Bolton warmed up for the Sky Bet League One play-offs with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Bristol Rovers at the Memorial Stadium.
On-loan Manchester United striker Shola Shoretire put Bolton in front in the 24th minute, tapping in a goalbound effort from Gethin Jones – who soon limped off.
Things went from bad to worse four minutes later for Bolton as Luca Hoole nodded in the equaliser after Sam Finley’s cross cannoned off the woodwork and then Josh Coburn’s header crashed off the crossbar.
Wanderers boss Ian Evatt’s injury worries deepened after the break as Shoretire hobbled off but replacement Daniel Nlundulu eased those concerns as the Southampton loanee restored the visitors’ lead with 20 minutes remaining with a 20-yard strike.
Aaron Morley doubled Bolton’s advantage in the 78th minute with a long-range effort before Rovers substitute John Marquis slotted home from close range with five minutes remaining.
It set up a tense finale and the hosts came close to earning a point when Scott Sinclair’s stoppage-time strike hit the bar.
Paddy Lane’s first goal for Portsmouth helped seal eighth place in League One after a 2-2 draw with Wycombe at Fratton Park.
After Marlon Pack had equalised following Garath McCleary’s opener, Lane cancelled out Lewis Wing’s stunning long-range strike to earn Pompey the point they needed to finish above their visitors.
In an entertaining final game of the season, Pompey were the dominant side in the first half, yet it was Wycombe who opened the scoring in the 31st minute.
A dreadful pass out from Josh Oluwayemi went straight to the feet of McCleary, who swept forward to power the ball under the goalkeeper’s body.
Pompey fought back and deservedly got the equaliser after 44 minutes as a second corner in as many minutes saw a Michael Jacobs cross headed in by Pack.
The second half continued to entertain and Wing, with nowhere to go in the 54th minute, hammered home from 50 yards to put Wycombe ahead.
But Pompey hit back with 18 minutes remaining when Lane fired in the leveller.
Morecambe were relegated from League One after Jay Stansfield signed off from his loan spell at Exeter with a brilliant hat-trick to seal a 3-1 win at St James Park.
Derek Adams’ side had to better the result of MK Dons to stand a chance of staying up, but they drop back into League Two after two years in the third tier.
However, the day belonged to Stansfield, whose loan back at his boyhood club from Fulham ended in the best possible way.
After a dire first half, where chances were few and far between, Exeter went in front after 49 minutes when Sam Nombe laid the ball off to Stansfield, his first touch took him past a defender and he drilled the ball beyond Connor Ripley in the Shrimps goal.
However, the equaliser came almost immediately with a calamitous mix-up in the Exeter penalty box between Will Aimson and goalkeeper Jamal Blackman allowed Cole Stockton to nod the ball into an empty net.
Exeter were back in front again after 57 minutes when a cross into the box bounced around and Stansfield lashed the ball into the net from 10 yards.
It was written in the stars for the young striker to sign off with a hat-trick and that is exactly what happened when, in the 70th minute, Josh Key laid the ball on a plate and he scuffed the ball into the corner before pointing to the name on the stand that bears his late father’s name.
That was to be Stansfield’s final contribution as he was taken off to the most emotional of standing ovations.
Plucky Morecambe fought to the end, and Stockton smashed home his second during 14 minutes of stoppage time, but it was not enough as they dropped into League Two.
Lincoln secured an 11th-placed finish in League One with Matty Virtue’s 73rd-minute strike giving them a hard-fought 1-0 win over Shrewsbury.
The visitors started the better and Luke Leahy’s 15-yard effort after seven minutes deflected against the angle of crossbar and post.
From the resulting corner, Imps goalkeeper Carl Rushworth saved well from Chey Dunkley’s downward header.
Ryan Bowman shinned one wide before City finally had an effort at goal, Paudie O’Connor heading well off target.
The second half was just over a minute old when Rob Street powerfully headed Taylor Moore’s cross against the City bar before Rushworth stood strong to chest away Jordan Shipley’s strike.
Lincoln finally called Shrewsbury’s keeper into action after 70 minutes when Virtue’s stinging effort from the edge of the box was pushed out by the diving Marko Marosi.
Virtue wasn’t to be denied three minutes later, though, when Sean Roughan’s long throw into the box fell to the midfielder who buried a shot into the bottom corner.
The same player had a taste for goal and curled another effort just over as City finally found their rhythm.
