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BOXING

‘Are you up for it, Tank?’ December ideal for Isaac Cruz rematch

By Admin August 1, 2024

It will be three years ago in December when Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz stepped in with little more than a month’s notice to accept the biggest fight of his life against now-three-division-champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis, and then took him the distance in a Rocky-esque storyline.

Should the new World Boxing Association junior welterweight titleholder (26-2-1, 18 KOs) defeat his challenger Jose “Rayo” Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs) on Saturday night at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the stars may be aligning for a December anniversary rematch with the WBA lightweight belt holder Davis.

Earlier this month, Baltimore’s Davis (30-0, 28 KOs) learned negotiations with his fellow three-division champion, the IBF lightweight titlist Vasiliy Lomachenko, had come to little, with Lomachenko saying he needed the rest of the year off to return to his native, war-torn Ukraine with his family.

JUST IN: ‘IT’S THE TERENCE CRAWFORD ERA’ – CRAWFORD TELLS MADRIMOV

On Tuesday, the co-manager for the three-division and WBC lightweight titleholder Shakur Stevenson told BoxingScene that Davis’ representatives have not been responsive to negotiating a deal for a unification bout; Stevenson has verbally agreed to pursue a fight against consensus No. 1 lightweight contender William Zepeda, of Mexico.

“Pitbull’s open for December,” Cruz’s advisor, Sean Gibbons, said at the fighter’s grand arrival on the Santa Monica Pier. “So why not do it again?

“He’s up for it any day of the year. Are you up for it, Gervonta? We have no problem here.”

Cruz’s popularity has surged since the first fight, which Davis won by scores of 115-113, 115-113 and 116-112 after entering the bout on the heels of knockout victories over Cuba’s Yuriorkis Gamboa, four-division champion Leo Santa Cruz and reigning WBC welterweight titleholder Mario Barrios.

Since then, Cruz has recorded three stoppages in his past four fights – including his rousing finish in March of then-140-pound titleholder Rolly Romero in Las Vegas.

Cruz earned the loudest ovation of the night in the co-main event, which supported the junior middleweight title fight between the newly unified champion Sebastian Fundora and Australia’s Tim Tszyu.

A similar greeting is expected Saturday night against Mexican countryman Valenzuela in the co-main under the 154-pound title fight between titleholder Israil Madrimov and three-division champion Terence Crawford.

Cruz’s popularity was obvious at the grand arrivals, as he remained among the crowd following interviews with reporters and signed autographs and mingled with his supporters.

Having a full camp to prepare for Davis for what would certainly be an all-action bout is appetizing to consider, but Cruz said he’s locked in on the task ahead of him.

“I’m focused on the fight now; I have a lot of respect for [Valenzuela],” Cruz told BoxingScene.

He had such great success by delivering an onslaught of punches on Romero. Will he repeat that strategy against Valenzuela?

“I’m looking to give the people a great performance. That’s the only thing I’m thinking about,” Cruz said.

As for his thoughts on Stevenson moving toward Zepeda and Davis needing an opponent, Cruz said, “I’m not thinking about that right now. I’m just focused on ‘Rayo’ and being excited about Saturday. I had a great camp. I’m ready for any kind of fight.”

And should he win it, the opportunity to run it back against Davis is rich.

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BOXING

‘IT’S THE TERENCE CRAWFORD ERA’ – CRAWFORD TELLS MADRIMOV

By Admin August 1, 2024

Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov made their grand arrivals ahead of their clash on Saturday.

They face off in a WBA Junior Middleweight Clash as Crawford seeks to win Madrimov’s WBA belt. It is Crawford’s first fight in over a year since his ninth-round TKO win over Errol Spence Jr. The win made him the first Undisputed Welterweight Champion of the four-belt era, as he chases a title in a fourth weight class.

Eddie Hearnhas been backing Madrimov to cause an upset, feeling that Crawford may be out of his depth. Madrimov won the vacant title after knocking out Magomed Kurbanov in his last fight. His record stands at 10-0-1 with 7 KOs, showing he is not experienced at the pro level. Crawford, by comparison, is 40-0 with 31 KOs.

READ: “Bigger Than The Errol Spence fight”: Terence Crawford Says His Fight Saturday is Bigger Than The Errol Spence Bout

But Madrimov has over 300 amateur fights, meaning he has seen the full array of styles. A win for either fighter sets up a possible unification with Sebastian Fundora, who holds the WBO and WBC belts. Meanwhile, Crawford may chase the Canelo Alvarez fight at 168 if he wins. The face-off was very cordial, but both felt confident ahead of the clash.

