Anthony Joshua has vowed to deliver a “demolition job” on Otto Wallin when the British heavyweight fights on the same bill as Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
Joshua, who is looking to insert himself back into the world title picture, will face the Swede as part of a stacked card in Riyadh.
The 34-year-old Joshua, who beat Robert Helenius in his last bout in August, will fight after Wilder, who faces Joseph Parker on the undercard.
The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is on a quest to become a three-time heavyweight champion and he sees Wallin, who claimed a points victory over Murat Gassiev in September, as the next step.
“I’m looking forward to delivering my message to Otto Wallin on December 23,” Joshua told a press conference.
“I can’t predict the future but I know what I want to do. I believe I’m going to be three-time heavyweight champion and the first step is to put a demolition job on Otto Wallin.
“It’s going to be a really good time to go to Saudi. It’s going to be big, we haven’t seen a card like this before.
“This is not a one-stop shop. This is a vision, this is my first stop and I will deliver the message. I’m determined to win and get back to my peak.”
Joshua lost his WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight belts to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and he fell short in their rematch the following year.
Eddie Hearn, his promoter, believes the best is still to come for Joshua, who will step into the ring for a third time this year after victories against Jermaine Franklin and Helenius.
Hearn said: “This is a tough fight. We saw (Wallin) against Tyson Fury, he’s a good southpaw and we have seen something different from AJ (Joshua).
“I think the best chapter is still to write for AJ. He changed the face of Saudi boxing and this is a challenge he wants to take.
“He wants to be heavyweight champion again and I think this will be a destructive performance from him.”
Hearn talked up a potential showdown between Joshua and Wilder next year, saying: “Wilder is potentially a massive fight to bring in 2024.
“This lines everything up for AJ and this lines up his whole career. I can’t wait to see him shine on December 23.”
The date was initially reserved for Tyson Fury and Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight showdown, which has since been postponed following the Briton’s lacklustre performance against Francis Ngannou last month.
Wallin, whose only defeat came against Fury, admitted the fight against Joshua was a bit of a surprise.
He said: “It’s an easy fight to make for us. I didn’t expect to fight again this year. I’m in a great position and feel on top of the world.
“I have been waiting for this for a long time and I’m blessed to be in this position.”
British heavyweight Daniel Dubois will take on American Jarrell Miller on a stacked undercard, which also features Manchester’s Lyndon Arthur challenging WBA light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol and London’s Ellis Zorro taking on IBF cruiserweight holder Jai Opetaia.
Anthony Joshua will fight on the same bill as Deontay Wilder in Saudi Arabia on December 23.
The Briton, who is looking to insert himself back into the world title picture in the heavyweight division, will face Sweden’s Otto Wallin in the Middle East.
Joshua, who beat Robert Helenius in his last bout in August, will fight after Wilder, who faces Joseph Parker on the undercard.
December 23 was initially reserved for Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s undisputed heavyweight showdown, which has since been postponed following Fury’s lacklustre performance against Francis Ngannou last month.
Carlos Alcaraz snapped a three-match losing streak as he beat Andrey Rublev 7-5 6-2 in his penultimate round-robin contest of the ATP Finals in Turin.
It was the first encounter between the Spaniard and Russian, with the latter hoping to bounce back from Monday’s loss to compatriot Daniil Medvedev.
Instead he found himself pinned back by world number two Alcaraz, who never faced a break point and kept his hopes of advancing from the the Red Group alive with his first win at the year-end event after missing the last edition with an abdominal injury.
Alcaraz’s critical break came in the 11th game of the first set, during which he dropped just one point on his first serve and soon his opponent began to unravel.
Rublev dropped his serve to start the second set and could not rein in his reaction as he slammed his racquet against his knee with such force he drew blood, mopping it up with a towel at his chair before returning to the court.
It was all too much to overcome as Alcaraz, who finished with 21 winners to 11 unforced errors, sealed the 74-minute victory with his first match point.
The 20-year-old, who improved to 1-1 following his opening loss to Alexander Zverev, will face Medvedev to conclude the group stage on Friday while Rublev will take on Zverev.
