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Saudi stars Mostafa Nada, Hattan Al-Saif thrill Riyadh crowd at PFL MENA 2

Saudi stars Mostafa Nada, Hattan Al-Saif thrill Riyadh crowd at PFL MENA 2
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Saudi stars Mostafa Nada, Hattan Al-Saif thrill Riyadh crowd at PFL MENA 2
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Updated 13 July 2024
Arab News
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Saudi stars Mostafa Nada, Hattan Al-Saif thrill Riyadh crowd at PFL MENA 2

Saudi stars Mostafa Nada, Hattan Al-Saif thrill Riyadh crowd at PFL MENA 2
  • Saudi Arabia’s Mostafa Nada needed just a little over two minutes to knock out Abdel Rahmane Driai with a flurry of strikes
  • The inaugural PFL MENA season will continue on Sept. 20 with the PFL MENA playoffs in Jeddah
Updated 13 July 2024
Arab News
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RIYADH: The Professional Fighters League hosted the second event of the inaugural PFL MENA season at The Green Halls in Riyadh on Friday.

Athletes in the lightweight and welterweight divisions took to the SmartCage looking to secure their spots in the PFL MENA playoffs taking place on Sept. 20.

In the main event, Saudi Arabia’s Mostafa Nada needed just a little over two minutes to knock out Abdel Rahmane Driai with a flurry of strikes.

In the co-main event, Mohammad Al-Aqraa punched his way into the welterweight semifinals with a dominant third-round TKO win over Youcef Ouabbas.

Earlier on the card, Jarrah Al-Selawe made quick work of Rayan Atmani in their welterweight regular season bout, winning by rear naked choke submission in the first round to move on to the semifinals.

Also in the welterweight division, Badreddine Diani defeated Amir Fazli by unanimous decision to claim his spot in the semifinals.

Mohsen Mohammadseifi put his striking power on full display as he stopped Josh Togo by TKO in the first round to advance to the lightweight semifinals.

Souhil Tahiri earned a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Ahmed Amir in a lightweight regular season bout to secure his spot in the semifinals.

Omar El-Dafrawy put on a dominant performance against Anthony Zeidan, winning by unanimous decision and advancing to the welterweight semifinals.

In a women’s flyweight amateur showcase bout, Saudi Arabia’s Hattan Al-Saif earned her second straight TKO win, defeating Eman Baraka in the second round.

Abdullah Saleem secured his spot in the lightweight semifinals by submitting Omar Reguigui with a triangle choke in the first round.

In the first regular season lightweight bout of the night, Georges Eid outclassed Abbas Khan for three rounds to pick up a unanimous decision win and advance to the semifinals.

Kicking off the card’s action in a flyweight showcase bout, Ziyad Ayman Mokhtar showed off his grappling skills by submitting Hadi Omar Al Hussaini by rear-naked choke in the third round.

The inaugural PFL MENA season will continue on Sept. 20 with the PFL MENA playoffs in Jeddah. The event will start with the bantamweight and featherweight divisions.

Topics: PFL MENA 2

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Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea
Updated 27 sec ago
AP
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Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea

Former US Open champion Sloane Stephens loses in first round in South Korea
  • One of the suspended matches included top-seeded Dayana Yastremska’s first-round match against Mai Hontama
Updated 27 sec ago
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SEOUL: Hailey Baptiste defeated fellow American and 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens 7-6 (4), 6-2 in the first round of the WTA’s Korean Open on Tuesday.
In other matches in Seoul, Amanda Anisimova had an upset 6-3, 7-6 (5) win over sixth-seeded Yulia Putintseva, Polina Kudermetova beat Priscilla Hon 7-5, 6-4 and Viktoriya Tomova beat Tatjana Maria 6-2, 1-6, 6-0.
Weather stops play in Thailand
Play at the WTA’s Thailand Open was suspended due to rain and storms. One of the suspended matches included top-seeded Dayana Yastremska’s first-round match against Mai Hontama, who led 4-3 in the first set when play was stopped.