Madrimov’s Quotes

Chris Mannix: “Israel, it’s a first title defense for you, and it’s a big one against a man that has long been the pound-for-pound king. How are you feeling heading into this fight?”

Israil Madrimov: “I’m feeling great. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. My dream is coming true because I’m feeling great,”

Mannix: “Three divisions, no one has been able to beat this man. Why are you confident that you’ll be able to do it?”

Madrimov: “This is my division because it’s only victory for me.”

Mannix: “It’s been a long time since we called you a title challenger. How does it feel to be challenging for a belt at 154?”

Crawford Reacts

Terence Crawford: “It’s alright. I had to go through it at 135, 140 and 147. It ain’t no different than at 154.”

Mannix: “It’s your first fight at junior middleweight. You’re going right to the top of the division against Israil Madrimov. Why was this the right fight for you?”

Crawford: “I think all the fights are important at 154. I want all the champions. I consider Israil the #1 guy in the division. He’s a great fighter. I just think its the Terence Crawford era.”

Mannix: “This man is probably a little bit bigger and stronger. What kind of fight are you expecting on Saturday?”

Crawford: “I don’t know. He might come out and try to box. He might try to use his size and pressure me, but I assure you. We’re going to be ready for whatever he brings to the table.”

Mannix: “11 straight knockouts for you. Is this the type of fight that you can get the 12th?”

Crawford: “Hey, we shall see,”

Full Card

Terence Crawford vs. Israil Madrimov

Andy Ruiz vs. Jarrell Miller

Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole

Isaac Cruz vs. Jose Venezuela

David Morrell vs. Radivoje Kalajdzic

Andy Cruz vs. Antonio Moran

Steve Nelson vs. Marcos Ramon Vazquez

Ziyad Almaayouf vs. Michal Bulk

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GOLF

“Allow the countries to pick themselves”: Jon Rahm wants Olympic chiefs to make key change after LIV Golf stars snubbed

By Admin July 31, 2024

Jon Rahm has called for a shake-up in the Olympic qualifying criteria after several of his LIV Golf colleagues, including Bryson DeChambeau, were left out of this year’s tournament.

Rahm, 29, will fly the flag for Spain at Le Golf National in Paris as the tournament kicks off on Thursday. He’ll be joined by fellow LIV Golf star David Puig, but many of their peers on the breakaway tour will be forced to sit it out.

DeChambeau, the current US Open champion, is the most high-profile player missing from the action in Paris. The US has dispatched a team of four to the Olympics – Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Wyndham Clark and Collin Morikawa – all of whom ended the qualifying period in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

READ: Loyalty Under Scrutiny: Bawling Jon Rahm Not Enough to Clear Doubts as His Loyalty to LIV Golf Remains Under Scrutiny

The OWGR forms the basis of the qualification route to the games, but LIV is not recognised by the body and its players do not earn ranking points for their performances on the Saudi Arabia-backed circuit. Its members have seen their rankings tumble since the breakaway league was launched in 2022, resulting in DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka and others missing out on a spot in Paris.

Rahm argues that the decision-making power should be given to the competing nations to choose their players, rather than the OWGR. He also suggested that team golf should be included in future Olympics.

“Allow the countries to pick themselves,” Rahm stated during his pre-tournament press conference. “There needs to be some guidelines, but Team USA basketball has freedom to choose whoever they want. I understand it’s a different circumstance, but I think you need to let each country choose who they want to play, and in the future, I would also like to see some team aspect in the Olympics, as well, right.

“I mean, we are here representing Spain, so I would love to be able to represent Spain, as a partner or somehow, whether as a combined sport or us playing together. That would be extremely nice to share the stage with another player, to do something different, to maybe what we do every other day, right.”

Rahm is heading to Le Golf National brimming with confidence after clinching his first LIV Golf title at the weekend, outlasting Joaquin Niemann, Tyrrell Hatton and Smith to finish top of the leaderboard at JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire, England. Despite having high hopes of competing for the gold medal, he believes the quality of the event is diminished by the qualifying process.

“You want the best players to be able to participate,” Rahm added. “Any tournament, you want the best players possible to be representing their country. That’s all I can say. I really don’t know how else to frame it. “”Obviously the qualifying criteria might need to change but that is a job for the people that are a lot more knowledgeable on things like that.”

