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      in Motorsport

      Christian Horner reveals what happened onboard £20million yacht after Max Verstappen won first F1 title

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN was ‘off his face’ after winning his first Formula One title.The Dutchman landed the 2021 title during the season finale at Abu Dhabi in controversial fashion over Lewis Hamilton.
      Red Bull partied on a £20million yacht after Max Verstappen’s 2021 title winCredit: AP
      Red Bull boss Christian Horner spilled the details on Sky’s A League of Their OwnCredit: Sky Sports
      Horner revealed Verstappen got ‘wasted’ during the partyCredit: Getty
      Horner also revealed how the party had caused him to be locked out at ChristmasCredit: PA
      Regardless of the fallout, Verstappen and Red Bull partied hard following the win, which had been the team’s first since Sebastian Vettel in 2013.
      Asked about their celebrations on a £20million yacht while appearing on Sky’s A League of Their Own, Red Bull chief Horner revealed how excited everyone was, including Verstappen.
      He said: “It was pretty impressive. It had been Covid all that year so nobody had been celebrating anything and we all ended up on this boat in Abu Dhabi.
      “So you got 70 blokes that haven’t seen much alcohol and certainly hadn’t been partying and then all the sponsorship crew and everybody else there and then Max who was completely off his face.”
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      He continued: “He was absolutely wasted.”
      The 49-year-old then explained how the party resulted in him being locked out of the house at Christmas.
      He said: “After the party everybody got Covid and because the race was so close to Christmas I got locked out of the house for Christmas.”
      While on the show, Horner also explained some of the circumstances behind the title.
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      These included how “Mercedes f***ed up” by leaving Hamilton on older tyres and revealing Verstappen was dealing with cramp at the end of the race.
      The Red Bull boss is estimated to have a net worth of £41.4m and is married to Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell.
      The aftermath of the season saw motorsport chiefs conduct an investigation that concluded “human error” played a hand in Verstappen landing his first title.
      Race director Michael Masi left the FIA after being axed as race director and opened up on the mental turmoil the backlash had caused him earlier this year.
      A League of Their Own airs on Sky Max and NOW, Wednesday’s at 9pm.
      Complete F1 2023 race calendar – details on every Grand Prix this year More

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      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua steps in for Tyson Fury as he agrees huge fight in Saudi Arabia on December 23 with opponent revealed

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA will fill in for battered and bruised Tyson Fury and provide Saudi Arabia with a Christmas cracker next month.The 35-year-old WBC Gypsy King was supposed to settle the undisputed decider with WBA, IBF and WBO boss Oleksandr Usyk on December 23 in Riyadh.
      Anthony Joshua has changed his plans big time to fight in RiyadhCredit: BBC
      Otto Wallin left Tyson Fury with a massive cut to his eye when the two heavyweights fought in Las Vegas four years agoCredit: Getty
      But he fluffed his lines at the October 28 rehearsal when he was floored by boxing debutant Francis Ngannou and needed some generous judging to cling on to his undefeated record.
      But the boxing movers and Sheikhs in the Middle East were never going to let the date pass them by so they have packed out a card full of heavyweight challengers and contenders, while they wait for the main course.
      AJ, 34, will take on giant Swedish southpaw Otto Wallin, who slashed a 49-stitch gash into Fury’s eye when they boxed in 2019.
      And Bronze Bomber Deontay Wilder – another Fury victim – will face the Morecambe giant’s best pal and training partner Joseph Parker.
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      SunSport understands the plan was for AJ to have another keep-warm fight in March and then launch a bid for the IBF heavyweight title, that will be stripped of the winner of the February showdown and up for grabs once again.
      But the money on offer from the kingdom convinced Watford’s London 2012 legend to suspend his carefully-made plans and dive into the mega-money event.

