www.freespotrs.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
2a00:1450:4001:829::2013
Public Scan
Submitted URL: http://www.freespotrs.com/
Effective URL: https://www.freespotrs.com/
Submission: On January 21 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://www.freespotrs.com/
Submission: On January 21 via api from US — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOMText Content
FREE SPORTS PAGES * SOCCER * NFL * NBA * NHL * UFC * BOXING * MOTOR SPORTS * MLB AD CASH DRAYMOND GREEN'S RETURN DOESN'T SPARK WARRIORS IN LOSS TO GRIZZLIES Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green made his return Monday from his indefinite suspension but he wasn't able to lift the Warriors past a depleted Memphis Grizzlies team, falling 116-107. Green, whose absence spanned 16 games, came off the bench in the hopes of preserving some of the momentum the Warriors starting lineup had built over the past two games without him. As Green checked in at 6:32 of the first quarter, boos from the Memphis crowd rained down on him. The crowd continued to heckle him each time he touched the ball. Green finished with seven points on 2-of-4 shooting, including two 3-pointers, seven rebounds, four assists and one steal in 23 minutes. "It was fun being back on the court," Green said. "Getting the chance to play basketball, that's always fun. It was a little weird going out of the tunnel to go shoot and do my pregame, but after that it just settled down. "I think [the minutes] will go up pretty fast, but until it does I will try to be the best I can be in the minutes I have and bring a spark to this team." The Warriors were hopeful that with Green coming back, they would be able to build off the improved defensive habits they picked up during the first two games of their four-game road trip. But it was the exact opposite. Golden State allowed Memphis to shoot 20-of-54 from 3 -- the most 3-pointers the Warriors have given up this season -- and go 32-of-40 from the free throw line. The Warriors, meanwhile, hit just 10 3's and went 9-of-10 from the stripe. That minus-30 free throw attempt difference is the second-worst in a game for the Warriors under Steve Kerr, according to ESPN's Stats & Information research. "[The defensive plan] falls off when it's about having pride," Green said. "You have to have pride in yourself as a man, that I'm not going to let a guy score. But our closeouts were too soft, and rotations were too slow, so there's just no pride. Until every guy takes pride in them self and wants to stop the guy in front of them, we'll suck." Without five of their top six players, the Grizzlies were playing with house money. And the Warriors knew that. It's what they harped on during their pregame meetings. They knew every player in a Memphis uniform was going to be looking for their shot to stick it to the Warriors, so they needed to be prepared. But they weren't. "Their game plan was pretty simple. Shoot as many 3s as possible and get into transition as often as possible," Kerr said. "And then for us to foul 25 times to their 21, that's really the story ... they gained belief as they went. All of these guys are in the NBA. We tell them that before every game like this. These guys are in the NBA for a reason. They lit it up from 3. They knew they had to do that and we knew they had to do that. We didn't play the game that could keep them from doing that." The lack of confidence that plagued the Warriors during their eight-game home stand last week crept back in. The team has been harping on how the lack of communication has been the biggest issue. Green doesn't disagree but says it starts on a more individual level before spreading to a team wide issue -- which includes talking on defense. "Individuals make up a team. Individually our defense sucks, so in turn our team defense sucks," Green said. "If we got guys that will take pride in themselves and play defense, one through however many guys we have, then it is solvable. If guys won't take pride in defense, then it's not. It's very simple." Wednesday night marks the Warriors' 41st game, officially hitting the midway point. No longer able to use the excuse of "it's early," the Warriors understand they aren't in a position to wait their issues out. At the same time, Golden State has a belief that it does have time to work out its problems. But how to do that remains the question. And as of right now, the Warriors don't have the answer. A NEW RULE IS CHANGING THE NBA'S AWARDS RACE; IT COULD ALSO COST PLAYERS MILLIONS A new rule is changing the NBA's awards race; it could also cost players millions TWO WEEKS AGO, Joel Embiid returned from a four-game absence caused by a sore ankle, an injury that kept him out of the Philadelphia 76ers' marquee Christmas Day matchup with the Miami Heat. After that Jan. 2 win against the Chicago Bulls, during which Embiid recorded a 31-point, 15-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, the NBA's reigning MVP was asked about the new league policy that could end his repeat run before a single award vote is cast. The league's rule, put in place in early October as part of the push to curb load management, states players will be all but certain to be ineligible for major individual awards -- Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA honors among them -- if they fail to play in at least 65 games. "I just wanna play as many games as possible," Embiid, the reigning MVP and front-runner for this season's award, said after Philadelphia's win against Chicago. "It's unfortunate that I missed the last four games, but you can't control it. "At the beginning of the season ... my goal was to try to play 82 games." Three days later, Embiid tweaked his left knee in Philadelphia's loss to the New York Knicks. He missed the next three games before stepping back on the court Monday with another dominating performance in a win against the Houston Rockets. Embiid and the Sixers host the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, his chief rival for MVP in each of the past three seasons, on Tuesday. After sitting out those seven games, Embiid has missed 10 this season and can miss only seven of the 76ers' remaining 44 contests to stay eligible. And as the season approaches its midway point, Philly's big man isn't the only superstar who could be impacted for postseason honors and the millions in financial incentives that follow. THE 65-GAME RULE accounts for just