Ollie Bearman was barely three months old when Fernando Alonso won his first world championship in 2005 – but on his Formula One debut in Mexico City, the Essex 18-year-old finished ahead of the double world champion.
“That was an added bonus,” he said with a broad smile.
On Friday, Bearman made history by becoming the youngest British driver to step foot in an F1 machine at a Grand Prix weekend. And he quietly impressed, too.
Competing for American outfit Haas, Bearman finished 15th in first practice, only 1.6 seconds slower than triple world champion Max Verstappen, and three tenths adrift of Nico Hulkenberg – a veteran of 200 grands prix – in the other Haas. He was also speedier than Alonso.
Five rookies were fielded at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and Bearman was quickest of them all.
Raised in Chelmsford, and schooled at King Edward VI Grammar, Bearman joined Ferrari’s driver academy, aged only 16.
Bearman had just won both the German and Italian Formula Four championships, and his performances made those at Maranello sit up and take note.
He quit school – despite initial resistance from his mother, Terri – left the family home in Chelmsford, and moved to Modena, a dozen miles north of Ferrari’s headquarters in northern Italy. Two years on, and his Italian twang is noticeable.
“Maybe I got a bit lucky not to get the Essex accent,” he joked, in an interview with the PA news agency.
“A lot of people have told me my accent has changed even if I don’t notice it. I spend a lot of time with Italians and to communicate with people where English is not their first language is not easy, so I have changed my word order and ended up with this everywhere accent.
“When I moved to Modena it happened pretty quickly. It was like going to university two years early, but I have loved every moment so far. My mum was very pro-school and very pro-education, but we managed to convince her in the end.
“I miss my family, my two dogs – I have an English Bull Terrier and a Boston Terrier and they are very cute – and that is the negative side. But the food in Italy is a big chunk above the English stuff, and the weather is better, too.”
Following four victories in his rookie Formula Two season – the feeder series to F1 – Bearman was thrust into the spotlight in Mexico City, eclipsing Lando Norris as the sport’s youngest Brit.
Norris, now in his fifth season, was three months shy of his 19th birthday when he took part in practice for McLaren in Belgium in 2018. Bearman turned 18 in May.
When Lewis Hamilton made his F1 bow, Bearman was only 18 months old. Yet on Friday, he shared the same asphalt as the seven-time world champion.
“When I heard Hamilton was coming up behind me on a push lap I was like ‘wow, I will get out of the way’,” he added.
However, it was Hamilton’s former McLaren team-mate, the 2009 world champion Jenson Button, who was Bearman’s childhood hero.
“I heard Jenson was praising me on Sky, and that was amazing for me to hear,” he adds.
“I don’t know why, but he was always the guy I loved and really looked up to. It is cool that he recognised my performance in practice, and I will try to speak to him here – that is my goal.”
Bearman will remain in F2 next season and he will be back in an F1 machine in practice for Haas – effectively Ferrari’s B team – next month in Abu Dhabi.
“It is really cool that I have been given this opportunity,” he said. “My whole career has been a pinch-yourself moment, and this is another one.
“Ferrari is such an elusive team. They are an iconic brand, they have an iconic colour and they have the best-looking car on the grid. They are putting a lot of trust in me, and loyalty is an important part of this paddock.
“Of course my goal is to become a Ferrari driver, and I need to do that with my performances on track. Today was an amazing moment, and one I will savour for years to come.
“It is a shame it was only practice, but it is all part and parcel of the work we have been doing to get to the top.”
Steve Borthwick signed off an encouraging World Cup after England edged Argentina 26-23 at the Stade de France to claim third place.
The Pumas paid the price for allowing England to build a 13-0 lead and while they fought back to control the second half, Borthwick’s men held their nerve to send scrum-half Ben Youngs into Test retirement with a bronze medal.
Their only defeat at France 2023 was the agonising 16-15 loss to South Africa in the semi-final.
“I’m delighted for the players to get the win after they have worked so hard,” Borthwick said.
“We won six games out of seven and lost one game by one point to the current world champions and current world number one, which shows the progress of the team. It shows how the team has built during the tournament.
“Playing finals games at World Cups is important. In the last two World Cups this group of players have played six finals games and won four of them.
“Clearly we want to be in the final and winning the gold medal. That wasn’t to be, but having finals experience has been important for this squad.
“The players should be very proud of their efforts and the challenges they have overcome. While things haven’t been perfect, they find a way to win games.
“Now we didn’t last weekend – we lost by a point, which will hurt for a long time. But when the players have found themselves in tough circumstances they have found a way to win.”
With all neutrals at the Stade de France supporting Argentina and with Red Rose fans making the trip across The Channel in small numbers only, England played in the most hostile atmosphere they have encountered at this World Cup.
Captain Owen Farrell was booed throughout and most noisily when he was lining up penalties and conversions.
“I wasn’t surprised. It’s usually like that here. When you play against France in Six Nations here, they don’t cheer you when you’re having a shot at goal!” Farrell said.
“It’s a bit different here in France to how it is over in England when a kicker’s taking a shot. But that’s what it is – just different. That’s no problem.”
Argentina head coach Michael Cheika felt that his Pumas did not get the rub of the green with referee Nic Berry, especially at the scrum.
