Glasgow Warriors landed the United Rugby Championship title for the first time
since 2015 after a hard-fought 21-16 victory over the Bulls at a sold-out Loftus
Versfeld.
Having beaten the Stormers, the 2022 winners, and defending champions Munster to reach the Grand Final, the Warriors avoided a third loss in the showpiece with a fantastic performance in Pretoria.
A pair of Johan Goosen penalties separated the sides before Marco van Staden’s try, converted by Goosen, gave the Bulls – beaten by the Stormers in the 2022 final – a 13-0 lead.
Image: Johan Goosen helped the Bulls get off to a fast start in the final, where they opened up a 13-0 advantage
Glasgow hauled themselves back into the game on the stroke of half-time when Scott Cummings powered his way over the line, with George Horne adding the extras.
Goosen’s third penalty extended the Bulls’ lead to nine points but tries from George Turner and Huw Jones, both converted by Horne, ensured the Warriors would emerge triumphant.
How Glasgow claimed URC glory
The Bulls, who had lost only one of their last 12 URC matches at this venue, led inside 100 seconds through Goosen’s penalty. A second successful kick followed before Wilco Louw was denied a try by the TMO, who deemed he was held up by Rory Darge.
But the Bulls were not to be denied moments later when Van Staden barged his way through the Glasgow defence, with Goosen landing the conversion.
Glasgow responded well and gave themselves a lifeline moments before the break when Cummings went over and Horne converted. Buoyed by that score, Glasgow came out strong in the second half but another Goosen penalty brought some relief to the Bulls.
A few minutes later, though, the Warriors cut the deficit to just two points when Turner, on his last appearance for the club, went over from a maul, which Horne converted.
Jones then grabbed Glasgow’s third try, with Horne again successful from the tee, to lead for the first time in the game before Jack Dempsey was denied another by the TMO.
Horne was just short with a long-range penalty attempt but Glasgow had to see out the final moments with 14 players after Tom Jordan was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Francois Klopper. The Scottish side survived late Bulls pressure to be crowned champions.
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Rafael “El Divino” Espinoza defended his featherweight WBO title for the first time with a fourth-round TKO over Mexican countryman Sergio Chirino.
Espinoza started confidently, dropping Chirino in the opening round, and again in the third round before sealing the match with a knock-out in the fourth round.
The 6’1″ featherweight destroyer (25-0, 21 KOs) sent Chirino to the canvas in the first round with a counter left hand.
In the third round, Espinoza unleashed a right hand that nearly sent his compatriot through the ropes.
That soon signalled the beginning of the end with a flurry of shots as Chirino (22-12, 13KOs) hit the deck for the final time.
“From the beginning, the hunger that I have to triumph, to be better and to move forward was apparent. I gave my heart, and it shows,” said Espinoza.
“I like throwing punches and showing people what they want to see, which is action. That’s why I went forward as soon as the first round began.
“I’m here. It’s my time. The time of ‘El Divino.’ I want to unify, and I want the big challenges.”
Cortes Edges Nova
Andres “Savage” Cortes (22-0, 12 KOs) dug deep in the junior lightweight co-feature to beat former world title challenger Abraham Nova (23-3, 16 KOs) by unanimous decision.
After months of trash talk, the action was tense in an even match-up.
Cortes took an early lead in the opening rounds pushing forward from a high guard to connect hooks and right hands to Nova’s head and body, and was successful with a right uppercut on the inside.
Nova started to find his rhythm as Cortes began to tire in the eighth round, and stunned Cortes with an overhand right in the ninth round.
Nova’s spirited late surge was not enough though, with Cortes scoring 97-93, 2x and 96-94.
“I knew he was a tough competitor. He just went 12 rounds with a world champion. So, I knew it would be a tough one,” said Cortes.
“He called me a dirty fighter, but he was really dirty in there. All these headbutts and stuff. But it was a good fight. No excuses. I dug deep and got the victory.”
Nova said, in response: “I started a bit slow. But then I got my rhythm. I went in there, and I did what I had to do. He hit me a lot behind the head.
