Sports

Heavyweight Boxer Wilder Claims He Keeps Fury Awake At Night

If you’ve ever looked at British heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury once, you’ll know that he doesn’t seem like the kind of man who’s frightened easy. It would be far more accurate to suggest that he doesn’t look like the type of man who ever gets frightened at all.

Despite that, his great rival heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder upped the battle of wits between the two this week by proclaiming that the thought of getting back in the ring with him is stopping Fury from getting a good night’s sleep.

Wilder is no stranger to making strange our outspoken comments. The American, who holds one version of the world’s heavyweight championship, has spoken in the past of how he dreams about killing one of his opponents in the ring and will tell anyone who listens that he’s the best heavyweight in the world.

That’s to be expected of a man who hasn’t lost a single fight, and has developed a reputation for being one of the most savage knockout artists of all time. In his mind, Wilder believes he won the first meeting between the two. He, like the rest of the boxing world, was deeply unsatisfied with the draw. He’s now only a few days away from getting the chance to right that wrong.

Boxer Tyson dress as Batman

Boxer Tyson

Fury, on the other hand, is showing no signs of his usual clownish behavior or mind games. Now an older, wiser man, he seems worlds away from the cartoonish performer who appalled Vladimir Klitschko by turning up to a press conference prior to their 2015 fight dressed as Batman.

Normally by this stage, the British press is used to Fury giving them a soundbite they can use to splash all over the back pages of their newspapers. Instead, he’s been quiet. He’s allowed Wilder to do all the talking – a job that the Bronze Bomber boxer excels at – and sat back, quietly working on his own preparation. The biggest question as we approach fight night, though, is whether that preparation been good enough?

There’s no doubt that Fury looks leaner and faster now than he did when the two first met. Back then, Fury was a Cinderella story. He’d overcome suicidal thoughts, alcohol and drug abuse issues, the suspension of his boxing license and what appeared to be an enforced retirement to come back to the sport he loved, and prove that he still had something to offer at the highest level.

Still, though, he probably took the Wilder fight too early. The press was clamoring to see Fury box his compatriot Antony Joshua. Mysteriously, Joshua’s camp found it as difficult to agree on terms with Fury as they did to agree on terms with Wilder. Just as mysteriously, Fury and Wilder’s respective camps had no such difficulty agreeing on terms with each other. Joshua went into hiding with his own (recently regained) world titles. Fury and Wilder went into battle.

WWE Boxer the Undertaker

Boxer

What happened on the night has already gone down in boxing folklore. Wilder hit Fury with the sweetest, meanest shot you’ll ever see in the eleventh round. Tyson’s eyes span around in his head almost as if they were the reels on one of the games you’d find on an online slots website.

They may as well have been online slots, because what happened next was a jackpot as far as the Gypsy King’s career is concerned. He sat up on the count of nine, almost like the WWE’s Undertaker, and rose to his feet. Wilder was visibly shaken. The odds of winning an online slots jackpot with a one-dollar bet would have been better than Fury beating that count, and yet there he was, boxing on.

Even if he’d lost that night, his reputation would have been set in stone. As it was when the bell rang, though, Fury believed that he’d won. He’d been on the mat twice, but he’d schooled Wilder in almost every round with a masterclass in technical boxing.

It’s only fitting that we should have made a reference to WWE. Fury’s love of the world of pro wrestling (or ‘sports entertainment’) is well known, and late last year, he took time out of his training schedule to work a match with WWE giant Braun Strowman in Saudi Arabia. Fury spent an extended period of time in the WWE’s Florida Performance Center, learning the basics of grappling, and practicing his match.

Boxer Wilder’s scar will become a target

Boxer Fury

That’s presumably time that he didn’t spend watching tapes of Deontay Wilder, or sharpening up his boxing skills. Indeed, the last time we saw the big Brit in the boxing ring, he was almost stopped by Otto Walin by a dreadful cut above his right eye. It was the sort of cut that weakens the skin, even if it’s attended to by the best and most qualified doctor in the world. For Wilder, the scar will become a target.

Only Tyson Fury knows if he’s trained hard enough for this opportunity to end the debate between himself and Wilder once and for all. Only Tyson Fury knows whether or not he’s learned enough from his last meeting with Wilder to identify the changes he needs to make to get his hands raised at the end of this contest. In among all the uncertainty, though, there’s one thing we’re reasonably confident that we can say for sure.

Tyson Fury is not being kept awake at night because he’s having nightmares about Deontay Wilder. After all he’s seen in his life, and all the many challenges he’s already overcome, Deontay Wilder will count as just another day in the office for Fury, even if he loses.