Alcaraz told the ATP website: “It was a totally different match and level from me. This is the level I have to play if I want to give myself a chance in this amazing tournament.
“Yesterday was a good day for me in practise to find the level I needed to show today and I think I did pretty well. I am very happy with my level.”
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero will keep the Grand National in mind for Gesskille following his win in the Grand Sefton over the famous Aintree fences, with the training duo also contemplating a run over the cross-country course at Cheltenham next month.
The seven-year-old has proven a brilliant operator over the famous spruce since joining the Cheshire-based training team, and after a couple of near-misses at the track last term, finally got his moment in the Merseyside spotlight as jockey Henry Brooke bounced out his mount who made every yard in testing conditions.
That victory has seen Gesskille rise to a career-high mark of 144, but with the world’s most famous steeplechase set to have reduced numbers for 2024, Greenall feels he may have to improve further in the ratings to guarantee his spot and is considering a run at Cheltenham on December 15 before firming up plans for the spring.
He said: “He would need to go up a bit to get in (the Grand National), so we will just see and he might go to the cross-country race at Cheltenham in December and see how we go after that really.
“We will keep him fresh anyway for a spring campaign, whether that is Auteuil or the National, we will have to wait and see.”
Gesskille was beaten a nose in the Grand Sefton 12 months ago, before filling the same runner-up berth in the Becher Chase a month later.
However, Greenall credits the application of blinkers as making the real difference for the gelding, who was a game winner at Auteuil in his new headgear prior to his Aintree triumph.
“He seems a little bit more professional with the headgear, it has definitely helped him,” he added.
“People said the loose horse helped him (at Aintree) and I’m sure it did a little bit. But with the headgear, he seemed to be staying on gamely anyway.”
Graham Lee has undergone surgery at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle after a serious fall last week, with his daughter Amy thanking the racing world for its “overwhelming” support.
The Grand National and Group One-winning jockey was unseated from Ben Macdui at the start of an all-weather handicap at Newcastle on Friday, suffering injuries that saw him taken to hospital and admitted to an intensive care unit.
He has since been identified as having an unstable cervical fracture causing damage to his spinal cord, and the racing world has rallied round the rider and his family.
The Injured Jockeys Fund have been heavily involved in those efforts, and on Wednesday afternoon released an update which read: “Jockey Graham Lee had surgery yesterday at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Hospital in Newcastle to stabilise the fractures in his cervical spine and further protect his spinal cord.
“He also had a tracheostomy performed to allow him to be more comfortable and improve communication.
“Whilst Graham has recovered from the surgery well, the extent of his long-term recovery remains uncertain.”
The statement added: “Graham’s family would like to thank everyone for their best wishes and for their support of the JustGiving page set up by Graham’s 18-year-old daughter Amy, who says: ‘I am personally writing down each and every message and donation that comes through and I share all of these with dad. To be honest it’s simply overwhelming and we can’t believe that so many people are thinking of us. I wish I could explain how much of a difference it will make to dad’s recovery knowing that he has your support – thank you from the bottom of my heart’.”
The JustGiving page created by Amy Lee is now approaching £80,000 in donations that will go to the IJF.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a broken bone in his right shoulder, the team announced Wednesday.
The Browns said in a statement that Watson underwent further testing on his ailing shoulder on Monday which revealed a non-displaced fracture to his glenoid.
Watson missed three games earlier this season due to recurring soreness in his throwing shoulder, and also exited the Browns' Week 7 win over the Indianapolis Colts in the first quarter with the injury.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection is also dealing with a left high-ankle sprain he sustained late in last week's 33-31 victory over the AFC North-rival Baltimore Ravens.
"Deshaun Watson underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Monday on two injuries sustained on different plays in the first half of Sunday's 33-31 win over the Baltimore Ravens," the team said in a statement. "Imaging on his left ankle revealed a high-ankle sprain. In addition, postgame, Deshaun notified our medical staff of a new discomfort in his right shoulder that he felt after a hit in the first half. An MRI of his right shoulder revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid.
