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      in Boxing

      Derek Chisora ditches Smart car for beefy 4×4 to focus on mammoth Oleksandr Usyk challenge

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      DEREK CHISORA has parked his Smart car to focus all his road rage on smashing into Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday.
      The 6ft, 18st fans’ favourite usually squeezes himself into the tiny motor to run errands, visit London gyms and pose for photos.

      Derek Chisora has swapped the Smart car for a chauffeur-driven 4×4

      But in the final fortnight of camp, heavyweight Chisora beefed up the horsepower and handed over the reins.
      With his chauffeur-driven 4×4 waiting outside the Hayemaker gym, the 36-year-old said: “A couple of weeks out from every fight, I put that Smart in the garage and get myself a big car and a driver.
      “If I have been training hard all day, then it can be hard to concentrate in the car when you are driving yourself home.
      “This close to a fight I just want to train and relax and keep myself and other drivers safe.

      “It’s not about me being a danger on the road but you never know what can happen, it’s better to take no risks.”
      The Chisora v Usyk build-up — which has been running most of the year after their original May date was postponed due to coronavirus — has not just been respectful, it has been hilarious.
      Ukraine’s 2012 Olympic heavyweight gold medallist and undisputed cruiserweight king uploaded an Instagram video of him running on the beach and shadow boxing, while growling “Derek! Where are you, Derek?”.
      Fellow heavyweights Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte then posted their own versions on social media, with Del Boy firing back with clips of his own to help lift lockdown spirits.

      After a tough day of training, Del Boy, here with David Haye, reckoned he was safer to be dropped home instead

      Chisora is preparing to face Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk in their heavyweight showdown on SaturdayCredit: ©Mark Robinson Ltd

      He said: “Usyk started it with the video of him running on the beach. I have seen fighters and people make their own versions now and when I have been out driving and shopping, have had people yelling ‘Derek!’.
      “The whole country seems to have enjoyed it and, right now, people need that.
      “This week people can forget their problems by enjoying the build-up, making predictions and the day after, can say to their friends ‘Did you see the fight? Wasn’t it unbelievable?’.
      “People need fun things to take their attention right now, even just for a split second, because we are in the s***.”
      A few weeks ago Chisora’s manager, David Haye, posted a video offering £100 to any heavyweight southpaw who could last a round — and a grand if they could floor him.
      A few oddballs offered their services but Chisora insisted the reward for dropping him should have been £20,000.

      He said: “Guys turned up but nobody got the grand. I was never going to pay that.
      “I had MMA middleweight Darren Till message me but he was too late — I even had cabbies knocking on the gym door.
      “Everybody wants that £1,000 but I don’t get dropped in sparring — it was David’s money anyway.
      “I would have £20,000 of my own money on the line and not get dropped in sparring, anyone could give it a go.”
      Sounds like Smart money.

      Derek Chisora takes repeated punches to the stomach to show he’s ready for upcoming fight More

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      in Soccer

      Tottenham star Sanchez reveals battle to the top as pals ended up in gangs while he took three buses home from training

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      IT has not been an easy journey for Davinson Sanchez.
      The Tottenham defender might be a multi-millionaire Premier League star now.

      Davinson Sanchez has revealed some of his childhood friends have ended up in jail – or dead – with gang crime never far awayCredit: AP:Associated Press

      But as a kid growing up in Colombia, his dad could not afford to pay for  TWO bus fares to join him for the journey to training.
      That meant a ten-year-old Sanchez had to make the two-hour trip across one of the country’s most dangerous regions on his own.
      Gangs and crime were never far away and some of his school pals who took that path are now either in jail —  or the cemetery.
      But Sanchez, despite his parents  splitting up before he reached high school, stayed on the straight and narrow thanks to football.

