BOXING
Inoue to defend titles
Undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue of Japan is to defend his titles against Australia’s Sam Goodman at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Christmas Eve, it was announced yesterday. The 31-year-old Inoue, who has a 28-0 record with 25 wins by knockout, beat Ireland’s T.J. Doheny in his most recent defense in Tokyo last month. The 26-year-old Goodman, who has a 19-0 record with eight KOs, has never held a world title in any division. “He has an unbeaten record so he must have something about him,” Inoue, known as “Monster,” told reporters in Tokyo. “I will need to be careful and bear that in mind for this fight.”
Photo: AFP
GOLF
Japanese rookie leads
Japanese rookie Mao Saigo yesterday carded a nine-under-par 63 to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the LPGA Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur, while Taiwan’s Hsu Wei-ling was in a tie for third after a 65. Saigo had 10 birdies against a lone bogey under clear skies at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. Taiwan’s Chien Pei-yun was in a share of 42nd after a first-round 70, while compatriot Cheng Ssu-chia shot a 72 for a share of 55th.
Photo: AFP
CRICKET
South Africa win first Test
South Africa yesterday cruised to a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in the first Test, with fast bowler Kagiso Rabada the star of the show in Mirpur. Rabada took 6-46 as Bangladesh went from 283-7 overnight to 307 all out, leaving the visitors a victory target of 106. Rabada finished with 9-72 in the match, having become the fastest bowler to reach 300 Test wickets during the first innings. “It’s special,” stand-in captain Aiden Markram said of a victory that was sealed before lunch on day 4 and gave South Africa a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Photo: AFP
CRICKET
Zimbabwe crush Gambia
Zimbabwe on Wednesday hit 344-4 in a T20 World Cup qualifier, setting what the International Cricket Council (ICC) said was a world-record international score in the format. Zimbabwe were playing the Gambia in an African sub-regional qualifier at the Ruaraka Sports Club Ground in Nairobi. The ICC said the total was a world record for a T20 international, eclipsing the previous high score of 314-3 set by Nepal against Mongolia last year. Sikandar Raza smashed 133 not out off 43 deliveries in a knock that included 15 sixes. Wicketkeeper Tadiwanashe Marumani struck 62 from just 19 balls and Clive Madande clobbered 53 not out from 17. Musa Jobarteh’s four overs went for 93 runs. In the reply, No. 10 Andre Jarju was the only batsman to get into double figures with 12 not out as the Gambia were bowled out for 54 to record a loss by 290 runs.
Tallon Griekspoor on Friday stunned top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4) in the second round at Indian Wells, avenging a devastating loss to the German at Roland Garros last year. Zverev, the world No. 2 who is heading the field of the prestigious ATP Masters event with No. 1 Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, is the first Indian Wells men’s top seed to lose his opening match since Andy Murray in 2017. It was a cherished win for Griekspoor, who had lost five straight matches — including four last year — to the German. That included a five-setter
Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday scored 26 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers punched their ticket to the NBA playoffs with a hard-fought 112-107 victory over the Miami Heat. A seesaw battle in Cleveland saw the Heat threaten to end the Cavs’ 11-game unbeaten streak after opening up a seven-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but the Cavs clawed back the deficit in the closing minutes to seal their 12th straight victory and a place in the post-season. The Cavaliers improved to 52-10, maintaining their stranglehold on the Eastern Conference with 20 games of the regular season remaining. Mitchell was one of six Cleveland
Five-time champion Novak Djokovic on Saturday tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced. “No excuses for a poor performance,” 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat. “It doesn’t feel great when you play this way on the court,” he said. “But congratulations to my opponent — just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.” Djokovic is just the latest in Van de Zandschulp’s string of superstar victims. He
Manchester United on Thursday settled for a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Europa League round-of-16 tie. United led on Joshua Zirkzee’s goal in the 58th minute, but the hosts equalized 12 minutes later after Bruno Fernandes’ hand ball and Mikel Oyarzabal sent Andre Onana the wrong way from the penalty spot. The Europa League could be a way for United to finish the season with a trophy after crashing out of the FA Cup on Sunday. A spot in the quarter-finals is to be on the line at Old Trafford in the second leg on Thursday next
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