BERLIN: Ukraine’s former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko announced his retirement from boxing on Thursday to scupper any hopes of a November rematch against Britain’s Anthony Joshua.
Hamburg-based Klitschko, 41, hangs up his gloves as one of the all-time greats of the ring after a nine-and-a-half year reign as heavyweight champion, which was ended in 2015 with his last two fights ending in defeat.
He is behind only the great Joe Louis as the second-longest serving heavyweight champion of all time having enjoyed 18 consecutive defenses over a nine-year span. Louis had 26 title defenses between 1937 and 1949.
Klitschko, nicknamed ‘Dr. Steelhammer’, won super-heavyweight gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
After turning professional, he was the undisputed world champion from 2006-2015, a period in which he held several belts.
His reign was ended two years ago when he finally lost to Britain’s Tyson Fury on points.
Klitschko’s last fight was in April when he was stopped by Joshua in the 11th round of the WBA title fight in front of 90,000 at Wembley Stadium in London in a hard-fought bout in which both fighters hit the canvas.
Klitschko showed plenty of heart by recovering from being put down in the fifth to drop Joshua to the floor in the next round.
Klitschko’s retirement dashes a mooted blockbuster rematch with Joshua possibly in Las Vegas in November.
Joshua is now most likely to fight mandatory challenger, Bulgaria’s Kubrat Pulev, as he chases a unifying bout against WBC champion Deontay Wilder of the US or New Zealand’s WBO champion Joseph Parker.
Such was the interest in Klitschko’s announcement that the demand crashed his website on Thursday morning.
“After my last fight against Anthony Joshua, I deliberately took the time to make a decision,” said Klitschko, whose elder brother Vitali, 46, is also a former world heavyweight boxing champion.
“I never thought I’d have such a long and incredibly successful boxing career, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart,” he told his fans in a statement.
Klitschko bows out with a record of 64 wins and five defeats with 54 knock-out wins in 69 professional bouts.
“I have achieved everything I dreamed of, and now I want to start my second career after sports,” added Klitschko in a video statement.
“27 years ago, I started my journey and it was the best decision I could have ever made.
“Because of this choice, I have traveled the world, learned new languages, created businesses, built intellectual properties, helped people in need.
“I became a scientist, an entrepeneur, a motivator, a leader, a trainer, an investor and much more.
“I’m still able to do all this because of the global appeal of the sport of boxing.
“At some point in our lives, we need or just want to switch our careers and get ready for the next challenges, I’m no exception.
“Now it is my turn, I’m honestly doing this with respect for the new challenges and also with tremendous excitement, passion and dedication.
“I am expecting and hoping that my next career, which I have been planning and working on for a few years, will be at least as successful as my old one.”
Among his future projects, Klitschko will now turn his attention to the hotel industry.
He is involved in a chain of luxury hotels — 11 Mirrors — in Ukraine and has plans to expand.
“We are concentrating on expanding with 11 Mirrors to Germany and the USA,” Klitschko told German finance magazine Euro am Sonntag.
“I like to spend a lot of money on the training of my employees.
“There is no better return on investment than investing money in its team.”
Klitschko’s retirement ends Joshua rematch hopes
Klitschko’s retirement ends Joshua rematch hopes
UAE claims 9 medals on opening day of Jiu-Jitsu Asian Youth Championship
- It is the first time that youth competitions have been included in the continental championship
- The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team excelled in the jiu-jitsu discipline, securing nine medals, including two golds and two silvers
ABU DHABI: The Jiu-Jitsu Asian Youth Championship kicked off at Mubadala Arena in Zayed Sports City with hosts UAE amassing nine medals on the opening day.
Featuring competitions for athletes under 16, 18, and 21 years old, the youth championship is part of the eighth Jiu-Jitsu Asian Championship held under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, from May 3-8.
It is the first time that youth competitions have been included in the continental championship.
The inaugural day witnessed competitions across various disciplines including duo-classic, show, jiu-jitsu, and jiu-jitsu fighting. The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team excelled in the jiu-jitsu discipline, the only discipline it is participating in, securing nine medals, including two golds and two silvers.
