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    Kind-hearted Fulham star Alex Iwobi runs own charity football tournament to make urgent call for more black blood donors

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    I’m Muhammad Ali’s grandson but kept it a secret when I walked into the gym… I took beatings like everyone else

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    I worked late shifts at a Land Rover factory but hated it so much it inspired my Olympic dream, says Galal Yafai

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    Ricky Hatton bravely opens up on trying to take his own life as boxing legend admits ‘I almost wasn’t here’

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    Ally McCoist sets off on gruelling charity ride around Ireland despite his bike BREAKING DOWN just days before

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    Bukayo Saka feared he wouldn’t be the same player after Arsenal injury hell as kind gesture to hospital staff revealed

    BUKAYO SAKA lay in his hospital bed on Christmas Eve, doubting whether he would be as good a player in the future as he had been in the past.But thanks to a self-help book and the mindful joy of a new puppy, the England and Arsenal star has returned from hamstring surgery focused only on the present.Buyako Saka was ‘worried’ about his future after having surgery just before ChristmasSaka tore his hamstring against Crystal Palace in DecemberAnd it is that perspective that can help put a frustrating campaign —  that began with a Euros final loss for England and ended trophyless for his club — behind him.Saka, 23, said: “I was not happy with last season — how it went and how it ended.“But the only thing I can do now is look forward and try to be the best version of myself and help my team-mates be the same.”The Londoner went under the knife on December 24 after sustaining the injury three days prior in a 5-1 win at Crystal Palace.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSIn typical, kind fashion, he opted to do the procedure 24 hours before Christmas so the surgeons could be with their nearest and dearest the following day.He made it home to spend Christmas with his loved ones but what followed was nearly four months out which he used for  self-reflection.The Gunners talisman said: “I had gone from five years straight playing football, either involved with the team every single day training or playing games. Everything stops.“You are on crutches, in hospital and need help around the house for the first few weeks.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge“I got to spend more time with my family and got to do little things around the house that I wouldn’t have even paid attention to when I was playing.“On that note it was nice and I’ve come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life, and I’m trying to balance them better. It definitely helped me mentally.Arsenal star Bukayo Saka’s glam girlfriend Tolami Benson steals the show in daring outfit at The Fashion AwardsSaka returned in March and played a starring role in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Real Madrid“The first two days were the toughest, that realisation that I’ve got what I’ve got and I need an operation.“You start to think, ‘Am I going to be the same?’ as players came back from this injury and weren’t the same.“After two days my surgery was done, and successful, and you just look forward. I was really positive and put in all the work I needed with my diet, in the gym, on the pitch and the physios would say the same. I feel I’ve come back in a good place.”Saka is a keen reader of non-fiction and was inspired by a recommendation from Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta during his time sidelined.It is called The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and its message struck a chord with the talented winger.He added: “It’s a really good book. It’s about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future, just being in the moment.You start to think, ‘Am I going to be the same?’Saka“Sometimes I can think, ‘Oh, am I going to come back in the best shape?’ Or, in the past, ‘What could I have done to prevent injury?’“But all that is not necessary. It’s only going to bring bad energy, negativity to your body.“One of the best things I took from the book is always ask yourself, what’s necessary in this moment right now and try to live that way.”Saka spent Christmas Day in a brace and on crutches at his cousin’s, having had surgery at 5am the previous day.He claimed it took him “ten minutes” to get to the dining room for dinner.So when his lively new Cockapoo called Tucker turned up soon after, it was not easy “to get after him”, as Saka put it, even if having the pooch has been a “good and funny experience”.On Tuesday against Senegal at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, Saka hopes to ­feature for the first time under Thomas Tuchel, who he describes as “demanding and intense” on the grass but “relaxed and nice” off it.Former Chelsea and Bayern Munich chief Tuchel has been brought in with the sole remit of winning the World Cup next year after a series of near-misses under predecessor Gareth Southgate.The German has won all three of his games, without conceding a goal, but underwhelmed with performances,  especially in Saturday’s drab 1-0 victory over Andorra in Barcelona.And Saka admits England sometimes have a motivation issue against the smaller nations.Saka is eyeing his first England game under Thomas TuchelArsenal team-mate Myles Lewis-Skelly has been called up to England againBut the bottom line — and Saka knows this best after a tough 12 months — is that winning is what matters most.He added: “Every player is different and I can’t answer for every player but naturally in the bigger games everyone is going to give a bit more.“In these other games we need to find a level where we can maintain that same quality and drive and hunger for the whole game.“It’s not easy at times but we need  to find that and get these games over the line.Read More on The Sun“The Andorra game, we still won, got another three points on the board and kept a clean sheet. It’s job done.“The expectation is to win, rather than entertain. If you can have both, then  perfect. But we feel more the expectation is to win than to entertain.”Saka’s Premier League stats this season More

