Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Monday, May 1, 2017
Joshua becomes the new heavyweight king as Wembley showpiece lives up to the hype Anthony Joshua floors Wladimir Klitschko in stunning heavyweight victory
As the pandemonium finally calmed in the bowels of the national stadium, he considered what had gone on and posed a question to those with him. "Was it a good fight?"
Not half. This was one of the great heavyweight duels and arguably the best ever to take place on these shores.
Joshua continued to ask as if he was surprised to hear the response until it finally sank in as he sat there with his face swollen from a brutal, brave and epic battle that the world was talking about.
In just his 19th professional fight, he had picked himself off the canvas to beat one of the icons of the sport with an 11th-round stoppage to add the WBA title to his IBF belt.
And it was in stunning fashion in a thrill-a-minute brawl that brought the best out of both men and made Joshua the title of king of the heavyweight division - perhaps even Britain's biggest sports star.
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As the answer to his question began to sink in, Joshua called his mum Yeta and 18-month-son Joseph while he waited to give drug-testing officials his sample.
"I haven't seen her yet but we FaceTimed straight away in the dressing room," said Joshua. "I was getting my drug test at the time after the fight.
"My son JJ was with my mum while the fight was going on. I was speaking to my son who is 18 months and I could see he was looking at my eye and he went, 'Wow'."
Joshua sat around chatting with his team when he got back to the £30m rented house he stayed in for fight week in London until the early hours before a lie-in until the afternoon. It was a deserved rest.
Boxing has a bad habit of failing to match the pre-fight hype and the build-up to this was almost sickly even amid the respect, but the bout delivered in a venue synonymous with memorable sporting events.
Anthony Joshua floors Wladimir Klitschko in stunning heavyweight victory
Sat, April 29, 2017Anthony Joshua beat Wladimir Klitschko in a stunning 11th-round stoppage at Wembley Stadium to become unified heavyweight champion
Anthony Joshua beats Wladimir Klitschko to become unified heavyweight champion
The walls at Wembley are lined with pictures depicting those great events, from the 1966 World Cup final to more modern European Cup finals and the annual domestic trophies that are won and lost here.
This fight will join them as one of the best nights this venue has ever hosted, 90,000 fans playing their part in the spectacle while a record pay-per-view audience watched from home.
After a tentative opening, a fifth round that will live long in the memory sparked the fire that would burn through the rest of the fight as Klitschko hit the deck when Joshua cracked through with a right and a left hook.
The Ukrainian was back on his feet and somehow by the end of the round peppering Joshua with shots with Joshua seemingly having punched himself out.
And Joshua was off his feet in the sixth thanks to a perfect right hand that landed clean on his temple, and the script for the supposed anointment of the new heavyweight king was being hastily rewritten.
Wembley held its breath, but he slowly rose to his feet, checking his legs would hold his massive 6ft 6ins frame, before he stood up straight and matched Klitschko's powers of recovery.
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"Without that character and ability to go into the trenches, you're never going to do great things in the sport," said Joshua. "I don't want to crumble, I will do whatever I need to do to come out on top."
The next two rounds were back to Klitschko controlling the pace and Joshua, even though he was still recovering from his knockdown, was constantly telling Klitschko he would "whoop his a***e".
It would be the 11th when he would prove good on his word as a huge right uppercut shot Klitschko's head up in the air before a barrage of shots floored him not once but twice. One final pummelling forced referee David Fields to end it.
Was this the same Klitschko so brilliantly outfoxed by Tyson Fury 16 months ago, or was that night in Dusseldorf just a poor performance from the Ukrainian?
That is nothing for Joshua to be troubled by. He should not have to deal with the shadow of Fury as his fellow Briton remains well out of the picture.
"I can knock out anyone," Joshua added in a clear warning to Fury, WBC champion Deontay Wilder and WBO title holder Joseph Parker, as well as any other brave challengers.
He is the reigning king of the heavyweights and, while he showed plenty of flaws in this enthralling contest, he will only be better for it too.
Friday, April 28, 2017
Monday, April 24, 2017
Sunday, April 23, 2017
Friday, April 21, 2017
Marcus Rashford comes to Jose Mourinho's rescue as Man United progress in Europe Manchester United player ratings against Anderlecht
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Rashford burst onto the scene last season with two goals against Danish club Myjdtlland in this competition last season but tonight’s goal was arguably the most important he has scored so far in his burgeoning career.
He suddenly re-discovered the coolness in front of goal that had deserted United all night in the second period of extra-time of their quarter-final second leg aginast Anderlecht.
When Marouane Fellaini headed down Luke Shaw’s long ball, Rashford shuffled past Leander Dendoncker and Kara Mbodji to score with a low left foot shot that keeper Martinez Ruben got his fingers to but couldn’t keep out.
