Oleksandr Usyk demolishes Daniel Dubois with fifth-round knockout to become undisputed heavyweight champion
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NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Ukraine erupts with anger at Zelenskyy, threatening wartime unity
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian fury was fixed Wednesday on its own government. As Russian drones peppered their homes, their loved ones fought in trenches and their negotiators waded through more pessimistic diplomacy, Ukrainians waged a new battle on the streets of Kyiv and other major cities. Activists called for further protests Wednesday over a law signed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that curbs the country's top two anti-corruption agencies. The move already fueled the first major demonstrations since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, and drew alarm from European officials and experts. 'Destroy Russians, not democracy,' one of the hastily drawn cardboard signs in Kyiv read, while crowds yelled 'Shame!' and 'Veto the law!' Natalia, 48, a therapist who like many in this febrile atmosphere doesn't want to use her last name, said trying to restrict anti-corruption agencies risked "endangering the values of freedom, democracy in our country and the future of our children." She sees the protests as a way to support the army on the front lines. "I am coming out to give them a signal that we are here," she said, "so that we are not stolen and betrayed." The sudden crisis could offer the Kremlin a powerful propaganda tool and threaten not just Ukraine's unity, but also its support from the West at a crucial moment in the war. Parliament had swiftly passed the law giving Zelenskyy's prosecutor general sweeping powers over the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. He said he did this to make them more efficient and to clear out 'Russian influence,' but critics feared it would further enhance the power of his divisive inner circle. It prompted howls of outrage and dismay, not just from Ukrainians themselves, but also Western officials and experts alarmed that the country could be backsliding on its endemic graft problem. It comes a week after the arrest of a prominent anti-corruption campaigner who had embarrassed senior officials with investigations into their affairs. All of this overshadowed a third round of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine set to begin Wednesday in Istanbul. Though both sides remain pessimistic of serious progress, these are the first discussions since President Donald Trump gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a 50-day ultimatum to agree to a truce or face new tariffs. Most observers expect another prisoner exchange but little else. Many Ukrainians are also worried that Zelenskyy's move will be weaponized by the country's opponents as evidence of the corruption they say makes supporting Kyiv untenable. The head of Ukraine's military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, even appeared to question the move, warning that 'Ukrainian history has taught us that a nation loses if it is torn apart by internal contradictions.' Ukraine's endemic corruption is one of the reasons it has not been accepted into the European Union and NATO. Marta Kos, the E.U.'s commissioner for enlargement, said she was 'seriously concerned' about the new law, which she called a 'serious step back.' Responding to the criticism Wednesday, Zelenskyy gathered with the heads of the anti-corruption agencies, as well as law enforcement chiefs and the prosecutor general. 'We all hear what society is saying,' he said in a statement, promising measures to 'strengthen the work of each institution.' He added, 'We all share a common enemy: the Russian occupiers. And defending the Ukrainian state requires a strong enough law enforcement and anti-corruption system — one that ensures a real sense of justice.' It also requires air defense against the nightly waves of drones launched by Russia. Overnight, it shot down 27 of 71 unmanned aircraft, with those that got through killing at least four people and injuring more than 40 across Kherson, Donetsk, Sumy and Kharkiv, officials said. On the ground, Russian forces continue to make grinding gains in eastern Ukraine, including enveloping the key town of Pokrovsk, in the Donetsk region, according to the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank in Washington. Though many analysts believe Russia's hemorrhaging of men and military equipment will soon begin to tell, morale is frayed for many. 'They won't stop until we surrender,' said Agneshka Shyba, 23, who works in social media. 'Frankly speaking, I am exhausted.'
