Walker is the first running back to win the award since former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns in Super Bowl XXXII. Davis’ performance led the Broncos to a 31-24 upset win over the defending champion Green Bay Packers that snapped the NFC’s 13-year winning streak in the big game. He earned MVP honors despite missing nearly the entire second quarter with a migraine.
The 25-year-old Walker has joined an exclusive fraternity of running backs that includes six Pro Football Hall of Famers.
That list does not include former Washington running back Timmy Smith, whose 204 rushing yards in Super Bowl XXII remain the single-game record. It also does not include former Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas, who likely would have won MVP of Super Bowl XXV if Scott Norwood had converted his 47-yard field goal attempt in the game’s final seconds. Thomas rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown and totaled 190 all-purpose yards in Buffalo’s 20-19 loss to the Giants.
Advertisement
The award instead went to the 34-year-old Anderson, a former All-Pro who became the oldest player to win Super Bowl MVP. He remains the oldest non-quarterback to earn the honor.
Like the other seven running backs to win Super Bowl MVP, Walker’s performance helped lead his team to victory. Walker’s 94 rushing yards in the first half was the second-most in Super Bowl history behind only Smith’s 131. His runs of 29 and 30 yards on Seattle’s fourth drive helped set up Jason Myers‘ second field goal of the night while extending the Seahawks’ lead to 6-0.
Walker became the first player in the Super Bowl to record two runs of at least 20 yards on one drive.
While he was less productive in the second half, his 20-yard catch-and-run on the Seahawks’ first drive of the second half set up Myers’ fourth field goal. Walker and Myers were complemented by a Seattle defense that dominated the Patriots’ offense all night. The Seahawks kept the Patriots off the scoreboard through three quarters and essentially put the game away when Uchenna Nwosu recorded a 45-yard pick-six with 4:27 left.
Advertisement
The Seahawks have now won two Super Bowls and evened their overall record in the big game at 2-2. Seattle’s win on Sunday night also avenged its last-minute loss to the Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.
Two-thirds of the way into the season and Liverpool are closer to Brentford than Chelsea, nearer in terms of points to their neighbours Everton than their old enemies Manchester United. Still more damningly, they are further from league leaders Arsenal, 17 ahead of them, than West Ham, 16 behind them in the relegation zone.
It was an understatement to say their campaign was not supposed to go this way; not as defending champions, not with the £450m of spending that Arne Slot prefers to see referenced in terms of the £300m Liverpool have brought in during his reign.
Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike of Liverpool react after a late loss to Man City (Getty)
Last February, it was victory against Manchester City that, in effect, seemed to seal the title. It sent Liverpool 11 points clear with 11 games to play. A year on, defeat to Pep Guardiola’s team, in another game when Dominik Szoboszlai scored, left Liverpool with a very different equation. A loss at the Etihad Stadium in November had Slot conceding Liverpool could not talk about the title. As City completed a first league double over Liverpool since 1937, it leaves them as outsiders to qualify for the Champions League.
Arguably Liverpool have had worse results of late without losing – the home draws with Leeds and Burnley – but the context rendered this a terrible weekend. Chelsea won, Manchester United too. Liverpool are four points from fifth; and while fifth is almost certain to bring Champions League football, they are playing catch-up when short of players, without the benefit of form, and with an intimidating fixture list.
Advertisement
Some 13 other teams have taken more points in 2026. Liverpool have 13 matches to go. But only six are at home. Their trips include Sunderland, the only team unbeaten at home, Everton, for the first derby at Hill Dickinson Stadium, United and Aston Villa. It is more an obstacle course than a fixture list.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot faces an uphill battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League (PA Wire)
The sands are shifting, and not in the direction Slot would want. “If you compare that to three or four months ago, you see so much improvement,” he said. “But the issue is you don’t see the improvement in the league table.” The broader picture may support his analysis. Liverpool had lost nine of 12 in all competitions. Now they have only been beaten twice in 17. Yet if those damaging draws could make the difference, other elements may be decisive.
