MIAMI: Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani made Major League Baseball history on Thursday, becoming the first player ever to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Ohtani officially established MLB’s 50-50 club with a seventh-inning homer in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Marlins in Miami.

The win clinched the Dodgers’ post-season berth — a first for Ohtani, who never made the playoffs even as he earned two American League Most Valuable Player awards while with the Los Angles Angels.

The Dodgers had runners on the corners when Ohtani came to the plate with two outs in the seventh. He launched a curveball from Mike Baumann over the left centerfield wall.

His second home run of the contest gave him 50 for the season, after two stolen bases earlier in the game pushed his tally of steals to 51.

The Japanese standout had smashed his 49th home run of 2024 in the sixth, a 438-foot blast that tied Shawn Green’s record for most by a Dodger in a single season, set in 2001.

And to cap a monster offensive performance, Ohtani added a third home run in the ninth inning, finishing the game with 51 homers and 51 steals so far this season.

He had six hits in six at-bats, including two doubles for a total of five extra-base hits.

He drove in 10 runs and scored four and could only laugh as he returned to the dugout after his final blast, the cheers of fans at LoanDepot Park ringing in his ears.

“To be honest, I’m the one probably most surprised,” Ohtani said through a translator of the spectacular show. “I have no idea where this came from, but I’m glad I performed well today.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, addressing his players in the clubhouse as they celebrated the victory, noted the achievement.

“This is a game that has been played for over 200 years,” Roberts said. “And this is something that has never been done.”

But Ohtani himself tried to keep the focus on the team.

“I’m glad that the team won,” he said, admitting that with so much attention focused on his 50-50 pursuit, it “was something I wanted to get over as quickly as possible.

“It’s something that I’m going to cherish for a very long time.”

Already the fastest player to reach 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season, Ohtani had nabbed his 50th steal in the first inning when he belted a leadoff double and stole third, his well-timed slide allowing him to evade a tag by Marlins third baseman Connor Norby.

Ohtani scored on a sacrifice fly and one inning later he notched his 51st steal, swiping second after a single.

With his 50th stolen base, Ohtani surpassed Roberts for the second most by a Japanese-born player in MLB history, a list led by Ichiro Suzuki, who stole 56 in 2001.

Ohtani had earlier this season become MLB’s all-time leader in home runs among Japanese-born players when he surpassed the 175 of Hideki Matsui.

The 30-year-old, who signed a record $700 million free agent deal with the Dodgers in the off-season, now has 222 career home runs.

Meanwhile, Ohtani is ramping up his rehabilitation from surgery on his throwing elbow. Unable to showcase his pitching prowess this year, he has been throwing bullpen sessions and could face hitters soon.

LONDON: Reigning International Boxing Federation heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois said on Thursday he was ready to do “whatever it takes” to win his fight against Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

The two fighters, who will headline the Riyadh Season Card Wembley Edition event in London, faced off for a second time this week at a press conference at Guildhall in the British capital.

Dubois, who has been guarded and careful with his words during the build-up week, did not mince his words when asked how he felt 48 hours from the bout.

“I’ve been preparing for this moment for months. This fight has been anticipated since the start of my professional career, and I’m here to solidify my place by winning,” he said. 

“I’m feeling in peak condition, physically and mentally, and I’m prepared for battle.

“Whether by knockout or decision, I’ll do whatever it takes to win. The method doesn’t matter — what matters is that I’m ready for any scenario,” he added.

Joshua, who could join an elite group of fighters to be crowned a three-time world champion, emphasized the respect between him and Dubois, adding that boxing was “at its core, a gentleman’s sport.”

However, he acknowledged the tension that often accompanies face-offs, recalling a recent encounter with Dubois: “During the face-off about a month ago, tensions flared, but it remained respectful. Dubois said, ‘Let’s go now,’ and for a moment, I wasn’t sure what he meant. But this is boxing, and these things happen. We’re ready for Saturday.”

He continued: “In this sport, you can’t give anyone an inch because they’ll take a mile. I’m going all out, and I want to thank my team for their efforts in preparing me for this battle.”

Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, said the event on Saturday had the potential to be an “historic night for British boxing,” and not just for his fighter.

“I never imagined that Riyadh Season would reach this level, but here we are, hosting an extraordinary event at Wembley,” he said. 

“Joshua has always been an inspiration to a new generation of fighters, and ever since he won Olympic gold, he has set the standard for British boxing. Saturday offers him the chance to prove himself once again as a three-time heavyweight world champion, joining the ranks of legends like Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis.

“Anthony is fully prepared. I’ve never seen him this calm and confident. Saturday will be a night to remember, and it will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest in British sporting history,” he added.

Hearn’s rival promoter Frank Warren, who manages Dubois, agreed.

“This isn’t just any fight— we have two of Britain’s strongest heavyweight contenders going head-to-head. Both have faced challenges, but Dubois has shown throughout his career that he’s a fighter not to be underestimated,” he said.

“He’s surmounted numerous obstacles, and now he’s here to show the world what he’s capable of. Dubois packs a powerful punch, with speed and agility that make him a dangerous opponent.

“I advise everyone not to blink during this fight because it’s going to be extraordinary from start to finish. I truly believe this will be one of the greatest bouts in British boxing history.”