Sports

Joshua Sheds, Ruiz Piles On Weight Before ‘Clash’

December 6, 2019 4:29 pm

Anthony Joshua on Friday weighed in more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds) lighter than heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr ahead of their controversial rematch in Saudi Arabia.

The leaner and meaner British boxer seeks to win back the IBF, WBA and WBO titles that he lost to Ruiz in a shock June defeat in New York in a high-profile duel on Saturday, dubbed “Clash on the Dunes”.

Joshua weighed in much lighter compared to their June encounter, hitting the scales at 16 stones and 13 pounds (107.5 kg) ahead of the fight, seen as the biggest test of his boxing …

Career-High Kohli Powers India To Six-Wicket Win

December 6, 2019 4:28 pm

Skipper Virat Kohli struck a blistering 94 to power India to a six-wicket win after chasing down 208 against the West Indies in the opening Twenty20 international on Friday.

Kohli put on a key 100-run second-wicket stand with KL Rahul, who made 62, as the hosts reached their target with eight balls to spare and lead the three-match series 1-0.

The star batsman smashed six fours and six sixes to record his career-best T20 international score in 50 balls as he surpassed his previous high of 90 with a winning hit over the rope.

Kohli arrived with the score on …

Westbrook Triple-Double Fuels Rockets Over Raptors

December 6, 2019 4:28 pm

The Toronto Raptors clamped down on Houston’s NBA scoring leader James Harden Thursday, but his Rockets teammates filled the void in a 119-109 win over the reigning champions.

Forward Ben McLemore led Houston with a season-high 28 points and Russell Westbrook contributed a triple-double of 19 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists as the Rockets bounced back from a controversial double-overtime loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

Harden, who is averaging more than 39 points per game this season, connected on seven of just 11 shots from the field, finishing with 23 points in the face of …

Chelsea Set To Look For New Signings After Transfer Ban Cut

December 6, 2019 4:28 pm

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard admitted the club will be on the lookout for new faces in the January window after a FIFA-imposed transfer ban was reduced on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Friday.

The ban, imposed following violations in the recruitment of minors, was reduced from two transfer windows to one, which Chelsea already served in the summer.

A fine was also reduced from 600,000 Swiss francs ($607,000; £462,000) to half that amount by the Lausanne-based court.

Lampard insisted he had not yet had any conversations with Chelsea’s board about transfer plans, but will start

…

Fiji Miss Out On Dubai Sevens Last-Eight For First Time

December 6, 2019 4:27 pm

Olympic champions Fiji failed to make the quarter-finals of the Dubai Sevens for the first time on Friday, agonisingly missing out on points difference in their pool.

Fiji finished third in Pool A behind France and Argentina despite all three sides winning two matches apiece to finish on seven points.

However, France ended top with a points difference which was one better than Argentina at +28 with Fiji on +14.

Fiji’s hopes were dashed with a 24-21 loss to Argentina, who made the most of a yellow card handed out to Vilimoni Botitu with Matias Moroni scoring the winning try …

Tiger Woods’ ‘Aura’ Has Dimmed, Says Presidents Cup Rival

December 4, 2019 4:42 pm

Ernie Els on Wednesday said Tiger Woods has lost some of his aura but the skipper of the International team will not be under-estimating his superstar counterpart at the Presidents Cup next week.

Woods is captaining and playing for the United States at the biennial matchplay showdown at Royal Melbourne, and one of Els’ key decisions will be who plays the 15-time major-winner in the singles on Sunday.

The big South African has seven rookies in his 12-man team, but he also has a core of experienced players such as Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.

Els said he …

‘Hungry’ Joshua Says No Celebration If He Beats Ruiz

December 4, 2019 4:42 pm

Anthony Joshua said Wednesday he will not celebrate if he regains his world heavyweight title, as he faced off with rival Andy Ruiz in a final press conference before their controversial rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Joshua seeks to win back the IBF, WBA and WBO titles that he lost to Ruiz in a shock June defeat in New York in a high-profile duel on Saturday, dubbed “Clash on the Dunes”.

The British boxer, 30, said he was “hungry, determined and focused” as he appeared alongside Ruiz in a press conference in Diriyah, close to the Saudi capital Riyadh.

“I am …

Harden Dunk Debacle Confounds Rockets

December 4, 2019 4:42 pm

Officials admitted they got it wrong in disallowing a James Harden dunk in Houston’s double-overtime loss to San Antonio, but it wasn’t clear Wednesday if the NBA would grant the Rockets a replay they reportedly want.

Rockets star Harden soared to the basket and slammed the ball through the hoop so hard that as it left the bottom of the net it spun back toward the rim and bounced off — leaving flummoxed game officials to rule no basket on the play.

“The ball went in,” Harden said after the game — and officiating crew chief James Capers later said …

Former Scotland Captain Barclay Calls Time On Test Career

December 4, 2019 4:41 pm

Former Scotland rugby union captain John Barclay announced his retirement from Test rugby on Wednesday.

“All good things must come to an end,” Barclay wrote on Instagram.

“This isn’t an easy decision to make; playing for Scotland is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication and undoubtedly one the best things I will achieve in my life.

“But for me and my family it feels like the right time.”

Read Also: Liverpool Belief Is Sky-High, Says Oxlade-Chamberlain

The 33-year-old flanker was capped 76 times after making his debut in the 2007 World Cup and was part of the …

Jesus Aspires To Rival City Team-Mate Aguero

December 4, 2019 4:41 pm

Gabriel Jesus ended his eight match goal drought with a brace in Manchester City’s 4-1 victory over Burnley on Tuesday and hopes this can spark him into emulating team-mate Sergio Aguero’s scoring rate.

The 22-year-old Brazilian has got his chance to lead the City line, and will do so again in the Manchester derby on Saturday, because record goalscorer Aguero is injured.

Jesus — bought for a reported £27 million ($35 million) from Palmeiras in the January transfer window in 2017 — said he is confident in his abilities as a goal scorer but just needs to follow 31-year-old Aguero’s …

Tearful Weightlifting Gold As SEA Games Bounce Back

December 4, 2019 4:40 pm

Philippines weightlifter Kristel Macrohon claimed a tearful Southeast Asian Games gold medal as the regional Olympics got back into full swing on Wednesday, a day after being battered by a deadly typhoon.

Macrohon posed alongside her “inspiration”, Olympic silver medallist Hidilyn Diaz, after winning the women’s 71-kg category in Manila in front of cheering Filipino fans.

The 56-sport SEA Games resumed a full programme on Wednesday, organisers said, after Typhoon Kammuri forced about half of Tuesday’s events to be rescheduled.

Four people were killed after the storm roared across the Philippines south of Manila, which is jointly hosting the Games …

England Cricket Great Willis Dies Aged 70

December 4, 2019 4:40 pm

Former England captain and fearsome pace bowler Bob Willis has died aged 70, his family announced on Wednesday.

Willis, who captained his country between 1982 and 1984, played in 90 Test matches with his most memorable performance his eight for 43 in the third Ashes Test against Australia at Headingley in 1981.

Star all-rounder Ian Botham would later describe his team-mate as a “tremendous trier, a great team man and an inspiration — the only world-class fast bowler in my time as an England player”.

Willis — who in 1965 added Dylan as a third name by deed poll due …

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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