Liverpool started the season as the specialists in late goals. Now, equalling a Premier League record, they have been condemned to defeat in injury time four times: at Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Bournemouth and now at home to City. “It’s every time a different goal, of course,” said Slot. The latest stemmed from a rare Alisson error, conceding the penalty Erling Haaland scored. Liverpool could still rue over-committing to attack at Stamford Bridge, which brought a three-point swing in Chelsea’s direction. Both Palace and Bournemouth’s late goals came from long throws: if set-pieces are a theme of Liverpool’s season, their expensive overhaul has seemed to leave them without enough height.
Advertisement
Dominik Szoboszlai’s absence will highlight a weakness in Liverpool’s squad planning (REUTERS)
Or enough available defenders. Liverpool are unfortunate to have four defensive injuries, including season-ending ones to Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley, but even as they prioritised next season by arranging the summer signing of Jeremy Jacquet, they failed to address an immediate need on deadline day. Szoboszlai was only a stand-in right-back and now he is suspended. Jeremie Frimpong will not be back at Sunderland on Wednesday and Joe Gomez probably won’t. That may mean Curtis Jones or Wataru Endo is the next emergency right-back.
A lack of strength in depth is a wider problem, and perhaps a reason why they can concede late. They have been breached 12 times in the final 15 minutes of games – only Newcastle, Leeds and Bournemouth have let in more – and it could reflect a shortage of high-class substitutes. Which, given the outlay, might sound ridiculous, but Liverpool have seemed permanently stretched, Slot left short-staffed. Injuries are only part of the explanation for that. The decision-makers, Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, who assume more responsibility for the transfer business, are partly culpable.
Advertisement
Rayan Cherki’s presence off the bench exposed Liverpool’s shortcomings (Getty Images)
On Sunday, a substitute, Rayan Cherki, helped make the difference for City. It seemed indisputable that Guardiola had the stronger bench. Liverpool contrived to spend a fortune and yet look in need of several more signings.
That can come with a cost and Slot invariably talks of Liverpool’s self-sustaining model. Jurgen Klopp was equally aware of it, and of the financial significance of qualifying for the Champions League. He felt it was a priority every season even when outsiders assumed it would come automatically. Now the risk is that Liverpool’s income drops considerably next year.
For Slot, there is an added importance. He has the backing of the Liverpool hierarchy for now, even if not all of the fanbase are behind him. It may be harder to retain that support without Champions League qualification. And now it has started to look more likely that their European football will come on Thursday nights next season.
Nick Ball lost his featherweight world title this weekend in Liverpool, suffering a dramatic twelfth round stoppage at the hands of Brandon Figueroa. In the aftermath, two-time heavyweight king Tyson Fury has sent him a message of support.
Speaking on Instagram, Fury addressed Ball directly.
Advertisement
“This is a message to Nick Ball. Fantastic fight, mate, unlucky. This is boxing. It happens. You win some, you lose some. Get some time off, well-deserved rest, get back in the gym. Great little fighter. You can come back and be world champion again. 100%.”
‘The Gypsy King’ then turned his attention to people ‘hating on’ the Brit.
“And this one for all the haters out there and the people who ain’t got no guts to get in the boxing ring and try it. You’re absolutely shameful. Embarrassing w—kers. Hating on people who try their best in live. The man’s fought a two-weight world champion and you try and give him stick. You pieces of rubbish. Get in their and have a fight yourselves you cowards. It’s always a cowardly person who will hate on someone who’s trying to do something that they could only dream about doing. Chin up, Nick, all the best.”
Some of Ball’s team came in for criticism online for the way they reacted to Figueroa’s team celebrating victory before ensuring the former champ was seen to by medical staff. Figueroa apologised to the fans in attendance following this, expressing his respect for Ball.
On February 7, 2026, speaking to TMZ at the 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party in San Francisco’s Pier 48, Diplo shared that BTS’ ARIRANG release would surprise global audiences. Although the American producer has not disclosed his exact involvement 14 track album. He noted that RM, Jin, Jimin, j-hope, Jungkook, Taehyung, and SUGA played active roles during recording.
