Floyd Mayweather stripped of WBO belt

Five-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather has been stripped of the WBO welterweight belt won from Manny Pacquiao in May.

The 38-year-old failed to pay the WBO a $200,000 (£128,000) sanctioning fee by the 3 July deadline.

Mayweather had been expected to relinquish the title by now, saying he planned to do so following his points victory over Pacquiao.

Fellow American Timothy Bradley will now become the full belt holder.

After Mayweather defeated Pacquiao, he had declared he would vacate all his titles in order to give younger fighters the chance to win belts.

"The WBO World Championship Committee is allowed no other alternative but to cease to recognize Mr Floyd Mayweather Jr as the WBO welterweight champion of the world and vacate his title." said a statement on wboboxing.com.


Mayweather, who still holds the WBA and WBC belts at welterweight, has until 20 July to appeal against the decision.

He is expected to stage one more fight in Las Vegas on 12 September, although he has yet to name the opponent.

The WBO created a vacant interim welterweight belt for the 27 June fight between Bradley and Jessie Vargas.

StarTimes to thrill viewers with International Champions Cup LIVE

In furtherance of its renewed bid to boost sports content for its teeming subscribers, StarTimes is set to screen the prestigious International Champions Cup live on its digital terrestrial and digital satellite platforms and connect its subscribers with the thrills and excitement of the sporting mundial.

                             The 2015 International Champions Cup North America which will be played between July 11th - August 5th will feature the best clubs in the world competing across 12 regions in Canada, Mexico, England, Italy and the United States.

Manchester United will face Spanish giant, Barcelona, at Levi’s Stadium while English Premier League champion, Chelsea will also face current Spanish League leader Barcelona at FedEx Field in Washington D.C. Not only are three of the quarter-finalists for the Champions League participating, each team will play four contests and the club with the most points at the end of the tournament will be crowned champion.

In total, 10 teams from around the globe, including England (Manchester United F.C., Chelsea F.C.), Portugal (FC Porto), France (Paris Saint-Germain F.C.), Mexico (Club América), Spain (Barcelona), Italy (ACF Fiorentina) and the United States (San Jose Earthquakes, Los Angeles Galaxy and New York Red Bulls) will compete in the 2015 edition.

Gary Rathbone, Director of Sport at StarTimes said “We are very excited to have exclusive rights to broadcast the International Champions Cup 2015. Football is Africa’s favourite sport and this tournament will certainly be enjoyed by all our subscribers on StarTimes Sport 2 (ST2), StarTimes Sports Premium and other StarTimes sport channels." 

Here is the complete match schedule.....

That's plenty of footballing action far this pre season on Startimes.

USA beat Japan 5 - 2, to win record third women's world cup title.

The USA in the early hours of today beat their Japanese counterpart and defending champions, to win a record setting third women's world cup title.

The USA dominated play in the early moments and they got their reward when Carli Lloyd bundled home from a corner in the 3rd minute.
Lloyd doubled the lead just a minute later after some poor marking by the Japanese in the box.
The match ceased to be a contest when Holiday scored in the 14th minute to make it threedue to some atrocious defending,  then Lloyd completed her hat trick when she netted in from 35yards,the Japanese goalkeeper being the major culprit.
Ogimi pulled one back for Japan in the 27th minute but the damage had already been done.

Japan started the second half better off and were rewarded when Johnson headed in to her own goal but it was short lived because USA restored their three goal  cushion 2 minutes later when Heath struck home after Japan failed to clear their lines off a corner.

Japan put up a late surge in the last fifteen minutes, with half chances here and their, but the deed had already been done.

With this win USA becomes the first country to win the women's world cup on three occasions, 1991,1999 and now 2015.

The match was also noteworthy for substitute appearances from three legends - Homare Sawa in her sixth World Cup, Abby Wambach who reclaimed the armband from Lloyd, and Christie Rampone, now 40 years old.

Congrats to the USA!!

Mayweather risks losing belt won at Pacquiao fight

To the chagrin of fans, now it turns out Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have to do more than just beat Manny Pacquiao to hold the World Boxing Organization 147-pound championship belt. Mayweather, still undefeated, was also supposed to vacate his World Boxing Association and WBO 154-pound belts. But the 38-year-old fighter had failed to do so, which means that come next week, he could lose the belt he won in May.

Thereafter, nothing changes after that. If the WBO does, indeed, strip Mayweather of the 147 lbs. belt, it won’t affect his 48-0 record, neither will Manny Pacquiao be handed the belt.

You could say that someone is framing matters so that there could be an opportunity for a rematch.

Mayweather has returned to poking fun with Pacquiao on social media, and on Friday, Pacquiao fired back with his own fighting words.

“A real champion is gracious both in his words and conduct,” Pacquiao told PhilBoxing.com. “Someone who is a champion not just in his chosen field of endeavor but even in his own home and private life.”

Pacquiao continued, taking a shot at Mayweather’s domestic violence conviction while touting his strong Christian beliefs:

“We should understand Floyd Mayweather Jr. because of his family background. He hailed from a family of ex-convicts and he himself is an ex-convict. We could not blame him because his action just showed the kind of family upbringing he had.

“I still respect him as God’s creation and I won’t resort to such kind of a low blow just to get his attention. It only reminds me of what he did to his ex-wife. I hope he would find time to reflect on his life and repent for the sins he committed in the past.

“He’s just like a lost soul still groping in the dark. I pray that may God touch his heart so he will discern the real meaning of love and life.”

D’Banj, Eva, OC Ukeje and others – ALL PHOTOS from Road to MAMA concert in Lagos

With the MTV Africa Music Awards only two weeks away, MTV Base hosted nominees, guests, colleagues and music lovers to a night of fun at the Road to MAMA concert on Friday, July 3, 2015 at the Marquee, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Hosted by MTV VJs, Ehiz and Stephanie, celebrities including D’banj, Cobhams, Sound Sultan, Timi Dakolo, Jesse Jagz, Falz, BlackMagic, OC Ukeje, Tanzanian artiste, Vanessa MDee, Emmanuel Ikubese, Olisa Adibua, Gbemi Olateru-Olagbegi, Jimmie, Shina Peller, Korede Bello, Lil Kesh, Eva, Phyno, Yemi Alade, Yvonne Vixen Ekwere, Diamond Platnumz, DJ Jimmy JATT, DJ Xclusive, and DJ Caise were among many others in attendance.

Check out photos below…

 

Oc Ukeje D bank and Eva