"Despite performing at a high level and finishing the game, after consultation with Browns' Head Physician, James Voos, MD, and industry-leading shoulder specialist, Neal ElAttrache, MD, it has been determined that this injury will require immediate surgical repair to avoid further structural damage. Deshaun will be placed on season-ending injured reserve and a full recovery is expected for the start of the 2024 season."
P.J. Walker will take over at quarterback for Cleveland, which currently sits just a half-game behind the Ravens for first place in the AFC North at 6-3. The Browns are tied for second in the division with Pittsburgh and will host the Steelers on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Walker has started two previous games this season and played most of the Indianapolis game after Watson departed. The Browns went 1-1 in those starts, with the win a surprise 19-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5.
Walker has completed just 49 per cent of his passes, though, with one touchdown pass and five interceptions.
Watson will now have played in just 12 of the Browns' 34 regular-season games since being acquired from the Houston Texans in a blockbuster trade in March 2022, then immediately signed to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million extension. The 28-year-old was suspended for the first 11 games of 2022 after being accused of sexual assault by nearly two dozen women while receiving massage therapy.
In six games this season, Watson has completed 61.4 per cent of his pass attempts for 1,115 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. He added 142 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries.
Conflated is likely to bid for back-to-back victories in next month’s Savills Chase following a pleasing effort at Down Royal last weekend.
Gordon Elliott’s eight-year-old was a comfortable winner at Leopardstown last Christmas, his second Grade One victory at the Foxrock track having also landed the 2022 Irish Gold Cup.
He finished third behind Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March, but subsequently failed to fire at Aintree and again disappointed on his return at Punchestown last month.
However, the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding roared back to form in Saturday’s Ladbrokes Champion Chase, making much of the running and looking the likely winner at the top of the home straight before being mowed down late on by both stablemate Gerri Colombe and Envoi Allen.
Gigginstown’s racing manager Eddie O’Leary expects Conflated to be an even stronger force back at Leopardstown on December 28.
“He ran an absolute cracker and he’s entitled to go on to Leopardstown after that,” O’Leary said.
“He’s much better going left-handed, so if he’s kicked out of the way at Leopardstown then we’ll look at different options.”
Conflated holds an entry in the Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday week, but O’Leary all but ruled out a trip to Merseyside, adding: “We travel for Cheltenham and Cheltenham only!”
Middleham Park hurdlers Red Risk and Marie’s Rock are likely to cross paths in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury next month.
Both horses run in the silks of the ownership group, and Marie’s Rock has won at the highest level for connections, taking both the Close Brothers Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown last year.
The Nicky Henderson-trained mare was second to Sire Du Berlais in the Liverpool Hurdle on her final start last season and will reappear for the new campaign over the staying trip.
There she will encounter Paul Nicholls’ Red Risk, an eight-year-old who has been moving out of handicap company in recent starts and made a promising start to the season when second in the Grade Two bet365 Hurdle at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall meeting.
Tom Palin of Middleham Park said of the two horses: “I think they’re going to do battle, they’ll be taking each other on at Newbury in the three-mile Grade Two there (December 1).
“That’s been Marie’s Rock’s target for a while, that was the logical starting point for her.
“Red Risk ran a cracker at Wetherby, I thought we were going to go past the other horse but he really toughed it out as well. We were delighted with the run.
“He does go very well fresh, we’ll run at Newbury but the one question we have is whether it’s a bit too soon after Wetherby.
“Then we’d just look at giving him a bit of a freshen up going into something ahead of the spring, maybe a Cleeve Hurdle or something akin to that.
“They’ll probably end up taking each other on at Newbury in that Grade Two and it will be fascinating to see who comes out on top.”
Marie’s Rock will proceed from Wetherby in the direction of the top staying contests, with the big festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree pencilled in for the spring.
“She’s obviously got that useful weight allowance and I think she has a pull as it is on official ratings but that performance (by Red Risk) the other day was a very, very good performance,” Palin said.
“We’ve just got Red Risk figured out and Marie’s Rock is in great form. Her campaign kind of plans itself; Newbury, Ascot, Cheltenham for the Cleeve, Cheltenham for the Stayers’ and Aintree again.”
