List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

First, Chris Billam-Smith was raised aloft. As Shane McGuigan hauled his fighter’s hulking frame into the air, for the adoring mass of fans to see, the cruiserweight’s face vanished behind his gloves. Somewhere under the battered leather, his left eye – swollen half-shut – closed completely. So did the right, trying to trap the tears. Inevitably, the dam broke. The stream washed away his sweat, while his bawls were drowned out by the flood of noise around him. Then, the cruiserweight sank to his knees, all 6ft of him reduced to the stature of a boy who once dreamt of this very moment. Or rather, this meshing of moments. To a young Billam-Smith, fighting in front of a sold-out crowd at the home of his beloved AFC Bournemouth would have represented a dream fulfilled; so would winning a world title. Doing both on the same night? If that plays like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster, then it is the kind of moment that one would deride for stretching our suspension of disbelief a fibre too far. Boxing is not Hollywood. Boxing does not provide fairytale endings. Boxing is unforgiving, and cruel. But if any boxer has earnt a mote of kindness from this sport, it is Billam-Smith. It was granted in the form of his decision win over former teammate Lawrence Okolie last month, but it should not be taken for granted. Nor could it have been when “112-112” was the first scorecard to boom over the PA at Dean Court. “I remember listening and thinking... like frowning,” Billam-Smith, 32, tells The Independent, with stitches still hovering over his left eye. “I wasn’t really listening to the [other] scores, but I just knew it was obviously a majority decision. If I had listened, I think I would have known [I’d won] because obviously one of them was a 107, and that couldn’t have been me because I had no points deducted and wasn’t knocked down or anything. Obviously I was just waiting for them to say ‘and new’. He said it, and a wave of emotion came over me. I was just thinking, ‘I’ve done it.’ I just couldn't believe it. It was such... it’s been such a long journey.” As Billam-Smith knelt in the ring, his face soaked in tears, his mother came to his mind. Dedicating his victory to her, Billam-Smith revealed in the ring that she is battling cancer. “Obviously at the moment, with my mum being unwell and stuff,” he tells The Independent, “for it to be all worth it and worth all the hard graft put in over the years, the years of not earning any money as an amateur and even early on as a pro – not earning a huge amount of money and scraping by at times... To finally to do it and achieve my ultimate dream of winning a world title at the stadium, it was just... You can’t really put it into words to be honest with you. “I had so many reasons to win; I had 15,000 people there that I couldn’t let down, my mum, my wife, my son. I was never going in there without giving it 100 per cent, because of all those reasons. And obviously for myself as well, with the growth through the years. Yeah, my mum obviously was a huge part of that as well.” So was Billam-Smith’s son, Frank, as he says. “Having to miss my son’s first birthday the day before the fight, that’s a completely different emotion. It’s weird; he has no idea what’s going on, doesn’t know that I missed his birthday – thankfully – to stand half-naked in front of loads of people at Bournemouth pier. You know, it’d be amazing for him to grow up and hopefully be proud of his dad.” These various factors, and the emotional weight loaded into each of them, had to be put aside for the sake of performance; so did the sense of occasion around fighting at Dean Court. “On the Friday, I went and sat in my old season-ticket seat and just looked at the set-up,” says Billam-Smith. “I was like, ‘This is crazy.’ The ring-walk rehearsal was very important for me to visualise how everything was going to be, so it wasn’t overwhelming and I wasn’t like, ‘Oh my God, this is actually happening.’ [During the actual ring walk], there’s a point where I sort of look around and just nod to myself. Like, I’m still very much in the zone and focused and staying calm, but I thought: ‘This is awesome.’ “[In the fight], I very much had blinkers on. All the visualisation helped. I was very calm in the ring and the whole time in the build-up, just thinking about those 12 rounds and how I was going to react – making sure I reacted logically to every situation.” Billam-Smith did just that, capping off an eclectic trilogy of fights across the last 11 months. First, there was his war with Isaac Chamberlain, which ended as a points victory in Billam-Smith’s favour, then his knockout-of-the-year candidate against Armend Xhoxhaj in December, before this often-bitty bout with Okolie. The 12 rounds against Okolie will not be what fans remember from this particular night, however. They will remember the aftermath – the stirring scenes of a dream being realised in real time. “Now it’s about creating another dream,” says Billam-Smith, looking ahead to the future. “You know, I’d love to fight in Las Vegas, but most importantly I need to secure my family’s future financially. And I’m not the finished article as a boxer. “In any sport I’ve ever played, I’ve always just wanted to give it 100 per cent and improve. That’s still the same me now.” Lorton Entertainment’s“STABLE”, a four-part documentary series covering Shane McGuigan’s work with his fighters, will be released this Autumn. Read More Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith win world titles with victories over familiar foes How a unique night of action could lay groundwork for future super-fight ‘I could kill a guy and get away with it’: Teofimo Lopez is treading a disturbing path through boxing How unique night of action could lay groundwork for future super-fight Leigh Wood and Chris Billam-Smith win world titles with victories over familiar foes Boxxer’s Ben Shalom: ‘I sacrificed my twenties, I sacrificed absolutely everything’