After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series

After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series
Updated 47 min 7 sec ago
AFP
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After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series

After Pakistan win, buoyant Bangladesh seek more history in India Test series
  • 2-0 sweep in Pakistan sparked celebrations at home a month after political turmoil and deadly protests ousted PM Hasina
  • Series in India is daunting prospect as Bangladesh have never won any of their 13 previous matches, losing 11 and drawing two
Updated 47 min 7 sec ago
AFP

CHENNAI, India: Fresh from their first-ever Test series win over Pakistan, Bangladesh will chase more cricket history when they face India in Chennai from Thursday.
The 2-0 sweep in Pakistan sparked celebrations at home a month after political turmoil and deadly protests in Bangladesh ousted the autocratic former premier.
But a two-Test series in India is a far more daunting prospect — Bangladesh have never won any of their 13 previous matches, losing 11 and drawing two.
Both draws came at home, at Chittagong in 2007 and Fatullah in 2015.
“This will be a challenging series for us,” visiting skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto said ahead of the first Test.
“But after having a good series against Pakistan, there is an extra confidence in our team, as well as among all the people of the country.”
India will be strong favorites to sweep the series but Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Litton Das and Mehidy Hasan Miraz all head to Chennai in good form.
Mushfiqur amassed 216 in the Pakistan series while off-spinner Mehidy was the leading bowler with 10 wickets in the two matches.
The shadow of political troubles looms over the matches in Chennai and Kanpur.
Star player Shakib, 37, is a former lawmaker from the ousted ruling party of ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
She fled a student-led revolution, escaping to India by helicopter as protesters marched on her palace, ending 15 years of iron-fisted rule.
Shakib faces a case of alleged murder, accused of culpability in the police killing of protesters.
The left-hander, who bats in the middle-order and bowls spin, went back to England to play county cricket for Surrey after having a key role in Bangladesh’s success in Pakistan.
His national teammates have rallied around him.
“As for Shakib, I am hopeful that he will do well,” Najmul said.
“He has been in good form with the ball.”
Bangladesh unveiled a new pace sensation in Nahid Rana in Pakistan, where the right-arm bowler clocked speeds of more than 146 kph (90 mph).
Uncapped wicketkeeper Jaker Ali comes into the squad in place of fast bowler Shoriful Islam, who pulled out with a groin injury.
Rohit Sharma will look to India’s experienced slow bowling trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel to test Bangladesh’s batting on pitches that are expected to favor the spinners.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack while Mohammed Shami recovers from ankle surgery.
India welcome back wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to the Test squad for the first time since he nearly lost his life in a car crash in December 2022.
Pant, an attacking left-handed batsman, is expected to replace Dhruv Jurel behind the stumps.
Virat Kohli is also back for his first Test since facing South Africa at Cape Town in January, having missed India’s 4-1 home series win against England for the birth of his second child.
New head coach Gautam Gambhir takes charge of India in a Test for the first time.
After Chennai, the second Test begins in Kanpur on September 27 with both part of the World Test Championship. India lead the current standings ahead of Australia.
The Tests are followed by a three-match Twenty20 series starting in Gwalior on October 6, moving to New Delhi three days later and finishing in Hyderabad on October 12.

Topics: bangaldesh Pakistan Cricket Test India Arab News Pakistan

Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London

Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London
Updated 17 min 23 sec ago
Arab News
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Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London

Boxing stars Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois face off at Tower Bridge in London
  • Dubois currently holds the IBF belt, but Joshua will be looking to become a three-time world champion in the division
Updated 17 min 23 sec ago
Arab News

LONDON: Fans got their first glimpse of two of the biggest names in boxing four days ahead of the highly anticipated Riyadh Season Card Wembley Edition fight between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois on Monday.

Joshua and Dubois faced off for the first time at a media event held near the iconic London landmark of Tower Bridge.

(AN Photo/Hasenin Fadhel)

It was the first event in a week of build-up for a night of boxing at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, where the two British boxers will fight it out for the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title.

Dubois currently holds the belt, but Joshua will be looking to become a three-time world champion in the division.

(AN Photo/Hasenin Fadhel)

Dubois told Arab News that he was "hungry" for the fight and that he would look to beat Joshua "by any means necessary." He joked he may have to deploy a headbutt to ensure he keeps his title.

The boxer, whose nickname is "Dynamite," praised the impact of Riyadh Season and Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority on the sport of boxing.

"(It's) a better show, more cameras, it's great. It's perfect, just what the sport needs," he said.

The event will be the first Riyadh Season boxing event to be held in the UK and the second time outside Saudi Arabia following the success of the first event in Los Angeles in August.

(Supplied/GEA/Riyadh Season)

Also on Monday, Anthony Cacace and Josh Warrington faced off, who are set to fight for the IBF super featherweight title.

Fans also got to see Joshua Buatsi and Willie Hutchinson, who will compete for the World Boxing Organization interim light heavyweight title, face off.

They also saw Tyler Denny who fights Hamzah Sheeraz, Mark Chamberlain who takes on Josh Padley, and a face-off between Josh Kelly and Ismael Davis, who stepped in to replace Liam Smith after Smith sustained an injury.

