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NBA Preview: Detroit Pistons (7-20) at Memphis Grizzlies (16-9)

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NBA Preview: Detroit Pistons (7-20) at Memphis Grizzlies (16-9)

Pistons get second chance to slow Grizzlies PG Ja Morant

The Detroit Pistons have the unfortunate task of trying to stop Ja Morant for the second time in less than a week when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 122-112 victory in Detroit on Sunday while piling up 33 points and 10 assists. He was even more dominant on Wednesday, notching a triple-double with 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in just 30 minutes during a 123-102 romp past Oklahoma City.

“When he is just unlocking everything from a playmaking and scoring standpoint, he is pretty unguardable,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “That just only impacts our ability to be the best offense that we can be.”

Morant now has six career triple-doubles, a franchise record.

The Grizzlies carry a four-game winning streak into Friday’s home game. Morant is averaging a career-high 28.3 points, 7.6 assists and 6.6 rebounds. He ranks among the top 10 in the league in the first two categories.

Morant won’t have backcourt partner Desmond Bane to help him out for another 3-4 weeks. Bane is recovering from a right big toe sprain.

John Konchar has taken Bane’s place in the starting lineup, but wing Dillon Brooks has shouldered more of the scoring load. He’s averaging 20 points during the winning streak.

The Pistons are wrapping up a three-game road trip. They defeated the Miami Heat 116-96 on Tuesday, then gave the New Orleans Pelicans a rugged battle before succumbing 104-98 on Wednesday.

It would have helped if Bojan Bogdanovic had remained on the court. Bogdanovic scored 28 of his 31 points against the Heat in the second half. He wasn’t around most of the second half in New Orleans after being assessed two technicals for complaining to the officials.

The Pistons were outscored 29-15 in the second quarter and never caught up, though they were down just four points in the closing minutes.

Saddiq Bey led Detroit with 25 points. He also had a team-high 24 points in the first game against the Grizzlies.

NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (10-14) at Philadelphia Sixers (12-12)

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NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (10-14) at Philadelphia Sixers (12-12)

The Philadelphia 76ers went winless on their recent three-game road trip through Cleveland, Memphis and Houston.

They’ll look to get back on track when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday.

The Sixers’ most recent loss, 132-123 in double overtime to the Rockets on Monday, was especially frustrating. James Harden returned after a 14-game absence with a strained tendon in his foot, but the Sixers couldn’t overcome the Rockets, who entered with a 6-17 record.

Harden had 21 points but shot 4 of 19 with seven turnovers. Joel Embiid led the way with 39 points and Tobias Harris added 27, but it wasn’t enough.

The Sixers have been without Tyrese Maxey for the last nine games with a fractured left foot. On Nov. 19, the timeline looked to be three to four weeks.

The Lakers will aim to avoid a third straight setback after losing on consecutive nights to the Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors.

To be fair, the Lakers fell 126-113 to the Raptors without LeBron James (left ankle) and Anthony Davis (non-COVID illness). They were also without Patrick Beverley (right knee) and Wenyen Gabriel (left shoulder).

And Juan Toscano-Anderson left in the fourth quarter with a sprained right ankle.

Gabriel and Toscano-Anderson will sit out Friday night.

Dennis Schroder led the way with 18 points while Russell Westbrook and Thomas Bryant added 16 apiece. They overcame a lackluster first half and ate into a 27-point deficit down the stretch.

Ham reportedly gave a stern message to his team at halftime.

NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (13-12) at Brooklyn Nets (14-12)

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NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks (13-12) at Brooklyn Nets (14-12)

While the Brooklyn Nets were glad to rack up another win and continue their recovery from a nightmarish start to the season, next on the agenda is wider margins of victory.

Winning big figures to help reduce minutes needed from star Kevin Durant, with a meeting against the struggling Atlanta Hawks on Friday that will complete an impressive seven-game homestand.

Brooklyn is 5-1 on the homestand with the five victories by a combined 42 points or 8.4 per game. That margin might be higher if not for what unfolded in the past two Brooklyn victories.