      And aged just 20, he moved 5,500 miles to join Dutch giants Ajax —  having rejected Barcelona because he insisted he was too good to play for their B team.
      Sanchez has always had a strong belief in his own ability.
      It is that confidence which enabled him to speak with such assurance at a Black History Month event organised by Tottenham Hotspur Foundation last week.
      The centre-back quizzed the young people on their knowledge of key black figures in football history,

      The defender met with young people at a Black History Month event at SpursCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      But the select group of teens, sat safely socially distanced in one of their  stadium’s huge NFL locker rooms, did know that their special guest’s own back story is as equally as inspiring.
      Sanchez, 24, was born and bred in the small rural town of Caloto.
      He explained: “I started playing  football when I was about six and it was sometimes hard to take the bus.
      “My father used to take me to training and it was not always easy because he also had to bring food to the table. I would train every day after school from 3.30pm until 5.30pm and then I had to take three buses to get home, which would take at least two hours.
      “Sometimes I would not get home until 8pm or 9pm — and then I would have to do my school homework. Many times I would fall asleep at the table.
      “When I started going to training my father used to take me. But that meant we had to buy two bus tickets and it was not easy for us, you know.
      “The tickets only cost £2 each but we had to get two or three buses.
      “I knew it was costing the family too much money so one day when I was about 10 or 11 I said to him, ‘Look, this is taking away my nest egg! I know the roads and where the buses stop so I am old enough now to travel on my own’.”

      Sanchez won the Copa Libertadores – South America’s most prestigious trophy – with Atletico Nacional in 2016
      Asked if it was dangerous, he admitted: “At the time I didn’t think so because I was young — but I wouldn’t do it now.”
      With crime rife in Caloto, Sanchez regularly had to run the gauntlet.
      The Spurs centre-back, who insisted he never encountered racism growing up or in football, recalled: “I saw a lot of bad things like drugs and people stealing things.
      “I know friends who took what I call the easy way and some of them are now dead, or in jail, because they were involved in bad things.
      “But I also have a lot of friends from school who took the right way and they are working in good jobs and are good fathers, brothers and sons.
      “It is up to you which path you choose. But taking the easy way was never an option for me.”
      By his teens, Sanchez already had  a reputation as one of the hottest football prospects in Colombia and he was snapped up by one of its top clubs Atletico Nacional — whom he later helped win the 2016 Copa Libertadores.
      A £4.5million transfer to Ajax followed that summer after he had rejected a move to Barcelona.

      The Catalan giants had already agreed a deal with Nacional — but headstrong Sanchez refused to go.
      He explained: “The agreement was that I had to go to Barcelona B and from there I had to build up my experience.
      “I said to them, ‘You need to check  the agreement as I am not going to the second team. If I leave  now I want to play for the first team — I don’t want to play for the competition I don’t know’.
      “They said, no, so I said the deal was not for me.”
      Tottenham signed Sanchez from Ajax back in 2017 for a then club-record fee of £35m and he has become a key man  for Jose Mourinho this season.

      Tottenham paid Ajax nearly £40m for SanchezCredit: Rex Features

      But he has never forgotten his roots and, despite his relatively young age,   has set up a foundation in Caloto which coaches, educates and feeds 600 poor children and their families.
      Sanchez will also have another mouth to feed shortly as his wife Daniela is due to give birth to their first child any day.
      That will not stop him from boarding the Spurs team bus to their Premier League clash at Burnley tonight as they aim to shake off that crazy 3-3 draw with West Ham.
      Not the longest or toughest journey he has ever made…

      Jose Mourinho urges Tottenham to tie Son Heung-Min down to new long-term contract More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd’s Harry Maguire got away with Hulk Hogan WWE choke on Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta as VAR messed up again

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      MANCHESTER UNITED drew with Chelsea on Saturday — mainly thanks to Harry Maguire getting away with a choke hold that wrestler Hulk Hogan would be proud of.
      Referees had another weekend to forget and VAR made matters worse.

      Harry Maguire got up close and personal with Cesar AzpilicuetaCredit: AFP or Licensors

      We take a look at the three big calls that had fans raging:
      REF CHOKED ON HARRY HOLD
      HARRY MAGUIRE’S grapple with Cesar Azpilicueta during Manchester United’s game against Chelsea was a clear penalty.
      It was like a strangle hold on one of those old wrestling shows.
      A referee always tries to get in the best possible position for the ultimate viewing angle but Martin Atkinson has not seen it. 