Imps striker Ben House then had a shot cleared off the line after great work from sub Jovon Makama and then Max Sanders fired straight at Marosi.
City should have doubled their lead at the death after House was dragged down by Dunkley just inside the area, with the defender shown a straight red card, but Sanders’ penalty was superbly saved by Marosi.
Accrington’s relegation to League Two was mathematically confirmed despite a 2-1 comeback victory at Oxford.
John Coleman’s team needed to win and overturn an improbable 16-goal difference to have a chance of staying up but Cambridge’s win over Forest Green sealed their fate in any case.
Oxford went ahead in the eighth minute when Billy Bodin received Tyler Goodrham’s pass, burst through the inside left channel and hammered a shot past goalkeeper Lukas Jensen.
Korede Adedoyin equalised for Stanley with a brilliant individual goal in the 64th minute, ghosting past two opponents in midfield and firing home from 25 yards, moments after coming on as a sub.
Aaron Pressley headed in Shaun Whalley’s right-wing cross five minutes from time for Accrington’s winner.
The U’s, who only secured their safety last week, cut through the visitors’ defence several times only to be let down by poor finishing.
Marcus Browne could not beat Jensen, who also turned away Kyle Joseph’s drive, while Elliott Moore directed a free header over at a corner and Joseph blazed over.
Freddie Ladapo scored Ipswich’s 100th goal in League One this season but a double from ex-Tractor Boys youngster Jack Marriott saw Fleetwood hold the already-promoted visitors to a 2-2 draw.
The result coupled with Plymouth’s victory at Port Vale ensured the West Country side denied their Suffolk rivals for the third-tier title.
Ladapo’s 21st goal of the campaign gave Kieran McKenna’s men a 50th-minute lead with a stunning right-foot shot which went in via the crossbar.
Ipswich, who finished the season unbeaten in 19 league games, had previously only conceded twice in 15 games.
But Marriott, having began a much-travelled career at Portman Road, breached the mean defence twice in 12 minutes to put the undefeated record in danger.
Ipswich trailed for just four minutes until substitute Marcus Harness rifled in an equaliser to beat the club’s total of 100 achieved in 1960/61 under Sir Alf Ramsey.
But a frustrating afternoon saw Town reduced to 10 men for the final four minutes of stoppage time with substitute Harry Clarke booked twice in seven minutes late on.
Cambridge beat Forest Green 2-0 on the final day of the League One season to complete a remarkable escape from relegation.
The U’s were seven points from safety going into the final nine games of the campaign but their win over Rovers, coupled with MK Dons and Morecambe dropping points, means Mark Bonner’s side stay up.
They had fallen into the drop zone on January 14 and climbed out of it only on the final day thanks to goals from Harrison Dunk and Sam Smith.
Both goals came in the first half, with Cambridge taking the lead after 25 minutes when Conor McGrandles’ corner was scrambled home by Dunk, and it was 2-0 eight minutes before half-time.
Jack Lankester helped the ball on to Smith, who fired a superb volley in off the far post.
Rock-bottom Forest Green did threaten, with Dominic Bernard heading against the bar from close range, and Lankester almost headed a corner into his own net soon after the break.
The remainder of the game petered out into a non-event, with attentions turned to the outcome of scores elsewhere as Cambridge secured a third season in the third tier.
A goalless draw at Burton was not enough for MK Dons as they suffered final day heartbreak and relegation to Sky Bet League Two.
Winless in seven games prior to the final day of the League One campaign, the Dons knew that victory would be enough to keep them up.
However, the 0-0 draw – combined with Cambridge’s home win over Forest Green – was not enough to save them.
It was not for the want of trying as Mark Jackson’s side peppered the Burton goal throughout but a lack of composure and an inspired display from keeper Craig MacGillivray kept them out.
The visitors had the better early chances in a nervy first half. Several efforts went wastefully high or wide, with Paris Maghoma and Conor Grant failing to hit the target.
Jonathan Leko finally got an effort on goal but was denied by the outstretched leg of MacGillivray, who then pulled off an excellent save to keep out Sullay Kaikai’s curling effort.
John Brayford and Mark Helm both fired straight at goalkeeper Jamie Cumming as the hosts sought the breakthrough.
In a tense second half Zac Ashworth made a crucial block to deny Leko as time ticked away for the Dons, before substitute Dawson Devoy saw his shot thump the post.
