Anthony Joshua’s fight with Kubrat Pulev will go ahead this year irrespective of the announcement that fans cannot return to sporting events from October.
Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn had been working in the hope that the heavyweight world title fight would take place on December 12 at The O2 in front of upwards of 5,000 spectators as part of the phased reintegration of crowds at live sport.
However, it is increasingly likely that any fight would need to be staged in front of zero fans following the confirmation on Tuesday from Prime Minister Boris Johnson that large events will remain closed due to the rise in coronavirus cases.
Despite the hefty financial implications of having no gate income to pay a fighter whose purses top eight figures, Hearn is adamant all his scheduled shows will go ahead.
He told Sportsmail: "Obviously today’s announcement is a massive challenge for everyone in sport. "Our intention now is carry on with all our scheduled events. Clearly the finances are affected by not having crowds, even smaller crowds, but we’re working to keep our schedule. That includes Joshua.
"You have two options - cancel or go ahead, quite possibly without a crowd. You’d still hope that by December you might have some back but you can’t plan on that now.
"We’ll go ahead in December for Joshua because it’s been a year since he fought Andy Ruiz and he needs to fight."
Hearn is still working on the basis that the fight will be at The O2, despite foreign interest in staging Joshua’s defence of his IBF, WBA and WBO titles. ............
Jorge Masvidal says he is happy to fight at UFC 251 at short notice as he faces welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman is "nowhere near as good as advertised", reports bbc.com American Masvidal, 35, stepped in for Saturday's fight [July 11] after Brazil's Gilbert Burns tested positive for coronavirus. 'Nigerian Nightmare' as Usman, is called is on an 11-fight UFC winning streak and makes his third title defence in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. "I don't have faith in him," said Masvidal. "There's other guys that I wouldn't have taken on six days." The welterweight title fight headlines the first of four events as part of UFC's Fight Island series from 11 to 25 July. The shows will be held with no fans on Yas Island, inside a 'Safe Zone' which will house over 2,500 fight personnel and island employees, who have all returned negative tests. Masvidal suffered back-to-back defeats in 2017 but revived his UFC career in 2019, thrusting himself into world-title contention with three explosive wins. First the veteran knocked out Darren Till in London before recording the fastest knockout in UFC history - five seconds against Ben Askren at UFC 239 - and stopping Nate Diaz in November to become the first holder of the symbolic BMF belt. "He's had his ups and downs," said Usman. "But at this moment, he's the biggest, baddest dude and the next in line. "I know he'll present a different challenge, so I'll treat him accordingly and discipline him in the appropriate way. That's my job, that's why I'm the champion." Usman also had a big 2019, beating Tyron Woodley at UFC 235 to become UFC's first African-born champion before defending his welterweight title against Colby Covington last December. Masvidal initially turned down the fight due to a pay dispute with UFC president Dana White, who "came back with a much better deal" after Burns had to withdraw. "Dana and the UFC have done an amazing job," said Usman. "It's incredible to see the precautions they've taken, from bottom to top. I'm grateful to be a part of this and for everything these guys have done. "I was disappointed when Gilbert fell out, but I'm the champion, I have to take on all challengers, and this is the fight that should have happened all along. It's the fight that people wanted." ....................................
Boxing legend, Floyd Mayweather, has been blasted for a 'lack of common sense and responsibility' after the retired boxing legend was seen flouting social distancing rules in two packed nightclubs, reports dailymail.co.uk.
He was filmed out partying in two rammed venues, surrounded by revellers in Arizona after the state lifted lockdown restrictions at the weekend.
The Mayor of Scottsdale Jim Lane has slammed the 43-year-old, telling TMZ Sports: 'The images from Old Town Scottsdale this weekend are disturbing, and frankly show a real lack of common sense and civic responsibility.
"Businesses and their patrons need to realise that individually we each play an absolute part in our own personal hygiene, distancing and health courtesies, and each of us also plays a significant part in our city's health, both physically and economically.