It means United – England’s last survivors in Europe – are through to the semi-finals but they made desperately hard work of it thanks to wayward finishing that has been a recurring problem this season.
And Jose Mourinho heaped praise on his sharp-shooter, saying: “His mentality – his qualities are fantastic. He wasn’t scoring since September before Sunday but he showed his character and gave us more in different areas.
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“That is why I trust Marcus Rashford.”
Former England striker Gary Lineker went a step further when he tweeted: “I don't say this lightly, but Marcus Rashford is the most exciting young player I have seen in a long time. Love him.”
Rashford himself said: "All you can do is keep trying to create chances, that's what we kept doing and we pinned them back.
"We had a lot of chances and could have scored but sometimes games go like that. We got one in the end."
United failed to build on Henrikh Mkhitaryan's ninth minute goal thanks to a combination of fine saves by Anderlecht keeper Martinez Ruben and wayward finishing and some poor defending allowed Sofiane Hanni equalised before half-time.
Manchester United player ratings against Anderlecht
Thu, April 20, 2017Express Sport rates how the Manchester United players performed during the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Anderlecht at Old Trafford
Who impressed and who disappointed for Manchester United against Anderlecht?
United however should have killed off the Belgian champions in the second half.
Jesse Lingard, Rashford, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba all squandered great chances to as the game went into extra-time,.
United came close again in the first minute of added time when, after a ‘Rabona’ cross by Rashford, Pogba’s overhead scissor kick was blocked by Uros Spajic. Had it gone in it would have been a goal worthy of any game.
Their frustration increased when Pogba finally had the ball in the net but his goal was ruled out because Fellaini had climbed all over Spajic to head down Anthony Martial’s cross.
But Rashford, who scored the opener against Chelsea on Sunday, came to the rescue with his 10th of the season.
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United’s hard-fought win was marred however by the loss of two key players - Marcos Rojo and Ibrahimovic.
Rojo cheered off in the first half with a knee injury and in the last minute of normal time Ibrahimovic came down heavily on his right ankle and had to limp off.
But former United midfielder Paul Scholes believes Rashford can fill Ibrahimovic's boots until the end of the season.
"He will get his chance in the next few weeks looking at that. It doesn't look great,” Scholes said on BT Sport.
"Although he has walked off which is hopefully a good sign.
"We saw on Sunday the effect Marcus had on his own, he was a real handful against Chelsea.
"If Zlatan does miss out we know we've got a top player who can come into his place.
"Zlatan wasn't great tonight. He missed a few chances.”
Mourinho said of the injuries: “I don’t think they are easy injuries, but I prefer to wait until all the tests are done until after tomorrow.
"I will then speak how I feel. For now I can’t as I’m not a doctor but I think it is very negative.”
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Arsene Wenger refuses to discuss his future as Arsenal fans jeer their own players Mesut Ozil distraught after Arsenal loss at Crystal Palace
Wenger refused to speak about his own future after goals from Andros Townsend, Yohan Cabaye and a penalty from Luka Milivojevic did the damage.
It was Arsenal’s heaviest Premier League defeat of the season and their worst since losing 4-0 at Southampton in December 2015. It was their fourth successive away defeat in the league – the worst run ever under Wenger.
It left them seven points outside the Champions League qualification places, with just eight games of a crumbling season left.
Wenger, who has yet to sign the two-year deal that is on the table for him, said: “I wouldn’t say that the players downed tools.
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Mesut Ozil distraught after Arsenal loss at Crystal Palace
Mon, April 10, 2017Click through the gallery for the snaps of Mesut Ozil after Arsenal's defeat at Crystal Palace
Click to reveal the snaps of Mesut Ozil after Arsenal's defeat at Crystal Palace
“Honestly, I’m so disappointed tonight. It has been such a long time since we lost a game in the way we did last night, that’s very disappointing.
“It would be inconvenient for me to speak about me. It was more painful for us to lose this game in the way we lost it. The top four is very difficult now.”
Angry Arsenal fans, some of who have been protesting and calling for the Frenchman to go for weeks, once again called for Wenger to go and jeered at their hapless players, singing, “You’re not fit to wear the shirt”.
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He said: “I want the fans to support the team. They are extremely disapointed and I can understand that, we all are. It is understandable. We played with a desire to win the game tonight with an offensive team. We knew what would face us. But they were sharper than us.”
Palace manager Sam Allardyce, whose team have now won five of their last six games to lift them six places above the relegation zone said: “Tactically the players were aware of how to beat Arsenal. The first thing was to defend and frustrate them, keep them playing sideways, then use the space behind the full-backs. Arsenal have been weak defensively.
“We won a lot of possession and created lots of chances. Yohan Cabaye’s goal, what a finish and that was down to pressing them. This was not a shock for me because we played Chelsea and won. We did that again and did it better. We all know Arsenal are going through their worst spell for years, but the only way to take advantage is by playing well.”