under 80% of the 82-game regular season. Along with the in-season tournament and the larger player participation policy, it was designed to put more emphasis on the regular season and to encourage teams to play their elite players more often. "There's no magic to the 65, but we're trying to take into account games, of course, that are going to be missed because there are injuries, and maybe occasionally even it's necessary for a player to rest," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said at his NBA Finals news conference in Denver last spring. "This is something we negotiated with the players' association. Everybody has an interest in the league putting its best foot forward in a highly competitive regular season." Impact of the NBA's new 65-game rule Starting in the 2023-24 season, in order to be eligible for MVP, an All-NBA team, Defensive Player of the Year, an All-Defensive team or Most Improved Player honors, a player must satisfy at least one of the following two criteria: 1. The player played in at least 65 regular-season games 2. The player played in at least 62 regular-season games, suffered a season-ending injury and played in at least 85% of the regular-season games played by his team prior to the player suffering said injury A player will be considered to have played in a regular-season game if he played at least 20 minutes of such game -- though he can count two games in which he fell short of 20 minutes toward the 65 if he played at least 15 minutes. Last week, as part of a league-commissioned report that argues load management does not reduce the long-term risk of injuries to players, the NBA laid out the increase in missed games among star players over the past 40 years. In the 1980s, star players -- defined in the report as players who were All-Star or All-NBA selections in that current season or the prior two -- missed an average of 10.4 games per season. In the 1990s, that number was 10.6 games. It has steadily increased since: 13.9 games in the 2000s; 17.5 games in the 2010s; 23.9 games missed per season this decade. "Of course there's significant business impact there and fan impact, as well as the competitive integrity piece [of missed games]," Evan Wasch, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball strategy and analytics, told ESPN. "So we talked about how we could potentially reverse that trend." OF THE PLAYERS selected to the three All-NBA teams last season, five of them -- Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (63 games played), Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (56), Miami forward Jimmy Butler (64), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (55) and then-Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (58) -- would not have been eligible for the honors under the new rule. The rule, therefore, would have also impacted the financial futures of several elite players. Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, for example, finished ninth in All-NBA voting among forwards, behind a list that included Antetokounmpo, Butler and James. If the 65-game rule were in place last season, Siakam would have been one of the six forwards to qualify. With it would have come eligibility for a supermax contract extension this past summer. (Siakam will head into the offseason without a new deal, and his name has surfaced in trade reports ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline.) Several more players could be impacted this season. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (14 games missed), Heat center Bam Adebayo (10 games) and Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (six games) would each be supermax eligible if they make All-NBA this season. "Me, honestly, it doesn't affect how I think about basketball," Adebayo told ESPN. "I love to play basketball. I love the game. So, for me, I'm gonna play regardless. "I think it's crazy that we have to have a rule that you have to play games, just because in my mind, I feel like everybody loves basketball the way I do. ... "At the end of the day, if guys want to win awards, they're gonna play." There are big stakes on these decisions. Adebayo and Fox could see a $93 million difference in their next contracts based on All-NBA voting. Both will be able to sign a three-year extension for $152 million with the Heat and Kings, respectively, if they don't make All-NBA for too many games missed. If they do, they are both eligible for four-year, $245 million supermax extensions. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, one of the league's brightest young stars, is out multiple weeks with a hamstring injury and has already missed seven games this season. By the time he returns, he could have already missed more than 17 games, which would make him ineligible for awards. That would prevent him from getting the contract amount that comes with making an All-NBA team in a fourth NBA season: a difference of $41 million. For his part, Adebayo said he isn't going to spend time worrying about what will happen over the second half of the season. "[An injury] is what it is," Adebayo said. "You can't stop injuries from happening." He then turned around and knocked on the wooden locker behind him. "God forbid nobody gets hurt, but you can't [prevent] injury," he said. "I think it's crazy that we even have the rule. It's one of those things where you just accept the rule. ... "I guess use your 17 games as wisely as possible." FOR PLAYERS WHO fall short of the 65-game threshold, there are procedures in place to attempt to regain eligibility for awards. The pathway to achieving that, however, is a narrow one. Once a player has officially fallen short of being able to reach 65 games played, the rule states they'll have two days to file a grievance. An arbitration hearing between the player, team, league and players' union will follow. To file a grievance, a player must have clear and convincing evidence that the team limited the minutes or games played by that player with the intention of depriving the player of eligibility for one or more awards. There is also one injury-related clause: If players have a season-ending injury just before reaching the 65-game threshold, they could remain award eligible. That player would have to have played in at least 62 regular-season games, have suffered a season-ending injury and have played in at least 85% of his team's games before getting hurt. There's also an "extraordinary circumstances" clause. However, league and players union sources do not expect injuries to suffice, as it essentially defeats the purpose of the rule. "We've never seen a player who's played 40 games, for example, be recognized with [an award impacted by the rule]," Wasch said. "We have seen players kind of in the low- to mid- 50s [in games played] with extraordinary seasons get those recognitions. "This is just memorializing what the competition committee, the players' association, the league, teams collectively thought reflected in aggregate season performance. ... And we understand that means that a player could fall short by a game, two, three. "Then that recognition is gonna go to someone else who had, in theory, a greater aggregate contribution to his team by playing 65 or more games." But while it could prevent him from claiming a second straight MVP award, Embiid said his goals are bigger than accolades -- and he won't jeopardize the chase for a championship to pursue individual awards. "The goal is to be ready for the playoffs," Embiid told reporters after Monday's win against Houston. "If I can't meet the criteria of 65 games ... as long as I'm ready to be dominant in that time in April, that's all I care about." 2024 NFL DRAFT ORDER: TOP 24 PICKS SET, WITH BEARS AT THE TOP 2024 NFL draft order: Top 24 picks set, with Bears at the top The order for the top 24 picks in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft is set, with the Chicago Bears picking No. 1 and the Washington Commanders picking No. 2. Could both teams move on from their starting quarterbacks? Or could they look to add help for their signal-callers in April's draft? The Bears have two first-round picks -- the second at No. 9 overall -- as they look toward an intriguing offseason. The 2024 NFL draft will take place at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza in Detroit. Round 1 will begin on April 25, Rounds 2 and 3 are on April 26, and Rounds 4 through 7 are on April 27. The draft will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC and the ESPN App. Check out the locked-in order for Nos. 1-24 below, with Nos. 25-32 projected from ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI). Team write-ups from our NFL Nation reporters have been updated from mid-December. 1. Chicago Bears (via 2-15 CAR) The Bears have the No. 1 pick in back-to-back years thanks to a trade with Carolina from last March. The biggest question is whether they will keep quarterback Justin Fields and use their draft capital to build around him with another wide receiver and interior O-line help, or if they will draft a QB. The way Fields played since returning from a thumb injury in Week 11 brings up a real debate about whether Chicago is better off with him on this trajectory than starting over in 2024. -- Courtney Cronin 2. Washington Commanders (4-13) Washington's direction with its first pick will be determined by how the organization views quarterback Sam Howell. With a regime change likely, it's impossible to know what a new coach or general manager thinks of him. If they like him, they can trade back, add more picks early in the draft and/or in future years (they own five top-100 picks in 2024) and build a quality young roster. But if they're not sold on Howell, then they can try to move up or select one of the top quarterbacks in the class. -- John Keim 3. New England Patriots (4-13) There's a decision due this offseason on quarterback Mac Jones' fifth-year option for 2025. The Patriots probably will decline it, which would mean they're back in the first-round quarterback conversation. It doesn't necessarily lock in that they'll take a passer from what is considered a talented class. Their needs are plentiful, with offensive line and wide receiver atop the list. There is also the rather large question of whether the Bill Belichick regime will be making the picks, so there's plenty to sort out between now and then. -- Mike Reiss 4. Arizona Cardinals (4-13) To trade or not to trade, that is the question the Cardinals will face with their first of two first-round picks. With Kyler Murray's play since returning from a knee injury, the conversation about drafting a quarterback has quieted, but Arizona is in a position to rebuild its entire roster with 10 picks in the 2024 draft. If top wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (Ohio State) is available with their first pick, the Cardinals could pair him with Murray and never look back, or trade down for a haul of picks as well as a prime player. If they keep their top pick, expect it to be an impact player, while the second pick will likely fill a need such as an offensive lineman or another receiver. They also have Houston's top pick from the trade up last April. -- Josh Weinfuss 5. Los Angeles Chargers (5-12) The Chargers are projected to be $34.8 million over the salary cap next season, according to Roster Management System. This means they will potentially look much different next season, as many of their expensive contracts will need to be restructured, traded or released. Drafting the best player available (except at quarterback) would make sense, but with a rushing offense and pass defense that are both at the bottom of the league, the most significant needs are at defensive back, offensive line and tight end. -- Kris Rhim 6. New York Giants (6-11) General manager Joe Schoen said recently that the Giants are going to add a quarterback this offseason, via free agency or the draft. He also mentioned studying the first-round quarterbacks from the 2018 draft, which suggests they're going to at least consider that position early in this draft depending on how this season ends. -- Jordan Raanan 7. Tennessee Titans (6-11) Only four starters have come from the past three Titans' draft classes, but general manager Ran Carthon's debut 2023 class has seen several contributors, particularly on offense. That includes Will Levis, who might be the team's quarterback of the future. Now, Carthon has to find more impactful players for a roster that desperately needs game-changing talent. The roster also needs to add quality depth players on both sides of the football. The Titans could be in transition, with perennial Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry potentially hitting the market as a free agent. -- Turron Davenport 8. Atlanta Falcons (7-10) This will all start at quarterback for the Falcons, who