“The game could have ended differently especially when you look at the final 15 minutes,” Cheika said.
“We did everything we could and we deserved more, both in terms of result and refereeing.
“Three or four scrums we were dominating and despite that we got no reward for it. For me that was very surprising.
“To be here on October 27 is very positive for the fans and for us. What is missing for us is excellence. It’s hard to accept losing this game and draw any positives from it.
“I believe that our trajectory over this World Cup will make Argentinians proud. We will come back stronger.”
Doncaster’s Kameko Futurity Trophy meeting will go ahead as planned this afternoon.
While day one of the weekend fixture on Friday fell foul of waterlogging in places, hopes were reasonably high the card featuring the final Group One of the domestic season would survive after the movement of rails to avoid troublesome areas.
A precautionary inspection confirmed that view after a dry but misty night, meaning an intriguing main event will see a highly-anticipated clash between Charlie Appleby’s Arabian Crown and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Diego Velazquez.
No problems are reported over jumps at Cheltenham and Kelso, where Grand National winner Corach Rambler returns to action in the Edinburgh Gin Chase. At Cheltenham, the star attraction could be Flooring Porter, as the dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero goes over fences for the first time in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Novices’ Chase.
Luka Doncic reminded the basketball world just how good he is, scoring 49 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 125-120.
The Slovenian superstar hit four straight three-point shots in the final quarter, adding 10 rebounds and seven assists to his mammoth scoring effort, while Nets small forward Cam Thomas had 30 points in the losing side.
French rookie Victor Wembanyama secured the first win of his NBA career in style with 21 points and 12 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the Houston Rockets 126-122 in overtime.
The 19-year-old proved he is more than ready for the NBA as he hit the game-tying bucket with 20 seconds left in regulation time and added crucial baskets in overtime.
Guard Alex Caruso handed the Chicago Bulls a dramatic victory over the Toronto Raptors, 104-103, with a go-ahead three with just two seconds left of overtime.
Demar DeRozan starred for the Bulls with 18 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter while Scottie Barnes had a triple double for the Raptors with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Steph Curry exploded for the Golden State Warriors with 41 points to get the win over the Sacramento Kings 122-114.
It was the battle of the guards throughout the game with Kings guard De’Aaron Fox trying to keep up with Curry, scoring 39 points.
The Boston Celtics took out last year’s runners up the Miami Heat 119-111, taking revenge on the team who knocked them out in the Eastern Conference finals.
Derrick White starred for the Celtics with 28 points while Tyler Herro matched that for Miami.
Nikola Jokic continued his hot start to the season for the Denver Nuggets with 22 points and 12 rebounds as the NBA champions took down the Memphis Grizzlies 108-104.
The Utah Jazz upset the Los Angeles Clippers 120-118 with forward Lauri Markkanen scoring 35 points with 12 rebounds, while Paul George scored 36 points for the Clippers.
Orlando Magic beat the Portland Trail Blazers, the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder took down the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons made easy work of the Charlotte Hornets.
A home run in the 11th inning by Adolis Garcia gave Texas Rangers a 6-5 victory in the opening game of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Rangers, seeking their first World Series crown, had trailed 5-3 in the ninth inning before Corey Seager hit a two-run home run to send the match into extra innings.
After a scoreless 10th inning, Garcia homered for the fifth straight game to spark rapturous scenes at Arlington.
Texas had taken a two-run lead in the opening inning, but Arizona fought back with three runs off starter Nathan Eovaldi – who had only given up five runs in the play-offs – in the third inning.
The home side immediately drew level, but Tommy Pham fired the Diamondbacks – chasing their second World Series title in their first appearance since 2001 – with a lead-off home run to start the fourth inning.
Ketel Marte stretched the advantage in the fifth, his RBI double equalling the post-season hitting streak of 17 successive games.
Trailing by two, the Rangers were down to their last two outs when Seager took closer Paul Sewald deep and Garcia applied the closing touches.
Game two is in Texas again on Saturday night before the series switches to Arizona.
Adolis Garcia continued his record-setting postseason with an opposite field, walk-off home run in the 11th inning to lift the Texas Rangers to a wild 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday in Game 1 of the World Series.
Garcia sent a 3-1 pitch from Miguel Casto over the wall in right field and beyond the glove of a leaping Corbin Carroll for his second RBI of the game, setting a record for most in one postseason with his 22nd.
He has homered in five straight games – tied for the second-longest streak in playoff history.
Garcia’s heroics were made possible when Corey Seager hit a tying, two-run shot in the ninth inning off Arizona closer Paul Sewald, who had converted his first six save chances this postseason.
Ketel Marte had an RBI double in the fifth inning for the Diamondbacks, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. That ties the record for the longest in a postseason, shared by the Yankees’ Hank Bauer (1956-58), the Yankees’ Derek Jeter (1998-99) and Boston’s Manny Ramirez (2003-04).
Tommy Pham’s solo homer in the fourth gave Arizona a 4-3 lead and Marte’s double made it 5-3.
Texas scored twice in the first off Zac Gallen on Evan Carter’s RBI double and Garcia’s single.
Carroll’s two-run triple in the third erased the Rangers’ two-run lead, and he scored on Marte’s failed fielder’s choice.