Martin Keighley’s Found On will bid for black type as she returns to Market Rasen for the Rhino.Bet Bud Booth Mares’ Chase on Thursday.
The eight-year-old has been consistent in recent seasons, winning six of her last eight starts over distances varying from two and a half miles to three.
She hit the ground running this season when making her yearly reappearance at this track in October, winning a competitive handicap chase by four lengths under Sean Bowen.
The mare will now return to the Lincolnshire circuit at Listed level, where she is set to join four rivals over an increased trip of three miles.
“It was a really good performance, her first run of the season at Market Rasen,” said Keighley.
“That was quite a strong handicap and she did it well, as soon as she won there we had this in mind as we’re desperate to get her some black type.
“We’ve saved her for this race and hopefully she can, she’s been to the track twice and won there twice, she’ll like the decent ground so I’m hoping for a big run.
“The Dan Skelton horse will be a hard one to beat, but she’s in good form and if she doesn’t win and is in the first three, it will be great to get her black type.”
The Skelton horse in question is Galia Des Liteaux, a Grade Two winner last season who was most recently seen coming home fourth behind Gerri Colombe in the Mildmay at Aintree.
Nicky Henderson’s Tweed Skirt, Sue Smith’s Burrows Diamond and Jedd O’Keeffe’s Fairfield Ferrata complete the line up.
Francis Ngannou’s impressive boxing debut has earned him a place in the top 10 of the WBC heavyweight rankings.
Ngannou pushed WBC champion Tyson Fury all the way in a 10-round contest in Riyadh last month, but lost by a contentious split decision on points to the British boxer.
Former UFC heavyweight champion Ngannou still earned plenty of admirers for his surprise strong showing after he knocked down Fury in the third round.
Cameroon-born Ngannou immediately signalled his intention to continue his career in boxing and has now been placed in 10th spot of the WBC rankings.
Earlier this month, Matchroom Sport chair Eddie Hearn suggested Ngannou could be a future opponent for former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua.
The WBC, a sanctioning body, announced its rankings for its respective weight divisions on Wednesday during a ratings session in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.
Tom Cannon cannot wait to be reunited with Edwardstone when he makes his seasonal reappearance in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.
Alan King’s nine-year-old has shared many memorable days with the rider, none more so than their decisive Arkle victory at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022.
Last season included another Grade One success, this time in the Tingle Creek, and the bay was beaten just a head in the Clarence House in January.
There was no repeat Cheltenham Festival success as Edwardstone posted an uncharacteristic performance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but Cannon is happy to draw a line through that run as the duo return to the same track at the weekend.
He said: “Edwardstone has been good at home. I schooled him on Monday, and I schooled him last Monday as well. He seems very fresh and well in himself and I’m looking forward to Sunday.
“It is going to be a good race, but he doesn’t have any easy races now with the level he is at. He was meant to run in this race last season, but the ground was on the quicker side so he swerved it. He won first time out last year and he will be ready to go and do his best.
“He enjoyed it on Monday when I gave him a jump and he is a pleasure to have around and be involved with. He is a magnificent horse, not just to sit on but to look at as well.
“You get some horses that are good that might be small, but when you get on top of him it is like riding a horse into battle. He is a big strong brute of a horse that has got all the power in the right places.”
The Shloer Chase is run over a trip of two miles, Edwardstone’s usual trip, but there are discussions about stepping up in distance at a later point in the season and Cannon believes connections may find this outing helpful in making that decision.
“His pedigree suggests he will get further, and he ran further than two miles over hurdles and ran well. On his day he is a very quick two-miler which he showed in the Tingle Creek last season,” Cannon said.
“He probably wasn’t at his best after that, but we will see how we go in the race on Sunday and go from there.
“As he is getting bit older now, and with a few younger horses coming through, it might give us options if we go up further in trip.
“This is a case of testing the water with him and it is a nice place to go. I’m sure this will answer a few questions about where he will go for the rest of the season.”
