List of All Articles with Tag 'eppersons'

Sam Kerr has been named as a substitute for Australia’s round-of-16 match against Denmark at the Women’s World Cup

Aaron Ramsdale explains why winning Community Shield against Manchester City was so important for Arsenal.

There’s been a sense all season that whoever wins the AL Central will be the weak link in the American League playoffs

Henry Slade was the shock omission from England coach Steve Borthwick's 33-man squad for the...

Man Utd defender Raphael Varane reacts to the Premier League's new stoppage time rules.

Australia will look to advance to the quarter-finals of the Women’s World Cup as they host Denmark at a sold-out Olympic Stadium in Sydney. The World Cup co-hosts survived a “do or die” clash with Canada to progress to the knockout stages in style, thrashing the Olympic champions 4-0 to finish top of Group B. The Matildas could be boosted by the return of star striker and captain Sam Kerr, who missed all three group games due to injury but could be back for the knockout stages. Denmark are led by Kerr’s former Chelsea team-mate Pernille Harder and reached the last-16 after finishing runner-up to England in Group B. The early exits of Germany, the USA and Brazil have opened up the World Cup and now Australia and Denmark have an opportunity to make a claim. Follow live updates from Australia vs Denmark in the Women’s World Cup last-16, below. Read More Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings? Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup?

Gerardo 'Tata' Martino reacts to Lionel Messi's starring performance as Inter Miami beat FC Dallas in the Leagues Cup.

On Saturday night, Jake Paul once again blurred the lines between boxing and acting with another win. His opponent in Dallas was Nate Diaz, a renowned MMA fighter, with a rudimentary understanding of the boxing game, but a huge heart. And a cult following. On the day that Dillian Whyte was ruled out of this Saturday’s sold-out fight with Anthony Joshua, a tank was used to take Paul to the ring. It was mayhem, boxing for a new market, a novice against a man making his professional boxing debut. Meanwhile, in the real world of boxing, Whyte will appeal the findings of the latest test he has failed; Paul will continue to grab headlines as he feasts on a list of faded athletes from other sports, especially veterans from the UFC circuit. The UFC fighters are genuine brawlers, they bleed for their trade but they sell each fight like members from wrestling’s glory days of the Eighties and Nineties. Against the backdrop of excesses, it must be remembered that Paul did lose on points to Tommy Fury, a genuine novice boxer, in Saudi Arabia a few months ago; the step up in class was simply too much, which should be the pay-off line to a very funny joke. However, here is a punchline to choke the purists: Paul made over 30 million dollars for the eight-round fight with Fury. Fury, incidentally, has fought as a legitimate boxer with a British Boxing Board of Control licence, but he will go full carnival in October when he fights the entrepreneurial YouTuber, KSI, in Manchester on a show under the Misfits promotional banner. Paul, Fury and KSI are making more money for their fights than just about every single boxer in the British business. The cynics and purists are scoffing, but the demand for the fights is there and it is increasing. It is pointless standing on the outside and saying they are rubbish – they might be, but they have a following and a formula that works. Fury’s big brother, Tyson, fights a man called Francis Ngannou in a Saudi Arabian ring in late October. Ngannou will make in excess of $10m for the non-title fight. Fury is the current WBC heavyweight champion; he is unbeaten in 34 fights and Ngannou has never been in a single boxing match. Ngannou, you see, is, like Diaz, a former champion from the MMA circuit. He recently quit the UFC business as their heavyweight champion to sign with a rival company; Jake Paul is heavily involved with the new company. It is mad to think that at the end of this year, Tyson Fury, for just one fight against a huge wrestler, will be the highest-paid British boxer of the year. And, his little brother, Tommy, will be the third highest-paid British boxer. Joshua will be second on the list. Paul, meanwhile, is not in the Canelo Alvarez earning realm but is probably in the top five earners in America. He might even be number two. Young Tommy is unbeaten in nine, ranked a generous 16 out of 54 boxers at his weight in Britain and he should start his fight with KSI as the favourite. His brother, the heavyweight champion of the world, will start as a bigger favourite when he meets a man who has never boxed before. It is a circus, make no mistake, but it is an entertaining circus. And yes, it is wrong that Fury, a novice, is making a hundred times more for his non-title fights than a British champion can make for a defence. It is wrong, but not illegal, which could be boxing’s motto. Tommy’s fight with KSI is not being held under Board rules but the safety measures in place on any Misfits shows are exceptional. There was a further blurring of the lines when it was announced last Friday that Mike Tyson, the original Tyson, would work in the gym with Ngannou to prepare for Fury. “I would consider all offers,” Tyson replied when I asked him if he would have liked a cross-over fight during his fighting days. Incidentally, Fury against Ngannou in Riyadh will be fun until Fury gets serious and then there will be few laughs. The real debate in boxing is whether the millions of fans that watch KSI and Jake Paul in their day jobs as influencers will watch boxing beyond the appearances of their idols. Does it really matter if all the millions and millions of so-called new fans have switched off before Ekow Essuman’s latest defence of his British welterweight title? Tommy Fury has certainly never stolen one of Ekow’s fans, but there is a very real chance that a fighter like Ekow could steal a few of Fury’s followers. The YouTubers, tourists from the MMA world, Love Island refugees, influencers and other assorted clowns are not going away; the boxing invasion is happening and boxing needs to find a way to somehow embrace the potential new fans that are watching. Read More Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz prize money: How much did fighters earn for boxing match? ‘Boo if you’re a virgin’: Jake Paul mocks crowd after beating Nate Diaz I hate to admit it, but it’s time to face facts – the Paul brothers are generational talents Jake Paul arrives on tank for Nate Diaz fight What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout? Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz LIVE: Boxing fight result and reaction from Dallas

