22 Saturday, April 21, 2018 SPORTS in talks to face

London Pacquiao targets ddie Hearn says he is in negotiations to secure a fightE between Dillian Whyte and Kubrat Pulev this summer. Former British champion Whyte and Bulgarian fighter more bouts in KL Pulev are set to lock horns on Kuala Lumpur July 21 in a final eliminator for anny Pacquiao believes ’s IBF world he has “a couple more title. Mfights” left in him before he And if WBC champion retires, starting with his first fails to accept contest for more than a year the offer on the table for a when he faces Argentine WBA unification fight with AJ in welterweight world champion September, Hearn says the Lucas Matthysse in Kuala winner will be next in line for Dillian Whyte (file pic) Lumpur this July. a world title shot. chance Dillian will box in July.” “Definitely this is not Speaking to , Whyte, 30, is the number my last fight,” the 39-year- Hearn said: “There is talk of one ranked challenger old Filipino said at a news Dillian Whyte boxing in July. with the WBC belt held by conference in the Malaysian “The 21st is a potential date American star Wilder, after capital yesterday to promote for Dillian Whyte, but still, we his demolishing performance the fight. have to look to agree terms against . “I want my last fight to be with Kubrat Pulev, promoter But he is yet to get the shot in the Philippines, but I still Kalle Sauerland, and his team. against the Bronze Bomber he have a couple more fights till I “That will be an eliminator has been pushing for, and now retire,” said the former eight- for Anthony Joshua. Hearn says the Londoner is division world champion “Dillian Whyte is back from just one fight away from being and serving senator in his his rest, his hand has healed up, number one with the IBF as homeland. Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse (R) (Pic courtesy: theguardian) and he wants to go again. Every well. (thesun.co.uk) Pacquiao, who returns to aggressive. He’ll want to come will be making his first title beat Thailand’s Tewa Kiram action for the first time since inside and fight toe-to-toe. You defence, said he expected a with an eighth round FIA World Rallycross Championship teams losing on points to Australian won’t see running or dancing “big fight” but believed he had to claim the vacant title in Six two-car teams and three individual entries will contest all 12 rounds Jeff Horn in last in the ring,” said Pacquiao, what it took to keep his WBA January. of this season’s World Rallycross Championship July, said he expected the July who has a 59-7-2 record with welterweight crown. “But more importantly EKS AUDI Audi S1 15 bout at the Axiata Arena to four of those losses coming in “I’m a pretty big puncher my conditioning... gives me Drivers: Engine: 580bhp be “a real boxing fight”. his last nine fights. with both hands,” said the confidence to win this fight,” Mattias Ekström “Matthysse’s style is very Matthysse (39-4), who 35-year-old Matthysse, who he said. (Reuters) SWE Andreas Bakkerud NOR GC KOMPETITION Renault Mégane RS Guerlain Chicherit FRA Jérôme Fed Cup: GB’s Watson Grosset-Janin FRA GRX TANECO Hyundai i20 Niclas Grönholm FIN Timur to play Japan’s Osaka Timerzyanov RUS

OLSBERGS MSE Ford Fiesta Kevin Eriksson SWE Robin Larsson SWE

PSRX Volkswagen Polo R VOLKSWAGEN Petter Solberg NOR Johan Kristoffersson SWE PEUGEOT TOTAL Peugeot 208 Sébastien Loeb FRA Timmy Hansen SWE Kevin Hansen* SWE SÉBASTIEN Peugeot 208 LOEB RACING Grégoire Demoustier* BEL Heather Watson (file pic) Naomi Osaka (file pic)

London British number one Johanna Konta player on either team, one place above STARD Ford Fiesta eather Watson will play world faces world number 100 Kurumi Nara in Konta. (Stohl Advanced number 22 Naomi Osaka in the Saturday’s second singles. Konta and Watson are joined in the GB Research and H Development) opening match of Great Britain’s Fed Cup GB will be promoted to the World team by doubles specialist Anna Smith and Jānis Baumanis* World Group II play-off tie with Japan. Group for the first time since 1993 if they debutante Gabi Taylor. LAT Watson plays the Japanese number beat their hosts this weekend. The doubles rubber and the reverse one, who is 55 places higher in the world Osaka won the Indian Wells title singles rubbers take place on Sunday. Source: FIA *Individual entries contest drivers’ title but do not claim team points © GRAPHIC NEWS rankings, on Saturday. last month and is the highest-ranked (BBC)