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Daniel Dubois is reportedly set to make the second defence of his IBF title against Joseph Parker on February 22 instead of Anthony Joshua.

The heavyweight clash is expected to headline a stacked card in Saudi Arabia, which could include Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol’s rematch for the former’s undisputed light-heavyweight crown following their tight encounter in October.

That is according to esteemed boxing journalist Dan Rafael, who also reports that an IBF welterweight title fight between champion Jaron Ennis and challenger Vergil Ortiz is also in the works for the February bill.

READ: “Then We Can Get It On”: Gervonta Davis Agrees To Fight Shakur Stevenson Under One Condition

Ennis recently defended the red and gold strap against Karen Chukhadzhian in a rematch last month and has been calling for the big fights to no avail.

Finally, he will face a worthy challenger in fellow undefeated fighter Ortiz, who comes in fresh off a gruelling majority decision win over Serhii Bohachuk.

Hamzah Sheeraz’s long-awaited shot at middleweight gold could also land on the bill.

Sheeraz, who is ranked highly with all four major sanctioning bodies, has chosen to go down the WBC route first and will face champion Carlos Adames next.

The fifth fight that is being explored for February is an all-action heavyweight dust-up between Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang.

Kabayel is the highest-ranked heavyweight by the IBF and was slated to be Dubois’ next opponent for a time after he pulled out of a final eliminator with Martin Bakole.

Instead, he is being targeted for a fight with Zhang, while Parker is the frontrunner to box Dubois.

‘Triple D’ knocked out Joshua in September to retain his IBF belt and was in talks over an immediate sequel.

However, negotiations have since fallen by the wayside.

As a result, Dubois’ team moved on from the all-British showdown and began talking to other potential foes.

IBF president Daryl Peoples confirmed earlier this month that Dubois ‘can make an optional defence of his world title against any ranked fighter before April 22’.

Parker is not currently ranked by the IBF due to his status as a WBO ‘interim’ champion.

The Kiwi, who previously held the full WBO world title before losing it to Joshua in 2018, could give up the ‘interim’ trinket and receive a ranking from the IBF before February 22 so it is not an insurmountable hurdle to overcome.

Parker called for a fight with Dubois last month when he appeared on talkSPORT Fight Night.

“I have been very vocal about wanting to fight Daniel Dubois,” he said.

“I think he’s done exceptionally well, he done a great job against Anthony Joshua to get that devastating KO.

“He looked great versus Jarrell Miller, Filip Hrgovic and Anthony Joshua. But there’s a difference.

“I’m fresh, I’m hungry and ready to go. I’ve been waiting since March for a big fight, let’s get it on now.

“I feel like they have asked around different opponents to see which one fits, so there are a few hurdles to jump.

“But I feel like it can happen and I want it to happen, but hopefully everyone can come together and make it happen.”

CELEB NEWS

Life after Tennis: ‘I’m more obsessed with diet and exercise’ – Serena Williams

Serena Williams is embracing life after tennis with a renewed focus on health and fitness.

The 43-year-old retired tennis champion, now a mother of two, told People magazine she wants to run a half-marathon by the end of 2025.“I’ve gotten obsessed, more obsessed with diet and exercise,” Serena shared.

Though she retired from professional tennis two years ago, Serena admits she still misses the sport “like crazy.” Yet, her competitive spirit remains strong, motivating her to take on new challenges.

READ: Sinners, Serena and Federer are the only professional tennis players in history to achieve this record

“I’m trying to compete – not compete, rephrase – trying to do a half-marathon. That’s my new goal. So it’s just like I have to do something competitive,” she says.

Although she still enjoys comfort meals such as roast chicken and fries or spicy ramen noodles with her husband, Alexis Ohanian (41), and daughters, Olympia (7) and Adira (1), she keeps this for special treats and tries to be mindful about what she eats.

“I’m all about a healthy lifestyle,” Serena says.

Despite no longer competing professionally, Serena remains focused on maintaining her fitness.

“The more I don’t play sports professionally the more I think, ‘Okay, this is what I’ve done for literally my entire life and how do I optimise and keep it up?’” she says.

Beyond fitness Serena has also been active in business for the past 14 years, having invested in 85 companies, including a venture capital fund she founded in 2017. Impressively, 14 of these companies have achieved “unicorn” status, meaning they are each worth over $1 billion.