“This is boxing. All I’ve got to go is back to the drawing board, fix a couple of things and come back.”
Isley wins battle of former amateur rivals
Troy Isley (13-0, 5 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact as he scored a unanimous decision over Javier Martinez (10-1-1, 3 KOs).
Isley secured the North American Boxing Organisation (NABO) title with scores of 97-91, 2x and 96-92.
The pair had split four fights as amateurs but as professionals, it was Isley’s constant aggression and intelligent boxing that put him ahead.
Martinez resorted to low blows in the seventh round, getting a point deducted, and Isley followed suit in the ninth round.
Martinez tried a late surge in the final two rounds but Isley remained ahead to claim the victory.
“His two wins over me as an amateur meant nothing. The talent gap showed. We’re on to bigger things now. I want the champions soon,” said Isley.
Other results
Bantamweight: Floyd Diaz (12-0, 3 KOs) earned his second victory of the year with an eight-round points triumph over Mexican veteran Francisco Pedroza (18-12-2, 10 KOs).
Scores: 78-73, 3x.
Junior Lightweight: DJ Zamora III(13-0, 9 KOs) authored a workmanlike unanimous decision win over Jose Antonio Meza(9-10, 2 KOs) following eight rounds of sustained action.
Scores: 80-72, 2x and 79-73.
Junior Bantamweight: Steven Navarro (2-0, 1 KOs) dazzled in his Top Rank debut and coasted to a unanimous decision victory over Juan Pablo Meza (7-4, 2 KOs).
Scores: 60-54, 3x.
Middleweight: Bryan Polaco(7-0, 5 KOs) stopped Richard Acevedo (6-1-1, 5 KOs) in the third round of a scheduled six-rounder.
Beau Greaves became the first woman to win a Winmau Development Tour title after storming to Event 11 success with a 5-1 win over Daniel Perry.
Greaves defeated Xanti Van den Bergh, Bailey White, Tyler Thorpe, Lewis Mayes, Owen Maiden, Niko Springer and Daniel Perry in the final to make more history – surrendering just four legs in seven matches.
Greaves threw 100-plus averages of 103.14, 100.99, 107.36 and 102.27, before hammering Perry 5-1 in the final to claim the top prize of £2,500.
It was a first tournament victory on the Development Tour for Greaves, having previously won 23 Women’s Series tournaments and the Women’s World Matchplay.
The top two players from the 2024 Development Tour Order of Merit will win a PDC Tour Card for 2025-26 and a place in the 2024/25 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
2024 Winmau Development Tour Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan Friday June 21, Event 11 Quarter-Finals Dylan Dowling 5-1 Sebastian Bialecki Daniel Perry 5-4 Keane Barry Beau Greaves 5-1 Owen Maiden Niko Springer 5-0 Henry Coates
Semi-Finals Daniel Perry 5-2 Dylan Dowling Beau Greaves 5-0 Niko Springer
Final Beau Greaves 5-1 Daniel Perry
What’s next on Sky Sports?
Image: Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price are reigning World Cup of Darts champions
The World Cup of Darts will take place from 27 to 30 June 2024 at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany.
Wales’ Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton are the defending champions and they’ll be determined to fend off 39 other nations to retain their title.
Luke Humphries and Michael Smith are in line to represent England but Luke Littler will not feature because the two highest-ranked English players in the PDC Order of Merit are picked. ‘The Nuke’ is currently 25th in the Order of Merit.
Fans were also able to stream the entire action on NOW TV through their mobile device or table.
World Cup of Darts: Fixtures
Thursday, June 27 (6pm BST) Group Stage – Opening Matches Belgium vs Singapore (A) Northern Ireland vs South Africa (B) Germany vs New Zealand (C) Australia vs Japan (D) Republic of Ireland s Lithuania (E) Austria vs China (F) Poland vs Norway (G) Czech Republic vs Bahrain (H) Croatia vs Malaysia (I) France vs Latvia (J) Sweden vs Spain (K) USA vs Portugal (L)
Friday, June 28 Afternoon Session (11am BST) Group Stage – Second Matches
Evening Session (6pm BST) Group Stage – Final Matches
Saturday, June 29 Afternoon Session (12pm BST) Second Round x4
Evening Session (6pm BST) Second Round x4
Sunday, June 30 Afternoon Session (12pm BST) Quarter-Finals
Evening Session (6pm BST) Semi-Finals Final
What is the format?
