Riyadh Season Card boxing event at Wembley Stadium in London is a sellout

General admission tickets for the Riyadh Season Card —Wembley Edition boxing event next month have sold out, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority revealed on Friday. (Supplied/GEA)
General admission tickets for the Riyadh Season Card —Wembley Edition boxing event next month have sold out, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority revealed on Friday. (Supplied/GEA)
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Updated 23 August 2024
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Riyadh Season Card boxing event at Wembley Stadium in London is a sellout

Riyadh Season Card boxing event at Wembley Stadium in London is a sellout
  • In the headline bout on Sept. 21, former unified world heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua will face International Boxing Federation interim champ Daniel Dubois
  • Also on the card: Josh Warrington vs. Anthony Cacace; Hamza Sheeraz vs. Tyler Denny; Josh Kelly vs. Liam Smith; Joshua Buatsi vs. Willy Hutchinson; Mark Chamberlain vs. Josh Padley

LONDON: General admission tickets for the Riyadh Season Card —Wembley Edition boxing event next month have sold out, Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority revealed on Friday.

GEA chairperson Turki Alalshikh said that select platinum-level tickets and hospitality packages are still available for the event at Wembley Stadium in London on Sept. 21, which features an all-British card.

In the headline bout of the evening, former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua will take on International Boxing Federation interim champion Daniel Dubois for the title.

On the undercard, two-time featherweight champion Josh Warrington will challenge super-featherweight world champion Anthony Cacace for his belt, while Hamza Sheeraz will take on European middleweight champion Tyler Denny in an attempt to claim his European Boxing Union title.

Former Olympian Josh Kelly will face the former World Boxing Organization super-welterweight champion, Liam Smith, and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Joshua Buatsi will battle Willy Hutchinson for the vacant WBO light-heavyweight title.

Completing the card, World Boxing Association intercontinental champion Mark Chamberlain will battle fellow British lightweight Josh Padley, who is undefeated.

Organizers announced in June that former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher would supply the musical entertainment at the event.


Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs

Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs
Updated 27 sec ago
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Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs

Curry dazzles on Thompson’s return at Chase Center as Warriors down Mavs
  • The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player
  • Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks

LOS ANGELES: Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors spoiled Klay Thompson’s return to the Bay Area with a thrilling 120-117 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the NBA Cup on Tuesday.

Thompson — a beloved member of four NBA championship-winning Golden State teams before joining Dallas in July — received a rapturous welcome in his first game back in San Francisco since his departure.

The 34-year-old was given a guard of honor by cheering Golden State staff upon his arrival at the Chase Center before fans wearing nautical caps roared their appreciation for the player who famously used to commute to work in his fishing boat.

But despite delighting the home crowd with six three-pointers in a 22-point haul, Thompson was upstaged by former teammate Curry who produced a stunning fourth-quarter performance to drag the Warriors over the line.

The Mavericks looked poised to snatch victory after battling into a six-point lead at 114-108 with just over three minutes remaining.

But Curry then took over with 10 unanswered points — including one sensational step-back three from 28 feet — to put Golden State into a 118-114 lead, before adding two late free throws to seal the win.

“There was a lot of emotion but both teams wanted to win,” Curry told TNT television. “It was a playoff-like atmosphere, with great players making great plays. That’s why we love the competition.”

Luka Doncic led Dallas’s scorers with 31 points while Kyrie Irving added 21.

In other games, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited first appearance of the season but was unable to prevent the Philadelphia 76ers from sliding to a 111-99 defeat to the New York Knicks.

Embiid missed the first six games of the season as the team managed his rehabilitation from a left knee injury, and was suspended for three games after a locker room altercation with a journalist.

Embiid’s lack of game time was apparent in a sluggish performance that saw him finish with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds.

“He was a little rusty,” Sixers coach Nick Nurse said.

“But I thought he played with some pretty good competitive spirit for what he can do out there.”

With Embiid not firing on all cylinders, the Knicks dominated for long periods, leading for almost the entirety of the game before pulling away in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Sixers 33-24.

Karl-Anthony Towns impressed with 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists while O.G. Anunoby led the scoring with 24 points.

In Boston, the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the shock of the opening round, defeating the in-form Celtics 117-116 despite missing injured talisman Trae Young.

