Roundup: Mel Tucker Responds to Allegations; LeBron Wants to Play in the 2024 Olympics; Aaron Rodgers Injured
Mel Tucker responded to sexual harassment allegations, LeBron James wants to play at the 2024 Olympics, Aaron Rodgers is injured and more in the Roundup.
2023-09-12 19:25
Fernando Santos' future as Poland coach is uncertain after poor start to Euro 2024 qualifying
Fernando Santos’ position as Poland coach remains uncertain after he met with the president of the country’s soccer federation following the team’s poor start to European Championship qualifying
2023-09-12 18:58
Troubled Pogba sinks to new low after doping revelation
Once the most expensive footballer in the world, France star Paul Pogba has sunk to a new low after being provisionally...
2023-09-12 18:54
Fans cheer German basketball team's return home after winning World Cup title
Fans cheered Germany's basketball team on its return home after winning the World Cup for the first time
2023-09-12 18:47
AP PHOTOS: Blood, sweat and tears on the opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup in France
PARIS (AP) — The dust has settled after the first set of games at the Rugby World Cup, which began with a stirring win for host France in front of nearly 79,000 people at the Stade de France, and ended with heartbreak for fan favorite Fiji as a dropped pass in the final seconds denied it a thrilling victory in Bordeaux.
2023-09-12 17:57
Liverpool transfer rumours: Salah successors considered; Napoli rejected £25m midfielder bid
Tuesday's roundup of Liverpool transfer rumours includes news on their various targets to replace Mohamed Salah, the Saudi Pro League's stance on a deal, how the Reds failed to sign a Napoli midfielder and more.
2023-09-12 17:56
Heavyweight boxing is decaying before our eyes – no other sport would survive this idiocy
There might be a crisis in the heavyweight division unless the television companies, the promoters, the chancers, the tyrants at the sanctioning bodies, the fixers and the fighters start to realise that they are part of a rich history. The heavyweight division is not a random board game, a place where a good spin can turn the world upside down and a place where all sense of perspective is lost. It is not a game, but it is being run like a crazy game of chance. Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are circling each other with very little real indication that they will fight each other. In many ways, the crisis point was a long, long time ago. There was a bold claim about six months ago that Saudi Arabian riches would transform the heavyweight division, a claim that over $400m was on the table for the leading four men to meet on one night in two fights. A lot of so-called media were delivered to Riyadh and told the hefty Four Kings would fight, it would be in December, and the heavyweight fairy tale would be complete. The chosen insiders were quick to assure everyone that the money was real, the conviction was real and that it would happen. It fell apart; Fury walked away, Usyk kept busy, Wilder and Joshua are still, in theory, part of a crazy plan. However, even their fight in Saudi in January or February is starting to look more and more like a mirage in that fighting desert. Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Joshua, has not yet ruled the fight out. Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has not yet ruled out a Fury fight. Wilder’s people flew to Saudi to do a direct deal with the promotional company there, so presumably they are still part of the circus. Fury, meanwhile, will fight in Riyadh next month, but his fight with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou is being promoted by another branch of the Saudi government. It is difficult to keep up with this soap opera with blood. Ngannou, incidentally, has never had a single boxing match as an amateur or a professional; his 10 rounds with Fury have recently been given a belt by the WBC. It will not be for Fury’s actual WBC heavyweight title, which I guess is a small mercy. The new Saudi belt, complete with diamonds and gold, is still a belt and that means Ngannou, who is being trained by Mike Tyson, will fight for a WBC belt in his first ever appearance in a boxing ring. Shame on the WBC and their desperate attempt to be relevant. I have no problem with the fight, no problem with crossover events, but the WBC’s decision to award the winner a belt is pathetic. The WBC representative in Riyadh will need sharp elbows to get his face on television, because the Saudi families tend to flood the post-fight ring. Ngannou, incidentally, has been measured to possess the hardest punch in history. It is hard to invent this glorious nonsense. Fury has gone down this route because the money is there, and he is sick and tired of the relentless negotiations for a fight with either Usyk or Joshua. He is, it must be said, not entirely innocent. Although it is hard to blame Fury for going down the Ngannou route, talk of a rematch under mixed martial arts rules is slightly alarming. It is probably harmless chat, but the WBC needs to decide how long they will let their champion loose in the lawless playground of celebrity and crossover fights. There is simply no order, no strict rules, and nobody in a position to call a halt to the anarchy. In the last 12 months, Joshua has fought twice, staying busy and learning with his new coach; Fury has not fought since beating Derek Chisora for the third time last December in defence of his WBC title; Wilder has not been near a ring this year; Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois last month to retain his WBO, WBA and IBF titles. Dubois, incidentally, officially launched an appeal against the decision in that fight, claiming that the fight should have been stopped in Round 5 when he landed what he considers a legitimate body shot. Usyk was instead given nearly four minutes to recover. Krassyuk has ruled out a rematch, insisting that the punch was low and illegal. It means that in 2023, with two champions owning four recognised belts, with a lot of television backing and with a lot of quality contenders, there will be only one world heavyweight title fight. It is crazy and self-harming, and no other sport would survive such idiocy. Boxing has always been in a race against time, a race to get as much money as possible, as quickly and safely as possible, but this decaying state is so bad for business that it will hurt the business going forward. Read More Fans tear apart Tyson Fury over claim that Francis Ngannou poses tougher test than Oleksandr Usyk Watch moment topless Tyson Fury goads Francis Ngannou into taking his shirt off during press conference Sean Strickland shocks Israel Adesanya and MMA world with title win at UFC 293 Eddie Hearn outlines ‘deluded’ plan for Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury urged to highlight Saudi Arabia’s ‘disturbing’ human rights record What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout?
2023-09-12 16:55
Aerosmith postpone six farewell tour shows due to Steven Tyler's vocal cord damage
Singer Steven Tyler says he is "heartbroken" to push back six shows after "doctor's orders".
2023-09-12 16:49
'RHONJ' star Danielle Cabral's brother Thomas DiPietro demands her mental evaluation before reconciliation
Danielle Cabral's brother Thomas DiPietro would never reconcile with her until she consents to a psychiatric examination
2023-09-12 16:16
Football transfer rumours: Liverpool's Bowen admiration; Chelsea lead Arsenal in Osimhen race
Tuesday's roundup of transfer rumours includes news on Liverpool's interest in Jarrod Bowen, Chelsea battling Arsenal for Victor Osimhen, Man Utd's shock winger target and more.
2023-09-12 16:15
Man Utd offered free agent wingers with Jadon Sancho's future uncertain
Free agents Anwar El Ghazi and Oussama Idrissi have been offered to Manchester United with Antony and Jadon Sancho's futures uncertain.
2023-09-12 15:48
Giants rally past Guardians 5-4 in 10 innings to keep pace in NL wild-card chase
LaMonte Wade Jr. blooped a single in front of sliding center fielder Myles Straw in the 10th inning to drive in Blake Sabol with the winning run as the San Francisco Giants rallied past the Cleveland Guardians 5-4
2023-09-12 13:47
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