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      in Soccer

      Why is Erling Haaland not allowed to play in the Club World Cup final?

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      ERLING HAALAND is set to miss out on Manchester City’s FIFA Club World Cup final clash against Fluminese – but not because of an injury.Pep Guardiola’s Treble winners thumped Japanese outfit Urawa Red Diamonds to book their spot in tonight’s showdown.
      Manchester City cruised into the finalCredit: Getty
      City was impressive as they did it without their goal-machine Haaland who missed out due to a foot issue.
      And just as it seemed the Norweigian was in with a chance of returning to the fold.
      A bizarre FIFA rule has ruled Haaland out from playing – along with teammates Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku.
      Why is Erling Haaland not allowed to play in the Club World Cup final?
      FIFA rules state that no player who was left out of the 23-man squad squad for the semi-final can play any future matches in the competition.
      Read more on Club World Cup
      And due to Haaland being omitted from the Urawa Red Diamonds contest, he cannot feature in the final against Fluminese.
      It means this will be the fifth consecutive match Haaland has missed after being ruled out for Luton, Red Star Belgrade and Crystal Palace before the Club World Cup.
      Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are also set to miss out on what could be a momentous occasion in City’s history for the same reason.
      What has been said?
      Pep Guardiola prefers to focus on the players he does have for the final and highlighted how important this match is for Manchester City.
      Most read in Football
      Speaking after the semi-final win, Pep said: “The players know how important it is for the club.
      “To be in this final, you have to do incredible things like win the Champions League. This may be the only time we play this in our lifetime.
      “We are there. We will try to win a title we don’t have and finish the circle.”
      When is the Club World Cup final?

      Manchester City’s Club World Cup final against Fluminese will take place TONIGHT – Friday, December 22.
      It is scheduled to get underway at 6pm GMT – 9pm local time.
      King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is the allocated arena for this huge match and it can host 62,345 fans.
      Real Madrid won their fifth title against Al Hilal in the 2022 final. More

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      in Boxing

      Daniel Dubois’ net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      Daniel ‘Dynamite’ Dubois is a heavyweight champion from London.Here’s what you need to know about Dubois’ net worth — and his boxing record. 
      Daniel Dubois will be fighting Jarrell Miller during the Day of Reckoning card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, 23 December.
      What is Daniel Dubois’ net worth?
      Some estimate Dubois’ net worth at between $2 million — $5 million.
      Dubois earned £1.75 million for another fight when he faced Joyce in 2020.
      His career earnings are thought to be in the region of around £5m.
      He began earning six-figure sums when he took on Richard Lartey in April 2019.
      Read more on Daniel Dubois
      But since facing Joyce, Dubois pulled in a further £1.8m across four fights.
      Although he failed to defeat his opponent Usyk in August 2023, Dubois went away with one of his biggest cheques yet: £1.6 million.
      It’s not yet been confirmed how much he stands to take away from his fight against Jarrell Miller on the Day of Reckoning undercard, on Saturday, 23 December, 2023.
      The anticipated Christmas mega-card will see headliner AJ facing Otto Wallin.
      Most read in Boxing
      What is Daniel Dubois’s boxing record?
      Daniel “Dynamite” Dubois’ boxing record stands as 19–2–0.
      He’s had a total of 72 bouts, and has a KO rate of 95%.
      Dubois has seen some serious success: he held the World Boxing Association (WBA) heavyweight title from 2022 to August 2023.
      He’s also held the British and Commonwealth titles from 2019 to 2020.
      His first pro fight was against Marcus Kelly in 2017, which he won by a KO, and his fourth fight won him the WBC Youth heavyweight title.
      The former WBA heavyweight champion could have his work cut out as opponent Jarrell Miller will be heading into the Day of Reckoning card fresh from a sixth-round stoppage win vs Australian Lucas Browne.
      In a bizarre turn, Miller said of his opponent Dubois:
      “I guarantee if we cut his head open his brain will be the size of a shrimp. You know what I mean? The IQ of a walnut.”
      Frank Warren, Dubois’ promoter, has described the fight as a “must win” for the London champ.
      He said: “There is so much riding on this for Daniel. This is must-win.
      “He could have won his last fight but something was just lacking at the end and he needs to address that, and this is the fight to do it.
      “Whether it’s self-belief or what, Daniel has to go out there and impose himself against Jarrell and get himself back to the big table.
      “Otherwise he has a long road back.”
      Dubois said: “I’m ready to go, let out all of that emotion that I’ve built up from the Usyk experience and turn it into a positive.
      “Come through this big show with a win.
      “I want to punch holes in Jarrell, whatever it takes to win, for me it’s important to win in style and put all of that [Usyk loss] behind me,” he said.
      Miller’s career has been marred by doping scandals after a failed drugs test saw a 2019 fixture against AJ cancelled at the last minute.
      The match will take place at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is the chosen venue for this tasty event and it can host approximately 26,000 roaring fans.
      Daniel is one of eleven children fathered by Dave Dubois, a former Camden Market street trader.
      Read more on The Sun
      His sister, Caroline, is also a boxer. More

