Month: November 2020

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney take over Welsh side Wrexham

Wrexham isn’t known for being particularly glamorous, but it presented itself well enough to Hollywood stars and new owners of the town’s football club, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

The duo shocked the football world when they announced they were to take over as owners, following a vote.

In fact, a whopping 98.6% of the votes from Wrexham Supporters Trust (WST) were backing the bid.

2,000 votes from trust members were eligible, and 1,809 approved.

Following the result of the vote, WST has now wished the pair “the very best of luck in charge”, and “look forward to what the future brings”.

A statement distributed by WST read: “Subject to final agreement, league and FA confirmation – the RR McReynolds Company, LLC will take 100% control of Wrexham Football Club Limited from the WST.

“Both parties will now proceed with finalising the details of the takeover, and we will update Wrexham supporters as soon as we can.”

Reynolds and McElhenney told trust members they intended to make their club a “global force”.

Wrexham currently sit 14th in the Vanarama National League standings, but with this news a free bet on PaddyPower app could be a good shout on the club going on a good run of form, due to the feel-good factor surrounding the team.

The duo released a comical video on Monday afternoon, following their successful bid to take charge:

The club has been in fan ownership since 2011, but could now be set to see more than ÂŁ2m invested in it.

Certainly an interesting story to keep an eye on over the next few seasons.

Dubois Expected to Deliver in All-British Bout with Joyce

At the age of 23, Daniel Dubois is already the next big thing in British heavyweight boxing. At a time when fighters from the UK hold all four major world titles in the premier division of the sport, his obvious future potential of joining those elite ranks should not go unnoticed or unheralded.

Nicknamed Dynamite and Triple D, Dubois is undefeated in 15 professional fights. He has also picked up several minor championships since joining the paid ranks in 2017.

In just his fourth pro bout, Dubois was crowned WBC youth heavyweight champion – a clear sign of him being a serious prospect. He has since added the English, British and Commonwealth, WBO European, global and international, and WBC silver titles to his collection.

Dubois now fights for the vacant EBU European heavyweight belt, and defends his British and Commonwealth straps, against compatriot Joe Joyce in one of the most anticipated UK bouts of 2020. This encounter on 28 November has a classic youth versus experience dynamic to it.

Joyce is 35, has a more extensive amateur background than Dubois and competed at the Rio Olympics of 2016 in Brazil. Only France’s Tony Yoka denied him a gold medal but, since Joyce turned pro in 2017, he hasn’t lost in 11 fights.

Something has got to give. Joyce has already reigned as Commonwealth champ, like Joyce winning a minor belt in his fourth fight in the paid ranks. He has since added the WBA continental and gold heavyweight titles to his CV.

Bookmakers are siding with the youth of Dubois in the boxing betting on their all-British bout, though, and make him the odds-on 2/9 favourite for victory. Joyce is 3/1, meanwhile, to cause what would be viewed as an upset.

However, this may not be as straightforward a task for Dubois as the market suggests. Joyce defeated former WBC heavyweight champion Bermane Stiverne, one of the best boxers in Canada of modern times, in 2019.

That sixth-round stoppage was huge for his career. Joyce arguably presents the most difficult challenge to date for Dubois whose previous opposition didn’t have that sort of feather in their caps.

These two London lads know full well there is more than area, national and continental championships at stake here. The WBO rankings have Dubois next in line after Ukraine’s former undisputed cruiserweight champ Oleksandr Usyk for a shot at Anthony Joshua.

Joyce is also among the top 10 rated contenders going into the fight with that governing body. The WBC places both men lower in their pecking order, meanwhile, with Dubois only seventh and Joyce down in eleventh.

Getting to Tyson Fury requires more, then, and neither man may get to share the ring with The Gypsy King who has hinted at retirement following a few more fights.

Whether Fury does hang up his gloves sooner rather than later, or Dubois goes on to tangle with Joshua, the feeling is very much that British boxing is in good hands with him. All he has to do is continue his upward trajectory and stop Joyce.