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Daniel Dubois has withdrawn from his IBF heavyweight title defense against Joseph Parker due to illness.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.
Sport
Thierry Henry Criticises Taking Dressing Room Issues to the Press
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Sport
PSG Luis Enrique Shares Hope for the 2026 Ballon d’Or
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
Sport
Walid Acherchour Backs Lamine Yamal to Win 2026 Ballon d’Or
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