Joe Tizzard is in no rush to firm up plans for Elixir De Nutz following his emotional success in the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter last week.
Tizzard landed the the Grade Two feature three times during his riding career, striking gold aboard Lake Kariba (1998), Flagship Uberalles (1999) and Cue Card (2012), and was thrilled to get his name on the winner’s board as a trainer.
What made the victory all the more notable was the fact that Elixir De Nutz was ridden by 17-year-old Freddie Gingell, son of Tizzard’s late sister, Kim, and the Venn Farm handler admits it is almost a case of ‘job done’ for the season for the Terry Warner-owned grey.
“He’s come out of it absolutely lovely,” said Tizzard.
“We made an entry for the Tingle Creek (Sandown, December 9), that might be a step too far but we’ll just see if it cuts up.
“It was a lovely day and an emotional day with Fred riding him and Terry Warner had two of his grandchildren there as well. Exeter is obviously a local track to us and it meant a lot.
“I was conscious to get his first run into him as he always comes on for a run, it was a bit of plan and thankfully it came off.
“Life is not going to be easy for him, but that was his Gold Cup for the season and we’ll pick and choose our way round. He loves a small field.”
Masters champion Jon Rahm admits he only has himself to blame for not being able to deny Rory McIlroy a fifth Race to Dubai title in the final event of the season.
McIlroy was assured of topping the money list when Adrian Meronk and Ryan Fox failed to earn enough points in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge to get within 2,000 points of the world number two.
Only 2,000 points are on offer for the winner of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and McIlroy was already 2,082.53 ahead of nearest rival Rahm, who chose not to compete in Sun City.
Rahm has previously contested just two regular DP World Tour events in 2023, the Ryder Cup counts as a third and this week’s title defence in Dubai therefore fulfils the minimum requirements for DP World Tour membership.
Rahm admitted it was disappointing for fans that the Race to Dubai had already been settled, but admitted: “At the same time, though, it’s mainly my fault.
“He (McIlroy) played great golf. I could have tried to go to Nedbank and get a few more points to give myself a chance this week. He did what he needed to do and I didn’t.”
Despite not having the chance to win the Race to Dubai for a second time, Rahm still prefers the DP World Tour’s format to that of the PGA Tour, which employs a controversial handicap system in the FedEx Cup.
The player who earns the most points throughout the year begins the season-ending Tour Championship on 10 under par, the second-highest on eight under and so on, on a sliding scale down to the players in 26th to 30th who start on level par.
“I’m not a big fan of the FedEx Cup finals. I’ve said that many times,” Rahm added. “It’s the only sport when you get to the finals, you give somebody an advantage.
“You don’t see whoever had a better record in the Champions League finals start with a 1-0 goal advantage, that just doesn’t happen.
“I would be a bigger fan of somehow point restructuring to where if you win the tournament, like it used to be with the top five going to East Lake, if they won (the Tour Championship) they would win the FedEx Cup.
“At the same time, if you play as good as Rory has and you’ve built up the lead, you’ve earned it. Like I said earlier, I had the option of playing more events, tournaments and trying to earn more points. I just didn’t.
“I think this format is more fair to the better player, whoever played better throughout the year. I think the one that they have in the FedEx Cup right now would be probably more exciting for the viewers. Obviously it all depends what you prefer.”
Rahm has a remarkable record in the DP World Tour Championship, winning it on his debut in 2017 and again in 2019 and 2022, with his worst finish in four appearances being a tie for fourth in 2018.
“It’s something I look forward to and to me it’s a great way to end the year,” Rahm said. “One last competition before we get to the holiday season and kind of get our mind off golf for a little bit. Hopefully I can win it one more time.
“I couldn’t really pinpoint one thing why I’ve had success here. I’m sure the number people can tell you why statistically I’m better, but I think I just happened to play really good on the weeks that I’m here.”
A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Johnson died on October 28 after being hit in the neck by an opposition player’s skate during a match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
The 29-year-old American, who was playing for Nottingham Panthers against Sheffield Steelers, died in hospital.
