Mauricio Pochettino had spent the past few days summoning belief in what the USA might achieve in the face of scepticism. Can they win the World Cup, he was repeatedly asked, to which his stock response was: “Why not? We can dream.” After this hugely impressive 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles, perhaps Pochettino’s task now is to manage inflated expectations, to temper America’s wildest dreams.
The first half in particular was 45 minutes of perfection, broken only by three minutes of needless hydration. One of America’s nagging concerns in recent years has been the lack of a ruthless striker but Monaco forward Folarin Balogun scored three times, one of which was ruled out for offside, and the last of which was a brilliantly composed and precise finish into the top corner of Orlando Gill’s goal.
That strike wrapped a half full of endeavour and spirit, but also technical quality and intelligent movement. Pochettino has spent most of his two-year reign as manager testing and tweaking, trying to find the right balance between attack and defence, between left and right, and here his team worked in seamless sync.
Sergino Dest was a constant threat on the right wing with his direct dribbling, while Paraguay’s right-back Juan Jose Caceres must have contracted the twisties trying to fend off Christian Pulisic on the opposite side. Pulisic offered creative spark and set up Balogun’s first goal before being replaced at half-time.
“I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Pulisic said after the game. “Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I’m hoping I’ll be fine the next few days.”
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USA’s reliance on Pulisic has often weighed heavily on this generation’s star player. His face has been all over billboards and on TV adverts here. But the performance of Balogun up front and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie stitching moves together in the No 10 role suggested that responsibility will be shared around.
“It’s a dream,” Balogun after his World Cup debut. “It’s a dreamy night.”
(Reuters)
This World Cup is not just a test of the USA’s place in the game but a test of the game’s place in the USA. It is now the fourth most popular sport in America, with more fans than ever watching Major League Soccer and more children than ever playing the game. With a World Cup on home soil, there will never be a better platform for America to climb closer to the sport’s summit.
To be in LA over the past few days was to meet two different types of America. The majority only vaguely know the World Cup is happening and have no idea the US are playing in their own city or which players are on the team. They assume “Pochettino” is a type of coffee. It can feel like the World Cup has barely registered in a city this vast, like a damselfly landing on a water buffalo’s back.
But there are thousands of football fans if you look in the right places. US shirts, Mexico shirts, Argentina shirts, people passionate about the game and giddy its greatest show has arrived on their doorstep.
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“What is success?” Pochettino keeps being asked. Perhaps it is not a specific knockout round but a feeling, a moment, a late winner that grips the entire country, even those oblivious to what is going on right now. USA’s task here is not so much to win the World Cup as to take the country on an unforgettable ride so that in years to come, the words “that summer of 2026” transport them back to a moment in time when they felt something.
The job of this squad, a diverse band of brothers, is to connect with the American public, and this was the perfect start. The evening began with an opening ceremony and organisers provided all the bombast you’d expect, with a series of musical acts headlined by Katy Perry and a parade of national flags reminiscent of an Olympic Games. Iran’s flag was among the 48, although it was somewhat comical that the event’s MC called for “a round of applause for peace” before kick-off.
Mauricio Pochettino, Head Coach of the United States, celebrates (Getty)
There appeared to be almost as many Paraguay fans as US supporters inside this extraordinary spaceship of a stadium, almost as many vertical red and white stripes as horizontal ones, like the world’s most devilish game of Where’s Wally. Like several other games so far there were some empty seats which undermined the wisdom of Fifa’s ticketing policy, although several fans entering the stadium told The Independent they had paid around $1,000 for tickets, so Fifa may not miss a few going unsold.
Donald Trump did not attend but Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Hilary Duff and Vince Vaughn were among the famous faces posted on giant screens with their names captioned beneath them, as they do here. What they witnessed was the standout performance of the tournament so far.
Pulisic danced into the box before drawing the mistake from Bobadilla for America’s first goal, and Pulisic was involved again down the left when he raced into space before squaring for Balogun to convert a sharp first-time finish. Balogun’s second goal was even better, shrugging off a defender before pausing just a moment and then spearing a shot into the top corner.