Game 2 is Saturday night in Texas.
Anthony Joshua retained his IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight titles with a 10th-round stoppage of Carlos Takam in Cardiff on this day in 2017.
Returning for the first time since his victory over Wladimir Klitschko, the then 28-year-old Joshua wore down his little-known French opponent – an injury replacement for Kubrat Pulev – with his advantage in size, muscle, speed and power to retain his undefeated record.
In front of a world-record indoor fight crowd of an estimated 76,000 inside the Principality Stadium, many thought Joshua would back up his famous win over Klitschko with another routine victory, but it was far from it as he was tested in one of his toughest fights to date.
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Joshua came into the fight over a stone heavier than Takam, weighing in at a career-heaviest 18st 2lb against his 16st 11lb opponent, and made much of his significant size advantage before he appeared to suffer a broken nose in the second round.
Joshua put Takam to the canvas in the fourth round and the latter was examined by the ringside doctor in the next after a significant cut appeared to open up by his left eye, an injury that would affect Takam throughout the fight.
The wound was looked at once again in the ninth round and the expected stoppage finally arrived after one minute and 34 seconds of round 10, but there were boos from the crowd, as many thought the fight was stopped too early.
Asked about the decision, Joshua said: “It was a good fight. I have no interest with what’s going on with the officials, that’s not my job.
“Unfortunately, the ref stopped it. I think people wanted to see Takam on the floor and I was getting there.”
Joshua went on to add the WBO belt with victory over Joseph Parker and successfully defend his titles against Alexander Povetkin before a shock loss to Andy Ruiz in June 2019 at Madison Square Garden.
Though he beat Ruiz in a rematch and followed up with a knockout of Pulev, back-to-back losses against Oleksandr Usyk left Joshua needing to rebuild his career at the top level.
Luka Doncic poured in 49 points and sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 26.3 seconds remaining to lift the Dallas Mavericks to a 125-120 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Cam Thomas’ 3-pointer with 51 seconds left forged a 120-all tie but Doncic answered 25 seconds later when he banked in a 25-foot hook shot from the right sideline while tightly guarded as the shot clock was about to expire.
The Mavericks superstar shot 16 of 25 – including 9 of 14 from deep – and added 10 rebounds and seven assists.
The game was the first between the teams since the February trade that sent 10-time All-Star Kyrie Irving to Dallas in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie.
Thomas scored 30 points in his seventh career NBA start, a game after setting a league record by scoring 36 points off the bench in a season opener.
Thomas, though, missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, and Josh Green sealed Dallas’ win with two free throws three seconds later.
Irving finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points.
Dinwiddie had 23 points and six 3s and Mikal Bridges scored 18 for the winless Nets.
Wembanyama sparks Spurs to OT win
Victor Wembanyama had 21 points, including the tying basket with 20 seconds left in regulation, and the San Antonio Spurs notched a 126-122 win in overtime against the Houston Rockets.
The No. 1 draft pick shook off a slow start and had 16 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in the second half and overtime in his first NBA victory.
Devin Vassell scored 25 points and Keldon Johnson added 20 for the Spurs, who bounced back after a season-opening loss to Dallas on Wednesday.
Wembanyama’s jumper early in overtime sparked a 6-0 run, and he made a pair of free throws with 1:45 left to give San Antonio a 120-115 lead.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with 25 points.
Celtics beat Heat in East finals rematch
Derrick White scored 28 points with five 3-pointers and the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 119-111 on Friday in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Jaylen Brown added 27 points and Jayson Tatum had 22 for the Celtics, who followed Wednesday’s season-opening victory over the Knicks with a win in their home opener.
Miami squandered a 3-0 series lead against the Celtics last season before winning Game 7 in Boston to advance to its seventh NBA Finals.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points and sank five of his team’s 16 3-pointers. Bam Adebayo added 27 points and Jimmy Butler scored 14 on 3-of-11 shooting.
Neither team led by more than five points at the end of any of the first three periods and there were six ties and six lead changes in the game.
Steve Borthwick signed off an encouraging World Cup after England edged Argentina 26-23 at the Stade de France to claim third place.
The Pumas paid the price for allowing England to build a 13-0 lead and while they fought back to control the second-half, Borthwick’s men held their nerve to send scrum-half Ben Youngs into Test retirement with a bronze medal.
Their only defeat at France 2023 was the agonising 16-15 loss to South Africa in the semi-final.
“I’m delighted for the players to get the win after they have worked so hard,” Borthwick said.
“We won six games out of seven and lost one game by one point to the current world champions and current world number one, which shows the progress of the team. It shows how the team has built during the tournament.
“Playing finals games at World Cups is important. In the last two World Cups this group of players have played six finals games and won four of them.
“Clearly we want to be in the final and winning the gold medal. That wasn’t to be, but having finals experience has been important for this squad.
“The players should be very proud of their efforts and the challenges they have overcome. While things haven’t been perfect, they find a way to win games.
“Now we didn’t last weekend – we lost by a point, which will hurt for a long time. But when the players have found themselves in tough circumstances they have found a way to win.”