One of her investments includes MasterClass, an educational subscription platform.

“I remember finding that company with like eight people in a small room in a garage in San Francisco, and I just fell in love with what they were doing and what they were building,” she recalls.

While Serena has retired from tennis, her elder sister Venus (44) is still going strong.

Last month, after 30 years on the circuit and seven Grand Slam titles, Venus said she had no intention of retiring.

“I’m not done with the racket yet,” she said. “At this point it’s about picking and choosing places I want to be.”

“It’s nice to be in a place where I can pick and choose, but my game is always at a high level. Even if I’m not on tour I always keep my game quite high.”

She also revealed that people often make the mistake of assuming she’s also gone into retirement.

“Serena ruined it for me. Because as soon as she retired, everybody thought I retired,” Venus quipped.

GOLF

Tiger Woods rules himself out of Tournament

Tiger Woods has delayed his return to competitive golf, revealing he was “disappointed” not to be taking part in next month’s Hero World Challenge – a tournament he hosts.

The 15-time Major champion was anticipated to take one of the three exemption spots in the 20-player event in the Bahamas, which features some of the world’s top golfers. However, Woods has decided against participating.

“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year, but always look forward to being tournament host,” Woods wrote on X.

READ: Hopes of Tiger Woods Fulfilling Months-Old Promise to Son Charlie Still Alive Despite Deafening Silence

The three exemtpions will be filled by Justin Thomas, Nick Dunlap and Jason Day.

While Woods has not provided a specific reason for opting to skip the tournament, it is widely believed he is still recovering from the microdecompression surgery he underwent on his lumbar spine in September.

The procedure was the latest chapter in Woods’ long history of back issues. His troubles date back more than a decade to the 2014 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches, where he withdrew due to back spasms.

That spring, he underwent surgery for a pinched nerve, forcing him to miss the Masters for the first time in his professional career. Over the years, Woods withdrew from numerous events citing back pain and underwent five microdiscectomy surgeries between April 2014 and January 2021.

His physical challenges were compounded by a car accident in February 2021, which caused open fractures in his right leg and severe ankle trauma. To stabilise his leg, doctors inserted a rod, screws and pins.

In 2023, Woods withdrew from the Masters during the third round, citing plantar fasciitis in his right ankle. This led to a subtalar fusion procedure in April, sidelining him for 10 months.

At the Hero World Challenge last December, Woods expressed hope of competing more regularly in 2024, targeting one tournament per month. However, that plan faltered as his body failed to hold up.

He withdrew from the Genesis Invitational in February, his first event of the year, and made only four additional starts – all at Major Championships.

Of those, he missed the cut in three, only making the weekend at the Masters, where he broke the record for most consecutive cuts made at Augusta National with 24.

BOXING

Usyk v Fury II: ‘My Rematches Only End In One Way.’ – Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury, 36, will need a flawless strategy from his trainer, SugarHill Steward, to secure a victory.

However, SugarHill appeared lost in the corner, with the rest of Fury’s team offering no solutions. Given the ineffective support Fury had in his corner, his chances in the rematch seem bleak. As the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.”

Tyson Fury posted on his Instagram page saying that the three heavyweight titles Oleksandr Usyk holds will be “mine again” four weeks from now when they meet for their rematch on December 21st.

JUST IN: Devin Haney Better Than Gervonta Davis? Bill Haney Makes Bold Comparison

“My rematches only end in one way,” posted Tyson Fury on his Instagram page.

Usyk exuded the cold, lethal presence of a hitman during the Usyk-Fury 2 face-off. His intense stare seemed to pierce through Fury, conveying the sense that Usyk has already figured him out.

Their upcoming fight on December 21st will pick up where their previous encounter left off, particularly echoing the infamous round nine from May 18th, when the referee intervened, pushing Usyk aside just as he was about to finish off a severely hurt Fury, who looked like a punching bag.

Rematches against Deontay Wilder, Dereck Chisora and John McDermott aren’t exactly murderer’s row types of competition, and those fights occurred many years ago when Fury was a lot younger than he is now. He appears to be in his mid-40s, and he’s going up against a much better fighter in Usyk than the three fighters he fought in rematches.

Tyson Fury claimed this week that he’s going to box Usyk this time and show the ability that he didn’t display in their previous fight. It looked like Fury was trying to box last May, but Usyk was too skilled and was able to hit him.