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Paraguay pulled a goal back in the second half through substitute Mauricio, but the US showed off their firepower in reserve when Gio Reyna came off the bench to swerve an arcing finish past Gill to seal three points.
“Poch has said many times, why not us?” added Balogun. “We have to believe. You can’t do anything if you don’t believe in yourself.” By the full-time whistle, there were no more disbelievers.
George Russell bounced back from the disappointments of the past few races to take pole position for the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
Russell edged out Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari by just 0.064 seconds as runaway championship leader Kimi Antonelli could manage only third place in the other Mercedes.
McLaren’s Lando Norris took fourth from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, while Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc crashed on his first lap in the final session and will start 10th.
Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri was seventh, from Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg.
Ed. note: The subject of this story is X user Upper East Side Golf (@UESgolf), a member of the golf “burnerverse.” He is referenced by his username and handle in this article in order to protect his burnerverse identity.
Upper East Side Golf is a certified golf sicko. That term gets thrown around a lot, but there are few that embody the term quite like he does.
Each morning, he wakes up around 5:30 a.m. and treks to Five Iron Golf‘s Rockefeller Center location to grind on his game. He often hits balls for 90 minutes and finishes with a lift in the gym before heading to his midtown Manhattan office to start his day job in the financial industry. On mornings when he isn’t grinding on his game in the simulator, you may find him walking the fairways of Pelham Bay golf course in the Bronx.
“I played 83 rounds in 2025,” @UESgolf says. “I’d wake up at 4:15 or 4:30 a.m., take an Uber, or drive once I got a car, go play at Pelham Bay, finish as quickly as possible, and get back to the city by 9:30 so I could go to work.”
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There are golf “sickos” and there are golf sickos. @UESgolf is the latter.
Most remarkable of all, golf is a relatively new obsession for the 31-year-old. Although he is a life-long athlete, @UESgolf only picked up golf in the fall of 2024. Growing up in the golf-rich suburbs of Philadelphia, his father played the game, but @UESgolf’s focus was on lacrosse. Golf simply didn’t pique his interest.
That all changed a little over 18 months ago when he joined a group of friends for a round. After being bested by his less-athletically-gifted compatriots, he decided he to pursue golf to fulfill his competitive drive. It hasn’t taken him long to get the hang of the game. Despite a late introduction to the sport, @UESgolf has already whittled his handicap into the low single-digits, and has a clubhead speed with the driver that is well over 120 mph (seriously).
So, what’s the secret to his rapid golf improvement? I recently sat down with him to find out.
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1. Focus on center contact
Like many new golfers, @UESgolf had poor clubface control when he picked up the game. Instead of chasing aesthetic swing changes in those early days, he focused on the most important skill in golf: consistently striking the center of the clubface.
Much of his practice revolved around simple feedback drills. Foot spray on the clubface to reveal strike location or a headcover near the ball to encourage a different club path. Everything he did was with the goal of teaching himself how to hit the center of the clubface.
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“The biggest thing to focus on is compressing the ball and making good contact,” he says. “Even still today, a lot of what I try and do is just hit the center of the clubface.”
2. Dedicated practice
Rapid improvement doesn’t happen without serious commitment. As @UESgolf can attest, it takes dedication if you want to shave strokes off your handicap.
“I wake up at 5:30 a.m. and head to Five Iron to hit balls for an hour or two,” he says. “Then in the spring and summer, as soon as it gets warm enough for golf, which for me is about 40 to 42 degrees, I go play before work.”
Not everyone has the flexibility to dedicate that kind of time to golf, but the unfortunate truth about the game is that improvement doesn’t happen overnight. If you want to get better, you’ve got to put the work in.
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3. Don’t go down too many rabbit holes
Like many who get the “golf bug,” @UESgolf spends plenty of time obsessing over his swing. But this can be a blessing and a curse. While it’s good to dedicate thought to how you swing the club, you can also drive yourself crazy if you go down too many social-media swing-tip rabbit holes.
“I was DMing with [fellow golf burner Arnie McNair] during one of those swing-rating things he was doing,” @UESgolf says. “He looked at my swing and said, ‘You’re a 6 handicap now, but you’d be a scratch golfer if you stopped doing XYZ and got off YouTube.’