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      in Boxing

      Joseph Parker: net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      HE’S a top New Zealand heavyweight and a family man outside of the ring.Here’s all you need to know about Joseph Parker’s net worth, and his boxing record. 
      Parker will face Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker on the Day of Reckoning card on Saturday 23, December in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
      What is Joseph Parker’s net worth? 
      Joseph Parker has an estimated net worth north of $5 million, or £3.9 million, thanks to his career in the boxing ring. 
      But some estimate Parker’s career earnings of more than $20 million, considering he had a $13.1 million payday for his world title fight against Anthony Joshua in 2018, despite not winning. 
      Parker’s 2018 fixture against Dillian Whyte saw him earn significantly less than his fight against AJ, at around £1 million. 
      Reports also suggest that Parker went away with £2.5 million after his 2021 fight with Derek Chisora. 
      read more on boxing
      But estimates for Parker’s purse on the much-anticipated fight against Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia on the Anthony Joshua vs Otto Wallin undercard stand at around $2–3 million, although unconfirmed. 
      Parker has four daughters to look after, with his long-term partner, Laine Tavita, with whom has been with since he was a teenager. 
      The heavyweight boxer has Samoan heritage— although born in New Zealand, his mother is from the main Samoan island of Upolu. 
      What is Joseph Parker’s boxing record?
      Joseph Parker’s heavyweight boxing record stands at 33–3–0
      Most read in Boxing
      He made his debut in 2012 against Dean Garmonsway winning with a TKO. 
      Parker lost against Dillian Whyte and Anthony Joshua, both by unanimous decision, in 2018, and another loss came in 2022 in a fight with Joe Joyce, by KO. 
      Parker competed at the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games, winning a silver medal, and at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games, where he placed 5th.
      He’s received many awards throughout the course of his career, from New Zealand Pacific Island Sports Emerging Talent Award in 2011, to the Order of Merit of Samoa in 2016, and the 2017 Counties Manukau Sporting Excellence Sportsman of the Year.
      Ahead of his fight against Deontay Wilder on Saturday, 23 December 2023, close pal Tyson Fury has given Parker some advice. 
      Fury, who’s beaten Wilder twice, and drawn once said: “Don’t get hit in the face with one of them big KO right hands. You’ll be alright.
      “Avoid the right hand! That’s my tip for Parker.
      “What more else can you say? Don’t get hit by the right hand and you’ll win the fight.”
      Read more on The Sun
      At the top of the bill, AJ — who is looking for a third win in a row after losses to Oleksandr Usyk — is facing Swedish boxer Otto Wallin, who left Tyson Fury needing 47 stitches after their encounter.
      Wilder vs Parker will be broadcast LIVE on DAZN pay-per-view. More

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      in Soccer

      What clubs have agreed to be in the European Super League?

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      FANS are up in arms as the European Super League could be on the cards again – but not everyone is against it.The breakaway competition was knocked back in 2021 following a mass outrage.
      Fans are fuming at the Euopean Super LeagueCredit: AP
      Fans think it is the end of footballCredit: AFP
      However, the European Court of Justice determined that FIFA and UEFA acted against competition law when they blocked the formation of the Super League two years ago.
      And now the tournament could be revived but with a whole new format which a couple of footballing giants are firmly behind.
      What clubs have agreed to be in European Super League?
      Spanish titans Real Madrid and Barcelona have committed themselves to the European Super League.
      And they are the driving force behind A22 – the group behind the controversial league.
      Read more on Super League
      Madrid President Florentino Perez rubber-stamped his clubs backing of the competition.
      He said his club ‘welcomes with great satisfaction the decision’ of the European Court of Justice.
      What teams are against it?
      Manchester United have released a statement confirming that they will only be joining UEFA competitions.
      The statement reads: “Our position has NOT changed.
      Most read in Football
      “We remain fully committed to participation in UEFA competitions, and to positive cooperation with UEFA, the Premier League, and fellow clubs through the ECA on the continued development of the European game”.
      Since then, several other clubs have said that they are against the European Super League:

       Bayern Munich
       Borussia Dortmund
       PSG
       Atletico Madrid
       Sevilla
       Real Sociedad
       Monaco
       Roma
       Inter
       Feyenoord

      What is the European Super League?
      The European Super League will consist of four clubs being split into three divisions.
      There is set to be a top tier “Star” division that will have 16 clubs in two leagues of eight.
      And the second tier “Gold” division, will have the same while the third tier “Blue” will see 16 teams in four groups of eight.
      That means 14 games – seven home, seven away – in each of the group phases.

      The top four clubs in each of the leagues in the top two tiers will go through to two-legged quarter-finals, followed by two-legged semis and a one-off final in a neutral venue.
      It means the overall winners will play 19 games, six more than in the current Champion League and two more than the maximum number required under the revamped “Swiss model” system coming in next year.
      However, in the Blue tier, the top two in each league will go to the last eight.
      The bottom clubs in the Star leagues will be relegated and replaced by the two Gold finalists. Likewise, the two bottom sides in Gold are replaced by the Blue finalists.
      Up to 20 of the 32 Blue teams will be replaced by teams earning spots through domestic performances.
      Read more on The Sun
      The number of places for each nation and quotas for the tiers have yet to be determined. More

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      in Soccer

      What is A22 Sports Management?

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      A22 SPORTS MANAGEMENT has risen to the fore after plans to resurrect the European Super League are back on.The sports marketing company’s mission is to “sponsor and assist” in the “creation of the European Super League”.
      A22 has been created to push through a new European Super League after the first plan attracted widespread protests from football fansCredit: Getty
      But what is A22 and how has it become such a prominent player in the future of football?
      We have you covered here.
      What is A22 Sports Management?
      The Madrid-based company was specifically created in September 2022 with the aim of pushing through legislation for the ESL in the aftermath of the failed attempt in 2021.
      The firm was created in tandem by Euro powerhouses Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus who were the loudest proponents of the breakaway league.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL

      Juventus have since officially left the project after they were threatened with expulsion from the Champions League, although are still believed to be supportive of it.
      After he was appointed, CEO Bernd Reichart claimed the European Super league would be “relaunched within three years”.
      The firm took meetings with various bodies and released a manifesto in February 2023, with changed plans.
      While reception to the idea has been muted, especially in England and Germany, a major court ruling has once again opened the door to a new-look ESL.
      Most read in Football
      The European Court of Justice has overturned the previous ruling – which blocked the formation of the ESL – and stated that Fifa and Uefa acted against competition law.
      Reichart, a former senior executive for German broadcaster RTL, described the ruling as an “historic day for football” that ends “Uefa’s monopoly over European club football”.
      However, despite the news, A22 appears to face a long fight to push through their changes, with numerous clubs quickly moving to reject the proposals.
      How will A22 Sports Management’s New European Super League look?
      The latest European Super league plans will see a THREE-tier competition, complete with promotion and relegation, with 64 teams in total.
      The first two tiers – dubbed the Star League and the Gold League – are made up of 16 teams each.

      The remaining 32 teams will compete in the Blue League.
      A22’s plans state that participation will be based SOLELY on sporting merit, with no permanent members.
      Promotion and relegation will be decided annually, while promotion into the Blue League is based upon domestic league performance.
      There will be groups of eight teams, playing home and away, making a minimum of 14 games per season.
      After the group stage there is then a knockout stage to determine champions, promotion and relegation.
      The plans state that there will be no additional calendar days to those that already exist, while midweek fixtures will not clash with current domestic calendars.
      What have clubs said about the new European Super League?
      While it is clear that Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are supportive of the plans, there was concern from other fans about the stance of their clubs.
      However, many have moved to assure fans that they do NOT approve of A22’s second draft for the European Super League.
      At the time of writing, the following clubs have already released formal statements to say they do not support the new plans:

