Tyson Fury believes he is the greatest heavyweight of his era after producing a scintillating display to beat Deontay Wilder in a boxing classic on Saturday.

The 33-year-old undefeated Englishman recovered from two knockdowns against the hard-hitting Wilder before knocking out the American in the 11th round to retain his WBC crown.

“I know I’m the greatest heavyweight of my era, without doubt. Number one,” Fury said following an epic battle at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“I’ve fought the most devastating puncher in the history of our sport, not once, not twice, but three times.”

At a towering 6ft 9in tall and weighing in at 277lbs, Fury is unarguably one of the biggest heavyweight champions of all time.

Icons of the heavyweight division like Muhammad Ali or Joe Frazier would be giving away massive advantages in height and weight in any theoretical match-up with the reigning champion.

Fury was initially reluctant on Saturday to rank his chances against past greats.

“I don’t like competing with fighters from the past because it’s fantasy, not reality,” he said. “I can only beat the best of my day. And I’ve done that. I’m the best fighter in my era.

However, he later could not resist comparing himself favorably to the greatest heavyweights to have graced the division.

“There’s been so many of them, so many great champions,” he said.

“Without sounding too clever, I place myself at the top of the pile. I believe I can beat any man in history, any man.”

– ‘Magnificent’ –

Saturday’s thriller meanwhile left many at ringside struggling to think of a better heavyweight contest in boxing history.

“Listen, I’ve been in this business 57 years promoting fights and I truly have to say I have never seen a heavyweight fight as magnificent as this,” said Fury’s US promoter Bob Arum, who promoted 27 of Muhammad Ali’s fights including the 1975 classic “Thrilla in Manila” against Joe Frazier.

Frank Warren, Fury’s veteran English promoter, said Saturday’s bout was “boxing history.”

“It’s the best live heavyweight fight I’ve seen,” Warren said. “It was just amazing. Two warriors and just so absorbing. Tyson is the standout heavyweight of his generation.

“I have seen him box better. But the heart and the bravery he showed tonight were just amazing. Boxing should be proud of what he did tonight.”

Fury, who now plans to take a break from the sport before contemplating a potential unification fight with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk, or British rival Anthony Joshua, insisted he had never felt in danger against Wilder.

“He caught me twice. But I was never like thinking ‘Uh oh, this is over.’ I thought ‘Okay, good shot — but I will get you back in a minute, and I did’,” he said.

“He shook me and he put me down, but that’s boxing. And that’s life as well — no matter how many times you get put down, it’s all about getting back up.”

Source: AFP

Lewis Hamilton dominated qualifying Saturday for the Turkish Grand Prix but his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas will start the race from pole position.

Hamilton, the championship leader, set a new lap record three times in qualifying but because his team incurred a 10-place grid penalty by changing his engine ahead of the race he will start 11th.

His closest rival for the title, Dutchman Max Verstappen of Red Bull, will start alongside Bottas, a Finn, on the front row.

Hamilton improved his time in each of the three qualifying phases. After breaking the 16-year-old track record in practice on Friday he broke it again in each of the three qualifying sessions.

He finished the session with a time of 1min 22.868sec, 0.130sec ahead of Bottas with Verstappen 0.328 back.

Frenchmen Charles Leclerc in a Ferrari, and Pierre Gasly in an Alpha Tauri will start on the second row.

Veteran Spaniard Fernando Alonso and Mexican Sergio Perez of Red Bull occupy the next two places.

Source: AFP

Brazilian football legend Pele was released from hospital Thursday after undergoing surgery for a colon tumor, but will continue undergoing chemotherapy, his medical team said.

Pele, 80, had been receiving treatment at Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo since August 31, after a suspected tumor was detected during routine tests.

The player considered by many the greatest footballer of all time is in “stable” condition, doctors said.

(AFP)

Brazilian football legend Pele left the intensive care unit of a Sao Paulo hospital on Tuesday after undergoing surgery for a suspected colon tumor.

“The patient Edson Arantes do Nascimento is in good clinical condition and has left the intensive therapy unit. He will be recovering in a room,” the Albert Einstein Hospital said in its latest medical bulletin.

“I continue every day happier, with a lot of disposition to play 90 minutes, plus extra time. We will be together soon!” Pele wrote on Instagram, thanking fans for “thousands of loving messages”.

On Monday night one of his daughters, Kely Nascimento, gave an update on her father’s health on social media, accompanied by a close-up photo of the smiling 80-year-old football mega-star.

“He is doing well post surgery, he is not in pain and is in a good mood (annoyed that he can only eat jello but will persevere!),” Nascimento wrote.

“He will move into a regular room in the next day or two and then go home.”

Her father “is strong and stubborn and with the support and care of the brilliant team at Einstein and all of the love, energy and light that the world is sending, he will get through this!” she wrote.

The suspected tumor was detected during routine tests, according to the hospital, where Pele has been undergoing treatment since August 31.

Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele has been in poor health in recent years, and has had various stints in the hospital.

The only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970), Pele burst onto the global stage at just 17 with dazzling goals, including two in the final against hosts Sweden, as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time in 1958.