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Daniel Dubois told to 'look in the mirror' after Oleksandr Usyk KO defeat
The heavyweight star failed in his quest to become the first British undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis after he was beaten by the Ukrainian Tony Bellew has slammed Daniel Dubois for having his father in his corner following his agonising defeat to Oleksandr Usyk. The two heavyweight stars went head-to-head for the undisputed heavyweight title at Wembley Stadium last Saturday. Dubois was looking to level the series after he was stopped by the Ukrainian in their initial clash back in 2023. Two years on, 'Triple D' was unable to become the first man to topple Usyk. Usyk controlled proceedings from start to finish. Dubois did have his moments, particularly in the fourth round, but was ultimately stopped deep into the fifth. The Brit was sent crashing to the canvas with a right hand. Despite beating the count, he was eventually hit with a left hand that dropped him for a second time. A dejected Dubois struggled to properly get back to his feet - forcing the referee to wave off the clash. Immediately after the showdown, Dubois' father Stan quickly grabbed the headlines. Former world champion Bellew believes the Brit's father should NOT be in his son's corner as well as advising the 27-year-old to 'look in the mirror.' In an interview with EsportsInsider, he said: 'What is his dad doing having any kind of influence in a boxing corner? "That is not how boxing works. There is a coach there who is employed to give you instructions and not your father. You have no reason to be looking to your father. You do not need your father's approval for anything. You are a grown man. Daniel needs to look in the mirror and say, do I want a box? And then ask himself, who am I boxing for? I think that's the biggest question that Daniel needs to answer. Because if it's for him, he gets up.' Dubois endured a terrible day both in and out of the ring after he arrived at Wembley just 90 minutes before his rematch with the Ukrainian. 'Triple D' was spotted arriving at the stadium shortly after 8:15pm UK time. It has since been reported that a pre-fight party at the Dubois household and a travel error were to blame. The Brit's father Stan is thought to have hosted a gathering at his Essex home on the afternoon of the fight. Allegedly, the young British heavyweight did not even know all of the guests and left halfway through for a quick drive. However, he was cutting it close to make it to Wembley on time. Their departure would only cause more problems after Dubois' father requested an extra carrier to transport his group to the venue. There were further delays after Stan drove himself and his son to the stadium. To their annoyance, their vehicle was not accredited to enter the venue - which shockingly meant that both Dubois and his dad had to walk to the stadium entrance from the car park. The drama did not stop there, though. When they finally arrived, a large group of Dubois' entourage were denied entry. Stan allegedly then told security that his son wouldn't continue without them. Dubois' trainer Don Charles later defended the Brit's dad's 'gathering' ahead of the fight. Speaking on talkSPORT's White and Jordan, Charles insisted it was a tactic also used before he beat Anthony Joshua last September. "Let's retract that word, it wasn't a party it was a gathering," he said. "The same gathering was used as the prep on fight day for the AJ fight, the day he won. "A lot was made of it with the energy he walked out at for the Anthony Joshua fight. That gathering was taken from home to the dressing room for that fight. That energy is what gave birth to that energy that he showed in the ring walk. Yes [we tried to replicate it], we were victorious, if it works for you the first time, you'd do it again. "There might have been more people for this second gathering to get more energy, I'm a logical man and it makes logical sense. The AJ fight was big but this even trumps it, I try to understand and it may appear madness to people but it was the same thing that got us victory." When is Daniel Dubois' next fight? Whether the constant delays on the day of the fight affected Dubois' performance remains to be seen. As for what's next for the young Brit, his promoter Frank Warren has advised 'Triple D' to take six months off and learn from Usyk's mental resilience. He said: "You've got to learn from defeats, I mean that's what life's about, isn't it? You know, not everything goes your way, you got to come back, it's the mark of a man if he can do it, and we'll see if he could do it. "He's got to resurrect himself. That's what we've had to do. That's the story. Usyk a quality, quality fighter, he has a great boxing IQ, and he's got the most unbelievable mental attitude. That's what makes him. That's what Daniel's got to learn from. Try and get and develop the mental attitude that Usyk has."
The Herald Scotland
13 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Emma Raducanu straight sets win as she gets set for US Open
Both players struggled on serve in a 71-minute opening set, trading early breaks before inevitably edging into a tie-break which Raducanu won despite initially sacrificing a 4-0 lead. The British number three, who made a rare doubles appearance alongside Elena Rybakina earlier this week, looked the fresher of the pair in tough conditions and cemented her superiority by breaking en route to establishing a 3-0 lead in the second set. Kostyuk, who arrived in Washington having lost five singles matches in a row stretching back to May, rallied just when all seemed lost, breaking Raducanu back as she clawed back to parity at 4-4. Having forced Kostyuk to serve to stay in the match, the Ukrainian handed Raducanu two match points with a double fault, and the Briton seized her second chance to book her place in the second round. 'Extremely good win,' Raducanu said in her on-court interview. 'Playing Marta first round is extremely difficult and we've always had some tough matches. 'I'm happy with the way I fought through the first set and in the second, stayed tough when I needed to.' Venus Williams became the oldest player to win a tour-level singles match for more than two decades when she beat fellow American Peyton Stearns. Read more: In a match of 10 service breaks, Williams, 45, won 6-3 6-4 to become the oldest winner since Martina Navratilova, who was 47 in 2004. It was her first singles victory since August 2023 and books a last-16 clash with Poland's Magdalena Frech, the fifth seed. The seven-time grand slam singles tournament winner returned to competitive action after 16 months out with a doubles victory alongside Hailey Baptiste on Monday. 'I think it was a big win for me today,' she told the WTA website. 'It won't be easy. It's not easy for anyone out here. So I know I'll have to fight for every match, but I'm up for that. 'There are no limits for excellence. It's all about what's in your head and how much you're able to put into it. 'If you put in the work mentally, physically, and emotionally, then you can have the result.' Cameron Norrie completed a notable win over second seed and world number seven Lorenzo Musetti to book his place in the last 16. Norrie, the world number 41, hit back from losing the opening set to triumph 3-6 6-2 6-3 and score his first win over a top 10-ranked player since reaching the quarter-finals at Indian Wells in 2023.
