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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

BOXING

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

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.

BOXING

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

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.

BOXING

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

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.

BOXING

Floyd Mayweather: Boxing’s Three Billion Dollar Man

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.

BOXING

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

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).

GOLF

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

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.”

TENNIS

‘Until the Wheels Fall Off’ – Coco Gauff Bravely Vows to Conquer Hurdles for Team USA

We have often seen players going the extra mile at big events like the Olympic Games.

Take the example of Rafael Nadal in the ongoing Paris Olympics. Despite not being 100% fit, the Spaniard played his second-round match against Novak Djokovic earlier today. Despite losing that encounter, Nadal gave a good account of himself on the court. A similar situation is developing in the American tennis contingent as Coco Gauff spearheads her team’s challenge at the Paris Olympics.

Gauff, who is making her debut at the Olympics, is going all out to succeed in Paris. Along with her singles commitments, she is also participating in women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The American sensation is a favorite in all three categories and has a great chance to clinch a hat trick of gold medals.

READ: Novak Djokovic Uses Religion Over Known Atheist Rafael Nadal to Win Support Ahead of Paris Olympics Showdown

Earlier today, an exclusive interview with Gauff was released by PEOPLE, in which she revealed why she opted to play all the formats at the Paris Olympic Games. Subsequently, Gauff mentioned, “I just love winning, I love the vibes. I probably won’t be doing that much more longer, but I feel like if you’re Olympics, I’m always going to try to push and do all three [events] until the wheels fall off.”

While Gauff is yet to open her campaign in mixed doubles, she has reached the pre-quarterfinals in singles and women’s doubles, where she is partnering Jessica Pegula. Meanwhile, in mixed doubles, Gauff has teamed up with Taylor Fritz, and the duo is seeded third. Despite Gauff being one of the tournament’s favorites, legendary coach, Rick Macci, picked her compatriot over her.

Gauff is the second seed at the event and looks like an unstoppable talent for a podium finish. However, Serena Williams’ ex-coach, Rick Macci, believes that Danielle Collins will take Gauff’s place and will go on to reach the final. On the other hand, Macci feels that Swiatek is the ‘Queen of Clay’ and will be a sure shot in the final.

During an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Macci said, “She has the firepower. You know she can hurt you, and those are the people that can hurt Iga even on clay.” You gotta be able to hurt her and you got to be having fun, best day of your life swinging free and just going for it. And Collins has that type of game okay, even on clay.”

With so much going on in the tennis world, Gauff will look to take it one match at a time and give her best on each occasion. It’ll be interesting to see if Gauff can live up to the fans’ expectations.

BOXING

Terence Crawford staggering streak cements status as Floyd Mayweather successor

Pound-for-pound great Terence Crawford is on a stunning knockout streak.

The former three-weight world champion has stopped his last 11 opponents stretching back to 2016.

To make the feat even more impressive, every single one of those wins came in a world title fight.

Crawford kicked off his impressive run by finishing John Molina Jr inside eight rounds in December 2016 to retain his WBC and WBO light-welterweight belts.

READ: ‘WE ARE ON DIFFERENT LEVELS’ – USYK WANTS $200 MILLION FOR THE JOSHUA TRILOGY

The likes of Amir Khan, Kell Brook, and Shawn Porter fell to him in the following years as he picked up all the major sanctioning body belts at 140lbs.

Crawford then went on to cement his legacy as an all-time great by knocking out Errol Spence 10 months ago to become undisputed champion at welterweight.

This marked the first time a male fighter had been crowned a two-weight undisputed champion in the four-belt era – although Naoya Inoue and Oleksandr Usyk have since followed suit.

‘Bud’ is now 40-0 as a pro and is quickly closing in on Floyd Mayweather’s unblemished 50-0 record.

‘TBE’ won world titles in five different weight classes but never achieved undisputed status during his 21-year stint in the paid ranks.

The closest Mayweather came to unifying all the belts was in 2015 when he defeated Manny Pacquiao for the WBC, WBA, and WBO welterweight titles.

However, Mayweather refused to pay a sanctioning fee to the WBO after the fight and was subsequently stripped of their version of the world title.

Crawford is looking to further close the gap on Mayweather’s legacy by going for his fourth world title this weekend.

He faces Israil Madrimov for the Uzbek’s WBA super-welterweight strap at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium in Riyadh Season’s first overseas card.

Madrimov, like Crawford, is known for his heavy hands with seven stoppage wins from 11 fights (10-0-1).

His power was on full display in his last outing when he knocked out Magomed Kurbanov in Saudi Arabia to win his world title.

Crawford, who boasts 31 knockouts during his illustrious career, has carried the stopping power at every weight class he has fought in.

Whether he is still a big puncher at 154lbs will become abundantly clear when he dukes it out with Madrimov in his divisional debut.

While Crawford looks to further cement his status as a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Mayweather continues to compete beyond his professional retirement.

The 47-year-old hung up his gloves in 2017 after beating former two-weight UFC champion Conor McGregor but now makes easy money boxing in exhibition bouts fighting YouTubers, reality TV stars, and everything in between.

