More Sports

‘If I Land, I Can Knock Anyone Out’ – Most Destructive Puncher Warns Opponent

There might not be a more menacing sight in all sport that Artur Beterbiev in full flow.

The holder of the WBC, WBO and IBF light-heavyweight titles, he is one of boxing’s most destructive punchers.

He is a multi-belt champion whom no one has been able to contain. No professional fighter has gone the distance with him and Beterbiev has spent years operating at the highest levels.

He has got to them late, or got to them early, but no opponent has managed to hear the final bell.

But, this Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office, Beterbiev is facing his greatest threat yet.

Dmitry Bivol, the holder of the WBA belt, has the only major championship outside of Beterbiev’s possession.

Undefeated like Beterbiev, Bivol is strong himself. A stern puncher, with outstanding footwork and timing, Bivol has a style that has convinced many that he is possibly the only man who can beat the unified titlist.

Dmitry Bivol, the holder of the WBA belt, has the only major championship outside of Beterbiev’s possession.

But if he is to be the toughest test of Beterbiev’s career, the unified champion is waiting to be convinced.

‘We’ll see. I’m really interested to know that. I don’t know. I always prepare for 12 rounds, for hard work,” Beterbiev told Sky Sports.

But he is extremely confident in the power behind his fists. “If I land, everyone can be knocked out,” he said, before adding: “At the same time we’re not thinking about a knockout, it’s not the main thing in our team.

“It’s not good if you prepare for a fight with one scenario. You need to be smarter.”

Beterbiev speaks softly but is no less menacing for that. He does not need histrionics or trashtalk. His KO power does all the screaming for him.

“Just seeing Artur who’s so quiet minded, so quiet, and just said [to Bivol at the press conference]: ‘He knows,'” noted Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank which promotes Beterbiev.

“He doesn’t talk smack, he wasn’t getting in his face. ‘He knows’… The confidence was just beautiful and it was so Artur.

“His English is good but not that good and he just knew that all he needed to get across was that he mentally feels very comfortable about this fight and very excited.”

More Sports

IOC Urges Global Leaders To Prioritise Sport

On the occasion of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP), the global governing body of Olympism delivered a strong call to action from the United Nations headquarters in New York, “We need sport more than ever”.

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) convened in New York City for a high-level event held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters, encouraging governments, policymakers and global leaders to formally integrate physical activity as a vital element in public policies geared towards sustainable development. With eyes fixed on the upcoming World Summit for Social Development, scheduled for November 2025 in Doha, Qatar, the IOC used the platform to position sport as a powerful, yet often overlooked, driver of progress.

The gathering, titled ‘Advancing Social Inclusion Through Sport: Towards the Second World Summit for Social Development,’ was co-organised by the Permanent Missions of Qatar and Monaco to the UN, in partnership with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). It brought together diplomats, athletes and institutional representatives to explore the role of sport in tackling systemic inequalities and furthering the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Delivering the keynote speech was Colombian journalist and diplomat Luis Alberto Moreno, IOC Member and Permanent Observer to the UN, who made a compelling case for sport as a tool for advancing social cohesion. “Sport alone cannot create development or peace. That is our shared responsibility,” he said. “However, sport can catalyse and support social development and inspire peace.”

Moreno put forward a firm appeal, asking decision-makers to ensure that sport has “a rightful place in the debates of the World Summit for Social Development,” particularly now, when, as he emphasised, it is needed “more than ever.” His message was direct and urgent: sport must not remain a peripheral concern in the architecture of development policy. “We cannot afford to overlook the role of sport in shaping the future of social progress,” he stressed. “If we truly want to build inclusive societies, sport must be a central pillar of our strategies, not an afterthought.”

The day-long reception highlighted a shift in policy thinking across multiple countries, where governments have begun to hierarchise sport-based projects as instruments of social cohesion. At the Sport for Sustainable Development Summit held ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, world leaders and sport sector stakeholders signed pledges to increase investment in sport as a vehicle for sustainable development. Later, at the Finance in Common Summit (FiCS) in Cape Town in February, leading development finance institutions committed to helping governments leverage sport for national progress.

Still, as the South American IOC member pointed out, sport’s full potential in the social sphere remains underused, according to the IOC’s statement. Nevertheless, change is within reach. “There are more opportunities than ever for governments to embrace sport as a low-cost, high-impact tool that can benefit everyone,” Moreno explained.

One of the most resonant parts of Moreno’s address was his reflection on sport’s ability to unify—particularly relevant in a world facing rising tensions and polarisation, from geopolitical unrest to economic protectionism, including the current tariff paradigm initiated by US President Donald Trump. Against this backdrop, the 71-year-old businessman held up the Olympic Games as a living example of peaceful coexistence. “Athletes from the 206 National Olympic Committees, and from the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, competed fiercely against one another, yet lived peacefully together in the Olympic Village. That is not only an inspiring story, it is a lesson for all of us,” he added.

The Paris 2024 Games, he noted, were also a landmark for equality and sustainability. “It was the first Games with full gender parity on the field of play, demonstrating that equality in sport is not just an aspiration, but an achievable reality. Moreover, the event set “new standards for future global competitions and their legacies” through its sustainable and socially responsible practices.

In his remarks, Moreno, also a former Colombian Minister of Economic Development, invoked the UN’s historical embrace of sport as a tool for transformation. He recalled the Political Declaration adopted at the first World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen in 1995, which already recognised sport as a key facilitator for inclusion and growth.

