17 SATURDAY, JULY 28, 2018 sports Aliskerov to defend undefeated steak Ikram Aliskerov to face Diego Gonzalez at Brave 14 TDT | Manama kram Aliskerov had captured the European and World Combat ISambo Championships ahead of Joseph Parker (R) with Dillian Whyte his debut at Brave Combat Federation. The consistency of victories and ferocity of the fighting style improved and had set a mark upon the latest Parker admits ‘risk’ of bout prospect from Dagestan, Russia as he started accumulating victories over AFP | London established fighters at Brave CF. Ikram made his promotional debut oseph Parker admits he has gam- at Brave Combat Federation with a Jbled by coming to London to fight submission victory over Rufat Asadov Dillian Whyte, taking on a tough chal- It is a risky fight to in the first round via a signature guil- lenge just months after his first profes- take. Look how good lotine choke. sional defeat against Anthony Joshua. he was in his past With succeeding victories over Jer- The former WBO heavyweight cham- emy Smith and Chad Hanekom, the pion became the first to take Joshua fight- he looked prospect from Champion Fight Team the distance when he was outpointed tremendous and did in Derbent have proved that he also Action from the previous fight in March but has since shunned the a great job capable of pure standup game as well traditional route of accepting a re - JOSEPH PARKER as has the level of experience to take career when he faces Diego Gonzalez ed career record of Aliskerov as the building fight for another that could the fight to the distance. who has a professional experience of championship possibilities are active, damage his career. At Brave 14, Aliskerov will face one 32 fights with 20 wins. the bout marks a significant one for Whyte, 30, is also among the world’s been knocked out before. among the toughest challenges in his With more focus upon the undefeat- the Middleweight division. leading heavyweights and, like Park- “I could easily have gone and fought er, fights to secure a re-match with a guy that I was sure to beat but what Joshua or a shot at America’s WBC is the point in that? Bahrain enters Africa champion Deontay Wilder. “You go in to a tough training camp Brave CF signs with Omni Sport Britain’s Whyte is also fighting in his and you miss your family all for a fight with major global home city and, should he secure his you know you’re already going to win. TDT | Manama sports event finest victory to date by overcoming It doesn’t give you any drive or moti- Parker, it would send the New Zea- vation. But fighting someone like him rave Combat Federation, which is TDT | Manama lander tumbling down the pecking or- is going to give me all the motivation. Bfound under the leadership of HH der. Parker’s camp are also concerned “Once I beat Whyte the chance to Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, rave 14 marks the first global about the officiating in London, and fight for a world title will come again.” had signed the official partnership an- Bsports initiative in the con- the 26-year-old told Britain’s Press Parker was 17st 4lbs (110 kilograms) nouncing Omni Sport Indoor Stadium tinent of Africa hosted by the Association: “It is a risky fight to take. at Friday’s weigh-in, more than a stone of Tangier as the official venue partner Kingdom of Bahrain and the first Look how good he was in his past lighter than the 18st 6lbs 9oz Whyte for the first ever global mixed martial global mixed martial arts event fight -- he looked tremendous and did ahead of their fight at London’s 02 arts initiative hosted in the continent for the continent. a great job. Lucas Browne had never Arena on Saturday. of Africa. Mohammed Shahid, President of Brave CF The initiative under the lead- The initiative brought the promo- ership of His Highness Shaikh tion to achieve the status of truly hosts an event in a nation it is also a Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa global mixed martial arts promotion showcase of the developing cultural, will be hosted under the patron- while other major mixed martial arts economic and social partnership be- age of His Majesty King Moham- Six-match ban for Gunathilaka organisations are limited to their ge- tween nations involved. Adhering to med VI of Morocco. ographies. Brave 14 which is hosted the vision of the leader who changed The initiative will bring ath- AFP | Colombo under the patronage of His Majesty the sport of Mixed Martial Arts for- letes from 11 nations to compete King Mohammed VI of Morocco is the ever, His Highness Shaikh Khalid, the in Morocco for the very first ri Lanka’s cricket board yester- first Mixed Martial Arts event in the promotion looks beyond sport into time. Among the nations con- Sday slapped a six-match ban on history of Morocco. art and culture as well. Our events firmed include USA, Russia, Italy, batsman Danushka Gunathilaka for Brave CF will be focusing beyond are beyond two fighters in a cage, and Canada, France, Sweden, Bra- breaching player rules as police inves- the traditional bouts by integrating involves the richness of art, concerts, zil, Philippines, Turkey, Mexico tigated the alleged rape of a Norwegian elements of culture, art and concerts traditional heritage and economy that and Netherlands. The event will woman in his hotel room. into the event. bringing nations together. This is key have complete live broadcast Gunathilaka, 27, was questioned by Previously Brave CF had hosted to create a global eco-system for the coverage all over the continent police on Tuesday after his associate concerts, traditional performances, sport of mixed martial arts which is of Africa through Abu Dhbai Sandeep Jude Selliah, 26, was accused honouring traditional martial arts and built on the foundation stone of re- Sports in the North African of raping one of two Norwegian wom- Danushka Gunathilaka activities aimed at social development. spect”, said Mohammed Shahid, Pres- region and through VodaCom, en with them in a room at the team “When Brave Combat Federation ident of Brave Combat Federation. StarSat and Scuffle Media. hotel. Police said Gunathilaka was not an The incident is said to have hap - accused, but a cricket board hearing pened in the early hours of Sunday just found him guilty of breaching team before Sri Lanka completed a Test win Ledecky holds of Schmitt to win 200m discipline and violating his contract. over South Africa. AFP | Irvine She was already looking forward to teaming with Schmitt in the 4x200m atie Ledecky clocked the sec - freestyle relay at the Pan Pacific Kond-fastest time in the world Championships in Tokyo in August. this year to win the 200m freestyle at “I knew she was having a great swim the US swimming championships on the whole race, just having her right Thursday, holding off the challenge there the whole time right next to me,” of 2012 Olympic champion Allison Ledecky said of Schmitt, a three-time Schmitt. Ledecky touched in 1:54.60 Olympian who stepped away from the -- second only to her own 1:54.56 in sport after the Rio Olympics and only Katie Ledecky June this year -- to add the 200m title resumed training last September. to the 800m free crown she claimed “She’s just the most likeable person championships in South Korea -- cur- at Seef District too on Wednesday. and such a great friend and such an tain raiser to the 2020 Olympics in Ledecky led from start to finish, but asset to Team USA. It’s going to be Tokyo. Um al Hassan +973 17728699 the 28-year-old Schmitt, who returned great to have her in Tokyo.” Schmitt, who has used her expe- Seef District +973 17364999 to competition in April for the first Gabby Deloof was third in 1:56.55 rience struggling with depression to time since the Rio Olympics, clung to and Leah Smith fourth in 1:56.93, become an outspoken advocate for her hip all the way to finish second in all securing berths for the Pan Pacs, mental health care, was buoyed by 1:55.82 and Ledecky looked as pleased which with this week’s meet will serve some supportive pre-race texts from with Schmitt’s finish as her own. as the qualifier for the 2019 world her old teammate Michael Phelps..