The visitors threw everything at Burton late on and came close in a goalmouth scramble near the end.
However, they could not find a way through a resilient back line and drop to League Two.
Goals from Jonson Clarke-Harris and Jack Taylor helped Peterborough clinch the final play-off position with a 2-0 Sky Bet League One win at Barnsley.
Darren Ferguson’s side will face Sheffield Wednesday in the play-off semi-finals, with Barnsley facing Bolton.
Posh took the lead inside six minutes at Oakwell through main man Clarke-Harris. Ephron Mason-Clark’s ball from the left found the club’s top scorer, who fired home from inside the box.
James Norwood thought he had equalised in the 15th minute but the linesman had raised his flag for offside.
The Reds came close again on the hour mark when Luca Connell’s corner was headed narrowly wide by Liam Kitching.
Peterborough’s Taylor had a brace of chances five minutes later to double his side’s lead but could not get the better of goalkeeper Harry Isted.
Visiting keeper Will Norris was called into action in the 69th minute when Josh Benson’s cross found the head of substitute Slobodan Tedic, whose effort was tipped around the post.
Peterborough doubled their lead in the 76th minute when Taylor headed home from Harrison Burrows’ corner – and when news of Derby’s loss at Hillsborough was confirmed, the away fans at Oakwell could look forward to play-off action.
Derby missed out on a League One play-off place following a crushing 1-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday.
Captain Curtis Davies’ 41st-minute red card that led to Michael Smith’s match-winning penalty meant the Rams were dislodged from sixth place by Peterborough, who beat Barnsley 2-0.
The Owls, who were already guaranteed to finish third in the table and will meet Posh in the play-offs, ended the regular season unbeaten in 23 home games – the club’s longest sequence since January 1981.
Following a cagey start to the contest David McGoldrick’s fierce 20-yard drive was turned behind by Wednesday goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.
The hosts did not threaten until midway through the first period and, even then, skipper Barry Bannan’s ambitious long-range effort sailed over former Hillsborough team-mate Joe Wildsmith’s crossbar.
But Derby went on to press the self-destruct button on the stroke of half-time. Davies under-hit a back pass to Wildsmith and the keeper could only clear as far as Johnson, who Davies fouled to give away a penalty and earn a red card.
Smith confidently went on to claim his 20th goal of the season by sending Wildsmith the wrong way from the spot.
A frantic end to the first half might have seen McGoldrick level when his deft chip was clawed over the crossbar by Dawson.
Will Vaulks went close to doubling the lead in the second half when he smashed an edge-of-the-box strike against the bar before his follow-up was blocked by Craig Forsyth.
Bannan also fired narrowly wide from distance but the 10 men went close to equalising just before the hour mark when Max Bird’s scuffed shot beat Dawson but was kicked off the line by Aden Flint.
McGoldrick warmed Dawson’s hands from long range late on, but Paul Warne’s men could not force the equaliser that would have secured a top-six spot.
Plymouth clinched the League One title on the final day with a 3-1 victory at Port Vale.
The home side opened the scoring after just three minutes with a perfect through ball beyond the defence finding its way to James Plant, who slotted home.
Despite going behind, Plymouth did not panic and eventually forced an equaliser in the 34th minute when a loose ball in the box fell to Adam Randell, who made no mistake on the half-volley.
The momentum led to another four minutes later with a blistering run down the line from Bali Mumba eventually leading to a cross which Joe Edwards was on the end of.
Argyle were determined to add to their tally after the break and scored a third after just over an hour as a Finn Azaz shot from just outside the 18-yard box was too good for Aidan Stone to stop.
The full-time whistle prompted huge celebrations from the 3,926 away support.
Alfie May’s late strike earned Cheltenham a 2-2 home draw against Charlton in an entertaining season finale.
The Addicks led through Scott Fraser’s first-half strike, but Aidan Keena levelled for the Robins early in the second period.
Charlton re-took the lead when substitute Jack Payne struck with seven minutes left, but May’s 20th League One goal of the season sealed a point for the Robins.
Cheltenham started well, but Charlton created the better openings in the first half.
Mandela Egbo was denied by Luke Southwood’s near-post save and Tyreece Campbell headed wide from a good position.
Jesurun Rak-Sakyi then saw an effort blocked by Caleb Taylor as Charlton continued to press, and they eventually found the breakthrough in the 34th minute.