      I would have thought VAR would have recommended a review.
      In my opinion it is a clear and obvious error. That’s why we have VAR.
      Stuart Attwell was the VAR official. Had he asked Atkinson to go over and check, he would have awarded a penalty.

      Hulk Hogan might have been proud of Maguire’s moveCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The statement from the PGMOL and the Premier League was that it was not a clear and obvious error. 

      I am bemused by that statement.
      VAR is simple for me. The IFAB protocol is: was that incident a clear and obvious error? One word, in capital letters. YES.
      DEAN DECISION WAS FAB

      There’ll be no need to drop MikeCredit: AFP or licensors
      DURING the first half of Liverpool’s win over Sheffield United, Mike Dean initially awarded a free-kick for Fabinho’s challenge on Ollie McBurnie.
      It was a subjective call by Dean, and because it was close VAR checked it and informed him the challenge was made on the line of the penalty area, which is classed as inside the area — that is fact.
      So, there was no need to go over to the monitor and Dean could award the penalty.
      That’s how you want VAR to be used.
      HAMMERS WENT GAR GAR

      Eric Garcia appeared to bring down Michail Antonio in the boxCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      MICHAIL ANTONIO should have been awarded a penalty when he was taken down by Eric Garcia.
      The Manchester City man went in for the challenge with the wrong leg and made contact with the West Ham player before he got the ball.
      Man City got away with one there.
      Once again, if VAR official Peter Bankes had asked referee Anthony Taylor to view the monitor, he would have awarded the penalty.
      We are seeing so many inconsistencies with VAR.
      What disturbs me is that we are yet to see a ref show mental toughness to stick with his original decision after going to the monitor. They always overturn their own call. 
      It is obvious officials need more leadership, training and education.

      Frank Lampard says he was ‘just waiting for the red card’ after late Lo Celso tackle on César Azpilicueta which VAR deemed ‘no serious foul play’ More

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      in Soccer

      Everton’s unbeaten run did not end due to playing badly, Hasenhuttl’s Southampton just executed ­tactical plan superbly

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      IT WOULD be a big mistake to think Everton’s defeat at Southampton yesterday was due to the Premier League leaders performing poorly.
      The Toffees came unstuck because Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team again executed his ­tactical plan so well.

      Southampton executed Ralph Hasenhuttl’s game plan perfectlyCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Last season we saw Saints play a few different systems.
      But now he is very much going for 4-4-2 out of possession – so they have got that good defensive structure – or 4-2-2-2, when they are in possession.
      The Saints midfield played very narrow so Carlo Ancelotti’s men got dragged inside.

      That left space out wide and Danny Ings took full advantage of it when he darted out left and put the ball in for Che Adams to score the second.
      Both of Hasenhuttl’s fullbacks – Ryan Bertrand and Kyle Walker-Peters – had so much space to exploit and they did it really well.
      Another thing that stood out was Saints are a high-pressing team and they play a high line as well.
      That came under scrutiny when they lost 5-2 to Tottenham last month.

      Against Everton, yes, they were pressing but Oriol Romeu in midfield was positioned in front of the two centre-backs so that they could play a little bit deeper.

      They didn’t have to play too high to remain connected to the rest of the team because Romeu was the link between midfield and defence.
      Looking at Everton I think Ben Godfrey is going to be an excellent signing for them from Norwich.
      But he is not a right-back, he is a centre-back and a very impressive one who, I believe, will play for England.
      But again it was not about how poor Everton were it was how good Saints were.
      They have ten points from their last four games after losing their first two this season.
      They no longer look a work in progress and have taken fully on board what Hasenhuttl wants from them.