“I just feel so lucky because I’ve been working for three decades and to link up with a group like that, and have them trust me and do some awesome music … honestly, it’s gonna shock the world. Craziest album ever,” the 47-year-old stated.
He described the studio sessions as focused and idea-driven. Jungkook’s vocals were highlighted for their natural precision. The group was also described as relaxed and easy to work with. The project was ranked by Diplo as his “biggest thing” in his career so far. Following the DJ’s remarks, fans are in a frenzy for the upcoming release.
Advertisement
“Can bighit share more things about this album already like WE CANT WAIT,” an X user commented.
Can bighit share more things about this album already like WE CANT WAIT
Admirers say Diplo’s involvement has sparked curiosity about what kind of project ARIRANG will be. Many are calling it a “defining” work, echoing how Diplo conveyed it.
Diplo being on this album just completely threw me off 😭 How is it gonna sound??!!😭 March is so freaking far away!!
if Diplo is calling it the craziest album ever, then ARIRANG might really be one of those era defining projects. BTS coming back after everything they’ve done already and still pushing boundaries shows why their impact is global. Music that “shocks the world” is the kind that changes culture, not just charts. Can’t wait to hear what they created. 💜
Advertisement
Diplo calling BTS’ Arirang comeback his biggest career moment 🔥 That’s massive this album is about to break records 🎶👑
Others are saying that the septet is always “loved” by the people they work with, and Diplo is no exception.
All the producers are excited to work with BTS bc they are unique and perfect. the impact is crazy oh the industry loves BTS so much 😭
People who work with bts always talk about how hardworking and talented they are
Advertisement
everyone who works with BTS loves them so much🥺
More about BTS’ ARIRANG comeback
BTS will reenter the music scene on March 20, 2026, closing a near four year break. The return arrives with the group’s fifth studio album, ARIRANG, followed by a large-scale global tour. This release marks the first complete reunion since the members paused activities for mandatory military service.
Album pre-orders began on January 16. The title draws from a traditional Korean folk song tied to perseverance, grief, and hope. The project also includes reported outside collaborators, with Grammy-winning producers Mike WiLL Made It and Diplo involved. The comeback expands through a partnership with Netflix, which will host a live comeback broadcast on March 21. The ticket information to follow.
A feature-length documentary titled BTS: The Return will debut worldwide on March 27. It will present behind-the-scenes access to the group’s reunion. Following the album launch, the Bangtan Boys will commence BTS: WORLD TOUR ARIRANG. It will cover Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, and Australia, with further 2027 dates to be notified later.
Advertisement
BTS’ comeback has intensified fans’ anticipation ahead of one of the most closely watched releases of the year.
Victory over Errol Spence Jr was a significant part of Terence Crawford’s record-breaking career.
The two met back in July of 2023 as welterweight world champions, Spence the unified WBC, WBA and IBF, Crawford the WBO. In what was seen by many to be a pick ’em fight, Crawford dominated to become undisputed.
Speaking to FightHype, Spence praised his former rival for bowing out at the best time.
“No, I wasn’t surprised. I mean, he’s done everything you can do in the sport, so what’s left? He’s got his health – that’s the most important thing to take. He’s got his kids, his family, and you want to be there for them. It must’ve been beautiful to retire when he’s on top, because a lot of fighters don’t get to do that.”
Despite big fight opportunities and significant money on the table, Crawford seems to be sticking to his guns and staying retired.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Drake Maye’s storybook sophomore season did not feature a storybook ending.
Instead of capping off his breakout year with a Lombardi Trophy in hand, Maye walked off the field in noticeable agony as Seattle Seahawks-themed confetti rained down around him following a 29-13 thumping at Levi’s Stadium in Super Bowl LX.
