‘Wife thinks I’m an idiot’: ex-All Black Spencer returns to ring

Carlos Spencer (L) leads the New Zealand team’s “haka” ahead of their rugby World Cup semi-final match against Australia at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney, 15 November 2003. Australia won the match 22-10 and will play either England or France in the final 22 November. AFP PHOTO/POOL/Nick LAHAM

AFP

Former All Blacks star Carlos Spencer will return to the boxing ring on Thursday, but admitted it was a hard fight to convince his wife about his latest charity bout.

The 46-year-old will face ex-New Zealand rugby league star Paul Whatuira, 40, over three rounds in Auckland in a ‘Fight for Life’ charity event.

“This one was always going to be hard getting it across the line with my wife,” Spencer told news site Stuff.co.nz.

“This is the last thing she thinks I should be doing.

“She thinks I’m bloody mad and I’m a bloody idiot, but I managed to convince her that I’ll be fine and it is for a great cause, after all.”

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Spencer will be back in the ring after previous charity bouts against ex-league players Awen Guttenbeil, Jarrod McCracken and most recently Monty Betham, his only defeat, in 2014.

Spencer retired from rugby in 2010 having made 44 appearances and scoring 383 points for New Zealand.

He has just returned from the USA after a stint as assistant coach to Major League Rugby side New Orleans Gold.

“I’ve only been back in New Zealand for four weeks,” Spencer told the New Zealand Herald.

“It’s about learning to box again rather than conditioning.

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“I’ve put on weight — I’m normally around 84kg, but I’ve put on six kilos in three weeks, to get a bit more power behind my punches.”

Like many fellow New Zealanders, Spencer was dismayed to see the All Blacks lose the home series to Ireland after a 32-22 defeat in last Saturday’s third Test in Wellington.

“They’ve become a bit predictable on attack,” Spencer said of the All Blacks.

“With the players we’ve got, that should never happen.

“Whereas the northern teams used to be a few steps behind us, they are a step ahead now I think.

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“Ireland have good variety to their game and play an exciting brand -– I enjoy watching them.”

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha lead Barça to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Benfica

Young talent Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha secured Barcelona’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Benfica (4-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.

Raphinha (11’) opened the scoring for Barça after a brilliant assist from Yamal. However, Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi (13’) quickly leveled the match with a header from a corner kick. Yamal restored the lead (27’) with a stunning goal, and Raphinha sealed the victory (42’) just before halftime.

Determined to avoid any surprises, Barcelona started aggressively, with early attempts from Yamal and Lewandowskisignaling their intent to dominate. All goals came in the first half, securing a convincing win and a place in the next round.

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Manchester United knocked out of FA Cup after penalty shootout loss to Fulham

Another disappointment for Manchester United: the defending FA Cup champions were eliminated in this edition’s round of 16, losing in a penalty shootout (4-3 after a 1-1 draw) to Fulham on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Swede Victor Lindelof and Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee were the ‘Red Devils’ who missed their shots against goalkeeper Bernd Leno, sending the ‘Cottagers’ to the penultimate round of the oldest football competition.

The elimination is a heavy blow for a United team that is currently struggling in the Premier League, where they sit in a lowly 14th place.

Now, the Europa League, where they will face Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16 next week, appears to be their only chance to lift a trophy this season. Last year, the FA Cup, in which United triumphed in the final against their neighbors Manchester City, was the competition that saved their campaign. The previous season, they had reached the final, finishing as runners-up.

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The prince is back: Neymar’s homecoming to Santos draws thousands of fans

Neymar was greeted by thousands of fans at his childhood club, Santos, on Friday, with a concert at the local stadium and a sign that read, “The Prince is Back.”

The Brazilian star’s private jet landed in São Paulo from Saudi Arabia in the morning, but Neymar requested a few hours of rest before being flown to Santos by helicopter.

The 32-year-old forward is expected to sign a short-term contract with Santos as he aims to regain his standing in Brazil ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Posters saying “The Prince is Back” were being sold for 10 reais (about $1.50) around the 20,000-seat Vila Belmiro Stadium, located on the outskirts of São Paulo.