Group Stage – Best of seven legs
Second Round – Best of 15 legs
Quarter-Finals – Best of 15 legs
Semi-Finals – Best of 15 legs
Final – Best of 19 legs
All matches will be played in a doubles format
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England were so close to being out of this T20 World Cup.
When Australia required 89 from seven overs against Scotland in St Lucia on Sunday – in a game England needed their Ashes rivals to win or they would be eliminated – things looked bleak.
But any fanciful notion that Australia would plot to knock England out was put to bed as a raft of boundaries and a crucial dropped catch from Scotland’s Chris Sole saw the 2021 champions to victory and ensured the 2022 champions would join them in the Super 8s.
Score summary – West Indies vs England
West Indies 180-4 in 20 overs: Johnson Charles (38 off 34 balls), Rovman Powell (36 off 17), Nicholas Pooran (36 off 32); Adil Rashid (1-21), Moeen Ali (1-15)
England 181-2 in 17.3 overs: Phil Salt (87no off 47), Jonny Bairstow (48no off 26), Jos Buttler (25 off 22); Roston Chase (1-19)
Now you sense there is a real chance England and Australia could meet in the knockout stages as from a somewhat soggy and occasionally sloppy start to their trophy defence, Jos Buttler’s side look like title contenders once again.
The clinical win over West Indies proved that.
England held West Indies to 180-4, thanks chiefly to Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer conceding only six runs combined across the 16th and 17th overs, while Phil Salt then cracked 30 runs in the 16th over of the chase, hitting each of Romario Shepherd’s deliveries for four or six.
Salt hit six boundaries in an incredible 30-run over as England began their T20 World Cup Super 8s campaign with victory
Salt’s assault, plus a Jonny Bairstow blitz of 48 not out from 26 balls, took England home with more than two overs to spare, lifting both their net run-rate and the belief that they could become the first side to win this competition twice in a row.
Nothing can be taken for granted in T20 but with Super 8 matches against a South Africa side who have scraped over the line in almost all of the games so far despite winning five from five, and USA to come, England will be confident of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Then Australia – the favourites, along with India, to advance from the other Super 8s pool – may really be wishing they had dumped them out…
Image: England are the early leaders in T20 World Cup Super 8s Group 2
A tale of the 16th overs
The 16th overs of West Indies and England’s respective innings could not have been more contrasting. They were surely where the game was won and lost.
West Indies scored only four runs in theirs and lost set batter Nicholas Pooran – a man who could have done all sorts of damage in the final stages – as Archer frequently beat the left-hander’s flashing blade with full and wide deliveries outside off stump and then clipped the bat off the final ball as Pooran edged through to Buttler.
Image: England’s Jofra Archer bowled a crucial 16th over, conceding just four funs and dismissing Nicholas Pooran
Archer and Rashid’s excellence – the latter only shipped two runs in the 17th over – meant the hosts were limited to just 43 runs across the final five overs of their innings, and England then did not need the last 2.5 overs of theirs as they romped to victory in Gros Islet.
Once again the 16th over proved vital as Salt (87no off 47 balls) drove, lofted, ramped and pulled six boundaries on the trot – three fours and three sixes – to trim the requirement from a manageable, but not easy, 40 off 30 balls to a routine 24 off 10. Game over.
Salt – who now averages 68.28 against West Indies in T20 internationals after smoking successive hundreds against them in a pre-Christmas series in the Caribbean – said afterwards: “That was my time to pull the trigger.
“In the back of my head I’d decided, but I didn’t vocalise it to Jonny [Bairstow] because I didn’t want him to say no. [I thought I could take] good, calculated risks at one of the seamers. The first sniff I got, I had to take that chance.”
Image: Salt smashed three sixes and as many fours in the 16th over of England’s successful run chase
The opener added: “To come here and play like that against a very strong side, who are riding a wave in their own conditions, with a home crowd, is a great feeling.