      Manchester United
      Bayern Munich
      Borussia Dortmund
      Paris Saint-Germain
      Atletico Madrid
      Sevilla
      Real Sociedad
      Monaco
      Roma
      Inter
      Feyenoord

      Other clubs may, or may not, release their own statements in due course.
      The Premier League also released a statement: “Today’s ruling does not endorse the Super League — and the Premier League continues to REJECT any such concept.
      “Supporters are of vital importance to the game and they have time and again made clear their opposition to a ‘breakaway’ competition that severs the link between domestic and European football.
      Read more on The Sun
      “The Premier League reiterates its commitment to the clear principles of open competition that underpin the success of domestic and international club competitions.
      “Football thrives on the competitiveness created by promotion and relegation, the annual merit-based qualification from domestic leagues and cups to international club competitions and the longstanding rivalries and rituals that come with weekends being reserved for domestic football.” More

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      in Soccer

      How to watch European Super League and can it be watched for free?

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      FOOTBALL could be changing in front of our very eyes as the European Super League has resurfaced and it has taken a huge step in going ahead.On Thursday, December 21, 2023, the European Court of Justice stated that FIFA and UEFA acted against competition law when they blocked the plans from happening in 2021.
      The European Super League have revealed how fans can tune inCredit: Reuters
      As a result, orchestrators of the European Super League now have the green light for it to potentially take place.
      And CEO of the breakaway league Bernd Reichart has even gone a step further and revealed how fans can watch it.
      Will the European Super League be free to watch?
      Reichart has confirmed that fans will be able to watch the European Super League for FREE.
      It has also been announced that the breakaway league will create a streaming platform called UNIFY where a paid option will allow users to remove ads.
      Read more on Super League
      The CEO said: “We have won the right to compete. UEFA’s monopoly has ended. Football is free.
      “Clubs will no longer suffer threats and sanctions. For the fans: we are going to broadcast all Super League matches for free.”
      What is the European Super League?
      The European Super League will consist of four clubs being split into three divisions.
      There is set to be a top tier “Star” division that will have 16 clubs in two leagues of eight.
      Most read in Football
      And the second tier “Gold” division, will have the same while the third tier “Blue” will see 16 teams in four groups of eight.
      That means 14 games – seven home, seven away – in each of the group phases.
      The top four clubs in each of the leagues in the top two tiers will go through to two-legged quarter-finals, followed by two-legged semis and a one-off final in a neutral venue.
      It means the overall winners will play 19 games, six more than in the current Champion League and two more than the maximum number required under the revamped “Swiss model” system coming in next year.
      However, in the Blue tier, the top two in each league will go to the last eight.
      The bottom clubs in the Star leagues will be relegated and replaced by the two Gold finalists. Likewise, the two bottom sides in Gold are replaced by the Blue finalists.
      Up to 20 of the 32 Blue teams will be replaced by teams earning spots through domestic performances.
      The number of places for each nation and quotas for the tiers have yet to be determined. More

