Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk was supposed to have unfolded a week ago today, with two other championship bouts on the undercard – featuring the return of IBF super-featherweight world titlist Joe Cordina. While the three-month delay complicates matters out of his control, the Welshman has been clear on his stance should he be unable to secure unification bouts at 130lbs. Continue reading “Cordina’s unification desire lingers as IBF world champion enduring unclear future”
Having made his first Premier League start during their home win over Brentford earlier this week, the Premier League champions’ plan is for the Norway international to sign a new long-term contract extension beyond the existing 2026 agreement to reflect his growing status within the senior side. Continue reading “After first start vs. Brentford, City’s Oscar Bobb now set for new contract extension”
Having seen the pushback on social media after calling for a champ-vs-champ showdown with new featherweight titlist Ilia Topuria, UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has now said longtime contender Merab Dvalishvili will be his next opponent – two weeks before his maiden championship defence vs. Marlon Vera: the only man to beat him in his professional career to date. Continue reading “UFC 299: Marlon Vera must be O’Malley’s main focus, not Dvalishvili or Topuria bout”
Natasha Jonas has had a month to rest, relax and savour her latest win, a main event matchup vs. former unified world champion Mikaela Mayer, but the IBF welterweight champion revealed post-fight that 2024 would likely be the final year competing, and she wanted to finish on a high. There are options aplenty, but her promoter Ben Shalom confirmed they remain in the Scouser’s hands. Continue reading “Mayer rematch? Ben Shalom: Natasha Jonas’ future is up to her, after SD10 win”
A year on from being traded to Brooklyn, Mikal Bridges’ name popped up frequently in trade talks before the deadline closed earlier this month – with the Nets keen to build around their ironman forward, enjoying a career-year as scoring leader. They’ve now dismissed head coach Jacque Vaughn, with Kevin Ollie’s promotion coming as they plot the future after a tough losing stretch. Continue reading “Nets fire Vaughn, Ollie promoted to interim HC as they build around Bridges”
Three-weight world champion Shakur Stevenson retired, then quickly circled back faster than Teofimo Lopez, left agitated by the politics of a sport he’s known his entire life. Now 26 and settled as one of the four titlists at 135lbs, the Olympic silver medallist must look inwardly if he’s to live up to the sky-high greatness many have long tipped him for. Will his last display prompt that? Continue reading “Addressing the Shakur Stevenson-shaped problem at lightweight, and well, beyond”
They were quick to laugh and rubbish his perceived arrogance during the build-up to the biggest fight of his career, but Ilia Topuria made good on his promise by securing a stunning second-round knockout win over long-reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and snap the Australian’s unbeaten 145lb streak, becoming the new divisional king in their PPV headliner. Continue reading “UFC 298: Topuria tops Volkanovski with superb R2 KO to clinch featherweight gold”
After a career night against New Orleans, Deni Avdija feels he’s still getting better and there’s room for further growth – music to the ears of Washington Wizards staff and fans alike. The fourth-year small forward has shown glimpses of potential but not taken a significant leap like other draft class agemates have, as the ball club have needed to exercise patience with the 23-year-old. Continue reading “Forgotten fourth-year forward Deni Avdija must keep accelerating in Washington”
He played the game perfectly: said all the things to stir up genuine interest, leaned into the villain role and successfully weighed in for tomorrow night’s UFC 298 PPV main event against long-reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Before then, here’s a rewind to the display which saw Ilia Topuria earn the latest title shot at 145lbs against Josh Emmett last June. Continue reading “Rewind: Ilia Topuria’s UD5 win vs. Josh Emmett, before his Volkanovski title shot”
Last season’s Champions League semifinalists took a significant step towards the last-16 of Europe’s second-tier club competition after the former England international completed his second brace in three weeks to help them ease past Julien Stephan’s side, with the second leg coming in Rennes next Thursday. Continue reading “Milan 3-0 Rennes: Loftus-Cheek’s hot form continues, as he nets Europa League brace”
Kevin de Bruyne scored the first and assisted two more as Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City extended their English club-record winning streak to nine in Champions League competition, emerging from their Denmark trip with a comfortable two-goal cushion for next month’s last-16 return leg at Eastlands. Continue reading “Copenhagen 1-3 Manchester City: Decisive de Bruyne inspires comfy first-leg cushion”
Having narrowly beaten Inter Milan last June to complete a historic treble, the Premier League champions’ inconsistent domestic form this term saw many believing they’d crash-and-burn on all fronts this season after Kevin de Bruyne’s injury left star striker Erling Haaland without his creator-in-chief. Both back fit again in an in-form team, Guardiola doesn’t think so – and why would he? Continue reading “Guardiola talks up City belief in retaining Champions League crown, as you’d expect”
Mo and Sports 