With all neutrals at the Stade de France supporting Argentina and with Red Rose fans making the trip across The Channel in small numbers only, England played in the most hostile atmosphere they have encountered at this World Cup.
Captain Owen Farrell was booed throughout and most noisily when he was lining up penalties and conversions.
“I wasn’t surprised. It’s usually like that here. When you play against France in Six Nations here, they don’t cheer you when you’re having a shot at goal!” Farrell said.
“It’s a bit different here in France to how it is over in England when a kicker’s taking a shot. But that’s what it is – just different. That’s no problem.”
Argentina head coach Michael Cheika felt that his Pumas did not get the rub of the green with referee Nic Berry, especially at the scrum.
“The game could have ended differently especially when you look at the final 15 minutes,” Cheika said.
“We did everything we could and we deserved more, both in terms of result and refereeing.
“Three or four scrums we were dominating and despite that we got no reward for it. For me that was very surprising.
“To be here on October 27 is very positive for the fans and for us. What is missing for us is excellence. It’s hard to accept losing this game and draw any positives from it.
“I believe that our trajectory over this World Cup will make Argentinians proud. We will come back stronger.”
Max Verstappen completed a practice double for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix by edging out Lando Norris.
After leading the way in the first running at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Verstappen – who has won 15 of the 18 rounds so far – set the fastest time in the day’s concluding running.
The Red Bull driver finished 0.119 seconds clear of McLaren’s Norris, with Charles Leclerc a quarter of a second back in his Ferrari.
Home favourite Sergio Perez finished fifth, three tenths behind Red Bull team-mate Verstappen, while Lewis Hamilton took seventh for Mercedes, a third of a second down.
Verstappen has dominated this year, and wrapped up his third successive world championship in Qatar earlier this month.
And the Dutchman will head into the remainder of the weekend in the breathless Mexico City air as the man to beat.
The high-altitude venue, which sits 2,200 metres above sea level, can often throw up anomalies, and Valtteri Bottas was a surprised fourth for Alfa Romeo, with Daniel Ricciardo sixth in his AlphaTauri, just three tenths off the top.
Hamilton finished a close second to Verstappen in the United States a week ago before he was disqualified for running an illegal floor on his Mercedes.
But despite his post-race exclusion, Hamilton hoped his speed in Austin would enable him to challenge Verstappen here.
However, the seven-time world champion failed to challenge the top of the leaderboard on Friday, finishing 11th and seventh respectively in the two sessions.
George Russell, who sat out the opening running as Mercedes blooded academy driver Frederik Vesti, finished 10th, half-a-second behind Verstappen.
Earlier on Friday, Ollie Bearman made history by becoming the youngest British driver to take part in a Formula One weekend.
Bearman, 18, competing for American outfit Haas, ended his F1 debut in 15th, only 1.6 sec slower than Verstappen and three tenths adrift of Nico Hulkenberg – a veteran of 200 grands prix – in the other Haas.
Bearman also finished one place ahead of double world champion Fernando Alonso.
F1 teams must run a rookie driver at least twice during the season and Chelmsford-born Bearman was handed his chance to impress, breaking the British record previously held by Norris.
Norris was three months shy of his 19th birthday when he took part in practice for McLaren in Belgium in 2018 before he was promoted to a race seat the following season. Bearman turned 18 in May.
The teenager, a member of the Ferrari academy, has taken four victories in F1’s feeder series Formula Two and is sixth in the standings ahead of next month’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.
England held their nerve to overcome Argentina’s determined fightback and finish the World Cup in third place with a tense 26-23 victory at the Stade de France.
Ben Earl and Theo Dan touched down but England will rue allowing a 13-0 lead to slip away, the Pumas clearly out to avenge their rout when the teams met in the pool stage seven weeks ago.
The remaining points for England in an arm-wrestle of a contest in which ‘Kamikaze Kids’ Tom Curry and Sam Underhill excelled were supplied by Owen Farrell’s flawless kicking, which ultimately proved the difference between the sides.
England have now finished in the World Cup’s top three on five occasions, with only Saturday’s finalists New Zealand and South Africa managing more podium appearances.
Argentina were roared on by the neutrals in a 77,674 crowd and with only pockets of Red Rose supporters present, it was the most partisan atmosphere Steve Borthwick’s side have faced at the World Cup.
Farrell was booed repeatedly and Ben Youngs drew the same reaction when he jogged off with half an hour left, even though the nation’s most capped player was making his 127th and final appearance.
The evening was not much fun for Henry Arundell, who ran in five tries against Chile yet was passed the ball only once here, reducing one of England’s most dangerous runners to the role of bystander until he was withdrawn with 15 minutes left.
Having produced among the worst semi-final appearances in World Cup history against New Zealand, Argentina were far hungrier as they looked to emulate their previous best tournament performance of third place in 2007.
It was the Pumas side who edged Wales in the last eight that ultimately turned up at the Stade de France, although it took them time to get going
England initially picked up where they had left off in Marseille by scoring freely, a short pass from Marcus Smith slipping Earl through a gap and there was no stopping the number eight from 15 metres out.
It was part of a bright start by England, who kicked intelligently and were accurate in everything they did, enabling them to build a 13-0 lead when Farrell added two penalties.