“O Rei” (The King) went on to have one of the most storied careers in sport, scoring more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.

Source: AFP

Emma Raducanu fell asleep as a little girl to visions of running through the stands to celebrate a Grand Slam title and lived the moment Saturday after capturing the US Open title.

The British 18-year-old beat 19-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6-4, 6-3 to become the first qualifier to win a Slam title, rolling through 20 sets without loss to hoist the trophy.

“It’s an absolute dream. You just have visions of yourself going up to the box, hugging everyone, celebrating,” she said. “For that moment to actually happen, I’m just so grateful.”

Her childhood visions returned as her epic run pushed her to becoming the youngest Grand Slam champion in 17 years and the youngest US Open winner since 17-year-old Serena Williams in 1999.

“Going to celebrate with your team, trying to find your way up to the box, just seeing them after the match, that has been playing in my head a couple nights. I’ve fallen asleep to that,” she said.

“To have the belief I did and actually executing, winning a Grand Slam, I can’t believe it.”

Raducanu has adopted a nothing-to-lose attitude and Slam success ensures it won’t change any time soon.

“I don’t feel absolutely any pressure,” Raducanu said. “I’m still only 18 years old. I’m just having a free swing as anything that comes my way. That’s how I faced every match here in the States.

“It got me this trophy so I don’t think I should change anything.”

Raducanu never dropped more than five games in any set and that happened only once, in qualifying, although she insisted every win had its challenges.

“I faced a lot of adversity in every single one of my matches,” she said. “What I did very well this tournament was press in the moments that I really needed to.”

While she may have faced adversity, she has not faced reality, setting aside her cell phone and the world outside to focus upon the US Open.

“I still haven’t checked my phone. I have absolutely no idea what’s going on outside of the little world that we’re in here,” Raducanu said.

“The biggest triumph for me is how I managed to just not think of absolutely anything else except for my game plan, what I’m going to execute. I just completely zoned in and focused on my craft.

“I think that’s definitely the biggest thing that’s probably helped me to win this title.”

So when it comes to things like how her US Open title will change her life, she hasn’t given it a thought. She can’t even say what’s up next week.

“I haven’t thought of any of that,” Raducanu said. “I have no idea when I’m going home. I have no idea what I’m doing tomorrow. I’m just really trying to embrace the moment, take it all in.

“I definitely think it’s the time to just switch off from any future thoughts or any plans, any schedule. I’ve got absolutely no clue. Right now, no care in the world, I’m just loving life.”

Bloody good finish

After failing to convert two match points on Fernandez’s serve, Raducanu scraped her left knee sliding on the court in the final game and opened a bloody cut, forcing play to halt while a trainer bandaged the wound.

“My knee cut pretty bad,” she said. “I didn’t actually want to stop because I thought it would disrupt my rhythm.

“But I couldn’t play on. I wasn’t allowed to because my knee was gushing with blood. The chair umpire said I needed to get it treated right away.”

She returned to face a break point in a pivotal moment, but saved it.

“Facing a breakpoint after a two-, three-minute disruption isn’t easy,” she said. “I managed for sure to really pull off the clutch plays when I needed to.”

That included match point a few moments later when she blasted her third ace.

“I don’t think I made one serve that wide in the whole match,” she said.

“I literally drove my legs up to that ball toss like never before. I landed it. (Then) just disbelief, trying to take everything in, all the moment.”

Source: AFP

Brazilian football legend Pele remains in intensive care but is making a satisfactory recovery after undergoing surgery for a suspected colon tumor, his doctors said Friday.

Pele’s medical team at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo said in a statement that he was “actively conversing and displaying vital signs within normal range.”

Pele, 80, took to Instagram to reassure his fans.

“My friends, with each passing day I feel a little better. I’m looking forward to playing again, but I’m still going to recover for a few more days,” he said.

“While I’m here, I take the opportunity to talk a lot with my family and to rest. Thanks again for all the loving messages. We’ll be together again soon!”

The suspected tumor was detected during routine tests, according to the hospital, where Pele has been undergoing treatment since August 31.

Considered by many the greatest footballer of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele’s real name, has been in poor health in recent years, and has had various stints in the hospital.

The only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970), Pele burst onto the global stage at just 17 with dazzling goals, including two in the final against hosts Sweden, as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time in 1958.

“O Rei” (The King) went on to have one of the most storied careers in sport, scoring more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.

Source: AFP

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has called for the World Cup to be held every two years in an interview with French sports daily L’Equipe published on Friday.

The 71-year-old Frenchman, who is now director of development at FIFA, also called for a single annual period of international qualifiers in a global football calendar.

“The principle would be a grouping of qualifiers every year, and at the end of the season a major competition, World Cup or continental championship,” said Wenger.

“Between the two qualifying windows, the player would stay in his club all year round.

“There must be less of a mix in the calendar between the periods of club football and periods of international football, and therefore fewer transcontinental trips for the players, for example.”

Wenger said he would like to see a single international window, perhaps in October, with fewer qualifying matches.