A game which saw the lead change hands 14 times looked to have swung decisively in favor of the home side midway through the third quarter as the Celtics raced into a 15-point lead.

But Dyson Daniels led a late rally which included 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the winning basket with 6.1sec left on the clock to snatch victory.

Daniels led Atlanta’s scorers with 28 points while Larry Nance Jr. added 19 with Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela chipping in with 18 points each.

The victory was sweet for Atlanta, who had suffered a 123-93 mauling by the Celtics at home on Nov. 4.

Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said Atlanta “outplayed us in every facet of the game.”

“They beat us on all the margins and they deserved to win,” Mazzulla said.

Elsewhere, the Phoenix Suns downed the Utah Jazz 120-112 while the Milwaukee Bucks beat Toronto 99-85.

The NBA Cup was introduced last season as a way of providing a knockout competition in the early months of the league season.

All 30 league teams are drawn into six groups of five, with eight teams advancing to single-elimination knockout rounds, with the semifinals and final taking place in Las Vegas on Dec. 14-17.


NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid

NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid
Updated 46 min 19 sec ago
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NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid

NEOM McLaren drivers in top form at Formula E testing in Madrid
  • After 6 successful seasons of racing in Diriyah, the contest will debut at Jeddah Corniche Circuit Feb. 14-15

MADRID: NEOM McLaren driver Taylor Barnard finished in the top five at the official pre-season test of the 2024-2025 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship at Madrid’s Jarama Circuit last week, which is fitting preparation for next month’s Brazil E-Prix.

All 22 drivers and 11 teams — including NEOM McLaren — headed out onto the track for the first and only time before the season-opening Sao Paulo E-Prix on Dec. 7.

After six successful seasons in Diriyah, Jeddah was announced as the new host city for the race at the iconic Corniche Circuit for the first time on Feb. 14 and 15.

The shift to Jeddah reflects Formula E’s commitment to innovation and sustainability and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future of sports in the Kingdom.

The championship’s fastest race car yet — the GEN3 Evo — is capable of 0-100 kph, which is 30 percent faster than the current F1 car.

Barnard — the 20-year-old Brit who secured his first full-time Formula E race seat with NEOM McLaren for this 2024-2025 season — finished the test in 1 minute, 27.780 seconds, just 0.319 seconds off the fastest lap set by Jaguar TCS Racing’s Mitch Evans.

“We have had a great three full days testing, and I feel it was a very positive test for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” he said. “I’ve set some strong lap times today and Sam’s (Bird) pace has been very strong throughout the test.

“We have completed all the items we needed to test with no reliability issues, which is very positive. I’m very happy we were able to go testing this week in Madrid, following the terrible tragedy in Valencia.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to those affected by this awful disaster. Now, I’m ready to go racing. I’m happy with the settings on the car and the team environment — bring on Sao Paulo.”

His Neom McLaren teammate, Bird, finished further down the grid in P18, with a time of 1:28.529.

“I am very pleased with the work we have done in Madrid. We have finished our program with no major issues, which is a great confidence boost for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team,” said the British driver.

“My thoughts and prayers go out the people affected by the tragedy in Valencia, and I am very grateful for the work the whole Formula E paddock has put in to enable us to go testing at Jarama this week.

“Going into the first race in Sao Paulo, I feel excited and optimistic about the season ahead, and I’m looking forward to getting out there in a month’s time.”

Evans drove the quickest over the 4,731 total laps and 18,512 km completed in the six three-hour test sessions across four days — with the New Zealander setting a lap time of 1:27.461.

The Jaguar driver set the pace during the final morning’s running on Friday, with the entire field split by a little over a second on the overall timesheet.

Reigning champion Pascal Wehrlein was third in the running in the latest factory Porsche 99X Electric. He split the impressive Porsche-powered Kiro Race Co pair of Dan Ticktum and David Beckmann who sat second and fourth, respectively, using the season-10-specification powertrain.

In a strong showing, Zane Maloney, new to Formula E this season and the grid’s only full debutant, found himself mid-pack on the timing screens. The Lola Yamaha ABT driver from Barbados enters the series from FIA Formula 2.


UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off

UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off
Updated 13 November 2024
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UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off

UAE’s Commando Group sets the pace as Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship kicks off
  • Competition for veterans is part of ongoing 16th Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena

ABU DHABI: The UAE’s Commando Group have continued their successful run on the seventh day of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, which is taking place at Mubadala Arena until Nov. 16.

The Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship began on Tuesday, featuring purple and brown belts. At the end of the day, Commando Group topped the medal table, followed by MOD UAE in second, and the Kazakhstan National Academy in third.

The day also featured qualifying matches for the masters’ men’s and women’s black- and brown-belt contests, with competitors vying for Wednesday’s final-round spots.

Mohamed Salem Al-Dhaheri, vice chairman of the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation, said: “The masters category is a key part of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, with athletes demonstrating challenge and determination, inspiring new generations in the sport.”

One of the guests of honor, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s Deputy Director-General Khalifa Abdullah Al-Qubaisi, said: “We are proud to organize an event of this scale in our capital, Abu Dhabi, and to witness its growth each year into a true celebration of sport.

“We greatly appreciate the UAE Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s efforts in promoting and advancing the sport, especially with the achievements of our sons and daughters at both local and international levels.”

Cobra Fitness’ Jyri Heinonen, who won gold in the 94 kg Men’s GI/Brown/Master 4 category, was delighted at his performance.

“I’ve been planning to come to Abu Dhabi and compete in the championships here for a long time, and I decided to enter this year’s Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.

“I’m thrilled to have secured first place. I spent a lot of time training and preparing, and even continued training in Abu Dhabi with many skilled competitors, gaining valuable experience,” he said.

“I’ve competed in many tournaments across Europe, but I’ve never seen one of this scale. The experience was incredible in every way, so I’ll be back for next year’s edition.”


Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am

Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am
Updated 13 November 2024
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Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am

Caitlin Clark steps off the court and onto the fairway to play in an LPGA pro-am
  • The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika
  • This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers

BELLEAIR, Florida: Caitlin Clark has one goal when she plays in an LPGA pro-am.

“I’ve tried to practice as much as I can,” Clark said Tuesday. “I’m just the average golfer. I’m going to hit some good, I’m going to hit some bad. ... Just going to try not to hit anyone standing outside of the ropes. But it’ll be fun.”

The WNBA rookie of the year star was invited to take part in Wednesday’s pro-am at Pelican Golf Club ahead of The Annika. The presenting sponsor is Gainbridge, which has an endorsement deal with Clark.

She took part in an LPGA Women’s Leadership Summit with Sorenstam, the tournament host, and former model and business leader Kathy Ireland.

Clark will be playing the front nine with Nelly Korda, the No. 1 player in the women’s ranking who has clinched the LPGA’s player of the year award. She plays the back nine with Sorenstam, who retired in 2008 and now dabbles in senior golf.

Clark had said after the Indiana Fever were eliminated from the WNBA playoffs that she planned to play golf until it became too cold in Indiana, adding with a smile, “Become a professional golfer.”

Yes, she was kidding.

“I’ve tried to take as much time as I can to practice, but there is only so much hope. You just cross your fingers, pray,” she said Tuesday. “No, I’ve practiced a little bit and I just had the quote about becoming a professional golfer. Everybody thought I was serious. I was not serious. I love it. I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends.

“It’s challenging and getting to come here and be around the best and have a good time is what I’m looking forward to.”

This will be her second pro-am, which often attracts athletes and entertainers. Clark played in the pro-am at the John Deere Classic in July 2023 when she was still at Iowa.


Analysis: Bernhard Langer and his 18 straight years of winning is among golf’s untouchable records

Analysis: Bernhard Langer and his 18 straight years of winning is among golf’s untouchable records
Updated 13 November 2024
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Analysis: Bernhard Langer and his 18 straight years of winning is among golf’s untouchable records

Analysis: Bernhard Langer and his 18 straight years of winning is among golf’s untouchable records
  • Langer finished his year with a feat as impressive as any, if not more
  • Langer’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship victory makes it 18 consecutive years with at least one win on the 50-and-older circuit, where time is the greatest adversary

Winning doesn’t get old. Neither, apparently, does Bernhard Langer.

In a year when Scottie Scheffler delivered a level of dominance not seen since Tiger Woods and Xander Schauffele won two majors, when Nelly Korda tied an LPGA record by winning five straight times and Lydia Ko got into the LPGA Hall of Fame by winning Olympic gold, Langer finished his year with a feat as impressive as any, if not more.