His last outing against John Gotti III in June 2023 ended in a no-contest after the fight was stopped due to ‘excessive trash talk’ from both fighters.

He is now set to rematch Gotti III on August 24 in Mexico City.

Mayweather had originally declared that he was boxing Victor Ortiz on the same date.

However, that fight didn’t come to fruition.

TENNIS

Novak Djokovic Uses Religion Over Known Atheist Rafael Nadal to Win Support Ahead of Paris Olympics Showdown

By Admin July 29, 2024

Beneath the greatness of Novak Djokovic, a hidden narrative reveals the secret sauce of his success!

It extends far beyond his athleticism and is a tale of a deeper devotion, one that he proudly declared in 2011. However, as he steps into the familiar grounds of the Olympics for the fifth time, the 37-year-old player holds on to the same faith, witnessing which the Nole fans are left in awe!

Winning a gold medal in the Olympics has eluded the former World No. 1 since his debut in 2008. Even though a bronze medal victory did come his way that year, Djokovic is not the one to be satisfied with it. Hence, he began his journey to reach success in the Olympics. Unfortunately, almost 16 years have passed, and meanwhile, he has performed in the Games four times, but the scenario remains the same.

READ: Ominous Signs: Here’s Why Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz as Dream Pair Might Not Survive Long at Paris Olmypics

However, this time, Djokovic, who has not won any title so far this season, has come back for a fifth attempt, has already surpassed his first opponent, Matthew Ebden, and is onto his next opponent, Rafael Nadal, (who is a known atheist). Interestingly, apart from his magnificent performance, fans caught a glimpse of his unwavering determination from a different perspective during his R1 clash. He was wearing the same cross that fans had seen earlier!

Novak Djokovic: "Before I am an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian." pic.twitter.com/CchN7xSYfs

— Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) July 28, 2024

Remember the year 2018 when Djokovic, sidelined for six months due to a persistent elbow injury, made a triumphant return to the tennis court at the Australian Open? The former world number one, renowned for his dominance from 2014 to 2016, showcased his resilience with a decisive victory over Donald Young. His unwavering faith in Orthodox Christianity, a cornerstone of his life, is often cited as a source of strength and inspiration. Djokovic openly expresses his religious beliefs, prioritizing them over his impressive career achievements, which include numerous Grand Slam titles.

“…before being an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian,” he said in April 2011. His words still echo in every fan’s heart, and he has once again proved his ability to put his devotion to everything that he puts his mind into. Naturally, fans are going gaga over it!

In April 2011, when he received the order of St. Sava in the first degree from the hands of Irenaeus, the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Djoker declared, “This is the most important title of my life.” Since then, he has often worn it to various matches. After his showdown with Ebden, Djokovic celebrated the victory by holding his cross-necklace, the one he wears in various tournaments. Pointing this out, one fan wrote on X, “A man of principles ❤️.”

Novak Djokovic: "Before I am an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian." pic.twitter.com/CchN7xSYfs

— Danny 🐊 (@DjokovicFan_) July 28, 2024

Another fan wrote, “Love this but not surprising ♥️🦾🦾.” It is indeed not a surprise to see him embracing his religious belief. Even during his 2019 Australian Open match, he was seen praying, looking upwards with his arms up in the air. Besides, his wife, Jelena, is also an ardent believer in the same religion and is often seen praying during Djokovic’s matches. Their wish indeed came true as Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in the finals of that game, winning it for the seventh time!

The order of St. Sava is the highest honor one can receive from the Serbian Orthodox Church. And Djokovic received that for his financial contribution to build more infrastructure in Serbia. “As an athlete and a religious person, it is hard for me to find appropriate words to describe my feelings of gratitude for the confidence I gain from the Holy Synod. I can only say that it can be earned only with hard work and self-belief, belief in your loved ones and in God,” he said in 2011.

Perhaps it is this confidence that has helped him reign in the top of tennis for 428 weeks. However, arguably, he is among those players who have been the target of criticism many times. Referring to this, one wrote on X, “We don’t deserve Novak.”

Djokovic, whose bronze medal aspiration came to an end in 2021 Olympics at the hands of Pablo Carreno, has always openly discussed his religious beliefs. Raised in an orthodox Christian family, according to him, his religious belief has not set a “limit” for him in any aspect. “I consider myself an open-minded and open-hearted person that respects and embraces everything that religions and knowledge have around the world that could enrich my life and my family’s lives. So I’ll keep it to that,” Djokovic once said. And fans know his outlook too, as one fan wrote, “Djokovic always leads by example how to sound unapologetic for your own identity.”

Another fan wrote, “Amen. He is the most caring and principled athlete I’ve ever witnessed as well. He has integrity in spades and guided by high moral standards. And he questions things publicly that others are too afraid to tackle.” Djokovic’s pursuit of greatness is an inspiration story in itself. And it is not only the Serbian church which has recognized his contribution to religion but the Russian Orthodox Church also honored him in 2012 for promoting his religious values in society.

Whether he fulfills his lifelong dream of achieving a gold medal in the Olympics is something that we will discover soon. However, either way, his journey continues to inspire millions of fans worldwide!