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‘Rage on The Red Sea’ …Usyk Retains Heavyweight Boxing Titles

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Rage on The Red Sea event. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Rage on The Red Sea event. Asharq Al-Awsat
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‘Rage on The Red Sea’ …Usyk Retains Heavyweight Boxing Titles

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Rage on The Red Sea event. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Rage on The Red Sea event. Asharq Al-Awsat

In the presence of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a host of elite sports and international figures, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz al-Faisal, Ukrainian titleholder and boxer Oleksandr Usyk won a rematch against his challenger, Anthony Joshua.

By winning the rematch, Usyk retained his world heavyweight boxing titles.

The event took place on Saturday at King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah, where a large crowd of boxing fans was able to watch the match.

Dubbed “Rage on The Red Sea,” the match ended after 12 rounds and a split decision by the judges. Two of the judges awarded the fight to Usyk, and one judge awarded the fight to Joshua.

The fight was witnessed by a crowd of nearly 40,000 boxing enthusiasts from 60 different countries. Many media professionals covered the fight.

Sports events coinciding with the fight took place in the squares surrounding the King Abdullah Sports City Arena.

Oleksandr Usyk v Anthony Joshua - WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight world title - King Abdullah Sports City Arena, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia - August 20, 2022 Oleksandr Usyk celebrates winning his fight against Anthony Joshua with the belts Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

In the secondary fights that took place, Saudi boxer Ziad Al-Mayouf scored a historic start by defeating his Mexican rival Jose Alator by a technical knockout. Jordan’s Badr Al-Samrin also won the same way over the Azerbaijani Fuad Tarverdi.

“Rage on The Red Sea” is the second international fight hosted by the Kingdom, after the great success that was achieved in the Diriyah Arena fight in December 2019.

Last September, Usyk won on a unanimous decision to take the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO world heavyweight boxing belts from Joshua.

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Serena Williams' Comeback at Queen's Club is Over after Injury to Doubles Partner

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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Serena Williams' Comeback at Queen's Club is Over after Injury to Doubles Partner

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Queen's Club Championships - Queen's Club, London, Britain - June 10, 2026 Serena Williams of the US during practice REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Serena Williams' much-hyped comeback to professional tennis at the Queen's Club lasted just one match.

The 44-year-old Williams' doubles partner, 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, was forced to withdraw from the draw on Thursday because of a knee injury she sustained in a singles match against Karolina Pliskova in the last 32 on Wednesday.

In her first professional match since the 2022 US Open, Williams teamed up with Mboko to beat third-seeded duo Nicole Melichar-Martinez and Erin Routliffe 7-6 (2), 6-2 at the grass-court event on Tuesday. They were scheduled to face Leylah Fernandez and Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals.

Williams is set to play doubles at the Berlin Open in Germany next week. Her partner has yet to be announced, The Associated Press reported.

Williams won 23 Grand Slam singles titles — including seven at Wimbledon — before stepping away from the game, saying at the time she was “evolving” away from tennis rather than "retiring."

Sports

Wolves Fire Coach after Relegation from Premier League

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
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Wolves Fire Coach after Relegation from Premier League

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Turf Moor, Burnley, Britain - May 24, 2026 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Rob Edwards applauds fans after the match Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes

Wolverhampton fired manager Rob Edwards on Thursday following the team's relegation from the Premier League.

Edwards was in charge for only seven months, having been hired in November when Wolves was winless and in last place.

He couldn't keep them up but, as a local-born former player, he was widely viewed as a coach the club was looking to build its future around.

Instead, Edwards was dumped a few weeks after he said Wolves were “not good enough” and “this place is in a mess.” He lost 16 of his 30 matches in charge of the team, which finished bottom of the league on 20 points.

“Following a comprehensive review at the conclusion of the season, the club has determined that a change in leadership is necessary as Wolves enters the next stage of its development,” The Associated Press quoted Wolves as saying in a statement.

“While the club recognizes the significant challenges faced by Edwards and his staff during their tenure, and acknowledges the commitment and professionalism they demonstrated throughout, it ultimately concluded that a different sporting direction would provide the strongest platform for future success.”

Wolves has already signed former England right back Kieran Trippier and Mexico striker Raul Jimenez as the club prepares for life back in the second-tier Championship.

Sports

German Players to Pay for 600 Fans' Stadium Trip amid Soaring Transport Costs

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
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German Players to Pay for 600 Fans' Stadium Trip amid Soaring Transport Costs

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Germany Training - Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US - June 10, 2026 A football with the FIFA World Cup logo is pictured during training IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Scott Kinser

German players have stepped up to ease fans' pain from soaring transport costs at the World Cup, offering to pay for 600 of them to travel by bus to their last Group E game against Ecuador in New Jersey on June 25, media reports said. City authorities hiked rail and bus fares from New York to the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey by several times citing increased pressure on the public transit systems. That triggered a backlash from fans who have already paid high prices for match tickets, Reuters reported.

"In light of the high cost of bus and train travel in New York during the World Cup, the German national team players have organized free transport to the final group match for 600 fans," the BBC quoted the German Football Association as saying.

"Captain Joshua Kimmich and his teammates are covering the cost of buses to take supporters from New York to the arena in New Jersey for the match against Ecuador."

Reuters could not immediately confirm the statement. A round trip to the stadium by train, which usually costs $12.90, has been set at $98 during World Cup games, down from the originally proposed $150 fare after NJ Transit faced heavy criticism.

Shuttle buses will cost $20, down from the initial $80 price tag.

Transport was free for fans at the last two World Cups in Russia and Qatar. Four-time champions Germany will begin their campaign in Houston against Curacao on Sunday.