“For the players, there will be no more matches, and there will be compulsory rest after the final stages, at least 25 days,” said Wenger who sees his proposed new format coming into action in 2028, two years after the 2026 World Cup in North America and Mexico.

“What people want today are high-stakes, easy-to-understand competitions,” he said, insisting there is “no financial intention behind it”.

“It’s a global project, for men’s football, but also for women’s football and youth competitions,” he added.

Source:  AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo broke the all-time international goalscoring record with his 110th Portugal goal and then scored an injury-time winner to salvage his country a dramatic 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over the Republic of Ireland in Faro on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old Ronaldo, whose return to Manchester United from Juventus was confirmed on Tuesday, had missed a penalty in the 15th minute before John Egan gave Ireland a half-time lead.

But Ronaldo equalised in the 89th minute with a header, before outjumping the Irish defence again in the sixth minute of added time.

He passes Ali Daei, who scored 109 international goals, after equalling the Iranian great’s record tally during Euro 2020.

Portugal sit top of Group A with 10 points from four matches, although Serbia are only three points behind with a game in hand.

The group winners qualify automatically for the finals in Qatar, with the runners-up heading into the play-offs.

Ireland are still only above bottom team Azerbaijan after three defeats, including a humiliating 1-0 home loss to Luxembourg in March.

Luxembourg claimed a second win in World Cup qualifying for the first time in their history in the day’s other match, beating the Azeris 2-1.

Ronaldo was gifted the perfect opportunity to take the record on his own early on after Jeff Hendrick was adjudged to have tripped Bruno Fernandes.

The referee was asked by VAR to have a second look on the pitchside monitor, but he stuck with his original decision after a lengthy delay.

– Ronaldo misfires –

But the crowd in the Algarve were stunned, as Ronaldo’s well-struck penalty was saved by diving Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, a teenager who is on loan at English third-tier side Portsmouth from Manchester City.

The hosts continued to threaten, with Diogo Jota heading against the post just after the half-hour mark.

Stephen Kenny’s Irish side grew in confidence, though, and Aaron Connolly was denied by the legs of Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio in the 45th minute.

Ireland claimed a shock lead from the resulting corner, as centre-back Egan leapt highest to glance a header into the far corner of the net.

Bazunu almost went from hero to villain in first-half injury time, but managed to gather Jota’s volley at the second attempt after initially allowing the ball to squirm out of his grasp.

Portugal started the second half brightly although it was Ireland who almost doubled their lead, as Brighton forward Connolly fired wide under pressure from Joao Palhinha, with his penalty appeals for an apparent nudge in the back waved away.

The Euro 2016 champions predictably piled on the pressure in the final half an hour, with Bernardo Silva inexplicably blazing over from only seven yards out.

Ronaldo saw a free-kick from the edge of the box saved by Bazunu, but he powered a header into the net just seconds later.

James McClean almost grabbed all three points for Ireland as his shot was kept out by Patricio.

But with the allocated five minutes of injury time already played, Ronaldo met Joao Mario’s cross with another towering header.

Ronaldo was booked for his celebration and will miss Portugal’s next qualifier against Azerbaijan next week through suspension, although it is unlikely he will be overly bothered by that.

Source: AFP

Serena Williams has pulled out of next week’s US Open because of a hamstring injury, the 23-time Grand Slam winner announced on her Instagram page on Wednesday.

“After careful consideration and following the advice of my doctors and medical team, I have decided to withdraw from the US Open to allow my body to heal completely from a torn hamstring,” wrote the 39-year-old American.

Williams, who has not played since a tearful first round exit at Wimbledon when she hobbled off court during the first set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich, is a six-time winner in New York.

She won her first Major at the 1999 US Open as a teenager, the first step on her path to a domination of the women’s game.

Williams, whose ranking has now slipped to 22, last missed the US Open in 2017 because of the birth of her daughter.

She reached the final in 2018 and 2019, losing both which added to her frustration as she attempts to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

“New York is one of the most exciting cities in the world and one of my favorite places to play — I’ll miss seeing the fans but will be cheering everyone on from afar. Thank you for your continued support and love. I’ll see you soon,” she wrote on social media.

Williams is the latest big name to withdraw from the US Open following multiple winners Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer as well as the 2020 men’s champion Dominic Thiem.

Source: AFP

Mayor Anne Hidalgo returned to the French capital on Monday with the Olympic flag from Tokyo ahead of Paris’s turn to host the Games in 2024.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo brandished the Olympic flag after disembarking from the Air France flight that brought many of France’s Olympic medalists back to Charles de Gaulle airport.

Hidalgo, who formally received the flag Sunday during the Tokyo closing ceremony from International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, told reporters the flag “is the symbol that now, really, the Paris Games are coming”, adding: They will be “very positive for our country”.

She said the Tokyo Games were “organised in very difficult conditions” because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

French organisers will stay in touch with Japanese counterparts to prepare for the Paris Games, including on security issues, Hidalgo added.

The Olympic flag will be raised at Paris City Hall later on Monday. A celebration will then take place at Trocadero square, which overlooks the Eiffel Tower, so that the public can welcome the French medalists home.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)