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Waseem ready to take on Jakrawut in WBA title defence | The Express Tribune

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Waseem ready to take on Jakrawut in WBA title defence | The Express Tribune


The 38-year-old trained in Liverpool for the event that will feature at least 38 international boxers in Lahore

Muhammad Waseem with his World Boxing Association World Gold title belt. PHOTO COURTESY: MUHAMMAD WASEEM


KARACHI:

“I am trying my best and doing everything for the big fight night on November 29,” Pakistan’s solitary World Boxing Association Gold World Bantamweight champion Muhammad Waseem exclaimed as he is staging the biggest boxing event, where he is defending his title against Thailand’s Jakrawut Majungoen.

Waseem had been training in Liverpool with his coach, Danny Vaughan, and he will be fulfilling his dream of defending the title on home turf.

The 38-year-old also held the fight in Quetta in May, with the help of the Pakistan Army and the Balochistan Government, where international boxers and officials came to the country to witness the first professional bout backed by one of the four recognized boxing bodies in the world.

On Saturday, November 29, the main card flaunts more than seven bouts, and the event features at least 38 foreign boxers and six Pakistani pugilists at Lahore’s Garrison Club.

Waseem, also known as Falcon, has also been working with WBA to promote boxing in Pakistan.

With this bout, he will be bringing boxers from the United Kingdom, the US, Mexico, Germany, and France, according to details shared by Punjab Minister of Sports Faisal Ayub Khokhar, who also toured the Garrison Club for the ‘Fight for Glory’ event.

The provincial minister is also ensuring excellent security arrangements, as this will be the first time the country is hosting 38 foreign boxers at once.

However, with all the hype, Waseem, with his orthodox stance, will be taking on south paw Jakrawut, for which he has worked hard.

“I’ve been training very hard because there is a lot on the line for me,” Waseem told this correspondent from Liverpool, where he was training and putting in at least five hours every day.

“The game plan will be different against Jakrawut than my previous opponent, of course, and mainly there is a focus on combinations; he is a south paw as well, so I am training accordingly.

Later, he took on Sunny Edwards for the International Boxing Federation World flyweight title in 2021, which he lost, but finally won another major bout with the WBA Gold World title in May this year.

Waseem has won accolades for Pakistan in amateur boxing, too, but his professional record is also impressive, with 14 wins out of 16 bouts, and posting 10 knockouts in them.

“Most of the efforts go into strength training, weight, and technique, but also it becomes very hectic at times, because I have to travel at least two hours to Manchester, where I have to spar,” he added.

He added that sparring partners he had in the UK were all helpful in preparing for the fight, as he also gets support from the boxing community in the UK.

“I had amazing sparring partners, and a few of them were also professional boxers, one of them was Indian as well, but the rest of them were English.

“Normally, it is not easy to find sparring partners in the UK, but they are helping me for nothing, only out of goodwill.

“It is encouraging, and for that I have to travel 40 miles from Liverpool. A lot of my time is spent in travelling after training for the fight, and at times, it does become difficult to be out here, away from my two children, and my family, but I believe that this event can be a great trendsetter for Pakistan,” said Waseem, who has previously won the World Boxing Council silver flyweight title in 2016, and successfully defended it as well the same year.

He is also getting American rapper Mr Cappone-E to open for him, while at the heart of it all is to give a taste of professional boxing to the Pakistani sports lovers and, more importantly, a chance to Pakistani boxers to compete in an international event.

With this event, the goal is to make boxing an accessible sport for both the fans and the boxers.

“I am coming from Quetta, and I am always connected to the boxing community, and it breaks my heart that most of the time they are ignored and deprived of opportunities that can change their lives.

“So my goal is to provide exposure for them, help professional boxing take root in Pakistan, too. “We are also making sure that we assist women boxers to have their spot in our event, because at the end of the day, all of this will build our boxing community up.

“I am also grateful to the government of Punjab and the Army for helping me in this, because holding an event of this magnitude wouldn’t be possible without their support,” he concluded.

 

 

 



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Salman Ali Agha sets new record in third T20I against Sri Lanka – SUCH TV

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January 13, 2026

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Salman Ali Agha sets new record in third T20I against Sri Lanka – SUCH TV



Although the third T20I match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Dambulla proved to be a disappointment for the national team, captain Salman Ali Agha’s brilliant and aggressive batting won the hearts of cricket fans and also broke the record of former West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard.

Salman Ali Agha played an incredible innings of 45 runs in just 12 balls, which included 5 fours and 3 sixes.

His strike rate was 375.0, which is the highest strike rate by any captain in the history of T20Is (against full-member teams, with the condition of playing at least 10 balls).

With this feat, he broke the record of former West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard.

Previously, this honor was held by Kieron Pollard, who scored 38 runs off 11 balls against Sri Lanka in 2021 at a strike rate of 345.5.

The list also includes big names like Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma and Darren Sammy, but Salman Ali Agha left everyone behind.



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‘Swarm City’: Texans’ petty post at Steelers tops NFL wild-card trolls

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January 13, 2026

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‘Swarm City’: Texans’ petty post at Steelers tops NFL wild-card trolls


The NFL postseason brings elevated play on the field with the stakes higher — and one team even upped its pettiness.

