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                                                                                                       SPORTS Thursday 16 May 2019
            Heavyweights step up, just not against each other




            By TIM DAHLBERG              rematch  with  Wilder  while
            AP Sports Columnist          Joshua  is  defending  his  ti-
            Tyson  Fury,  the  big  British  tles against a late substitute
            heavyweight  who  breaks  in Andy Ruiz Jr. Wilder might
            into  song  at  the  most  un-  be  taking  the  biggest  risk
            expected  moments  and  in  his  title  defense  against
            would  be  fun  to  meet  for  Dominic  Braezeale,  whose
            a beer, will be fighting next  loss  to  Joshua  is  the  only
            month.  So  will  his  country-  blemish on his pro record.
            man, Anthony Joshua, who  Just how long the fire is ex-
            will venture across the pond  pected to smolder, though,
            to make his Garden debut.    may be of most concern to
            And  then  there’s  Deontay  boxing fans.
            Wilder, who kicks things off  Joshua  and  Wilder  should
            Saturday night with anoth-   have been made by now,
            er chance to press his case  even  if  it  might  be  even
            that  he  is,  like  Mike  Tyson  bigger  next  year  because
            liked  to  say,  the  baddest  of  the  wait.  Wilder  and
            man on the planet.           Fury  should  be  fighting  a
            No,  they’re  not  fighting  rematch  this  summer,  but
            each  other,  for  reasons  money and boxing politics
            both as old as boxing itself  put  a  quick  end  to  those
            and  as  new  as  the  DAZN  plans. Wilder says Joshua is
            streaming  service.  Still,  the  ducking him and that Fury
            three  top  heavyweights  in  wants no part of a rematch   Britain’s Tyson Fury shows off his shirt which has drawings of former world heavyweight champions
            the  world  —  all  of  whom  after almost being knocked   on it during the press conference at the BT Sport Studio, London, Monday May 13, 2019.
            can  legitimately  claim  the  silly only to get back up in                                                                     Associated Press
            title of champ — will be in  the final round of their fight  “I’ve  done  a  good  job  a  big  performance  while  In  a  perfect  world,  Josh-
            action in New York and Las  in December that ended in  maintaining my place and  venturing  outside  his  na-       ua,  Wilder  and  Fury  would
            Vegas  within  a  four-week  a draw.                      he is the guy I want. He has  tive Britain for the first time.  be  fighting  each  other,  of
            stretch.                     Fury and Joshua say that’s  a lot to live up to. I’ve got  Joshua  drew  90,000  for  his  course.  Any  thoughts  of  a
            And  should  things  go  as  nonsense  and  that  Wilder  confidence flowing now.”     fight last year with Wladimir  quick  rematch  after  the
            planned, that’s just enough  shouldn’t talk so much.      That   confidence    could  Klitschko at Wembley Stadi-   draw  between  Wilder  and
            time  to  bring  some  clarity  “I am ready for Wilder, I’ve  get  another  boost  against  um and is wildly popular at  Fury  went  out  the  window
            to  a  heavyweight  division  been  ready  for  Wilder,”  Ruiz,  a  roly-poly  fighter  home, but largely unknown  when Fury signed with Top
            that  is  suddenly  must-see  Joshua said last week after  out  of  Southern  California  in the U.S. and is looking to  Rank, which has a deal for
            TV once again.               arriving in New York and in-  who  doesn’t  look  like  a  make a dramatic debut.      fights with ESPN.
            “The excitement is back in  specting  Madison  Square  world  beater  but  has  lost  “I know the history that has  Wilder,  meanwhile,  is  stick-
            the  heavyweight  division,”  Garden  for  his  American  only once in 33  fights. Ruiz  been  here  and  the  sports  ing for now with Showtime
            Wilder said. “The fire is lit.”  debut June 1 against Ruiz,  fought just last month, and  that  have  been  here,”  he  for his fight Saturday night.
            That’s somewhat true, even  who  got  his  shot  at  Josh-  was eager to get the call to  said  at  his  Garden  visit.  And Joshua has a contract
            if Fury is fighting a relatively  ua’s titles after Jarrell Miller  replace Miller.    “When  I  come  in  here  to  with DAZN, a streaming ser-
            unknown  German  named  tested  positive  for  perfor-    Perhaps  just  as  important  fight  June  1,  it  will  be  very  vice  that  touts  access  to
            Tom  Schwarz  instead  of  a  mance-enhancing  drugs.  for  Joshua’s  confidence  is  special.”                     big fights for $100 a year.q


            Ackermann wins rainy Giro

             stage 5, Roglic stays in lead




            TERRACINA,  Italy  (AP)  —  day. I had to brake at 250  the  final  six  kilometers  and
            Pascal Ackermann of Ger-     meters to go but luckily Ga-  allowed Roglic to gain pre-
            many sprinted to victory at  viria  became  the  perfect  cious seconds over his rival.
            the  end  of  the  rain-affect-  lead-out man for me,” Ack-  It  also  led  to  2017  cham-
            ed  fifth  stage  of  the  Giro  ermann said. “It was scary  pion  Tom  Dumoulin  aban-
            d’Italia  on  Wednesday,  all  day  under  the  rain.  All  doning  the  race  a  kilome-
            while  Slovenian  cyclist  Pri-  the  stage  was  scary  and  ter into Wednesday’s stage
            moz Roglic kept the overall  sprint  was  scary  because  as he was in too much pain
            lead.  It  was  Ackermann’s  you can’t see much. It was  after  injuring  his  left  leg  in
            second  stage  win  in  his  cold all day.”               the crash.                   Germany’s Pascal Ackermann celebrates as he sprints ahead
            first  Grand  Tour  after  the  The  rain  was  so  relentless  “I  came  here  for  a  three-  of Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria, left, to win the fifth stage of the
            25-year-old  Bora-Hansgro-   that  race  organizers  de-  week  adventure  and  I      Giro D’Italia, tour of Italy cycling race, from Frascati to Terracina,
            he  rider  also  took  home  cided that times would be  wanted to finish it and I’m    Wednesday, May 15, 2019.
            Sunday’s second leg.         taken  on  the  first  passage  not ready to go home yet,”                                        Associated Press
            Ackermann edged out Fer-     of  the  finish  line  in  Terraci-  Dumoulin  said.  “I  didn’t  some painkillers today and  leader’s  pink  jersey  since
            nando Gaviria and Arnaud  na  before  the  final  nine-   want  to  be  home  and  in  it might’ve been possible.   winning  the  opening  time
            Demare  in  a  bunch  sprint  kilometer  loop  in  order  to  two  days  time,  be  able  to  “I  would’ve  always  asked  trial on Saturday, remained
            at the end of the mainly flat  avoid another crash like the  ride when the swelling goes  myself  that  question  and  35  seconds  ahead  of  Brit-
            but wet 140-kilometer route  one that marred Tuesday’s  down  and  be  sad  that  I  now I can ask myself and I  ish cyclist Simon Yates and
            from Frascati to Terracina.  fourth stage. That crash split  abandoned so I needed to  know the answer.”            39 ahead of home favorite
            “It was a two-time sprint to-  the  peloton  in  half  inside  try  and  push  through  with  Roglic,  who  has  worn  the  Vincenzo Nibali.q
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