On Friday, the Nets took a 36-point lead on the Toronto Raptors and wound up with a 114-105 win. On Wednesday. Brooklyn opened a 23-point lead late in the first half before getting a 122-116 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

The Nets are 8-5 in games decided by single digits, including a 6-2 mark since Nov. 1. Durant has played at least 36 minutes in seven straight games and Wednesday, he scored 29 points to supplement Kyrie Irving’s 33 points as the duo combined to score Brooklyn’s final 15 points.

Durant, who is known for playing extended minutes, leads the NBA with 958 minutes played. He has converted all that time of late to averages of 29.8 points and 27.4 minutes during the homestand.

The Hawks aren’t focused on wide margins of victory, they will take what they can get at this point. Since a two-point win at Toronto on Nov. 19, the Hawks are 3-6.

They will also be missing a key cog as the Hawks said Thursday that standout guard Dejounte Murray will miss approximately two weeks due to a left ankle sprain he suffered during Wednesday’s 113-89 road loss to the New York Knicks.

Murray underwent an MRI exam in New York on Thursday, which confirmed the sprain “with associated swelling.”

In the loss to the Knicks, Atlanta shot a season-worst 37.6 percent and missed 30 of 36 3-point tries that added up to a season-low 16.7-percent success rate.

Perhaps worse than the subpar shooting numbers when Murray sprained his left ankle 3 1/2 minutes into the first quarter.

With Murray out, his absence could leave the Hawks without three starters. John Collins will miss at least another week with an ankle injury and De’Andre Hunter has been out with a thigh injury but was upgraded to questionable on Thursday.

Also, Trae Young missed Thursday’s practice with an illness but wasn’t added to the Hawks’ injury report.

On Wednesday, Young scored 19 points, marking the fourth time all season he was held under 20. He shot 9 of 20 from the field, missed all four of his 3-point tries and is 5 of 34 (14.7 percent) from behind the arc in his past five contests.

Brooklyn is 12-3 in the past 15 meetings between the teams, going back to the 2017-18 season.

NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (13-12) at Orlando Magic (6-20)

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NBA Preview: Toronto Raptors (13-12) at Orlando Magic (6-20)

The visiting Toronto Raptors will be out to continue their dominance of the Orlando Magic on Friday night in the opener of a two-game set between the teams.

The Raptors have won 30 of their past 36 games against the Magic, including a 121-108 home victory on Dec. 3.

The Magic have dropped 16 of their past 19 home games against the Raptors, including one when Orlando was the designated home team in a game at London.

Orlando will enter the game with some momentum after ending a nine-game losing streak with a 116-111 overtime victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

The Magic trailed 32-14 after the first quarter against the Clippers but tied the game with a 28-21 fourth-quarter advantage.

Orlando rookie Paolo Banchero scored 10 of his 23 points in overtime, including six free throws in the final seven seconds. He was 13 of 14 from the free-throws line in the game.

Bol Bol had 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots for the Magic, and Moritz Wagner, who also scored 20 points, grabbed 13 rebounds.

The Magic were still down by 17 points with 4:11 to play in the third quarter.

The Raptors, meanwhile, had an easy time getting past the visiting Los Angeles Lakers 126-113 on Wednesday. The Lakers were without LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Patrick Beverley.

Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet each scored 25 points for the Raptors, who led by as many as 27 points and never trailed.

Particularly encouraging for Toronto was the scoring output by VanVleet, who recently had been in a slump.

VanVleet did struggle from deep, going 3 of 12 from 3-point range and went 8 of 20 from the field overall.

Scottie Barnes had 13 points and matched his career best with 17 rebounds on Wednesday.

The Magic had several players out Wednesday, including top rebounder Wendell Carter Jr. (plantar fascia strain), who will be out for at least two more weeks. They also were without Gary Harris (strained right hamstring), Chuma Okeke (left knee soreness), Jalen Suggs (right ankle soreness) and Jonathan Isaac (left knee recovery).

Precious Achiuwa (right ankle sprain), Juancho Hernangomez (right ankle sprain) and Otto Porter Jr. (toe dislocation) did not play Wednesday for Toronto.

The teams play again Sunday at Orlando.

NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (11-14) at Indiana Pacers (13-12)

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NBA Preview: Washington Wizards (11-14) at Indiana Pacers (13-12)

The Washington Wizards look to apply the brakes and halt their losing ways on Friday when they visit the Indiana Pacers at Indianapolis.

The Wizards have lost four in a row and seven of their last eight overall after dropping a 115-111 decision to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. The setback was the sixth straight on the road for Washington, which is 3-9 away from home.

The Wizards played without leading scorer Bradley Beal and need to be prepared to do so for at least the next week. The three-time All-Star strained his right hamstring in Washington’s 130-119 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

To make matters worse, Washington’s Kristaps Porzingis rolled his left ankle in the first half on Wednesday before finishing with 28 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. He admitted the ankle was “a little sore” after the contest.

Porzingis has reached the 20-point plateau in each of his last six games, while Kyle Kuzma has done the same in eight of his last nine appearances. Kuzma finished with 21 points on Wednesday.

Individual performances aside, Porzingis is keeping an open mind about the team’s chance to turn around its fortunes.

Porzingis collected 15 points and 10 rebounds in Washington’s 114-107 season-opening victory at Indiana on Oct. 19.

Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points in that season-opening game and matched that total while adding 15 assists on Wednesday as the Pacers concluded a season-high seven-game road trip with a 121-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Indiana went 2-5 on the trip.

Haliburton, who returned Wednesday following a two-game absence due to sore left groin, averages team-leading totals in points (19.4), assists (11.0) and steals (1.9).

The recent setback was the fourth in five outings for Indiana, which faced an 18-point deficit after the first quarter before forcing itself back into the game with a strong second quarter.

Buddy Hield also scored 26 points for the Pacers on Wednesday, highlighted by a 7-of-11 performance from 3-point range.

Myles Turner chipped in 23 points in his return from a one-game absence due to a hamstring injury.

NBA Preview: New York Knicks (12-13) at Charlotte Hornets (7-18)

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NBA Preview: New York Knicks (12-13) at Charlotte Hornets (7-18)

The Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks have more in common with each other than either team might prefer.

Both teams have potential and have shown the look of a winner in moments, but neither looks ready to become a difference maker in the Eastern Conference just yet.

The Knicks have delivered some promising efforts of late, and that new-found form will be put to the test against the Hornets on Friday night at Charlotte.

The Knicks just defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks at the end of a four-game homestand. It is the second time New York has won back-to-back games since October.

The Knicks did not allow 90 points in either of the two victories this week.

Charlotte looked to finally be in a good groove when it won three of four games, beginning the week of Thanksgiving, but is now on a three-game losing streak.

The Hornets went to New York and fell 122-116 on Wednesday night to the Brooklyn Nets. Now Charlotte will be back home in an effort to knock off New York’s other team.

To do so, the Hornets will look to slow down Knicks forward Julius Randle, who tallied 34 points in Wednesday’s 113-89 victory over the Hawks. Randle is averaging a team-best 21.1 points per game.

Hornets guard Terry Rozier has shown he can produce when healthy and enters off a season-high 29 points in the loss to the Nets. Kelly Oubre Jr. seems to have solidified a spot in the Charlotte starting unit.

Rozier and Oubre each have reached the 20-point mark in six consecutive games they have played. It is the first time since 2007 that a Hornets duo has delivered concurrent 20-point streaks for that many games in a row.

This is the second time Oubre has reached 20 points in six straight games, while Rozier had never pulled off the feat previously. One of the two guards has led Charlotte in scoring in eight of the last nine games.

The Knicks are showing they are bound to be attentive on defense.

It’s defense that continues to be a failure at certain times for the Hornets. That might be related to the composition of the lineup and the impact from injuries.

There also will be uncertainty about the status of Hornets forward PJ Washington. He left in the fourth quarter of Wednesday night’s game after taking a blow to the right eye. Washington tied a career high with seven assists in the game.

The Knicks will be without forward Obi Toppin, who sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right tibia head during the Knicks’ win over the Hawks. He’ll be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks.

