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      Heartbroken Millwall stars and staff pay emotional tribute to tragic Matija Sarkic after goalkeeper, 26, passed away

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      HEARTBROKEN Millwall players, staff and fans will pay a touching tribute to their much-loved keeper Matija Sarkic this weekend.The 26-year-old tragically passed away after suffering heart failure in June while on holiday with partner Phoebe in his dad’s native Montenegro.Matija Sarkic died earlier this yearCredit: GettyAndy Marshall worked with the goalkeeper at Millwall and Aston VillaCredit: RexJoe Bryan hailed Sarkic as an ‘incredible person’Credit: RexHis untimely death left the whole Millwall community stunned — just one year after their American owner John Berylson died in a car crash and two years since lifelong fan and SunSport journalist Paul Jiggins passed away suddenly, aged 50.Ahead of their Championship opener against Watford, the club will unveil a mural in Sarkic’s honour, funded by the Millwall Supporters’ Club.The Lions are also retiring his No 20 shirt and a new gong called the Matija Sarkic Save of the Season Award will be competed for across the first team, academy and Lionesses.A memorial tree is being planted at the players’ entrance at the request of the squad and Sarkic’s family will be welcomed pitchside pre-match.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLGoalkeeper coach Andy Marshall, 49, worked closely with Grimsby-born Sarkic, first at Aston Villa nine years ago, before linking up again at The Den.Marshall told SunSport: “I met Mati when he was 17 and brought him over to the UK from Belgium.“He was a smart young man and that was the first thing that hit me about him — always eager to learn. He was desperate to absorb all the information you could give him.“And it was that, along with his work-rate and determination to succeed that made me think, ‘this lad is going all the way to the very top’.Most read in Football“He had everything you wanted. The size of the lad, determination but the best thing about him was that he had the ability to have a fun side towards it.“He enjoyed what he was doing. He realised how to become successful and what was needed to become successful plus he could enjoy himself at the same time.”Emotional moment Millwall manager Neil Harris chokes back tears as he reveals heartbreak over death of Matija SarkicMatija Sarkic career statsMillwall: 33 games, 12 clean sheetsShrewsbury: 29 games, 11 clean sheetsBirmingham: 23 games, 10 clean sheetsLivingston: 18 games, nine clean sheetsStoke: Eight games, three clean sheetsWigan: Three gamesHavant & Waterlooville: One gameMarshall will never forget the early morning phone call that broke his heart, from Sarkic’s grieving father Bojan.The Lions coach said: “There are poignant moments in people’s lives when certain things happen and people remember. I was laying at home in bed and at exactly 6.57am my phone rang and I saw it was Bojan.“I didn’t quite get to the phone in time to answer but text to ask him if everything was OK, because when someone calls you just before 7am you know something’s not right.“He called straight back and as I picked the phone up, I knew Mati had died and that was tough. It was awful.“I’ll forever remember the conversation, what he said to me, that Mati had died and that was very, very tough to hear. I had to take ten to 15 minutes to try to absorb it, which was impossible.“I was thinking he was a 26-year-old man who four weeks earlier I had been in Turkey and also in Spain training him.“I also drove over to Belgium to watch him play for Montenegro just ten days before his death.“Matija was like a son to me. I was close to his family, too.“So when I found out this after all the years I have spent with him, it hit me like a juggernaut. I was extremely emotional for a long time after.“It’s hard to accept someone so young has passed away.”Lions defender Joe Bryan, 30, was close friends with Sarkic.He said: “As is often the case in tragic circumstances, you hear people talking about a wonderful, incredible person — and with Mati that is true. He was a happy, smiley, wonderful person.“He was always the first one in to the training ground every morning and had a big smile on his face.  He loved his coffee. I’m also into coffee and he was telling me about all the places that he and Phoebe were going to visit.“He loved his cortado. He always said, ‘The shorter the coffee, the more sophisticated the man’. We’d always laugh about that.“Mati had this Pilates machine in the canteen that he used to always be sitting on doing his hamstring stretches.“Whenever I think about it, it makes me laugh. It looked so out of place in the canteen under the darts board.“It’s been so difficult for us all. We’re just used to seeing him wandering around here with a coffee in his hand smiling. That’s the Mati I remember and it’s difficult moving forward to come to terms with the fact we’ll not see him again.”Millwall boss Neil Harris believes Sarkic had all the talent to reach the very highest level and would have played a key role this season.But he said Sarkic’s sad passing has brought everyone even closer together in what was already a tight-knit dressing room.He said: “When we came back into the building, the first couple of days we started to use it as a mourning period for Mati.“It gave us a chance to laugh, shed a tear, to remember, to talk.“We had a group meeting, which I led, and then had a minute’s silence out on the pitch in the goal area. It felt right to do it in the goal area rather than anywhere else — that helped, it gave us a chance to reflect.“This isn’t about being a professional footballer, this is about being a human being and how you deal with adversity and difficult moments in your life.“We’re here to help, the club have been hugely supportive to everybody but the players have also been exceptional and continue to be exceptional.READ MORE SUN STORIES“It’s been a difficult couple of years with Jiggo, who was a good friend of mine, passing and then John, who was also a mate as well as my boss.“We will always remember these great people and it’s fitting that the club are doing so much to pay tribute to Mati. He deserves that.”Who are these famous footballers? More