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    I’m related to the greatest boxer ever but changed my name to make my own way – it worked until Mike Tyson showed up

    NICO ALI WALSH has the most famous surname in boxing history but he kept it a secret – until Mike Tyson blew his cover. The 24-year-old is the grandson of Muhammad Ali – affectionately known as The Greatest.Mike Tyson with Nico Ali WalshCredit: X/nicoaliwalshNico’s parents – including Ali’s daughter Rasheda whose sister Laila was a champion boxer – never wanted him to enter the family business. But by 14, Ali Walsh – with the help of his grandfather – convinced his family to allow him to start boxing. It came with just one condition though, he had to hide his iconic Ali surname. Ali Walsh told SunSport: “Of course, I left out the name. Even back when I was 15 years old, my full name is Nico Ali Walsh, but I cut out the Ali.READ MORE IN boxing “I said my name is Nico Walsh, but they found out somehow. My parents were not on board with saying Ali either.”I don’t know how, they would just start announcing it at amateur fights. So it didn’t last long. The incognito version of myself didn’t last very long.”It turns out boxing great Tyson – a close friend of hero Ali’s – might have played a part in Nico’s secret being exposed.He revealed: “It probably started around my third amateur fight because I started having weird people show up to my fights.Most read in BoxingCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“Like my third amateur fight was here in Vegas and Mike Tyson found out I was fighting and he and his wife Kiki texted my mum and was like, ‘Hey, we heard Nico’s fighting here. Mike wants to come to the fight.’“So Mike ended up coming to my amateur fight and it was just him, whoever he was with, and then my family.Three-weight world champion Vasily Lomachenko retires after more than 400 FIGHTS in lengthy video“So there was like 7/8 people in the crowd, and it was just us, so I guess people may have started realising it.“I started having weird people show up to my fights. Why is Mike Tyson showing up to this guy’s amateur fight? And he left right after.“So that may have contributed to people finding out.”With Ali Walsh’s name was no longer secret, he had close to 30 amateur bouts before turning professional in 2021.And he did so with legendary promoter Bob Arum, who staged some of Ali’s most iconic fights. By now, Ali Walsh is no stranger to rivals looking to make a name for themselves by trying to tear down his name – even behind closed doors.Ali Walsh tried to hide his famous surname in the amateursBut Tyson accidentally helped blow his coverHe said: “Sparring and training, it’s never 100 per cent of the time. “Sparring is where you work on things and you do certain things, but whenever I go outside of someone that I directly know, they’re trying to knock me out in sparring.“Everyone who spars me is trying to knock me out. So it’s very annoying, but I’ve gotten that my entire professional career.“I had that sometimes in my amateur career but now it’s like people are coming at me trying to absolutely take my head off in the gym. “And they do it in fights too. I don’t care what you do in a fight, but in the gym, it gets ridiculous at some points.”Ali Walsh is now 15 fights into his pro career, with 12 wins, two losses and one no-contest. A young Ali Walsh with his grandadAli Walsh with his grandad before the sporting great’s sad passing in 2016Promoter Bob Arum with Ali WalshCredit: Top Rank/Mikey WilliamsHe bounced back with victory against Ebenezer Sowah in Guinea in May following a shock defeat to Juan Carlos Guerra Jr last February.And Ali Walsh has stayed true to his roots by refusing to entertain cash-grab fights against the likes of Jake Paul. The middleweight prospect even turned down a $3million (£2.2m) offer to fight the 11-1 YouTuber-turned-boxer last year. Ali Walsh explained: “I can’t be mad at these pro guys that are calling him out, they want the money.“And obviously, the money they would be getting, they would be getting paid millions to knock out a guy that’s way below the skill level of the guy that they get paid far less to fight.“So it makes sense for these guys, but for me in particular, that’s not something I want to be remembered by. “It would really be just tainting my legacy to be getting involved with something like that.Read More on The Sun“I feel like whenever people try to tell me, ‘Nico, you should have done this or you should have done that.’ No one can tell me what to do with the Ali name except for an Ali.“So nobody outside of my family will understand what I’m talking about. So I don’t take advice from anyone else who tries to come at me with that kind of stuff.”Ali Walsh is 15 fights into his pro careerCredit: EPAJake Paul offered Ali Walsh £2.2m to fightCredit: Getty More

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    ‘It’s not nice to see’ – Lewis Hamilton warned he’s suffering from same issue as Michael Schumacher after Ferrari switch

