FOWLER 13, FULTON 0

Addison Spicer went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI and Rachel Wirth drove in three runs while helping the Eagles capture a Division 4 district title with a five-inning mercy-rule victory over Fulton on May 29. Neelah O’Rourke struck out eight and allowed just two hits while pitching the complete game for Fowler. The Eagles recorded a 10-0 win over Portland St. Patrick in the district semifinal led by Bristol Miller, who went 1-for-1 with a home run, four walks and four RBI.

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DANSVILLE 15, BELLEVUE 0

Ryker Graf had a double and drove in five runs and Bree Delano went 2-for-2 with a double, three runs score and an RBI for the Aggies in their Division 4 district final mercy-rule win over Bellevue in three innings. Laci Neal went 2-for-2 with two RBI at the plate and struck out 10 while allowing one hit to earn the pitching win for the Aggies.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MHSAA softball districts: Fowler, Dansville capture titles

Arne Slot lasted two years at Liverpool FC after replacing Jurgen Klopp and has shown Enzo Maresca what he can and cannot do at Manchester City

How do you follow in the footsteps of one of the greatest managers the club has ever seen? With great difficulty, if you are Arne Slot. After a dream first year at Liverpool that saw the Dutchman coast to the Premier League title ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City, he will not even get a third season after being relieved of his duties.

Slot had managed the bare minimum of achieving Champions League football for next term after a wretched campaign that was not dissimilar to the one Pep Guardiola endured last year. But not only was Slot missing the CV that Guardiola has, he also fell short of what Jurgen Klopp embodied at Anfield.

Having feasted with a manager who made the stadium rock and gave them so many great nights, whatever credit Slot earned from winning the league in his first season was quickly used up and Liverpool fans have been fed up for a while now.

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When the results stopped coming, scrutiny of the performances grew. In games such as their 3-0 defeat to City at the Etihad in November, Liverpool resembled not just a shadow of the team they were but a shadow of the team they should have been after spending £450million to improve a title-winning squad.

And if the football gave little to keep Liverpool fans believing, Slot lost more of them in his press conferences. Whether it was tactics, expectations – where there were a few unnecessary swipes at the Klopp era – or even ticket prices, Slot time and again underwhelmed when given the opportunity to win supporters over to his banners.

The Anfield crowd backs their manager with patience, as happens at the Etihad and Old Trafford, so to hear boos for substitutions that Slot was making in the final weeks felt like the point of no return. That has now been confirmed, with Andoni Iraola installed as the early favourite.

If it means another change of manager at a top club, and as Enzo Maresca takes over from Guardiola, it is a useful lesson for the Italian in what he can and cannot afford to do at the Etihad. As Guardiola said, he will get more protection than other clubs and should never lose sight of being himself.

At the same time though, he always has to be offering something to the club and its fans – either in terms of results or belief in his methods. Maresca will not get everything right, so he has to ensure that there remains a reason for somebody important to be fighting his corner when things don’t work out.

Guardiola is an even more difficult act to follow than Klopp was, but Maresca has now seen some of what not to do as he looks to succeed at the Etihad.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Having fought and sparred Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic respectively, Dillian Whyte has explained why their potential fight could be “dangerous” for the Brit.

‘The Body Snatcher’ found himself on the receiving end of a ruthless first-round stoppage in August, back when he desperately attempted to halt Itauma’s momentum.

Unfortunately for Whyte, though, the rising heavyweight star was just far too powerful and quick, not to mention his ability to read an opponent and identify what shots to throw.

These qualities were firmly on display against Jermaine Franklin, who Itauma dispatched in five rounds when they squared off in March.

Shortly after claiming his best professional victory thus far, the 21-year-old admitted he had hoped to be facing world-ranked contender Hrgovic in Manchester.

But while his desire failed to materialise on that particular night, it now seems as though Hrgovic is the frontrunner to face Itauma in London later this year.