Argentina were already on the ropes but they took heart from making headway through the white defence until they were sent hurtling backwards at a scrum in front of the posts.
Emiliano Boffelli got the Pumas off the mark with a penalty but it was all they had to show for period of ascendency, their prospects not helped by two knock-ons at key times.
England’s own play had become more ragged and when Farrell kicked away possession and a penalty was conceded, Argentina went on the rampage with a sweeping attack that ended when Tomas Cubelli went over.
The officials declined to check for an obvious forward pass during the move but there was nothing controversial about the Pumas’ second try when Dan missed a tackle that allowed Santiago Carreras to glide into space and finish with class.
Dan’s redemption was instant as from the restart he changed down Carreras’ clearance, gathered the ball and scored.
As chants of “Argentina, Argentina” sounded around the Stade de France and the Pumas vigorously celebrated winning a penalty, there was a sense of occasion of the match even if play was stop-start and often ugly.
Farrell and Nicolas Sanchez traded penalties and with neither side able to seize control of the game, an edgy climax approached.
Sanchez missed what should have been a routine penalty and England were not troubled again, closing out the match in the right half of the pitch.
Max Verstappen set the fastest time in practice for the Mexican Grand Prix as teenager Oliver Bearman made history by becoming the youngest British driver to take part in a Formula One weekend.
Verstappen denied Williams’ Alex Albon top spot by just 0.095 seconds at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City as home favourite Sergio Perez finished third, three tenths back.
Lando Norris was fourth for McLaren – half a second behind Verstappen – with Lewis Hamilton only 11th, one second off the pace in his Mercedes.
Bearman, 18, competing for American outfit Haas, ended his F1 debut in 15th, only 1.6 sec slower than Verstappen and three tenths adrift of Nico Hulkenberg – a veteran of 200 grands prix – in the other car. Bearman also finished one place ahead of double world champion Fernando Alonso.
F1 teams must run a rookie driver at least twice during the season and Chelmsford-born Bearman was handed his chance to impress, breaking the British record previously held by Norris.
Norris was three months shy of his 19th birthday when he took part in practice for McLaren in Belgium in 2018 before he was promoted to a race seat the following season. Bearman turned 18 in May.
The teenager, a member of the Ferrari academy, has taken four victories in F1’s feeder series Formula Two and is sixth in the standings ahead of next month’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.
He is also expected to be given a second run for Haas at the Middle Eastern venue.
Hamilton was disqualified from last weekend’s United States Grand Prix after running an illegal floor on his Mercedes.
Hamilton finished a close second to Verstappen to provide him with hope he could challenge the all-conquering Dutchman here.
But the seven-time world champion struggled for pace at the venue which sits 2,200 metres above sea level.
Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell was forced to miss the first running with Danish junior driver Frederik Vesti taking over. He finished 19th.
In all, five young drivers were fielded in the running with Bearman the fastest.
Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc finished fifth, with Oscar Piastri sixth for McLaren. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz, sidelined from Thursday’s media sessions with a stomach bug, ended the running in seventh.
Tyson Fury likened his boxing showdown against former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to Novak Djokovic taking on a table tennis player in the Wimbledon final.
Fury is the prohibitive favourite for the 10-round fight to be held under boxing rules although he will not be defending his WBC title while it is unclear whether this counts towards his professional record.
Unbeaten in 34 contests, with 33 wins and one draw, Fury scoffed at suggestions of a monumental upset in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ahead of taking on an opponent who has never before boxed professionally.
“It’s like a tennis table champion facing Djokovic in the Wimbledon final – it’s totally different,” Fury said. “Let’s just say this, boxing is a gentleman’s sport, boxing is the sweet science.
“It’s not two men brawling in the middle of a ring, it’s not who is the biggest and strongest will win, it’s whoever’s got the most boxing skill.
“I’ll knock him spark out. We don’t get paid for long, I’m going to make it nice and short for him.”
Fury was 19st 11lbs on Friday, equalling how much he weighed for his trilogy bout against Deontay Wilder two years ago, but he kept his tracksuit, trainers and cap on when stepping on to the scales.
Ngannou is accustomed to having to weigh in at 18st 13lbs or under in the UFC but without any restrictions in boxing, he scaled 19st 6lbs while wearing white jeans, a shirt and trainers.
The fighters took off their tops for the customary staredown, with the 6ft 9in Fury leaning into and towering over the 6ft 4in Ngannou, who initially refused to meet his opponent’s gaze. But Ngannou brushed off Fury using his chest before they prodded each other and exchanged words on stage.
“So many people play mind games, but this can’t get to me,” Ngannou said. “I’ve been in the game so long now, I consider it a part of the game. It’s nothing personal.”
Ngannou, who holds the world record for the hardest punch ever recorded and is being trained by heavyweight great Mike Tyson for the bout, added: “If that overhand right touches Fury, he’ll go down.”
What Ngannou can bring to the boxing ring is shrouded in mystery but the Cameroonian-Frenchman has won his last six MMA fights and left the UFC in acrimonious circumstances as its heavyweight champion.
Talks with the UFC collapsed as Ngannou claimed his appeals for better health insurance and sponsorship deals were rejected and he has since signed with rivals, the Professional Fighters League.