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TENNIS

IGA SWIATEK AND JANNIK SINNER TO BE THE NO. 1 SEEDS AT THE 2024 NATIONAL BANK OPEN

By Admin July 31, 2024

Tennis Canada has announced the top seeds for the 2024 National Bank Open presented by Rogers (NBO) in Toronto and Montreal.

On the WTA Tour, Iga Swiatek of Poland headlines the player field in Toronto as the No. 1 seed, holding the top spot in the WTA rankings since the beginning of the calendar year. On the men’s side, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy will enter Montreal as the highest seeded player. He climbed to the top of the ATP rankings earlier this year after reaching the final of Roland-Garros. The seedings ahead of the 2024 National Bank Open follow the ATP and WTA’s official rankings as of today, July 29, 2024.

In Toronto, Swiatek enters the field at the NBO as the top-ranked player for the third straight year, with her eyes set on her first Canadian title. The four-time French Open champion will be in tough competition, with second-seeded Coco Gauff of the United States returning to the tournament as a US Open champion and seeking to better her 2023 singles result of reaching the quarter-finals last year in Montreal. Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, Italian superstar Jasmine Paolini, and reigning NBO champion Jessica Pegula (USA) are also among the top seeds in Toronto this August.

READ: Why World No. 1 Jannik Sinner skips 2nd Olympics in a row? some idiot already found the ’cause’

“This is a very strong player list — in fact, the strongest one we’ve ever had in an Olympic year,” said Karl Hale, Tournament Director of the National Bank Open in Toronto. “With the complete list of the WTA Tour’s top 16 players joining us at Sobeys Stadium this year, headlined by Swiatek, Gauff, and Sabalenka, the tournament could go in any direction. The support surrounding tennis this year has been overwhelmingly positive, and fans are in for a real treat with the talent touching down in Canada this August.”

In Montreal, Sinner, who became the first Italian player to reach the top of the rankings, will be defending his 2023 NBO title on the IGA Stadium courts as the top seed. He is enjoying the best season of his career, with four titles already to his name, including his first Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open. It won’t be an easy road to the title for Sinner, with the possibility of facing Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.

“This year’s main draw will be a great combination of youth and experience. With a line-up of seeded players that is more talented than ever, the tournament we’re about to witness promises to be extremely exciting and highly competitive,” said Valérie Tétreault, Tournament Director of the National Bank Open in Montreal. “Fans will have the chance to witness matches that are already shaping up to be intense and full of emotion. I’m looking forward to the official draw ceremony – scheduled to take place on August 3 – to discover the first-round matchups and to see the stories of this year’s tournament begin to unfold!”

Canadians competing in the main draw

Félix Auger-Aliassime, world No. 19, and Leylah Annie Fernandez, world No. 25. will be the top-ranked Canadian players in singles, while Gabriela Dabrowski – ranked third in the world in doubles – will lead the way for Canada in the doubles draw. Dabrowksi won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open and was recently a Wimbledon finalist with teammate Erin Routliffe. Bianca Andreescu, Denis Shapovalov, Rebecca Marino and Marina Stakusic will also be taking part in the tournament’s main draw, which gets underway on Tuesday August 6.

The official draw ceremonies for the National Bank Open will take place on Saturday, August 3 at 4:30 p.m. (Montreal – ATP) and 5 p.m. (Toronto – WTA).

NATIONAL BANK OPEN PRESENTED BY ROGERS (TORONTO)

SEEDING	PLAYER	RANKING
1	Iga Swiatek (POL)	1
2	Coco Gauff (USA)	2
3	Aryna Sabalenka	3
4	Elena Rybakina (KAZ)	4
5	Jasmine Paolini (ITA)	5
6	Jessica Pegula (USA)	6
7	Qinwen Zheng (CHN)	7
8	Maria Sakkari (GRE)	8
9	Danielle Collins (USA)	9
10	Barbora Krejcikova (CZE)	10
11	Jelena Ostapenko (LAT)	11
12	Daria Kasatkina	12
13	Liudmila Samsonova	13
14	Madison Keys (USA)	14
15	Emma Navarro (USA)	15
16	Ons Jabeur (TUN)	16

NATIONAL BANK OPEN PRESENTED BY ROGERS (MONTREAL)