The fight of the decade

WCB

On February 22nd, 2020, two undefeated boxing titans will walk into the MGM Grand Arena in Paradise, Nevada, USA. When the night is over, one of them will walk out without the zero on the record. The other will walk out with the heavyweight championship in the world, and a direct route to facing Anthony Joshua – if ‘AJ’ can be persuaded to take the fight. It might be the fight of the year.

Even more it might be the fight of the decade. It could even be another frustrating draw and a total disappointment. That’s the nature of boxing! There’s only one way to find out how it’s going to go, though, and that’s to watch it. We’ll certainly be doing that, and we hope you will, too.

Sports

Bo Bichette’s Injury may Permanently Sideline him, According to the Latest Update.

(CTN News) – Bo Bichette, the shortstop for the Toronto Blue Jays, left the game against the Detroit Tigers on Friday after six innings due to a strained right calf.

The game was played against the Tigers. In the end, the Blue Jays were defeated by a score of 5-4 by the opposing team.

Bo Bichette hit a line drive to right field in the bottom of the sixth inning, and it appeared that he injured his calf when he was sprinting to first base. The damage appeared to be caused by the line drive.

The calf that is causing the problem is the same one that Bo Bichette has been experiencing issues with throughout the entire season. After suffering a strain to his right calf fascia on July 10 while playing against the San Francisco Giants, he was forced to sit out the last four games before the All-Star break from the National Football League.

Because of the discomfort in his right calf, he has been out for nine games since then, and he did not return to action until the 24th of June.

Before the trade deadline on July 30, it is very clear that the Blue Jays will be deconstructed for pieces. It is fairly obvious that the Blue Jays have lost any possibility of winning in the American League East, which is a highly competitive division. Additionally, it is pretty certain that they will be disfigured for pieces.

Bo Bichette’s injuries could prevent him from being traded in the future.

However, it is probable that this injury will preclude him from participating in any further trade conversations. Recent trade rumors have stated that Bo Bichette could be a contender for a trade;

However, it is possible that this scenario will not occur. After an MRI was finished on Friday, Bo Bichette was placed on the injured list for a period of ten days. This list will remain in effect until that time.

Bichette will almost definitely be placed on the disabled list for a period of time that is longer than the minimum of ten days, even if the findings of the MRI come back negative. This is because of the recent spate of calf problems that have been occurring.

There is a lack of clarity on whether or not the Blue Jays would have been willing to trade Bo Bichette regardless of the ailment that he was suffering from.

It has been reported that Toronto has informed other clubs that they are not prepared to trade any players who are under their control beyond the year 2024.

Bo Bichette’s contract with the organization ends in 2025.

Additionally, Toronto has informed other teams for this reason. At the beginning of June, it seemed as though the general manager of the Blue Jays, Ross Atkins, was opposed to the concept of trading Bo Bichette while he was still on the team.

Bichette claimed in a recent comment that he would not be “surprised at all” if he were to be traded to a different team. He said this in reference to the possibility of being traded.

His batting average is even worse than it has ever been in his whole career.He has participated in 79 games so far this season, and he has a batting average of 223 and an on-base percentage of.597 to his name.

The two-time winner Despite the fact that the All-Star is having a challenging season, he would have a far higher chance of having a good season if he were to play for a team that was involved in a more intense level of competition.

On the other hand, it would appear that Bichette will not be participating in a game for a substantial amount of time, regardless of whether he is playing for the Blue Jays or for another team.

SOURCE: FS

Sports

Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau started disastrously at the British Open.

(CTN News) – Forget about Rory McIlroy’s final opportunity to compete in a major tournament this year; the British Open may have been his final opportunity.

At present, his most promising prospect is to endure for an additional day. Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, is also present.

On Thursday, Pinehurst No. 2 protagonists encountered Rory McIlroy’s additional complications as a result of an opposing wind that arrived at Royal Troon. McIlroy required two strokes to emerge from a deep hazard located just to the right of the 123-yard eighth hole, which is referred to as the “Postage Stamp.”

Rory McIlroy’s mallet sailed over the rails after three holes.

It culminated in a 7-over 78, which was his lowest major opening round in five years. “I just didn’t do a good enough job on that back nine, and the conditions were tough,” according to him.

DeChambeau was not significantly superior. He encountered difficulties in making par shots at the outset; on the fourth hole, a par-5, he even missed one from three feet.

The par-5 seventh hole resulted in a double bogey for him as he attempted to strike a 7-iron through dense grass, but the ball was only moved a short distance.

Following his 76, he proceeded to the range to evaluate his equipment and determine the reason for his ball’s failure to connect with the driver as anticipated.

