Gary Lemke looks back at a jam-packed sporting weekend where predator became prey as Anthony Joshua outclassed Francis Ngannou in Saudi Arabia, Max Verstappen continued his F1 dominance, the Premier League title race intensifies and more!
JOSHUA DOES THE BUSINESS – RIGHTLY SO
So, Anthony Joshua did what Tyson Fury should have done. Namely, when you put up a heavyweight boxing champion, up against a big man who has no boxing experience but ruled in the UFC, there should only be one option. Knock. Him. Out.
And Joshua did just what Fury didn’t and sent Francis Ngannou to sleep with a brutal right hand in the second round of their contest in Saudi Arabia. Fury didn’t deliver, but Joshua showed that you can’t cross over into a sport where you have no experience and expect to be a match for the best. Thank you, “AJ”, you have at least recouped some of the credibility that boxing has lost in recent times.
P̶r̶e̶d̶a̶t̶o̶r̶ to prey. pic.twitter.com/Eb40CrU1Dm
— Anthony Joshua (@anthonyjoshua) March 9, 2024
LERENA UNABLE TO TAKE THE STEP UP
As the adage goes, a good big ‘un beats a good little ‘un and while Kevin Lerena is not a small man, he’s not a natural heavyweight. Although he lost narrowly, but unanimously to Australia’s Justis Hani on points over 10 rounds in Saudi Arabia, surely it sells the end of his days fighting in the heavyweight division.
Lerena was well-matched by his promoter. His opponent is not a power-puncher so it was unlikely that he would hurt the South African southpaw. Nevertheless, it’s down to the bridgerweight division – Google that – here he might well go on to be a “world champion” and make a few dollars in the process.
Mama Mia 🗣️ Final round beautiful brutality 💣🧨🥊 pic.twitter.com/vQQrposHpi
— Kevin Lerena (@Kevlerenaboxing) March 10, 2024
VERSTAPPEN WINS. GOOD OR BAD FOR F1?
We saw the movie 19 times before in last year’s F1 championship and it’s now two from two in 2024. The only thing that changed was the venue, where Max Verstappen won the Saudi Arabian GP, this time by 13sec over his Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was third a further five seconds behind that. What it did to the points table after just two rounds is this: Verstappen has 51 points, Perez 36 and Leclerc 28. In the constructors’ championship, Red Bull have 87 points, followed by Ferrari on 49 and McLaren on 28. A genuine question: Is this all becoming a yawn, or should we be marvelling at Max’s dominance? He’s now won 21 of the last 24 Grand Prix races.
So far, so very good! 🏆🏆#F1 || #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/dCjn6vl3OM
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 10, 2024
BINDER OPENS MOTOGP SEASON WITH INTENT
In contrast to Formula One, we’ve got a MotoGP. The season opener in Qatar went the way of defending champion Francesco Bagnaia, and in truth, it was fairly comfortable, but South Africa’s Brad Binder stuck up his hand early to suggest he could fight it out for the title this season. Perhaps Binder should start striking up echoes of what Dricus du Plessis said before winning the UFC middleweight belt. “Suid Afrika, hulle weet nie wat ons weet nie!”
🗣️ “I think winning again is only a matter of time. My bike was next-level again, even after the improvements we had made for yesterday, so my team did an immense job. Hats off to them." @BradBinder_33
— Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (@KTM_Racing) March 10, 2024
📰 | https://t.co/Kkdl2feVZl pic.twitter.com/QoaJJOtY7I
ENGLAND SPRING THE TWICKENHAM UPSET
So, the Irish drowned their sorrows with Guinness instead of painting London green. Their surprise 23-22 defeat to England at Twickenham – in itself that says much about England when they’re underdogs at home – has left some life in the Six Nations ahead of the final match.
England are the only team who can overtake Ireland, and my primitive maths suggests they can only do so if they beat France away and pick up five points, and Ireland lose at home and don’t win a point. Now, that scenario won’t come around, but it is a bruised ego that Irish fans will be carrying this week.
Clutch. pic.twitter.com/4NRRKUEbYS
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 9, 2024
SQUEAKY BUM TIME IN TITLE RACE
In our weekend lookahead, we mentioned that either Arsenal, Man City or Liverpool could be leading the English Premiership after the dust settled on this weekend’s fixtures. As it happened, Arsenal beat Brentford 2-1 and Liverpool and City played out to a 1-1 draw at Anfield. I’d gone for 3-1 and 2-2 in my published predictions, so can’t be unhappy with that.
There’s now one point separating that trip in the title race with 10 matches to go. For what it’s worth, the oddsmakers still have City favourites, ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal.
THE WILL TO WIN ❤️ pic.twitter.com/LW33GaMIIU
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 9, 2024