Manchester City’s run to the Champions League final has hardly come as a surprise

Moeen Ali has come out of retirement and taken the place of injured spinner Jack Leach in England’s squad for the Ashes series against Australia starting next week

Shockwaves have been sent through the world of professional sport after Saudi-backed breakaway league LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour announced an unprecedented merger. The bitter feud between the PGA and LIV has dominated headlines in the professional game for the last 18 months and the new deal is something not even players on both sides knew was happening. It’s a day that will go down in sporting history, and the only person who saw it coming was Donald Trump. Writing almost a year ago in July 2022, Trump advised PGA players to take the money being offered to join the controversial LIV tour and warned that they’d lose out if they didn’t when the merger between the two entities eventually came. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Sure enough, he was eventually proved right. Trump posted after the Open in 2022, amid speculation that the winner Cam Smith was signing for LIV. Smith did eventually leave the PGA tour in order to sign with LIV for a reported $143 million. “All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making millions of dollars a year," Trump wrote at the time. "If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were. Good luck to all, and congratulations to really talented Cam Smith on his incredible WIN!” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan released a statement on Tuesday (June 6) announcing the news, saying: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love. “This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV - including the team golf concept - to create an organization that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.” The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending lawsuits between the various organisations that have proved so decisive in the sport. The news ends the legal wrangling between the parties, and the initial reaction suggests that players weren’t informed of the news before it was made public. “I love finding out morning news on Twitter,” two-time major winner Collin Morikawa tweeted. Fellow American PGA Tour player Michael Kim wrote: “Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right?” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

On Wednesday, West Ham United fans all over the country will spend the day somewhere between utter anxiety and outrageous optimism, preparing for the chance to win their first major trophy since 1980. The Hammers face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, a little over a year on from making the semi-finals of another European competition and falling just short. This time, there’s real optimism over them going the distance and lifting silverware, a moment which would be truly unique for a generation of supporters. Among them will be a certain Carlton Cole, striker for the Hammers for close to a decade from 2006 to 2015, now a coach within the Academy setup - and still very much someone hoping the club go the distance this time. The memories of last year and being close enough to touch a final appearance will spur the side on, but nothing can be taken for granted at this stage, he says. “If we had beat Frankfurt over two legs I think we’d have gone on to win it. We were so disappointed but now we’ve done really well in the Europa Conference League - you have to congratulate David Moyes for that even without it being a great Premier League season,” Cole told the Independent. “A Premier League team in this competition should be capable of winning it but a final is a one-off, you can’t say it’ll definitely happen.” Cole played almost 300 times for the east London club and was capped seven times at senior international level by England. That was a career highlight - he debut against Spain and almost scored - a moment he describes as the “pinnacle” for any aspiring player. But that is his past, and Cole has both eyes firmly on the future. That is both professionally and in his personal life, with the now 39-year-old an engaging and enthusiastic talker across a range of issues. When we meet, it’s in an unexpected location: the Monaco E-Prix, a flagship race in the Formula E all-electric racing series. The rapidly growing championship is now in it’s ninth season and Cole has found it an exhilarating sport to be around, along with it fitting into his own ethos of improved sustainability. “I went to the London E-Prix last summer and it was brilliant, I had a great time. They taught me about it and how different it is - I was never an F1 fan to be honest but you can see the tactical nouse you need to be a Formula E driver,” he explained. “That’s what I fell in love with, the tactical side - it remains me of football. The team around you need to be on point or you’re not getting the result you really want. Then [Jaguar’s British driver] Sam Bird has been on our TalkSport show and giving his score predictions so we have a bit of back-and-forth with that! “The way they invite people in and explain what’s going on and it ties in with the work I’m doing in sustainability. I’ve done some work with other pundits where we pull together to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible. I’ve looked into an electric car, my recycling is better. EVs are the future so it’s nice to be involved in something which is helping the ecosystem but which you can enjoy along the way too. It has been an eye-opener.” That willingness to absorb new ideas and information, and form his own opinions of where they can lead him, is evident elsewhere in Cole’s life. Having retired from playing, he set about taking the first steps in coaching and is now a Uefa A-licence holder, working with West Ham’s U16s - but he hasn’t necessarily pigeon-holed himself into continuing that route. “When I started I didn’t realise I would get this embedded. I was doing my badges but suddenly you’re a mentor to these kids, not just making them better footballers but better people too. I’m really happy West Ham have trusted me with these boys and it’s come to a point where I understand how far I can go. “Transitioning from being a player was hard to begin with but I think I’ve adapted now. I’m not sure whether long-term it’ll be coaching I stay in but it’s good to know I can do this. I didn’t go fast track, I did it step by step with the FA. “I know my philosophy, I know the style I want to play, but I can use that in other areas: I might want to be a director of football and coaching is just a part of the journey which might lead to bigger things. You have to find your identity within the game.” Within the game and without, it appears. Cole is making changes in both his day-to-day life and his professional career, but some things never change in football - he’ll be desperate to see West Ham win on Wednesday night in Prague, just like every other supporter. Read More West Ham vs Fiorentina predicted line-ups: Team news ahead of Europa Conference League final tonight David Moyes will not compare himself to Ron Greenwood and John Lyall West Ham vs Fiorentina live stream: How to watch Europa Conference League final online and on TV tonight

