Sport
Daniel Dubois Pulls Out of Title Fight Against Joseph Parker Due to Illness
Daniel Dubois has withdrawn from his IBF heavyweight title defense against Joseph Parker due to illness. The bout was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 22, 2025, as part of a high-profile boxing event.
Dubois’s father, Stanley, provided an update on his son’s health, stating that Daniel experienced swollen glands, fever, and fatigue during fight week. Despite Dubois feeling well enough to compete, medical professionals advised against it, leading to his withdrawal from the match.
Stanley expressed the team’s disappointment but mentioned that Daniel is on the mend and will return to training after a period of rest. In response to Dubois’s sudden withdrawal, Martin Bakole was secured as a last-minute replacement to face Joseph Parker.
Bakole, who was in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the time, accepted the offer immediately and traveled to Riyadh on short notice. Promoter Ben Shalom described the process of finalizing the agreement with Bakole’s team as “the most ridiculous deal ever made”.
The fight between Parker and Bakole took place as scheduled, with Parker delivering a decisive performance. He secured a knockout victory over Bakole in the second round, reaffirming his position in the heavyweight division.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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Super Eagles Star Calvin Bassey Opens Up on Nearly Walking Away from Football
