Category Sports News

British super-bantamweight Ramla Ali has signed a promotional deal with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions.

Ali’s remarkable journey has taken her from being a refugee who fled war-torn Somalia to a model, activist, Olympian and world-title challenging boxer.

The 35-year-old – who was previously signed to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing – has been out of the ring since losing to WBC champion Yamileth Mercado in June.

“This partnership goes beyond business; it’s about creating a legacy that will benefit every female fighter who comes after me,” Ali said.

YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul – who beat former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson in a controversial and much-publicised bout in November – is a divisive figure in the sport but has championed the female code through MVP, which he co-founded with Nakisa Bidarian.

Unified bantamweight world champion Dina Thorslund, flyweight Naomy Valle and American prospect Nat Dove have also signed with MVP.

Earlier this month, undisputed super-featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner joined the promotion, while American Paul also represents seven-division champion Amanda Serrano.

Serrano will earn the biggest fight purse for a woman boxer alongside long-time rival Katie Taylor when they fight again in July.

“I’ve observed how Jake Paul, Nakisa Bidarian, and the MVP team have revolutionized women’s boxing,” Ali said.

After months of speculation, Liverpool fans are trying to process the prospect of Trent Alexander-Arnold possibly joining Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old Liverpudlian has entered the final three months of his contract and can negotiate with potential suitors before he becomes a free agent this summer.

Though there is no agreement between the player and Real Madrid, BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that work towards completing a deal is reaching the closing stages.

If agreed, it would see local boy Alexander-Arnold, who joined Liverpool’s academy at six years old and has won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup with the club, leave for the Spanish giants on a free transfer.

Reaction to the news on BBC Sport’s football pages, social media and fans’ forums has ranged from the comedic to the extreme.

Some social media accounts have been insulting, turning his famous “I’m just a normal lad” quote against him. Others have photoshopped the text on his mural round the corner from Anfield.

Not even his iconic quick corner that completed the famous Champions League comeback against Barcelona in 2019 has escaped the treatment. Multiple edits now have either Andy Robertson, James Milner or Wataru Endo setting up Divock Origi’s winning goal instead.

Another post, widely recirculated, simply says: “Corner wasn’t even taken that quickly.”

If parts of this online re-writing of history are presumably tongue in cheek, there is also a darker, more extreme backlash visible as well.

“It’s unfair,” Steve McManaman, who left Liverpool for Real Madrid in 1999, told BBC Sport. “If Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah leave then it’s Liverpool’s fault, if Trent were to leave then it’s Trent’s fault.

“His legacy, I hope, is one of an outstanding homegrown footballer who’s done incredibly well for this club.”

Some believe Alexander-Arnold simply wants to push himself to the next level.

“He wants to aim to win the Ballon d’Or,” says Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague.

“I think he has reached the conclusion that to reach his potential he has to move abroad and leave his comfort zone. He wants to conquer the world and I find that admirable.

Liverpool are cruising towards a Premier League title at the first attempt under Arne Slot, but off the pitch, this season has not been as straightforward.

The club have had four directors of football since the start of 2022, and now Alexander-Arnold, Salah and Van Dijk have entered the final months of their contracts.

It has been a particularly unsettled year for Alexander-Arnold, who unlike his team-mates, has deliberately chosen not to speak on his future.

Though the right-back has started 26 of his side’s 29 league games under Slot and made eight goal contributions in the Premier League, his contract situation has cast him in a light previously unthinkable at Anfield.

It spilled over in January when home fans targeted Alexander Arnold during a below-par performance against rivals Manchester United.

Alexander-Arnold’s deep-rooted connection with the club and city has placed added scrutiny on his situation and a comment in an interview with Sky Sports that he would rather win the individual Ballon d’Or title than another Champions League with his boyhood club has been thrown back at him by some fans.