“It’s been very stop-start tournament for us. We had a hiccup against Australia, a rain-out against Scotland, a really topsy-turvy start. But in tournaments you need confidence and momentum at the right time. To get a win against the hosts gives us a first push in that direction.”
Bairstow stars again after being questioned
Bairstow gave England’s innings fresh impetus after it had stalled a little following the end of an opening stand of 67 between Salt and Buttler.
West Indies would have felt back in the game when the ask for England was 70 from the final 42 balls, but Bairstow began Alzarri Joseph’s 14th over with a six over midwicket and ramp over wicketkeeper Pooran for four.
His three boundaries in a row of Akeal Hosein in the following over put England firmly back on track, before he watched from the other end as Salt smoked Shepherd all over the park.
Bairstow’s final act was to pull Joseph for the match-clinching single to midwicket, taking his side home with 15 balls to spare and his stand with Salt to an unbroken 97 from 44 balls.
Image: Jonny Bairstow added impetus to England’s run chase
Bairstow’s place in the order, even the XI, had been called into question after a scratchy outing of seven from 13 balls in the first-round defeat to Australia.
But he kept his place – Will Jacks the man to make way for Sam Curran – and has since repaid that faith with a crunching 31 off 18 balls against Namibia and now his key cameo versus West Indies.
That response should come as no surprise, with Bairstow making a career out of firing when he feels he is being questioned. Not that there had been any doubt from within the dressing room, with Buttler saying of his team-mate: “He’s a class player and has been for a really long time. You just keep backing class players.
“He hasn’t had many opportunities but today was a really impressive innings: a mature, senior player’s innings with a lot of power. He scored at a great lick when the game was in the balance.”
Rashid ‘England’s most important player’
Salt and Bairstow will hog the headlines, while Archer will rightly get props for his economic and wicket-taking 16th over.
But Buttler was quick to insist that leg-spinner Rashid remains England’s key man: “We keep saying it, but he is our most important player. He has been for a really long time. He has so much variation, so much threat. He takes wickets but also restricts runs.”
Image: England leg-spinner Adil Rashid bagged figures of 1-21 from four overs in St Lucia
Rashid did not hoover up wickets versus West Indies – Andre Russell his sole victim, in that two-run 17th over – but his economy rate was 5.25, he bowled 10 dot balls out of 24, and only went for one boundary.
As so often in the past, England were grateful for his wizardry and with Rashid among a number of players in form, this once-flagging title defence is back on. Back on big time.
Catch every match from the T20 World Cup, including the final in Barbados on Saturday June 29, live on Sky Sports.
What’s next?
England stay in St Lucia to play South Africa on Friday (3.30pm UK and Ireland), while West Indies travel to Barbados to take on USA on Saturday (1.30am).
Anthony Joshua has revealed that he is close to confirming the opponent for his upcoming bout.
Joshua, who has boxed once so far in 2024 when he knocked out former UFC champion Francis Ngannou, said: “Nearly finished my negotiations for my next fight. Feeling motivated.”
It has been widely speculated that fellow Briton Daniel Dubois could be in the frame to fight Joshua.
Speaking on the Toe2Toe podcast, Andy Scott, Andy Clarke, Lewis Richardson and Dan Azeez discuss the possibility of Anthony Joshua facing Daniel Dubois
Dubois stopped Filip Hrgovic at the start of this month to win an interim title from the IBF.
But the IBF confirmed to Sky Sports that it has not received a request to sanction Joshua vs Dubois as an IBF world heavyweight title fight.
After beating Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk holds all four of the major heavyweight world championships, including the IBF.
There are other contenders also vying to take on Anthony Joshua. Zhilei Zhang, who defeated Deontay Wilder on the same bill as Dubois’ victory over Hrgovic, would relish boxing AJ. He lost to the Watford man at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
But earlier this month Zhang’s team had not been contacted about potentially fighting AJ.
