NEWS » xt fight after two easy wins earlier this year which en

MARSEILLE, France -- As his Germany team prepares to face France in the European Championship semifinal, coach Joachim Loew has paid tribute to a bond between the teams forged amid the chaos and bloodshed of Novembers Paris attacks.Explosions rang out at the Stade de France when three suicide bombers detonated their devices near the stadium during the last meeting between the teams, a friendly on Nov. 13. It was part of a wave of gun and bomb attacks across Paris which left 130 people dead and many more wounded.France and Germany played out the game as news of the attacks filtered through to the shocked spectators, who gathered on the field after the final whistle, fearful of leaving the ground. French President Francois Hollande was spirited out of the stadium by security officials to coordinate the governments response.With the German team unable to return to their hotel, the French players decided to stay at the stadium, keeping their opponents company for several hours.It was very positive that the French, on that night when we were in Paris, gave us full support, Loew said Wednesday. They delayed their departure and waited until we were also out of the stadium. They really cared about us.That obviously shows a fundamentally very, very good relationship, also between the players, who know each other, some of whom play together (at club level).Despite Loews gratitude to the French for their help in Paris in November, he added that the bond between the teams would not influence the European Championship semifinal.The rivalry on the pitch tomorrow in the semifinal is obviously enormous, he said. Both sides want to get to the final, so of course I dont think this will play a role tomorrow.The score of the Nov. 13 game, a 2-0 win for France, was almost an afterthought. Still, it means Germany has only won twice against France in eight meetings since Germany was reunified in 1990.However, the Germans took victory in the only competitive game in that era, winning 1-0 with a Mats Hummels goal in the 2014 World Cup quarterfinals on the way to being named world champions. Shoes Canada Sale . -- Jimmie Johnson held off a teammate, passed a pair of Hall of Famers, and dominated once more at Dover. Shoes Canada From China . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. https://www.shoescanadaonline.com/ .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Wholesale Shoes Canada . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Shoes Canada Cheap . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. Heavyweight boxing is in a confusing -- some say messy -- state, but not everyone is complaining.When Tyson Fury imploded, so did the heavyweight division and two of the four versions of the world title are vacant.Briton Fury (25-0, 18 KOs), 28, is currently inactive and receiving treatment for mental health related problems after twice pulling out of a rematch with Wladimir Klitschko, who he beat a year ago.Fury relinquished the WBA and WBO belts while WBC champion Deontay Wilder (37-0, 36 KOs), 31, is currently injured and not expected to return until next spring.IBF champion Anthony Joshuas December 10 defence against American Eric Molina, which was hastily arranged after Klitschko decided not to fight the Briton on that date, has been criticised by fans as a mismatch.Fury, who became the lineal champion and holder of three world title belts (IBF, WBA and WBO) by out-pointing Klitschko, also caused a storm by offensive comments while champion before then testing positive for cocaine use.After the controversies, postponements, positive drugs tests and disappearing champions, the heavyweight division is in a state of flux.But has is all been so bad for boxing? It depends who you ask.I think its terrible for boxing what has happened with the titles, Mick Hennessy, Furys promoter, told ESPN.Tyson did something unique and very special by becoming lineal champion and ending Klitschkos reign. That was what was needed for the sport, something fresh. All the belts were together except one.For a period it really lifted heavyweight boxing. What is going on now is ridiculous. Everyone is scrambling around trying to get their hands on titles that they dont deserve.It degrades the value of the titles. People are calling Anthony Joshua a world champion but hes not a world champion. Others will be sold as world champions, but they arent. The public need to know they arent proper world champions. Only Deontay Wilder is a legitimate champion like Tyson was.Tyson isnt boxing at the moment but as far as Im concerned hes still the man. Until Tyson retires no one can say hes not the best.Hennessy expects Fury to box again in 2017.Its day by day, were not going to predict it [when Fury will box again] but I think he will when the time is right because its in his blood, Hennessy said.Its something that he loves and if he finds that love and when things are right, he will be unstoppable.The only person who can stop him is himself, none of these other fighters who are fighting for titles now.But for Joshua, the splintering of the title belts gives him a chance to strengthen his position. The 2012 Olympic gold medallist is set to dispute the vacant WBA super world title with Ukraines Klitschko -- providing he beats Molina -- in the spring, with Cardiffs Principality Stadium being considered as a venue.Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs), 27, only got to fight for the IBF title because it became vacant after Fury had won it from 40-year-old Klitschko (64-4, 54 KOs), who had ruled for nine and a half years. By agreeing to face Klitschko in a rematch instead of facing the IBFs mandatory challenger, Fury was quickly stripped of the IBF belt.Tyson Fury has done really well for the division, said Joshua.The fracturing of the heavyweight belts has also been good news for those wishing to get a crack at world titles.When three of the four worldd titles were in the hands of Klitschko, who most years has only boxed twice, it limited the chances of contenders getting the chance to challenge for the belts.dddddddddddd.Now, with at least three (four if you include the WBA regular title) world heavyweight champions next year, more will have a shot at global glory than in the days when Wladimir and brother Vitali held all four belts between them.Its all over the place in the heavyweight division right now, heavyweight contender David Price told ESPN. Thats maybe not good for the fans but its better than having just one champion for the boxers because we can be involved in bigger fights.It was locked down for years by the Klitschkos. You had to become a mandatory challenger for one of their belts or be a safe voluntary defence. Then Tyson Fury changed all that.Theres so much going on with the titles at the moment, the WBA is all over the place, and I just wish it had happened four years ago when I was British champion. Now Im not in the best of positions.Anthony Joshua has been so fortunate the way things have fallen into place for him.Price (21-3, 18 KOs) was overlooked as an opponent to challenge his fellow Briton Joshua on December 10 but is hopeful of a world title shot in 2017.Im ranked with the IBF [12] and WBO [11] and I want the quickest and easiest route to a title, it doesnt make sense to take the toughest route. The WBO have got a vacant title so maybe that is a route for me, Price said.I was supposed to fight Joseph Parker on this show on December 10 but that fell through and then I was supposed to fight Eric Molina on that date. Now Parker is boxing off for the vacant belt against Andy Ruiz.Las Vegas-based Parker (21-0, 18 KOs) will fight Mexican Ruiz Jr (29-0, 19 KOs) for the vacant WBO belt in his homeland of New Zealand on the same date as Joshua-Molina.David Haye (28-2, 26 KOs), the former WBA champion, lies in the wait for the winner of Parker-Ruiz, according to the WBO. Haye, 36, has also been linked to a fight against Russian Alexander Ustinov (33-1, 24 KOs), 39, for the fringe WBA interim title but the Briton has yet to announce his next fight after two easy wins earlier this year which ended an exile of three and a half years.The WBAs regular world title is also vacant and will be contested by Australian Lucas Browne (24-0, 21 KOs) -- banned earlier this year after testing positive for a banned substance -- and American veteran Shannon Briggs (60-6-1, 53 KOs), who at 44 is seven years older than Browne.Among the others scrambling to get a title shot is Florida-based Cuban Luis Ortiz (25-0, 22 KOs), who was recently stripped of the WBA interim title for failing to fight Ustinov next but this weekend hopes to put himself back in contention.The 37-year-old -- known as King Kong -- has his first fight after signing a deal with Joshuas promoter Eddie Hearn on Saturday when he faces American Malik Scott (38-2-1, 13 KOs) at the Salle des Etoiles in Monte-Carlo.I think Fury was able to shake up the heavyweight division and because of him, the division is now one of the most exciting divisions to watch, said Ortiz.I just want to get the opportunity to face him, or Wilder, to prove I am a champion as well. ' ' '