The man was arrested on Tuesday and South Yorkshire Police confirmed on Wednesday that he has been bailed to a date in the new year as inquiries continue.
Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said on Tuesday: “Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances.
“We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our inquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.
“Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world.
“We know these communities will expect us to handle this investigation with the same professionalism, fairness and sensitivity as any other, and request that members of the public refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder this process.
“Our thoughts remain with all affected by this devastating incident as inquiries continue.”
An inquest into Johnson’s death was opened and adjourned on November 3, but Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, has already called on the sport’s governing bodies to take action.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association, Rawden said she is “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action has been taken – or why action has not been taken.
The EIHA said neck guards will become mandatory from 2024 but the Elite League, in which the Panthers and Steelers compete, is not under its control.
The Elite Ice Hockey League said it will not make the use of neck guards mandatory but will “strongly encourage” players and officials to wear them.
According to the Sentencing Council, manslaughter is an extremely varied criminal offence which can attract penalties from suspended sentences up to life in prison.
The council says manslaughter can involve an offence that is not far from being an accident through to one which may be just short of murder and is categorised as either involuntary and voluntary.
Involuntary manslaughter is unlawful killing without the intent to kill or cause really serious harm and is further subdivided into unlawful act manslaughter and manslaughter by gross negligence.
Unlawful act manslaughter is the most common type of manslaughter prosecution in England and Wales and often involves deaths as a result of assaults.
Manslaughter by gross negligence occurs when the offender is in breach of a duty of care towards the victim, such as when employers completely disregard the safety of employees.
Voluntary manslaughter occurs when all the elements for murder are present, including an intention to kill or cause really serious harm, but the crime is reduced to manslaughter by reason of loss of control or diminished responsibility due to a recognised mental condition.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has joined Elite Ice Hockey outfit Belfast Giants on a temporary loan.
The 41-year-old, who retired from football in 2019, joins on a short-term deal as “temporary emergency cover” from Oxford City Stars of the National Ice Hockey League South Division One.
Giants head coach Adam Keefe said in a statement: “We’re very appreciative of the support of both the Oxford City Stars and Petr himself.
“Petr is a highly decorated athlete, who knows what it takes to perform at the highest level, so his support during this loan period will be invaluable.”
Cech moved to England from Rennes in 2004 as one of the early signings of Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich era. He won four Premier League titles during 11 years at Stamford Bridge, as well as five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League.
He signed for Arsenal in 2015 and played for the Gunners until hanging up his boots four years later, having made over 440 Premier League appearances in total. He also won 124 caps for the Czech Republic during a 14-year international career.
Rudy Gobert ridiculed Draymond Green's "clown behaviour" after the Golden State Warriors forward was ejected against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Green, Klay Thompson and Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels were ejected after an altercation early in the first quarter of Tuesday's in-season tournament game, which the Timberwolves won 104-101.
Thompson and McDaniels became embroiled in a shoving match. Green rushed in and pulled Rudy Gobert away from behind with his arm around the center's neck.
Thompson's jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green's second ejection of the season and two free throws by Gobert.
The Warriors were without talisman Stephen Curry, who did not play due to right knee soreness, and Gobert suggested that Green finds a way to be ejected when his teammate is not playing.
"I went to try to disconnect the situation between Jaden and Klay, and then I just felt someone grabbing me," Gobert said.
"My first thought was, I'm not going to fight, I need to be in this game to help my team. So I showed the ref I had my hands up and I just waited until the situation was over. Nothing more than that. It wasn't really enough of a choke for me to sleep. I just kept my hands up and waited until it was over.
"It's kind of funny because before the game I was telling myself Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try to get ejected. Every time Steph doesn't play, he doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he's doing anything to get ejected. It's all good.
"Just clown behaviour. I'm proud of myself for being the bigger man, again and again. It doesn't even deserve me putting my hands on him.
"My team needed me tonight, so I wanted to keep my cool and not make the situation worse. I do hope the league is going to do what needs to be done, because that's just clown behaviour. There's not much to say, it's clown behaviour."