      That decision was confirmed on Monday when he posed for a photo with Turki Alalshikh, the new driving force behind the region’s entertainment and tourism takeover.
      Daniel Dubois, the 26-year-old Londoner who lasted nine rounds with Usyk in August, is expected to face the awful American drugs cheat Jarrell Miller, who scoffed the periodic table before being booted off his planned 2019 bout with AJ.
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      Fury and Usyk are expected to settle the score – and all four of the belts – on February 17 or 24 in the same Kingdom Arena.
      A press conference to announce that iconic bout between the Brit and the former undisputed cruiserweight ruler is expected on Thursday.
      But – after so many false dawns – Usyk will only really believe he is fighting Fury when the 6ft 9in behemoth is towering right over him.
      The Ukrainian told us: “I want to finish my beautiful 20-year career and road with Tyson Fury. I need to fight him.
      “But only when we have our Friday weigh-in and we wake up Saturday morning and travel to the venue, will I really believe it is happening.
      “It’s about being the undisputed world champion at two weights, the two biggest weights.
      “It’s not about money or belts. It’s about history.” More

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      in Boxing

      Anthony Joshua and Eddie Hearn meet with Saudi boxing boss as ex-champ lined up for December 23 fight along with Wilder

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      ANTHONY JOSHUA and Eddie Hearn met with the Saudi Arabia boxing boss after being lined up to return on December 23. Tyson Fury had initially signed to fight Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed crown in a Christmas cracker.
      Anthony Joshua with Saudi’s Turki Alalshikh and promoter Eddie Hearn
      But eight weeks before the target date, Fury, 35, was dropped and given the fight of his life against ex-UFC champion Francis Ngannou, 37.
      He controversially walked away with a points win but his title unification against Usyk, 36, has been postponed till February.
      Turki Alalshikh – in charge of boxing in Saudi – still wants a December 23 show to go ahead in absence of the undisputed showdown.
      And now Joshua is in talks to fight on the bill with Deontay Wilder also on the card in a separate bout.
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      Speculation that AJ is nearing a deal to return next month only strengthened when he was pictured with Alalshikh and promoter Hearn.
      It is believed Joshua, 34, is lined up to face Otto Wallin, 32, who in 2019 gave Fury 47 stitches despite losing on points.
      And Wilder, 38, is said to be nearing a deal with Joseph Parker, 31, the ex-WBO champion who won on the Ngannou undercard in October.
      The card is shaping up to be a blockbuster with Daniel Dubois, 25, rumoured to be in talks with disgraced drug cheat Jarrell Miller, 35.
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      Heavyweights Martin Bakole, 30, and Filip Hrgovic, 31, is another touted match-up.
      And undefeated WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, 32, could face Richard Rivera, 32.
      An announcement on the Saudi card could come as early as tomorrow.
      Deontay Wilder could fight on the same card as Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: GETTY More

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      in Boxing

      Christmas cancelled for Kelyn Cassidy as Irish Elite light-heavyweight champion aims for Olympic place at Paris 2024

