Sports

Boxing: Eye-eye! Murata gets serious for N’Dam grudge match

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) – Japan’s Ryota Murata has promised there will be no more Mr. Nice Guy as he prepares for his world middleweight title rematch against Frenchman Hassan N’Dam this weekend. The World Boxing Association (WBA) suspended two judges for six months and ordered a second fight after N’Dam claimed the vacant belt on a controversial split decision in May. Murata largely dominated the Tokyo fight, inflicting heavy punishment on his opponent and flooring him with […]

NBA: Hayward vows to be ‘all right’ after broken left leg

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward vowed he “will be all right” in a video message Wednesday after a gruesome left leg injury from which he is expected to make a full recovery. Hayward appeared in a video message from his hospital bed before the Celtics’ home opener against Milwaukee just a night after suffering the injury in a 102-99 loss at Cleveland. “I’m going to be all right,” Hayward […]

PSG’s Khelaifi to be quizzed in Swiss World Cup probe on October 25 – lawyer

PARIS, France (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain president and beIN Media chief Nasser al-Khelaifi will be questioned by Swiss prosecutors on October 25 in a World Cup media rights probe, his lawyer told AFP Wednesday. Khelaifi, a Qatari, “wanted to be heard as soon as possible by the Swiss attorney general’s office,” the lawyer said, adding that his client “denies any corruption” over the sale of rights for future World Cups. Swiss prosecutors revealed last week that Khelaifi, […]

NBA: Hayward’s horrifying broken ankle overshadows Cavs’ win

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Boston’s Gordon Hayward suffered a gruesome broken left ankle injury barely five minutes into the new NBA season Tuesday, overshadowing the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 102-99 victory in Kyrie Irving’s homecoming. Hayward, the former Utah star who signed a four-year deal with the Celtics worth $128 million in the off-season, was stretchered off the court following a horrific injury that stunned players on both clubs. Hayward landed hard 5:15 into the game after a […]

Football: Guardiola proud to beat ‘best opponents’ Napoli

by Tom Williams Agence France-Presse MANCHESTER, United Kingdom (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola described his side’s 2-1 victory over Napoli in the Champions League group phase as one of the proudest moments of his storied career. City took a quick-fire 2-0 lead in Tuesday’s game through Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus, but Amadou Diawara’s penalty — after Dries Mertens had squandered an earlier spot-kick — made for a nervy finale. Prior to the game Guardiola […]

NBA: Aussie guard Exum set for shoulder op

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Utah Jazz point guard Dante Exum will have surgery next week on his injured left shoulder, the team said Monday, with no timetable set for his NBA return. The procedure to stabilize the shoulder is set for October 24 — a week after the NBA season tips off on Tuesday. Exum suffered a separated shoulder and ligament damage in a pre-season game against the Phoenix Suns on October 6. […]

Boxing: Frenchman Takam replaces Pulev for Joshua world title bout

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) –Frenchman Carlos Takam will fight titleholder Anthony Joshua for the IBF world heavyweight crown on October 28th after the original challenger Kubrat Pulev suffered a shoulder injury, fight promoter Eddie Hearn announced Monday. Cameroon-born Takam, 36, is ranked third by the governing body and Hearn revealed he had told him to be on standby in case something happened to Pulev. The 36-year-old Bulgarian — who lost his only world title fight […]

Swimming: Olympic champion Ervin kneels during US anthem

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Olympic 50-meter freestyle champion Anthony Ervin has joined the ranks of athletes protesting during the US national anthem by kneeling for a rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner at a swim meet in Brazil. Ervin, 36, who became the oldest man to win an individual Olympic swimming gold with victory in Rio last year, took a knee during the Raia Rapida gala. The veteran American star, who also won Olympic […]

MLS: Canadian powerhouses Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC remain atop MLS

By: Anthony Sevilla, EBC Sports International, Canada Bureau VANCOUVER, CANADA (Eagle News) — With the 2017 MLS Regular Season ending soon, Canadian powerhouses Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC continue to hold on to the No. 1 seeds in both the Eastern and Western Conference respectively, both teams having clinched berths and officially punching their ticket into the MLS Cup Playoffs. Toronto FC clinched the 2017 Supporters’ Shield, an annual award given to the Major […]

Vegas Golden Knights make history

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Eagle News) – The inauguration of hockey’s newest team, the Vegas Golden Knights at the T-Mobile Arena brought more than just a sporting event. The introductory ceremony commemorated the 58 lives lost in the tragic shooting at a country music concert last October 1st. All banners at the arena were replaced with banners bearing the hashtag #VegasStrong. As a show of respect to those lives lost, everyone united in 58 seconds of […]

NBA: Five Eastern Conference teams to watch

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Five Eastern Conference teams to watch in the NBA 2017-18 season: Cleveland Cavaliers The Cavaliers’ third straight run to the NBA Finals was followed by an unexpectedly tumultuous off-season thanks to Kyrie Irving’s trade request, which came on the heels of general manager David Griffin’s departure. But one thing hasn’t changed in Cleveland, where “King” James still reigns. Now the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player is joined by Boston […]

NBA: Superteams rise to challenge Warriors for crown

by Jim Slater Agence Fracne Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Kevin Durant barely had a chance to grip his first NBA championship trophy in Golden State’s victory celebration last June before rival clubs were moving to challenge the Warriors “superteam” for supremacy. Now the NBA’s 72nd season opens Tuesday with a fistful of clubs having assembled three or more stars, uniting to stop Durant, 3-point sharpshooters Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and forward Draymond […]