He observed, “That day was unusual.” It is highly unlikely that either of them will forget their involvement in the morning wave or their role as the primary attraction following the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy was in complete control of his destiny and was leading by two strokes on the back nine before missing a 30-inch par putt on the 16th hole and another par putt from just within 4 feet on the 18th hole, which prolonged his 10-year major drought.

Making a putt from a bunker 55 yards away, DeChambeau secured his second U.S. Open victory. Rory McIlroy’s finale was so challenging that he departed Pinehurst No. 2 without expressing his gratitude to DeChambeau or expressing any sentiments.

McIlroy was optimistic about his form as he approached the final major of the year, following his tie for fourth at the Rory McIlroy Scottish Open last week. Conversely, the wind came from the opposite direction, disrupting the plans of both him and his colleagues.

On the shortened front nine, where high scores are possible, it was directly in their faces. Assistance was provided from the left on the longer back nine, which is challenging in any conditions. McIlroy was taken aback by the difficulty of the back nine, as Rory McIlroy had anticipated that it would be less difficult.

“The course was exceedingly challenging.” The circumstances are exceedingly difficult due to the wind that has yet to be observed this week. McIlroy stated that the wind dictated his strategy during the practice sessions.

However, according to him, “it starts to present different options and you start to think about maybe hitting a few clubs that you haven’t hit in practice when you get a wind you haven’t played in.”

“Just one of those days where I didn’t adjust to the circumstances well enough.” It was not a satisfactory conclusion to the round. Following his decision to play a driver off the 18th.

On the left, Rory McIlroy fired sideways due to a pot bunker.

He drove the wedge to a distance of Rory McIlroy approximately eight feet, made one final bogie, and missed one additional putt, indicating that there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

In order to survive the weekend, he declared, “I must improve my performance under those circumstances.” If not, I should endeavor to advance further on the leaderboard and feel as though I have a reasonable chance. McIlroy was ten strokes behind the lead when he finished, but he had hoped for a smaller margin.

Until he reached the par-5 16th, DeChambeau did not complete a hole below par. It is more accurate to describe him as a sluggish bleeding individual. That was the only positive aspect of the day. An eagle putt of 55 feet was executed on the 565-yard hole by him.

“I am satisfied with the way in which I maintained my composure today,” stated DeChambeau. It would have been so easy for me to give up at nine o’clock and declare, ‘I’m going home’.” No, sir. There will be an additional opportunity for me tomorrow. As I anticipate the assignment, I am eager to begin.

“I will be fine if I am able to make a few putts, hit a few shots, and figure out how to use the equipment.”

SOURCE: CT

Sports

France Reaches Euro 2024 Quarter-Finals with Late Own Goal Against Belgium

(CTN News) – Jan Vertonghen’s late own goal advanced France to the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 at Belgium’s expense. A game that lacked quality and excitement for long stretches appeared destined for extra time, but a shot by replacement Randal Kolo Muani rebounded off Vertonghen with five minutes left to win the victory at Dusseldorf Arena.

France had previously missed multiple chances due to a lack of a cutting edge, and even captain Kylian Mbappe made efforts that would typically go wide.

Belgium could have seized the lead before France’s late goal when Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne sprinted into space through the middle, but Mike Maignan blocked his effort.

That was the only real opportunity for the underperforming Belgians, as France closed out the final few minutes to advance to the last eight, where they will meet Portugal or Slovenia.

Didier Deschamps’ team deserved to win, but the 2018 world champions will be relieved more than anything else after struggling to convert chances into goals once more.

They dominated play for long stretches but only had one effort on goal in the first half, Antoine Griezmann’s low strike from distance, which was well saved.

Mbappe is one of the world’s top forwards, but even he struggled when given a shooting opportunity, curling over in the second half after doing well to create space for himself.

France is through but still needs to improve.

In the end, they had 19 shots on goal, but only two were on target, and they are still waiting for their first goal from open play in Germany.

In a theme common to all of the bigger teams remaining in Euro 2024, France is struggling to play at the level they are capable of, but for the time being, they will relish being one step closer to the final.

Belgium was booed off the pitch by some fans after only drawing with Ukraine in their last group game, but their supporters were hopeful that they would improve their performance against the French.

However, they were once again overly cautious for extended periods, and their threatening moments were fleeting.

However, they should have punished France for their carelessness with De Bruyne’s effort in the dying moments, while Romelu Lukaku, who is leaving Euro 2024 without a goal, also saw a low shot saved in the second half.

Like Croatia, this has seemed like one last chance for Belgium’s ‘golden generation’, with players like De Bruyne and Lukaku in their 30s.

And, like Croatia, they will leave the tournament wondering whether this was a squandered chance to achieve what could have been with this set of players.

Source: BBC Sports