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      Lauryn Goodman may look greedy over Kyle Walker court demands – but here’s why I applaud her

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      EARLIER this year, I wrote that famous “kiss and tellers” throughout tabloid history were rarely motivated by money.The majority were doing it because, in modern parlance, they’d been ghosted and it hurt.Kyle Walker’s former mistress Lauryn Goodman has recently faced him down in court over maintenance demandsThe England and Man City defender is facing perhaps his most tenacious attacker yetCredit: PAThey wanted to be heard, not just by the person who had promised them the world while the affair was going on, but also by the people who remained inner circle while they’d been cast aside.Now imagine that it wasn’t just you being made to feel like an irrelevance, but your children too.Consequently, England and Man City defender Kyle Walker is facing perhaps his most tenacious attacker yet — reality star Lauryn Goodman, his former mistress and mother to his son, four, and daughter, one.She’s refusing to go quietly into the night and has recently faced him down in court over maintenance demands that, on the face of it, appear to be cold-hearted money-grabbing.READ MORE FROM JANE MOOREA car for Lauryn herself every three years. A car for the nanny. An AstroTurf garden for the baby who, despite not walking yet, has a mean side-kick that suggests she, er, might play for the Lionesses one day.But dig a little deeper and one might charitably conclude that the real motivation is that she’s a tiger mum scorned.“My kids should have what Kyle and [wife] Annie’s kids have, says Lauryn, 33. “The law states that they should have the same.”In other words, it’s not really about AstroTurf, per se, but about seeking equality and relevance for the children she feels have been emotionally abandoned by their “errant father”.Most read in FootballIn an interview with The Sun on Sunday at the weekend, her hurt was palpable.She says Kyle “was present in Kairo and Kinara’s life and then just turned his back on them, when he promised he never would”.Lauryn Goodman Reveals Baby’s Name Amidst Court BattleShe adds: “What mother wouldn’t fight for that little abandoned boy and his sister? One day they will know what their father did — and what their mother did for them.” ‘I hope my children will be proud’When you have a child, the urge to protect them from harm, both physical and emotional, is visceral.You love them so much that the thought of anyone in the family not feeling the same way, let alone their father, is as deeply wounding as it is perplexing.“I hope one day my children will be proud. I love them so much and I have done all I can to protect their future. “I am the only parent in their life. I have to do that,” says Lauryn, who claims that all the money she asked for was for them alone.She also claims the house they live in “belongs to him” and is “an investment for him and one day I will leave it”. So while the financial demands read out in court are beyond the realms of what most people can afford, Kyle Walker is on £160k a week. And let’s not forget that, despite being trolled when her demands were revealed, it’s not Lauryn who betrayed Annie; Kyle was the one who stood at an altar and made vows.Sarah Symonds, who once did a kiss-and-tell on Gordon Ramsay, wrote to a newspaper this week in support of Lauryn, applauding her on behalf of “other women” everywhere for “having her day in court”.She wrote: “Keep going Lauryn. The Sisterhood of the Mistresshood are behind you. People will only treat you how you let them.”So while some of Lauryn’s demands are indeed excessive, there’s a small part of me that applauds her for refusing to be kicked to the kerb by an arrogant Premier League footballer who used her when it suited him then, when it didn’t, emotionally abandoned her and their kids.ACRES of column inches have been written on Katie Price’s ability to carry on with jaunts abroad despite being declared bankrupt for the second time.So I’ll make this observation instead.She is currently in Turkey for her umpteenth cosmetic procedure on her face. Begging the question: What self- respecting medic would continue to carry out “tweakments” on someone who will clearly never feel happy with what they see in the mirror?OK FOR SOME, AUNTIEDISGRACED former BBC newsreader Huw Edwards continued to receive his £479,999-a-year salary despite being suspended from work.Disgraced Huw Edwards continued to receive his huge salary despite being suspended from workCredit: GettyHe even received a £40k pay hike.Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC, explained that it was a “difficult” decision but he was following employment law that ensures “employees are protected and there’s no risk”.And as Edwards was an employee of the BBC, Mr Davie admitted it would be almost impossible to claw back any salary paid since his arrest in November or to stop his generous pension.Now imagine it was Adrian Chiles, another well-known face on our screens, who had found himself in a position where he would lose his job.He would have been dropped at the first sign of trouble, with zero pay, zero benefits and zero employee protections.Why? Because Adrian is a freelance contractor who works for the Beeb and other media platforms via his company Basic Broadcasting Ltd.And yet he’s already been dragged through three tribunals by HMRC (with a fourth pending) who reckon he should be classed as an employee under complex IR35 legislation that no one understands.In other words, they want him to pay the same level of tax as Huw but with none of the associated employment benefits. Go figure.ON holiday 20 years ago, Andy Walker hit his head on a rock diving into the sea in India and was paralysed from the neck down.Now the Oldham-based 47-year-old plans to raise money for charity by cycling a 1,000-mile length of Britain on a bike controlled by his chin.He says: “Since my accident, I’ve had absolute conviction and determination to lead a full and rewarding life.”So, the next time we feel sorry for ourselves because a holiday flight is delayed or the car has broken down, we should all be a little bit more Andy and not sweat the petty stuff.CHLOE IS A MUDDY MARVELRICHARD MADELEY’S daughter Chloe has asked people to stop bad-mouthing her rugby star ex James Haskell online.Chloe Madeley has asked people to stop bad-mouthing her ex James Haskell onlineCredit: GettyShe says there’s “a heavy insinuation that he’s not a nice guy” and adds: “We went through our battles but we’re co-parenting really well and 50 per cent of that accolade is on him. “I want him to have some of that respect from people, which I don’t see him getting.”Given that so many celebrity couples publicly fling mud at each other after a break-up, how refreshing to hear someone throwing compliments instead.Is that fat or fiction you are on about, Rosie?Rosie Huntington-Whiteley posed following a lymphatic drainage treatmentCredit: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-KsmJpssSI/?hl=en&img_index=10MODEL Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has posted this photo of herself following a lymphatic drainage treatment that rids the body of “excess fluid”. I wasn’t aware she had any.BRITS? YOU’RE JOKINGMARRIED racists Dawn Thompson, 48, and Damian Smith, 36, from Gateshead, make a lovely pair, don’t they?Damian Smith, 36, has been jailed for the violent harassment of a Kurdish neighbour in their council block who was hit with a pole and punched in the faceCredit: NNPSmith’s wife Dawn Thompson, 48, was also jailedCredit: NNPSmith has 13 previous convictions for 16 offences, including theft, criminal damage, burglary, battery, possession of a blade and possession of class A drugs.While Thompson has 63 previous convictions for 181 offences, the majority of which were for theft, but also included racially aggravated harassment and witness intimidation.Together, they have just been jailed for the violent harassment of a Kurdish neighbour in their council block who was hit with a pole, punched in the face, and told to “go back to his country”.Presumably this reprehensible pair regard themselves to be 100 per cent British and, therefore, superior to their poor victim.I beg to differ.There’s definitely a bit of Neanderthal in there somewhere.SHAME TROLLSWHAT, one wonders, goes through the clearly tiny mind of whoever sent a death threat to actress Amanda Abbington?The message warned her that she would “die on stage” unless she retracts her bullying complaint about former Strictly dance partner Giovanni Pernice.Given that she’s currently performing in a small theatre to assembled strangers, this threatening email must have been terrifying to receive.Yes, you could argue that it was probably sent by a sad loser whose bravado vaporises the second they step away from their keyboard.READ MORE SUN STORIESBut equally, there’s a lot of irrational anger on our streets right now, so who wants to take the risk of underestimating the sender’s true intentions?Whoever they are, I hope they are found, named, shamed and prosecuted as a deterrent to anyone else who is thinking of behaving in such a reprehensible way. More

