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Credits: IMAGO / HochZwei

Having recently debuted in Formula 1, Ferrari reserve driver Oliver Bearman has named his dream team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans if he ever competes in it. The 18-year-old has also already agreed to take the blame for defeat if he does. In a video that has surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), Bearman said, ” [Lewis] Hamilton, [Charles] Leclerc and me. And if we don’t win, it’s my fault.”

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Following his debut, Bearman received much praise from both Leclerc and Hamilton. The young Briton delivered an impressive performance during his first time in an F1 car on a challenging track in Jeddah with such short notice. Bearman got Carlos Sainz’s seat right before FP3 at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit after the Spaniard was diagnosed with appendicitis and had to get hospitalized for immediate surgery.

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After the Saudi Arabian GP qualifying, in which the 18-year-old had nearly knocked out Hamilton in Q2, the 7x world champion said, “I was nowhere near ready for Formula 1 at 18.” Meanwhile, Leclerc, in the post-race interview, said, “Everyone has noticed how talented he is. It is only a matter of time before he is in Formula 1.” 

Furthermore, even though Sainz could not drive the car, he disguised himself as an engineer to help out Bearman during the race. The 18-year-old, after scoring P7 at the Saudi Arabian GP, revealed, “He [Sainz] told me about the exit procedure because I was using his steering wheel. [Moreover,] He gave me some advice and told me he would be on the wall helping me during the race.”

Ferrari is prepping Oliver Bearman for the Australian GP

With Carlos Sainz’s return being unclear, Ferrari recently took to social media to announce that they have put Bearman in their 2022 car [F1-75] for a test run at Fiorano, Ferrari’s private test track. The young Briton will be at the upcoming Australian GP, participating in F2 or F1, in case Sainz doesn’t completely recover.

Ferrari’s team boss, Fred Vasseur, described Sainz’s recovery as ‘amazing’ after the Spaniard returned to the track at the Saudi Arabian GP after his surgery. Vasseur also noted that the team would decide on Sainz’s return to Melbourne in one week as he remains optimistic.

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As for Bearman, he too hopes that Sainz returns to the car and recovers quickly. “In the end, it’s his car, it’s his championship, so I hope the best for him,” he said.

DOLLY PARTON NOW HOLDS 10 GUINNESS WORLD RECORD TITLES

Is there anything Dolly Parton cannot do? At 77 years young, the veteran country singer has been hosting awards shows, writing books and singing in holiday specials. And lately, she’s been setting new world records.

There’s not too much empty space on Parton’s list of accolades, but there’s certainly room for not one, not two, but three new Guinness World Records titles. This brings her overall total of record holdings to 10.

“I am humbled every time I receive a new Guinness World Record title,” the singer-songwriter says.

Here are Parton’s newest record-breaking achievements:

Most studio albums released by a female country singer (65 albums)
Most entries on the Top Country Albums chart by a female artist (48 entries)
Longest span of No. 1 hits on the Top Country Albums chart by a female artist (43+ years)

The “9 to 5” singer’s first album, Hello, I’m Dolly, was released in 1967, with her most recent offering, Run, Rose, Run, arriving in 2022. She’ll bump that total number of albums up to 66 this fall with the release of her first rock album, Rock Star, which only make her record harder to top.

Parton’s first Top 10 album came in 1968 with a project she worked on with Porter Wagoner, titled Just Between You and Me. Her 48 collection of songs to land in the Top 10 came in 2022 with Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection. Of the 48 albums to chart in the Top 10 of the Top Country Albums chart, eight were No. 1 hits.

The first chart-topper was the album New Harvest… First Gathering, which arrived in 1977. Her most-recent No. 1 was A Holly Dolly Christmas in 2020. She sits behind Johnny Cash (50+ years) and Merle Haggard (48+ years).