Mason Plumlee has been Charlotte’s top rebounder (9.2 per game), with a double-digit total in each of the last four games.

The Knicks beat the Hornets 134-131 in overtime Oct. 26 at home.

Boxing Preview: Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KO’s) vs David Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KO’s)

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Boxing Preview: Terence Crawford (38-0, 29 KO’s) vs David Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KO’s)

Pound-for-pound superstar Terence “Bud” Crawford makes his long-awaited return to the ring on December 10th as he faces current European Champion and WBC No. 4-ranked David Avanesyan at CHI Health Center in Crawford’s hometown of Omaha, Neb.

The fight will be streamed live by BLK Prime (https://watchnow.blkprime.com/)

for the price of $39.99. This will be BLK Prime’s first streaming of a professional boxing event, but the Silicon Valley-based tech company has streamed several non-professional bouts. BLK Prime is a subscription video on demand company that utilizes elite technology to bring the best picture-perfect stream available.

“BLK Prime has been in existence for five years and we are excited to announce our first World Championship bout,” said a spokesman from BLK Prime. “To make our debut with boxing’s pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world, Terence Crawford, is a home run and we can’t wait for December 10th in Omaha, Neb.”

CRAWFORD AVANESYAN DATE, START TIME
Date: Saturday, December 10
Preliminary Card: 5.30 p.m. ET / 10.30 p.m. GMT
Main event ringwalks (approx): 9 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. GMT
The fight will be broadcast on BLKPrime.com and through cable and satellite providers which provide the PPV service, at a price of $39.99.
The preliminary card is set to get underway at 5.30 p.m. ET / 10.30 p.m. GMT with the Crawford vs. Avanesyan ringwalks scheduled for 9 p.m. ET / 4 a.m. GMT.
The fight will be staged at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska.

The three-division world champion and current WBO Welterweight World Champion Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs), 35, is widely considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound star in the sport, topping the rankings on major publications including ESPN, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports. Known for his exceptionally fast hand speed, ring IQ, counter-punching abilities, defense and ability to switch naturally from orthodox to southpaw, Crawford won his first world title at lightweight in 2008.

Crawford became the undisputed 140-pound world champion after he knocked out Julius Indongo in August 2017, making him the first undisputed champion at 140 pounds since Kostya Tszyu in 2004 and the first male boxer to simultaneously hold all four major belts since Jermain Taylor in 2005. More recently, Crawford has taken over the welterweight division, disposing of world champions Jeff Horn, Amir Khan, Kell Brook and Shawn Porter in his destruction of the division. His last time out, Crawford became the first fighter to stop Porter, putting him down twice in the 10th round.

The 34-year-old Russian native Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KOs) is promoted by Frank Warren’s Queensberry’s Promotions. The biggest win of Avanesyan’s career took place in 2016, when he scored a unanimous decision against former world champion Shane Mosley to retain his title, while also making his United States debut. Avanesyan is currently riding a six-fight knockout streak and is considered a very dangerous opponent.

BLK PRIME ANNOUNCES UNDERCARD FOR CRAWFORD VS. AVANESYAN PPV SHOWDOWN
Superstar Cris Cyborg is Scheduled to Make Her U.S. Boxing Debut in the Co-Main Event Special Feature Attraction

OMAHA, NEBRASKA (November 23, 2022) – The undercard for the highly anticipated BLK Prime PPV fight between Terence “Bud” Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) and David Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KOs), taking place at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on December 10, is set. Cris Cyborg (1-0, 1 KO) is scheduled to make her U.S. boxing debut in the co-main event special feature attraction.

Crawford vs. Avanesyan, a 12-round WBO welterweight world title clash, will stream live on BLK Prime for the price of $39.99. BLK Prime, a Silicon Valley-based tech company, is a subscription video-on-demand platform that utilizes elite technology to bring the best picture-perfect stream available. The telecast will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT.

In a scheduled 10-round featherweight war, Arnold Khegai (18-1-1, 11 KOs) of Odessa, Ukraine, will challenge battle-tested warrior Eduardo Baez (21-3-2, 7 KOs), of Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

Undefeated heavyweight Jeremiah “Dreamland” Milton (7-0, 6 KOs), of Tulsa, Oklahoma, will go toe-to-toe against Dajuan Calloway (5-1, 5 KOs), of Warrensville, Ohio, in a scheduled 6-round bout.