Again, we all saw how the referee saved Fury in the ninth round when he was out on his feet, taking nonstop punches and helpless to defend himself. The referee gave Fury a standing eight count, but most fans saw that as a case of the referee saving the popular fighter. There will be a different referee this time to save Fury’s hide.

“Four weeks to go for the biggest fight of the year, the biggest fight in boxing, me and Usyk. I’m coming in hot. I can’t wait. 21st of December, the belts are going to be mine again,” said Tyson Fury on Instagram.

BOXING

Devin Haney Better Than Gervonta Davis? Bill Haney Makes Bold Comparison

There is hardly a bigger and longer-standing feud in boxing than the one between Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney.

When Devin Haney was rounding up the lightweight division, Tank had moved from super featherweight to super lightweight division. And after becoming the first undisputed lightweight champion in the four-belt era, when Devin Haney moved up to super lightweight, Gervonta Davis had moved back down to lightweight, to the utter dismay of boxing fans. Although the match has not happened yet, the duo has actively engaged in a war of words, constantly ridiculing each other.

The rivalry particularly intensified when Tank mocked the 31-0 boxer during the Ryan Garcia-Devin Haney fight week. During the time someone also leaked their 2016 sparring session at Floyd Mayweather‘s boxing gym, escalating the tension between them even further. Then there was the incident between them at a nightclub.

JUST IN: “Then We Can Get It On”: Gervonta Davis Agrees To Fight Shakur Stevenson Under One Condition

Just like always, when the criticism against Haney was mounting after his lawsuit against Ryan Garcia, Bill Haney jumped in to defend his son. He shared a picture on his social media comparing Devin Haney’s accomplishments to those of Shakur Stevenson, Vasiliy Lomanchenko, and Gervonta Davis. On Sunday, Bill Haney sat down with DJ Vlad for an interview and gave his opinion on why he thinks his son is a better boxer than ‘Tank.’

Bill Haney himself trains his son and believes in his son’s ability. On being asked why he thinks ‘The Dream’ is better than Tank, he stated that according to him, “He can outbox anybody.” He further added that when ‘The Dream’ is at his best, no one comes close to him. “When Devin is being Devin, I know he can outbox anybody on the planet. We have that kind of skill set,” explained Haney Sr.

Bill Haney further shared his views regarding the matchup against Gervonta Davis and stated that it is a fight that both of them want. He stated, “We’ve always fancied our chances um and that’s the part of the business. That’s the part of boxing as having two sides,” while declaring Tank as Devin Haney’s “ultimate dance partner.”

However, Tank’s team has annoyed Haney Sr. because even though they have talked a lot, “one thing that they haven’t said is that they want to fight Devin,” and the father-son duo has been asking for a fight since their early days in the sport.

While remaining on Gervonta Davis, Bill Haney also showed his disappointment over his choice of opponents stating that the WBA lightweight champion has not fought against a decently skilled boxer.

Haney Sr. shared his views on Tank’s upcoming fight and severely downplayed Tank’s next opponent Lamont Raoch Jr. At first, the San Francisco native showed his annoyance over the constant postponement of the fight. “When are they going to fight,” asked Bill Haney.

While the trainer/manager accepted that he had not heard much about the fight, he was confident that it would be a one-sided affair in favor of Gervonta Davis. He had serious doubts about Roach’s capabilities and stated, “Oh my God, when is he going to fight someone?” while questioning the quality of Tank’s opponents.

He further put the rumored fight between Tank and Shakur Stevenson under scrutiny, stating that “Tank is avoiding real boxers. He’s avoiding them for a reason.” While he likes the idea of the fight, he firmly believes that the Baltimore native will avoid the fight, as it would put him at risk of losing.

With each passing day, this rivalry between Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney is getting intense. However, we are still far away from the idea of an official match between them, at least for a while.

BOXING

“Then We Can Get It On”: Gervonta Davis Agrees To Fight Shakur Stevenson Under One Condition

Gervonta Davis is willing to take on Shakur Stevenson.

Davis is the current WBA lightweight champion, while Stevenson holds the WBC belt, meaning a unification fight between the two has been linked for a while.

While they may have not shared the ring yet, a heated rivalry between the two men is already present, with plenty of insults thrown back and forth.