Minutes after the clock hit zero, a glassy-eyed Maye stepped to the postgame podium to explain what went wrong with an offense that was shut out for the first three quarters — something that hadn’t happened in a Super Bowl since the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII (1973 season).
“It’s going to hurt and sting for a while,” Maye said, “but that’s what you sign up for.”
Maye completed 27 of 43 pass attempts in Super Bowl LX for 295 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. However, the bulk of that production came in garbage time as New England desperately tried to claw back into the contest. Excluding the final frame, Maye was 8 of 18 (44.4%) for 60 yards.
“Yeah, I think there are plays that I’ll think about for the next probably seven months until we’re back in September playing the first one,” he said, reliving the worst defeat of his young career moments after it happened.
Advertisement
When Maye and the Patriots finally found a spark in the fourth quarter — scoring their first touchdown on a 35-yard pass to Mack Hollins — they couldn’t sustain the momentum. After New England’s defense forced a Seahawks punt, Maye and the offense had an opportunity to cut the deficit to within a touchdown with just over 10 minutes to play.
Advertisement
Instead, Maye threw interceptions on the next two possessions, including a pick-six.
“Those plays that can change the game matter,” Maye said. “If you make them, you’re celebrating. If not, you’re sitting here, you know, crying at a podium. That’s part of it. I know the postseason is what you play for, and I know we’ll be back — we’ll be back in the postseason.”
The postseason proved to be a different animal for Maye and the Patriots. Throughout the regular season, the young quarterback was superb, putting himself in the MVP conversation after leading the league in completion percentage, passer rating and yards per attempt. In the playoffs, those numbers dipped considerably, most notably with his completion rate falling to 58.3%.
CBS Sports HQ
Part of that decline could be attributed to Maye not being 100% healthy, as he had been nursing a right shoulder injury entering the Super Bowl. Maye told reporters that “we shot it up” before the game to make it more manageable, but added that he doesn’t believe the injury affected his performance.
Advertisement
“I think it would be hard to say that,” he said when asked if his shoulder limited him. “It feels good enough to be out there. … Just didn’t make plays tonight.”
Maye was clearly crushed by the loss, especially given his role in the defeat with subpar play on the game’s biggest stage. Still, he was quick to frame the moment as fuel to get New England back to the postseason — and next time, finish the job.
“The losses, they hurt,” he said. “I think you try to learn when you win and remember this feeling when you lose. I know there’s a lot of things that you wish you had back, but it will only make you stronger in the end.”
Wrexham’s on field success is plain for all to see, however, background developments and groundworks are equally important to sustain Reynold’s and Mac’s ambitions for the north Wales club.
Regulars at the Stok Cae Ras – or the millions of viewers watching games on screens around the globe – will also have noticed a number of alterations to the world’s oldest international football stadium still in continuous use.
The stadium’s iconic Kop Stand was demolished in 2023 having been abandoned for 16 years.
A temporary stand, holding around 3,000 supporters, was used during the 2024-25 campaign before being removed to pave way for a new permanent stand.
Advertisement
Work on the stand – which will hold 7,500 fans in total, taking the overall capacity at Stok Cae Ras to 18,000 – started early on in the 2025-26 season and is due to be completed in early 2027.
As they do not own their Colliers Park training complex, Wrexham are regularly required to train elsewhere, including at Carden Park or at The Rock – now owned by the club.
But even other aspects including catering and travel arrangements – which include flying to some away matches to help aid recovery – have been tweaked to improve performance.
“The difference is massive,” said former club captain Ben Tozer, who made 136 appearances and won back-to-back promotions with Wrexham.
Advertisement
“Even though some of the really big changes might not have happened – like we still don’t have our own training ground – the infrastructure has improved every year.
“The players always felt looked after, but the levels have gone up.”
If you had to choose a defining moment in a Super Bowl of very few standout moments, it would probably be Uchenna Nwosu scooping up the ball in the wake of a Drake Maye sack to put the cherry on top of a Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl win that may not necessarily live long in the memory.