Speaking on Toe2Toe, Gary Logan says Anthony Joshua’s performance against Francis Ngannou shows he is one of a handful of elite fighters in the world
Another fighter though gunning for a rematch with Joshua is Joseph Parker, who will be making an announcement on Wednesday.
Former WBO champion Parker lost his title to Joshua in 2018. But the New Zealander has been in excellent form recently, beating both Wilder and Zhang.
Parker told Sky Sports: “I’ve been boxing 11 to 12 years and I’ve found what works for me, the formula I’ve got, Andy Lee head trainer, George Lockhart and the work that we’ve been doing together. It’s been a grind ever since we’ve linked up the three of us. But everything is working very well and whatever we’re doing we want to keep it up.”
He thinks he now deserves a second bout with Joshua.
“There’s a lot of people that want to fight Anthony Joshua. I feel like with what I’ve done I can be in a position to fight him,” he said.
But he added: “To be honest, it’s not really about what I want and what he wants. It’s what everyone else wants and a lot of fights are happening in Saudi Arabia.
Who detonated a more explosive right hand KO, Anthony Joshua or Carl Froch?
Usyk and Fury are due to fight in December. If titles do become vacant, Parker thinks he ought to be in the fame to fight for a world championship this year.
“I hope so,” he said. “With the belts all being [held by the] undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, there’s a rematch clause in place, but again these things may or may not happen.
“You never know how things are going to unfold,” he continued. “So we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. But you’ve got Anthony Joshua… I let whatever happens happen and whatever fights they lock, they lock in and I’m ready for whoever.”
Jack Draper has spoken of his pride at becoming the new British No 1, adding that “I knew my time was going to come” when reflecting on winning his first career ATP Tour title.
Draper battled back to beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini 3-6 7-6 6-4 in the final of the Stuttgart Open on Sunday, seeing him move up to 31st in the world rankings and leapfrog Cameron Norrie as Britain’s top men’s tennis player.
“It fills me with a lot of pride and confidence,” Draper told Sky Sports of following in the footsteps of Norrie and Andy Murray before him.
Highlights of Draper’s ATP Tour title win against Matteo Berrettini in the Stuttgart Open final
“To be in this position I’m in now is a great privilege. It’s honestly something I’ve wanted since I was younger. It’s amazing.”
The 22-year-old added: “I’ve been working so hard, doing the right things for such a long time now, that I knew my time was going to come in one of these events.
“I was in a period over the clay-court season where I was really trying to change my identity as a tennis player, trying to be more aggressive and take more risks, take the ball on a lot more.
“I’ve been doing that in practice so well that when it came to the matches, I was just really confident.
“I’m really proud of the way I played last week. To beat the players I beat and win my first title, I’m incredibly proud of that achievement.”
A look back at the story of Draper’s sensational victory at the Stuttgart Open
Draper: My goal is to be one of the best in the world
Draper’s victory in Stuttgart means he’s set to be seeded for the men’s singles draw at Wimbledon next month, a far cry from the position he found himself in a year ago when a shoulder problem ruled him out of the grass-court season.
As he continues his preparations for his SW19 return, Draper plays Argentinian Mariano Navone in the first round at Queen’s Club on Tuesday.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray, who this week said Draper “can get right up to the top of the game”, faces Alexei Popyrin in his Queen’s opener, also on Tuesday.
“It’s been a big goal of mine since the start of the season,” Draper said of his likely Wimbledon seeding.
“Everyone’s an amazing player, but those seeds protect you from playing a top, top player in the first or second round – which has been a slight issue for me this year.
“I’m incredibly happy to be in that position and hopefully I can keep rising.”
As for Murray’s comments, Draper told a press conference at Queen’s on Monday: “It’s amazing to hear that from someone like Andy.
“My goal is to be one of the top players in the world.”
After claiming his first ATP title, Draper highlighted how much his victory meant to him
What’s coming up on Sky Sports Tennis?
