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Try to make ends meet Try to find some money then you die." The hit song by British band The Verve is playing on the car radio as we drive into Pazardzhik, a small town just over an hour from Bulgaria's capital city Sofia. The lyrics are poignant because we're here to interview a man who's no stranger to life's ups and downs -- a former Olympian who was on top of his game a year before "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was near the top of the charts. Heading into Atlanta '96, his third Olympic Games, Serafim Todorov was at his peak as a boxer. Supremely confident, talented and experienced, the 27-year-old cruised through to the featherweight semifinals, where he faced a teenage American. Todorov says he underestimated his opponent and quickly realized that Floyd Mayweather was a "really good" boxer. Still, the Bulgarian won by a point in a controversial decision that sparked U.S. protests -- and the referee initially raised the American's glove. ...

No? Ah, well then you might have a problem.Yes, while most of the tickets for the highly-anticipated clash have sold out, there are still some floating around on secondary sites with ringside seats going at crazy money.A ticket at ringside will cost you $180,000 -- a knockout price which might have you seeing stars.As of lunchtime Friday, the most expensive seat on sale through the StubHub website, was retailing for a mammoth $128,705 but has since skyrocketed.Tickets were released last Thursday, just eight days before one of the biggest fights in history after legal wrangling between the two camps.However only around 1,000 were available to the general public, the rest of the estimated 16,500 tickets split between the fighters' camps and the casino as well as promoters and sponsors.Not long after some were made available on resale websites at a mark up that could only be dreamed about even by the sharpest financial trader.Those at the lower end of the eye-watering scale -- priced ...

Hirscher finished fourth in the World Cup Finals giant slalom in Meribel, France, Sunday to take his overall lead over Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud to 60 points. And when Jansrud, with only a minimal chance of overtaking that tally, opted not to compete in the season-ending slalom, the overall title went to Hirscher. He said his plans were "to hang out a bit, to go on a big vacation with my girlfriend for sure," adding: "I'm looking forward to doing my hobbies -- dirt biking, white water kayaking, climbing. Stuff like that, and maybe traveling more around Europe." Despite formulating his holiday plans, the 26-year-old Hirscher's mind is also very much on matching Marc Girardelli's men's record tally of five World Cup overall titles. Speaking to CNN, the Austrian said becoming overall champion "means everything for me, and that's definitely the truth." He added: "It was a long way to get there. We try to be professional in every direct...

The gadget is pictured in the prohibited section of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) guide for the 2015 championships -- alongside knives, flares and klaxons. Wimbledon is the latest venue to ban the contraption, with London's National Gallery, Manchester United Football Club and New York's Museum of Modern Art waving goodbye to the handy prop. A ticket-holders' guide for this year's tournament says: "In common with many other major sports and entertainment events and cultural attractions, The Championships will not allow 'selfie sticks' into the grounds." A spokesman for the historic venue -- which was formed in 1868 -- said the move comes partly because of the "nuisance value" of the sticks, and also so that it "doesn't interfere with spectators' enjoyment." This comes despite a recent surge in popularity, with tennis star Maria Sharapova, U.S. President Barack Obama and Great Britain's PM David Cameron all see...

Nick Faldo will bow out at historic St. Andrews -- the scene of the second of his three British Open successes back in 1990. The 57-year-old, who also won three Masters titles, has not played at any of the other three major tournaments since 2006. "The Open and St. Andrews will forever hold a significant place in my heart," said the Englishman, who has been a television pundit for the past decade as his playing days tapered off. "My fondest moments on my journey with this great sport are woven with pictures and emotions in this setting. It all means a huge amount to me." Faldo won his first major at another Scottish course, Muirfield, in 1987, and also triumphed there five years later, but achieved what every golfer dreams of when he took a healthy lead across the famous Swilcan Bridge to triumph by five shots at St. Andrews quarter of a century ago. "I look forward to celebrating all that golf has given me as I cross that storied bridge and the wonderful memo...

There was a familiar sight for motorsport fans as a smiling Schumacher splashed champagne on the podium. Not Formula One legend Michael, who is still recovering from serious head injuries suffered in a 2013 skiing accident, but his teenage son Mick -- who impressed on his debut in the new F4 series. The 16-year-old was named best rookie for his heroics on the first day of racing at the Oschersleben track, between Hanover and Berlin and rounded off the weekend Sunday with a superb victory. Starting second on the grid, he took the lead and controlled the race from the front without making any mistakes. His victory followed a 12th place in the morning racing. "Of course, I'm over-joyed, my first weekend of racing couldn't have gone any better," Schumacher said. "All in all, I am completely happy over the start of the season and I am looking forward to the next race." With Michael Schumacher still recovering from a serious head injury suffered during a skiing a...