As it happened, the most unlikely of Super Bowls produced the most likely of outcomes, as Seattle torched the Patriots 29-13, a scoreline that might not even reflect the gulf between the teams. The game followed two weeks in which both sides were given a chance to make their case to win the biggest game of all, having entered the campaign without even a mention of being in this position.
Seattle’s argument was that they were simply a better team in all three phases, the NFC champions had vanquished far more challenging foes, and, despite going against modern NFL team-building by being a defence-first outfit, they had more than enough credentials to back them up as big favourites, and their reclamation project quarterback, Sam Darnold, had flourished to turn them into a true contender.
On the way to their AFC championship the New England Patriots had enjoyed a friendly schedule, it formed much of the debate between their quarterback Drake Maye and the Rams passer Matthew Stafford, who would eventually win out, for the regular season MVP award.
But New England’s strong defensive unit complemented their ascendant quarterback, despite falling a vote or two short of the landmark prize.“You talk about a group of guys who battle every day, who believe in each other, believe in their coach,” star cornerback Devon Witherspoon remarked afterwards. “I mean, you can’t describe this group no better. It’s just a one-of-a kind feeling.”
Advertisement
Uchenna Nwosu scores a touchdown during Super Bowl LX (AFP via Getty Images)
While the modest Darnold rightfully switched focus away from his own redemption arc, back to the more imposing side of the football. “It’s unbelievable. I’m so proud of our guys. our defense, I mean I can’t say enough good things about our defense, our special teams. I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could’ve been a little better on offense, but I don’t care about that right now. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”
When we look back at this trouncing in Santa Clara, it might be for the best that the NFL had not crowned Maye as the league’s newest superstar mere days before he struggled to move the ball in the biggest game of his life, only scoring the Pats’ first touchdown in the fourth quarter when the game already seemed far beyond an overmatched New England team.
Advertisement
Unfortunately, one of the realities of football at this level is that you have to be battle-tested. In a season where so many of the established elite fell early, first Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending injury, then Lamar Jackson to niggling knocks and then Josh Allen to a substandard roster, the path was open for a surprise Super Bowl winner. As it happened, the lack of star QBs only served to highlight the importance of roster depth and strength.
Maye got to the Super Bowl by the skin of his teeth as the Pats’ offense laboured through the post-season, while Seattle had beaten the LA Rams and San Francisco 49ers, not only divisional foes but two of the stronger all-around teams in the game. Indeed, the Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan lauded Seattle’s defense as one of just two, alongside the Texans, who could win the Super Bowl almost without the help of their offense.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald and quarterback Sam Darnold, left, hold the Lombardi Trophy (AP)
Advertisement
Devon Witherspoon clatters into Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (AP)
As the Patriots struggled to get anything going against a defensive unit coached to perfection by Mike Macdonald, Darnold didn’t even need to provide an explosive play to increase Seattle’s lead. Chipping away with field goals was not necessarily the entertainment America wanted in the biggest entertainment event of the year, and the same could probably be said for Bad Bunny, but both got the job done in the light of gritty but ultimately helpless opposition.
As the clock wound into the fourth quarter and the Seahawks throttled New England, Maye needed to find an answer. The Patriots had to score a touchdown.
Maye’s pass only found Seahawk hands and the game, as a spectacle at least, was over.
When Nwosu ran the ball in a few minutes later to lend some mathematical certainty to the result, it was more in celebration than competition, but a Seahawks defender taking home the points probably made more sense in a matchup that neutrals won’t have loved, but that reminds us how the orthodoxy of NFL decision-making is always ready to be challenged.
Advertisement
“This has been one of the most brilliant performances I have ever seen in the National Football League,” NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth remarked, almost drooling at their brilliance. “This defensive performance is as good as I’ve seen.”
Darnold with the MVP Ken Walker (AP)
Mike Macdonald has defied the NFL trend of offense-heavy gameplans (Associated Press)
For years now, it has felt like you couldn’t possibly compete if you didn’t draft an elite QB prospect and blow teams away with explosive offense. Two years ago, the Seahawks rebuilt on the fly with a defensive head coach, they added a reclamation project at quarterback less than a year ago and now they are the world champions.
