List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

Chris Buescher is finishing the regular season in a winning way

Anthony Joshua will fight Robert Helenius this weekend, as the Finn steps in for Dillian Whyte. Joshua was due to fight Whyte in a rematch of their 2015 clash, which “AJ” won via knockout, but Whyte returned an adverse drug-test finding last week, causing Saturday’s main event to be cancelled. Helenius, 39, has been drafted in to fight Joshua, 33, on short notice, as the pair square off at London’s O2 Arena. Briton Joshua last fought in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points to bounce back from two straight losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Meanwhile, Helenius fought just last week, winning in the third round to respond positively to a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder last year. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is it? Joshua vs Helenius will take place on Saturday 12 August at the O2 Arena in London. The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? The event will stream live on Dazn. A subscription to the streaming platform is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99. Odds Joshua – 1/18 Helenius – 25/1 Draw – 17/2 Full odds via Betfair. Full card (subject to change) Anthony Joshua vs Robert Helenius (heavyweight) Filip Hrgovic vs Demsey McKean (heavyweight) Johnny Fisher vs Harry Armstrong (heavyweight) Derek Chisora vs Gerald Washington (heavyweight) Campbell Hatton vs Tom Ansell (super-lightweight) George Liddard vs Bas Oosterweghel (middleweight) Brandon Scott vs Louis Norman (featherweight) Maisey Rose Courtney vs Gemma Ruegg (super-flyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish star stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’ Key questions answered as Robert Helenius steps in to take on Anthony Joshua Robert Helenius: Record of Finnish boxer stepping up to face Anthony Joshua Anthony Joshua news LIVE: Next fight revealed after Dillian Whyte fails doping test

Georgia has fired the football recruiting staffer who survived a January crash that killed player Devin Willock and another recruiting staffer, less than a month after she filed a lawsuit against the university’s athletic association

When Sarina Wiegman saw Lauren James after her red card against Nigeria, the first thing the manager said to her was “it happens”. There was absolutely no castigation, a stance made easier by the player’s immediate apology and the fact England got through. It has made the squad’s World Cup that bit more complicated, though, not least because of the curious regulation that James may not even know her full punishment until after the quarter-final. It is a definite one-game ban until Fifa’s disciplinary committee review the incident, which isn’t certain to happen before Saturday. One thing we know is that, for all the obvious comparisons, this was never going to be a David Beckham 1998 or Wayne Rooney 2006. That isn’t just because England won on penalties. We are a long way from “10 Heroic Lions, One Stupid Boy”, particularly when it comes to women’s football. One of the most common responses after the game – beyond the question of what James was actually doing – was that she should be protected from the pitchforks that Rooney and Beckham faced. That is a good thing. It is just football, and she is only a 21-year-old experiencing a game of such intensity for the first time. Even a manager as experienced as Wiegman said she had never experienced a game as immersive as that, so what was it going to be like for someone so young facing such expectation? “They are in such an intense game and such an emotional game and, in a split second, she lost her emotions,” Wiegman said. That shouldn’t preclude a more constructive discussion about it all, that should serve James. Because, while it is just football, this is also elite sport. The team are going for the greatest prize in the game. Dealing with that pressure and everything the stage brings is a fundamental part of excelling; of fulfilling talent. Amid that, it is simply a pity that James might not now get to make this World Cup her own, in the manner she had been threatening. Her campaign was on one of those gloriously upward trajectories, with note-for-note perfection when it comes to the storyline of a young star going to the next level. She first got the crucial winner against Denmark, effectively announcing herself, before going to another level with her own personal highlights show against China. This ended up being part of the issue, though, that Nigeria played on and for a time so benefited from. James’ displays in that new No 10 role made her the player Randy Waldrum had to specifically plan for. Nigeria made a point of shutting her out of the game. There were constantly four players around her, isolating James and ensuring there was always a huge distance between her and other attackers. It was notable how often she began to drop back to pick up the ball. Those who know her say this was just one of many clear signs that she was getting frustrated, which is all the worse since she is one of those players who needs to feel like she is constantly in the game. James has never been one for waiting dangerously at the fringes. It says much that the England bench at least gave some consideration to taking her off before then, but Wiegman felt the game was too tight. That tightness only fed into James’ frustration, which she then took out on Michelle Alozie. It is something she is going to have to manage as she becomes one of the best players in the world. For their part, her teammates already told her that it’s something some of the best players were just as responsible for when they were younger. James pointed to how she just couldn’t get into the game. Amid the general sympathy, Wiegman offered a benign interpretation of the moment. “Absolutely she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. I haven’t seen it back. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone, and I think she agrees with that, too… she’s the sweetest person I know and, yeah, things happen like that. You can’t change it any more. It’s a huge lesson to learn but of course it’s not something she’s done on purpose.” It may well be true that James didn’t want to hurt Alozie given it was just a trod rather than a “stamp”, but it’s hard to say it was not on purpose. Having initially tripped over the Nigerian player, James could have easily not stepped on her. Alozie’s bemused response - which has itself already been the subject of many memes - said as much. Wiegman is good at this sort of management, though. The approach will be to bring James on. The hope is Fifa aren’t as forceful due to the more restrained nature of the contact, and that James’ teammates offer her another reprieve. They played their part in ensuring this wasn’t another national moment, although it shouldn’t have come to that anyway. It should just be a lesson, of the sort James will use to go to the next level. Read More In World Cup of revolving problems, Sarina Wiegman has another to solve England’s heroic penalty takers saved Lauren James from sporting ignominy How ‘arrogance’ and ‘complacency’ led to United States’ decline 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? Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final

There’s a big hole in the Paris Saint-Germain locker room where Lionel Messi used to sit

France has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Women’s World Cup by beating Morocco 4-0

