Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Dalton Smith ended a 10-month layoff in style this weekend, dropping Walid Ouizza twice in a one-sided opening round en route to securing European honours at 140-pounds. Yet the Yorkshireman wants more on the world stage and after his Jose Zepeda scalp in 2024, may have to venture stateside to get it. Continue reading “Hearn on Dalton Smith’s options, as Walid Ouizza KO earns him European honours”
Ellie Scotney reaffirmed her desire to become undisputed super-bantamweight champion after skilfully outpointing Mea Motu in Nottingham, starting a promising 2025 campaign with another world title victory. However, another Matchroom-based titleholder in the division directly above is also of interest… Continue reading “Ellie Scotney calls out Skye Nicolson after unifying 122lb titles – Hearn responds”
Jai Opetaia is two weeks removed from his latest assignment – another stoppage win – dismissing former sparring partner David Nyika in four rounds to retain his IBF/Ring Magazine titles after original opponent Huseyin Cinkara withdrew through injury. There was to be no fairytale story, though Opetaia still fancies unifying a cruiserweight division with movement aplenty at the top. Continue reading “Opetaia: Whether boxing or navigating politics, you’ve always got to adapt”
Victor Wembanyama is having a seismic second season. Averaging 24.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and a league-leading 4.0 blocks per game, he is peerless in that regard and being treated as the king upon returning to his native Paris, having come agonisingly close to Olympic gold in July. Acting as tour guide for the San Antonio Spurs during their two-game overseas trip, he’s a fitting ambassador. Continue reading “All eyes on you, Wemby”
First-round stoppage victories over Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme across three months kicked off an eventful calendar year for Vergil Ortiz Jr in 2024, campaigning in a new weight division and looking to replicate his exciting welterweight success against elite junior middleweight opposition. We spoke about his last fight, Tim Tszyu criticism ahead of his Israil Madrimov matchup. Continue reading “Vergil Ortiz Jr rejects notion Tim Tszyu isn’t an elite boxer, says Aussie can rebuild”
Islam Makhachev raced through short-notice replacement Renato Moicano to stand on the brink of history, after his proposed Arman Tsarukyan rematch was dramatically shelved late. Prior in the co-main, Merab Dvalishvili was defiant and diligent en route to a successful first championship defence against the anointed one in Umar Nurmagomedov. The Georgian didn’t read the memo.
Continue reading “UFC 311: Merab thrives in Umar firefight, Makhachev makes quick work of Moicano”
Australian heavyweight contender Justis Huni (12-0, 7 KOs) kicked off his 2025 with a second-round TKO win over Shaun Potgieter in the co-feature as Jai Opetaia made another successful IBF cruiserweight world title defence, blasting past David Nyika on the Gold Coast, January 8. His manager, Mick Francis, tells me why a Moses Itauma matchup could happen this year after elbow surgery. Continue reading “Mick Francis: Huni set for elbow surgery, would take Itauma bout “in a heartbeat””
It feels like just yesterday, Zhilei Zhang was ripping up the script with a pair of emphatic stoppage victories in the English capital as the divisional landscape dramatically shifted again. Now, he faces another younger, ambitious and unbeaten heavyweight looking to announce himself among the super elite at his expense. So, I spoke to his trainer Shaun George for the inside track. Continue reading “Exclusive: Zhang’s trainer Shaun George talks lessons learned as Kabayel awaits”
Two-and-a-half years after their catchweight clash was set, then dramatically cancelled on fight week after news of a failed drug test, Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn will now box in a two-fight series later this calendar year. Continue reading “Chris Eubank Jr vs. Conor Benn: Two-fight deal set, rematch guaranteed by December”
Lorenzo Sonego took on Joao Fonseca and a rowdy Brazilian contingent but emerged victorious during a busy day’s play, where four seeds fell but Iga Swiatek and Alex de Minaur won comfortably as Madison Keys kicked off the night session with a three-set victory before compatriot Learner Tien produced a thrilling display over five sets vs. three-time runner-up Daniil Medvedev. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sonego stifles Fonseca in five, Tien topples Medvedev in thriller”
Day 4 was fun. 18-year-old Next Gen champion Joao Fonseca made a jolt with a straight-sets win over Andrey Rublev 24 hours earlier, but besides that, there wasn’t much to speak of as the first-round matches were finally concluded. The same couldn’t be said as round two began, with seven seeds falling across both draws while another teenage talent made noise in a memorable night session. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sabalenka tested, Bencic-Osaka set as Draper relishes the moment”
Stephen Curry’s 26-point outing saw him pass Hall of Fame guard Allen Iverson for 28th on the NBA’s all-time scorers list, but besides a 20-point game from Andrew Wiggins, the undermanned Warriors were unable to maintain their lead down the stretch in Toronto and suffered a 104-101 defeat to drop below .500. Continue reading “Curry passes Iverson on all-time points list, but Warriors fall below .500 in Toronto”
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