Opening the PPV telecast will be a scheduled 8-round light heavyweight bout, showcasing Steven Nelson (17-0, 14 KOs) of Omaha, Nebraska, vs. James Ballard (10-4, 3 KOs) of Detroit, Michigan.

Tickets are priced at $50, $75, $125, $200, $350, and $500 for Crawford vs. Avanesyan are on sale now and are available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. This event is promoted by NextGen Boxing, Bash Boxing, and BLK Prime. Doors open at 4:30 pm CT with the first fight starting at 5:30 pm CT.

Khegai has a fan-friendly style and always comes forward with aggressive pressure. His lone defeat is at the hands of two-time world champion, Stephen Fulton (21-0, 8 KOs), a fight that went twelve full rounds. A victory against Baez will get him right back into world title contention.

“Baez stands in the way of my goal to become a world champion,” said Khegai. “He’s fought at the championship level and beating him will get me one step closer to landing a big fight. I must win this fight to stay relevant in the world title picture.”

Baez, known for his tremendous toughness, is coming into this fight with his back against the wall. In his last outing, he challenged the monstrous Emanuel Navarrete (36-1, 30 KOs) for his WBO world title, a fight where he got caught with a solid body blow. With nothing to lose, Baez sees this fight as a do-or-die situation.

“I must win this fight, and I’m going to do everything possible to come out on top,” Baez stated. “Khegai is not invincible, he’s been beaten before. I have the

experience needed to win this fight. Those tuning in will see an all-out war, I’m going to make this a Mexican-style slugfest.”

Milton, recognized for his heavy hands, stands 6′ 4″. He trains out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where he’s shared the ring with Tyson Fury, Luis Ortiz, Joy Joyce, along with a bunch of other top heavyweights. In addition, Milton has multiple knockouts that have gone viral on the internet.

“Five fights in one year because I had to! I wouldn’t want to end the year any other way. Make sure to drop my name whenever they ask who got next. Dreamland Milton from Tulsa Oklahoma, representing Black Wall St. on BLK Prime.”

Calloway has never been stopped and all his wins have come by way of knockout. Standing 6′ 3″, Calloway has the power and durability to give Milton his stiffest test to date.

“Going into any fight, my goal is always to score a knockout, and that will be the case when I step in the ring with Milton,” said Calloway. “I’m excited to be

fighting on a great card, especially with Terence Crawford, who is the pound-for-pound king right now.”

Nelson, a U.S. Army veteran and former member of the Army World Class Athlete program, is a hometown hero and local fan favorite. He vows to come out victorious with a spectacular performance.

“Fighting at home in Omaha is a blessing and the CHI Health Center is always electrifying,” said Nelson. “It’s been two years since my last fight but I’m more than ready to leave everything in the ring against Ballard,” said Nelson. “Winning this fight will put me back in the rankings and in line to fight for a title in the near future. I’ve been training with Terence and the B&B team in Colorado Springs, so best believe I’ll be in the best shape of my life.”

Ballard has faced stiff opposition in his last three fights and is ready for the challenge that is in front of him. He feels he’s gained valuable experience throughout his career that will help him win this fight.

“I’ve learned more from my losses than my wins and the experience I’ve gained is what I believe will be the difference in this fight,” said Ballard. “I’m coming into this fight in great shape, and I’ll be letting my hands fly with bad intentions.”