Here’s a list of the Guinness World Records Parton already held:

First country singer to be nominated for the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony)
Most Grammy nominations for a female country artist (51)
Most No. 1 hits on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (25)
Most hits on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (109)
Longest span of No.1 hits on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart (35+ years)
Most decades on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart by a female artist (7)
Most decades with a top 20 hit on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart (6)

IMAGO / NurPhoto

Ralf Schumacher casts doubt on Lewis Hamilton’s potential as a game-changing acquisition for Ferrari. The celebrated Mercedes driver’s recent enlistment by the renowned Italian racing stable, orchestrated by the mastermind of Fred Vasseur, is met with skepticism of his arrival lacking the strategic brilliance of signing someone of Max Verstappen‘s caliber.

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While Hamilton’s recruitment undoubtedly incurred a hefty expense, Schumacher suggests its justification hinges on the prospect of securing another world title for Ferrari, a feat that has eluded the Maranello-based team for an extended period. In conversation with Formel1.de, Schumacher expressed,  “I am sure Vasseur would not pay so much money for nothing. He will offer and give Hamilton everything to make sure he can perform.”

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Indeed, no expense is spared with Ferrari‘s pursuit of reclaiming the pinnacle of motorsport, a commitment poised to bolster Hamilton’s 2025 campaign. Yet, Schumacher remains intrigued by the impending rivalry between the Prince of Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, and the incoming Hamilton, whose singular ambition revolves around clinching an unprecedented 8th championship.

The prospect of two alpha drivers sharing the cockpit prompts speculation about the dynamics within the team hierarchy. While the former Williams driver refrains from directly addressing the issue, he remains keen on observing which driver will emerge as the de facto leader, while also doubting his expertise.

“Hamilton is, of course, a seven-time world champion and a fantastic driver. But I don’t think he has the qualities that Verstappen has. I don’t think he is as consistent as Verstappen.”, Schumacher said.  Attacking Lewis Hamilton with a double-edged sword, the German’s thoughts highlight his reservations about Hamilton’s ability to extract that crucial extra fraction of performance where it matters most.

But would Verstappen be the change Ferrari was looking for? Had they waited a few more weeks, the consequences of the Red Bull turmoil would have given them the opportunity to explore the possibility.

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Ferrari CEO backs Lewis Hamilton era

While the Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher’s brother doesn’t believe in Hamilton’s call to Red, Ferrari CEO John Elkann truly believes. Elkann explained the rationale behind Lewis Hamilton’s pivotal decision to forge an alliance with the Prancing Horse.

As Hamilton embarks on his final F1 campaign under the Mercedes banner, the F1 landscape witnesses the convergence of its most illustrious driver with its preeminent outfit.

Widely lauded for orchestrating this monumental transfer, Elkann’s personal involvement in brokering the deal underscored the significance of Hamilton’s imminent arrival at Maranello.

“I have always said over the years how much Lewis is a great driver, how much he has done for F1,” Elkann remarked in an interview with Sky Sports. “He will join Ferrari and this is a sign of how much he believes he can do great things with us.”

In expressing his admiration for the Briton’s stellar career, Elkann’s sentiments reflect a profound appreciation for the symbiotic relationship poised to unfold between the legendary driver and the iconic Italian marque.

Credits: IMAGO / NurPhoto

Oliver Bearman surprised the entire F1 community with his superb debut at a difficult track like Jeddah. For the majority of us, though, Bearman’s outstanding P7 finish put him in the spotlight. However, even before his Saudi Arabian madness, the British racer had already made a deep impression on one of F1’s straightforward entities. That person is none other than the former Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner.

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While writing his exclusive column on F1’s official website, Steiner has showered praise on the F2 driver. Given that the 18-year-old was the last-minute replacement for the ailing Carlos Sainz, the pressure was only going to increase. Despite this, when Bearman only narrowly missed qualifying for Q3 and finished 7th in the race, Steiner, like everyone else, praised Bearman’s outstanding efforts. However, the American-Italian did this by recalling a previous experience.

He elaborated, “He understood he just needed to do a good job. Get the feeling of the car and bring it home and that’s it. He realized his career was not depending on those FP1s [in 2023]. He had a bigger plan.”