Follow us at @CNNSport and like us on Facebook Nadal is aiming to become the first player in the Open Era to win a single major 10 times when he returns to Roland Garros, but preparations on his favored clay courts have not gone quite as planned. After failing to secure a ninth Monte Carlo Masters title earlier this month -- losing out to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in the semifinals -- he now has to go without a ninth Barcelona Open title after exiting the competition at the earliest hurdle since 2003. Nadal has just the one title to his name since landing his ninth French Open last June -- March's Argentina Open win. Fognini saw off Nadal for the second time this year with a 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) victory on Thursday, having also beaten his compatriot in the Rio Open semifinals. After edging a tight first set, Fognini forced the second into a tie-break, eventually winning out on a fourth match point following a mistimed forehand from his opponent. The win takes Fognini, who had been ...

Heather Mills is aware that, in all likelihood, she will probably always be best known for marrying a Beatle, Paul McCartney, but she is breaking off the shackles of that previous marriage with daredevil panache. The 47-year-old, who lost her left leg after being hit by a police motorcycle 22 years ago, has set herself the ambitious goal of going over that 200km/h mark in Vars, France, in April. No female disabled skier has ever attempted the record before, which begs the question why? "Why not?" Mills flips back quick as a flash with a laugh in a telephone interview with CNN. The able-bodied female record of 242.59km/h was set by Sweden's Sanna Tidstrand while Australian Michael Milton holds the disability mark with his effort of 213.65km/h set nine years ago. Mills just relishes breaking new ground for disabled athletes: "With the speed skiing, No.1 I like a challenge and I like to change people's perceptions of disability. "When I did Dancing with the St...

Team Africa will tip-off against Team World and will feature two-time NBA All-Star Luol Deng, born in South Sudan, as its captain. The Miami Heat star will lead a roster made up of first and second generation African players. Team World will be led by eight-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers. Here's what Team Africa captain, Luol Deng, had to say on Twitter. The game will be hosted in aid of Boys & Girls Clubs of South Africa, SOS Children's Villages Association of South Africa and the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Ticket details and full player rosters are yet to be announced. Click through the gallery above to see some of the greatest NBA players from Africa. More from African Voices View the original article here

Twitter thinks it has the answer. The social media platform has displayed the followers of each EPL team's official account on a world map to reveal which teams rules the Twittersphere across different countries and continents. And it's good news for Liverpool. Despite losing Sunday's FA Cup semifinal against Aston Villa, and without an English league title since 1990, Brendan Rodgers' team is still ranked as the most popular among UK-based Twitter users. The Reds are more popular on home soil than both second-ranked Arsenal and Manchester United in third. On the other side of the Atlantic, it's Arsenal -- owned by American entrepreneur Stan Kroenke -- which is most popular among U.S. fans, with current EPL leader Chelsea in second and United once again in third. United, which has won the English championship a record 20 times, enjoys Twitter dominance in India and Pakistan, while Chelsea is most popular further east in Malaysia and Indonesia. Arsenal enjoys the gr...

The 30 year old British champion had dominated the race in the Persian Gulf kingdom and was cruising towards his third victory of the season. But with the checkered flag in sight, both Mercedes cars experienced brake failure. Hamilton managed to hang on until the end but his German teammate Nico Rosberg slipped back to third place after he was overtaken by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. "We lost the brakes on both our cars... Lewis lost his during his final lap," confirmed Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. "It was a huge relief" to see his two drivers come home safely, he added. "It is a shame for Nico. He had a sensational race." Hamilton dominates The brake failure scuppered what looked like a Mercedes one-two after again being run close by a resurgent Ferrari. But Hamilton was ecstatic to extend his championship lead over Rosberg to 93 points. "I'm gunning for a third title," Hamilton said after the race. "I was able to pull through and...

If Floyd Mayweather can protect his unbeaten record against Manny Pacquiao, a Bulgarian man will experience a happiness he thought long-extinguished from his life. Because, until recently, Serafim Todorov was boxing's forgotten man. Now, as global attention focuses on the richest fight in the history of the sport, the sad story of the last boxer to defeat Mayweather -- almost two decades ago -- has come to light. The American will pocket a substantial part of the reported $300 million purse regardless of the outcome against Pacquiao. Todorov, meanwhile, would have to wait more than 35,000 years on his current monthly pension of under $500 to earn such a fee. But although he harbors great regrets and bitterness over the way his life has unfolded, none of it is aimed towards Mayweather. "I congratulate Floyd because everything he achieved in his life, he achieved with hard work," Todorov, who ended a teenage Mayweather's hopes of winning gold at the 1996 Olympic Games ...