SEEDING	PLAYER	RANKING
1	Jannik Sinner (ITA)	1
2	Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)	3
3	Alexander Zverev (GER)	4
4	Daniil Medvedev	5
5	Alex De Minaur (AUS)	6
6	Hubert Hurkacz (POL)	7
7	Andrey Rublev	8
8	Casper Ruud (NOR)	9
9	Grigor Dimitrov (BUL)	10
10	Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)	11
11	Taylor Fritz (USA)	12
12	Tommy Paul (USA)	13
13	Ben Shelton (USA)	14
14	Ugo Humbert (FRA)	15
15	Lorenzo Musetti (ITA)	16
16	Holger Rune	17

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BOXING

Andy Ruiz Jr. explains what went wrong in rematch loss to Anthony Joshua

By Admin July 31, 2024

Andy Ruiz Jr. has shared the ring twice with the British star.

On June 1, 2019, Andy Ruiz Jr. was briefly one of the biggest names in boxing.

The less fancied American was given the chance to face unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden in a fight which many thought would be a formality for the British star.

JUST IN: “Bigger Than The Errol Spence fight”: Terence Crawford Says His Fight Saturday is Bigger Than The Errol Spence Bout

What transpired was one of the biggest shocks in recent memory with Ruiz stopping Joshua in the seventh round and becoming a unified world heavyweight champion.

Despite knowing that a rematch with Joshua would be next, Ruiz enjoyed lavish celebrations following his triumph, but this appeared to have a detrimental effect on his performance during his second meeting with AJ six months later with the British fighter making easy work of his opponent in Diriyah to become a two-time champion.

Speaking about the rematch on DAZN’s Off The Cuff, Ruiz revealed what went wrong in the Joshua rematch and he was quick to criticise how he conducted himself following the biggest win of his career.

“I think I stayed too much in the party life, I was still enjoying the win,” Ruiz said.

“I totally forgot I had the rematch in six months, it goes by so fast.

“When I went to Saudi Arabia, I gained 30 more pounds, I wasn’t focused, I wasn’t ready.”

Since that loss to Joshua, Ruiz has fought just twice with wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz in 2021 and 2022 respectively, but he ends this period of inactivity this coming Saturday live on DAZN.

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BOXING

“Bigger Than The Errol Spence fight”: Terence Crawford Says His Fight Saturday is Bigger Than The Errol Spence Bout

By Admin July 31, 2024

Terence Crawford returns to the ring Saturday for a Riyadh Season-sponsored pay-per-view fight against super welterweight world boxing champion Israil Madrimov, and the American is already saying that the bout this weekend seems bigger than his landmark victory over long-time rival Errol Spence Jr. last year.

The undisputed welterweight world championship fight in Las Vegas was approximately five years in the making, and brought together two of the best-skilled boxers on the planet, in one of the most significant match-ups the sport had organized since Floyd Mayweather bested Manny Pacquiao in 2015.

In 2023, Crawford showed that he is levels apart from Spence — himself an extraordinary champion at 147 pounds — as Crawford bullied and beat Spence down in a brutal display of controlled, fistic violence. It generated $21 million in ticket sales, and sold to 700,000 homes in the US. The fight against Madrimov at the BMO Stadium, though, is even bigger, according to Crawford.

JUST IN: Boxing Rumors: Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson Is “Not at All” Happening

The Crawford vs Madrimov result could dictate the future of elite boxing. Should Madrimov win, he’ll have struck one of boxing’s biggest modern day upsets against arguably the No.1 fighter in the entire sport. The world would be his oyster. Should Crawford, win, though, and he’ll put himself back into the spotlight for an unlikely shot at the super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.

The moment may not be lost on Crawford himself, who spoke to DAZN during Tuesday’s Grand Arrivals on Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles County.

“To be honest, this feels bigger than the Errol Spence fight,” said Crawford.

“If you look around, it’s different. Errol Spence fight was big for the urban community, because it’s been something talked about for five years. Me and Errol, me and Errol. But, when you look around, you see so many different different races and cultures that it’s bigger in its own right.”

“How do you compare this(fight with Madrimov) to the Errol Spence fight?”

