England’s World Cup final hero endured family tragedy, unemployment and rejection after he retired. But football’s renaissance reminded everyone of the scale of his achievement“Life is such a lottery,” Sir Geoff Hurst says as his face creases with emot…
Tears of relief show how far Fury was pushed by Wilder in fight for the ages | Donald McRae
This was one of the great heavyweight fights but also a warning to the champion that boxing gets everyone in the endAfter one of the great fights in heavyweight history was all over, Tyson Fury lent over the ropes and said a silent prayer. The world ch…
Deontay Wilder talks tough after brooding buildup to Tyson Fury fight | Donald McRae
American says he has improved since defeat against Fury in 2020 and his ability to overcome adversity may stand him in good stead“I see me beating him up and then knocking him out,” Deontay Wilder said in his Alabama drawl soon after he arrived in Las …
Troy Deeney: ‘I still see two therapists – I’m getting into the nitty-gritty now’
The Birmingham striker discusses his traumatised past, his ‘big rant’ on a Premier League Zoom call and the fight against racism“It’s going to sound bad, as if I am glamorising it, but it was normal,” Troy Deeney says when he remembers being driven aro…
Siya Kolisi: ‘My sin was exposed – he told me I needed to stop drinking’
South Africa’s World-Cup winning captain discusses losing himself in alcohol and strip clubs, seeing his mother’s face change from repeated beatings and his dream of emulating Richie McCaw “Sometimes you don’t know how to speak,” Siya Kolisi says simpl…
Benjamin Zephaniah: ‘Footballers have a voice and a platform. They aren’t taking injustice any more’
Writer, actor and activist explains how he fell in love with this England football team and his respect for players making a stand“I went to an England game at the start of the Euros,” Benjamin Zephaniah says while explaining how he has come to love th…
Frank Smith: ‘I called Eddie Hearn tight – eventually he gave me a job’
Matchroom’s head of boxing, a key figure in organising Anthony Joshua v Oleksandr Usyk, began as the office tea-boy 13 years agoOn Saturday night, amid the bedlam of a sold-out crowd of 60,000 as Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua make their extravagant…
Oleksandr Usyk insists pressure is all on reigning champion Anthony Joshua
Unbeaten Ukrainian says he has no nerves for Saturday’s fightFormer cruiserweight Usyk in only his third heavyweight bout Oleksandr Usyk will watch Peaky Blinders and read the Bible in the last stressful hours before he steps into the ring against Anth…
Paul Merson: ‘Gambling is a horrible addiction. Your career passes you by’
The former Arsenal and England player talks about his ‘worst addiction’, as detailed in his often-harrowing new bookA few minutes before Paul Merson tells the surreal story which makes him cry, in a beautiful but broken memory, he looks at me intently….
Barry Hearn: ‘How do I make you famous even though you’re not very good?’ | Donald McRae
The promoter says even he ‘might have a chance’ against boxing YouTubers such as Jake Paul but he is impressed by their ability to draw an enormous audienceBarry Hearn is meant to have retired but here we are in his swanky old office talking about his …