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Steiner intended his claim to bring the readers’ attention to Oliver Bearman’s outstanding FP1 appearances for Haas last year. At that point, the British driver succeeded in winning the 58-year-old’s trust, owing to his calmness.

However, now again when Bearman has performed well in Jeddah, this hasn’t surprised the ex-Haas boss. Steiner claims that the #38 driver’s calmness is the main reason for his success at such a young age.

To put it briefly, Steiner feels that Bearman‘s background and familial upbringing must have helped him to remain calm in pressure situations, resulting in such a big success. However, while wrapping up the American-Italian said that based on his performance in Jeddah, the 18-year-old certainly deserves an F1 seat.

Ferrari’s junior driver programme boss also praised Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut

Ferrari has been one of the teams to provide the best of the talents from its junior driver programme. While earlier it was Charles Leclerc, who made the headlines with his solid talent, Oliver Bearman has taken that baton now. The 18-year-old who replaced Carlos Sainz just before FP3, had no idea as he was gearing up for his F2 races.

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Despite this, the young driver felt no pressure and managed to get a solid P7. This performance has made the Ferrari junior driver programme’s boss Jock Clear proud of Bearman.

While talking on the F1 Nation podcast Clear said, as quoted by Crash.net, “That’s very, very intimidating for anybody. From our point of view, we’re just very proud of how well he’s integrated with the team, and how well the team has supported him.” 

In addition, Clear firmly believes that Bearman is prepared to transition to the pinnacle of motorsport. For this, Clear stated that he was already convinced and that the fact that Fred Vasseur dared to place Bearman in SF-24 at such a crucial time validates his conviction. While wrapping up, Clear stated that Bearman would continue to improve, which will ‘pay off increasingly’ when he reaches F1.

Credits: IMAGO / Motorsport Images

W-Series was an all-female single-seater racing series that had high hopes for the future but failed miserably. Matt Bishop, who was a part of the W-Series paddock, feels that its replacement, F1 Academy, is taking the right steps to ensure it doesn’t make the mistakes of the past.

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F1 Academy, headed by Susie Wolff has taken off strongly, with existing F1 teams sponsoring the drivers who take part in this all-female racing venture. Its predecessor, the W-Series which was more centrally controlled and didn’t have the involvement of teams, made several blunders. There were three W-Series championships (2019, 2020, and 2021) after which they went into administration. This is when F1 Academy came forward.

Bishop, who saw the mistakes W-Series made, feels that F1 Academy is headed in the right direction. In an exclusive interview with The SportsRush’s Tanish Chachra, Bishop said, “Everything that is done in that area in order to promote females in motorsports. Whether it is to make the sport more appealing to women and girls if they are fans. Whether it is to encourage them to be mechanics or engineers working in the sport, whether it is to encourage them and facilitate better opportunities to become drivers, or journalists, or photographers or videographers.” 

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Bishop added that F1 is not a men-only place anymore. He emphasizes how women should be made more welcome. For that, he credits F1 Academy. In his words, “Whatever can be done, is being done.” 

Matt Bishop hails pioneers of women in motorsport

Even though W-Series failed, it created some superstars whom the entire racing community held in high regard. In the interview with The SportsRush, Bishop named some women who he felt were pioneers of encouraging female participation in motorsports.

He mentioned Jessica Hawkins, Jamie Chadwick, Alice Powell, Baitzke Visser, Emma Kimmelinen, and Sarah Moore. However, he decided not to take any more names. Not because they weren’t any more deserving of the title. But because there were too many.

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Matt Bishop insisted that everyone who took part in the series was a pioneer. Reaching F1 for them might be out of reach because of their age. But being a part of the motorsports community and looking after the young girls today, who dream of making it, is equally important.

Credits: Imago

Filling in for Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman secured an impressive P7 on the challenging Jeddah Corniche Circuit on his F1 debut. Former driver Johnny Herbert compared this debut to the performance of three-time champion Max Verstappen. Herbert feels that Bearman exhibited a level of maturity similar to Verstappen’s. However, one aspect of Bearman’s performance was reminiscent not of Verstappen, but of Lewis Hamilton.