In the run-up to the third Grand Slam of 2024 – Wimbledon – you can watch the biggest tennis stars in action live on Sky Sports at the following tournaments:
Berlin Open (WTA 500) – June 17-23
Halle (ATP 500) – June 17-23
Mallorca Championships (ATP 250) – June 23-29
Bad Homburg (WTA 500) – June 23-29
Watch the WTA and ATP Tours throughout 2024 on Sky Sports Tennis. Stream Sky Sports Tennis and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership. No contract, cancel anytime.
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Luis Alberto ‘Venado’ Lopez will put his IBF featherweight world title on the line against Angelo Leo on Saturday August 10, live on Sky Sports, at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs), from Mexicali, Mexico, is emerging as one of his nation’s most decorated champions. The 30-year-old powerhouse captured the IBF featherweight crown by dethroning Josh Warrington in the Brit’s hometown of Leeds in December 2022.
In his first defence, he travelled again to stop Belfast’s Michael Conlan via a fifth-round TKO in May 2023, returning to the USA that September to beat division mainstay Joet Gonzalez by unanimous decision.
In his last outing, Lopez knocked out mandatory challenger Reiya Abe in the eighth round, handing the Japanese contender his first stoppage defeat.
“On August 10, I will make it abundantly clear who the king of the featherweight division is. This will be the fourth defense of my world title, and I’m preparing for a great battle against a former world champion like Angelo Leo,” Lopez said.
“It will be a magical night for all the fans in New Mexico. I know he is the local fighter, but you already know what happens when I enter enemy territory. The ‘Road Warrior’ is back, and I will put all the division’s champions on notice.”
Image: American Leo will fight for the title in his hometown of Albuquerque
Leo (24-1, 11 KOs) has already made history as one of six New Mexicans to win a world title. When Leo defeated Tramaine Williams for the vacant WBO junior featherweight strap in 2020, he joined Bob Foster, Johnny Tapia, Danny Romero, Holly Holm, and Austin Trout as “Land of Enchantment” boxers to reach the professional mountain top.
He lost the title five months later to Stephen Fulton and spent more than two years out of the ring following a 2021 victory over Aaron Alameda. Leo moved up to featherweight and won three fights, including a convincing decision over former world title challenger Eduardo Baez in April.
“I’m honoured to fight for my second world title, especially in my hometown of Albuquerque. I couldn’t ask for more,” Leo said.
“I know Lopez is one of the top champions in my division, and a win over him would be huge for me and my city. I’m in the prime of my career and can’t wait to show the world the fighter I’ve become since winning my first world title in 2020.”
Linfoldo Delgado and Bryan Flores will also collide on the night in an all-Mexican 10-round junior welterweight co-feature.
“Albuquerque is a great fight city, and we are thrilled to be back with an exciting card headlined by a ferocious world champion in Venado Lopez against the hometown kid, Angelo Leo,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.
“Lindolfo Delgado is one of Mexico’s emerging superstars, and his fight against Bryan Flores has all the makings of a Fight of The Year contender. It’s a real throwback card in a place where so many classic fights have occurred.”
Bryson DeChambeau said he hopes for lots more final-round battles with Rory McIlroy and believes the Northern Irishman’s collapse over the final few holes of their epic US Open battle will only fuel his quest for a fifth major title.
DeChambeau took a three-shot lead into the final day at Pinehurst but found himself two behind before birdieing the 13th. McIlroy then bogeyed three of his final four holes, missing two putts from inside four feet over the closing stretch, handing the 30-year-old American his second US Open.
“Rory is one of the best to ever play,” DeChambeau said. “Being able to fight against a great like that is pretty special. I’d love to have a lot more battles with him.
Highlights from the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst No 2.
“I have nothing but respect for how he plays the game of golf… to be honest, when he was climbing up the leaderboard, I was like, ‘Uh-oh’, but luckily things went my way today.
“For him to miss that putt [on the 18th], I’d never wish it on anybody.
A look back at the big misses that cost Rory McIlroy a first major in 10 years on a dramatic final day of the US Open.
“I’m sure it will fuel Rory’s fire even more. He’s a strong-minded individual. He’ll win multiple more major championships, there’s no doubt.”
DeChambeau: Bunker save at 18 the ‘shot of my life’
McIlroy second missed put from short range, this one from inside four feet at 18, gifted DeChambeau a one-stroke lead, only for him to pull his tee shot into the native area and miss the green with his second.
Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley and Dame Laura Davies analyse Rory McIlroy’s late collapse at the US Open and assess his ability to bounce back.
What followed, however was extraordinary, with DeChambeau’s chip out of the front-right bunker hailed by Dame Laura Davies on Sky Sports as “one of the all-time greats up-and-downs to win a major championship”.
“That bunker shot was the shot of my life,” DeChambeau reflected.
“I knew where Rory was. After my tee shot, I was up there going, ‘Man, if he makes par, I don’t know how I’m going to beat him’. I just really didn’t know.
“Then I heard the moans. It was like a shot of adrenaline got in me. I said, ‘Okay, you can do this’.
“I’m so happy I got that shot up-and-down.”
Bryson DeChambeau wins his second US Open at Pinehurst No 2 with a final round one-over-par 71.
DeChambeau’s insistence on McIlroy’s ability to bounce back from this latest major near-miss is perhaps based on his win here following swiftly off the back of a second-placed finish to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship last month – albeit in not quite such heart-breaking fashion.
Reflecting on that disappointment, as well as his eagerness to win at Pinehurst, DeChambeau paid tribute to his father, who died in 2022, and one of his golfing idols, the late Payne Stewart, who was victorious on the same course at the 1999 US Open.
Bryson DeChambeau reflects on a dramatic US Open victory and the journey he has been on – both on and off the course – to earn a second major title.
“Oh, man, I didn’t want to finish second again,” DeChambeau said. “The PGA really stung. Xander played magnificent.
“I wanted to get this one done, especially at such a special place that means so much to me, SMU [Southern Methodist University where DeChambeau and Stewart both studied], my dad, what Payne meant to him, the 1000th USGA championship. Stack them on top.”
He added: “I don’t know what to think. It fully hasn’t sunk in yet. As much as it is heart-breaking for some people, it was heartbreak for me at the PGA. I really wanted this one.
Bryson DeChambeau’s put on a show for the Sky Sports cameras as he celebrated his US Open victory with the crowd.
“I was a little lucky. Rory didn’t make a couple of putts that he could have coming in. I had an amazing up and down on the last.
“I don’t know what else to say. It’s a dream come true.”
What’s next?
McIlroy is due to be back in action at the Travelers Championship, the latest of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events, with early coverage live on Thursday from 12.30pm via the red button and 5pm on Sky Sports Golf.
The final men’s major of the year is The Open, taking place at Royal Troon from July 18-21, where DeChambeau will again be among the pre-tournament favourites. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and more with NOW.
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Chris Billam-Smith settled his score with Richard Riakporhe, avenging his only previous professional defeat and defending the WBO cruiserweight world title for a second time.
It was his second world title fight at a Premier League football stadium against a British rival.
Now he has set his sights on a trip overseas and becoming a unified champion.
Andy Scott and John Dennen deliver their verdict on Billam-Smith’s win over Riakporhe and wonder how far he can go in the sport
Gilberto Ramirez, the WBA cruiserweight titlist, is the opponent he wants next and he’s willing to go to the US to make that fight.
“I’d be really honoured. It would be crazy to make more memories out there,” Billam-Smith told Sky Sports News.
“I want to fight in America. Every Brit’s dream is obviously to fight in their home football team’s stadium and then go to America. Ricky Hatton had it.
“‘Zurdo’ Ramirez is the WBA champion. I would love that belt, that’s the one George Groves won. I would love to fight him [Ramirez] out there, he fights out there so that makes it a possibility.”
Billam-Smith first won the WBO world title in his Bournemouth hometown when he upset Lawrence Okolie at the Vitality stadium.
This weekend he travelled to Crystal Palace’s Selhurst Park stadium to take on Riakporhe at his club.
Billam-Smith defended his WBO cruiserweight world title against Riakporhe with a unanimous decision win at Selhurst Park
Once again it was Billam-Smith who rose to the occasion. That prior experience against Okolie at the Vitality stadium helped him but so did: “Everything through my career. The experience and the tough fights, the bad performances, the good performances.