lost four of five games to end the season. They might not be in a position to draft one of the top prospects. They could instead turn their attention to cornerback, offensive line or defensive line. Missing the playoffs makes the quarterback question the biggest offseason issue by far. -- Michael Rothstein 9. Chicago Bears (7-10) This is the second of the Bears' two first-round picks, thanks to their trade with the Panthers from last March. Chicago last picked twice in Round 1 in 2003, when it traded down from No. 4 and drafted defensive end Michael Haynes (No. 14) and quarterback Rex Grossman (No. 22). -- ESPN staff 10. New York Jets (7-10) The Jets' top needs are at offensive tackle and wide receiver, and there should be some talented prospects from which to choose. The team's biggest question is at quarterback. New York will have a healthy Aaron Rodgers in 2024, but will that preclude it from taking a quarterback if it has a shot at one of the top prospects? That would contradict the organization's win-now philosophy, but it also has to keep an eye on the future. Rodgers is 40, and there's no guarantee he will play beyond 2024. -- Rich Cimini 11. Minnesota Vikings (7-10) Nothing about the Vikings' draft plans can be finalized until they decide about the quarterback position. Kirk Cousins' contract will be void in March. Joshua Dobbs, after a hot start as the team's emergency starter, has been benched and does not appear to be the answer. The Vikings will have to decide whether they want either (or both) back in 2024 and then assess whether their ultimate draft position will be good enough to select a quarterback who is good enough to factor as a long-term answer. If not, has rookie Jaren Hall shown enough to be in that conversation? -- Kevin Seifert 12. Denver Broncos (8-9) The Broncos are back on the quarterback carousel -- again -- after coach Sean Payton benched Russell Wilson before the Week 17 game against the Chargers. Jarrett Stidham, who started the last two games, was the 12th quarterback to start a game for the Broncos since the beginning of the 2016 season. The Broncos are poised to walk away from Wilson, including his five-year, $242.6 million deal. Stidham would be the most efficient option given he's signed for 2024 and Wilson's contract would put the Broncos in a most uncomfortable salary cap squeeze. The Broncos have limited draft capital -- six picks and only two in the first two days of the draft, with no second-rounder -- to make a move. -- Jeff Legwold 13. Las Vegas Raiders (8-9) Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce, who elevated fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell over veteran Jimmy Garoppolo in November, acknowledged late in the season he never believed Las Vegas would win a game "because" of the rookie quarterback. Indeed, had the Raiders received any semblance of competent quarterback play against the Vikings (a 3-0 defeat) and in the first half at the Colts, where they lost 23-20, they would have had two more wins. Pierce's admission lends further credence to the notion that O'Connell is not the future for the franchise. Same with $72.75 million man Garoppolo, a prime cut candidate. So, for the first time since 2007, and only the fourth time since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Raiders could use a first-round pick on a quarterback. A trade up might be necessary to get one of the top passers, but who makes that call, what with Pierce the interim coach and Champ Kelly an interim general manager? Indeed, the Raiders are again in search of a franchise quarterback. -- Paul Gutierrez 14. New Orleans Saints (9-8) The Saints have struck out with first-round picks on both sides of the line: Defensive end Marcus Davenport (2018) left in free agency, edge rusher Payton Turner (2021) has three career sacks, and offensive tackle Trevor Penning (2022) was benched this season. They have one of the worst pass rushes in the league, and Cameron Jordan (two sacks) will be 35 next season. With quarterback Derek Carr signed through the 2026 season and the Saints struggling in the trenches, they might need to start rebuilding their offensive and defensive lines. -- Katherine Terrell 15. Indianapolis Colts (9-8) The Colts addressed their longtime quarterback need last April, and that opens up the draft board in a significant way. They like their offensive playmakers, though adding a receiver couldn't hurt. Their secondary is young but showing some promise late in the season. With the lack of urgent needs, this draft is the perfect scenario for general manager Chris Ballard, who loves trading out of the first round to acquire additional picks. -- Stephen Holder 16. Seattle Seahawks (9-8) The book is closed on the Russell Wilson trade, which means the Seahawks won't be flush with early-round draft capital like they were in each of the past two drafts. They have an extra third-round pick, but they don't own a second-rounder after giving it up in the Leonard Williams trade -- and they won't be picking in the top 10 for a third straight year, barring a collapse over the final month. That means it could be easier said than done to replace quarterback Geno Smith this offseason if they were so inclined based on his inconsistent play and the flexibility they have to get out of his contract. -- Brady Henderson 17. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8) For a team that started 8-3, the Jaguars have a lot of areas that need to be addressed if they're going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2024 and beyond. It starts with the interior of the offensive line (mainly at guard), but adding a big-bodied receiver, finding another pass-rusher and/or cornerback and getting better on the defensive line also are spots to watch. Most of Jacksonville's impact players were signed in free agency in recent years. It's time to find some more in the draft. -- Michael DiRocco 18. Cincinnati Bengals (9-8) The Bengals' draft could hinge on what happens with wide receiver Tee Higgins. In the final year of his rookie deal, Higgins' production has fallen short of his first three seasons. He had 42 catches and five touchdowns in 12 games. Cincinnati will need to decide if he's worth a franchise tag or a long-term deal, or it could look at drafting a replacement to pair with Ja'Marr Chase, who could get a massive contract extension in the offseason. -- Ben Baby 19. Los Angeles Rams (10-7) For the first time since 2016, the Rams have a pick in the first round. In November, it looked like that pick was trending toward the top 10, but Los Angeles won seven of its final eight regular-season games to get into the playoffs. The Rams have several spots they could target in the draft, but after moving on from several veterans on the defensive side of the ball last offseason, it could make sense for them to go for the best defensive player available in April. -- Sarah Barshop 20. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) Even with a deep and talented quarterback class in the draft, the Steelers are unlikely to move on from Kenny Pickett this offseason. There still are plenty of holes to fill across the roster, but they should prioritize cornerback and inside linebacker. General manager Omar Khan selected cornerback Joey Porter Jr. in his first draft a year ago, but the Steelers now need a top-tier mate to pair with him. And while they hit on all three inside linebacker free agency signings, injuries decimated the group, and reinforcements will be needed. Center could be another first-round option. -- Brooke Pryor 21. Miami Dolphins (11-6) No, your eyes do not deceive you -- the Dolphins own a first-round pick for the first time since 2021. The direction in which they go ultimately will be determined by their free agent class, but they have needs at safety, linebacker and interior offensive line. Miami needs to hit on its premium picks, considering quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's potential megadeal will likely inspire some tough financial decisions. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques 22. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6) The Eagles have nine picks, including a pair of second-rounders, to supplement its roster. Secondary is likely to be a focus, with starting corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry both over 30. The Eagles are usually hesitant to devote significant resources at linebacker but will need to reconsider after being held back by the position this season. Offensive and defensive line is always a safe bet with this front office, especially with some key players in the twilight of their careers. -- Tim McManus 23. Houston Texans (via 11-6 CLE) The Texans traded away their first-round pick in this class when they moved up with the Cardinals to draft edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. last April. This pick comes from the Deshaun Watson trade with the Browns. While Houston surpassed expectations this season and won a playoff game, it has holes in the trenches, specifically at left guard and in the defensive front seven. It might need to pick the best available player instead of filling a specific need this late, however. Drafting for need is tougher when a team can't get one of the elite prospects in the top half of Round 1. -- DJ Bien-Aime 24. Dallas Cowboys (12-5) The Cowboys can look anywhere and everywhere for help in this draft. They will use free agency to fill holes and make sure they can choose the best player available, but the offensive line (tackle, center), defensive line, linebacker, cornerback, running back and potentially wideout could be options. The Cowboys have 16 players set to become unrestricted free agents, including tackle Tyron Smith, running back Tony Pollard, cornerback Stephon Gilmore and defensive end Dorance Armstrong. They likely won't be able to keep all of them, so hitting at those spots in the draft becomes a must. -- Todd Archer BOXING SCHEDULE (JANUARY - APRIL) Boxing schedule Want to know what fights are on the horizon? Check out the boxing schedule for 2024. JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL Key dates: Jan. 13: Quebec City, Canada (Watch on ESPN/ESPN+) -- Title fight: Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev's WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles Jan. 20: Liverpool (Watch on ESPN+) -- Title fight: Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, for Jonas' IBF women's welterweight title Feb. 8: Las Vegas (ESPN/ESPN+) -- Title fight: Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs. Jamaine Ortiz, for Lopez's WBO junior welterweight title Feb. 17: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Title fight: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, 12 rounds, for the undisputed heavyweight championship March 2: San Juan, Puerto Rico (DAZN) -- Title fight: Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke, 12 rounds, for Serrano's IBF, WBO and WBA featherweight women's titles Full schedule: JANUARY Jan. 13: Quebec City, Canada (Watch: 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+) Title fight: Artur Beterbiev vs. Callum Smith, 12 rounds, for Beterbiev's WBC, WBO and IBF light heavyweight titles Title fight: Jason Moloney vs. Saul Sanchez, 12 rounds, for Moloney's WBO bantamweight title Christian Mbilli vs. Rohan Murdock, 12 rounds, super middleweights Imam Khataev vs. Joaquin Murrieta Lucio, 10 rounds, light heavyweights Christopher Guerrero vs. Sergio Garcia Herrera, 8 rounds, welterweights Mehmet Unal vs. Dragan Lepei, 8 rounds, light heavyweights Leila Beaudoin vs. Elizabeth Chavez Espinoza, 8 rounds, women's junior lightweights Moreno Fendero vs. Victor Hugo Flores, 4 rounds, super middleweights Wilkens Mathieu vs. Jose Arias Alvarez, 4 rounds, super middleweights Jan. 13: Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium Femke Hermans vs. Ester Konecna, 6 rounds, women's junior middleweights Bilal Laggoune vs. TBA, 6 rounds, heavyweights Apty Shabouev vs. Sebastijan Saciri, 6 rounds, middleweights Rasul Magomadov vs. TBA, 6 rounds, super middleweights Vasile Usturoi vs. Miroslav Ivanovic, 4 rounds, lightweights Amine Boucetta vs. Dusan Krstin, 4 rounds, cruiserweights Jan. 20: Liverpool (Watch on ESPN+) Title fight: Natasha Jonas vs. Mikaela Mayer, 10 rounds, for Jonas' IBF women's welterweight title Jack Cullen vs. Zak Chelli, 12 rounds, For Cullen's British super middleweight title Mark Jeffers vs. Germaine Brown, 10 rounds, super middleweights Aaron McKenna vs. Linus Udofia, 10 rounds, middleweights Karriss Artingstall vs. Lila dos Santos, 6 rounds, women's featherweights Jack Massey vs. TBA, 6 rounds, cruiserweights Mikie Tallon vs. TBA, 4 rounds, flyweights Jan. 23: Osaka, Japan Title fight: Kenshiro Teraji vs. Carlos Canizales, 12 rounds, for Teraji's WBC and WBA junior flyweights title