    LEWIS HAMILTON is “lost” and suffering the same problem that fellow Formula One icon Michael Schumacher did.Hamilton, 40, has struggled to extract top performance from his Ferrari machinery since joining the team over the winter.Lewis Hamilton has been warned he is suffering the same issue as Michael Schumacher isCredit: GettyMichael Schumacher won seven world titles like Hamilton, but had a break and never won a race againCredit: GettyThe Brit has achieved one Sprint Race win in China but has otherwise failed to achieve a podium for the Scuderia.Former F1 star and Sky Sports F1 pundit Johnny Herbert believes Hamilton is suffering the same issues as Schumacher, 56, did when he came back to the motorsport after a break.That being the “raw pace just isn’t there anymore”, a thought which Herbert says is “not nice to see”.Schumacher – whose ex-F1 boss gave an insight into his health battle – retired from F1 in 2006 before returning with Mercedes in 2010, but only achieved one podium in three seasons with the Silver Arrows.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLSpeaking to InstantWithdrawalBettingSites, Herbert, 60, said: “It just looks like Lewis Hamilton is lost, really lost. “I don’t know if the raw pace that he’s always had throughout his career is there anymore. “I thought, with the pure racing skill Hamilton had, he’d be able to drive around any problems with the car but he seems stuck in a hole. It’s not nice to see. “It’s not the first time we’ve seen it in the sport, though. Nigel Mansell won his championship in 1992, went to America in 1993, came back in 1994 and it didn’t work anymore for him.Most read in MotorsportBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”It happened with Michael Schumacher too, when he had his break and came back, then he wasn’t the same Schumacher as before.”You’re always going to have your peak and an end of your peak. It’s not nice to see.”F1 stars’ pets including driver with thirteen cats, Leclerc’s yacht-loving pooch and Hamilton’s dog Roscoe with own car Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc has raised his own complaints about the car and race engineers, but has managed to eke out better results with three podium finishes, including back-to-back in Monaco and Spain.Herbert added: “I know Charles Leclerc is not happy with the car either, but at least he’s getting podium finishes consistently. “There have been a couple of poor decisions in Ferrari’s strategy and poor communication over the radio, Hamilton doesn’t have the synergy with his engineer that he needs. “He hasn’t found his comfort zone since the sprint win in China.”Sometimes you don’t realise when it’s not as easy as it was before, but when you look across the garage and your team-mate is outperforming you, then it may click. “The greats of the sport, at their peak, get the best out of their car. Max Verstappen is doing it right now. Hamilton just can’t seem to get the extra he needs anymore. “He won’t understand why he can’t, because he’ll feel like he should be able to. But, Leclerc is outperforming you in the same car. Leclerc is only going to grow and is in control of Ferrari’s future. “He’s the guy they can rely on, Ferrari can’t rely on Lewis Hamilton at this point. It’s horrible to say but it’s the truth.”Former Mercedes and McLaren star Hamilton appeared close to tears following the Spanish Grand Prix where he finished P6, even after a penalty for old rival Max Verstappen bumped him up the order. Johnny Herbert suggested Ferrari ‘can’t rely on’ HamiltonCredit: GettyHamilton later apologised to Sky Sports F1 presenter Rachel Brookes after his blunt response to a question, where he snapped: “Well what do you want me to say? I had a really bad day and I’ve got nothing to say.“It was a difficult day, I’ve got nothing else to add to it. There’s no point explaining it.”Hamilton will now have next weekend off to help him collect his thoughts before getting back behind the wheel for the Canadian Grand Prix on June 15.McLaren pair Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris lead the World Drivers Championship, with the Aussie leading by 10 points after claiming victory in Barcelona last weekend.He has opened up a huge 49-point gap to reigning four-time world champion Verstappen after the Dutchman lost his head and crashed into Mercedes’ George Russell when asked to yield his position.Despite calls to be disqualified, the incident saw the Red Bull driver being given a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from P5 to P10, and slapped with three penalty points on his FIA Super Licence.That decision has placed him on the brink of a race ban after collecting 11 out of a maximum of 12 penalty points.The system works on a 12-month rolling timer, but the next time the 27-year-old will see any points taken off his record will be June 30.Races are due to commence in Montreal and Spielberg before that date, meaning he will have to be on his best behaviour to avoid a ban.Read More on The SunPicking up another point in Canada will mean a ban for his team’s home race at the Red Bull Ring, meanwhile, a point in Austria would see him banned for the British Grand Prix on July 6.Hamilton himself sits P6 in the standings, while his team have squeezed their way into P2. 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