Terence Crawford: “To be honest, this feels bigger than the Errol Spence fight. Errol Spence fight was big for the urban community. When you look around(here) you see so many different races and cultures… pic.twitter.com/Mi7s8Xmkov

— Danny (@dantheboxingman) July 31, 2024

Here’s the eight-fight bout card, in full:

Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov — super welterweight
David Morrell vs Radivoje Kalajdzic — light heavyweight
Isaac Cruz vs Jose Valenzuela — super lightweight
Andy Cruz vs Antonio Moran — lightweight
Steven Nelson vs Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez — super middleweight
Ziyad Almaayouf vs Michal Bulik — welterweight
Jared Anderson vs Martin Bakole — heavyweight
Andy Ruiz vs Jarrell Miller — heavyweight

The event also features a live musical performance from smash hit rap star Eminem, who walked Crawford to the ring for his showdown with Spence.

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BOXING

Boxing Rumors: Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson Is “Not at All” Happening

By Admin July 31, 2024

It almost became reality—well, almost.

One of the biggest fights in the boxing world, Gervonta Davis vs. Shakur Stevenson, has attracted eyeballs and heated debates about who is the better boxer. And the fans had it for a while, as the rumors of the fight happening had them excited. However, that was it. Boxing insider Dan Rafael had to dismiss the circulating rumors and jolt the fans.

The news of a unification fight between two champions had the internet buzzing. Two undefeated records, two fighters with contrasting fighting styles, and two gold straps—the fight has every ingredient to make it a PPV blockbuster. You add to the mix their intense rivalry and you have a mouth-watering event. So, when a channel posted about a done deal about the two having a go at each other on November 23, the fans were swept off their feet. But not for long.

READ: Floyd Mayweather: Boxing’s Three Billion Dollar Man

Rafael took to his X handle and wrote, “I’m told by two people who would be involved that this is not true.” In a following post, the American sportswriter reconfirmed his stance and declared, “I asked a third source just now who would be directly involved if it was true and the response was “not at all”.”

I asked a third source just now who would be directly involved if it was true and the response was “not at all.” https://t.co/YuYDghI2a8

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) July 30, 2024

Stevenson, 27, also had to address the rumors, as he promptly addressed the whispers of him facing ‘Tank’ next. He announced, “This is FAKE!!” Interestingly, he is already working behind the scenes to put pen to paper for a new fight. Who is his opponent?

According to BoxingScene, Stevenson, at 22-0, has zeroed in on William Zepeda. The 28-year-old is an explosive fighter with devastating knockout power. It will be a fight that pits a technically gifted Stevenson against a power puncher in Zepeda. In addition, ‘Sugar’ is in free agency, making it easier for Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy to ink a deal.

Davis, 29, on the other side, is waiting on his next opponent. While his fight with Vasyl Lomachenko couldn’t materialize, he has another champion waiting for him. Isaac Cruz wants to run it back against the Baltimore native and exact revenge for the loss in 2021. But will that happen? The fans have to wait because the champions at 140 are ready to walk the unification route.

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BOXING

Floyd Mayweather: Boxing’s Three Billion Dollar Man

By Admin July 30, 2024

How much money did boxing legend Floyd Mayweather generate on Pay Per View throughout his remarkable boxing career?

World Boxing News has crunched the numbers regarding the actual takings Mayweather banked without taking anything away to make purse payments or event costs.

Mayweather amassed an incredible amount of cash throughout his career and continues totaling at least eight figures every time he steps into the ring. This will continue on August 24 when he fights John Gotti III in a rematch on Mexican soil.

Floyd Mayweather’s career PPV earnings
There’s long been an insistence from his team or the media that ‘Floyd Mayweather is boxing’s first billion-dollar man.’ Well, WBN can reveal that this is undeniably not the case. Mayweather is at least the sport’s first Billion-Dollar Man three times over if you take all the money from every sale of his PPV fights and add it together.

Floyd Mayweather made $1.8 billion in sales in the United States alone. His three billion at the worldwide box office proves he’s on his own in the paid platform stakes. Pay Per View buys featuring the five-weight king since his debut on the platform in 2005 at an average purchase price of $75; you’d even come to numbers north of $1.8 billion in US revenue.

Then, if you consider Mayweather’s other career purses and contract factors, the amount easily surpasses the two-billion-dollar mark in the United States alone. Worldwide sales of every event in hundreds of countries certainly exceed three and possibly into four, depending on how deep you delve.

It’s quite a dumbfounding statistic, and Mayweather has at least one billion in his pocket. Floyd’s Showtime contract alone made over one billion dollars from 14 million total buys [if you include Conor McGregor].