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      in Boxing

      Naoya Inoue net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      NAOYA INOUE is the Japanese undefeated super bantamweight boxer. He’s earned the nickname ‘The Monster’ — here’s do we know about the champion and his career earnings so far.
      Naoya Inoue’s win over Stephen Fulton made him the second-ever Japanese fighter to win major titles in four weight divisions.
      Who is Naoya Inoue? 
      Naoya Inoue is a Japanese super bantamweight professional boxer, nicknamed “The Monster”.
      Inoue was born on April 10, 1993, in Zama, Japan, not far from Tokyo.H
      He inherited a love of boxing from his father, a former boxer who now coaches his son.
      A four-division world champion, he holds, at the time of writing, the title of super-bantamweight world champion, and is the former bantamweight world champion. 
      Read more on boxing
      Inoue often tops lists of the world’s best active boxers, pound for pound, by The Ring, ESPN, BoxRec, and The Independent. 
      As of December 2023, 2nd on The Ring’s Pound for Pound rankings, after Terence Crawford. 
      The 5’5” fighter is well known for his speed, power, and footwork.
      What is Naoya Inoue’s net worth? 
      “The Monster” has an estimated net worth of $7 million, thanks to his unbeaten fighting record. 
      Most read in Boxing
      He also has signed some lucrative sponsorship details, for example with Six Pad, who also sponsors Christiano Ronaldo, and Winning Japan, a boxing gloves company. 
      Inoue has also been featured in adverts on Japanese television. 
      As for fight winnings, the undefeated champion earned a total of $1 million in 2018, from his two fights with Jamie McDonnell and Juan Carlos Payano. 
      For a 2021 fight with Aran Dipaen, Inoue earned a guaranteed purse of $500,000, which included a $200,000 win bonus, with sponsorship payments on top of that. 
      In July 2023, Inoue fought American boxer Stephen Fulton, in a hyped-up match in Tokyo— thanks to his win, Inoue took home $5 million of the $8 million purse. 
      What is Naoya Inoue’s boxing record?
      The Japanese champion’s record is 25–0–0, with a KO rate of 88%. 
      Of his 25 bouts, he has only fought four outside of Japan — three in the US, and one in Scotland. 
      After winning the July 2023 fight against Fulton, Inoue became the second-ever Japanese fighter to win major titles in four weight divisions. 
      On December 26, 2023, Inoue is set to fight Philippino boxer Marlon Tapales in Tokyo, in a fixture that will be broadcast by ESPN+.
      Boxing fans have taken to Inoue’s Instagram account to call for him to fight more in the US.
      One wrote: 
      “He is one of the best however, he is refusing to fight in the USA and follow the regulations there. 
      “He is just a champion in Japan, not the world. 
      Read more on The Sun
      “He is even lucky that Tapales is willing to go to Japan.”
      Another commented: “This dude ain’t never coming to the U.S. to fight.” More

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      in Boxing

      Jarrell Miller’s net worth, career earnings and boxing record explained

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      JARRELL MILLER’S boxing career has been marred by scandal.Here’s what we know about the controversial US heavyweight’s career so far — and his net worth.
      Jarrell Miller will face Daniel Dubois in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on December 23, 2023.
      What is Jarrell Miller’s net worth? 
      Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller’s net worth is estimated at between $5 million – $110 million.
      Born in Brooklyn, New York, the 6’4” heavyweight started boxing at 16 years old and made his professional debut in 2009, when he was 21. 
      Since then, he has earned a lot of money from boxing, and various sponsorship deals. 
      But Miller has lost out on significant earnings since failing multiple drug tests. 
      Read more on boxing
      Miller was up against Anthony Joshua in June 2019, but the Madison Square Gardens fight was called off at the eleventh hour after the “Big Baby” failed multiple drug tests.
      His purse was said to have been around $4.8m (£3.6m), and even more if he were to win and secure a rematch — but Miller has said he lost out of up to £24 million. 
      Miller said: “The first fight was 7.5 m’s and the rematch if I knocked him out was a minimum of 15 to 20 so at least 30 mill by the end of the year.
      “I’m from Brooklyn, do you know how many cheeseburgers that was just now I could’ve bought?
      Most read in Boxing
      “But like I said, I never got into sport because of money and I feel if I do it in the right way this time I’ll be back there.”
      At the time, Miller blamed the tests on a tainted supplement and stem cell shots in his elbow — but a second failed drugs test was blamed on a sex pill. 
      The former kickboxer was then handed a two-year ban, which he served before his licence was reinstated in 2022. 
      What is Jarrell Miller’s boxing record?
      The US boxer’s record stands at 26–0–1, with 22 wins by knockout. 
      As a kickboxer, his record was 22–2. 
      After his called-off fight with AJ, and subsequent drug test failure, there were calls from boxing figureheads for a lifetime ban.
      But Miller has won all three fights he’s played since getting back in the ring, including a showdown with Lucas Browne in Dubai in 2023. 
      After the fight, Miller called out bitter his rival AJ, and Daniel Dubois.
      Big Baby Miller is up against Dubois in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday 23 December, on a mega-card which will also see headliner AJ facing Otto Wallin.
      After a heated confrontation between the rivals in which Miller called AJ a “p***y”, the British champion told SunSport:
      “I have to just let him know he is not even in my sights. He is beneath me.
      “In reality, I was thinking, ‘Why do I even address that clown? He is beneath me’.
      Read more on The Sun
      “I have bigger and better things to focus on. He is a clown.
      “I am fully focused on Otto Wallin, after this week I will tell you everything but right now Wallin is the only focus.” More