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      CHRISTMAS is cancelled for Kelyn Cassidy — whose bid to become an Olympian starts now.The Waterford ace cemented his spot as Ireland’s top light-heavyweight by securing a three in a row of Irish titles in Dublin on Saturday night.
      Kelyn Cassidy of Saviours Crystal Boxing Club, Waterford, celebrates victory over Gabriel Dossen of Olympic Boxing Club, Galway
      Gabriel Dossen and Kelyn Cassidy in action during their light heavyweight 80kg final bout at the IABA National Elite Boxing Championships 2024 Finals
      Cassidy, 26, had to do it the hard way, beating one of his best pals in Galway puncher Gabriel Dossen.
      Dossen, a two-time Elite middleweight champ with a European gold to his name, had entered the 80kg ranks after his 75kg class was left off the Olympic roster.
      The winner here was a cert to make the team for a world qualifying tournament in Italy at the end of February — and Cassidy claimed it with both hands.
      It was a left that dropped Dossen in the first, while his right hook looked dangerous for the duration of their ferocious three-round battle.
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      After the verdict, the pair embraced in the ring as the magnitude of the result sank in.
      Cassidy told SunSport: “Christmas is cancelled — the bigger picture is the Olympic Games.
      “If I want anything out of boxing, I just want to be an Olympian.
      “I want to put everything I can in place to be an Olympian.
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      “I’m really emotional. I’m boxing one of my best mates there, we’ve boxed on the Irish team together for years. All credit to Gabriel, a class operator.
      “But at the end of the day, you have to forget feelings in the ring. Look, he pushed me right to the wire.
      “I had to pull all my tricks out of the bag to beat him.”
      The knockdown gave Cassidy momentum and while Dossen came on strong, particularly in the third, the Déise warrior was able to land enough to stay ahead.
      He added: “My left hand is my strongest hand. It’s good to get the result. I knew I needed a good win here to definitely get the weight.
      “We’re like brothers, so that’s why it’s emotional. You see at the end we just stood there holding each other for a while because, look, we’re really good mates.
      “And I know it’s sport and you can’t be mates in there but I’ll catch up with Gabriel after this and I’ll meet him for a drink or whatever. Nothing but respect for him.”
      Their battle was arguably the most anticipated bout of the night, along with the featherweight decider that saw Jude Gallagher beat Adam Hession.
      Cassidy lapped it up, adding: “This is the fight that everybody wanted to see. I went on social media for an hour in the morning and it was the talk of social media — Gabriel Dossen and Kelyn Cassidy. People have been posting bits of our sparring and everything.
      “These are the big fights you want to be in.
      “You remember the fights like when Darren O’Neill fought Darren Sutherland and the buzz around it.”
      Cassidy has reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships and European Games, slipping to tight defeats when wins would have landed him on the podium.
      He added: “I just got some tough draws. I got a tough draw at the European Games, had two good wins, and in the fight to qualify I end up meeting Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine.
      Read More on The Sun
      The Olympic silver medallist and should be gold medallist only he was knocked out when he was 2-0 up in the third round.
      “I only got beaten on a countback. But you can’t let these things set you back, you’ve got to enjoy them and move on.” More

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      in Soccer

      Somebody must win an Xbox Series X with Score Predictor in Matchweek 13 – check out these top tips!

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      DREAM TEAM are giving away another Xbox Series X in Matchweek 13!The user who earns the most points through their predictions for five selected Premier League fixtures will land the highly-desired games console as an early Christmas present.
      Remember, you don’t have to correctly predict the exact scores of all five games to win the top prize – that would be asking too much – you just have to edge out the next-best entrant.

      PLAY SCORE PREDICTOR AHEAD OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTION – SOMEBODY MUST WIN AN XBOX SERIES X!

      Channel your inner Pep to win an Xbox by Monday nightCredit: Dream Tea
      For those who haven’t yet played Score Predictor this season, here’s how the scoring works:

      Correct outcome +4 points
      Correct score +3 points
      Correct goals (home team) +1 point
      Correct goals (away team) +1 point
      Correct goal difference +1 point

