Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Plenty was said, most of it negative, about WBO cruiserweight world champion Chris Billam-Smith holding firm on his desire to return in November-December time rather than be rushed into a unification bout with IBF titleholder Jai Opetaia a month earlier on Saudi shores. Now, the Brit is close to agreeing a Stateside showdown with newly-crowned WBA champion Gilberto Ramirez. Continue reading “Nov. 16 the targeted date as Billam-Smith praises Zurdo before proposed unification”
One-time UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns faces unfamiliar territory on Saturday, keen to snap a two-fight losing streak for the first time vs. #8 ranked contender Sean Brady in their UFC Vegas 97 main event. 38 and in the final stages of his fighting career, Durinho has some unfinished business. Continue reading “Gilbert Burns excited to silence critics in final title tilt, starting with Sean Brady”
The risk vs. reward battle of their proposed IBF, WBO welterweight world title unification bout meant this was always an unlikely possibility given one boxer is aligned with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable, the other steadily built by ESPN and Bob Arum’s Top Rank machine – leverage, high asking prices, back-and-forth versions of transparency playing out in public is never a positive sign. Continue reading “Brian Norman vs. Jaron Ennis unification plans shelved after messy public discourse”
Powered by Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and a second season with Rudy Gobert after their oft-criticised blockbuster trade, Minnesota exceeded expectations en route to a Western Conference Finals finish, having knocked out the defending champion Denver Nuggets – where president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was lured away from – no surprise they want more.
Continue reading “Timberwolves prez of basketball ops Tim Connelly: Proud but must keep growing”
Many questioned whether the hype was premature after a blunt display over ten rounds during a showcase co-main event opportunity four months ago. In response, #1 WBO world ranked super-middleweight contender Diego Pacheco delivered another highlight reel moment in passing the toughest test of his career thus far overnight against Maciej Sulecki with bigger plans on the way. Continue reading “Pacheco’s plaudits return with career-best win over Sulecki as 168lb options emerge”
24 hours. Two stunning results on Arthur Ashe. Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, as well as defending titlist Novak Djokovic both beaten before the second week at a Major for the first time in a while, just weeks removed from their Olympic exertions on Parisian clay left the pair undercooked and lacking energy needed for a deep Flushing Meadows foray. Continue reading “US Open 2024: Olympic hangover sees Alcaraz, Djokovic both stunned in 24 hours”
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi excelled with Euro 2024 runners-up England, instrumental in their surprise final run after recovering from knee surgery. Newcastle made four unsuccessful bids, the last worth up to £65m including add-ons and all were rebuffed, with Palace now acquiring a pair of wantaway centre-backs after Joachim Andersen returned to Fulham for £30m this month.
Continue reading “Glasner confirms Newcastle target Guehi stays; Palace sign Lacroix and Chalobah”
Ten wins on the spin, #1 UFC bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili gets his title shot next month against Sean O’Malley and while the highly-regarded Georgian will fancy his chances against a flashy striker, the champion’s head coach Tim Welch feels one glaring hole could prove costly in their PPV headliner. Continue reading “UFC 306: O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch pinpoints weakness in Dvalishvili’s game”
Terence Crawford is three-and-a-half weeks removed from beating Israil Madrimov to become a four-division world champion and per the WBO today, WBC and WBO champ Sebastian Fundora has been ordered to face the star in a unification bout ambitiously slated for this winter, should the two sides agree terms within a 30-day timeframe before purse bids are sent. Will they though? Continue reading “WBO orders Fundora-Crawford to unify titles, after latter’s UD12 Madrimov win”
DeMar DeRozan constantly exceeding expectations among valuable but volatile situations from San Antonio to Chicago, has put him in a position where his long-term future was an oft-discussed wrinkle whenever trade season was in play and now he’s part of a handy trio in Sacramento alongside De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Why wouldn’t the latter, or his teammates, be excited? Continue reading “Domantas Sabonis excited about DeMar DeRozan trade, and why wouldn’t he be?”
The pre-US Open parties and media duties have been completed, top-ranked players spending valuable time on court practising and getting acclimatised to the conditions while the last hopefuls from across the globe battle out for a main draw qualifying berth are now set in stone. Today marks the beginning of the year’s final Major and with that, more questions than answers as usual. Continue reading “US Open 2024: Main draw analysis across both tours, as year’s final Major begins”
Caio Borralho began well, fended off some adversity and multiple warnings for outstretched fingers, but eventually got the job done over 25 minutes and ticked multiple boxes with a mature showing across all levels against one-time middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier, before calling out the 185lb champ having asserted himself as one of the division’s rising contenders. Continue reading “UFC Vegas 96: Borralho beckons du Plessis after UD5 win in gruelling Cannonier clash”
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