BOXING
Matthysse to face Pacquiao
Boxing promoter Oscar de la Hoya on Monday confirmed that Argentina’s World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse is to defend his title against Manny Pacquiao in Kuala Lumpur in July. Philippine icon Pacquiao had first announced plans for the fight in a statement last month, but details of the bout remained shrouded in uncertainty. In a statement on Twitter, De la Hoya said the contest was now confirmed. “Signed, sealed, and delivered: Proud to officially announce that WBA welterweight world champion @MatthysseLucas will put his title on the line against @mannypacquiao in Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia on Saturday night July 14 (US time),” De la Hoya said. Pacquiao, 39, last month said that the fight against Matthysse would take place on June 24. Pacquiao, who has won eight world titles in a record eight weight divisions, has not fought in the ring since being defeated on points by Australia’s Jeff Horn in Brisbane in July last year, a loss that cost the Philippine star his World Boxing Organization crown. Matthysse, who has 39 wins, including 36 by knockout, against four defeats, won the vacant WBA belt after beating Thailand’s Teerachai Sithmorseng in January.
RUGBY UNION
NZ delayed by mumps scare
New Zealand’s women’s rugby sevens team have delayed their arrival at the Commonwealth Games until after the opening ceremony after a player fell ill with mumps, officials said yesterday. The Olympic silver medalists are to remain at their training camp until Sunday, a delay of four days, after forward Ruby Tui was diagnosed with the highly contagious disease, a statement said. Tui, 26, has been placed in quarantine and the other players will be under observation by medical staff at their camp on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. An outbreak of mumps could damage New Zealand’s hopes as they seek revenge over hosts Australia for their defeat in the 2016 Rio Olympics final. New Zealand’s All Blacks were also hit by mumps during their northern hemisphere tour in November last year, when Luke Romano, Jack Goodhue, Rieko Ioane and Ardie Savea were all laid low. Women’s sevens is making its debut at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, which has an equal number of men’s and women’s medal events for the first time in tournament history.
SOCCER
Leon leads Betis to victory
Sergio Leon on Monday scored an 89th-minute winner as Real Betis Balompie defeated Getafe 1-0 in La Liga, moving into the qualification zone for the UEFA Europa League. Betis jumped from eighth to sixth in the standings with their third straight victory and are one point behind fifth-placed Villarreal. The teams in fifth, sixth and seventh places qualify for the Europa League. Getafe, who dropped to 11th, missed a 65th-minute penalty-kick when goalkeeper Antonio Adan stopped Francisco Portillo’s shot from the spot. Getafe also came close when defender Vitorino Antunes struck the post with a free-kick in the 73rd, and the hosts were denied an injury-time goal when the officiating crew ruled that a ball headed into the far corner did not fully cross the goal line. Getafe also had a first-half goal disallowed for offside.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Shohei Ohtani on Thursday delivered his first two-homer game of the season and had six RBIs as the Los Angeles Dodgers poured it on with five long balls in a 19-2 victory over the visiting Athletics. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also hit home runs for the Dodgers, who left no doubt by taking a 13-2 lead following a seven-run third inning. Muncy and Kim Hye-seong each had three hits for Los Angeles. Dodgers right-hander Matt Sauer led off a bullpen game by allowing two runs in four innings. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (1-1) finished with four scoreless innings after he
Taiwanese-American right fielder Corbin Carroll on Tuesday hit his third home run in two days to tie for the MLB lead with 14 homers. Carroll on Monday hit two homers for the Arizona Diamondbacks in their 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants to put him with in one of the hit leaders. Although the Giants got their revenge on Tuesday night, beating Arizona 10-6, Carroll hit a solo home run in the seventh inning to tie him with the Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge for the most homers so far this year. In the previous night’s
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