He is set to earn a career-high payday against Fury, who has been roundly criticised for taking on a novice boxer instead of looking to unify the four major world titles in boxing’s blue riband division.
A clash against Oleksandr Usyk, the WBA, IBF and WBO titlist who will be ringside on Saturday night, has been agreed and could happen as early as December 23, but Fury only has eyes for Ngannou for now.
“I don’t want to look forward anywhere, I’m only looking forward to tomorrow and that’s it,” Fury added.
“(After Saturday’s fight) I’m going to take a week off, I don’t want to hear from anyone about boxing, let me have some time with my family then I’ll come and take on the little guy (Usyk).”
Andre Drummond believes reaching 10,000 career rebounds would cement his place as the best rebounder in NBA history, with the Chicago Bulls center closing in on the milestone.
Drummond has 9,968 total rebounds to his name following the Bulls' 124-104 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their 2023-24 season opener on Thursday.
Having led the NBA in rebounds four times in 11 seasons, Drummond looks certain to reach five figures in the coming weeks, with just 32 more required.
A struggle for regular minutes has limited Drummond's chances of climbing the NBA's all-time rebounding charts, topped by legendary duo Wilt Chamberlain (23,924) and Bill Russell (21,620).
However, Drummond has previously claimed to be the best rebounder in league history, a belief he reiterated when asked about the importance of hitting the milestone.
"It puts a lot in perspective for myself and just for the public," Drummond told Stats Perform. "I always tell everybody I feel like I'm the best ever to do it.
"Despite me having – or being about to have – 10,000 rebounds, I think my body of work and my percentages and numbers help prove that.
"Honestly, it just shows the amount of work I put in. Every year I set a goal to be the best rebounder, each and every season.
"To have the honour of reaching 10,000… not too many people have the chance to do that. So I am with a group of high-calibre guys."
Drummond led the league for rebounds in 2015-16 and in three successive seasons between 2017-18 and 2019-20. His 2017-18 average of 16 per game remains his best across a single regular season.
The 30-year-old – who finished Chicago's first game of the new season with five rebounds – has the highest total rebound percentage in NBA history (24.85%).
While Drummond believes his statistics put him right up there with the very best, he also feels honoured to simply be mentioned alongside the likes of Chamberlain and Russell.
"To be associated with Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, it's a no-brainer not to feel good about yourself," he added.
"Those are the guys who paved the way for guys like myself; strong, brute-force players that do all the dirty work for teams. To be in the same breath as those guys is truly an honour."
Trainer Neil King was thrilled to see his stable star Lookaway continue his resurgence with an all-the-way victory in the Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday.
The six-year-old was an expensive purchase at £170,000 after winning an Irish point-to-point, but looked a smart recruit in winning a Huntingdon bumper and a Grade Two at Aintree last year.
It was therefore disappointing he failed to make a major impact on his first three starts of hurdles last season – but having got the show back on the road with a couple of spring wins at Uttoxeter, he was given another opportunity at Grade Two level on his return from a summer break.
Ridden by Jack Quinlan, partnering his first Cheltenham winner, Lookaway was sent straight to the lead from flag-fall and after being challenged from the home turn, he found more in the straight to prevail by two and three-quarter lengths from Kamsinas.
King said: “We were under a severe cloud last season when he wasn’t winning his races.
“He was a very well-handicapped horse coming into this race and it was a tough decision whether to go into a handicap or stay the novice route, but I just felt against we should for time being stay against novices.
“I think he can get up to Grade One level. I’m absolutely over the moon as he has got the most wonderful owner attached to him.”
Idalko Bihoue provided his connections with some compensation following the recent loss of stable star I Like To Move It with a dominant win in the 2023 Thoroughbred Census Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase.
High-class hurdler I Like To Move It, who like Idalko Bihoue carried the colours of Anne-Marie and Jamie Shepperd, was fatally injured on his chasing debut at Uttoxeter three weeks ago, with trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies describing it as “the worse racing day of my life”.
Idalko Bihoue (5-1) fell on his chasing bow at Warwick, but got his act together with a seven-length success at Prestbury Park under the trainer’s son, Sam.
“That was absolutely lovely. We thought he would do that the first time at Warwick, but he was too keen. He was very sensible around here and he is a really nice horse,” said Twiston-Davies.
“He is very exciting. We can’t go in a big handicap yet as he needs another run. There are very few ordinary novice chase races now so he will probably have to have another novice handicap run then we would have a think.
“This is lovely. I think that was the worst racing day of my life (losing I Like To Move It) and this all helps put it back together again.
“The owners have been very good supporters and they sponsor the yard. It very much makes this victory important.”
Our Champ provided jockey Freddie Gordon with the perfect 18th birthday present in the opening Foundation Developments Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.
Gordon, riding for his father, Chris, had not previously ridden a winner at Cheltenham and could hardly have broken his duck in more impressive fashion.
Having made a successful debut for the yard at Plumpton last month, the five-year-old was a well-backed 9-2 joint-favourite to follow up and streaked clear up the hill to score by seven and a half lengths.
Gordon said: “This is what dreams are made of coming here on my 18th birthday. My dad has let me have a spin, more for a day out, and then he has gone and done that which is amazing.”