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Speaking with Racingnews365.com, Herbert said, “Verstappen made himself very broad. And I completely understand that. It was part of an intimidating role he tried to play. Lewis does that too, but in a very different way. You don’t see it as often with him as with Max. Ollie is probably more like Lewis in that way. Ollie is not aggressive. He is just calculated, very calculated.” 

Subsequently, Herbert added that he was quite happy to see Bearman make his Ferrari debut stress-free. The 3-time race winner wanted to be clear that Bearman showed his ability to maintain composure and dispelled any additional expectations of being a Ferrari driver, in contrast to many rookie drivers who get nervous before making their debut.

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Moreover, he claimed that the 18-year-old possessed all the ingredients a young Max Verstappen did. Herbert noted that Oliver Bearman had speed, a good brain that kept him out of danger, and the ability to perform under pressure.

Oliver Bearman gathers interest from four suitors

Oliver Bearman jumped into the SF-24 with minimal preparation. Despite that, he nearly knocked out Hamilton and started the race from P11. In the race itself, he made some incredible moves to finish seventh. Unfortunately, his heroics won’t be able to get him a Ferrari seat, yet.

Both Charles Leclerc and 2025 driver, Lewis Hamilton have multi-year contracts with the Maranello-based outfit in place. However, there are four teams that are reportedly interested in signing the 18-year-old, as quoted by Planet F1.

Journalist Andrew Benson, who spoke to the BBC, said that Ferrari’s closeness with Haas means he will most likely end up there. He later named the remaining three teams. He said, “Quite a few teams are likely to be interested in him after his performance in Saudi Arabia. So Ferrari could just as easily do a deal with Williams, Sauber, or perhaps even Alpine.”

Bearman’s focus as of now has shifted to F2, the actual series he is competing in this season. Whether he will be behind the wheel of the SF-24 in Melbourne next week or not, remains unclear.

Analyzing the impact of Blake Snell’s free agency status on the dynamics of the 2024 MLB season

Blake Snell (Image via Imago)

As the 2024 Major League Baseball season approaches one question that’s on everyone’s mind is: Which team will Blake Snell, the reigning National League (NL) Cy Young winner, end up with? Snell, known for his exceptional pitching skills and strategic gameplay has become a hot topic in the baseball world. His future team is a subject of much speculation and anticipation, with several teams reportedly showing interest.

Blake Snell has bееn makіng hеadlіnеs rеcеntlу, рrіmarіlу duе tо hіs status as a frее agеnt. Aftеr wіnnіng thе NL Cу Yоung Award іn 2023 wіth thе Padrеs, Snеll dеcіdеd tо ехрlоrе thе frее agеncу markеt. As thе 2024 sрrіng traіnіng aррrоachеs, Snеll іs stіll оut thеrе as a frее agеnt. Thіs has lеd tо rumоrs and sреculatіоns abоut hіs роtеntіal landіng sроt. Thе Hоustоn Astrоs arе rероrtеdlу іn “sеrіоus рursuіt” оf Snеll, and thеrе arе alsо rumоrs abоut an unnamеd tеam frоm thе NL East shоwіng іntеrеst.

Thе thіrd asреct tо cоnsіdеr іs thе іmрact Snеll’s dеcіsіоn cоuld havе оn thе dуnamіcs оf thе tеam hе chооsеs. Snеll’s addіtіоn tо anу tеam wоuld nоt оnlу bоlstеr thеіr ріtchіng rоtatіоn but alsо brіng іn a wеalth оf ехреrіеncе and a рrоvеn track rеcоrd оf succеss.
Related: Will Aaron Judge be part of Yankees’ Opening Day roster after complaining about swing discomfort?
List of teams showing interest in Blake Snell

1. San Francіscо Gіants

Blake Snell (Image via Imago)
Thе Gіants havе bееn lіnkеd wіth Blakе Snеll іn rеcеnt rumоrs. As sрrіng traіnіng cоntіnuеs and wе gеt clоsеr tо thе start оf thе 2024 sеasоn, thе Gіants cоuld bе a роtеntіal dеstіnatіоn fоr Snеll. Thе tеam іs lооkіng tо makе sоmе bоld рrеdіctіоns and Snеll’s addіtіоn cоuld bе a sіgnіfіcant bооst.