UNDERCARD BOUTS:

Light Heavyweight Edel Gomez (6-0, 6 KOs) of Fremont, Nebraska, will take on Joseph Aguilar (4-1-1, 2 KOs) of Portland, Oregon. (8-rounds)

Welterweight Boubacar Sylla (12-0, 7 KOs), of Cincinnati, Ohio, will look to stay unbeaten when faces Javier Mayoral (4-2, 1 KO), of New Orleans, Louisiana. (6-rounds)

Lightweight Alan Garcia (7-0, 6 KOs), of Ulysses, Kansas, will battle a fighter TBA. (6-rounds)

Super Bantamweight Robert Rodriguez (10-1-2, 5 KOs), of Riverside, California, squares off against Jose Lopez (3-2-1), of Ridgewood, New York. (6-rounds)

Opening the card will be a welterweight bout between Alton Alik Wiggins (Pro Debut), of Oakland, California, vs. Phillip Carmouche (2-3), of Las Vegas, Nevada. (4-rounds)

Terence “Bud” Crawford (38-0, 29 KOs) will make his triumphant return to the ring when he battles WBO #6 ranked David Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KOs) at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb. on December 10, 2022. The 12-round bout will air live on BLK Prime PPV, with Crawford’s WBO welterweight title on the line.

Boxing: Luis Alberto Lopez (26-2-0, 15 KO’s) at Josh Warrington (31-1-1, 18 KO’s)

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Boxing: Luis Alberto Lopez (26-2-0, 15 KO’s) at Josh Warrington (31-1-1, 18 KO’s)

Josh Warrington will defend his IBF World Featherweight title against Luis Alberto Lopez at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on Saturday December 10, live worldwide on DAZN – and Matchroom and DAZN can announce that the Light-Flyweight unification clash between Hiroto Kyoguchi and Kenshiro Teraji will be broadcast live on DAZN in Europe when the pair clash in Saitama, Japan on Tuesday November 1. Click here to buy tickets!

Warrington (31-1-1 8 KOs) regained the IBF strap when he stopped Kiko Martinez in his Leeds fortress in March, with the hometown hero flooring the Spaniard in the opening round before ending matters in the seventh round to punctuate a blistering performance in front of his adoring fans.

The 31 year old suffered a broken jaw in his second career win over Martinez but has fully recovered and now aims to take care of a dangerous mandatory challenge before targeting unification blockbusters.

WARRINGTON VS LOPEZ FIGHT DATE, START TIME
Date: Saturday, December 10
DAZN card: 9 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET
Main event ringwalks (approx): 10:30 p.m. GMT / 5:30 p.m. ET
The card will stream live on DAZN in over 200 countries across the globe (except Australia and New Zealand).
The fight takes place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
DAZN’s broadcast of the card will begin at 9 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET due to England’s clash with France in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup. The main event ringwalks are scheduled for 10:30 p.m. GMT / 5:30 p.m. ET

“So we are back at the Leeds Arena, back for the 12th and potentially final time,” said Warrington. “I’m very excited to be back in Leeds. I started the year very well with a sensational 7th round stoppage against Kiko Martinez to recapture my IBF belt and now finishing the end of the year defending my belt to my mandatory who’s a tough Mexican and has waited a long time to fight me.

“It’s going to be a hard fight, he comes forward, he’s wild and erratic, I’ve got history with Mexican fighters, but I’m hoping to put on a great performance in front of my home crowd.

“I’ve been saying it for so long about going over to the States and fighting in a unification fight. That’s the dream but due to delays with injuries to my jaw and hand I have to fight my mandatory now. I’m fully focused on doing a job, getting the show closed early and finishing 2022 with a bang.”

Lopez (26-2 15 KOs) is no stranger to fighting in the UK having punched his ticket to fight for the title by stopping Isaac Lowe in an eliminator clash in London in December. The 29 year old Mexican has stayed busy while waiting for his chance to tackle Warrington, notching stoppage wins in April and August, and will travel to Leeds with ambitions to emulate the stunning KO win his fellow countryman Mauricio Lara inflicted on the Warrington in February 2021.

“I remember, not too long ago, when a Mexican fighter knocked Josh out in his country,” said Alberto Lopez. “On December 10, in his hometown, I am going to silence his fans. The IBF Featherweight title will return to Mexico. I dedicate this fight to the Mexican people and everyone from my hometown of Mexicali. This one’s for you, and Josh, enjoy that belt while you still have it.”