The Spanish league begins this week with the title favorites facing a transition year and squad changes that might open the door for other challengers

Newcastle has bought England under-21 defender Tino Livramento from Southampton for a fee reported to be worth at least $38 million

Lauren James has promised to “learn” from her sending off at the Women’s World Cup - as the England star apologised to Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie for stamping on her back during the last-16 match. James was shown a straight red card after leaving her studs on Alozie’s back when the defender was on the ground, with the 21-year-old having grown frustrated as Nigeria marked her out of the game. The forward will be suspended for at least the quarter-finals, with England facing Colombia on Saturday after defeating Nigeria on penalties, but a Fifa disciplinary panel could decide that the act merits further punishment. Alozie had tweeted “all respect to Lauren James” earlier on Tuesday after appearing to forgive the England player for the incident, adding “we are playing on the world’s stage, this game is one of passion, insurmountable emotions, and moments”. James replied to Alozie’s post and said: “All my love and respect to you. I am sorry for what happened. Also, for our England fans and my team-mates, playing with and for you is my greatest honour and I promise to learn from my experience.” James has been England’s player of the World Cup but was left frustrated after Nigeria marked her out of the game and lashed out, with manager Sarina Wiegman admitting she “lost her emotions”. Wiegman chose not to criticise James and said: “She’s an inexperienced player on this stage and has done really well, and I think in a split second she just lost her emotions. “And of course she doesn’t want to hurt anyone. She’s the sweetest person I know, and things happen like that and you can’t change it anymore, so it’s a huge lesson for her to learn, but of course it’s not something that she really did on purpose.” England defender Lucy Bronze said James was “upset” as the Chelsea star waits for the disciplinary panel’s verdict, which may not come until after England’s quarter-final on Saturday. “Obviously she’s going to be disappointed in herself,” Bronze said. “I went straight off the pitch after the game to make sure she was OK. Obviously she was a little bit upset and rightfully so and more than anything she just feels bad for the team. I said to her, ‘We’ve made it through. It’s a team, it’s not just one player.’” After receiving a red card, James is automatically suspended for England’s next match against Colombia, however her punishment will be reviewed by a Fifa disciplinary panel. If the forward is deemed to have committed a serious act of foul play, the panel have the power to apply further sanctions. A three-match ban would see James ruled out for the rest of the tournament if England were to reach their first-ever Women’s World Cup final. A decision might not be made until after England’s quarter-final, however, once James serves her automatic one-match ban. Nigeria’s Deborah Abiodun was given a three-match ban after she was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Canada’s Ashley Lawrence in the group stage, but her ban was not increased until after she had served the first game. Read More It’s done – Millie Bright says England have moved on from Lauren James red card Lauren James ‘lost her emotions for a split second’ over red card stamp, Wiegman says Lauren James ‘upset’ as red card puts her World Cup in doubt Why Lauren James must be protected, not vilified, after World Cup red Who and when do England play next? Lionesses route to the World Cup final

A 29-year-old Greek fan has died after overnight clashes between rival supporters in Athens

Liverpool is undergoing its first major overhaul in Jurgen Klopp's nearly eight years at the club after a season when the Reds failed to win a trophy or qualify for the Champions League

Robert Helenius will step in to fight Anthony Joshua on short notice on Saturday, after “AJ”’s original opponent Dillian Whyte failed a doping test last week. Joshua vs Whyte 2 would have been a rematch eight years in the making, with “AJ” having knocked out his fellow Briton in 2015 to avenge an amateur defeat by Whyte. However, Saturday’s rematch at the O2 Arena in London fell through when Whyte, 35, returned an adverse finding in a drug test. Whyte has maintained his innocence, while it was initially unclear whether Joshua, 33, would still compete on Saturday. But his promoter Eddie Hearn then teased an announcement on Tuesday (8 August), with fans learning that Helenius will replace Whyte. The Finn, 39, fought just last week, stopping Mika Mielonen in the third round to bounce back from a knockout loss to Deontay Wilder last October. Helenius appeared to retire after his first-round defeat by Wilder, who tearfully said at the post-fight press conference: “How much is that man gonna suffer? He may be alright right now – a little bit – but what about the next day? What about two weeks from now? What about a month from now? Maybe years from now?” Helenius returned to the ring last Saturday, though, beating Mielonen in what might have proved a helpful warm-up for this clash with Joshua. With that win, Helenius improved his professional record to 32-4 (21 KO wins, 3 KO losses). His most notable opponents, alongside Wilder, have been Whyte and Derek Chisora, with the former outpointing Helenius and the latter losing to the Finn via decision. Following the drastic change to Saturday’s main event, Matchroom is offering refunds to fans who do not wish to attend Joshua vs Helenius. Those who do wish to attend the event will see their original tickets honoured. “This wasn’t in the script,” Joshua said. “I respect Helenius and may I say, I respect any male or female who steps into the ring. “I am laser-focused on the win. I can make steps forward to bigger and better things, but the road map has a checkpoint, Saturday night. May the best man win.” Helenius added: “I am excited. I am a true Viking that is willing to face any challenge at a moment’s notice. This is not an opportunity I was going to let slip away. I plan to make the most of it!” Joshua last fought in April, beating Jermaine Franklin on points to bounce back from two straight decision losses to Oleksandr Usyk. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Anthony Joshua to face Robert Helenius after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Anthony Joshua news LIVE: Robert Helenius named as new opponent after Dillian Whyte fails doping test Dillian Whyte vows to prove his innocence after doping test ‘adverse finding’ Anthony Joshua news LIVE: Next fight revealed after Dillian Whyte fails doping test Anthony Joshua’s new opponent revealed after Dillian Whyte fight cancelled Reaction as England reach World Cup quarter-finals – Monday’s sporting social