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Strange fight for Katie, tough fight for Ireland

The Tyson/Paul fight is a charade but content gold; Ireland have a daunting trip to Twickenham; while Seamus Power is off to a flier at the RBC Heritage

Mike Tyson will be 58 when he meets YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul on the same card as Katie Taylor’s world championship bout with Amanda Serrano later this year. Photograph: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

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Mary Hannigan
Fri Apr 19 2024 - 10:21

“Part freakshow, part entertainment and part boxing.” That’s how Johnny Watterson describes the Mike Tyson v Jake Paul fight that will be the ‘co-main event’ alongside Katie Taylor’s rematch with Amanda Serrano in Dallas in July. Tyson will be 58 by then, Paul is 27, so that adds another layer to the “charade” that “will become content gold for Netflix”. Mind you, there is no guarantee that the fight will be approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations, so it could all come to nothing yet. But for now, Johnny is wondering “where two supreme athletes like Taylor and Serrano fit in this reality boxing soap opera”.

In rugby, Daire Walsh previews Ireland’s daunting Six Nations trip to Twickenham tomorrow where they will come up against an England side that has won their last 27 games in the competition. Gerry Thornley, meanwhile, talks to Leinster’s Liam Turner who is hoping for a rare enough outing for the province during their URC trip to South Africa, while Michael Sadlier previews Ulster’s URC meeting with fellow strugglers Cardiff.

In Gaelic games, Waterford hurler PJ Fanning tells Ian O’Riordan about the challenges of combining sport and studies, the Gaelic Players Association having launched a report on the issue. Ian also hears from Dublin hurler Cian O’Sullivan ahead of his county’s Leinster opener against Wexford on Sunday.

David Gorman has news of an impressive start for Séamus Power at the RBC Heritage, his 65 leaving him tied for second and just two shots off the lead. And Stephanie Meadow and Leona Maguire both at solid starts at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the year.

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In horse racing, “pointing out that Willie Mullins has long been jump-racing’s dominant figure is like having the bleedin’ obvious as a specialist subject,” writes Brian O’Connor. He’ll look to extend that dominance in tomorrow’s Scottish Grand National.

And ahead of tonight’s meeting between Derry City and Shamrock Rovers, Gavin Cummiskey heard James McClean talk of his desire to finish his career at the Brandywell, 13 years after he left there for England.

TV Watch: It’s round two at the RBC Heritage (Sky Sports Golf, 12.15pm-11pm) and the Chevron Championship (Sky Sports Mix, 3pm-7pm, 11pm-1am), while in rugby Ulster host Cardiff in the URC (TG4, BBC 2 and Premier Sports 1, 7.35). And in football, Derry City and Shamrock Rovers meet at the Brandywell (RTÉ 2, 7.45).