Najla Hashem (-48 kg) and Haneen Alkhoori (-57 kg) won gold for the hosts, while Ali Alnajar (-40 kg) and Hamdan Alnajar (-48 kg) won silver. Alyazia Aljneibi (+63 kg), Ghala Al-Hammadi (44 kg), Zayed Al-Hosani (+77 kg), Saif Al-Balushi (44 kg), and Saif Hamad Al Ameri (62 kg) won bronze.
Hyo-Joo Kim relishing chance to play Aramco Team Series event in home country
- ‘Unique format of the event excites me,’ golfer says
- $1m pro-am competition is first for Ladies European Tour in South Korea
LONDON: South Korean golfer Hyo-Joo Kim says she is “excited” about playing in an Aramco Team Series event in her home country later this week.
The series is heading to Seoul for the second leg of a five-location global tour, as the Ladies European Tour makes its debut in South Korea, at the New Korea Country Club.
The event runs from Friday to Sunday and will see 36 teams — each comprising three professionals and one amateur — competing for the team title, before the professionals battle it out on the final day for the individual title and a share of the $1 million prize pot.
Kim said that playing in front of a home crowd would be a major source of motivation to clinch her first Aramco Team Series in her debut year.
“I’ve heard from those on tour how special Aramco Team Series events are and how they are set up like a major. As soon as I heard the series was heading to Korea for the first time there was no doubt that I would be competing,” she said.
“The unique format of the event excites me. I’ve never played in a tournament quite like it. I’m looking forward to competing with some of my fellow LPGA players here on Korean soil and exciting the passionate crowds.”
Kim will be joined by American Danielle Kang, who is on the hunt for her first win since 2022. The 2017 KPMG PGA Championship winner is no stranger to the city and has Korean heritage.
“I’m thrilled to be participating in the Aramco Team Series in Korea,” Kang said.
“I absolutely love the team aspect of this series and can’t wait to play alongside a great field of golfers from both the LPGA and LET. I am very thankful for this opportunity and excited to compete.”
Saudi fighter Al-Qahtani faces Morocco’s Bendaoud as PFL tournament makes MENA debut
- Iraq’s Ali Taleb faces Jordanian Nawras Abzakh in the bantamweight division co-main event
- The first of four PFL MENA Season events takes place in Riyadh
Riyadh: Abdullah “The Reaper” Al-Qahtani headlines the fight card when the Professional Fighters League stages its first PFL MENA event in Riyadh on May 10.
The capital hosts the opening instalment of a four-event sport-season format featuring the region’s top fighters in a groundbreaking initiative with SRJ Sports Investments.
The action at the Green Halls in Riyadh will feature fights in the featherweight and bantamweight divisions, with the best Middle Eastern and North African fighters competing in a PFL playoff win-and-advance format.
Al-Qahtani takes on Morocco’s Taha Bendaoud in a featherweight bout, while the co-main event features Iraqi fighter Ali Taleb, who will meet Jordan’s Nawras Abzakh in a bantamweight showdown.
PFL MENA Fight Card
Featherweight main event: Abdullah Al-Qahtani vs. Taha Bendaoud
Bantamweight co-main event: Ali Taleb vs. Nawras Abzakh
Bantamweight: Xavier Alaoui vs. Rachid El-Hazoume
Featherweight: Islam Reda vs. Adam Meskini
Bantamweight: Tariq Ismail vs. Jalal Al-Daaja
Bantamweight: Elias Boudegzdame vs. Hassan Mandour
Amateur female atomweight: Hattan Alsaif vs. Nada Faheem
Featherweight: Maraoune Bellagouit vs. Motaz Askar
Featherweight: Ahmed Tarek vs. Abdelrahman Alhyasat
Showcase featherweight: Mido Mohammed vs. Yazeed Hasanain
Showcase flyweight: Malik Basahel vs. Harsh Pandya
Rejuvenated Amir back for ‘unfinished work’ at T20 World Cup
- Amir was selected at the age of 15 by none other than great left-armer Wasim Akram at a fast-bowling camp
- He says his short-term goal is to win World Cup, adds it’s hard to describe the feeling of playing for Pakistan
KARACHI: Rejuvenated fast bowler Mohammad Amir said he has “unfinished work” at next month’s T20 World Cup, 15 years after dazzling as a teenager when Pakistan last lifted the trophy.
