Sports

7:17 AM ET Mike CoppingerESPN The boxing industry came to a screeching halt in 2020. Without the possibility of capacity crowds, the biggest fights were tossed to the side, along with the millions in gate revenue that would have accompanied them. But beginning in May with Canelo Alvarez’s victory over Billy Joe Saunders in Arlington,

9:09 AM ET Former world No. 1 Andy Murray has been handed a wildcard into the main draw of next month’s Australian Open, the tournament organisers said on Thursday. 1 Related The Briton, down at 134th in the world rankings after long injury lay-offs due to hip surgery, has reached the final five times at

10:23 PM ET Hawaii announced Thursday night that it has pulled out of the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl against Memphis, citing COVID-19 issues within the program in addition to injuries and transfers. The game was scheduled to be played Friday in Halawa, Hawaii, a suburb of Honolulu. “The health and safety of our student-athletes is the

5:40 PM ET Associated Press COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A deal for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to police drugs in horse racing cratered Thursday after months of negotiations that the agency’s CEO said did not give it “a reasonable chance to put in place a credible and effective program.” The USADA was set to become

9:00 AM ET It’s hard to think about leveling up at a time when hockey is sinking into an abyss of positive tests, postponed games and a best-on-best Olympic tournament that will exist only in our daydreams and video game simulations. So let’s remember the good times, shall we? Here are 10 players and teams

3:42 PM ET Associated Press KAPALUA, Hawai’i — Phil Mickelson is headed back to Hawai’i for golf, not a vacation, committing to play the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua for the first time in 21 years. Mickelson won the winners-only tournament at La Costa Resort in 1998, then has played only twice since it

9:00 AM ET This has been one of my annual columns for ESPN for a while now, and it’s always fun to look back at the previous year’s list to see which prospective fights, if any, came to fruition. So, before getting into the MMA fights I want to see in 2022, let’s take a

7:00 AM ET The long-ballyhooed superstar shortstop free-agent class of 2021-22 is down to two: Carlos Correa and Trevor Story. Beginning with the 10-year, $341 million extension Francisco Lindor signed with the Mets just before the 2021 season, the shortstops have come off the board one by one: Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Javier Baez. That

3:07 PM ET Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez won’t be popular at Sevilla, and that has nothing to do with whether he inspires his squad of talented youngsters and downbeat senior pros to a slightly unlikely looking victory over Los Rojiblancos at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Tuesday (3 p.m. ET, stream live on ESPN+).

5:51 PM ET ORLANDO, Fla. — Not quite sure exactly how this week would play out, Joe LaCava decided to get to Florida a few days early. After a year of virtual inactivity, the caddie for Tiger Woods wanted to get out of the house. Playing some golf with his son, Joe Jr., and soaking

4:41 PM ET LAS VEGAS — The UFC’s 2021 will wrap up with a heavyweight main event, as Derrick Lewis will meet Chris Daukaus during UFC Fight Night at the Apex on Saturday. It’s a redemption spot for Lewis (25-8), who is coming off a knockout loss to Ciryl Gane in August for the interim

1:52 AM ET TAMPA, Fla. — Frank Gore first saw Jake Paul fight in January 2020. It was Paul’s pro boxing debut, a first-round knockout of fellow YouTube star AnEsonGib. At the time, the longtime NFL star running back thought that he could beat Paul. Gore had been training in boxing for more than a

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods knows the challenges he faces, understands the physical limitations that will hamper him, realizes that this week at the PNC Championship is just one small step — however painful — on his way back from a serious car crash. All of that perspective served him well as he played his

8:08 PM ET Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Jennifer Brady has become the latest withdrawal from next month’s Australian Open and two warm-up tennis tournaments because of injury. Australian Open officials on Sunday confirmed the 2021 finalist would miss the 2022 tournament because of a left foot injury, and said in a tweet: “wishing you

11:41 AM ET Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Durant becomes the eighth Nets player to enter the protocols. Forward Paul Millsap entered the protocols Monday, and was followed by forwards LaMarcus Aldridge, James Johnson and DeAndre’ Bembry and guard Jevon Carter on Tuesday morning. They were later

7:00 AM ET ESPN staff The Week 15 NFL schedule for the 2021 season is stacked with great matchups, and we got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game, a bold prediction for each matchup and, of course,

1:56 PM GMT All Round 2 matches between U.K. and French sides have been postponed hours after Ospreys vs. Racing 92 was called off due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases in the Welsh squad. European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) awarded Racing 92 a 28-0 victory and five match points, in accordance with competition

7:00 AM ET ESPN staff College football bowl season is here! Here are the key players and storylines you need to know for every team in every game, starting this week and running all the way through the College Football Playoff. Friday, Dec. 17 Bahamas BowlMiddle Tennessee vs. Toledo Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, BahamasNoon, ESPN

9:00 AM ET Hearing someone say that the NHL’s 3-on-3 overtime has gotten boring is like hearing someone say, “Hey, remember when pizza was good?” It’s pizza. Even when it’s bad, it’s good. I’ve chanted the same mantra about the 3-on-3 overtime format, which the NHL implemented in 2015 to end games before they reached

7:00 AM ET During the lockout, Major League Baseball personnel notably cannot speak with their major league players — not about free agency talks, rehab assignments, or spring plans. That gag order extends to the press, too — and early evidence shows that it has been effective, with some staffers mentioning fears of having their