      Anthony Joshua takes part in star-studded Zoom call with Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and PSG star Mbappe More

    • 250 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Tottenham boss Mourinho refusing to let Bale, Kane and Son off the leash at Burnley until leaky defence is sorted

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      JOSE MOURINHO admits he cannot let his flying forwards off the leash until he sorts out his defence.
      Harry Kane and Son Heung-min have been in blistering form and Spurs possess a string of attacking players with the potential to wreak havoc on the Premier League.

      Harry Kane and Son Heung-min are unlikely to be joined by Gareth Bale at BurnleyCredit: EPA

      But with the late collapse in the 3-3 draw against West Ham fresh in his mind, Mourinho says still cannot go all out like he did with his dazzling Real Madrid side which scored 121 goals in one season.
      The Tottenham boss said: “The team, the way we are playing, I think it’s good fun to be an attacking player in our team.
      “In Real Madrid, I had amazing, amazing attacking players and we managed to build the team in a certain way.
      “I have to be honest and say we have lots of good attacking players here but we need to give stability to the team because the team needs stability in the back to feel solid, confident to have a go.

      “So we need to find that balance.
      “Let’s say that it is a team thing, it’s not just about individuals.
      “We need to be able to play with all these attacking players and have the team with everybody ready to be organised defensively and not to give space to the opponent.
      “And behind, we need to improve in some details – that’s obvious.

      Bale arrived on loan from Real Madrid for the season but his start was hampered by injuryCredit: EPA

      “You look to our squad and incredible quality and numbers and options from midfield to attack and we are trying to find solutions and we are trying to be organised.”
      Spurs visit Burnley tonight with Mourinho is playing with the idea of keeping Ben Davies as a centre-back having tried him in that position in the Europa League win over LASK.
      And how he develops the new players Sergio Reguilon and Joe Rodon into his plans will help decide just how good the Spurs unit can be this season.
      Mourinho added: “Ben played, I think, for the first time as a centre-back in a back four because before it was in a back five.
      “Joe Rodon, we just love his potential, his mentality. He needs to work to get there. Matt Doherty has just arrived and he is also adapting.
      “Reguilon, of course, is, especially going forward, an incredible player.
      He needs also to adapt to the defensive demands of the Premier League. It’s a process.”

      Gareth Bale reflects on his first start in second spell at Tottenham in Europa League match More

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      in Boxing

      Boxing’s new super-cruiserweight division ‘sensible’ move that will allow mouthwatering fights such as Usyk vs Wilder

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      BECAUSE Tyson Fury and the rest of today’s leading heavyweights are built the size of articulated trucks, boxing is about to create a new weight class.
      The idea is that it’s going to be above the cruiserweight 14st 4lb limit and the fighters who will be involved won’t be allowed to be heavier than 16st.

      Wilder could be one of the superstars set to compete in this new divisionCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      With 17 weight divisions already, you would think the Noble Art needs another as about as much as Manchester needs a goodwill visit from Boris Johnson.
      But talks between WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman and British Boxing Board of Control chairman Charlie Giles are at an advanced stage.
      It is a sensible move and will protect men like Ukraine’s Oleksandr Usyk — who clashes with Derek Chisora tomorrow week in London — from being at an unacceptable weight disadvantage.
      Usyk, the unbeaten former undisputed world cruiserweight champion ran out of opposition, which forced him to move up among the big boys.

      Yet when he had his first heavyweight fight a year ago he was 15st 5lb, which means he will probably be at least three stone lighter than Chisora next week.
      Tony Bellew, the former world cruiserweight champ knocked out by Usyk in his last fight, has been asked by the WBC to be an ambassador for the plan.
      Bellew said: “I’m very enthusiastic about this because it will allow the small heavyweights and big cruiserweights to have a level playing field.
      “Speaking from experience Usyk is technically the best in the heavyweight division. He’s a genius.

      “But the one thing that will hold him back is sheer size. He will not be able to beat the real big boys for that reason.
      “Heavyweights are getting bigger and bigger. Look at Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. They are huge. The new division is inevitable and the need for it is going to get more apparent.”
      Glenn McCrory, Britain’s first world cruiserweight champion, is 100 per cent behind Bellew. He said: “When I lost my cruiserweight title I moved up to heavyweight and fought Lennox Lewis.
      “He was only a couple of stone heavier but he was throwing me around like I was a rag doll. Imagine what it would be like facing someone three or four stone heavier.”