Campbell’s strike was deflected into the path of Fraser, who rounded Southwood and tapped into the empty net.
Rak-Sakyi nearly made it 2-0 before half-time, but Southwood managed to smother at his feet.
Cheltenham levelled four minutes into the second half when May’s drive was parried by Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Keena followed up to score.
Southwood saved well from Campbell and Fraser as Charlton looked to reclaim the lead before Ryan Broom and May went close for Cheltenham.
Payne capitalised on a defensive error to make it 2-1 to the visitors in the 83rd minute, but May buried a left-footed shot inside the bottom-right corner to deny Charlton a first win over Cheltenham.
Roberto De Zerbi believes Brighton fully merit a place in Europe next season as they prepare to continue their quest with a “tough, tough game” against relegation-threatened Everton.
Memorable back-to-back Premier League victories over Wolves and Manchester United have boosted the south-coast club’s bid to qualify for a maiden continental campaign.
The high-flying Seagulls are vying with Liverpool, Aston Villa and Tottenham for a top-seven spot and have games in hand on each of their rivals.
De Zerbi urged his in-form players to remain focused on executing his possession-based game plan and not become preoccupied by results or the league table.
“It will be a very tough, tough game because they are a strong team,” the Italian said of the Toffees.
“But we want to achieve our target and I think it’s clear for everybody we are fighting against big teams – Tottenham, Aston Villa, Liverpool – for Europe.
“And at the moment, I think we are deserving to reach the best position.
“We have to think not of the results, we have to be focused only on our style and quality of play.
“We have to be focused only on to enjoy and to show our quality because we are not used to playing for this target.”
Brighton cantered to a 4-1 win at Goodison Park in early January.
Frank Lampard was sacked by Everton less than three weeks later and replaced by Sean Dyche.
Although the Toffees have won just one of their last 11 top-flight fixtures, De Zerbi is braced for a stern test as sides at the bottom scrap for survival with time running out.
“It’s a totally different situation,” he replied when asked about the resounding success on Merseyside.
“When we won in Everton, it was a different team.
“I think when there are not many games (remaining) in the last part of the season, the games are always more difficult.”
Brighton enjoyed a record-breaking 6-0 thrashing of Wolves last weekend before the euphoria extended to Thursday evening’s last-gasp 1-0 triumph over United.
De Zerbi wants Seagulls fans to once again act as a 12th man by creating another raucous Amex Stadium atmosphere.
“It’s fantastic, my players feel it’s different to play at home,” he said.
“Now there is an enthusiasm, there is an incredible energy and we are playing with 12 players.”
Hibernian manager Lee Johnson hailed Elie Youan’s work-rate in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over St Mirren, although he admitted the unpredictable forward can leave him tearing his hair out in frustration at times.
The 24-year-old – on loan from Swiss side St Gallen – scored his seventh goal of the season after just four minutes and had supporters in raptures with his willingness to track back and make tackles.
“We expect that from our wingers,” said Johnson. “You’ve got to work hard. I’m pretty critical when they don’t, so when they do it’s fantastic.
“We call it (being) a ball thief when they nick it on the way back in. Elie’s earned his rest over the weekend because of the physical effort he put in, and that’s what Elie has got to do.
“He can frustrate the life out of us at times – I’m sure he even frustrates you guys (reporters), who are impartial – but he’s also got that real threat about him and can peg a team back and he can run all day.
“He’s still young and he’s got quite unique attributes so we just need to keep developing him.”
Hibs are keen to sign Youan permanently, and Johnson admits if the attacker was able to hit his best form consistently, he would be out of their reach.
“If he put it all together we wouldn’t have him,” he smiled. “That’s what we’ve got to try and do before we sell him!
“It’s difficult for me to talk about his contract but we do have an option to buy. Every negotiation is different. Some are done in advance and then put in a drawer, and some still need to be done. Obviously that’s not my bag, that’s for the CEO to deal with.”
Will Fish scored Hibs’ second before Alex Greive hit back for the Buddies who were unable to force an equaliser despite piling on the pressure in the closing stages.
The defeat saw Saints slip three points behind the fifth-placed Hibees in the battle for European places. Stephen Robinson’s men host fourth-placed Hearts next Saturday.
Robinson of his team’s Euro prospects: “They aren’t as good as they were before the game. You can pull that back very quickly, there are 12 points still to play for.
