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RIYADH: Rising British boxing talent Moses Itauma lit up Riyadh this on Saturday night with a stunning performance, dispatching veteran Dillian Whyte in under a minute.

Itauma ended the heavyweight clash in just 50 seconds of the opening round, unleashing a relentless barrage of punches that forced the referee to stop the contest and declare him winner by knockout.

The bout, which began with the Saudi national anthem, was staged at anb Arena as part of the Esports World Cup, and drew a packed crowd who witnessed one of the year’s most anticipated heavyweight showdowns.

Despite the difference in experience, Itauma showed supreme confidence and dominance from the opening bell, proving his ability to stand among the sport’s elite. Whyte, meanwhile, struggled with Itauma’s speed and pressure, unable to regain control before the stoppage.

With this emphatic victory, Itauma continues to build on his undefeated record, underlining his status as one of the most exciting young stars in global boxing. For Whyte, the loss marks a difficult chapter in his career.

The evening opened with a thrilling performance from Saudi boxer Mohammed Alakel, who secured a first-round knockout victory against Younam Santosh Singh, registering the fifth win of his professional career.

In the second fight, featherweight standout Raymond Ford claimed a unanimous decision victory over Abraham Nova, signaling his return to championship contention with a composed and balanced display throughout the bout.

The third contest brought together Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic and Britain’s David Adeleye in a ten-round battle described as one of the greatest recent heavyweight clashes. Despite Adeleye’s power and resilience, Hrgovic’s experience proved decisive as he secured a unanimous decision after a dramatic encounter filled with knockdowns and relentless action until the final bell.

In the fourth fight, Japan’s Hayato Tsutsumi delivered a spectacular performance, flooring Britain’s Qais Ashfaq in the second round before sealing a knockout victory early in the third, maintaining his undefeated record.

The excitement continued in the fifth bout as Britain’s Nick Ball retained his WBA featherweight title after a grueling 12-round battle with Sam Goodman, remaining the only reigning male world champion from Great Britain.

The Esports World Cup, hosted in Riyadh from July 7 to Aug. 24, features more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs, with total prize money of $70m, offering a unique blend of digital entertainment and live combat sports.

CINCINNATI: World number one Jannik Sinner and hot rival Carlos Alcaraz will face off in a major final for the fourth time this season after both booked straight-set wins into the title match at the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Saturday.

Defending champion Sinner ruthlessly subdued 136th-ranked qualifier Terence Atmane 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 while Spanish second seed Alcaraz defeated an ailing Alexander Zverev, who was suffering badly from the 32 Celsius heat and humidity, by 6-4, 6-3.

Alcaraz and Sinner have played for trophies this season in Rome, Roland Garros and Wimbledon, with the Italian winning their most recent at the All England Club last month.

Sinner, celebrating his 24th birthday, ended Frenchman Atmane’s dream run and will now try to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2014-15 to win back-to-back titles in Cincinnati.

Sinner, tuning up for the US Open in his first tournament since winning Wimbledon, hasn’t dropped a set en route to the final.

“It’s a very, very tough challenge every time you play a new opponent,” Sinner said. “In the later stages of the tournament,the pressure is on, they deserve to be there.”

Alcaraz will also be playing in his second Cincy final after losing to Novak Djokovic in 2023.

The Spaniard increased his ATP season match win lead to 53 in a year of five titles.

Alcaraz broke Zverev once in the opening set to claim it before the German, who is diabetic, began feeling poorly and took a medical timeout off court after the third game of the second set.

Zverev, who has retired in only two matches since 2014, came back out to finish what was a patchy match from Alcaraz, who double-faulted for times in the second game of the second set but won the last 12 points with Zverev running on fumes.

“We started well with good rallies, a good level,” Alcaraz said. “All of a sudden, he felt bad and I was thinking more about how he was feeling instead of playing good tennis.

“It was tough and I just wish him all the best.”

Alcaraz said he is keen to try and take his Wimbledon revenge on Sinner in the unorthodox Monday final.

“We always bring our best tennis. We raise each other’s level. I’m ready to take the challenge,” Alcaraz said.

“I will try and adjust my game better and correct what I did wrong in our last match. I want to be ready with my 100 percent. Mentally I’ll be ready – I’m excited for Monday.”

Atmane gave birthday boy Sinner a Pokemon card shortly before they went on court, but he was in a less giving mood once they were underway.

But Sinner surrendered just three points in his first six service games as they went to the tiebreaker with neither man facing a break point.

Atmane double faulted on the first point of the decider and Sinner was away, powering to a 5-2 lead and pocketing the set at his second opportunity.

“My experience helped in the first set,” he said. “I’m very happy to go through to another final.

“I tried to focus on myself, how I usually play, and then try to adapt a little bit to his game style,” Sinner said. “And that’s exactly what I did today.

“The pressure was on me. That’s normal in the position where I am in – he was ready to fight.”

“My goal has always been the US Open, But we have put in the work here, in the gym and in practice. I just hope to be ready for New York.”

Sinner showed a first sign of vulnerability as he needed five game points to hold serve in the opening game of the second set.

But that was the closest look Atmane got at his serve, and Sinner broke the Frenchman for a 3-1 lead and again to seal the match.

Atmane, who is projected to crack the top 70 in the world rankings, became Sinner’s 22nd straight French victim since May 2021, when he lost to Arthur Rinderknech in Lyon.