READ: Floyd Mayweather Says he’d Fight Jake Paul Under One Condition

‘Tank’ hasn’t held back with his assessment of Stevenson, dismissing claims that it would be a tough fight for him whilst talking to Cigar Talk.

“Hell no! How is he the best? Show me something that he’s done that’s outrageous. Show me. His power isn’t outrageous and what defence? He just jumps back, you never see him slip any punches, you never see that. Go watch him, you just see him back up and move around, move around, he ain’t got no technique.

His offence is the same thing. Go look at his fights. Easy work. I touched him with 16 ounce gloves on and he ran, imagine if I hit him with eight ounce gloves.”

Davis then revealed the one thing that needs to happen in order for him to face

“Tell him to rematch Edwin De Los Santos and if he beats him we can get it on. I guarantee you he won’t fight that guy again. I guarantee it.”

Stevenson had a much criticised performance when he met De Los Santos in November 2023, claiming a narrow unanimous decision win.

Another man who has weighed into the Davis vs. Stevenson debate is William Zepeda, the current mandatory challenger for the WBC title, revealing who he deems to be the best out of the two men.

GOLF

Hopes of Tiger Woods Fulfilling Months-Old Promise to Son Charlie Still Alive Despite Deafening Silence

Tiger Woods was looking forward to participating in the PNC Championship with his son, Charlie, before his back surgery in September 2024.

During the Open in July, Woods expressed his excitement about teaming up with his son in the Father/Son tournament, affectionately referring to it as their “fifth major.” However, his plans were put on hold after he underwent microdiscectomy surgery to relieve nerve impingement in his lower back and alleviate back spasms.

“No, I’m not going to play until then. I’m going to just keep getting physically better and keep working on it. Hopefully just come back for our — what is it, our fifth major, the Father/Son, so looking forward to it”, he had said. Woods has been focused on his recovery, with an expected timeline of 8-12 weeks. He’s not scheduled to play again until the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas on December 5-8, followed by the PNC Championship with Charlie on December 21-22 in Orlando, Florida.

READ: PGA Tour fails to listen to Tiger Woods, LIV Golf wish as rule changes announced

“It remains unclear if Tiger will play the Hero World Challenge. It’s getting late for the announcement of the 3 promised exemptions. The TaylorMade shoot appears to be this coming week in Florida so he will definitely be involved in that”, read the latest post by TW LEGION. Woods has confirmed that he won’t be playing any tournaments before the Hero World Challenge, instead choosing to prioritize his physical rehabilitation and preparation for his return to competitive golf.

The PNC Championship is still finalizing its list of competitors, and this year’s event has undergone a few notable changes, including a shift in its timing, with the tournament taking place a week later than in previous years, which is likely to create some scheduling conflicts, particularly given its proximity to the TGL dates in January, an event that is expected to feature the legendary Tiger Woods in action, setting the stage for an exciting and potentially complicated golf calendar.

Tiger Woods and his then 14-year-old son Charlie returned to the PNC Championship in 2023, competing in the golf tournament that features major champions and their family members for the fourth time. The father-son duo was spotted on the course at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, Florida, on a Friday for a pro-am ahead of the official start of the tournament. Charlie left his dad in awe with an impressive flop shot during warm-ups, prompting Woods to exclaim, “We’re ending on that one right there. That was nasty!”

Woods and Charlie had previously found success in the PNC Championship, finishing as high as second place in 2021, and setting a tournament record with 11 consecutive birdies that year. Charlie had recently won a state championship as a high school student, showcasing his growing skills on the course. Woods, meanwhile, was competing in just his fourth event that year after undergoing ankle surgery in April, marking a significant milestone in his recovery and return to competitive golf.

BOXING

‘Rigged’ Mike Tyson fight denied despite admission of meetings

Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions have denied rigging the Mike Tyson fight following several claims about the controversial event.

Reports claiming that Paul vs Tyson had a preordained outcome have continually dogged the headliner since Netflix broadcasted the show to over 100 million viewers on November 15. The allegations are so rife that MVP and Paul were forced to release a statement to World Boxing News over the matter.

They told WBN, “Following the wide circulation of incorrect and baseless claims that undermine the integrity of the Paul vs. Tyson event, Most Valuable Promotions [MVP] would like to set the record straight regarding the contractual agreements and the nature of the fight.

