Sydney bid to host Fury, Wilder rematch
Australian city Sydney has made an audacious bid to host a blockbuster heavyweight rematch between Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, with promoters eyeing Boxing Day for the trilogy superfight.
Promoter Dean Lonergan has tentatively booked Bankwest Stadium in the city’s west for the bout, The Australian reported Monday. Semi-autonomous Chinese city Macau is also in the running.
“I put a proposal to (Top Rank promoter) Bob Arum about six weeks ago by way of email to bring down here the world heavyweight title fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury,” Lonergan told the newspaper.
“The day I suggested was December 26 here so we would (broadcast) to the USA on Christmas night.”
Lonergan wasn’t immediately available to confirm the comments.
Following a controversial draw in December 2018, Britain’s Fury, unbeaten as a professional, overpowered American Wilder in Las Vegas in February, beating him in seven rounds.
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Wilder has activated the rematch clause in his contract, with a time yet to be fixed after the original date of July 18 was scrapped because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Arum confirmed in a Sky Sports interview at the weekend that Sydney was in the mix, along with Macau. Both cities have got on top of COVID-19, and appear more likely to allow fans than the US or Britain.
Las Vegas could still host the fight if spectators are allowed back into venues.
“Our friends in Australia are talking about doing this fight, probably in Sydney. That’s a possibility,” said Arum, who previously promoted ring great Manny’s Pacquiao’s bout against Australian Jeff Horn in Brisbane.
“There are six big casino properties in Macau,” he added. “We’ve talked to them. They’re ready to put up money for the Fury fight against Wilder in November or December.”
Lonergan said Boxing Day would be symbolic, marking 108 years to the day since African-American Jack Johnson was crowned the first black heavyweight champion by beating Tommy Burns in a world title bout in Sydney.
“Jack Johnson was the first Afro-American to crack the big time in the US. I think it would be incredibly significant if you did it down here to celebrate what he did all those years ago to chase Tommy Burns down,” he said.
(AFP)
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I doubted Ighalo’s ability – Scholes
’Tosin Oluwalowo
Manchester United legend, Paul Scholes, says he doubted striker, Odion Ighalo’s ability to perform for the Reds Devils.
Ighalo joined United on a six-month loan deal from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua in January, scoring four goals in eight appearances for the club.
His performance earned him a further six months extension to his loan deal with the EPL club.
Speaking with MUTV, Scholes praised the ex-Super Eagles striker for settling in well at the club.
“You have to say his (manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer) three or four signings have been excellent,” Scholes said.
“I was a little bit dubious about the Ighalo one, I wasn’t quite sure how that would work, but you have to say that’s worked as well.
“He’s a different kind of player from the players we had, a bit more of a target man, which we miss, and he seems to have settled in really well, scoring goals.”
United will resume their Premier League fixtures with a trip to London to face Tottenham Hotspurs on June 19.
The league resumed after three months break due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Mother of late Eagles star, Okwaraji, dies at 83
Lady Janet Okwaraji, the octogenarian mother of the late Green Eagles star, Samuel Okwaraji, is dead.
The death of the matriarch of Okwaraji family was confirmed to newsmen by his eldest son, Patrick Okwaraji, on Monday.
She was 83 years old.
Lady Okwaraji is the mother of the late Sam Okwaraji, an ace footballer and a patriotic Nigerian who died while playing for the Green Eagles in a World Cup qualifier against Angola at the National Stadium, Lagos on August 12, 1989.
The eldest son, however, said no date had been scheduled for the burial.
He said he would meet with members of his family in Umudioka, Orlu Council Area of Imo for further arrangements.
He said a letter had been sent to the Minister of Youths and Sports and the Nigeria Football Federation to inform them of the development.
She was a retired seasoned teacher, a school proprietress, and a devout Christian.
NAN
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