO title. Presuming he gets through that challenge, the end of the year could be the perfect time for the Mexican to give it one last go up at light-heavyweight.
There's only one fight Canelo fans want to see this year (Getty Images)7. Katie Taylor - Come home to Dublin
It would be a travesty if Olympic gold medalist and undisputed lightweight champion Taylor never had one homecoming fight in her iconic career. And as the days tick away, it seems more and more urgent that she get herself that opportunity, with the 82,000-capacity Croke Park seemingly waiting for her.
Taylor made history last year when she and Amanda Serrano packed out Madison Square Garden for the biggest women's fight in history. And they could do it all again in 2023 by filling up a massive stadium in Dublin and putting it all on the line in one of boxing's biggest ever rematches.
Katie Taylor should be coming back to Dublin this year (©INPHO/Gary Carr)8. Tommy Fury - Fight without controversy
It would be nice if Tommy Fury could just sign up for a fight this year, against Jake Paul or anyone else, and just get to the ring walk without any major controversy. Between injuries, travel issues and contractual disputes over weight, he's missed out on two fights with Jake Paul and a clash with Paul Bamba in the last few years.
It seems as though if you involved the younger Fury brother in your event, you will get some degree of messing around during the build-up. We reckon his New Year's Resolution should be to cut down on the shenanigans and get into boxing properly, ideally starting the year with finally facing Jake Paul.
Tommy Fury is never far from a controversy9. Conor Benn - Rebuild career
Heading into fight week for his massive pay-per-view clash with Chris Eubank Jr, it seemed that Benn was the British public's darling to Eubank's pantomime villain. But when he failed a drugs test for a female fertility drug, the tables turned and Eubank Jr became the hero of the story.
What Conor Benn needs in 2023 is to legitimately prove his innocence, take any punishment handed out and then to return to fighting.
Conor Benn had a difficult year in 2022 (PA)10. Terence Crawford and Errol Spence - Fight each other
If there's one fight that needs to happen in 2023, it is the welterweight title bout for undisputed status between Crawford and Spence. The pair seemed to be inches away from a November fight date last year, but it fell by the wayside and Crawford ended up facing David Avanesyan instead.
It's time that someone fronts up the necessary money for this fight to take place and we finally get Crawford and Spence in the ring together for one of the sport's biggest bouts.
Terence Crawford needs to fight Errol Spence Jr (Getty Images)Read more similar news:
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