Advertisement
As Nwosu ran the ball in and Seattle’s overwhelming fan army celebrated inside Levi’s Stadium, the NFL was reminded there is more than one way to do this.
Gold medalists Ilia Malinin, Amber Glenn, Ellie Kam, Danny O’Shea, Madison Chock, Evan Bates and Alysa Liu of the United States celebrate on the podium after winning the team figure skating event
MILAN, Italy — “Quad God” Ilia Malinin vaulted the United States above Japan and to the top of the podium at the Milan Cortina Games on Sunday to cap a thrilling team competition that saw host Italy seize bronze.
With the U.S. and Japan tied going into the men’s free skate, the 21-year-old Malinin met the moment even though he wasn’t at his best to lead the U.S. to a second successive Olympic team title.
“I’m proud of myself,” Malinin told reporters.
“I’m proud of my team for all the work they’ve put into this event, without each other it wouldn’t have happened.”
Malinin had been expected to perform seven quads in his free skate but ended up attempting only five, and even those were not flawless as he stumbled out of his quad Lutz. He turned two planned quads – including the quad Axel – into triples.
Advertisement
But he salvaged his program with a huge quad toeloop followed up by a quad Salchow, both in combinations.
He also landed a backflip on one leg to the delight of a packed crowd, which included a large number of vocal Americans at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.
His score of 200.03 was almost 40 points less than his season’s best but still good enough to defeat Japan’s Shun Sato, who skated cleanly after Malinin but was unable to match his rival’s technical ability.
“Honestly, the moment has still not settled in yet. I still haven’t really figured out that I’m wearing a gold medal from the Olympics,” Malinin said.
Advertisement
“It’s honestly just such an unreal feeling. But overall, I’m just so excited. This brings me so much joy and energy, and of course, the confidence and the motivation leading up to my individual event.”
The U.S. finished with 69 points, one more than Japan, while Italy took bronze with 60 points. Malinin remains the runaway favorite to win gold in the individual event at his first Olympic Games.
The U.S. team included the veteran ice dancing duo Madison Chock and Evan Bates, the pair of Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea, and Alysa Liu.
Chock and Bates got the chance to savor the gold medal on the night unlike in Beijing 2022, where a failed drug test by a Russian skater changed the team results and the U.S. athletes did not receive their medals until more than two years later.
Advertisement
JAPAN FIGHT BACK
Japan came into the final day of the team competition trailing the U.S. by five points but their gold medal hopes were given new life with stunning performances from Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara in the pairs and Kaori Sakamoto in the women’s free skate — leaving them tied with the U.S heading into the final men’s free skate.
The Japanese pairs world champions opened with a triple twist lift and Miura was left punching the air in delight as the duo closed their program with Kihara lifting her above him into their final pose — a performance that earned them a season’s best 155.55 from the judges.
Advertisement
“We were trying to aim for about 145 or a little bit higher, and when we saw that it was 155, there was so much joy… we were overwhelmed with emotions,” a teary-eyed Miura told reporters following the rousing performance which left Japan trailing the U.S. by just two points with two segments to go.
Japan pulled into a tie with the U.S. when Sakamoto delivered a spellbinding performance that earned her top place in the women’s free skate with 148.62 points.
American Amber Glenn had to settle for third behind Sakamoto and Georgia’s Anastasiia Gubanova after she endured two botched landings at the start of her routine – a result which wiped out the United States’ lead heading into men’s free skate.
“I just physically didn’t feel great,” Glenn said.
Advertisement
“My legs were feeling heavy, I was tired. I just didn’t feel my best.”
U.S. hopes of defending their gold medal from Beijing then rested on the shoulders of Malinin, who made up for his disappointing short program on Saturday by winning the point America needed to top the podium.
Japan held their heads high after pushing the heavily favored U.S. team to the limit.
