Sports World: Bout off again as Chimaev pulls out
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Bout off again as Chimaev pulls out
ABU DHABI • Less than three weeks from a much-anticipated headliner bout at UFC Fight Night 183, the match-up between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards at 170 pounds (77kg) has been called off yet again.
Russia-born Swede Chimaev was forced to withdraw, although no official reason was given, from the fight that was set for Jan 20 at Abu Dhabi.
Briton Edwards reportedly lost more than 5kg during a recent bout with Covid-19 that caused the original fight on Dec 19 to be postponed.
REUTERS
Simeone wants Trippier's ban cut
LONDON • Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone believes the 10-week ban imposed on England defender Kieran Trippier for breaching betting rules unfairly harms his side and has asked for the punishment to be re-assessed.
Tripper was last week also fined £70,000 (S$126,000) by the English Football Association (FA) and their first-choice right-back will miss at least 13 matches for the La Liga leaders, who have also reached the last 16 of the Champions League.
However, Simeone claimed that Atletico have "absolutely nothing to do" with this case as it occurred during his time with Tottenham.
REUTERS
Tsonga out of Aussie Open with back injury
PARIS • Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has joined Roger Federer in withdrawing from next year's Australian Open, set to start on Feb 8, after failing to recover fully from a lower back injury.
The 35-year-old has not played since retiring from his first-round match at Melbourne Park in January when trailing Alexei Popyrin 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-1.
Tsonga, a 2008 finalist in Melbourne, wrote on social media that "despite great progress in recent months, I am still not able to play in competition".
REUTERS
Masters tickets not going on sale yet
AUGUSTA (Georgia) • While the Masters eyes a return to its usual April slot next year after a pandemic-induced delay meant that this year's edition was played in November, the organisers are not going to begin the ticketing process as early as usual.
An e-mail from Augusta National to ticket holders notes that Patron Series Badges will not be going out tomorrow.
According to ESPN, the organisers of the year's first golf Major will release more information by the end of next month as "planning continues on how to stage the 2021 Masters Tournament safely and responsibly".
REUTERS
