AP Sports

Jake Paul, Mike Tyson set for fight between influencer-turned-boxer and retired giant of the sport

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mike Tyson is set for his first sanctioned fight since 2005 as the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion takes on much younger YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Texas. The eight-round bout Friday night at the home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys will be streamed on Netflix. Texas regulators sanctioned the bout with limited rounds at just two minutes per round and heavier gloves. Tyson retired with a 50-6 record and 44 knockouts after losing to Kevin McBride. The 27-year-old Paul debuted as a pro boxer about four years ago and is 10-1 fighting mostly mixed martial artists and journeymen boxers.

Tyson-Paul fight gives Netflix opportunity to show it can handle big events with NFL, WWE on horizon

Jake Paul and Mike Tyson aren’t the only ones who have high stakes when they meet in the boxing ring on Friday night. For Netflix, it is their biggest live sports event to date, and an opportunity to make sure it can handle audience demand with the NFL and WWE on the horizon. The bout between the YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul and Tyson, 58-year-old former heavyweight champion, from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, will stream globally and be available to Netflix’s 280 million subscribers at no additional cost. Netflix will broadcast the bout in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, French and German.

It doesn’t have to take years to rebuild, especially with the right coach: Analysis

Teams considering a coaching change should be encouraged by some of the quick turnarounds around the NFL. Three teams with new coaches entered Week 11 holding a playoff position. Dan Quinn’s Washington Commanders led that group in victories despite a 26-18 loss to Philadelphia on Thursday night. Raheem Morris and the Atlanta Falcons are first in the NFC South. Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers currently have the second wild-card spot in the AFC. Quinn, Morris and Harbaugh have another thing in common. They previously were head coaches in the NFL. Harbaugh led the San Francisco 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance before going to Michigan and winning a national title.

McIlroy one off the lead at World Tour Championship and in good shape to clinch Race to Dubai title

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The path is clear for Rory McIlroy to clinch the year-long Race to Dubai title and be crowned the European tour’s best player for a sixth time. He’s well in contention to win the season-ending World Tour Championship too. McIlroy hit a fairway wood from 265 yards to 15 feet at No. 18 and two-putted for a closing birdie in his second round. A 3-under 69 left the No. 3-ranked Northern Irishman one stroke off the lead held by France’s Antoine Rozner (65) on 9-under par. McIlroy was tied with Tyrrell Hatton (69) for second place in the tournament but his lead in the year-long Race to Dubai standings looks impregnable.

Swiatek helps Poland oust host Spain from Billie Jean King Cup Finals, Britain beats Germany

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — Iga Swiatek has beaten Paula Badosa in three sets and Poland has knocked out host Spain 2-0 in the opening round of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Malaga. The world No. 2 Swiatek sealed Poland’s spot in the quarterfinals against the Czech Republic. She beat No. 12 Badosa 6-3, 6-7, 6-1 on the indoor hard-court. Magda Linette won the opening match for Poland against Spain’s Sara Sorribes after nearly four hours. Britain also eliminated Germany thanks to wins by Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter.

Alcaraz misses out as Zverev and Ruud complete semifinal field at ATP Finals

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz was the big name missing when the last two semifinal spots were filled at the ATP Finals. Alcaraz’s 7-6, 6-4 loss to Alexander Zverev meant the four-time Grand Slam champion was eliminated from the tournament for the top eight players. Zverev will meet Taylor Fritz and top-ranked Jannik Sinner will play Casper Ruud in Saturday’s semifinals. Ruud advanced by beating Andrey Rublev 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Alcaraz left for Malaga and next week’s Davis Cup finals where he will play for Spain in Rafael Nadal’s swansong.

Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic set for delayed UFC heavyweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden

NEW YORK (AP) — Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic are set to fight for the heavyweight championship at UFC 309 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden. Miocic gets his shot at a third heavyweight championship reign. The heavyweights were slated to fight last November at the Garden until Jones tore a tendon during training and was forced to withdraw. Both fighters have had little to do but train over the last five years. Jones hasn’t fought since he ended a three-year sabbatical and choked out Ciryl Gane at UFC 285 in March 2023. Miocic last fought when he dropped the belt to Francis Ngannou at UFC 280 in March 2021.

Jannik Sinner is ‘playing with a clear conscience’ amid doping case, coach Darren Cahill says

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Jannik Sinner’s co-coaches discuss in a joint interview with The Associated Press how the top-ranked player from Italy keeps winning at the ATP Finals amid enormous expectations from his home fans and a pending doping case. Darren Cahill says “you need to be a special type of person to be able to embrace all that pressure and come here and feel the pressure but still be able to perform at your very best.” Simone Vagnozzi adds “Jannik is still only 23 so there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Commanders have issues on each side of the ball after losing back-to-back games to fall to 7-4

Going for it and not converting on fourth down was a major topic of conversation after the Washington Commanders lost at Philadelphia for their second defeat in as many days. But the more troubling signs moving forward are the defense’s inability to stop the run and quarterback Jayden Daniels’ health after the offense’s two worst statistical games of the season. The Commanders are now 7-4 going into their game Nov. 24 at home against Dallas. The mini break comes at a good time with Daniels nursing sore ribs and now a throwing hand that was cut up and bleeding in the Eagles game.

Why are so many NFL kickers getting hurt? Specialist switches have been trending up this season

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The kicker carousel has spun frequently around the NFL this fall. The riders keep getting hurt. There were 45 different players who attempted at least one kick this regular season entering this week. The New York Jets will join the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants this week for the most in the league with four. The Washington Commanders have used three. Ten years ago there were 37 players in the league that attempted a kick in a regular season game. Theories on the reasons vary from longer-distance kicks to inconsistent practice routines to more in-game tackle attempts.