Winless for the first time since the 67-year-old Langer became eligible for the PGA Tour Champions in 2007, he was down to the final tournament on a Phoenix Country Club course where he had never finished within five shots of the winner.

“One more putt,” caddie Terry Holt told him on the 18th green, and Langer holed a 30-foot birdie putt for a 66 — his third straight day shooting his age or lower — for a one-shot victory in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship.

That makes it 18 consecutive years with at least one win on the 50-and-older circuit, where time is the greatest adversary. No other league has a shorter shelf life for success. For every year that skills deteriorate, a new batch of younger players (relatively speaking) arrive.

Consider this: The year Langer joined the PGA Tour Champions in 2007, Padraig Harrington won the first of his three major championships. Langer finished 10 shots ahead of the Irishman on Sunday.

The record for consecutive years winning on the PGA Tour is 17, held by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus. They were in their 40s when the streak ended, not pushing 70.

“The commitment, the dedication and desire to compete at a high level blows my mind,” said Mark O’Meara, a runner-up to Langer in the German’s first Champions win in 2007. “A lot of things happen in sport. I understand what Tiger did, what Nicklaus did, Palmer, all the greats that come before us. But what this man has done for 18 years is amazing. Forget the money. Just to have the desire and will.

“I don’t see it happening again. I truly don’t.”

O’Meara, who now lives in Las Vegas, wouldn’t get very good odds of this record being broken.

It belongs among the untouchable record in golf, just shy of Byron Nelson winning 11 tournaments in a row on the PGA Tour in 1945, probably greater than Woods making 142 consecutive cuts over seven years.

Langer set the record for oldest winner on the PGA Tour Champions in 2021 when he was 64. He has broken his record five times since then, most recently on Sunday. He defied more than age this year.

Remember, Langer began the year by tearing his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball and missed three months. That he missed only three months was remarkable in itself. And then there’s the motivation of coming back from such an injury at this stage in life.

He already had broken the one PGA Tour Champions record thought to be out of reach, 45 career wins by the fiercely competitive Hale Irwin. Langer won his record-breaking 46th last year at no less than the US Senior Open against Steve Stricker (who is 10 years younger).

Langer knew what was at stake in Phoenix. He knew it was his last chance. Langer wasn’t about to let it go that easily. He forged a 54-hole tie, birdied five of his six opening holes on Sunday to build a big lead and then watched it disappear until he came to the last hole tied with Steven Alker.

Langer was in the trees, punched out and hit wedge to 30 feet. The putt was stuff of legend, perfect pace and a perfect line that slid gently to the right at the last minute into the cup. Langer dropped his putter and slung his visor to the ground, emotion rarely seen in either of his two Masters wins.

“It did just perfectly what it needed to do and disappeared,” he said. “Then all hell broke loose kind of emotionally. So it was pretty wild, yeah.”

How does he do it? It’s a question Langer has been asked for the better part of the last decade, because most great players graduating to the PGA Tour Champions make their hay in the first eight years at the most, not 18.

It’s actually the second time Langer has strung together 18 consecutive years of winning. His first was in 1980 on the European tour in the British Masters when he was a 22-year-old with wavy blond hair from a country with next to no history in golf. He won the German Masters for the third time at age 50 in 1997, and then the streak ended in 1998.

It’s even more impressive to do it at his age. Langer spent 30 years working, grinding, winning. He turned 50 and worked just as hard with a body that doesn’t cooperate like it once did.

“You can still work, but are you living it like you used to?” Curtis Strange said. “Physically, we can play pretty well. We can all beat balls. But can you be into it 25 times a year? I marvel at Bernhard. It’s incredible stuff.”

Even more amazing? There’s always next year.

“People say why am I still playing? Well, this is why,” Langer said after collecting his 47th trophy on the PGA Tour Champions, to go along with two Masters green jackets, another PGA Tour win, 40 wins on the European tour, victories on every continent where golf is played.

“I enjoy the adrenaline. I enjoy being in the hunt. And I still feel like I can win and be there on the leaderboard,” he said. “I’ve just proven that again, becoming the oldest winner again and again out here. It’s been great to compete against these guys.

“It never gets old.”