      Score Predictor is completely free to play and it’s particularly fun to directly compete against your mates in Mini Leagues.
      In the spirit of generosity, here are our predictions for Matchweek 13.
      Manchester United v Luton
      This one hinges on just how far the Red Devils are willing to descend into farce for the neutrals’ entertainment.
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      Erik ten Hag’s side should have enough to get past a newly-promoted outfit currently 17th in the table but the manner of their recent defeats to Manchester City, Newcastle and Copenhagen haven’t inspired much confidence.
      Worryingly, Man United have scored just 12 league goals this season – fewer than Wolves and the same number as Nottingham Forest.
      They’re also the only team in the top half with a negative goal difference.
      The Hatters drew with Liverpool last weekend but that was on home soil – if this weekend’s clash was also at Kenilworth Road then we’d be inclined to back another upset.
      As it is, we’re envisaging an unconvincing home win.
      Our Prediction: 2-1 to Man United
      Anything other than a win against Luton would heap extreme pressure on Ten HagCredit: Getty
      Bournemouth v Newcastle
      The league’s second-worst defence welcome the league’s second-best attack to the south coast.
      A trip to the other end of the country hot the heels of a European away day is not ideal for the Magpies but they’re undefeated in nine domestic outings while the Cherries are coming off a 6-1 loss last time out.
      Eddie Howe won’t be able to call upon his first-choice XI amid a flurry of injuries but the visitors should still be too strong for Andoni Iraola’s men, who have lost nine of their 11 league fixtures.
      Our Prediction: 2-0 to Newcastle
      Liverpool v Brentford
      Sunday’s match-up at Anfield has the makings of a high-scoring affair.
      Only four teams have generated more xG than the Bees in the top flight this term and it’s Jurgen Klopp side who lead the way in the fashionable metric.
      Thomas Frank’s side have won three games in a row and the hosts will have to be wary of the threat posed by Bryan Mbeumo, who has six goals and two assists to his name already.
      Liverpool’s potency is partially dependent on whether Darwin Nunez engages his unplayable mode or adopts his hungover Sunday League alter ego.
      Saying that, Mohamed Salah has 12 goal contributions in 11 league outings and there’s a feeling of inevitability about the Egyptian at home to a mid-table team.
      The Reds are partial to a 3-1 win this season and this feels like it could be another.
      Our Prediction: 3-1 to Liverpool
      Agent of chaosCredit: PA
      West Ham v Nottingham Forest
      A tough one here with the two teams separated by just one place and one point in the table.
      The Hammers started the season well enough but three defeats on the spin have seen them drop into the bottom half.
      Forest registered an impressive win over Aston Villa at the City Ground last weekend but their away form remains a concern.
      No team have drawn as many league games as Steve Cooper’s mob this season, which leads us to…
      Our Prediction: 1-1 draw
      Chelsea v Manchester City
      It’s hard to know what to read into Monday night’s game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      On one hand, the Blues beat the last remaining undefeated top flight side 4-1 in their own back garden.
      But on the other, Spurs’ two red cards and ultra high line meant the contest was unlike any other in Premier League history – Mauricio Pochettino’s men actually made a meal of it for much of the second half in extremely favourable circumstances.
      Amid the chaos of that fixture, the controversy of Newcastle v Arsenal, and Liverpool’s slip-up at Luton, Pep Guardiola’s side quietly reclaimed top spot with an easy home win over Bournemouth.
      Of all a sudden, the treble winners are the league’s top scorers and boast the best defensive record – normal service has been ominously resumed.
      Read More on The Sun
      Our Prediction: 2-0 to Man City
      Think you know better? You’re almost certainly right, prove it by entering Score Predictor now!

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      in Soccer

      Premier League side set to get Christmas OFF in bizarre fixture quirk… as Chelsea and Wolves toil on Xmas Eve

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      THOMAS FRANK is planning to give his Brentford players Christmas off.Manchester City’s trip to the Club World Cup has effectively given the Bees a bonus winter break because they will not play for ten days.
      Thomas Frank is willing to give his players time off over ChristmasCredit: Getty
      Boss Frank believes his team — flying after three Premier League wins in a row — should be rewarded with a couple of two-day breaks, which is normally unheard of at this intense stage of the season.
      Brentford were due to visit City on December 23 but that has been postponed due to the champions’ trip to Saudi Arabia.
      After facing Aston Villa on December 17, Brentford’s next game is against Wolves on December 27 — also at the Gtech Community Stadium — so Frank is considering shutting the training ground on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
      Not that it takes much to annoy Wolves boss Gary O’Neil, but he is likely to be even angrier as his team must play Chelsea on Christmas Eve.
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      With a likely warm-down session on Christmas Day, he will have no time to prepare for the game at Brentford.
      Another quirk for Bees fans is they will not have to travel far for Premier League matches over the next few months.
      After a trip to Sheffield United on December 9, the next Brentford away game outside of London will be at Wolves on February 10.
      Brentford will also be boosted by the return of their suspended star striker Ivan Toney on January 17.
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      But don’t bet on him staying at the club beyond the end of the transfer window.
      Arsenal and Chelsea are targeting the striker, who has reportedly informed club bosses of his desire to leave.
      It is understood Brentford will demand £80million to let Toney leave. More

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      in Soccer

      Jack Grealish’s girlfriend Sasha Attwood unveils bold new look and is branded ‘perfect’ by fans in Christmas snaps