      Fans may be surprised to learn last century’s legendary world champions would never be considered heavyweights in this era of Goliaths.
      This what they weighed when they won the title. Jack Johnson (13st 4lb), Jack Dempsey (13st 5lb), Joe Louis (14st 1lb) and Rocky Marciano a mere 13st 2lb.
      Can you imagine matching Marciano — 11 inches shorter and six stone lighter — with Fury? He’d be arrested under the Trades Description Act.
      The only negative argument I’ve heard is a new super-cruiserweight division will be unfashionable and therefore unattractive to the TV companies’ networks.
      But if it was launched with a Usyk-Deontay Wilder — an under 16st man — world championship battle, I doubt if that would be too difficult to sell.

      Watch Tyson Fury star in short film on addiction called You’re Not My Best Friend to mark World Mental Health Day More

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      in Soccer

      Man Utd missed out on Dayot Upamecano transfer after row over just £200,000 for RB Leipzig star

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      MANCHESTER UNITED missed out on signing RB Leipzig star Dayot Upamecano — because of a row over just £200,000.
      Germans Leipzig signed him for £9million in 2017.

      Dayot Upamecano could have been playing for Man Utd but for a row over moneyCredit: EPA

      And he is now worth around £55m and rated one of Europe’s best centre-halves.
      But the French defender could have been playing FOR United in the Champions League this week, instead of facing them, if a fee had been agreed five years ago.
      Upamecano was at Old Trafford with his mum and agent as a deal was lined up with then club Valenciennes — only to fall apart over a small sum of money.
      The defender, 21, was just 16  when he arrived at United in the hope of sealing his dream deal to one of Europe’s giant clubs.

      But instead, Upamecano and his party went away upset as United chiefs only offered £500,000 while the French club demanded  £700,000.
      It was considered too much to pay for a player who was already in the France under-16 and U-17 teams and tipped for the top.
      An insider in the deal said: “Dayot wanted to join United and the fee really was nothing.
      “At first he got the red-carpet treatment but then they would not go that bit further with their offer and he was gone.”

      Instead, RB Salzburg snapped him up just  two weeks later.
      They paid the asking price and pledging extras.
      Liverpool are strongly linked and, ironically, United have been looking again — only this time he will cost a lot more than £700,000. 

      Edinson Cavani joins Man Utd in training for the first time More

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      in Soccer

      Raheem Sterling follows in Marcus Rashford’s footsteps and launches fund for disadvantaged kids

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      RAHEEM Sterling is following in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford and rapper Stormzy by launching a foundation to help disadvantaged kids.
      The Man City and England ace, 25, wants to start a fund to pay for further education or apprenticeships for children from poor areas.

      Raheem Sterling is launching a foundation for disadvantaged childrenCredit: Getty

      He was inspired by Marcus Rashford, who has been campaigning to end child povertyCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      A source said: “He knows what it’s like to grow up without a lot and he really wants to give something back.
      “Like a lot of players he has been very impressed with the work Marcus has done with regards to free school meals and he has decided he wants to do more.
      “He’s determined to make a difference and help improve lives of young people.”
      Dad-of-three Sterling grew up in Wembley, North London.

      He was brought to the UK to live aged five after his dad was murdered in Jamaica.

      He has attracted plaudits for speaking out about racism in football and last year was honoured at the BT Sport Industry Awards for his stance.
      England manager Gareth Southgate said the player’s actions had made “a massive impact on British society”.
      Sterling has also admired Stormzy’s decision to donate £10million to groups dedicated to fighting racial inequality.

      Sterling also admired Stormzy’s decision to donate £10million to help fight racial inequalityCredit: Getty

      Marcus Rashford says ‘enough is enough’ ahead of crunch Commons vote on free school meals
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