“Everybody has done a gold-medal performance,” Sakamoto, a three-time world champion, said.
Advertisement
“So it really doesn’t matter what color medal we get.”
ITALY SHINE
In the battle for bronze, Italy’s Matteo Rizzo delivered the performance of his life to keep his team ahead of Canada and Georgia after solid skates by Lara Naki Gutmann and the duo of Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii.
The Italian team shouted “bronze! bronze!” as Rizzo went through the final moments of his performance, drawing a huge roar from the crowd as he finished and knelt with his forehead on the ground, hiding his tears.
Advertisement
Rizzo smiled and slid on his knees over to his delirious teammates in his box when it was clear Italy would be taking home its first Olympic medal in figure skating since 2014.
“I have no words to describe the feeling of staying on the Olympic ice with the crowd cheering while you’re skating the best program of your life.
“I couldn’t hear the music anymore, I could just hear the screaming of the people, the screaming of my teammates.”
Paris Olympic tennis gold medalist Novak Djokovic, NBA Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, and eight-time Olympic medallist in short track American Apolo Ohno were among the notable names in attendance at the arena on the outskirts of Milan.
ONE interim featherweight Muay Thai world title challenger, Nico Carrillo of Scotland, says it’s all business heading into his showdown with Shadow Singha Mawynn.
The ‘King of the North’ will get a second stab at 26 pounds of gold against the Thai brawler in the co-main event of ONE Fight Night 40 on February 13 at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Carrillo shared in his pre-event interview with ONE Championship:
Advertisement
“Shadow’s just all-round good. He’s good at everything. He was obviously a Rajadamnern Champion before he came to ONE. So, he’s very accomplished.”
The Deachkalek Muay Thai Academy affiliate continued:
“He had a bit of a rocky start when he came to ONE Championship, and then found his feet, and he’s just been on the same kind of trajectory as myself. So, yeah, no bad words to say about Shadow.”
ONE Fight Night 40 will air live in U.S. Primetime free for Prime Video subscribers in North America.
Nico Carrillo looks back at second chance in new division
Nico Carrillo saw his world crumble after losing to Nabil Anane in their interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title match last year.
After licking his wounds, the Scotsman chose to start over, taking his talents to the featherweight Muay Thai ranks.
“The World Title represents what I stand for, and that’s hard work. That’s what this journey’s been. It’s been nothing easy. It’s been difficult. And when I get the gold over my shoulder, it’s a message to everybody and anybody that hard work pays off,” he told ONE Championship.
It was the second defeat of Paul’s career, having previously been beaten by Tommy Fury back in February 2023, and ahead of his return to the ring, it appears he may now be keen to avenge that loss.
Advertisement
Speaking to Sky Sports, Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian revealed that the ‘The Problem Child’ is targeting a second meeting against Fury.
“He wants to prove to the world that he can beat Tommy Fury. Jake before Joshua had one loss on his record and that was Tommy Fury and I would love for that fight to happen because I think it’s a great barometer of how far Jake has come.
“I don’t think he [Fury] has developed as much as Jake has over the last three years. Because he hasn’t been as focused on boxing. I would love for that fight to happen.”
Bidarian then revealed that the rematch could potentially take place in the UK.
“There was more internet interest in Jake Paul versus Tommy Fury in the UK than any Tyson Fury fight over the past five years, than any Jake Paul fight other than Mike Tyson over the past five years and that includes Jake Paul versus Anthony Joshua. And that was a fight that happened in Saudi Arabia.
“So if I could do that fight in the UK or somewhere in Europe, I think people would go bananas for it – the youth, the generation that uses the internet.
Advertisement
“It’s difficult to come to someone’s country and do that so we’ll see where we end up on that discussion but I would love to do a fight in the UK with Jake. I think it would be a big statement.”
Since beating Paul, Fury has competed on just two further occasions, claiming a unanimous decision victory over YouTuber KSI in October 2023, before another points win over the unheralded Kenan Hanjalic in Hungary last May.