The 33-year-old comes off an uncomplicated third-round finish over Dave Allen earlier this month, insisting in his post-fight interview that he would gladly fight the man who many have pegged as a future world champion.

Speaking with IFL TV, Whyte said that Itauma should ultimately overcome this test, but not without any difficulty.

“Good fight. Dangerous fight for Moses, but good fight for Moses. I think the fight’s more beneficial for Moses than it is for Hrgovic.

“Hrgovic is a good fighter – he’s tough. [But] he’s not the most powerful guy, he gets cut a lot and, if you’re mobile, he seems to struggle.

“Moses is quite mobile, but I think it’s a good fight. Perfect fight for Moses at this [stage] in his career, and I think it’s a winnable fight for Hrgovic.”

With a win over Hrgovic, Itauma would be classed as a top 10 heavyweight who is surely ready for a shot at world honours, given his talent and commitment to the sport.

In September, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are set for a shocking rematch, and now ahead of the bout, former Mayweather opponent Canelo Alvarez has revealed his thoughts.

Mayweather famously schooled Canelo back in 2013 and followed up that victory with back-to-back triumphs over Marcos Maidana, before his long-awaited showdown with pound-for-pound rival Pacquiao.

‘TBE’ maintained his undefeated record against the Filipino fan-favourite in that 2015 clash, but the pair are now set to run it back 11 years later, with a new date of Saturday, September 26, currently being touted – after much deliberation as to whether the contest would be a fully sanctioned professional contest or an exhibition.

The fight has been greeted with a mixed reaction, some fight fans happy to see legends returning to face one another and others feeling disappointed that they feel the need to do so, at their respective ages of 49 and 47 years old.

Speaking with Boxing News, Canelo appeared to have little interest in the event, admitting that he did not enjoy their first encounter and insinuating that he is even less likely to enjoy their second.

“I cannot tell anything about it. I didn’t enjoy the first one. So we are going to see [in] the second one, how worse [they both are].”

Mayweather and Pacquiao are not the only fighters returning this Autumn, with Canelo also scheduled to end a less dramatic period of inactivity when he challenges for the WBC super-middleweight title against Christian Mbilli on Saturday, September 12.

Joel Kodua is eager to mop up at British title level, using his domestic success to launch an eventual assault on the world scene.

While making a first defence of his English title this Saturday, it is only natural that ‘JFK’ hopes to one day challenge for the highest honours of his sport.

Before that, though, he must face Central Area champion Will Harrison, featuring on the undercard of Adam Azim vs Steve Claggett at London’s Wembley Arena.

With Harrison having previously boxed to two draws against Joe Garside, who Kodua stopped in round seven earlier this year, it would be easy for the 29-year-old to overlook his next opponent.

While speaking with Boxing News, though, Kodua makes it clear that there is no danger of taking his eye off the ball.

“[Harrison is] still undefeated and he’s still a champion, so I’ve got to give him that respect. In that sense, I am training my ass off.

“Depending on the opponent, it’s always a different type of style that I bring to the table.

“With Darren Francis, I was walking him down, catching shots and firing back. With Bobby Dalton, I was more so countering off the ropes – boom, boom, boom – and, when I needed to step on the gas, I stepped on the gas.

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“But with Joe Garside, it was just constant pressure throughout the whole fight. You’ve got to have a plan from A-Z.”

Against Harrison, Kodua will enter his third Boxxer outing on the BBC, where viewers have been fortunate enough to witness his versatility in the ring.

Outside the ring, meanwhile, the English champ recently returned to his old stomping ground, Kingsford Community School, in an effort to inspire the younger generation.

“It was like taking a walk down memory lane. All the teachers are my age now, which is mad because, growing up, I remember all the teachers seeming a lot older [than 29].

“But it was good seeing the youth and giving a motivational talk, showing them that it’s possible to do anything that you want to do.”

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During his speech, Kodua emphasised the importance of finding your passion and, in turn, discovering your flow state, which he compares to feeling like ‘Neo’ from The Matrix.