“The experience I had being around George Groves, Luke Campbell, Josh Taylor. Barry McGuigan comes and watches most spars, if not all of them, when you’ve got that knowledge around you and that experience around you, you’re constantly learning and that’s why the gym has so much success because we’ve got that conveyor belt of champions.”
Ultimately Billam-Smith took a clear unanimous decision over Riakporhe, nullifying his challenger’s fearsome punch-power over the course of a rough 12 rounds.
“The gameplan was perfect,” he said. “[Felt] really comfortable throughout. Had loads of energy left. The gameplan was don’t waste energy, don’t try and force the fight.
“He had a good start to the fight. He jabbed really well. I wasn’t moving enough. He was jabbing really well, then I started to get my movement in.
Take a look back at some of the biggest stadium fights in British boxing history
“I respect Richard. I’ve got a lot of respect for the fans,” he added. “We’re all Palace fans this summer, they’ve got plenty of players in the England team.
“A massive thank you to everyone who supported me. You’ve given me dreams back home and you’ve supported me away.”
For Billam-Smith his world title dreams just keep on getting bigger. He’s beaten his best rivals in Britain, fought in a stadium twice over. Now he wants to conquer America, and he wants Gilberto Ramirez next.
Chris Billam-Smith denied Richard Riakporhe a dream homecoming as he beat his British rival by unanimous decision to enact revenge and successfully defend his WBO cruiserweight world title at Selhurst Park.
The reigning champion delivered a calculated, controlled performance to nullify the power of his opponent and spoil the Riakporhe party at the home of Crystal Palace.
It was not only a title defence but sweet payback for ‘The Gentleman’, who five years earlier had suffered the only defeat of his career to Riakporhe in a tight split decision. This time, he left no doubt, taking it 116-111, 115-112, 115-112 on the cards.
A prominent talking point during the build-up to the fight had been which of the two had improved more since their first outing, Billam-Smith adamant he had grown into a completely different competitor since 2019. Riakporhe learned how right he was.
“Very satisfying,” he said. “I’m really pleased with the performance.
“Experience, speed and the gameplan” made the difference, he explained.
“Forget all the build-up,” he continued. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Richard he’s a great fighter, he just needed a little bit more experience and he’ll learn from that.”
Riakporhe cut a composed figure amid the chaos as he worked behind his jab during the early exchanges while finding his range with two dangerous looking right hands, the noise of which would prompt gasps from the anticipant crowd.
Billam-Smith settled into his own rhythm in the second round with a first real flurry to force Riakporhe into tying him up at the ropes, which soon became an early theme as the pair continued to find themselves tangled on the inside.
A mis-timed right hand from Riakporhe served as a warning as it threatened an opening for Billam-Smith, whose right-hand reply was evaded.
Riakporhe underlined his power with a firm left hook as the two backed onto the ropes, the fight falling into a slightly ugly stagnant phase with neither man able to unlock a meaningful combination.
The war of attrition moved into the fourth when the two traded brutal body shots, before Billam-Smith reminded of his toughness while brushing through a right hook.
Billam-Smith began to land the clean shots behind a sharper jab while Riakporhe appeared the more hesitant of the two, seemingly in wait of one decisive shot to breach his opponent’s championed grit.
By round seven it was Billam-Smith firmly in control as the busier, more accurate fighter with Riakporhe beginning to look frustrated with how the contest had been panning out for him as another intended assault in the corner came up shy.
Billam-Smith strengthened his grip on the fight in the eighth when he unleashed a hook to rock Riakporhe, who was left hanging over the corner of the ring. ‘The Midnight Train’ sought to respond with a huge right hand, only to again be reminded of Billam-Smith’s granite chin.
Knowing he was behind, Riakporhe began to let his hands go in the closing rounds and connected with a crushing right only to see his momentum stalled by an accidental low blow from the challenger.
Champion’s experience soon told as Billam-Smith closed out what might be deemed a career-best performance with two clinical final rounds, as much being sealed for good when Riakporhe was deducted a point for the use of his head in a clench.