“As a Liverpool fan you’re just devastated… but he has won everything there is to win at Liverpool,” supporter Abigail Rudkin said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“We are all living vicariously through Trent and now [it looks like] he has decided Madrid is the new dream. That’s why we’re all gutted.”

The fact that Alexander-Arnold’s performances have not been as consistent as Salah’s and Van Dijk’s this term hasn’t helped either.

Two stark statistics neatly summarise the Alexander-Arnold conundrum.

For some, the emergence of right-back Conor Bradley has softened the blow of potentially losing Alexander-Arnold.

There have been few transfer sagas in recent history that have divided fan opinion quite like this.

“[I] can’t believe the negativity directed towards Trent Alexander-Arnold and his potential move away from Liverpool,” former Liverpool defender Stephen Warnock wrote on X.

“I’ve seen comments like ‘he should be ashamed’ and he’s ‘not loyal to the club’. [They] are deluded.

“He’s entitled to make his own choices and challenge himself in a different league and different country. He’s won everything with LFC, been an incredible servant to the club and should be given a great send off by the fans.”

Part of the issue for Alexander-Arnold is the inevitable comparison to Steven Gerrard, a local lad who turned down opportunities to leave the club and improve his chances of winning team and individual honours.

“It completely tarnishes his image,” Liverpool fan Rory told BBC Sport.

“He was supposed to follow in Stevie’s [Gerrard] footsteps and become the captain, a Liverpool icon. Instead, he’s decided to pursue personal glory and made a mockery of his previous declarations of loyalty.”

Richard said: “What hurts the most is that he’s run down his contract to go for free. A player that not all that long ago wanted to become club captain and now doesn’t care that we won’t even get a fee to help replace him.”

Keith told BBC Sport: “I’m just wondering what colour we should paint the wall where his mural is painted. Any legacy as a Liverpool legend was tenuous in the first place, but he isn’t good enough as a defender to achieve that anyway.”

On the other side of the debate, Liverpool supporter Stew said: “I hold nothing against Trent leaving. He’s given his all and won everything with the club. The biggest crime is [the club] letting him go on a free.”

Jonathan told BBC Sport: “Real represents something unique for English players, as so few have had that opportunity.

“Trent has been a brilliant servant for Liverpool, and playing for Real Madrid could help him develop into an even more amazing player.”

Gary argued: “Surely Liverpool fans should be directing their ire at the owners and management who have allowed a homegrown player to get to the point where he can leave for nothing, rather than the player for accepting an offer from another club when Liverpool have done little to try to get him to stay?”

Alex said: “Football is a business and players rise and fall and new ones come. You can see why the club might be keen to cut a few big salaries to finance some up and coming talent.”

Other fans use the departures of Fernando Torres, Michael Owen and Luis Suarez to argue Liverpool will do just fine without Alexander-Arnold.

“No player is bigger than the club,” says Jed. “Liverpool have always managed to replace players without a lot of fuss.”

Liverpool return to action against Everton in the Merseyside derby on 2 April, though Alexander-Arnold is likely to miss out because of an ankle injury.

According to a significant report from the global players’ union, specific windows in the calendar for international games are among the improvements required for cricket to thrive globally.

With the rise of T20 leagues, the World Cricketers’ Association has released a six-month review of the elite level structure of the sport, claiming that the current state “puts the future of the international game in danger.”

The report recommends four short, annual international matches, with longer international matches or T20 leagues being available for the remainder of the year.

It also recommends divisions for each of the three international competitions, with promotion and relegation after the two-year cycles are over. This would also serve as the criteria for competing in major tournaments and competitions.

There are a number of positive cricket trends, but there is no denying that the world cricket is about to change, according to Paul Marsh, the committee’s chair.

The report was compiled after speaking with 64 industry stakeholders, including current and former administrators, media outlets, and prestigious players like Jos Buttler, Heather Knight, and Pat Cummins, Australia’s captain.