2. Lоs Angеlеs Angеls

Blake Snell (Image via San Diego Union-Tribune)
Thе Lоs Angеlеs Angеls havе shоwn іntеrеst іn Blakе Snеll. Thе tеam іs роtеntіallу lооkіng tо add anоthеr All-Star frее agеnt tо thеіr rоstеr. Gіvеn thеіr nееd fоr rоtatіоn hеlр and fіnancіal flехіbіlіtу, thе Angеls cоuld bе a strоng cоntеndеr fоr Snеll’s sеrvіcеs.

Thе Angеls havе a hіstоrу оf makіng bіg mоvеs іn thе frее agеncу and sіgnіng Snеll cоuld bе anоthеr statеmеnt оf іntеnt frоm thеm. Furthеrmоrе, Snеll’s addіtіоn cоuld рrоvіdе a much-nееdеd bооst tо thеіr ріtchіng rоtatіоn and іncrеasе thеіr chancеs оf makіng іt tо thе рlaуоffs.

3. A NL East Tеam

Blake Snell (Image via Empire Sports Media)
An unnamed team from the NL East has еmеrgеd as a suіtоr fоr Blakе Snеll. Whіlе mоst оthеr majоr lеaguе ріtchеrs havе fоund hоmеs fоr 2024, Snеll rеmaіns a frее agеnt. Thіs mуstеrу tеam cоuld роtеntіallу bе a nеw hоmе fоr Snеll. With Kodai Senga out for some time, the New York Mets could be the mystery team from NL East to try and poach him from free agency.

Thе NL East іs knоwn fоr іts cоmреtіtіvе naturе and addіng a рlaуеr оf Snеll’s calіbеr cоuld sіgnіfіcantlу еnhancе thеіr chancеs іn thе uрcоmіng sеasоn. Mоrеоvеr, Snеll’s ехреrіеncе and lеadеrshір cоuld bе іnvaluablе fоr the teams looking to sign him.

4. Hоustоn Astrоs

Blake Snell (Image via Empire Sports Media)
Thе Astrоs arе rероrtеdlу іn “sеrіоus рursuіt” оf Blakе Snеll. Wіth sеvеral оf thеіr ріtchеrs іnjurеd, thе Astrоs arе sееkіng ріtchіng hеlр. Snеll, wіth hіs іmрrеssіvе track rеcоrd, cоuld bе a valuablе addіtіоn tо thеіr tеam.

5. Nеw Yоrk Yankееs

Blake Snell (Image via San Diego Union-Tribune)
Thе Nеw Yоrk Yankееs havе bееn lіnkеd wіth him іn sеvеral rероrts. Thе Yankееs arе rероrtеdlу waіtіng fоr Snеll’s askіng рrіcе tо drор оn a lоng-tеrm dеal оr hоре hе’d bе wіllіng tо takе a shоrt-tеrm cоntract.

Thеrе’s an оffеr оn thе tablе, and thе Yankееs sееm tо bе thе favоrіtеs. Hоwеvеr, sоmе rероrts suggеst that thе Yankееs arе cоnsіdеrеd a “lоngshоt” tо sіgn Snеll. Thе tеam has thе рaуrоll and mіght nееd tо sіgn оnе оf thеsе rеmaіnіng frее agеnts tо рush thеm оvеr thе tор.

The gymnast celebrates her boyfriend’s every play as if he were in the World Series.

Olivia Dunne never misses a chance to show off her boyfriend Paul Skenes.Instagram, @livvydunne.

Olivia Dunne knows her social media. The LSU Tigers star is aware that every step she takes will attract views, whether she posts on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, or any other platform she chooses. On Thursday night, the gymnast took to TikTok to share how she watches her boyfriend Paul Skennes’ games, much to the satisfaction of her followers.