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      Major update on Gareth Southgate’s successor as ‘England chiefs give formal approval for appointment of foreign boss’

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      FA chiefs have given their formal approval for a foreign manager to replace Gareth Southgate as England boss, it’s been claimed.Southgate resigned from the role after England’s second successive European Championships final failure last month.Gareth Southgate resigned from his role as England manager last monthCredit: REXFA chiefs have given Mark Bullingham the green light to pursue a foreign manager to succeed SouthgateCredit: PANewcastle United boss Eddie Howe and the out-of-work Graham Potter are the standout English candidates to succeed Southgate.But the FA aren’t hellbent on having an Englishman at the helm of the ship.That’s according to The Guardian, who claim the FA’s nine board members have given chief executive Mark Bullingham their blessing to pursue the services of a foreign manager.The FA brass are said to have an “open mind” over who will replace the recently departed Southgate, who restored the feel-good factor around the national team.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSIt’s claimed that Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegmann is a contender to replace Southgate.The 54-year-old guided the Lionesses to Uefa Women’s Championship glory in the summer of 2022, five years after leading her native Netherlands to the title.The out-of-work Thomas Tuchel and Mauricio Pochettino are also viable contenders to take up the job.But it’s claimed former Chelsea managers’ respective wage demands could be problematic.Most read in FootballThe pair, 50 and 52 respectively, will likely demand much more than the cool £5million a year Southgate was paid for the gig.Only two foreign managers have ever taken charge of England.BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSSouthgate’s England legacy should be celebrated, not torn downBy Tom BarclayGareth Southgate claimed that only winning Sunday’s final would earn England the respect of the footballing world.Spain proved a last-gasp comeback too far in Berlin, but defeat did not change the fact that Southgate’s eight-year transformation put respect back into the world of England football.Critics will pick apart his cautious tactics, his selection choices and his record in the most high-pressurised games – with some legitimacy.Yet what is quickly forgotten is the laughing stock our national side had become before he took over in 2016.A shambolic Euros exit to Iceland that summer had been followed up by Sam Allardyce quitting just one game into his tenure thanks to his pint of wine with undercover reporters.Then came Southgate, with his decency, his humility, his understated eloquence and his vision for a better, different future.He had analysed why England had so often failed in the past, from lack of preparation at penalty shoot-outs to players being bored out of their minds during major tournaments.Southgate took those findings and implemented a culture where players wanted to play for their country again – and it led to back-to-back finals for the first time in our history.Instead of going to war with the media, he opened his doors to them and discovered, shock, horror, that it was met, generally, with support. It did not stop him from being criticised when required – we are no cheerleaders, here – but the vitriol of yesteryear – or today on social media – was largely gone.No manager is perfect and neither was Southgate. We cannot pretend his teams played like those of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp.But in the fullness of time, his feats will likely be revered because the results speak for themselves.Hopefully his successor can go one step further and bring football home. To do that, they must show respect to what Southgate has created and build on it, rather than rip it down.To read more from Tom Barclay click HERE. Sven Goran Eriksson was the first, with the Swede being appointed as Kevin Keegan’s successor in 2001.Italian Fabio Capello, who succeeded new Jamaica manager Steve McClaren, had the job for four years from 2008 to 2012.Lee Carsley for EnglandThe first England match of the post-Southgate era will see the Three Lions take on the Republic of Ireland in a Nations League clash next month.Lee Carsley, who is currently Under-21s gaffer, is expected to be in interim charge of the team. More