West Ham United stars will be hoping to write their names into club history on Wednesday, when they face Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final. The likes of Declan Rice and Michail Antonio are aiming for the first major trophies of their careers, while as a club the Hammers are hoping to end over four decades of waiting to see silverware lifted with their ribbon colours attached. Fiorentina finished in the top half of Serie A this season so will present a huge test - West Ham came 14th in England - but La Viola have themselves gone more than 20 years without a big trophy too. In Prague, one of those clubs will end their long waits and their fans will have a celebration for the ages; the other will be left to wonder what might have been, and have to get ready to do it all again next year. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the final. When is the match? The final kicks off at 8pm (UK) on Wednesday 7 June. Where can I watch it? The match will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. It can also be streamed on the BT Sport website, BT Sport app and BT Sport YouTube channel. What is the team news? Gianluca Scamacca misses the final after having knee surgery but otherwise, the Hammers should have a full squad to choose from. For Fiorentina, it’s goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu who will miss out, while Nicolas Gonzalez needs a late check to see if he can start. What are the predicted lineups WHU - Areola, Kehrer, Aguerd, Zouma, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma, Antonio FIO - Terracciano, Dodo, Martinez, Milenkovic, Biraghi, Amrabat, Mandragora, Ikone, Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Cabral Odds West Ham 37/20 Draw 11/5 Fiorentina 37/20 Prediction The Hammers to bring home a long-awaited trophy. West Ham 2-1 Fiorentina Read More Carlton Cole on West Ham’s final, coaching and surprise sporting ‘love’ David Moyes ready for ‘biggest moment’ of career in first European final West Ham vs Fiorentina predicted line-ups and team news ahead of final Route to the final: How did West Ham reach the Europa Conference League showpiece? Football says goodbye to Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Monday’s sporting social Golf and water parks can help West Ham to European glory, says Thilo Kehrer

West Ham United haven’t won a major trophy since the 1980 FA Cup final, but the present day group of Hammers can rewrite history if they triumph against Fiorentina in the Uefa Europa Conference League final. La Viola finished eighth in the Serie A table this season and themselves have gone more than two decades without major silverware - the 2001 Coppa Italia was their most recent triumph. After a dismal first half of the domestic season, David Moyes’ team improved after the new year and eventually finished 14th in the Premier League, but it’s in Europe their attention has been focused over the past couple of months. They’ll look to the likes of Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta to produce big performances, as they seek to triumph in Prague. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the final. When is the match? The final kicks off at 8pm (UK) on Wednesday 7 June. Where can I watch it? The match will be shown live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate. It can also be streamed on the BT Sport website, BT Sport app and BT Sport YouTube channel. What is the team news? Gianluca Scamacca misses the final after having knee surgery but otherwise, the Hammers should have a full squad to choose from. For Fiorentina, it’s goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu who will miss out, while Nicolas Gonzalez needs a late check to see if he can start. What are the predicted lineups WHU - Areola, Kehrer, Aguerd, Zouma, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma, Antonio FIO - Terracciano, Dodo, Martinez, Milenkovic, Biraghi, Amrabat, Mandragora, Ikone, Gonzalez, Bonaventura, Cabral Odds West Ham 37/20 Draw 11/5 Fiorentina 37/20 Prediction The Hammers to bring home a long-awaited trophy. West Ham 2-1 Fiorentina Read More Carlton Cole on West Ham’s final, coaching and surprise sporting ‘love’ How to watch West Ham vs Fiorentina online and on TV tonight David Moyes ready for ‘biggest moment’ of career in first European final Route to the final: How did West Ham reach the Europa Conference League showpiece? Football says goodbye to Zlatan Ibrahimovic – Monday’s sporting social Golf and water parks can help West Ham to European glory, says Thilo Kehrer

