Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev will take on heavyweight boxing’s world champion Anthony Joshua in London on Dec. 12, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) mandatory challenger said on Monday. The 39-year-old had been scheduled to meet Joshua on June 20 but the fight was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. “No turning back, no procrastination! Kubrat Pulev vs Anthony Joshua! The date is December 12th and the place is London!,” the Bulgarian, known as ‘The Cobra’, said...
The Los Angeles Lakers captured a record-tying 17th NBA Championship on Sunday with a 106-93 victory over the Miami Heat that sealed the best-of-seven title series 4-2, restoring the storied franchise to the top of the basketball world. The Lakers’ victory tied them with the Boston Celtics for most NBA championships and capped an unprecedented season that resumed in July at a spectator-free campus at Disney World in Florida after a four-month COVID-19 shutdown. Finals...
Super Eagles and Galatasary SK, Turkey midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo, has been ruled out of the international friendly match between Nigeria and two North African countries – Algeria and Tunisia. The team’s Media Officer, Toyin Ibitoye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday that Etabo pulled out after he sustained an injury in the club’s lone goal defeat to Kasımpaşa FC at the weekend in a Turkish league encounter. Ibitoye said most of the...
A sensational first half hat-trick from Ollie Watkins helped Aston Villa to a stunning 7-2 victory over Liverpool in the English Premier League (EPL) on Sunday. It was a result which not only ended the champions’ 100 per cent start to the season, but also was a severe humbling. Liverpool started badly at Villa Park as a poor pass from Adrian —- deputising for Alisson in goal for the visitors — gifted Watkins the opener...
For 50 dormant years – roughly, the period between Muhammad Ali’s heyday and the Miami Heat donning hoodies after Trayvon Martin’s murder – athletes, as a general rule, steered clear of politics. Teams and leagues liked it that way, as did sponsors. Why take a stand if it might cost you a customer? Fans seemed to like it that way, too. In a national survey conducted in 2016, after Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem to...
Executive Chairman Edo State Sports Commission, Godwin Dudu-Orumen, says the state will wait for the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 to give clearance for preparation to commence for the Edo 2020 Sports Festival. Dudu-Orumen disclosed this on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The Sports Festival Committee had earlier suggested Oct. 22, as the date for opening of the Games Village and Oct. 25, for commencement of the festival proper,...
Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Italian Open with a stunning 6-2 7-5 defeat by Argentine Diego Schwartzman in the quarter-finals on Saturday. The nine-times Rome champion, who had won all nine previous meetings against Schwartzman, struggled with his serve throughout the match. He made a series of uncharacteristic unforced errors that proved to be his undoing. The Italian Open was the Spaniard’s first tournament in over seven months and while he cruised...
In order to cement the relationship and enhance peaceful co-existence among adherents of Islam and Christianity, a nondenominational Christian organization, Seed Sowers Ministry International, has organized a football tournament which was held at Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) Cathedral Jimeta Yola. According to the Founder, Seed Sowers Ministry International, Dean Rev. Ozumba Nicodemus said the game is being played by both Muslim and Christian youths with a view to promoting peaceful coexistence. “The...
Unai Emery earned his first win as Villarreal coach after his side came from behind to beat Eibar 2-1 at home on Saturday in La Liga. After being held to a disappointing draw by newly-promoted Huesca last week, Villarreal again fell behind at home to humble opposition. Kike Garcia put Eibar ahead five minutes into the second half to again scare Emery’s side. But the former Arsenal manager sprung a double substitution shortly afterward and...
Striker Eugenie Le Sommer scored one goal and made another as Olympique Lyonnais beat VfL Wolfsburg 3-1 to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League for an unprecedented fifth time in a row. Called up to the starting line-up in place of the suspended Nikita Parris, Le Sommer collected the rebound from her own shot and swept the ball home. The 25th-minute goal put the French side ahead in the match played at San Sebastián in...