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      SASHA ATTWOOD showed off a bold new look as she got into the Christmas spirit.Model Sasha, the long-term girlfriend of Manchester City star Jack Grealish, took to Instagram to show off a collection of snaps.
      Sasha Attwood showed off a new look on her Instagram pageCredit: instargram @sasha_rebecca
      Sasha could be seen wrapping up for the winter coldCredit: instargram @sasha_rebecca
      Long-term partner Jack Grealish also made an appearanceCredit: instargram @sasha_rebecca
      Following Halloween and Bonfire Night, people have switched their focus towards Christmas.
      Sasha appears to be no different as she wrapped up for the winter cold, while also showing off a new darker shade of hair.
      One of the pictures Sasha shared showed her in a fluffy coat and beanie hat.
      A snap of a Christmas Tree was next, followed by a bouquet of flowers.
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      Grealish made an appearance in the next picture and could be seen wearing a hoodie.
      The next picture showed Sasha warming up with a hot drink, before a snap of an adorable dog.
      Sasha was then seen wearing a white shirt with a red jumper to match the colours of Christmas.
      The post was captioned: “Bit of this bit of that.”
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      Sasha could be seen getting in the festive spirit with a red jumperCredit: instargram @sasha_rebecca
      Sasha has 265,000 followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @sasha__rebecca
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      A number of Sasha’s 265,000 followers took to the comments under the post.
      One fan wrote: “You are perfect.”
      A second said: “Awww you two are the cutest.”
      A third said: “Absolutely stunning as always.”
      Another added: “Giirrlll the brown hair on u !!!”
      While a fifth said: “That coat.”
      Sasha and Grealish started dating when they were 16Credit: Instagram @sasha__rebecca
      Sasha works as a fashion modelCredit: Instagram / @sasha__rebecca More

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      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury shows off battered face after Ngannou fight with Gypsy King’s undisputed title clash delayed until 2024

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      TYSON FURY has confirmed he has no serious injuries that could threaten the December 23 undisputed decider with Oleksandr Usyk.Morecambe’s WBC heavyweight king had agreed a deal with Ukraine’s WBA, IBF and WBO to contest all the belts 48 hours before this coming Christmas.
      Tyson Fury locked horns with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou on SaturdayCredit: AFP
      The Gypsy King was dropped in the third round but secured a controversial points winCredit: GETTY
      Fury was left with a hell of a shiner on his left eyeCredit: BOXING KING MEDIA
      But-  after the 35-year-old was dropped and beaten up by MMA’s boxing debutant Francis Ngannnou on Saturday and nicked a split decision – promoter Frank Warren said it would be delayed until January or even February.
      However, 36-year-old Usyk’s team have confirmed that the December 23 date is concreted into the contract and only a serious injury and doctor’s note will delay the Saudi Arabia showdown.
      With nasty purple bruising all around his battered left eye, Fury revealed: “I’ve only got some surface bruising. 
      “There was a little bit of a head clash and a few punches but nothing major, no serious injuries”.
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      That will make it difficult for the Gypsy King’s team to push back the Christmas cracker and the potential rematch that has to happen before April to coincide with the Riyadh Season.
      Fury reckons his shocking performance was down to ring rust and the 26lbs he had to lose I’m just eight weeks.
      But he refused to blame excuses and throw shade on 37-year-old Ngannou’s superb showing.
      “I am not taking anything away from Francis Ngannou,” he told Boxing King Media.
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      The stats from the fight show Fury landed more punches overall and in the majority of the rounds
      “I trained very well and prepared very good.
      “But it’s boxing where you have good nights and bad and you just need to crack on forward and continue.
      “I felt my timing was quite off, I have been out of the ring nearly a year again.
      “I had a bit of ring rust, it was not one of my best performances, it was far from vintage Tyson Fury.”
      When asked flat-out if December 23 was still on the cards, he said: “I leave all that to my team, I don’t get involved”.
      Tyson Fury’s undisputed bout with Oleksandr Usyk is seemingly hanging on a knife edgeCredit: Getty More