That same vision now drives the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy, launched under the Olympic Agenda 2020+5 reform framework. The initiative aims to embed Olympic values into everyday life, far beyond the Games, by promoting access to sport, advancing health and wellbeing, and reinforcing the social fabric within communities worldwide. Currently, Olympism365 reaches tens of millions of people through 550 programmes and socially impactful initiatives across 176 countries. Through close collaboration with institutional and community partners, the IOC is working to ensure that sport contributes meaningfully to the building of more inclusive, healthier, and more resilient societies

More Sports

Rugby Makes Progress In Enugu As State’s Association Set For Inauguration

The Enugu State Government is set to make a bold statement in youth sports development with the inauguration of a Rugby Association, marking another step towards empowering young athletes and expanding the footprint of rugby in Nigeria.

In a significant move, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Enugu State, Barr. Lloyd Ike Ekweremadu Jr., a seasoned barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, has accepted the role of Patron of Rugby in Nigeria, underscoring his commitment to youth engagement through sports.

During a strategic meeting with a delegation from the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF)—comprising General Manager Azeez Ladipo, Chief Operating Officer Babatunde Adeluola, and General Secretary Chinedu Osuoha—the Commissioner pledged full support for the growth of rugby in the state.

“I am honored to be chosen as a patron of rugby in Nigeria,” Ekweremadu stated. “I assure you that the Enugu Rugby Association will be inaugurated to drive the game’s development across the state. As for the Annual General Meeting (AGM), we will assess what is required and explore the possibility of hosting it.”

Speaking on behalf of the NRFF, General Manager Azeez Ladipo emphasized the federation’s commitment to providing the necessary support to ensure the smooth establishment and operations of the association.

“We will offer technical assistance, workforce training, and grassroots development programs to introduce rugby in schools, communities, and universities across Enugu State,” Ladipo said.

The delegation proceeded to inspect various facilities across the city, and according to the General Manager of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), “The facilities are simply outstanding. With what we’ve seen on ground, nothing is stopping rugby in Enugu.”

With this initiative, Enugu joins a growing list of states investing in rugby, reflecting a broader movement toward diversifying Nigeria’s sports landscape and creating more opportunities for youth participation. Further deliberations will continue on the state’s potential role in hosting the federation’s next AGM.

This marks a new chapter for rugby in Enugu, and stakeholders are optimistic about its impact on youth empowerment, talent discovery, and the overall growth of the sport in Nigeria.

More Sports

How Corruption Stalled My Guinness World Record Fight in the Past 19 Years – Bash Ali

African Boxing Ambassador, Nigerian Bashiru Lawrence Ali, OON, has made a clarion call to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in order for the country to see the dream of staging the Guinness World Boxing Championship during his tenure in office.

Ali, who is fondly called Bash Ali by his teeming admirers believes that the situation has gone to the level that a presidential intervention from a good man like Tinubu can make the dream come to reality, especially with the way official corruption has allegedly hindered the organisation of the epic world boxing fight in Nigeria over the years.

“Sir, for almost 19 years the FGN has failed me. The FGN has extorted millions from me. The FGN has blackmailed me. The FGN has scammed me and despite several juicy offers to fight outside of Nigeria I still refused to give up on my country, Nigeria. I want to fight in my country, Nigeria so help me, please,” the World Boxing Federation (WBF) cruiserweight champion lamented in a letter he wrote to the president on Wednesday, 2 April 2025.

Bash Ali wrote: “Corruption has killed millions of Nigerians and has left most confused and frustrated. If someone had told me that after almost two years into your administration my Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fight would still be stalled, despite my several meetings and discussions with you on the subject matter, I would have punched the person in the mouth.

“For almost 19 years, to make this historic event a reality in Nigeria, the FGN has on three occasions, November 9, 2006, January 7, 2014, and May 21, 2019 inaugurated the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee with the three arms of government, legislative (Senate and House of Representatives committee chairmen on sports), executive (office of the chief of staff to Mr. President) and the judiciary (office of the Attorney General of the Federation) as members. The private sector will provide the funds while the FGN will provide an enabling environment for a successful show, but corruption has stalled it.”

The African Boxing Ambassador went on to inform President Tinubu that “it is imperative to inform you that the FGN is not putting up a KOBO but to provide an enabling environment and in the process earn the glory, honour and money from hosting this historic event.

“My President Sir, after the FGN has collected $12m and extorted millions of Naira from me in the disguise of putting in place the promotional structures, the FGN has stalled the process of hosting this historic fight because I say NO to further extortion,” he said.

Bash Ali told Tinubu that out of frustration and to get justice, “I had to go to court, and the matter is again coming up on April 7, 2025. I did not leave my comfort zone in Oakland, California, United States of America to fight the FGN in a court of law but to fight in a boxing ring to bring honour, glory and financial growth to FGN but I am in court because I have no choice.

“Sir, the people who extorted millions of Naira from me on behalf of the FGN and those who were not successful are still in your cabinet and have sworn that this historic fight will not see the light of the day unless I cooperate with corruption.”

The ageless pugilist pleaded with Tinubu to intervene by “asking that the court case against the FGN be settled out of court. I am respectfully asking for the immediate re-inauguration of the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee and that all the unnecessary obstacles caused by corruption by the FGN should be removed so this historic fight can hold in our great country, Nigeria.”

Bash Ali did not end his letter to the president without revealing the immediate benefits of staging the Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fight in Nigeria. He said: “All Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fights have been held in the United States of America so mine would be the first outside and the most lucrative in the history of Pay Per View Television Revenue, sales of souvenirs, sponsorship, advertisement etc. No fewer than 132 countries are coming to Nigeria to be part of the Boxing History and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has written to the World Boxing Body to guarantee in Nigeria the safety of their members and that the Ministry of Youth & Sports, now the National Sports Commission (NSC) will follow up to ensure timely payment of their Approval Fee which is domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria by the private sector.