What the papers say Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, 30, has emerged as a target for Tottenham, according to The Daily Telegraph. The London club are hoping the signing could help persuade his England colleague Harry Kane to stay at the club as big-name clubs line up for his signature. Maguire is one of eight players United are looking to move on this summer, reports the Daily Mirror. Striker Anthony Martial, 27, Scott McTominay, 26, fellow midfielder Fred, 30, and goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 26, are also on the list, along with defenders Eric Bailly, 29, Alex Telles, 30, and Brandon Williams, 22. Brighton want more than £70 million for Manchester United target Moises Caicedo, says The Daily Telegraph. Chelsea and Arsenal are also chasing the 21-year-old Ecuador midfielder. Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, 32, is wanted by two clubs in Saudi Arabia, according to The Guardian. Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr are keen on the France star with annual salary offers which could reach £86.2 million. Social media round-up Players to watch Levi Colwill: The Daily Mail reports Brighton are considering an increased bid of around £40 million for the Chelsea defender, who spent last season on loan at The Seagulls. Gabri Veiga: Chelsea have joined Liverpool and Barcelona in tracking the Celta Vigo midfielder, 21, who has a £34.4 million release clause, says The Guardian. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Afghanistan recalled star legspinner Rashid Khan and opted to bat first in the series-deciding third limited-overs international against Sri Lanka

Chelsea and Jose Mourinho reached a settlement with former team doctor Eva Carneiro over her claims that she was constructively dismissed by the club, and victimised by its former manager, on this day in 2016. Carneiro had brought the claim at an employment tribunal, accusing Mourinho of victimisation and discrimination. She was due to begin giving evidence but after last-minute talks between the parties, a settlement was agreed. Mourinho made a surprise appearance at the hearing at the London South Employment Tribunal centre in Croydon. Addressing the tribunal, Daniel Stilitz QC, for Chelsea and Mourinho, said: “We are pleased to be able to tell the tribunal that the parties agreed a settlement on confidential terms.” The case was expected to last seven to 10 days and could have led to potentially embarrassing witness statements and documents – including texts and emails – being made public. It was revealed that Carneiro had refused £1.2 million to settle her claims with Mourinho and Chelsea. Details of the final deal between the parties were not released. Carneiro had alleged she was sexually discriminated against after she went on to the pitch to treat Eden Hazard during the opening day of the Premier League season on August 8, 2015. She claimed that, as she ran on to the pitch during the game with Swansea, Mourinho shouted “filha da puta” at her. In a statement to the tribunal, Mourinho conceded that he used the term “filho da puta”, meaning “son of a whore”, but insisted he had been using it throughout the match. Carneiro was removed from first-team duties at Chelsea shortly after the Swansea game and then parted company with the club the following month. Chelsea said in a statement: “The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused. “We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first. “Dr Carneiro has always put the interests of the club’s players first. Dr Carneiro is a highly competent and professional sports doctor. She was a valued member of the club’s medical team and we wish her every success in her future career.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rory McIlroy due to face media over PGA’s agreement with LIV Golf David Moyes will not compare himself to Ron Greenwood and John Lyall PGA Tour ‘should be ashamed’ over LIV deal, says 9/11 families group

Mike Trout and Matt Thaiss delivered two-run singles during the Angels’ five-run fifth inning, and Shohei Ohtani hit his 16th homer in Los Angeles’ 7-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs

Two professional Chinese snooker players have been banned for life and eight others suspended after being found guilty of match-fixing and other charges, the sport's governing body has announced.