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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why there's much more at stake for Dillian White than just this one fight
When Dillian Whyte steps into the ring tomorrow against Moses Itauma, live on DAZN, he does so with the knowledge that a loss at this level and at this stage of his career will remove him from title contention and shove him towards the role of gatekeeper. These are the fighters for whom a world-title challenge is now out of the reach and the role within the industry is that of providing a litmus test for a potential contender looking to establish themselves as a threat amongst the higher levels. Win against a gatekeeper, and you may go on to challenge for a world title. But to lose is to know that such a challenge is beyond your grasp. Of those professional fighters who set out to be champions, none of them relish the role of becoming gatekeepers. Even if many of them end up being more memorable than those who fight for championships, lose, and then fade away from the limelight. At this stage of his career – multiple failed attempts at a world title – and reaching the age of 37, Whyte is facing closing time in the last-chance saloon. A win against Moses Itauma will revive a flagging career. But a loss will likely place him in the list below as one of the great gatekeepers of the heavyweight division. Kevin Johnson, 36-22-2 (20) He may have lost consistently in Germany in the waning years of his career, but the Asbury Park-born Johnson was once a serious contender for the heavyweight crown, losing on points to Vitali Klitschko in Berne, Switzerland, in 2009. Johnson was 22-0-1 (9) at the time, but lost a wide unanimous decision. After that, he seemed to enjoy bobbing in the heavyweight waters, taking victories over not-quite contenders such as Alex Leapai and Albert Sosnowski. He eventually ended up fighting across the UK and Europe, losing widely to Tyson Fury, Christian Hammer, Derek Chisora, Mahmoud Charr, Kubrat Pulev, Andy Ruiz, and Daniel Dubois. In that time, it is noticeable that only Anthony Joshua, in 2015, was the only opponent to stop him. Eventually, Johnson ended up plying his trade largely in Germany, where he upset an applecart by knocking out Yoan Pablo Hernandez, 29-1 (14), in seven rounds, before getting back to losing ways, dropping a decision to Agit Kabayel in 2021. It remained pretty much all losses after that, with Johnson last fighting in 2023, losing a majority decision to Mark Petrovsky, 5-0 (4). Smokin' Bert Cooper, 38-25 (31) Fans of the book The Years of the Locust by Jon Hotten will recall that Cooper was known by his manager Rick Parker as '$50 Bert'. The nickname came about from the fact that that was the maximum amount of money Parker could send Cooper each day without the Pennsylvania fighter going on a tear and drinking himself out of contention. Cooper fought them all during the 1990s: Ray Mercer, Riddick Bowe, George Foreman, Orlin Norris, Carl Williams, Evander Holyfield, Michael Moorer, Mike Weaver, Corrie Sanders, Chris Byrd, Fres Oquendo, Joe Mesi, and Luis Ortiz. The problem was that every single one of them beat him. The closest Cooper ever came to real heavyweight glory was against Holyfield, whom Cooper stunned in their 1991 fight in Atlanta, Georgia. The 'smoke' in his name seemed to come not from the ferocity of his fighting, but his tendency to quench any fires his skills and abilities frequently ignited Rydell Booker, 27-9-1 (14) Legal problems curtailed a lot of his career, but Rydell Booker was no joke as an amateur. A multiple champion in the unpaid side of the sport, the first part of his professional career ended with a unanimous decision loss to James Toney in 2004. After fourteen years away from boxing, Booker returned with three wins but a loss to Jermaine Franklin seemed to set the course for losses. In the last five years, Booker has lost to Filip Hrgovic, Otto Wallin, Kubrat Pulev, and Viktor Faust. That last fight was in Berlin, where Booker often interrupted his fighting to talk and converse with people ringside. Earnie Shavers, 76-14-1 (70) He may have finished his days in Virginia, but the Alabama-born fighter spent a great part of his life working on the door of Yate's Wine Lodge in Liverpool. The story behind his arrival there is strange enough for the world of boxing. Shavers, famous for his bald head, was also once named the hardest puncher in heavyweight boxing. This was in the pre-Deontay Wilder days. The result of any match between the two could be decided on the flip of a coin, given both their propensities to suffer stoppages. Like many of the others on this list, Shavers fought everyone but eventually became a litmus test for those coming through. Amongst the people he shared a ring with were Muhammad Ali (whom Shavers knocked down), Larry Holmes twice (Shavers also knocked him down), Ken Norton (whom Shavers knocked out in one round), Joe Bugner (also knocked down), Ron Lyle (also knocked down), Jimmy Young (also knocked down), Jimmy Ellis (Shavers knocked him out in one round). There was a definite pattern of Shavers knocking down his opponents. The good ones were able to get back up, outbox, and – in cases – stop him. The bad ones could not. Shavers always said he wanted to face George Foreman, but the latter was wary of his power. He said the same, too, in his autobiography about Mike Tyson.