“I was making all kinds of changes. I even cut down my clubs because I thought I couldn’t get around properly. I was doing all sorts of crazy stuff.’ … Eventually Arnie introduced me to Andrew McCain, who gave me a free swing evaluation, and I’ve worked with him since January.”
Not all social-media golf instruction is bad (in fact, lots of it is quite good!), but if you take every swing tip you see and apply it ad hoc, you are setting yourself up for disaster. That’s why it’s so important to have a professional take a look at your swing. Once you are diagnosed by a pro, fixing the flaws in your swing becomes much easier.
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4. Mix up your practice
Becoming a better golfer isn’t just about finding better positions that look better on camera. It’s also about building a swing that is functional in on-course settings. @UESgolf understands this, which is why he incorporates a mix of block practice and variable practice into his routine.
“I’d say it’s probably about 60 percent variable and 40 percent block practice,” he says. “There are definitely days where I’m just trying to work out a kink and I’ll hit a bunch of drivers or a bunch of 7-irons. But the practice that seems to help my scoring the most is variable practice, working through different yardages and situations. Maybe I hit a 185-yard shot, then a 70-yard shot, then a 150-yard shot. That’s the kind of practice that translates best to the course.”
5. Remember to play
@UESgolf is a self-described range rat who finds beating balls “therapeutic.” But the biggest key for lowering his handicap hasn’t come in the simulator — it’s come from learning how to get the ball in the hole on the course.
“If you really want your handicap to come down, you have to play golf and learn how to score,” he says. “I learned how to shoot in the 70s from the white and blue tees. Now I’m playing farther back and it’s more challenging. Learning how to score is something you simply can’t do in a simulator.”
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Golf can feel like an impossible game at times, but as @UESgolf proves, improvement is attainable with the right dedication, mindset and practice regimen.
NEW DELHI: Indian captain Shubman Gill produced a stunning moment in the rain-shortened first ODI between India and Afghanistan at Dharamshala, pulling off a one-handed screamer that lit up the match as India tightened their grip in a 25-over contest. The catch came at a crucial stage as Afghanistan were trying to recover after a chaotic middle phase, but Gill’s sharp reflexes ended another key breakthrough attempt in style.The dismissal happened in the 21.4 over when Harsh Dubey tossed one up just outside off. Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar attempted a big shot, only to get a thick top edge that ballooned towards slip. Gill reacted instantly, diving to his left and sticking out one hand to complete a sensational grab, ensuring control as he rolled over on the ground. The batter was out for 0 off 2 balls, and India continued to chip away at the Afghan lower order.Watch:At the end, India bundled out the visitors for 194 in 24.5 overs.Gill reacted instantly, diving full stretch to his left and grabbing a one-handed stunner.Afghanistan had earlier been powered by a brilliant 102 off 51 balls from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who dominated the powerplay and middle overs with 8 fours and 8 sixes. However, once he fell at 142, the innings unravelled quickly. India’s bowlers kept striking at regular intervals. Arshdeep Singh picked up two early wickets, while debutant Gurnoor Brar impressed with three scalps, including Rashid Khan and the final wicket of Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi. Harsh Dubey also claimed three wickets, removing key batters Hashmatullah Shahidi, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Ghazanfar.Nitish Kumar Reddy contributed two wickets, while Prasidh Krishna and Washington Sundar supported the attack in a disciplined effort. Despite Gurbaz’s explosive century, Afghanistan collapsed from 142 for 3 to 194 all out, losing their last seven wickets for just 52 runs.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz rewrote the record books with a breathtaking 48-ball century against India in the rain-shortened first ODI at Dharamsala. The hundred was the fastest ever by an Afghanistan batter in ODI cricket, surpassing all previous Afghan records. It was also the quickest century of Gurbaz’s ODI career, his ninth overall in the format, and the fastest ODI hundred ever recorded in an India-Afghanistan encounter.Gurbaz eventually departed for a sensational 102 off 51 balls, an innings packed with power and aggression. He struck eight fours and eight sixes before Nitish Kumar Reddy ended his remarkable stay at the crease. The right-hander had already made headlines earlier in the innings when he raced to a half-century in just 25 balls. That effort became the second-fastest ODI fifty by an Afghanistan batter, behind only Mohammad