The 32-year-old, who was jailed for spot-fixing in 2011, came out of retirement last month and is grateful to have another crack at the World Cup.
“It’s a great feeling to be playing for Pakistan again,” Amir told AFP by phone from Lahore this week ahead of the tournament in the United States and the West Indies beginning on June 2.
“I want to complete the unfinished work and, for me, the short-term goal is to win the World Cup.”
The young Amir impressed in all formats after breaking into the Pakistan side in 2009 and playing at the T20 World Cup.
Within a year he was one of the hottest young talents in cricket, but his precocious career then crashed to an infamous halt in 2010.
Amir was one of three Pakistan players banned from cricket for five years for spot-fixing during a Test match in England after being caught in a newspaper sting. He was later jailed in the UK for six months.
Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who was deemed the ringleader, and fellow quick bowler Mohammad Asif were also banned and the pair were jailed for 30 and 12 months respectively.
Amir returned after his ban to play for Pakistan in 2016 but announced a shock retirement in December 2020 after poor form kept him from being selected.
He will form a potent pace bowling attack with spearhead Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf that sees Pakistan ranked among the World Cup favorites.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board and the team management have shown trust in me so I have to fulfil that trust,” said Amir.
“I have come back after four years and when you play for your country the feeling cannot be described.”
Amir played three of the four T20 home matches against New Zealand last month, taking three wickets in a 2-2 drawn series, and said he felt part of the attack again.
“To be honest I felt fitter than in 2019 and until you are fit you cannot express yourself, so I am ready to do better and better,” said Amir.
He will be in action when Pakistan travel to Ireland for three T20s in Dublin on May 10, 12 and 14.
Pakistan then move to England to play the defending T20 world champions in Leeds (May 22), Birmingham (May 25), Cardiff (May 28) and London (May 30).
Brought up in Changa Bangial village in Punjab province, some 60 kilometers from the capital Islamabad, Amir was determined to make his name in cricket after his five older brothers introduced him to playing.
He was picked out at the age of 15 by none other than great left-armer Wasim Akram at a fast-bowling camp and within two years grew in height and overcame a stress fracture of the back.
Amir said now he only wanted to remember the good events in his career.
“The 2009 Twenty20 World Cup winning memories are special and excite me to this day,” said Amir, who took six wickets in seven matches in the tournament.
They included the prize dismissal of Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan — the player of the tournament — in Pakistan’s eight-wicket final victory.
“I was selected for the first time and then became part of a champion team.
“When I landed (back) at Rawalpindi airport to go to my village there were so many cars and they were showering flowers on me,” he recalled.
“I am lucky that I am still playing. When I came, I was the youngest in the team, so here I am having another chance to win the World Cup and that is the target for me and my team.”
Hero Malcom assists and scores as Hilal edge closer to SPL title
- The Brazilian played starring role in the 2-1 Saudi Classico win against Al-Ahli in Jeddah
JEDDAH: Brazilian star Malcolm was the hero for Al-Hilal on Monday night when he managed an assist and a decisive goal in their 2-1 win over Al-Ahli in the latest Saudi Classico in Jeddah.
The match had been postponed from the 28th round of the Saudi Pro League due to Al-Hilal’s AFC Champions League commitments.
Malcolm set up Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic for the equalizer on 52 minutes after Saudi international Firas Al-Buraikan had given Al-Ahli the lead on the half-hour mark at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Malcom then brought Al-Hilal within touching distance of a record-extending 19th league title by scoring the winner in the 89th minute.
Al-Hilal signed Malcom on a four-year contract from Zenit St. Petersburg last summer. And with five matches remaining until the end of his first season, he has scored 22 goals for the club, 14 of which have come in the SPL.