On the short video platform, Dunne shared a clip of herself watching the Pittsburgh Pirates game against the Baltimore Orioles in the MLB Spring Breakout. Skennes had a good performance in the game, with two strikeouts against his first two rivals: Enrique Bradfield Jr. and Jackson Holliday.

Although the Pirates have already notified Skennes that he will start the season in their minor league branches, that did not diminish the excitement of his girlfriend. In the video, you can see Livvy celebrating each of her boyfriend’s pitches as if he were pitching in the World Series.

Olivia enjoying Paul

In her TikTok video, you can see Olivia wrapped in a thick blanket while watching the game stream. The gymnast captioned the clip, “Watching my boyfriend pitch like:”

The LSU star comments on some of the plays and celebrates the strikes with expressions like “The batter is good,” “I’m nervous,” and “Come on Paul!” The video lasts just 25 seconds, but Dunne’s excitement at watching her fiancé play is contagious.

In a post on her Instagram Stories, she shared a short excerpt from the same game with the caption “slayed that,” as Skennes is seen passing the third strike to Holliday.

Dunne doesn’t pass up the opportunity to share glimpses into her personal life through her social media. Each post and comment from the gymnast attracts thousands of likes and hundreds of comments from her followers, critics, and detractors.

Fame smiles on Livvy Dunne, who knows how to take advantage of her enormous popularity.

Mike Tyson, the legendary boxing icon, celebrated his 57th birthday in extravagant style, gathering an array of A-list celebrities, fellow athletes, and close friends. The event, held at an opulent venue in Las Vegas, featured a star-studded guest list, with attendees ranging from Hollywood actors to renowned athletes.

Among the highlights of the evening were the rare photos capturing the presence of special guests, providing a glimpse into the exclusive celebration. One such image showcased Tyson alongside fellow boxing legend Evander Holyfield, sparking nostalgia among fans of the sport who remembered their epic clashes in the ring.

Adding to the glamour of the affair were appearances by prominent figures from various industries. From music mogul Jay-Z to Hollywood superstar Denzel Washington, the event boasted a diverse guest list that reflected Tyson’s widespread influence and popularity.

The atmosphere was electric as guests mingled, shared anecdotes, and toasted to Tyson’s enduring legacy. The evening culminated in a heartfelt speech by the man of the hour, expressing gratitude for the love and support throughout the years.

As the festivities came to a close, the rare photos captured the essence of the night, immortalizing a momentous occasion in the life of one of boxing’s greatest champions.

Oleksandr Usyk refused to watch back Anthony Joshua‘s brutal knockout of Francis Ngannou from earlier this month.

Joshua knocked down Ngannou for the first time in his career in the first round before putting him on the canvas again early in the second.

The fight was over when Joshua put Ngannou to the floor for the third time with a powerful right hand in the second round, with the former UFC fighter unable to get back to his feet after the knockout.

WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight world champion Usyk was handed a laptop to watch back the fight during a filming with DAZN this week.

The Ukrainian did not say anything but was left grimacing as he cast his eye over Joshua’s dominant performance.

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Anthony Joshua saw off Francis Ngannou in just two rounds with an explosive knockout

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Oleksandr Usyk grimaced as he struggled to watch the fight on replay

After seeing Joshua knock down Ngannou for a second time, Usyk closed the laptop to avoid seeing the brutal knockout that followed moments later.

The 37-year-old didn’t explain his reaction but in the past expressed his preference of beating opponents on points instead of a knockout.

Asked why he didn’t knockout Joshua during their first bout in 2021, Usyk responded: ‘Why are you so bloodthirsty?

‘There is victory, everything is fine. Why is it necessary for a person to fall?

‘He has a mother and father. This is a big chunk of health if a person falls. I’m not for that.’

Usyk will finally meet Tyson Fury in the ring on May 18 as part of Riyadh Season in Saudi Arabia to crown the first undisputed heavyweight champion of the four-belt era.

He could face Joshua for a third time if he succeeds in beating the Gypsy King.