The triumphant trainer hinted the Grade Two Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton in February, which he has previously landed with Highway One O Two in 2020 and Aucunrisque in 2022, could be a target for his latest runaway winner.
He added: “It’s the boy’s 18th today so I got it right for once – that is his 18th birthday present.
“The horse came to us and went to Plumpton and won nicely there and I thought before the handicapper gets hold of him, let’s come here for the owners and he has done it really well.
“He is only a five-year-old and he is still a novice, so I might look at some of those novice graded races as the season goes on – we might have a look at the Dovecote at Kempton.
“I came here pretty confident for me as I’m always pessimistic. I rode him myself the other day in a bit of work against a very good horse in Aucunrisque and they worked extremely well.”
Andre Drummond believes London would be a "good place" to move an NBA team and feels now is the right time to expand the league.
The NBA has introduced an in-season tournament for the new campaign, with the Final Four set to be played in Las Vegas in December, leading to some reports the NBA could be looking to expand and place a new team in the Nevada city.
Across the Atlantic, London has also been touted as a potential home to a new franchise.
The NBA last expanded in 2004, taking the number of teams up to 30, and Drummond says it is time to expand again, with London one of the locations the Chicago Bulls center highlighted as a fitting place to put a new team, citing the travel of football teams playing in Europe as an example of how it could work.
"I think it's time [to expand]," Drummond told Stats Perform. "We should do it.
"Even London, because London is close enough. London is like an eight-hour flight. So London will probably be a good place to have a team.
"How far do soccer players travel for games? If they can do it, why can't we? Then we'll be able to shorten the season and then have no more 82-game [campaigns]. Think about it."
London aside, Drummond pointed to Las Vegas and Seattle as ideal locations for new franchises.
Seattle has not had a team since the SuperSonics, winners of the 1979 NBA championship, were moved to Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 season.
"I think we do so much stuff in Vegas already," Drummond added. "Why not just give them a team?
"We bombard their city for almost two months every year, so we might as well put a team there.
"I think Seattle should get the team back. I think their fan base is crazy. I mean, I missed it. I came in two years after but just watching their games there was wild."
The decision to bring in an in-season tournament has split opinion, and Drummond is unsure if there was a need for its introduction, though he says he and his Bulls team-mates are going to take it seriously.
Asked for his views on the tournament, Drummond replied: "I still don't understand it to be honest. I have no idea what it's about.
"Everybody gets a big trophy if you get to the final. So, I guess it gives us an incentive to not have star players sit out because we're playing for something now.
"I think everybody has the mindset to want to win. I don't think anybody is going to take this tournament lightly, there is a big incentive, and we all get something out of it, so why not play?
"We're already doing it so we might as well just play to the best of our ability."
Saturday’s Kameko Futurity Trophy will evoke memories of yesteryear with Godolphin and Coolmore going head-to-head in the final Group One of the season, through Ancient Wisdom and Diego Velazquez.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw endless clashes between the two superpowers, which arguably peaked in the summer of 2001 when Galileo and Fantastic Light served up two treats in the King George and Irish Champion Stakes, winning one each.
Godolphin paid €2,000,000 for Dubawi colt Ancient Wisdom, while Coolmore went to 2,400,000 guineas for Diego Velazquez
It cost connections £17,500 to supplement Autumn Stakes hero Ancient Wisdom into the contest earlier in the week, and Charlie Appleby is confident his youngster can take another step forward from that impressive Newmarket success.
He said: “He won the Emirates Autumn Stakes in good style. He appreciated the ground and step up in trip. He has come out of the race very well and had an easy bit of work at Newmarket on Saturday where he showed his wellness.
“He has obviously done well for the break he had after Ascot, physically he has done very well from then until now.”
He added on the Godolphin website: “He showed at Newmarket that a mile on testing conditions suited him, so he ticks a few boxes in a race where stamina is going to play a part. It’s a competitive field and we are looking forward to seeing how he gets on.”
With Ryan Moore suspended Aidan O’Brien quickly snapped up the services of James Doyle, who has ridden two Group One winners for the stable this year through Warm Heart.
Speaking on news of his booking for Diego Velazquez, who is a son of Frankel, Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to it.
“We haven’t seen much of him, but the two starts we have done he looks very progressive and warms to the task.
“I don’t think he’s encountered ground like we’ll have so we’ll just have to see.”
Roger Teal saddled Dancing Magic to finish fourth in this race 12 months ago and connections are represented by Dancing Gemini this time around, who takes the step up to Group One company following a taking success at the track in the Flying Scotsman Stakes.
That four-and-a-quarter-length triumph came on soft ground and although not enamoured by the thought of heavy ground for his talented colt, Teal is hoping his agile nature will help him deal with the testing conditions.
“We are very happy with him, he came out of the Flying Scotsman Stakes very well,” said Teal.
“He beat what was in front of him that day and he beat them in style, it was faster than the Group Two the next day. It was a good performance, he did it very convincingly.
“It was pretty soft the day he won at Doncaster. It is not ideal for any horse, I don’t think any trainer would choose the conditions if they could. The way he travels, he is quite light on his feet so hopefully he doesn’t get bogged down too much.”
David Menuisier added a third Group One to his CV when Sunway claimed the Criterium International last weekend and bids to quickly add to his tally with Devil’s Point, who was third in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before racing at Saint-Cloud most recently.