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“Rigging a professional boxing match is a federal crime in the United States of America. Paul vs. Tyson was a professional match sanctioned by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations [TDLR]. Both fighters, in good faith, performed to the best of their abilities with the goal of winning the fight.

“There were absolutely no restrictions – contractual or otherwise – around either fighter. Each boxer was able to use his full arsenal to win the fight. Any agreement to the contrary would violate TDLR boxing rules.”

The MVP defense comes after Jake Paul admitted holding meetings with Tyson about the fight alongside his wife, Kiki. In an occurrence that spawned the event four years ago, what was discussed between them has not been made public or confirmed to have been recorded.

Paul and MVP have assured detractors that anything perceived as pre-agreed between the pair is untrue.

“Trash talk and speculation are common in sports, and athletes and promoters need to tolerate nonsensical commentary, jokes, and opinions. But suggesting anything other than full effort from these fighters is not only naïve but an insult to the work they put into their craft and to the sport itself.

“It is further illogical and inane that MVP, in the debut of a hopeful long-term partnership with the world’s biggest streamer—an organization that made its first-ever foray into live professional sports with Paul vs. Tyson—would even so much as consider such a perverse violation of the rules of competition,” they concluded.

Tyson has walked away with $20 million and only a slight dent on his professional record. Meanwhile, Paul has been left to pick up the pieces as he attempts to keep doubts over his boxing career at bay long enough to secure another event with Netflix.

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. is currently touted as a possible next opponent for a WBA title.

TENNIS

Sinners, Serena and Federer are the only professional tennis players in history to achieve this record

Jannik Sinner has equaled Serena Williams and Roger Federer as the only professional tennis players in history to at least win a set in every match played during the same year.

Roger achieved this in 2005, winning 81 matches and losing only four against Marat Safin, Richard Gasquet, Rafa Nadal, and David Nalbandian, but in all of them, he took at least one set. Sinner has matched this record, having lost just six matches in a season where he won 72. In all his defeats, he also won at least one set, losing three times to Carlos Alcaraz and in matches against Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev, and Daniil Medvedev.

JUST IN: “I miss tennis like crazy”: Serena Williams opens up about struggles after retiring from tennis

For Serena, this record was set in 2013 with a victory balance of 78.4, winning a set against Victoria Azarenka in two losses, against Sabine Lisicki and Sloane Stephens.

Undoubtedly, another impressive achievement by Jannik that places him among the best players due to his spectacular performances in all tournaments, regardless of the playing surface.

Sinner 2024 – 79 matches
Serena 2013 – 82 matches
Federer 2005 – 85 matches

(Obviously not counting seasons with less than a substantial number of matches)

— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) November 24, 2024

TENNIS

“I miss tennis like crazy” Serena Williams opens up about struggles after retiring from tennis

Former world number one Serena Williams has opened up about difficulties after retiring from sports.

The 43-year-old is often regarded as one of the greatest player in the history of women’s tennis in the singles category.

Serena retired from the sport in 2022 to focus more on her family life. Since then, the former world number one has remained active in social activities. She has also been very active in the fashion industry during the last two years.

Serena has been recently quoted in a report, in which she talked about how difficult her life has been since retiring from professional tennis.

READ: $300 Million Worth and GOAT Crown Take a Backseat As Serena Williams Unwittingly Delivers Moving Lesson on Humility

The Michigan-born star was of the opinion that ever since leaving the sport, she has become more obsessed with diet and exercise to ensure that she maintains her fitness.

“I’ve gotten obsessed, more obsessed with diet and exercise, I think, than when I was playing tennis,” she said while talking to People Magazine as quoted by The Tennis Gazette. “I knew that I was going to burn 20,000 calories a day, and now I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I don’t know how many calories I’m going to be able to burn!’ Look at me. I’m trying to compete — not compete, rephrase — trying to do a half-marathon. That’s my new goal. So it’s just like I have to do something competitive. I miss tennis like crazy.”

Serena ended her career with 22 Grand Slam titles which is the most by any women’s player in the history of tennis in the singles category in the Open era. Overall, she finished her career with 73 titles. Her most impressive competitions was the Australian Open and the Wimbledon where she lifted the title seven times each. Her last Grand Slam was the Australian Open in 2017 where she defeated her sister Venus in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4.