“We’ve got Hearts at home next week and we’ve been very good at home. We need to press more aggressively than we did in the first 20 minutes (against Hibs) and hope and pray we don’t make individual errors.”
Following their victory over GIANTS, Shamera Sterling’s Adelaide Thunderbirds are the new leaders of the Suncorp Super Netball League after defending champions West Coast Fever suffered only their second loss of the season on Saturday.
Led by Eleanor Cardwell near perfect 26 goals from 27 attempts and Lucy Austin’s 13 from 15, Thunderbirds led 18-13 at the end of the first quarter. However, Jo Harten who scored 23 goals from 25 shots and Sophie Dwyer (17/20) closed the gap to three by half-time as GIANTS outscored Thunderbirds 15-13 in the second stanza.
GIANTS dominated the third quarter 13-9 and take a slim lead into the final quarter of the game but Thunderbirds rallied to win the quarter 14-9 and take the game 54-50 for their sixth win of the season.
Fever, meanwhile, went down 74-73 in a thriller to Melbourne Vixens despite a game-high 48 goals of 49 attempts from the league top scorer Jhaniele Fowler, who now has 446 goals on the season.
However, after both teams traded goals for the entire match, it was Kiera Austin’s super shot at the buzzer than kept the Vixens unbeaten at home this season and handed the defending champions their second loss of the season.
Mwai Kumwenda led the Vixens with 45 goals from 50 attempts while Austin scored 23 from 29 for her side that outscored Fever 18-16 in the first quarter before sharing honours 19-19 in the second to take a two goal lead into the break.
Fever rallied to take the third quarter 19-16 but thanks to Austin’s super shot, Vixens edged the final quarter 21-19 to secure their fifth win of the season.
In the battle between the teams at the foot of the table, Donnell Wallam scored a game high 64 goals from 65 attempts to lead the Queensland Firebirds to their second win of the season, a 73-67 win over Collingwood Magpies.
Shimona Nelson scored 56 goals from 58 attempts for the Magpies who were losing their sixth game of the season.
Steve Borthwick has returned to Leicester to recruit yet another member of his England staff with Tom Harrison to join as scrum coach ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Harrison will join on June 1 to replace the Montpellier-bound Richard Cockerill and follows Richard Wigglesworth, Aled Walters, Kevin Sinfield and Borthwick himself in leaving Leicester for England.
The RFU announced in February that Wigglesworth and Walters would join at the end of the Gallagher Premiership season, and Harrison’s arrival was confirmed on Sunday as Borthwick finalised his coaching staff for the World Cup.
Wigglesworth will lead the attack coaching and kicking strategy while Sinfield will continue as defence coach. England men’s sevens head coach Tony Roques will work as contact and skills coach during training camps, while Walters will be the strength and conditioning coach.
Harrison is the Tigers’ assistant coach, leading on scrum coaching, and was part of the team that won the Premiership title in 2022.
“Tom is an excellent coach and will have a real impact in area that will be fundamental to us as a team,” Borthwick said.
“Leicester’s scrum is renowned across Europe and Tom has played a leading role in that success. I have full confidence in him and I am very happy that he will be joining England.”
Leicester chief executive Andrea Pinchon wished Harrison well in his new role while acknowledging the continuing challenge the Tigers have faced considering the number of staff that have left for England.
“Since coming into Leicester Tigers, Tom has been an exceptional contributor to the club on and off the field,” Pinchen said. “While obviously disappointed to be losing him at the end of the season, we wish him all the very best for this next chapter in his career.
“Tom is a great reflection of our club’s ability to produce coaches as well as players through the pathway programme at Leicester Tigers and while it has been another challenge for us this year, with coaches being poached by the national side, we continue to see it as a badge of honour for the level at which we are viewed within the game.”
Roques will again lend his expertise during the build-up to the summer, having previously worked with the England squad as part of the preparations for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
Borthwick added: “As a group, we know each other well and we know the areas we will focus on to continue developing and building this team and be the best prepared team that we can be.
“We know this World Cup will be highly competitive, but we are genuinely excited by what this group of coaches and players can achieve in France.”
England are due to hold training camps in mid-June before taking part in a Summer Series in August with fixtures home and away against Wales, a trip to Dublin to face Ireland and a clash with Fiji at Twickenham.
The Pool D World Cup campaign then begins against Argentina in Marseille on September 9.