He was not disgraced when an honourable fourth behind Criterium International runner-up Alcantor on that occasion and is one in the line-up set to relish the deep ground.
“He came out of the race at Saint-Cloud really well, the form of the race was franked in Group One Criterium International,” said Menuisier.
“The ground was potentially not quite soft enough for us last time, so I would expect him to improve a few lengths on what he did in the Prix Thomas Bryon and he was an unlucky loser in the Solario Stakes at Sandown before that.
“The horse is top notch and with the softer ground this weekend hopefully he can run a really good race.”
John and Thady Gosden will rely on God’s Window who was likeable winner of a soft-ground maiden during the St Leger Festival and is now upped to the highest level for just his second start.
He will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, who said: “He won his maiden nicely there on pretty soft ground on Leger day so the ground is not a concern.
“He definitely appreciates a cut in the ground but heavy ground is different altogether.
“He gave me a good feel on his debut, I felt when I crossed the line he was only just getting going and he ran all the way to the bottom of the hill.
“Diego Velazquez was impressive last time, Ancient Wisdom was impressive in the Autumn Stakes so it’s a good race, as it should be.”
Less than a length back in second in that contest was Redhot Whisper with his trainer Ben Brookhouse planning this outing ever since finishing third at Leicester on debut.
He said: “He came out of the race at Doncaster in good order, he seems to take to his racing really well.
“We aimed him at this race after running very well in his maiden, which was a very expensive maiden and he was beaten by a very smart horse. He was finishing off nicely that day and was giving away three pounds to the eventual winner.
“His preparation has gone very pleasingly, very straightforward to this point. We think he will see out the trip and will love the ground. We think he is still progressing.”
Deira Mile completes the field on his first start for Owen Burrows.
Plans to run Paddington in the Breeders’ Cup Mile have been dashed and the multiple Group One winner has been retired.
Despite disappointing in testing ground at Ascot on British Champions Day, the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was an intended runner at Santa Anita next weekend.
However, Coolmore announced on Friday that due to an “elevated temperature and a respiratory infection” the decision had been taken to miss the meeting and the son of Siyouni has run his last race.
Paddington won his first six races this season, progressing from a handicap to winning four Group Ones including the St James’s Palace Stakes and Coral-Eclipse.
“To do what he did takes a very special horse,” said O’Brien.
“In terms of his attitude and determination he was very similar to Giant’s Causeway but Paddington was a much quicker horse.
“He had great tactical speed but could quicken off it. He’s an unbelievable specimen who stands over an incredible amount of ground. He got physically stronger and heavier from race to race which is a very unusual thing in a thoroughbred.”
Auguste Rodin, though, is firmly on course for what is shaping up to be a top-class edition of the Breeders’ Cup Turf.
The dual Derby and Irish Champion Stakes winner has enjoyed a break since his victory at Leopardstown, with O’Brien reporting the Deep Impact colt in good heart ahead of his date at Santa Anita on Saturday week.
The mile-and-a-half contest is also the destination for Juddmonte International winner Mostahdaf, as well as Champion Stakes victor King Of Steel.
Speaking on a Breeders’ Cup teleconference on Wednesday evening, O’Brien said: “We’re very happy with him, everything has gone well. He’s had a nice long lead up into this race and it’s a race we always thought would really suit since the last day.
“Obviously Leopardstown is a flat, left-handed track and we thought and hoped it would set him up nicely for the Breeders’ Cup given we’ve had our eye on it all year. Hopefully everything goes well for the next few days.”
The Ballydoyle handler will be well represented in California, with Cherry Blossom and Pearls And Rubies in the Juvenile Turf Sprint, Content (Juvenile Fillies Turf), Johannes Brahms (Juvenile/Juvenile Turf), Mountain Bear (Juvenile Turf), River Tiber (Juvenile Turf), Unquestionable (Juvenile Turf), Warm Heart (Filly & Mare Turf), Bolshoi Ballet (Turf), Broome (Turf) and Aesop’s Fables (Turf Sprint) all nominated.
Another who will not be travelling is 1000 Guineas fancy Opera Singer, winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac.
“Opera Singer had a busy enough season here,” explained O’Brien.
“After her last piece of work she worked very well but was a little bit quiet after it. The season was long here. We just felt to be fair to her, with a few to next year, it was the best thing to do not to ask her to travel.”
Carissa Robinson led the way with a double-double as the Lady Eagles secured a seven-point win over the Lady Panthers in Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) action at the National Stadium on Thursday.
A tense first quarter saw the Eagles close with a narrow 8-6 lead before each team seemed to get more comfortable in the second. The Eagles took that one 12-9 to lead 20-15 at halftime.
An 11-11 tie in the third quarter set up an exciting finish with the eagles taking the final stanza 9-7 to secure a 40-33 victory.
Robinson led all scorers with 17 points and an impressive 17 rebounds while also dishing out six assists. Jovianne Donaldson had eight points, three rebounds and four steals while Asia Williams had seven points and eight rebounds.
Tissia Parker had nine points for the Panthers while Sasha Dixon had eight points, 17 rebounds, four blocks, seven steals and six assists.
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