Topics: boxing UK Saudi Arabia Riyadh Season Card Wembley Edition Riyadh season Anthony Joshua Daniel Dubois

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Bayern set sights on dream home Champions League final

Bayern set sights on dream home Champions League final
Updated 16 September 2024
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Bayern set sights on dream home Champions League final

Bayern set sights on dream home Champions League final
  • “Something big is coming,” Neuer told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s opening clash with Dinamo Zagreb at home
  • “The most important thing is the final in Munich. We want to go there and everything else is secondary”
Updated 16 September 2024

BERLIN: Bayern captain Manuel Neuer said Monday his side were fully focused on the Champions League season, with this year’s final to be held at Munich’s Allianz Arena.
“Something big is coming,” Neuer told reporters ahead of Tuesday’s opening clash with Dinamo Zagreb at home.
“The most important thing is the final in Munich. We want to go there and everything else is secondary.
“We know what this final means to the city, the fans and the players. Our motivation is simply very high.”
Six-time European champions Bayern come into the season after their first trophyless campaign in 11 seasons, with Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen winning a league and cup double.
In the Champions League, Bayern were eliminated in the semifinals by eventual winners Real Madrid, who beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at Wembley to lift the trophy.
Neuer and fellow Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller, who both won the 2013 and 2020 Champions League finals, are the only two players in the squad to remember the 2012 home final, which they lost on penalties to Premier League side Chelsea.
Mueller went on social media on Monday, telling followers “the road to Munich starts tomorrow.
“I’m very excited. Let’s enjoy the best football in Europe.”
Manager Vincent Kompany, set to coach his first match in the Champions League, told reporters “the fans can dream.”
“The most important thing for me is that we show it on the pitch. We have a difficult game tomorrow. The important thing is that we play well and win tomorrow.”
Bayern have won every one of their Champions League openers since 2002 when they lost 3-2 to Deportivo La Coruna, which was the prelude to their first and only group stage elimination.

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European Cup-winning former Villa striker Shaw dies aged 63

European Cup-winning former Villa striker Shaw dies aged 63
Updated 16 September 2024
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European Cup-winning former Villa striker Shaw dies aged 63

European Cup-winning former Villa striker Shaw dies aged 63
  • The forward died after recently going into hospital following a head injury suffered in a fall
  • “Aston Villa Football Club is deeply shocked and profoundly saddened to learn that Gary Shaw, one of our European Cup-winning heroes, has passed away,” a statement said
Updated 16 September 2024
AFP

LONDON: Former Aston Villa striker Gary Shaw, who helped the club to their shock European Cup triumph in 1982, died on Monday aged 63.
Shaw was a member of the Villa side that won the First Division title in 1981 and then memorably stunned German giants Bayern Munich in the European Cup final 12 months later.
The forward died after recently going into hospital following a head injury suffered in a fall.
“Aston Villa Football Club is deeply shocked and profoundly saddened to learn that Gary Shaw, one of our European Cup-winning heroes, has passed away,” a statement said.
“Gary was one of our own, a talented striker who delighted supporters with his goalscoring exploits which helped fire Villa to success in the 1980s. Individual accolades would also follow for a player who was idolized by many on the terraces.


“He passed away peacefully earlier today surrounded by his family, who asked Aston Villa to release a statement on their behalf.”
Shaw’s death came on the eve of Villa’s first match in the Champions League for 41 years.
Unai Emery’s side face Young Boys in Switzerland on Tuesday and the Villa manager urged his team to win the match in tribute to Shaw.
“My condolences to the family and all the supporters at Villa,” said Emery, whose team will wear black armbands for the fixture in Bern.
“We have a memory always, in our training ground a picture of 1982 and the European Cup. He was a protagonist of that. My condolences to them.
“Yes, I think it’s sad and we can use it as motivation.”
Shaw joined Villa as an apprentice and went on to score 79 times in 213 appearances, including 20 goals in their 1981 title-winning campaign.
He was named PFA Young Player of the Year after Villa’s first English title since 1910.
Shaw scored three goals in Villa’s run to European Cup glory, including a crucial quarter-final strike against Dynamo Kiev.
Peter Withe’s winner against Bayern in Rotterdam lifted the team to previously unimaginable heights, with Birmingham-born Shaw savouring the triumph more than most.
Yet within a year of Villa’s epic victory, Shaw suffered a knee injury in a match against Nottingham Forest that curtailed his progress and ultimately saw him retire from the game after six operations.
He left the club in 1988 for spells in Denmark and Austria, before ending his career in 1992 after short stints at Walsall, Kilmarnock and Shrewsbury.
Shaw later worked as a statistical analyst and a matchday ambassador for Villa.

Topics: Aston Villa Gary Shaw

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