"This disease is spread between people – and personal actions determine whether public health guidance is effective in blunting the spread of COVID-19."
The scenes in the nightclub seemed bizarre given much of the world remains on lockdown with strict social distancing guidelines in place.
But Mayweather was spotted with his entourage in the club with no masks, gloves or PPE gear in sight.
The gatherings over the weekend happened as the US coronavirus death toll surpassed 97,000 and the case count hit 1.6million.
Lane went on: "We succeeded together in preventing our medical services from being overwhelmed. It was a costly effort; many businesses and individuals paid a huge cost for the success we have had to date.
"It is imperative that all businesses comply with the governor's executive orders – to ignore them is to risk faster spread of this disease and further damage to our physical and economic wellbeing."
Mayweather was seen at International Boutique Nightclub in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona and the mayor went on to add that he would be contacting the venue over his concerns.
He added: "I am personally reaching out to the businesses that were shown over this past weekend to be open with large crowds, so that I can discuss with them the importance of our continued progress.
"If we choose to respect one another as part of a community effort, we will bring the city and the country back." .............. Caption: Mayweather (right), at a nightclub.
Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka has become the world's highest-paid female athlete, displacing US rival Serena Williams at the top of the list, reports www.bbc.com.
According to Forbes magazine, Osaka, 22, a two-time Grand Slam champion, made £30.7m in prize money and endorsements over the past 12 months.
That was £1.15m more than the amount earned by 38-year-old Williams.
Both shattered the previous single-year earnings record of £24.4m set in 2015 by Russia's Maria Sharapova.
Since Forbes began tracking women athletes' income in 1990, tennis players have topped the annual list every year.
Osaka, whose father was born in Haiti and whose mother is Japanese, is 29th on the 2020 Forbes list of the world's 100 top-paid athletes, four spots ahead of Williams, the winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles.
The complete Forbes list, due to be released next week, has not featured two women since 2016, the magazine says.
The pair met in the 2018 US Open final with Osaka winning her first Grand Slam title in a highly controversial match in which Williams was given three code violations by the umpire.
The Japanese then won the 2019 Australian Open, although her form has since dipped and she has fallen from world number one to 10th on the WTA rankings.
Williams had been the world's highest-paid female athlete in each of the past four years, with Sharapova ruling for the five years before that.
Osaka has been a popular endorsement figure in Japan in the build-up to the now-postponed Tokyo Olympics, securing lucrative deals with global brands Nike, Nissan and Yonex, among others. ........................
Caption: Osaka (left), with Serena, after a Grand Slam clash recently. ....................
Shannon
Courtenay (right) was last in action at London's York Hall in December,
beating Spain's Buchra el Quaissi by stoppage in the fifth round.
“I was a heavy smoker, drinker and party animal.”
For many, quitting those addictions and vices can take time.
But
for British boxer Shannon Courtenay, her whole approach to life changed
from the moment she stepped foot in London’s Finchley Amateur Boxing
Club five years ago.
The
26-year-old from Watford is now unbeaten in five professional bouts,
has featured on the undercard of York Hall and O2 Arena fight nights and
trains alongside world-class boxers at Adam Booth’s gym.
Her
journey into boxing is far from typical; she is a latecomer to the
sport, did not navigate through the youth ranks or Great Britain’s
amateur set-up, nor is she living out a lifelong dream.
“But I found boxing - and boxing found me - at the perfect time,” she tells BBC Sport.
‘I threw my cigarettes in the bin’
Shannon Courtenay joined her local boxing gym in 2015 after deciding she wanted to lose weight and get fit
In
2015, Courtenay was working in a pub, smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day
and, more often than not, her evening meal would be a takeout curry or
pizza.
She headed down to Finchley ABC for one purpose.
“I just wanted to lose weight,” she explains.
“After
that first day at Finchley, everything changed. I walked out of the gym
and threw my cigs into a big blue bin next to the door.”
She has never smoked a cigarette since.
“I drove home and had a chicken salad for dinner, which was unheard of for me,” she adds.