Floyd Mayweather – Total United States PPV Sales:

Jun 25, 2005 – Arturo Gatti vs. Floyd Mayweather (HBO 340k)

Apr 8, 2006 – Floyd Mayweather vs. Zab Judah (HBO 375k)

Nov 4, 2006 – Mayweather vs. Carlos Baldomir (HBO 325k)

May 5, 2007 – Oscar De La Hoya vs. Mayweather (HBO 2.4m)

Dec 8, 2007 – Mayweather vs. Ricky Hatton (HBO 920k)

Sep 19, 2009 – Mayweather vs. Juan Manuel Márquez (HBO 1.06m)

May 1, 2010 – Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley (HBO 1.4m)

Sep 17, 2011 – Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz (HBO 1.25m)

May 5, 2012 – Mayweather vs. Miguel Cotto (HBO 1.5m)

May 4, 2013 – Mayweather vs. Robert Guerrero (Showtime 1m)

Sep 14, 2013 – Mayweather vs. Canelo Álvarez (Showtime 2.2m)

May 3, 2014 – Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana (Showtime 900k)

Sep 13, 2014 – Mayweather vs. Marcos Maidana II (Showtime 925k)

May 2, 2015 – Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao (HBO/Showtime 4.6m)

Sep 12, 2015 – Mayweather vs. Andre Berto Mayweather (Showtime 400k)

Aug 26, 2017 – Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor (Showtime 4.3m)

Mayweather’s money-making numbers
The numbers are staggering. Most of which can add another 500 to 800k for worldwide distribution. Nobody has been generating those numbers since the days of closed-circuit TV without the home box office angle.

If you consider that Mayweather took several breaks during his tenure, some lasting over a year, the final total could have been over five billion dollars. Mayweather is and was money, no matter how you look at it.

Next month, at the age of 47, Mayweather will do it again, knowing that he only has to promise the fans a fight to put another huge check in the safe. Despite his ‘Heist Tour’ failing to materialize, Mayweather doesn’t need it. He can pick and choose when and who he fights and still does not bat an eyelid when considering the figures.

Mayweather earns one million dollars for most of his press conference appearances, making him far and away the most lucrative boxer ever.

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BOXING

TERENCE CRAWFORD: “I WILL SHOW THE WORLD WHY I’M THE BEST FIGHTER ON THE PLANET”

By Admin July 30, 2024

Pound-for-pound star goes for World Title in fourth division in LA this Saturday, live on DAZN PPV

Terence Crawford is out to remind fans why he is considered to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter on the planet when he takes on Israil Madrimov for the WBA and WBO interim Super-Welterweight World Titles at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles this Saturday August 3, live worldwide on DAZN PPV.

Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs) is gunning to become a four-weight World champion as he moves up to 154lbs after conquering the Welterweight division with a stunning KO win over Errol Spence to be crowned the undisputed champion at 147lbs in Las Vegas in July last year.

The Omaha star, who headlines the first ever Riyadh Season card on U.S. soil this weekend, has already ruled the roost at Super-Lightweight and Lightweight, and now ‘Bud’ is arrowing in on cementing greatness by relieving Madrimov of his WBA 154lbs crown.

READ: Terence Crawford staggering streak cements status as Floyd Mayweather successor

“Realistically the next step was to do a rematch with Spence,” Crawford told Matchroom. “For whatever reason it didn’t happen, so I had to move on with my career. The ultimate goal was to try to get the Canelo fight. That didn’t happen, so we went to the next best thing.

“154 was wide open. I was looking to fight Charlo, he left, so I‘ve got a fight with whoever I could get for a World Title. Israil Madrimov is a tremendous fighter. He’s 10-0, already a World Champion. He’s a tough dangerous fighter. I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.

“I think he’s very strong. I think he’s ‘herky-jerky’. I think he’s illusive, he can box, he can brawl, he can move, he can take a punch and that make for a great fight. I know he’s going to train hard. I know his coaches will train him to be the best that he can be and come fight night he’s going to try to do any and everything to dethrone me from my top spot, even though he’s the champion.

“He wants what I’ve got and that’s the recognition, the accolades, the pound for pound spot. He wants to be on top of the world like myself. He’s going to be filled with so much energy to prove to the world that he belongs in the ring with the top fighters. I consider Israil the best 154lbs fighter in the division right now. So why not go for the top guy in the division, right off the bat?

“As for myself, I’ve been here before. This is nothing new. I know how to handle things like this. I know how to go about fighting these type of guys that have a lot to prove. Come fight night I will show the world once and for all, once again, why I’m the best fighter on the planet.”