WARRINGTON LOPEZ FIGHT CARD
DAZN card

Josh Warrington vs. Luis Alberto Lopez; For Warrington’s IBF world featherweight title
Ebanie Bridges vs. Shannon O’Connell; For Bridges’ IBF women’s world bantamweight title
Felix Cash vs. Celso Neves; Middleweight
Before the Bell / Undercard

James Metcalf vs. Courtney Pennington; Light middleweight
Hopey Price vs. Sofiane Takoucht; Super bantamweight
Shannon Courtenay vs. Gemma Ruegg; Women’s super bantamweight
Junaid Bostan vs. Aljaz Venko; Light middleweight
Calum French vs. Kurt Jackson; Lightweight
Rhiannon Dixon vs. Kristine Shergold; Women’s lightweight
Cory O’Regan vs. Jordan Ellison; Lightweight
Mali Wright vs. TBA; Light heavyweight
Koby McNamara vs. Nabil Ahmed; Bantamweight

World Cup Preview: England at France

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World Cup Preview: England at France

European powerhouses clash Saturday as England takes on France in quarterfinal action at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Three Lions extended their bid for their first World Cup title since 1966 with a decisive 3-0 victory over Senegal on Sunday and have now potted 12 goals through their first four matches. France also filled the net in Round of 16 action with a 3-1 victory over Poland that sent the defending world champions to the quarterfinals for the third time in as many tournament appearances.

England Vs France Opening Odds
Both squads opened with +205 odds. However, France has seized the momentum since, vaulting to +135 favorites, while England now lags as a +218 underdog. The odds of this contest ending as a draw after 90 minutes sit at +218, while the total has faded to 2.25 since opening at 2.5.

Saturday afternoon’s matchup marks just the third time that these national teams have met at the World Cup. England claimed victory in both of the previous group-stage contests, posting a 2-0 win on home turf in 1966 and a 3-1 win the last time they met in 1982. These squads have met in non-friendly competition just three times since that matchup, with France earning one win and the other two dates ending in draws, capped by a 1-1 draw at Euro 2012.

Three Lions Benefit From Distributed Scoring
The Three Lions offense has gotten the job done during their first four matches at Qatar 2022. Eight players have found the back of the net, led by Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford, who have tallied three goals each.

That marks a turnaround for Rashford, who was held off the scoresheet in seven appearances for England at Euro 2020, while Arsenal fans will be pleased about Saka’s performance after he failed to score in seven appearances with the club prior to the tourney.

Expected to be a contender to lead the tournament in goal scoring, Harry Kane waited until last weekend’s victory over Senegal to pick up his first goal. However, the Three Lions captain has assumed the role of playmaker in Qatar, racking up a team-high three assists.

The status of Raheem Sterling for Saturday’s match remains uncertain after he returned to England on Sunday to be with his family, who were victims of a home invasion over the weekend. Sterling recorded a goal and an assist in group-stage action but was forced to miss the team’s win over Senegal due to the incident. Fortunately, no one was injured in the robbery, raising the possibility that Sterling could return to Qatar in time for Saturday’s contest.

Kylian Mbappe Rewriting The Record Books
The French allayed any concerns raised by their 1-0 loss to Tunisia in their group-stage finale with a dominating performance in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Poland. And once again, it was Kylian Mbappe leading the way with another standout performance. The Paris Saint-Germain striker got in on all three goals, scoring twice and setting up a third to seal the win.

Mbappe has established himself as one of the greatest World Cup players of all time with his performance in Qatar. The 23-year-old leads all shooters at this year’s tournament with five goals and now sits level with Lionel Messi and one up on Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona with nine career goals at the tournament.

Mbappe’s production has been timely considering the injury woes this team faced going into the tournament. Les Bleus arrived in Qatar without striker Karim Benzema, midfielder N’Golo Kante and goalkeeper Mike Maignan. France has seen those woes deepen with injuries to defender Presnel Kimpembe and midfielder Christopher Nkunku, which will further test the depth of this squad as they prepare for their toughest test so far at Qatar 2022.

England Vs France Game Prop: Both Teams To Score
With both these squads filling the net with regularity, sports bettors should expect plenty of offense in Saturday’s contest. These teams have combined to score 21 goals at the tournament, and 20 total goals over their past eight meetings across all competitions. That wide-open track record adds value to the -130 odds of both teams scoring on Saturday.