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      Carlo Ancelotti hints at huge international job as he confirms Real Madrid will be last club of glittering career

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      CARLO ANCELOTTI admitted that Real Madrid will be his last job in club management – amid interest from Brazil’s national team.The 65-year-old is three years into his second spell at Real Madrid and has a contract with the LaLiga champions that runs until 2026.Carlo Ancelotti wants to leave his club career behind after Real MadridCredit: GettyThe Italian is the most decorated manager in Champions League historyCredit: GettyQuestions over Ancelotti’s future with Madrid lingered throughout 2023 before he signed a new deal in December. This was around the time he was constantly being linked to the Brazil job.President of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Ednaldo Rodrigues, said last year that Ancelotti was an obvious choice for the role.Ancelotti told the Obi One Podcast: “I think it will be my last club, I have to say.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS”If there would be an opportunity for a national team, I don’t know. “I’m not so excited to be in a national team for the fact that I would lose what I like more, the day-by-day. “The day-by-day I like. To be here, to prepare the training, to talk to the players, to prepare the games.”This is my 29th season as a coach. It’s true that I have won a lot but imagine the number of titles I lost. I lost a lot.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSAncelotti has enjoyed a coaching career spanning 32 years, winning league titles in five different countries.His five Champions League titles make him the most successful manager in the history of the competition.Watch Kobbie Mainoo’s ‘1000 IQ’ goal as fans say Man Utd star ‘playing Fifa Street in real life’He has won Serie A with Roma and AC Milan, the Premier League with Chelsea and Ligue 1 with PSG.Before winning the the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and two LaLiga titles with Real Madrid.The Italian was also Everton’s boss for 18 months from December 2019, until Madrid came calling when Zinedine Zidane stood down in May 2021. More

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      in Boxing

      I used to work in a clothes shop fitting Kell Brook’s shoes, now I’m looking to fill his boots in the ring