Crawford says he has been hugely impressed by His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s vision for boxing and the switch-hitting dynamo is proud to partner with Riyadh Season for their debut venture in the U.S.

“I’m very excited to be headlining His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s first card in the USA,” said Crawford. “I’m very excited for the first big event coming to America. Being the headliner of the event is a big honour. It’s going to be a tremendous event. There’s a stacked undercard and I’m just happy to be a part of it.

“In today’s age, it’s one of the best undercards that has been put together since back in the day. Pretty much six fights on the undercard could be main events. With that being said, all of them put on one card is a blessing. I’ve been talking to His Excellency for years now. This is the right time for us to partner up and do a big event. I’m quite positive that this is going to be a huge event.”

Crawford vs. Madrimov tops a blockbuster Los Angeles Riyadh Season Card this weekend, Mexico’s Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) defends his WBA Super-Lightweight World Title against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs), former Unified Heavyweight World Champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2, 22 KOs) returns against New York’s Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller(26-1-1, 22 KOs), undefeated Heavyweight contender Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) collides with Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) in a an explosive match-up for the NABF and WBO International Titles, Cuba’s David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) defends his WBA Light-Heavyweight World Title against Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs), Olympic Lightweight Champion Andy Cruz (3-0, 1 KO)continues his 135lbs campaign when he takes on Mexico’s Antonio Moran (30-6-1, 21 KOs) with the IBF International and WBA Continental Latin-American Titles on the line, unbeaten Super-Middleweights Steve Nelson (19-0, 15 KOs) and Marcos Ramon Vazquez (20-0-1, 10 KOs) meet over ten rounds and Saudi Arabian Welterweight talent Ziyad Almaayouf (5-0, 1 KO) fights in the US for the first time against Poland’s Michal Bulik (6-7, 2 KOs).

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Rory McIlroy’s brilliant comeback to hecklers as he prepares for Olympics

By Admin July 30, 2024

Rory McIlroy is currently preparing for the Paris Olympics, but he still managed to find the time to dish out some Ryder Cup smack talk to one rowdy American fan.

On Monday, McIlroy played a casual round at The Old Course at St Andrews, where he was seen hitting blistering tee shots on holes 12 and 16. While walking the historic course, the 35-year-old briefly stopped to engage in playful banter with the reported 100-200 people that congregated to watch him play.

In one clip posted to social media, an especially energetic fan can be heard shouting at McIlroy: “New York loves you, the Bronx baby, the Bronx.” In response to the overzealous attendee, the Northern Irishman hilariously quipped, “You’re not gonna love us next year!” in reference to the 2025 Ryder Cup.

READ: Loyalty Under Scrutiny: Bawling Jon Rahm Not Enough to Clear Doubts as His Loyalty to LIV Golf Remains Under Scrutiny

Back in 2023, Europe reclaimed the Ryder Cup with a 16.5 to 11.5 win, but the thrilling victory wasn’t without its hiccups. On the heels of the final hole being played at Marco Simone Golf Club, McIlroy and longtime caddie Joe LaCava got into a verbal spat on the green, with the altercation carrying over into the parking lot after the former took issue with the latter’s celebratory antics.

McIlroy’s heated confrontation with LaCava and subsequent shouting match with Jim “Bones” Mackay ultimately became rallying points for he and his European teammates.

Discussing the fallout from the incident at the hotel, McIlroy told the Irish Independent: “Then [European captain] Luke [Donald] comes in and sits down and doesn’t acknowledge anyone. And he looks at me and I’m thinking, ‘I could be in trouble here,’ but he goes, ‘Rory! I ——- loved that!’

“And all the boys started banging the table. It was brilliant. It had been a really deflating finish, but it galvanized the team.”

McIlroy still has quite some time before he’ll be able to represent Team Europe again in the Ryder Cup, with the next edition not taking place until September 2025. But the world No. 3 golfer doesn’t have to wait long to represent Ireland at the Olympics men’s tournament, which kicks off on Thursday at Le Golf National.

At the Tokyo Games back in 2021, McIlroy fell just short of finishing on the podium, losing to C.T. Pan in a seven-man playoff for the bronze medal. American Xander Schauffele took home gold in Japan, while Rory Sabbatini earned silver.

Three years later, McIlroy divulged that he relishes the opportunity to represent Ireland as opposed to Great Britain in the Olympics.

“As I said, previously, once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision,” he said. “The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game. And that’s Ireland.”

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