England: Keys To Win
The Three Lions have scored early and in bunches throughout this tournament, with five of their 12 goals coming in the final 10 minutes of first-half action. Seizing an early lead against a French squad struggling with injuries would once again allow England to set the pace. Of course, the priority for this club will be finding a way to contain Kylian Mbappe, who has averaged an astonishing 5.3 shots per game through his first four outings.

France: Keys To Win
While Kylian Mbappe has taken the lead in France’s bid to defend their World Cup title, an increase in distributed scoring would both take the pressure off the talented striker and boost this team’s chances of advancing to the semifinals. The club has also managed to shut out opponents before the half in three of their four outings and will need another stellar performance in the crease against a potent Three Lions attack.

France is 9-1-1 in its past 11 World Cup matches.
England is 8-6-3 in its past 17 non-friendly matches.
UNDER 2.5 is 5-0 in the past 5 meetings between these teams.

World Cup Preview: Morocco at Portugal

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World Cup Preview: Morocco at Portugal

Morocco (2-2-0) is unbeaten in its last 11 matches with a 7-4-0 record ahead of this Saturday’s match against Portugal (3-0-1). The 2022 World Cup’s only remaining team ranked outside of the top 12 in the FIFA world rankings will try to score another upset as a Morocco vs Portugal prediction underdog in the quarterfinals.

Morocco Vs Portugal Opening Odds
Portugal opened as a -161 favorite in this World Cup matchup before betting action on Morocco shifted the Morocco vs Portugal odds down to Portugal -143. Morocco will be looking for an upset in regulation as a +450 underdog while the odds on a draw at the end of regulation are set at +250. The total has settled in at 2.25 goals after opening at 2.5 goals.

Morocco Pulled Off One Of The Biggest Upsets In World Cup History
Morocco’s outstanding defending was on display yet again in the Round of 16 against Spain on Tuesday. Going off as huge underdogs to advance into the quarterfinals, Morocco stunned the soccer world with a 3-0 win in penalties over Spain after the two squads played 120 minutes and extra time in a 0-0 draw. Spain had 77 percent of the game’s possession and outshot Morocco 13-6, but in the end, it was Morocco that came out on top.

While this was undoubtedly a huge upset, it can’t be written off as a fluke. Morocco has been a brilliant defending team under new manager Walid Regragui; an own goal surrendered in the group stage against Canada stands as the only goal Morocco has allowed in its last eight matches. That stretch includes a 0-0 draw against Croatia and a 2-0 win over Belgium in Group F.

Portugal Thrived On Offense Despite Cristiano Ronaldo Drama
Cristiano Ronaldo was upset about being subbed out in Portugal’s 2-1 loss to South Korea during the group stage, which prompted him to get into verbal altercations with both opposing team players and Portugal manager Fernando Santos. Santos benched Ronaldo in Portugal’s Round of 16 game against Switzerland as a result of this clash, and Ronaldo’s replacement, Goncalo Ramos, shined with three goals in the team’s 6-1 victory.

Ronaldo entered the match in the 74th minute but looked unhappy after the win, quickly leaving the tunnel while his teammates celebrated on the pitch. While this drama is likely to carry over into Saturday’s match against Morocco, Portugal obviously looked just fine without Ronaldo in the starting lineup in this impressive blowout win. Portugal is averaging three goals per game thus far in the World Cup.

Morocco: Keys To Win
Morocco has gotten this far with its excellent defending and will need to rely on that style of play again as a Morocco vs Portugal prediction on Saturday. Shutting down an offense as good as Portugal’s won’t be easy, but this group has proven it can’t be taken lightly.

Portugal: Keys To Win
Portugal’s offense has averaged 2.6 goals per match over the team’s last 10 matches. Scoring chances will be few and far between against this frustrating Morocco side, so Portugal will need to cash in on the chances it does create to get the win as a Morocco vs Portugal pick.

Portugal is 4-0-1 in its last 5 games.
Morocco is 5-3-0 over its last 8 games.
Portugal is 1-0-1 in 2 World Cup games vs Morocco.

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