Explaining his altercation with Thompson, McDaniels said: "I was just trying to crash for a rebound and he kind of grabbed my collar. I was just trying to defend myself and get him off me.
"The rest is what it is. I knew before that there was some chitter-chatter going back and forth. I didn't take it seriously. I was just laughing. I guess it was a bigger deal to him."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered a different opinion, saying: "There is no way Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous.
"I was upset about that. As far as the Draymond piece of it, Rudy had his hands on Klay's neck. That's why Draymond went after Rudy."
Tuesday's loss was the Warriors' second defeat in a row to the Timberwolves, who have now won their last seven games. Golden State, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six.
Kerr, though, did have some positive news on Curry's status.
"Nothing alarming," Kerr said of the Curry's injury. "He is day-to-day and we will see. If he misses another game or two, it's not going to be anything long-term."
Paul George was frustrated with the officiating crew as the Los Angeles Clippers’ losing streak continued at the Denver Nuggets.
James Harden is still waiting for his first win in a Clippers jersey despite the team putting in an improved performance, losing 111-108 in a competitive NBA In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday.
Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists for the hosts, who held off the Clippers despite George scoring 35 points, tying his season high as Harden added 21.
Los Angeles has lost five straight games with Harden since acquiring him last month. They are 0-6 on the road this season, 0-2 in the tournament and 3-7 overall.
The Nuggets took 32 free throws compared to the Clippers' 24 with Jokic making all 14 of his free-throw attempts.
George went to the line five times, which he felt was nowhere near enough, and was whistled for a technical foul for arguing with the referees shortly before halftime.
"We played great," George said, per ESPN. "It's tough, the adversity of playing against the extra three [officials].
"I thought they were awful. But, [against the] defending champs, we [were able to] to play better and there's a lot to be positive about.
"I'm not one for moral victories, but I thought we showed more of a sign of a team that's close to getting it over the hump."
George, who also had seven rebounds, was asked to elaborate on his comments on the refs.
He added: "It was bad. Five free throws is very disrespectful on this night. So many times I got hit on layups, 3-pointers, it was constant.
"Jump shots, getting hit, smacked on the forearm. I mean, it was poor, a poor job. They [are] calling something on one end, they got to call it on the other.
"But, again, we [have] got to be able to beat these guys on their floor and not rely on that."
Harden sank three of his eight 3-point attempts as the Clippers produced their best performance since his arrival.
"I kept reiterating, I didn’t have a training camp or a preseason, so kind of learning on the fly," Harden said.
"Also getting myself into James Harden shape. This was definitely another step in the right direction and just keep improving."
The Nuggets' Reggie Jackson thinks it is only a matter of time until the Clippers put it all together.
"They’re still figuring it out," he said about George, Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook.
"You can see it, they’ve got a lot of talents that overlap. When you have superstars, superstars can do a lot of things. They gave us a great punch."
Denver is 9-2 for the season, 7-0 at home and 2-0 in the tournament, even with point guard Jamal Murray still out with a hamstring injury.
Both teams are back in action on Friday with the Clippers hosting the Houston Rockets while the Nuggets are on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Laura Morgan could be set for the biggest day of her training career so far at Cheltenham on Saturday as she prepares to fire a twin assault on the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Waltham On The Wolds handler enjoyed her best ever season last term with a tally of 40 winners, seven of which were provided by the two horses she saddles in this weekend’s prestigious handicap.
Morgan is not expecting such a prolific campaign this term, but is hopeful she can make her presence felt on the big stage.
She said: “Last season, we had 40 winners and a lot more horses in, whereas this year we’ve only got 25 horses to run and 10 three-year-olds.
“I bought some three-year-olds with nice pedigrees that will hopefully be nice horses for next year, that’s the idea.
“We’re not going to have the season we had last year, but I’ve tried to up the quality and hopefully we can have runners on the bigger days.”
The stable’s first string on Saturday appears to be Notlongtillmay, who won his first three starts over fences last term before filling the runner-up spot behind the reopposing Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The seven-year-old returned to Prestbury Park for his seasonal reappearance in a two-mile handicap chase last month – and having finished a creditable fourth under the welter burden of 12 stone, Morgan feels he is cherry-ripe for his latest big-race assignment.