Nabi’s 24-ball fifty against Sri Lanka in Lahore in 2023. Mujeeb Ur Rahman‘s 26-ball fifty against Pakistan in Colombo completes the top three.Best conversion rate from 50s to 100s in ODIs56.25 – Rahmanullah Gurbaz (9 hundreds)43.48 – Calum MacLeod (10 hundreds)42.86 – Daryl Mitchell (9 hundreds)41.82 – Quinton de Kock (23 hundreds)41.22 – Virat Kohli (54 hundreds)(min. 7 hundreds)Fastest ODI fifties for Afghanistan (by balls faced):24 balls – Mohammad Nabi vs Sri Lanka, Lahore, 202325 balls – Rahmanullah Gurbaz vs India, Dharamsala, 202626 balls – Mujeeb Ur Rahman vs Pakistan, Colombo, 2023Gurbaz’s fireworks also helped Afghanistan register only their second century partnership against India in ODI cricket. The previous three-figure stand came during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Delhi, when Azmatullah Omarzai and Hashmatullah Shahidi added 121 runs.His stunning innings came in a match that had already seen India hand ODI debuts to left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey and fast bowler Gurnoor Brar. With rain reducing the contest to 25 overs per side, Gurbaz made full use of the shortened format, taking the attack to the Indian bowlers from the outset and producing one of the most destructive innings by an Afghanistan batter against India.
Uncapped Sussex pace bowler Henry Crocombe has been called into England’s squad for the second Test against New Zealand as cover for Ollie Robinson.
Robinson, who took seven wickets on a brilliant return to Test cricket in the first-Test win at Lord’s, experienced knee soreness after a training session on Saturday and will have a “precautionary” scan on Sunday.
The second match of the three-Test series starts on Wednesday at Trent Bridge.
Crocombe, 24, has taken 21 wickets at an average of 28.61 in seven County Championship matches for Sussex this season and claimed 4-65 for England Lions against South Africa A last month.
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England are without seamer Gus Atkinson and captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes for the Test, which begins on Wednesday, after they were involved in an incident in a nightclub.
Crocombe has never been included in an England squad but has been namechecked by England coach Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key in recent weeks.
Josh Tongue, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker and Matt Fisher are the other seamers in the squad.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Bo Bichette (19) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Bo Bichette made New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza look clairvoyant on Friday night.
On Saturday afternoon, the suddenly injury-wracked Atlanta Braves will begin trying to do the same for manager Walt Weiss.
The Mets will look to earn a much-needed series win when they host the Braves in the middle contest of a three-game set.
Sean Manaea (1-1, 5.02 ERA) is slated to make his first start of the season for the Mets against fellow left-hander Martin Perez (4-3, 3.02).
Bichette hit two homers off Braves right-hander Spencer Strider before the latter departed with a sore elbow and shoulder during the Mets’ 7-5 win on Friday.
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Bichette entered the game batting .227 with a .607 OPS for the last-place Mets. Those numbers are well below the .294 average and .806 OPS he produced in seven seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays before signing a three-year deal with New York in January.
But Bichette, who also homered in Thursday’s 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals, tied a career high Friday with six RBIs. After hitting a solo homer in the first and a grand slam in the second, Bichette added a sacrifice fly off JR Ritchie in the fourth.
“I think I said before the game today that I wouldn’t be surprised if it starts today, and sure enough,” Mendoza said afterward. “He’s special. He’s a really good hitter, and it’s just a matter of time.”
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Bichette is batting .232 this season, with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
Meanwhile, the Braves, whose 45-24 record is the best in the majors, are in the midst of a three-game losing streak in which two key contributors have been injured.
Strider walked off the mound Friday after facing one batter in the fourth inning. The right-hander, who underwent an internal brace procedure to repair the UCL in his right elbow in 2024, will undergo testing to determine what ailed him Friday.
Former NL Most Valuable Player Ronald Acuna Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, one day after he strained his left hamstring trying to leg out a hit against the Chicago White Sox.
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“We knew this stuff was going to happen at some point,” Weiss said. “We have the right guys in there to deal with stuff like this. It’s a good group, and they show up every day really well. So we’ll fight through it.”
