Author: PlayActionNews

Nick ParkinsonAug 16, 2025, 05:48 PM ETCloseReports on boxing for ESPN.com and has been covering British boxing for over 25 years.Nick Ball had to dig deep in a third defence of his WBA world featherweight title in a unanimous points decision win over Sam Goodman.Ball, Britain’s only reigning men’s world boxing champion, landed more power shots and outpunched Goodman, but the Australian’s jab and movement earned him a share of the rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Five-foot-two Ball (22-0-1, 13 KOs), 28, from Liverpool in England, earned scores of 117-111, 118-110 and 115-113. The fight seemed closer than two of the…

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre holds a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the BMW Championship, but faces a daunting final day paired with world No 1 Scottie Scheffler.MacIntyre proved more than up to that test on Saturday though, as he moved to 16 under par at the head of the field after carding a 68 at Caves Valley Golf Club in Maryland, showing steely nerve by holing a collection of big par putts and then delivering a 40-foot birdie on the final hole to maintain a healthy cushion on the home favourite. FedExCup defending champion Scheffler gained a stroke…

CINCINNATI — It was the Milwaukee Brewer wearing No. 14 who extended the team’s winning streak to 14. Andruw Monasterio hit a three-run, pinch-hit home run in the 11th inning Saturday at Great American Ball Park to give the Brewers a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, setting a new Brewers franchise record for consecutive victories in a single season.“That’s something, like, only God or the universe [can make] happen like that,” Monasterio said. “I wasn’t ready for 14 for 14. That’s something amazing.”The Brewers were one good throw from Elly De La Cruz away from seeing that winning streak…

Join the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletter and get behind-the-scenes access and unrivalled insightJoin the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletterJoin the Miguel Delaney: Inside Football newsletterMoses Itauma confirmed his tremendous potential on Saturday night as the young heavyweight stopped Dillian Whyte in just two minutes.The all-British clash in Saudi Arabia was billed as Itauma’s sternest test yet, but the 20-year-old made short work of Whyte, 37, dropping and stopping the former world-title challenger in the very first round.From the first bell, Itauma’s highly touted speed was on display, not just in his strikes but in his footwork, as he effortlessly…

The NFL and the Chargers officially had no comment on the NCAA’s 10-year “show cause” order on head coach Jim Harbaugh when both parties were reached on Friday.Harbaugh himself reflected that same sentiment during his press conference after Saturday’s preseason matchup with the Rams.“Like I told you last year, I’m not engaging,” Harbaugh said, via Khris Rhim of ESPN. “I’m done engaging.”Instead of implementing a two-year postseason ban on Michigan, the NCAA elected to impose financial penalties and recruiting limitations as part of the final punishment issued in connection with the Connor Stalions advance scouting scandal.Harbaugh and the Wolverines won…

The Mexican-Canadian was sharp out of the chute, showing improvements in her hands, getting the better of the striking exchanges initially and landing the cleaner blows at various points throughout the contest. Andrade had moments of her own in every frame, finding bursts of aggression where she was able to connect, warming into the contest and hurting Godinez in the third to make things interesting. But when the scorecards were collected and tallied, Godinez came out ahead, earning 29-28 scores from all three judges. After consecutive setbacks last year, that’s consecutive wins in 2025 for the game, ranked strawweight, who…

Sam MarsdenMoises LlorensAug 16, 2025, 05:27 PM ETBarcelona coach Hansi Flick was unimpressed with how the Spanish champions took their foot off the gas as they opened their defence of LaLiga with a 3-0 win at nine-man Mallorca on Saturday.Raphinha and Ferran Torres had already given Barça a two-goal advantage when Manu Morlanes and Vedat Muriqi both saw red in the space of six first half minutes, forcing the hosts to play for over 50 minutes with nine players.Despite that, it took until the 94th minute for Barça to add their third goal, Lamine Yamal opening his account for the…

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reigning solo at the top of the NL West after a 6-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Saturday. The shutout put the Dodgers at a 70-53 record, with the team moving just in front of the 69-54 Padres with the win at Dodger Stadium.The win came on the back of a solid night from Teoscar Hernández, who had a homer and an RBI sacrifice fly. On the mound, Blake Snell threw six shutout innings for the Dodgers, notching 62 strikes in 96 pitches and allowing five hits.AdvertisementIt didn’t take long for the Dodgers…

The 2025-26 NBA schedule has officially been released, so now we can take stock of everything and get excited about all the top matchups for the upcoming season. Opening night will tip off Oct. 21, with the Oklahoma City Thunder beginning their title defense against the Houston Rockets, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers taking on the Golden State Warriors. While we still have just over two months until the regular season tips off, let’s take a look at some of the most exciting matchups on the schedule. Here are 10 games we’re looking forward to the most. Oct. 21: Thunder…

Defending champion Jannik Sinner celebrated his 24th birthday by booking a place in the final of the Cincinnati Open.The world No 1 beat the tournament’s surprise package Terence Atmane in straight sets, 7-6 6-2, to claim his 200th ATP Tour victory on a hard court, and his 26th straight victory on the surface. The Italian did not face a single break point throughout the semi-final clash securing his place in the tournament showpiece after one hour and 26 minutes on court.”It was a very tough challenge,” said Sinner. “Every time you play against something completely new, it’s difficult, but playing…