It criticizes the international leadership of the sport and calls for the ‘modernization’ of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The ICC appears to have been reluctant to discuss the initial findings and recommendations. One executive from an Indian Premier League franchise was also allowed to contribute, along with the other senior figures from the game’s global powerhouse.

The three biggest cricketing nations, England, India, and Australia, who according to the report claim to control 83% of global revenue, are at the forefront of the report’s emphasis.

The suggested changes, which also include a global growth and development fund and an equal share of revenue, “ensure the survival of international cricket,” “create an “easier to follow” calendar, and increase revenue by $ 240 million (£196 million), are claimed to increase revenue.

National boards are currently largely left to plan their own tours within the Future Tours Programme, while lucrative T20 franchise leagues dominate the remainder of the year.

Set windows, according to the report, would allow internationals to “coexist” with T20 leagues rather than compete against them, ensuring its future survival.

Additionally, it asserts that a structure overhaul that includes divisions with promotion and relegation across the board would give more context, risk, and interest.

As players, Knight, who was sacked as England captain last week, acknowledged that we have a responsibility to the game and that we are interested in seeing it succeed.

“A unified sport will produce better outcomes than a disjointed sport,” says the statement.

Rashid Khan, an Afghan leg-spinner, said: “I want to see it be strong and sustainable in more than just a few nations.

We urge the game’s leadership to take action based on the data and suggestions in this report.

Iga Swiatek, a five-time major champion, is being protected by increased security after a “traumatizing” fan verbally abused her at the Miami Open.

In a Saturday practice session, the man targeted Swiatek, 23, as well.

The man is said to have insulted Swiatek’s family in private.

The man’s representatives told BBC Sport that the world number two had previously abused her on social media.

The Polish player’s team said, “The incident in Miami appears to be a direct transition from verbal aggression online to harassment in the real world.”

“He was teasing and aggressive.”

The incident was immediately reported to tournament organizers, according to Swiatek’s representatives.

The second seed has advanced to the Miami Open quarter-finals, where she will face Alexandra Eala, a teenager from Philippines, on Wednesday, following the incident at the weekend.

“Security is our top priority,” he said. Her spokesperson said that we keep an eye on the network to catch these kinds of issues.

Threats, hate speech, or even disturbance during training are two things that cannot be condoned.

According to reports, the WTA and the tournament’s organizers immediately took additional security measures in place around the former world number one, who has since become a long-time player.

The Miami Open organizers stated to BBC Sport that everyone’s safety and security was taken “extremely seriously.”

In a statement, they said, “We constantly evaluate any potential threats and take every precaution to respond appropriately.”

The WTA echoed those assertions, saying that “comprehensive” security measures are in place to “promptly and effectively” deal with any incidents.

The WTA stated that while the details of these are not public, they remain true to our commitment to keeping a safe environment for both players and attendees of our events.

The most recent incident involving a WTA player is a stark reminder of the dangers that female athletes are exposed to regularly.

When she saw a man who she had already reported for “exhibiting fixated behavior” in the stands of her match in Dubai last month, Raducanu, 22, recoiled in horror.

Hurstville Oval, Sydney, hosts the first Women’s T20.

Australia A 117-6 (20 overs): Penna 27 (34), Gaur 2-10, Davis 2-16

England A 119-7 (19.1 overs): Scholfield 36 (29), Scrivens 35 (38), Flintoff 2-16

Three wickets separated England A.

In their first T20 match of their multi-format tour, England A held their resolve to defeat Australia A by three wickets.

The tourists needed 10 runs in the final three overs to win, but England only needed three after England’s tight bowling.

However, Bess Heath scored a four on the opening play of the 20th over to win.

Before Heath’s unbeaten 18 off 16 and her stand of 63 with Paige Scholfield, who hit 36 off 29, put England to victory, which was completed by Captain Grace Scrivens, who made 35 off 38 balls.

Given the turmoil surrounding the senior XI, this is a promising victory for a young England side, especially in the first of three T20s before three 50-over games and a four-day game.