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
I played in the NFL. Outrage over male cheerleaders is really about attempts to control masculinity
Of all the existential threats facing professional football – concussions that erode the minds of players, scandals that rot institutions from within, dwindling youth interest in a sport built on collision and control – who could've predicted that what would truly rattle some fans was the sight of two men dancing on the sideline? Earlier this month, the Minnesota Vikings unveiled their newly minted 35-member cheerleading squad with a bold promotional video captioned, 'The next generation of cheer has arrived!' It wasn't just the choreography that caught attention, but the fact that two male performers, Blaize Shiek and Louie Conn, were part of the group. Almost immediately, reactions erupted online, from heartfelt support to calls for a boycott, and even a homophobic slur wielded by a former NFL player whose name deserves no mention in this or any other reputable publication. Amid the storm, the Vikings stood firm. And rightly so. After all, Minnesota is no stranger to innovators who challenge convention. This is the home of Prince, a man who wore high heels, embraced gender ambiguity, and redefined masculinity. In an official statement, the Vikings reminded everyone that male cheerleaders –whose number include former US presidents – are nothing new, not only at the amateur and collegiate levels but also in the NFL itself. As of the 2025 season, at least 11 NFL teams include male cheerleaders on their official squads, the first being the Los Angeles Rams back in 2018, when Quinton Peron and Napoleon Jinnies made history on the sidelines and later performed at the Super Bowl in 2019. The Minnesota Vikings also reminded people that Shiek and Conn earned their spots through the same competitive process as their peers, much like we football players compete and earn our spots on the roster. I was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, and I've been in those locker rooms where the pressure to perform as an athlete, teammate and man can feel overwhelming. The one thing that wasn't on my mind or any other player's mind was the cheerleaders. Not because they weren't talented. Not because they didn't belong. But because during the game, while they performed on the sidelines or at half-time, we were in huddles, making adjustments on the sidelines, giving our all on the field, or processing and schemes in the locker rooms for the next half. Everyone out there has a job to do, and the cheerleaders are no exception. They're not there for the players. They're there for the fans. Which means they should reflect all the fans. The people expressing outrage over male cheerleaders on the Vikings aren't talking about work ethic, talent or dedication. Their complaints are even more baseless than the Monday Morning Quarterbacks – a term created to address those who criticize players with the benefit of hindsight. This isn't about performance at all. It's about presence. It's about the mere existence and visibility of men on NFL cheer squads who don't conform to the rigid, outdated ideas of masculinity that so many use sport, and football in particular, to defend. What this backlash really reveals is not fear of change, but fear of visibility. The outrage over male cheerleaders isn't about sports. It's about control: over masculinity, over image, and over who gets to be seen and celebrated in public spaces or on the global stage of the NFL. It's the same impulse that drives anti-LBGTQ+ legislation, the same fear that fuels book bans, bathroom bills, and attacks on drag performers. This moment isn't isolated; it's part of a broader cultural backlash to liberation. And just as Christian nationalism has long been weaponized to marginalize queer people, so too has sport. Sport is used to draw lines around what's 'American' and 'man enough'. But those lines were never drawn for protection; they were drawn for power. The truth is, football isn't as rugged as society would like us to believe. The power of sport is in its intimacy; its emotional extremity. In the way players and fans alike grieve, cry, pray, dance, and embrace under the lights and flags, and banners. The locker room is one of the few places in American culture where men are allowed to be vulnerable, broken, weep, and to hug in celebration, speak with peers across all cultures and generations, and build themselves up again. When you peel back the helmets and hits, you'll see what's always been there: joy, vulnerability, brotherhood, and the undeniable truth that masculinity isn't fixed, it's fluid. And that's not changing. Shiek, Conn, and every male cheerleader across the league aren't just cheering for a team. They're cheering for possibility, for the next generation of boys who want to move their bodies with pride, for the kids who don't see themselves in shoulder pads but still belong in the stadium. Sport isn't sacred because it resists change. It's sacred because it brings people together, and the more inclusive that togetherness becomes, the more powerful the game will be.
Reuters
28 minutes ago
- Reuters
Morecambe appoint Johal as first Sikh professional manager in England
LONDON, Aug 19 (Reuters) - Ashvir Singh Johal has become the first Sikh to coach a professional club in England after being named as first-team manager at fifth-tier Morecambe on Tuesday. The 30-year-old is also the youngest manager in the top-five tiers of English soccer. "He arrives at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium with an excellent reputation as a forward thinking coach and leader, bringing a wealth of experience in player development, tactical innovation, and building high-performance cultures," the club said. "His appointment marks an exciting new era for the Shrimps as the Club continues its journey under fresh ownership and renewed ambition." Johal, who worked at Leicester City's academy for 10 years and was part of Kolo Toure's coaching team at Wigan Athletic in the Championship in 2022, replaces Derek Adams who left the club following the takeover by the Panjab Warriors consortium. The club is yet to play a game in the National League this season after being suspended because of its failure to meet financial obligations, including failing to pay staff and uncertainty about the ownership. Following the completion of the sale of the club by the Bond Group to London-based Panjab Warriors, that suspension has been lifted, meaning Johal can begin the task of trying to reverse the decline in the seaside town club's fortunes. "The immediate priority right now is going to be to identify the players that we need in this building to ensure Morecambe Football Club can perform well in the National League," he said. Johal completed his UEFA Pro Licence in June.