Title fight: Artem Dalakian vs. Seigo Yuri Akui, 12 rounds, for Dalakian's WBA flyweight title Luis Robles Pacheco vs. Tenshin Nasukawa, 8 rounds, junior featherweights Yuki Yonaha vs. Juiki Tatsuyoshi, 8 rounds, junior featherweights Jan. 27: Phoenix, Arizona (DAZN) Jaime Munguia vs. John Ryder, 12 rounds, super middleweights Jan. 27: Belfast Northern Ireland (DAZN) Sean McComb vs. TBA, 10 rounds, junior welterweights Cheavon Clarke vs. Tommy McCarthy, 10 rounds, cruiserweights Paddy Donovan vs. TBA, 10 rounds, welterweights Lewis Crocker vs. Jose Felix, 8 rounds, welterweights Giorgio Visioli vs. TBA, 6 rounds, lightweights Emmanuel Buttigieg vs. TBA, 4 rounds, middleweights Jan. 27: London Quaise Khademi vs. Jackson Chauke, 12 rounds, flyweights Ernie Rutherford vs. Tom Ramsden, 6 rounds, super middleweights Fayek Uddin vs. Eliecer Quezada, 6 rounds, junior lightweights Numan Hussain vs. Karl Sampson, 6 rounds, junior lightweights Daniel Khan vs. Jules Phillips, 6 rounds, lightweights Daniel Francis vs. Nathan Darby, 6 rounds, welterweights Mohammed Sameer vs. Berman Sanchez, 4 rounds, middleweights Alfie Gaskin vs. Genadij Krajevskij, 4 rounds, super middleweights Bas Oosterweghel vs. TBA, 6 rounds, super middleweights Sherif Musah vs. TBA, 4 rounds, cruiserweights FEBRUARY Feb. 3: Las Vegas Conor Benn vs. Peter Dobson, 12 rounds, welterweights Austin Williams vs. Connor Coyle, 10 rounds, middleweights Johnny Fisher vs. TBA, 8 rounds, heavyweights Khalil Coe vs. Juan Gerardo Osuna, 8 rounds, light heavyweights George Liddard vs. TBA, 6 rounds, middleweights Jimmy Sains vs. TBA, 4 rounds, middleweights Feb. 3: London Dan Azeez vs. Joshua Buatsi, 12 rounds, for the British light heavyweight title Adam Azim vs. Enock Poulsen, 12 rounds, junior welterweights Caroline Dubois vs. TBA, 10 rounds, women's lightweights Feb. 8: Las Vegas (ESPN/ESPN+) Title fight: Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs. Jamaine Ortiz, for Lopez's WBO junior welterweight title Keyshawn Davis vs. Jose Pedraza, 10 rounds, lightweights Feb. 10: London Hamzah Sheeraz vs. Liam Williams, 12 rounds, middleweights Sam Noakes vs. Lewis Sylvester, 12 rounds, lightweights Anthony Yarde vs. TBA, 10 rounds, light heavyweights Masood Abdulah vs. Qais Ashfaq, 10 rounds, featherweights Karol Itauma vs. TBA, 8 rounds, light heavyweights Aloys Youmbi vs. TBA, 6 rounds, cruiserweights Khalid Ali vs. John Henry Mosquera, 6 rounds, welterweights Tommy Fletcher vs. TBA, 6 rounds, cruiserweights Umar Khan vs. Maicol Velazco, 6 rounds, featherweights Charlie Hickford vs. Yin Caicedo, 4 rounds, featherweights Billy Adams vs. Engel Gomez, 4 rounds, junior lightweights Sam King vs. Konstantin Uskov, 4 rounds, middleweights Feb. 16: New York (ESPN/ESPN+) Title fight: O'Shaquie Foster vs. Abraham Nova, 12 rounds, for Foster's WBC junior lightweight title Andres Cortes vs. Bryan Chevalier, 10 rounds, junior lightweights Bruce Carrington vs. Bernard Torres, 10 rounds, featherweights Guido Vianello vs. Moses Johnson, 8 rounds, heavyweights Tiger Johnson vs. Paulo Galdino, 8 rounds, junior welterweights Ofacio Falcon vs. Edward Ceballos, 8 rounds, junior lightweights Euri Cedeno vs. Antonio Todd, 8 rounds, middleweights Isaah Flaherty vs. TBA, 6 rounds, middleweights Feb. 16: TBA, Mexico Title fight: Adrian Curiel vs. Sivenathi Nontshinga, 12 rounds, for Curiel's IBF junior flyweights title Feb. 17: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Title fight: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, for Fury's WBC heavyweight title and Usyk's WBO, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles Feb. 24: Tokyo Title fight: Takuma Inoue vs. Jerwin Ancajas, 12 rounds, for Inoue's WBA bantamweight title Title fight: Alexandro Santiago vs. Junto Nakatani, 12 rounds, for Santiago's WBC bantamweight title Title fight: Kosei Tanaka vs. Christian Bacasegua Rangel, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBO junior bantamweight title Jonas Sultan vs. Riku Masuda, 8 rounds, bantamweights Feb. 24: Orlando, Florida (DAZN) Edgar Berlanga vs. Padraig McCrory, 12 rounds, super middleweights MARCH March 2: Verona, New York (ESPN/ESPN+) Title fight: Luis Alberto Lopez vs. Reiya Abe, 12 rounds, for Lopez's IBF featherweight title Otabek Kholmatov vs. Raymond Ford, 12 rounds, featherweights March 2: San Juan, Puerto Rico (DAZN) Title fight: Amanda Serrano vs. Nina Meinke, 12 rounds, for Serrano's IBF, WBO and WBA featherweight women's titles Jake Paul vs. TBA, 8 rounds, cruiserweights Javon Walton vs. TBA, 4 rounds, featherweights Title fight: Jonathan Gonzalez vs. TBA, 12 rounds, for Gonzalez's WBO junior flyweight title Krystal Rosado vs. TBA, 4 rounds, junior bantamweights March 9: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, 12 rounds, heavyweights March 29: Glendale, Arizona (ESPN+) Oscar Valdez vs. Liam Wilson, 12 rounds, junior lightweights APRIL April 20: Verona, New York (ESPN/ESPN+) Title fight: Jessica McCaskill vs. Ivana Habazin, 10 rounds, for McCaskill's WBC and WBA women's welterweight titles WHO ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS PUNCHERS IN MEN'S BOXING? Who are the most dangerous punchers in men's boxing? Artur Beterbiev is boxing's only champion with a 100 percent knockout ratio, a distinction he'll look to maintain Saturday when he defends his three light heavyweight titles against Callum Smith (10 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+). Russia's Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) is again fighting in his adopted hometown of Quebec City, Canada. And once more, he'll do so against a formidable title challenger in England's Smith. Smith (29-1, 21 KOs) is a former super middleweight champion who moved up to 175 pounds after he was thoroughly dominated by boxing's top star, Canelo Alvarez, in December 2020. The 33-year-old owns 21 KOs in 29 light heavyweight fights, and he appears to be a more formidable puncher at his new weight. But his power figures to be no match for Beterbiev, perhaps boxing's most imposing puncher. Beterbiev, ESPN's No. 7 pound-for-pound boxer, has scored an array of dazzling KOs during his lengthy reign at 175 pounds. Most recently, he showed off his power against another Englishman, Anthony Yarde, whom he stopped in Round 7 one year ago. With a victory over Smith, Beterbiev will finally be on a collision course with WBA titleholder Dmitry Bivol for the undisputed light heavyweight