The Houston Texans dominated the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 to clinch the final divisional round spot. The Steelers’ 24-point loss is their worst in a home playoff game in franchise history and third worst in any playoff game, according to ESPN Research.

Houston’s defense allowed just 175 total yards and forced two turnovers — both of which were returned for scores. Pittsburgh forced three turnovers, but those resulted in only six points. The Steelers became the first team to score six or fewer points in a playoff game despite having at least three takeaways since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1999. Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 146 passing yards, while Texans signal-caller C.J. Stroud had 250 passing yards.

Houston made sure to poke fun at Pittsburgh after its victory. The Texans edited a “Welcome To Pittsburgh” sign by spray-painting the final score and “Swarm City” on it — a spin on Steel City. They also included the character from the Fallout video game series with the 713 Houston area code on the bottom.

Here are the top trolls from the NFL wild-card round.

The San Francisco 49ers upset the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles on the road. The 49ers closed as a 5.5-point underdog — according to DraftKings Sportsbook — their third-largest upset win in a postseason game in the Super Bowl era, according to ESPN Research.

With 43 seconds left, Philadelphia faced a fourth-and-11 at San Francisco’s 21-yard-line with a chance to take the lead. But Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts‘ pass was incomplete, clinching a 49ers win. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns. Hurts had 168 passing yards and a touchdown.

The 49ers followed their massive victory by trolling the Eagles. They poked fun at Philadelphia’s “Fly Eagles Fly” chant, including spelling out “Eagles.” San Francisco instead spelled out “Niners” in its caption. It also wouldn’t be a troll without referencing a Philly cheesesteak, which the 49ers posted to emphasize that they are “still hungry for more.”

The Buffalo Bills held off the Jacksonville Jaguars for their first playoff road win since the 1992 AFC Championship Game, according to ESPN Research.

The fourth quarter included touchdowns on each of Jacksonville’s and Buffalo’s first two drives — both teams had only one touchdown apiece before the final quarter. The Bills capped a nine-play, 66-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing score from quarterback Josh Allen. The Jaguars had a chance to answer with just over a minute left, but quarterback Trevor Lawrence‘s pass was picked off, sending Buffalo to the next round.

After Jacksonville clinched the AFC South in Week 18, teammate and cornerback Jarrian Jones gave Lawrence a grill in the locker room. The moment was inspired by an AI photo someone posted on social media of Lawrence wearing a grill and a giant chain around his neck.

The Bills’ postgame graphic included what resembles a grill — with “Bills Win” written on it — buried in the sand at a beach. They also shared a photo of Allen rocking shades and a chain from a July 2024 video and resurfaced a Jaguars’ post from Friday.

The Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Carolina Panthers in a wild opening playoff matchup.

Los Angeles and Carolina threw haymakers in the fourth, each scoring 14 points. There were four lead changes, tied for the most in a playoff game in NFL history. But the Rams had the go-ahead score when quarterback Matthew Stafford connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for a 19-yard touchdown with 38 seconds left. The Panthers turned it over on downs on their ensuing possession, clinching the Rams’ victory.

A huge win came with multiple clever trolls.

Los Angeles first posted a graphic of a hook with a string holding a football as a panther looked up with the caption referencing the sound commonly used to lure cats. The Rams then referenced a famous scene from the 1994 film “The Lion King,” when Rafiki presents a young Simba to the other animals as the future king. This time, Rafiki held the Panthers logo then tossed it.

ESPN Research contributed to this report.





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Falcons interview Harbaugh, who is vetting teams

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January 13, 2026

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Falcons interview Harbaugh, who is vetting teams


Jan 12, 2026, 04:15 PM ET

The Atlanta Falcons announced Monday that they have completed an interview with John Harbaugh for their head coaching job.

It is Harbaugh’s first formal interview since he was fired by the Baltimore Ravens last week, but sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday that Harbaugh has been conducting preliminary and extensive phone calls with the New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals.

He is trying to determine which teams to meet with later this week and into next week before deciding where he will coach next season, the sources told Schefter.

Chris Mara, the Giants’ senior personnel consultant, told The Athletic on Monday that he had an informal meeting with Harbaugh at the coach’s house Sunday.

Harbaugh, 63, ranks 12th for most wins by a head coach in NFL history with 193 and guided the Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2012. He was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2019.

In leading the Ravens for 18 seasons, he was the second-longest active coach in the league behind Mike Tomlin, who is in his 19th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But Harbaugh didn’t produce as much postseason success in recent years as he had earlier in his career, which was a major disappointment, considering he had two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. In eight seasons with Jackson, Harbaugh won only three playoff games and never advanced past the AFC Championship Game.

The preseason betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, the Ravens (8-9) finished this season with a losing record for only the third time under Harbaugh.

Harbaugh is the fifth candidate to interview for the Falcons’ job after the team fired coach Raheem Morris following an 8-9 season. Atlanta said on Monday that former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel interviewed for its head coach opening.

The Falcons, who also will be hiring a new general manager after firing Terry Fontenot, hired former franchise quarterback Matt Ryan as their president of football, a new position created by owner Arthur Blank.

ESPN’s Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.



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