Author: Sports News UK

Before Deirdre Gogarty became Ireland’s first female world boxing champion in 1997, she had already inspired a young Irish girl. Katie Taylor was learning the art of pugilism at a time when women were banned from boxing in Ireland. Taylor wrote to her hero in 1996, saying she did not “see boxing for girls taking off here”, adding “maybe one day they’ll even let us box in the Olympics”. As it turned out, Taylor was integral in getting women’s boxing into the Olympics – winning gold in 2012 and then becoming undisputed champion in the pro ranks. As she is…

WWE SmackDown viewership and key demo numbers are in for the August 28, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown on USA Network, as the numbers jumped sharply from last week. According to Dave Meltzer, WWE SmackDown on August 28, 2026 drew 11,200,000 viewers on USA Network, with a 0.23 rating in the key P18–49 demographic. For comparison, the August 21, 2026 episode drew 1,280,000 viewers with a 0.32 rating in the key P18–49 demographic, an increase of ↑ 9,920,000 viewers and down by ↓ 0.09 in the demo. Compared to the same week in 2025, WWE SmackDown drew 1,147,000 viewers and…

Michael Zheng spent years making the long trek from northern New Jersey, first by bus across the Hudson River to the Port Authority bus terminal and then nearly the full length of the No 7 subway line, all for the opportunity to train at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. On a rainswept Wednesday afternoon in Queens, the destination was the same but the purpose had changed entirely.The 22-year-old American wildcard and two-time NCAA champion from nearby Columbia University brushed aside Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to win his rain-interrupted US Open debut, providing one of the…

The LA Clippers have been fined $30m (£22.2m) by the NBA for violating salary rules in order to funnel millions of dollars to star player Kawhi Leonard.The fine – the largest in the league’s history – comes after the NBA report said Leonard pressured the Clippers into “obtaining off-court income opportunities [and] successfully obtaining those opportunities”.The investigation was opened in September 2025 when podcast journalist Pablo Torre reported that a $28m (£20.8m) endorsement contract between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC could have broken league rules.The Clippers will also have to forfeit five first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033,…

Sabalenka’s pace and power was too much for world number 160 Iatcenko, who managed just three winners compared to the 24 put away by the top seed. Iatcenko looked a bundle of nerves in the biggest match of her career, but composed herself to get on the scoreboard for 5-1 and immediately broke out into a relieved smile.It was merely respite as Sabalenka held to love in less than 90 seconds to clinch the opening set.Despite only being on court for 24 minutes, Iatchenko decided she wanted a bathroom break to change her kit – but more likely for a…

Johnstone, who won the last of his four England caps in 2023, made 17 appearances last season but lost his starting place at relegated Wolves in December and has not played since an FA Cup loss to Liverpool in early March.”I’m buzzing to be here and I’m excited to get going,” said the goalkeeper, who began his career at Manchester United and has had spells at Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace.”I didn’t need convincing by anyone, but Joe Hart rang me the other day just to reiterate what a place this is, what a great group of…

British number one Katie Boulter was dumped out of the US Open in the second round as she won just one game in a 58-minute demolition by Karolina Muchova.The match, originally scheduled to be played on one of the outer courts, was moved to the 14,000-capacity Louis Armstrong Stadium after heavy rain in New York.But fans who had counted themselves lucky to have gained a third match on their day session ticket may have been left feeling short-changed, as Boulter fell to a swift 6-1 6-0 defeat by the Czech seventh seed.Francesca Jones had better fortune as she returned to…

WWE NXT Superstar Kendal Grey will remain on the sidelines for the next several weeks as she continues to recover from vertigo and other issues. Grey’s condition was discussed during the September 1 episode of NXT, where WWE confirmed that she had been experiencing vertigo. She was not diagnosed with a concussion, but the situation has prevented the former NXT Women’s Champion from competing. The issue appears to have originated during Grey’s Underground match with Lola Vice earlier this year. Vice caught Grey off the apron during the August 4 episode of NXT, sending her crashing into the steel steps.…

Manchester City have completed their squad overhaul – including a fully revamped midfield – to the tune of £458m, a new Premier League record for a summer window.But that eyewatering sum does not tell the full story.New Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca received the full backing of director of football Hugo Viana in his first transfer window in charge after replacing Pep Guardiola. Indeed, City’s record transfer fee was twice broken this summer.A joint-British record £125m was spent on Maresca’s former Chelsea skipper Enzo Fernandez after £116m was committed on Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest. Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18,…

Olympic long jump champion Tara Davis-Woodhall says she is “lucky and blessed to be alive” after being involved in a car crash.The 27-year-old American was on her way to training last week when she was involved in a “very scary” head-on collision, leaving her with a “severe” concussion. While not ruling herself out of this month’s inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, the reigning world champion says she has been unable to train since the accident.”Luckily I walked away without any major injuries,” Davis-Woodhall wrote on social media.”At this point I’m working with my team and doctors to get…