Manaea opened the season with 14 appearances out of the bullpen, mostly as a long reliever. He’s immediately followed an opener three times, including in his most recent appearance Sunday, when he earned the win after allowing two runs over four innings in a 7-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.
Perez was scheduled to start the series opener before getting pushed back after the Braves arrived in New York in the post-dawn hours Friday morning following a rainout with the White Sox on Thursday night. He earned the win in his most recent start June 5 after giving up three runs over five innings in a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Manaea is 0-1 with a 3.50 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Braves, and Perez is 4-0 with a 3.09 ERA in 10 games (six starts) vs. the Mets.
Jorge Posada’s wife, Laura Posada, formerly née Mendez, racked up significant attention online when she posted a carousel of photos on her social media while soaking up the sun in a black bikini during a tropical getaway in Montenegro.
Laura posed in a halter-neck bikini set from Maxine Yachtwear, known for its luxury women’s yachtwear. She styled her look with an elegant bandana and classy shades. Her toned physique, including her sculpted abs, was on full display in the pictures. The 54-year-old also shared a sneak peek of the stunning waterfront area featuring Tapasake, which is One&Only Portonovi’s signature beach club and restaurant area where the shots were taken.
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“Montenegro, you’re GORGEOUS 🖤💫” – Jorge Posada’s wife, Laura Posada captioned the IG post.
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In 2000, when Jorge Posada and his wife got married, Yankees HOF Derek Jeter was his best man. Their first child, Jorge Jr., was born with a health complication called craniosynostosis, where it fuses skull-bones prematurely, not leaving any space for the brain to grow. Jorge Jr. survived nine operations where the doctors peeled off his skin, took the bones out, and restructured them. Posada recounted not remembering what happened on the field during this time. Currently, Jorge Jr. is a 15-year-old who leads a healthy life and even plays baseball.
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When Jorge Posada opened up about why Alex Rodriguez doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada was part of one of the most successful eras of the franchise’s history, which was also the time when steroid usage heavily influenced the game. In a candid interview, Posada revealed that even while people around him were shooting up performance-enhancing drugs, he never got tempted, although he revealed there were a lot of times he thought about it, but he had bigger reasons to stay away from it.
On being asked about his teammate Alex Rodriguez, who was suspended for using PEDs and lying about it, Posada said any player who is linked to steroids doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame.
“I don’t think it’s fair for the guys that have been in the Hall of Fame that were that played the game clean. I think the guys that need to be in the Hall of Fame need to be players that played with no controversy.” – Jorge Posada claimed.
The former MLB icon belonged to the Yankees’ “Core Four” who went on to win four World Series titles. The 5x All-Star had an illustrious career of 17 seasons from 1995 to 2011. Currently, he is the assistant hitting coach for the Italian team for international games and holds an advisory role in MLB.
Manchester City are pressing ahead with a move to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in the summer transfer window
Manchester City will be sending a clear message to the rest of the Premier League this summer if they sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. The England international has been on City’s radar to replace Bernardo Silva for some time as they look to start the new era with a bang.
During Pep Guardiola’s time in Manchester, there was a consensus about the type of players who should arrive. Having the world class talent needed to succeed at the Etihad Stadium was one thing, but that alone was not enough for Guardiola.
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He was forever eager to sign players who had the right mentality for life at a top club. This was shown during the January transfer window when both Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi arrived. Guardiola was confident both men could handle the step up.
“Antoine, we played against him many times in the last years and whether he can be top class or elite, we have to see,” Guardiola said.
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“The biggest stages in the Premier League, yes, but in the [Champions League] knockout stages in the position is a good test for him. How he will react. I’m pretty sure his mentality, I think he will handle it quite well.”
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He then added on Guehi: “An incredible signing. His focus in every single detail in the game, in his private life, to be a professional is unbelievable. An unbelievable signing for Manchester City, we are really pleased with his behaviour, how he accepts bad moments and turns around immediately. That defines the big, big players in the big clubs. Really pleased.”
With Guardiola gone, the first signing of the new era looks like someone who fits this mould too. Anderson is with the England squad currently ahead of their World Cup opener vs Croatia on Wednesday.