Team Jamaica will leave the island on Sunday (May 7) to defend their West Indies Full Bore Shooting Championship in Antigua & Barbuda between May 8-14 at the Crabb's Range.
The team to be led by Captain Phillip Scott will include the current national Full-Bore champion Nicola Guy, Jamaica’s first female national champion. Also on the team is two-time Amazon trophy winner and O Class champion Karen Anderson.
Major John Nelson, the president of the West Indies Full Bore Shooting Council and five-time Wogarth Cup winner, reigning Wogarth Cup winner, Captain Dwayne Ford, Canute CC Coley, Dennis Lee and Dr. Derek Mitchell complete the line-up.
George Hutton will serve as team manager.
Full Bore competition features competitors shooting from a prone position from distances of 300, 500, 600, 900 and 1,000 yards. Notably only Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica have 900-yard and 1,000-yard courses.
Shooters compete in three possible classes. X Class comprise the top 15-20 shooters in the Caribbean. T Class is any shooter participating in a regional shoot for the first time. Everyone else is in O Class.
Jamaica is considered to be a power house in Full Bore Shooting having won several championships and is always on the podium.
The Amazon trophy is awarded to the highest-scoring female while Wogarth Cup is awarded to the shooter who has the highest score in the team match.
Anthony Davis bounced back with a stellar performance and got ample help from D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James in the Los Angeles Lakers' 127-97 win over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
Davis had 25 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Lakers took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
The Lakers' big man was limited to 11 points and seven boards in a Game 2 loss but was relentless at both ends in this one, also adding four blocks and three steals.
Russell scored all 21 of his points in the first half as the Lakers took a 59-48 advantage into the locker room.
James did not attempt a shot in the first quarter for the first time in his playoff carer but led several runs in the second and third quarters on his way to 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.
Los Angeles had a huge advantage at the free throw line, making 28 of 37 to just 12 of 17 for Golden State.
The Warriors ended the opening quarter with a 30-23 lead, but the Lakers won the second and third quarters by a combined margin of 63-38. Lakers coach Darvin Ham rested his starters for most of the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry had 23 points and Andrew Wiggins added 16 for the Warriors, who committed 18 turnovers and made only 13 of 44 from long range.
Golden State got very little from anyone other than Curry, Wiggins or Klay Thompson (15 points), with starters Draymond Green and JaMychal Green combining for just four points on 2-of-9 shooting.
Heat get Butler back, dominate Knicks
Jimmy Butler scored 28 points and was the driving force in his return from a sprained ankle and the Miami Heat rolled to a 105-86 rout of the New York Knicks in Game 3.
Max Strus added 19 points and Bam Adebayo had 17 with 12 rebounds to give Miami a 2-1 lead in the second-round series.
After missing Miami's Game 2 loss due to the ankle, Butler was seen limping at times in the second half Saturday, but the Heat started fast and never trailed against the cold-shooting Knicks.
Butler scored 10 points in the first quarter and the Heat made 10 of their first 15 shots in racing to a 58-44 halftime lead. New York, meanwhile, misfired on 13 of its first 17 shots and shot just 34.1 percent for the game, including a dismal 8-for-40 from 3-point range.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 20 points and Josh Hart had 14. Julius Randle was mostly ineffective with 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting and RJ Barrett was not much better with 14 points on 5 of 16.
A gallant and gutsy performance from Jon Ryder was not enough to beat Mexican fighter Canelo Alvarez in front of more than 50,000 people in Guadalajara, Mexico.
A bruised and bloodied Ryder lost by unanimous decision in a heroic effort against one of the world’s best fighters in front of a raucous crowd at Akron Stadium.
The judges scored the fight 120-107 on one card and 118-109 on the other two to improve Canelo’s record to 59-2-2 in his first fight in Mexico since 2011.
Both fighters used the first two rounds to feel each other before a Canelo jab caused blood to pour from Ryder’s nose.
Canelo then knocked down Ryder with a clean one-two in the fourth round and it looked ominous for the 34-year-old from Islington.
But he got back up and fought through the 12 rounds, coping vicious punches throughout the fight while spitting blood from his mouth but held on until the last bell.
Ryder had previously lost five career fights to Billy Joe Saunders, Nick Blackwell, Jack Arnfield, Rocky Fielding, and the most recent being Callum Smith in 2019 by unanimous decision.
The loss ended his four-fight win streak with his record now sitting at 32-6.
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