“I think [I experienced it for the first time] in one of my amateur fights. I was just literally flowing and letting my hands go, like I was in The Matrix.”

If he emerges victorious against Harrison then Kodua should be in the conversation for a shot at Constantin Ursu, who claimed his British title with a convincing points win over Owen Cooper in February.

Whatever comes next, though, the unbeaten welterweight expects to be in a far stronger position by the end of 2026.

“By the end of the year, I want to have established myself a lot more in boxing. First, I want to dominate the British [scene], then go European and then [land on] the world scene.”

While admitting it would be a “cracking fight” between him and Ursu, Kodua is open to facing any opponent that can accelerate his charge towards the Promised Land.

Andoni Iraola has been talked up as one of the early contenders to become the next Liverpool head coach after the dismissal of Arne Slot.

The Merseyside club confirmed the Dutchman’s departure on Saturday lunchtime, bringing an end to his reign at Anfield after two years in which he delivered the Premier League title before then overseeing an almighty slump to scrape fifth place.

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Fabrizio Romano reported (via X) that Iraola – who’s just finished a hugely successful three-year spell at Bournemouth – is the ‘clear favourite’ to take over at LFC, and the 43-year-old would apparently be ‘interested’ in succeeding Slot.

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O’Connor: Iraola and Liverpool could be a good fit

Speaking to Sky Sports News shortly after today’s bombshell news broke, their reporter Vinny O’Connor explained why he thinks the Spaniard could be a good fit for the Liverpool job.

He said: “There’s all kinds of tie-ins with [ex-Cherries sporting director] Richard Hughes being at Liverpool, and we broke the news the other day that Iraola would like to hold out for the Liverpool job. He’s been linked with numerous jobs already since the announcement that he’s leaving Bournemouth.

“It’s a name that Liverpool fans have mentioned. I would argue that it’s a big jump going from Bournemouth to Liverpool, certainly even bigger than going from Feyenoord to Liverpool, but at the same time, the style of play is something that Liverpool fans would definitely relate to.

“I think everyone’s been impressed with what he’s done at Bournemouth and the style of play he’s been able to implement there. I think he would get Liverpool fans and Liverpool fans would get him. I think it’s pretty easy to put him at the top of the list at the moment, but I would imagine that Liverpool are going through a pretty thorough process at the same time.”

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Iraola seems to have plenty going for him

All of those are fair points from O’Connor – Iraola’s stock is undoubtedly quite high at the moment after the exceptional job he did at Bournemouth, although expectations and scrutiny at Liverpool would be substantially higher.

While his achievement in getting the Cherries to sixth place and into the Europa League was rightly hailed as a huge success, Slot ultimately lost his job at Anfield for finishing one place higher and qualifying for the Champions League.

However, the Spaniard is renowned for a forward-thinking, high-pressing style of football which’d likely resonate with Reds supporters who’d grown weary of the Dutchman’s tepid tactics.

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O’Connor’s point about Iraola being likely to ‘get’ Liverpool supporters is also quite pertinent. Head coaches will be judged primarily on results on the pitch, but this is a club where it’s especially important to resonate with the fan base.

That’s why fans continued to back Jurgen Klopp even in difficult moments and, by contrast, weren’t willing to afford Slot the same patience when things went awry under the 47-year-old.

Missing out on Xabi Alonso to Chelsea was a sore on to take for the Reds, but if FSG can move swiftly to appoint Iraola now that he’s unattached, it’d represent a hugely promising appointment which’ll likely be very well received on the red half of Merseyside.

There are many questions around Slot’s transfer dealings, although owners Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes must also take responsibility.

Liverpool‘s key pair of power brokers were showered with bouquets in the summer. Now they must take the brickbats.

Liverpool appeared so committed to the Isak deal, the player so exiled at Newcastle after his one-man strike to get a move, that it felt like they could not turn away, even after signing Ekitike.