The daughter of reggae legend Bob Marley is the “fairy godmother” of the Jamaican players at the Women’s World Cup

Watch live as supporters arrive at Stadium Australia for the Women’s World Cup last-16 match between co-hosts Australia and Denmark. All eyes will be on the Matildas, as all-time leading scorer Sam Kerr is set to make her first appearance of the tournament in Monday’s tie. The Chelsea forward did not play in Australia’s three group games because of a calf injury, but the side still finished top of their group with six points. They beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in their opening fixture, before losing 3-2 to Nigeria and beating Canada 4-0. Runners-up Nigeria are facing England in the last-16, a match which kicked off ahead of Australia vs Denmark. While Kerr and co are favourites heading into the match, the Danes are expected to provide a tough test. England scraped past them with a 1-0 victory in Group D, with Denmark beating China and Haiti to secure their place in the knockouts. Read More Australia vs Denmark LIVE: Latest Women’s World Cup updates England’s Niamh Charles has new level of respect for ‘machine’ Sam Kerr Australia thrash Canada to save Women’s World Cup dream from the jaws of a nightmare

Mohamed Salah’s agent has dismissed speculation linking the Liverpool forward with a move to Saudi Arabia as the 31-year-old “remains committed” to the club. A report in the Middle East claimed talks were taking place between the Egypt international’s representatives and Al-Ittihad over a deal said to be worth over £155million over two years to the player. Salah’s former team-mate Fabinho has already made the move to Al-Ittihad this summer in a £40m transfer. In that context the £60m fee being touted for Salah – who has scored 139 goals in 231 Premier League appearances – appeared to under-value a player who is only 12 months into a three-year deal which is the most lucrative contract in Liverpool’s history. And Salah’s representative insists the former Chelsea and Roma forward has no intention of leaving Anfield in any case. “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer. Mohamed remains committed to LFC,” Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas posted on Twitter. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Andre Onana, Declan Rice, Christopher Nkunku, Dominik Szoboszlai, James Maddison and Moussa Diaby are among the most interesting offseason signings in the Premier League in a summer dominated by big-name arrivals in Saudi Arabia