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      CALLUM SIMPSON used to fit Kell Brook’s shoes but now he wants to fill his boots.Barnsley’s 27-year-old super-middleweight put himself through college with a part-time job in a menswear shop where Sheffield’s former welterweight world champ would pop in for free gear.Callum Simpson fights Zak Chelli at Barnsley’s Oakwell stadiumCredit: GettySimpson and Sheffield’s world champion Kell Brook go way backCredit: https://www.instagram.com/callumsimp/Simpson would have to race up and down stairs to cater for his celebrated fellow Yorkshireman.But now the tables have turned and Brook will drive 12 miles up the M1 to support Simpson, in his bid to dethrone dangerous British and Commonwealth champ Zak Chelli.Ahead of Saturday’s shootout at Simpson’s beloved Barnley’s Oakwell stadium, he told SunSport: “Between the ages of 16-18 I worked part-time, while I was still in college, in a clothes shop that sponsored Kell Brook.“When Kell would come in I would have to wait for him to pick all the shoes he wanted, run upstairs to find them all in his size, then loosen all the laces so be could slide them on, like Cinderella.Read more in Boxing“We would get free tickets for his fights when they were at the Sheffield arena and my mates would always tell me ‘that’ll be you one day’.“And now I am signed with Boxxer and Sky Sports and Kell has messaged me to say he will come over and watch.“So going from loosening his shoes to having him at ringside will be a nice and surreal moment. But it’s all come from hard work.”Simpson continued to subsidise his training and fighting with work in fashion right up until last year when he broke out of the small-hall circuit.Most read in BoxingBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe’s timed his 14-0 form perfectly as the new Saudi money flooding into the sport is giving some of these brave men the fortunes they deserve.But boxing fans should remember the blood, sweat, tears and honest toil they all go through to get anywhere near the top.Inside Anthony Joshua’s amazing car collection “This stuff doesn’t happen overnight,” the down-to-earth lad said.“When I had my first area title fight in 2022, my first 10-rounder, I was training twice-a-day and working 45hr weeks, Saturdays and Sundays.“For that fight I weighed-in at Friday lunchtime and rushed into work to make up the time, then boxed on Saturday and worked all day Sunday.“My second fight was a four-rounder in 2019, on a Josh Warrington undercard at Leeds arena and I worked the next day.When I had my first area title fight in 2022, my first 10-rounder, I was training twice-a-day and working 45hr weeks, Saturdays and SundaysCallum Simpsom“But because I worked in a busy store, not tucked away in an office or on a building site, I was having lads come up all day looking puzzled.“They were asking me if I was really the bloke they had seen box the night before and what the hell I was doing there trying to sell them jeans and trainers. “Because fans often think that if you box on TV then you are instantly a millionaire, like the footballers, but it’s far from it. Nothing comes overnight in boxing.”Simpson first caught our eye when he walked into a show as a VIP fan wearing an outrageous pink and furry jacket and sunglasses.It looked like he was the latest boxer to full victim to the glitz-and-glamour charade that ruins so many young talents.I know exactly what one you mean and I only wore it because I had just bought in Milan – and that sounds posh but it was only in H&M over there!Callum SimpsonCallum Simpson looked the part when he met Kano in his pink jumperCredit: https://www.instagram.com/callumsimp/But he put us right perfectly, explaining: “I know exactly what one you mean and I only wore it because I had just bought in Milan – and that sounds posh but it was only in H&M over there!“I love fashion and clothes, I have always worked in it too. Training and dieting is so regimented and strict and boring that any way to find a bit of fun is important.“Me and my girlfriend can’t eat and drink whatever we like or go wherever we want, there’s so much sacrifice.”READ MORE SUN STORIESBut when pressed on whether he wears the same Hollywood clobber back up in Barnsley, he laughs: “Er, I managed to have it on once for about 15 seconds.“It was a cold day and I grabbed it out of the back of the car but my mate saw it and said ‘there’s no way you are wearing that’. So I walked around town freezing.” More

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      Eddie Hearn hints at shock career change as boxing promoter says ‘I’ve been thinking about this for ages’

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      EDDIE HEARN has hinted that he is thinking about starting a new life in three different careers.The boxing promoter has said he fancies a go at “running for Prime Minister” as well as pursuing a career in music and acting.Eddie Hearn says he is a man of many talentsCredit: X formerly Twitter / @IFLTVIn a jovial interview with IFL TV, Hearn joked that the reason for his success in the boxing world has come from pushing the boundaries for what is possible.He said: “In my mind, I’ve felt for a long time that I would make a great Prime Minister.”Now, I’m quite deluded right, but one of the reasons I’ve been so successful and pushed the boundaries so hard is because I’m quite deluded.”Like I feel like if you’re not deluded what is there to think about in terms of your potential? So I’ve always thought I would make a great Prime Minister and I was thinking about running for MP… I’ve been thinking about this for ages.”READ MORE ON BOXINGHearn then explained that his ambitions were not limited to number 10 and that he has given thought to some other glamorous careers too.He continued: “Also in my head, I think I’ll end up being an Oscar winning actor and I think I could actually have a recording contract as well because I can really sing.”Hearn was speaking as he continued to promote Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov.Crawford is up against Madrimov to become the WBA light middleweight champion, with the fight taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Most read in BoxingHearn is promoting Crawford vs MadrimovCredit: AlamyCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSHearn is promoting Madrimov, who has a record of 10 wins, one draw and zero losses.Crawford meanwhile has a hugely impressive 40-0-0 record.Eddie Hearn reveals bad boy version of Anthony Joshua is back ahead of Daniel Dubois fight and comments on Carl Froch feudHow AJ punched his way to the topANTHONY JOSHUA punched his way to the top of the world before being knocked off his perch.Despite Crawford being a huge name in the boxing world, he is relatively unknown to the world at large, and Hearn had his own thoughts on how to change that.He told DAZN: “One of the problems in boxing in America is that the public doesn’t get an opportunity to see what the individual is like, and I feel if people got to see Terence Crawford and what he stood for – the way he lives his life, the way he works, the way he respects the game and the way he raises his kids, in their athletics and wrestling, that should be championed.“I don’t really understand why, in your country, you don’t champion him more. Obviously, people aren’t promoting him the right way. People aren’t pushing him.”If I promoted Terence Crawford, I’d want all of America to know this guy. And I think you’d love him.” More