Did they really need Isak? The more you watched Liverpool before he broke a leg while scoring a goal in a victory at Tottenham Hotspur in December, the more he resembled the most expensive vanity purchase in Liverpool history.

Isak arrived unfit then got a groin injury. When he did play, at the expense of the one signing who was playing well at that point, Ekitike, he looked listless and off the pace, poor value for money at such an exorbitant fee.

The broken leg was another serious disruption for a player meant to provide Liverpool with a lethal spearhead. Even his return was interrupted by “minor” fitness issues.

Wirtz, whose deployment behind the strikers disrupted Liverpool‘s midfield bedrock to leave them horribly vulnerable all season, has been shifted around from his central role to the flanks as Slot has sought answers. He has shown glimpses of real class but, like Liverpool, nowhere near enough.

And having collected new signings at such a rate, did it mean Slot and Liverpool pushed a key capture down their list of priorities then failed to get it done?

Crystal Palace captain and England defender Guehi was a top target, not merely as partner to Virgil van Dijk but as cover to Ibrahima Konate, whose contract is coming to an end.

Cue the perfect storm.

Palace refused to sell. Konate’s form went into sharp decline. Van Dijk suddenly looked fallible. A solution was lost as Quansah had been sold.

When January came, Manchester City needed defensive reinforcements and paid a bargain £20m for Guehi, £15m less than Liverpool belatedly agreed.

It was intriguing to hear Slot describe Guehi as a “great signing” after he was outstanding in Manchester City‘s win at Anfield.

And through it all, Slot lost the golden touch that was so assured in his first season.

He changed formations and personnel without success. The substitutions that worked so well last season now whiffed off desperation – such as defender Konate for striker Ekitike after 55 minutes of the 3-0 home loss to Nottingham Forest – accompanied by some delusional post-match verdicts and talk of “positives” when there were none.

The season started with Liverpool looking gung-ho and wide open. Wins were secured through the high-wire act of last-gasp winners, but once Crystal Palace turned the tables with an injury time goal at Selhurst Park in September to inflict their first defeat, it all fell apart.

It’s the pinnacle of football. Kick off at the Champions League final in Budapest is just a few hours away. Arsenal are trying to win it for the first time, while Paris Saint-Germain wants to become only the second team to win it twice in a row. The atmosphere in Budapest is festive to say the least, details from the ground with FRANCE 24 journalist Selina Sykes and freelance sports journalist Karim Baldé.

David Benavidez could be set to alter his plans after a new world title opportunity was presented to the pound-for-pound star.

‘The Mexican Monster’ became a three-division world champion earlier this month, dethroning Gilberto Ramirez with a sixth-round stoppage in his first outing at 200lbs.

While claiming the WBO and WBA cruiserweight titles, Benavidez still holds the WBC strap at 175lbs, affording him the option to collide with unified champion Dmitry Bivol.

It would now seem, however, that the 29-year-old is targeting WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian, who was reportedly finalising a deal to face Jai Opetaia.

The 35-year-old has not fought since his rematch with Badou Jack last December, when he exacted his revenge with a unanimous decision victory to claim the WBC belt.

Mikaelian was subsequently granted the opportunity to make a voluntary title defence, but has now missed his six-month window in which to do so.

As a result, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has responded by ordering a unification match between the Armenian and Benavidez via an official statement.

“Benavidez visited Mexico and has his mind only on winning the WBC cruiserweight championship.

“The WBC has received a letter from his promoter with the petition to mandate WBC cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to make his first mandatory defence against WBC light-heavyweight champion David Benavidez.

“The WBC Board has voted in favour to order cruiserweight champion Noel Mikaelian to fight David Benavidez.”

If Mikaelian chooses to pursue a clash with Opetaia, the Zuffa Boxing champion at 200lbs, then he will be stripped of his WBC title.

Benavidez, meanwhile, had seemingly been in talks for a potential showdown with Opetaia as well, though this seems to have been abandoned in favour of the WBC title.