championship. Bivol told reporters last month he already agreed to terms for a fight in Saudi Arabia against the winner. And if Beterbiev wants to reach his long-held goal of all four major light heavyweight titles, he must first push past another tough challenger. Beterbiev is a dangerous puncher, but he's far from the sport's only fighter who strikes fear into opponents' hearts. The heavyweight division, of course, features plenty of boxers who can end a fight with one punch. There are plenty of boxers who pack impressive power in the lower weight classes, too. And there are different kinds of punchers. Some break opponents down with heavy shots throughout the duration of the bout. Others finish fights with a single blow. And there's plenty that goes into packing punching power. The way a fighter sets up his shots; punch placement; and the leverage it generates. Who are the sport's most dangerous punchers in men's boxing? Considering recent activity, overall resume and history of devastating knockouts, here's a look at those whose punches can alter any fight in an instant. 1: Artur Beterbiev (19-0, 19 KOs) - WBC/IBF/WBO light heavyweight champion Beterbiev has shown some vulnerability with his own punch resistance, but his greater power has always won the fight. That was the case in his most-recent performance, an eighth-round TKO of Yarde last January in London. Yarde stunned Beterbiev, but the Russian rallied, using his blunt-force shots to break down the Londoner. Beterbiev's best punch -- a looping right hand -- sent Yarde to the canvas before the referee halted the bout. The 38-year-old also possesses a power jab and a stiff straight right hand that he uses to break his foe's guards with his smart, swarming pressure. Once Beterbiev is rolling downhill and in a rhythm, it's over for those standing in front of him. 2: Naoya Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) - undisputed junior featherweight champion "The Monster" is a punishing body puncher with an array of shots in his arsenal to end fights swiftly. Only one of his last 16 opponents -- Nonito Donaire -- heard the final bell, but Inoue left no doubt in the rematch with Donaire when he finished him out in two rounds. Inoue's remarkable stretch of knockouts includes a string in 2018-19 when he stopped Jamie McDonnell and Juan Carlos Payano in the opening round, followed by a second-round KO of Emmanuel Rodriguez. The Japanese star has carried his power to each new weight class from 108 to 122 pounds. In two fights at junior featherweight last year, he scored an eighth-round TKO of Stephen Fulton followed by a 10th-round KO of Marlon Tapales to capture the undisputed championship. The foundation of Inoue's punching power is his impeccable balance. The way he set-up the finish of Fulton was eye-opening in its creativity and execution: Inoue landed a jab to the body followed by a right cross to the head. Fulton was on his way to the canvas when an Inoue left hook crashed into his face. Fulton beat the count, but Inoue's killer instinct didn't let him off the hook as a flurry of punches folded the American in the corner as the referee stopped the bout. 3: Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) - former WBC heavyweight champion Perhaps it was Wilder's inactivity. Or maybe his age (he turned 38 in October.) Whatever it was, Parker never seemed to respect Wilder's power. The former champion wisely backed up Wilder and kept him on the back foot all night, where he couldn't find leverage for that right hand. Still, Wilder is among the biggest punchers in heavyweight championship history. And power is usually the last aspect of a fighter's game to decline. Dr. Sleep, as Wilder referred to himself in the lead-up to the Parker fight, scored a bevy of spectacular one-punch KOs against solid opposition, but also proved his power on the elite level. While he's 0-2-1 against Tyson Fury in their heavyweight championship trilogy -- and was stopped twice -- he also floored the Englishman twice in the first fight and twice in the third bout. 4: Terence "Bud" Crawford - WBC/WBA/WBO welterweight champion "Bud" proved to be a solid puncher during title reigns at 135 and 140 pounds, but at 147, he reached another power level altogether. All eight of Crawford's welterweight fights have ended inside the distance. Crawford's instinct to finish opponents is perhaps the best in the sport. He's mean and truly wants to punish foes. Shawn Porter had never been stopped, but Crawford TKOed him in Round 10 and sent him into retirement. Errol Spence Jr., had never been knocked down before, but Crawford dropped him three times and finished him in Round 9 to capture the undisputed welterweight championship. A switch-hitter with power in both hands, Crawford throws compact, precise shots that meet their mark. His most spectacular KO came in December 2022, when he demolished David Avanesyan with a one-two combination that left him in a heap. 5: Gervonta Davis (29-0, 27 KOs) - WBA lightweight champion "Tank" Davis' shot placement is among the best in the sport, a trait that's carried the Baltimore native to the pound-for-pound list. The southpaw counter-puncher is patient while he waits for openings. Look no further than his seventh-round KO of Ryan Garcia in April's superfight. Davis used a crisp counter left hand to change the trajectory of the bout in Round 2 when he dropped Garcia. Then, Davis used a stabbing left hook to the body to end the fight, another counter shot. His ring IQ is among the best in the sport; look no further than his crushing KO of Leo Santa Cruz in 2020. The Mexican unloaded three consecutive right hands, only to be timed by Davis, who used a crushing left uppercut to separate Santa Cruz from his senses. 6: Subriel Matias (20-1, 20 KOs) - IBF junior welterweight champion The volume-punching machine from Puerto Rico overwhelms opponents with his activity, but there's serious power behind those shots. All 20 of his victories have come inside the distance, including a win over Petros Ananyan to avenge his lone defeat. He became a champion last year when he flattened Jeremias Ponce in five rounds, and in his first defense in November, forced Shohjahon Ergashev to retire on his stool following a brutal beatdown. 