“The
next day I woke up at five o’clock in the morning and went running. I
kept doing it every day and before I knew it I was winning titles.”
‘I knew my face would fit the pro game’
Shannon Courtenay fights at super-bantamweight
Despite
her inexperience, Courtenay’s raw power and aggressive, come-forward
fighting style was soon being noticed by fans and promoters alike.
She was, fittingly, given the nickname ‘Baby-faced Assassin’ by a boxing journalist after an amateur bout.
Three years after her first fight, she signed a professional contract with Matchroom Boxing.
“I knew my face would fit the pro game,” she says.
“My
style is fan-friendly. I don’t mind taking a dig to land two more. You
don’t really see women fight like that. Although that isn’t always the
best way to go about it.”
Women’s
boxing has been on a high in recent years through the success of
Ireland’s Olympic gold medallist and world champion Katie Taylor, the
most decorated female fighter active today, and Britain's now-retired
Nicola Adams, the first female to win a boxing gold medal at an Olympic
Games.
Courtenay,
while appreciating that other fighters have paved the way, believes
that being relatively new to the sport will work in her favour.
“My
body is still fresh, I don't have that much wear and tear like others
may have. And because I have only been in the sport for four or five
years, I am loving every second of it. Whereas other women fighters may
be getting sick of it," she says.
'Social media can be a nasty place'
It is not just Courtenay’s boxing ability which is proving popular.
Being
relatable with the public stems from her upbringing; her mum was a pub
landlady and Courtenay has grown up in and around that environment since
the age of four.
“I am used to the banter and I can dish it out as well,” she adds.
“I’m easy to talk to because I’ve grown up around a vast variety of people.”
But
even with her light-hearted nature, Courtenay has experienced the
“vulgar side” of social media since turning professional.
“When
I first turned pro, everything suddenly changed. I went from being a
nobody to people taking pictures in supermarkets and suddenly social
media blew up,” she says.
“It got a bit difficult for me at first. Some people on social media can be nasty.”
Courtenay
does hope to use her online presence to inspire young girls, starting
first with her younger sister, although says she was not too comfortable
with the ‘role model’ tag at first.
“I’d laugh at the thought of it,” she says.
“But now I get messages daily from people saying that because of me, their daughter took up boxing or they’ve gone for a run.
“I’ve
got a 13-year-old sister and I know there aren’t that many role models
around. I see models on Instagram who are filtered to the nines.
“I
tell my sister that these women aren’t perfect. They’re photoshopped.
I’d rather she be inspired by athletes who are doing things.”
Courtenay
was scheduled to fight in Doncaster on 24 April, a bout which was
postponed because of the ban on sporting events in the United Kingdom.
This setback has not dampened her spirits or ambitions.
“I want to be a two-weight world champion,” she says.
Although
she is reluctant to state when she will win a first world title,
Courtenay is adamant that she must be “fast-tracked” in professional
boxing, so that she can retire and start a family.
She
says: “I will probably stop boxing at about 32 or 33 so I can have
children. If you’re a male boxer and want to start a family, it doesn’t
affect you in any way.
“But
it’s difficult for a woman. For me, I would have to take about two
years out of the sport. So by the time I’m ready to have a family, I’ll
probably have to retire."
Likeable,
a ticket-seller and an explosive boxer but it is early days and time
will tell how much the ‘Baby-faced Assassin’ achieves over the next six
or seven years.
She
jokes that her alias may need to be shortened should she go on for any
longer, saying: “I might have to get some botox because otherwise I’ll
just be known as ‘The Assassin.’"
Wikki Tourists vs Kano Pillars Plateau United vs Kwara United Lobi Stars vs FC IfeanyiUbah Jigawa Stars vs Heartland Rivers United vs Warri Wolves Dakkada Intl. vs Enugu Rangers Adamawa United vs Enyimba MFM FC, Lagos vs Abia Warriors Nasarawa United vs Akwa United Sunshine Stars vs Katsina United