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      How Olympics defeat sparked Floyd Mayweather’s unbeaten pro legacy while rival’s career went wildly different direction

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      FLOYD MAYWEATHER’S last-ever defeat sparked an unbeaten professional legacy – while victory left his opponent doomed. Mayweather was just 19 when he made it into the 1996 Olympic semi-finals in Atlanta against little-known Bulgarian Serafim Todorov. Floyd Mayweather famously missed out on gold at the 1996 OlympicsCredit: AP:Associated PressMayweather was left in tearsCredit: NBCThe American legend retired at 50-0Credit: ReutersAnd he looked to be on his way to the final after the referee Hamad Hafaz Shouman raised his hand following three convincing rounds. Except confusion ensued around the arena when it was in fact Todorov’s name announced as the winner – to the shock of all. Mayweather was so devastated and full of emotion that he could barely get his words out in the aftermath. Fighting back tears, he told NBC: “I feel I won that fight.” READ MORE IN BOXINGMayweather then let out a cry and walked away from the interview as he was too heartbroken to speak. That pain followed the American legend throughout his career and it ultimately proved inspirational to his unmatched 50-0 pro record. Mayweather, now 47, told ex-NFL star Shannon Sharpe: “Am I happy with my amateur career? Absolutely. “Am I happy with the bronze medal and not winning gold? Absolutely. The referee raised my hand because he thought I won. Most read in BoxingEven the referee thought Mayweather wonCredit: YouTube Todorov was left in equal shockCredit: YouTube CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS”But I am glad that the fight went how it went because it made me work that much harder as a professional – not to feel that same pain again. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me.” Mayweather made his pro debut just months on from Olympic heartache while Todorov rejected lucrative deals to stay amateur. Floyd Mayweather cried on camera after 1996 Olympic final defeat Todorov – who took silver after losing the 1996 Olympic featherweight final – was locked in a dispute with the Bulgarian Boxing Federation. He even tried to switch alliances to represent Turkey in the 1997 World Championships – a year after his controversial win over Mayweather. The move was barred and Todorov refused to represent Bulgaria again – finishing his amateur boxing career in 2003. In the years since, Mayweather became boxing’s richest prizefighter of all time, topping Forbes’ rich list of the decade in 2019 with over £700MILLION made. Todorov meanwhile barely had enough to get by.He was living in a house in Peshtera, located in the southern area of Bulgaria, but he was forced to sell it to after falling on hard times.In 2015, New York Times tracked the former Olympian down and revealed he and his wife were working in sausage factories and supermarkets. And Todorov – who also turned down approaches from the Bulgarian underworld – was left to rely on £370 benefits. Serafim Todorov took a different path to MayweatherCredit: ReutersMayweather is the richest prizefighter of all timeCredit: InstagramHe is known for his extravagant lifestyleCredit: Instagram @liramsustielHe said: “I live on just a handout from the state, the money I get from the government is not enough, my family have no jobs. “It’s hard here because it is a small town and there is very little work. “I did have a bigger house in my home town, Peshtera, 20km from where I live now but I had to sell because I had no money to get by.”Mayweather caught wind of Todorov’s sad circumstances and said: “I wish him nothing but the best.”I don’t know why he didn’t become a boxing trainer because at the time when we fought, he was already a lot older than I was.”I was fighting at the elite stage at 16. I wanted to turn pro at 14, but it never happened. Five years later, I turned pro at 19. Within a year, I was a champion.”As Mayweather used the setback to greater good, Todorov took the opposite approach of self-pity. He said: “After I lost we had to stay in Atlanta for two more days to wait for our plane. I am glad that the fight went how it went because it made me work that much harder as a professional – not to feel that same pain again. Floyd Mayweather on his Olympic loss “I drowned my sorrows in alcohol and when I came back to Bulgaria, I wanted to quit boxing.”Mayweather – who has never once touched alcohol – was famed for his exhausting training sessions – and has Todorov to thank for it.He told Showtime in 2015: “I’m happy with how the result went. “I’m really happy because that made me strive and work hard to get to where I’m at today.”Mayweather officially hung up his gloves in 2017 after beating ex-UFC champion Conor McGregor, 36, in a lucrative crossover clash. But even in retirement, the money continues to come in with Mayweather still boxing in exhibition bouts.His next is a rematch against the grandson of notorious New York crime boss John Gotti on August 24 in Mexico. Gotti III was disqualified last year before a brawl in the ring.READ MORE SUN STORIESTodorov on the other hand has kept a low profile although a movie about his life was said to be in the works. So it may not be the last we hear of the man who gave Mayweather his last loss.Mayweather is still boxing in exhibitions and rematches John Gotti III on August 24Credit: Rex More