When asked about Anderson’s links to City, Thomas Tuchel spoke in glowing terms. “He’s a top player. There’s nothing more to say, he’s the full package,” Tuchel admitted after England beat Costa Rica 3-0 in their final warm-up game.
“The bid? No comment. He seems not affected. I won’t speak to him about it. My assistant coach spoke with him about it but I won’t. It should push him because it’s proof of what he’s capable to do and what level he can perform. At the moment, it seems like a push for him.
“Even if a transfer is completed, hopefully he stays the same person. Hopefully he just stays the same – a humble, determined, hungry football player. Absolutely, he is very level-headed.
“I hope it boosts his confidence (if it happens). I don’t want to go into it too much if it’s a boost or not a boost – what I see on the training pitch is no distractions, full commitment, that’s what comes from him.”
All signs point towards City adding another good character to their group if Anderson joins. For that reason, there’s no doubt Guardiola would have given his stamp of approval to the deal.
Roy Jones Jr has named his price, demanding an eight-figure purse if he is to step back through the ropes.
In his prime, the American became one of the finest fighters to ever grace the sport, his blistering speed and overall athleticism making him seem almost unbeatable.
The pound-for-pound legend then retired in 2018, when many felt he was well past his best, only to enter an exhibition match with Mike Tyson in 2020.
While it was a non-competitive encounter, many felt Tyson had gotten the better of Jones, who subsequently made his professional return against Anthony Pettis and lost an eight-round decision to the former UFC champion in 2023.
Since then, the 57-year-old has remained on the safer side of the ropes but is now considering another comeback, this time against Misfits boxer Tommy Fury.
Having immersed himself in the ‘influencer’ side of the sport, with prior professional victories over Jake Paul and KSI, Fury is now gearing up to face former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall.
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Speaking with BettingLounge, Jones said he would only be willing to challenge the 27-year-old if he is handsomely rewarded for his troubles.
“Is me vs Tommy Fury dead? Nothing’s dead forever. Roy Jones is still alive; Tommy Fury is still alive. Who knows? For the right money, it would force me into the gym to prepare.
“If they give me $10 million, of course. Ten and upwards, yes. If they don’t give me $10 million and upwards then no, I’m not wasting my time.”
Fury’s six-round exhibition match with Hall takes place at the Manchester Arena later today, though the result will not affect his professional record of 11-0 (4 KOs).
Scotland secured their first T20 World Cup win thanks to an impressive 40-run victory over Ireland in the Old Trafford opener.
A superb 106-run partnership between skipper Kathryn Bryce (60) and her sister Sarah Bryce (49) helped the Scots to 161-5 from their 20 overs.
Kirstie Gordon took three wickets in an over as the Irish struggled in reply and they were bowled out for 121.
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Scotland tasted victory for a first time at the fifth attempt while Ireland’s miserable T20 World Cup record continues, having lost all 18 games.
Ireland won the toss and elected to bowl first in a cold, windy and mainly overcast Manchester.
It looked to be a good decision as the Scots were reduced to 36-2 but the Bryce sisters would change the momentum of the match with a decisive third-wicket partnership.
Kathryn’s quickfire 60 from 39 balls included six boundaries and a six while the pair piled up 36 runs from just two overs.
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Ireland will rue two chances to dismiss the Scottish captain with Alana Dalzell misjudging the flight of the ball on the boundary before Alice Tector spilled an easier opportunity.
Ireland pegged back Scotland in the final overs to keep the target down to 162 with Ava Canning (3-27) the pick of the bowlers.
The Irish needed a strong start with the bat and reached 37-1 before losing the key wicket of captain Gaby Lewis (11), who was stumped from a Katherine Fraser delivery.
Amy Hunter top-scored with 39 and Orla Prendergast made 33 but the Irish were undone by impressive spin bowling from Gordon (3-16) and Fraser (3-19).
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Gordon’s three wickets came in the same over to leave Ireland on 70-6 and from there Scotland eased to victory, their fourth in a row against Saturday’s opponents.
Ireland are back in action against hosts England on Tuesday at Southampton while next up for the Scots is a Headingly meeting with West Indies on Thursday.
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