After Australia humiliatingly won the Women’s Ashes 16-0 clean sweep, England are searching for a new coach and captain.

The younger England players have a chance to compete for seats in the senior side under the new leadership.

The 6’4″ and left-arm pace bowler Gaur, 19, has already shown signs of how dangerous her special abilities are in 26 senior white-ball games.

In a bowling total of just 10 runs, she hit Tahlia Wilson with the first delivery of the game before dismissing the hosts’ other opener Courtney Webb.

With Maddie Penna and Rhys McKenna removed, off-spinner Davis, who has only made one one-day international appearance, went for 16 from her three overs.

Issy Wong, a fast bowler who has struggled in form since 2023, attempted to rekindle her English career with a 0-30 record on four of her overs.

Even in chasing relatively low targets, England and Australia have struggled against them, but Scrivens and Scholfield, who are more experienced, largely eased any tension before being both dismissed by Lauren Cheatle in successive overs.

Heath didn’t feel alarmed despite three wickets being quickly lost and Wong being dismissed on the final ball of the 19th over.

Bryony Smith, who did not join the core group, has been declared out of the tour due to illness, but no replacement will be called up. England has confirmed this.

Aidy Boothroyd, the ex-Watford manager, claims he “doesn’t want pity” after revealing he has Parkinson’s disease and plans to continue coaching.

The 54-year-old claims that after seven months in charge of England’s under-21s, he was diagnosed three years ago with a routine health check.

The brain and nervous system are affected by Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition.

Following a “fit to manage” health check organized by the LMA, Boothroyd claimed he was “shocked” by his diagnosis in November 2021.

He was referred to a neurologist, but he was still anticipating a presentable health condition.

He said, “I initially believed everything to be alright, but then the bombshell hit.”

“It sticks in my mind.” It was pouring and raining. A terrible day was had. And the neuroscientist [the guy] said, “This is the picture of your brain,” not the normal brain. The difference is obvious. You suffer from Parkinson’s. I apologize very much.

I had no idea what to say or do. I had no idea what Parkinson’s was at all. My kids were the only things that struck me. What would come next, I was uncertain. I was shocked.

A person with Parkinson’s disease may exhibit a variety of physical and psychological symptoms.

Facial masking, according to Boothroyd, is his primary sign, which affects the facial muscles and makes it difficult for others to interpret your mood.

He said, “My face could be smiling outwardly, but it’s actually not,” but he was right.

You’re not your normal self, you’re so quiet, I’ve heard it repeatedly.

Nothing about this is more unbelievable than that. I’m excited, excited. Although I still enjoy my job and working with people, the decision was difficult.

After taking a year-long coaching position with Sheffield United and Northern Ireland, Boothroyd decided to keep working despite the diagnosis. He spent the following year managing the Indian side Jamshedpur.

He claims that speaking out about his illness gives him a sense of relief, but he doesn’t want it to stop him from doing what he loves.

“I don’t want to saunter,” I said. He declared, “I don’t want pity.” “I’ll keep going, I’ll stay in shape.” I’ll work out whenever I can, with the hope that I’ll find employment with a purpose.

From 2005 to 2008, Boothroyd oversaw Watford, earning promotion to the Premier League in 2006 and reaching the FA Cup semi-final.

He also oversaw the youth teams for England, including Colchester United, Coventry City, and Northampton Town, from 2014 to 2021.

Since receiving his Parkinson’s diagnosis three years ago, LMA CEO Richard Bevan has observed an incredible level of optimism, resolve, and tenacity.

“We care deeply for all of our members, and Aidy’s attitude has inspired our entire team as we continue to support him and his family at this unexpected and difficult time,” said the team’s president.

Nearly 10 million people worldwide and more than 150, 000 in the UK are affected by Parkinson’s disease.

Although there are treatments to manage symptoms, there is no known cure or cure for the disease.