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      Kieran McKenna emerges as shock contender for England job with key decision-maker huge fan of Ipswich boss

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      KIERAN McKENNA is a shock contender for the England job.The FA are searching for a successor to Gareth Southgate and the Ipswich boss is on the list.London-born Kieran McKenna, who played for Northern Ireland Under-21s, is regarded as a contender to manage the Three LionsCredit: GettyLee Carsley is one of the favourites and could be interim coach against Ireland on September 7 if no permanent appointment has been made by thenCredit: GettyEddie Howe, Graham Potter and Lee Carsley are the three favourites for the post.But Northern Irishman McKenna, 38, has emerged as another candidate after back-to-back promotions at Portman Road.FA technical director John McDermott is drawing up the shortlist to replace Southgate.And he worked with McKenna when he was a youth coach at Tottenham.READ MORE TOP STORIESMcDermott was Spurs’ head of coaching and development and he is a huge fan of what McKenna has achieved. In 2016, McKenna joined Manchester United as Under-18s chief and ended up as first-team assistant boss. United, Chelsea and Brighton were all interested in hiring him at the end of last term before he signed a fresh £5million deal with Ipswich.The FA — who wanted Southgate to stay on after Euro 2024 — do not believe the next boss must be English even though the three main candidates are from this country.Most read in FootballNewcastle chief Eddie Howe is also in contentionCredit: GettyEngland’s job advert for new bossThe FA’s seven requirements to succeed Gareth Southgate:Will hold a Uefa Pro License.Will have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions.Will be an exceptional leader who understands and will enjoy the international football environment.Will be experienced in successfully identifying, managing and developing English qualified players.Will be highly resilient and comfortable in a very high-profile role with intense public scrutiny.Will have a track record of creating a high performing, positive team culture and environment.Will have strong personal values and integrity and understand and embrace the role that the England Men’s Senior Team Head Coach has inspiring the nation.CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSEx-Spurs and Chelsea chief Mauricio Pochettino would like the job, along with Germans Thomas Tuchel and Joachim Low.England’s next game is a  Nations League clash in Ireland on September 7.Man Utd legend Paul Scholes says ‘I don’t like to say it but…’ as he reveals which manager would succeed with England If a new manager is not in place, Carsley will take interim charge.Carsley remains a candidate in his own right and the cash-strapped FA would not need to pay compensation for him or ex-Chelsea boss Potter.McKenna is understood to be happy at Ipswich.And the Suffolk club would fight hard to keep the manager who has led them back to the Premier League for the first time since 2002.Graham Potter is rated one of the three main contendersCredit: PAEngland need a new boss as Gareth Southgate quit after Euro 2024 final woeCredit: Rex More