“Two miles is way too short and I’d left him short enough as well – it wasn’t like he was fully tuned up for that,” she added.
“I was going to go to Wetherby for a two-and-a-half-mile race on the Friday of the Charlie Hall meeting, but obviously that was abandoned, so thank God I actually gave him a prep run before then.
“This was the aim, we’re 3lb better off with Stage Star and Stage Star isn’t going to get an easy lead like he did in the Turners – there’s going to be a lot of pace in this on Saturday.
“With The Real Whacker running, our lad goes in there with a nice racing weight (11st 4lb) and he’ll go through the (soft) ground, that wouldn’t worry me at all.”
Notlongtillmay’s stablemate Whistleinthedark also enjoyed an excellent first season over fences, climbing from a mark of 113 to his current perch of 144 with four wins from four starts.
He has not been seen in competitive action since scoring at Perth in late April, but Morgan is confident he is ready enough to do himself justice.
She said: “I had planned to give him a prep run – he was going to go to Market Rasen for the Prelude (Handicap Chase), but it was abandoned.
“I’m not too fussed about not getting a run in as he’s done a lot of work at home. We’ve got a two-mile grass gallop and he’s fairly ready without having had that run to sharpen him – he’s not far away.
“I never thought he’d be rated what he’s rated and would do what he did when he first arrived. I thought he’d be an average, fun, handicapper, but he’s been brilliant.”
Morgan is fully aware that winning one of the season’s biggest prizes is no easy task and she is just pleased to be heading to the Cotswolds with a fighting chance.
She added: “They’re all up against it, not just us, but it’s very exciting for a small yard like ours and fingers crossed they’ll both go and run well.
“They won’t let us down, anyway – these two don’t know how to!”
Jon Rahm has backed Rory McIlroy’s decision to resign from the PGA Tour policy board and has no interest in replacing his Ryder Cup team-mate.
The news was revealed by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a memo to members late on Tuesday, with McIlroy citing “professional and personal commitments” for standing down as a player-director.
Hours earlier, the world number two insisted progress was being made in talks over the future of men’s professional golf, but a fear that “loose lips sink ships” meant it was being kept under wraps.
McIlroy has been LIV Golf’s most vocal critic and admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when a shock deal between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour was announced in June.
The PGA Tour are now also assessing potential funding from alternative private equity sources and McIlroy was asked if he enjoyed being part of such discussions during a press conference ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“Not particularly, no,” McIlroy said. “Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”
Asked on Wednesday if he would be interested in replacing McIlroy, Rahm said: “Absolutely no chance.
“I’ve been asked a couple times if I have any interest, and I’m not going to spend, I don’t know how many meetings they have, but they are six, seven-hour plus long. I’m not here for that.
“As regards to Rory, he’s obviously been put in a situation where a lot has been expected of him, and I don’t know the exact reason why he left the board.
“But I certainly wouldn’t blame somebody like him to just want to focus a bit more on his game and his family and enjoy the bit of time he’s truly earned. Again, it’s a big commitment for somebody to be part of it.”
McIlroy first joined the PGA Tour’s player advisory council in 2019 and went on to serve as its chairman in 2021, roles which Rahm feels may have had an impact on McIlroy’s on-course performance.
“I think it is a significant commitment, so it could have an effect,” the Masters champion said.
“It’s not only the meetings. It’s the phone calls and the players wanting to talk to you. So those hours you spent on the golf course are a little bit busier.
“So I think it could hinder a little bit, and there’s a reason probably why I can’t recall any great player being a full-time board member and winning tournaments and majors at the same time, at least in recent history.”
Announcing the news, Monahan praised McIlroy’s commitment to the PGA Tour in a memo sent to the Northern Irishman’s fellow players.
“During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the Tour and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinion has been especially impactful,” Monahan wrote.
“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all of his fellow player directors – have invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”
The remaining player-directors – Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson – will elect a successor to serve McIlroy’s unexpired term, which runs until the end of 2024.
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