7: Jai Opetaia (24-0, 19 KOs) - lineal cruiserweight champion The Australian possesses a lanky puncher's body frame and his shots have serious snap on them. Opetaia is one of the sport's quickest-ascending fighters with finishes in five of his last six bouts. The only foe to last the distance during that stretch: Mairis Briedis, who gave Oleksandr Usyk all he could handle when they met. Opetaia fought through a broken jaw to defeat Briedis for the IBF cruiserweight title in July 2022 and hurt the Latvian in Round 4 with a right uppercut. His most-impressive KO came last month, when he scored a spectacular one-punch, first-round KO of Ellis Zorro in Saudi Arabia. The 28-year-old owns quick hands, and his power figures to carry to heavyweight when he eventually makes the jump to the glamor division. 8: Zhilei Zhang (26-1-1, 21 KOs) - WBO interim heavyweight champion He's called "Big Bang" Zhang for good reason. At 6-foot-6, 287 pounds, there's tremendous power behind those southpaw punches. And that power was never more evident than in his pair of fights last year with Joe Joyce. Joyce has long been regarded for his granite chin, but China's Zhang cracked it twice in 2023. First, Zhang completely closed Joyce's right eye with his thudding shots in a major upset in April. In the rematch five months later, Zhang scored a highlight-reel KO with a monster right hook that sent Joyce face-first onto the canvas for the 10-count in Round 3. In his lone defeat, Zhang floored Filip Hrgovic in the opening round with a right hand and dropped a controversial decision. The 40-year-old is now in line for a heavyweight title shot. 9: Kenshiro Teraji (22-1, 14 KOs) - WBC/WBA junior flyweight champion Teraji may be diminutive, but the punch he carries is far from it. The 32-year-old from Japan has stopped his last four opponents. His most-recent KO victim was former champion Hekkie Budler, whom "The Amazing Boy" stopped in Round 9 to retain his titles. With blinding hand speed and solid punching technique, Teraji is a force at 108 pounds. None of his last four foes have reached Round 10 as he continues his dominance over the junior flyweight division. 10: Jaron "Boots" Ennis (31-0, 28 KOs) - IBF welterweight champion "Boots"' Ennis generates serious leverage on his punches, between his balance, footwork and punch placement. The 26-year-old from Philadelphia hasn't proven his power on the elite level, but that's only because he's been avoided to this point. Now that he owns a welterweight title, that should change. Ennis is coming off an impressive 10th-round TKO victory over Roman Villa. His crushing power was on full display in a trio of fights against solid opposition in 2021-'22, when he finished Sergey Lipinets in Round 6 followed by a first-round KO of Thomas Dulorme and a second-round KO of Custio Clayton. Just missed: David Morrell, Mauricio Lara, Junto Nakatani, Vergil Ortiz Jr., Tim Tszyu, Tyson Fury. Older Posts Home Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) FEATURED POST DRAYMOND GREEN'S RETURN DOESN'T SPARK WARRIORS IN LOSS TO GRIZZLIES Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Golden State Warriors forward Draym... POPULAR POSTS * The whole schedule of UFC fights in 2023, featuring Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington at UFC 296 There’s masses of elite UFC action arising over the subsequent weeks and months because the pleasant mixed martial artists inside the inte... * Boxing schedule 2023: All major fights, dates and results including Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder The 2023 boxing calendar has brought a few extraordinary fights - with plenty extra at the way. The heavyweight department will see some int... * Ultimate Guide to NFL Games Ultimate Guide to NFL Games: How to Watch Live, Stream for Free, and Official Broadcasting Channels In the world of sports, few league... * Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Golden State Warriors forward Draym... * Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey January 11, 2024 by Brian Swane Evan Bouchard is playing the best hocke... PAGES * UFC * BOXING * MOTOR SPORTS * MLB POPULAR POSTS * The whole schedule of UFC fights in 2023, featuring Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington at UFC 296 There’s masses of elite UFC action arising over the subsequent weeks and months because the pleasant mixed martial artists inside the inte... * Boxing schedule 2023: All major fights, dates and results including Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder The 2023 boxing calendar has brought a few extraordinary fights - with plenty extra at the way. The heavyweight department will see some int... * Ultimate Guide to NFL Games Ultimate Guide to NFL Games: How to Watch Live, Stream for Free, and Official Broadcasting Channels In the world of sports, few league... * Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Golden State Warriors forward Draym... * Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey January 11, 2024 by Brian Swane Evan Bouchard is playing the best hocke... PAGES * SOCCER * NFL * NBA * NHL POPULAR POSTS * The whole schedule of UFC fights in 2023, featuring Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington at UFC 296 There’s masses of elite UFC action arising over the subsequent weeks and months because the pleasant mixed martial artists inside the inte... * Boxing schedule 2023: All major fights, dates and results including Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder The 2023 boxing calendar has brought a few extraordinary fights - with plenty extra at the way. The heavyweight department will see some int... * Ultimate Guide to NFL Games Ultimate Guide to NFL Games: How to Watch Live, Stream for Free, and Official Broadcasting Channels In the world of sports, few league... * Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies Draymond Green's return doesn't spark Warriors in loss to Grizzlies MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Golden State Warriors forward Draym... * Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey Bouchard is Oilers’ Best Offensive Defenceman Since Coffey January 11, 2024 by Brian Swane Evan Bouchard is playing the best hocke... Powered by Blogger. Diese Website verwendet Cookies von Google, um Dienste anzubieten und Zugriffe zu analysieren. Deine IP-Adresse und dein User-Agent werden zusammen mit Messwerten zur Leistung und Sicherheit für Google freigegeben. So können Nutzungsstatistiken generiert, Missbrauchsfälle erkannt und behoben und die Qualität des Dienstes gewährleistet werden.Weitere InformationenOk