Some 11 different men have passed through the Madrid exit door since the turn of the century, having often struggled to meet the Spanish club's demands for instant success and global domination. And with Real Madrid behind Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title after a run of poor results at the start of this year, there has been plenty of speculation over current coach Carlo Ancelotti's future. Former club president Ramon Calderon, though, is hopeful the Italian will be sticking around at the Santiago Bernabeu. "My wish will be that he stays with us and remains as the coach of Real Madrid," Calderon told CNN World Sport. Last season, Ancelotti succeeded where many of his predecessors had failed in leading the club to its long-awaited "La Decima" -- a 10th European Cup -- yet question marks still remain over whether the 55-year-old will see out his contract, which expires in 2016. Despite going on a 22-match unbeaten run earlier in the season, league d...

It meant Pep Guardiola's team, which had beaten Hertha Berlin 1-0 Saturday, could not be caught with four rounds remaining. The title race looked set to be extended for another week, but Gladbach's German international striker Max Kruse scored a last-gasp 90th minute winner. It lifted them within four points of Wolfsburg in the battle for second spot. All-conquering Bayern has now won three straight German titles, with Guardiola in charge for the last two after leaving Barcelona. It is also still on course for the 2013 treble of European, German league and cup titles. Tuesday sees the Bavarian giants face Borussia Dortmund in the semifinal of the German Cup in the Allianz Arena. Further ahead is the Champions League semifinal clash against Guardiola's former club Barcelona, wiht the first leg on May 6 in the Nou Camp. Chelsea took another significant step towards its first English Premier League title in five seasons by holding Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates St...

Lewis Hamilton took victory for the Silver Arrows at the Chinese Grand Prix -- only for his teammate Nico Rosberg to later claim he had ruined his race by driving slowly. The reigning world champion captured his 35th grand prix win with a peerless pole-to-flag win under Shanghai's sunny skies. "It was great to have a smooth weekend," the British racer said before spraying the champagne on the podium. "The team have done a fantastic job to up our pace and improve after our last race where we struggled a bit." F1 championship standings Hamilton had lost the Malaysia Grand Prix in a strategic battle with the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel but it was business as usual in Shanghai. Rosberg came home second for Mercedes to snuff out the threat from the chasing Italian racers and renew his rivalry with Hamilton. "It was an important comeback for the team," said the 2014 championship runner-up. Ferrari continued to put pressure on the world champion team with Ve...

The 21-year-old became the second-youngest player to win at Augusta, behind only Woods' 1997 effort, and just the fifth man to lead the prestigious tournament from start to finish. The American went into Sunday's final round with a four-shot lead, extended that by one after his opening nine holes, and at the next beat Phil Mickelson's Masters record of 26 birdies for the week. Unlike last year, where he squandered the lead just before the nine-hole turn on the last day, this time he was unstoppable. Spieth's 28th birdie, at the 15th hole, made him the first player to reach 19 under par at the Masters -- eclipsing Woods' 1997 winning total. A bogey at the last meant he ended tied with the 14-time major champion's mark. The Texan couldn't match Woods' 12-shot winning margin of 18 years ago, but finished four ahead of second-placed Justin Rose and Mickelson -- both of whom are already major winners. Spieth's halfway total of 14 under par on Friday brok...

When Agnieszka Radwanska announced in December that she had hired her idol Martina Navratilova, it seemed the Polish player was taking a significant step in her bid to win a first grand slam title. Instead, they have parted ways just months into the 2015 season, with the former world No. 2 having slumped from sixth in the rankings to ninth -- reaching only one semifinal, and that in a minor tournament in her home country. Navratilova, an 18-time grand slam singles title winner, said in a statement that she was too busy to continue in her part-time role. Born in the former Czechoslovakia but a longtime U.S. citizen, Navratilova married her partner Julia Lemigova in December. "I think I underestimated the time it would take to make this a proper and good situation for both Agnieszka and me," the 58-year-old said on the WTA Tour website. "I have quite a busy family life now as well as my TV work and other business commitments, which all combined make it impossible to dedic...

Born 14 minutes apart, they shared a deep love of horse racing that translated itself into success on the track and catapulted them into the leading echelons of Australian jockeys. But Nathan, the older of the two, was struck down by Norse Syndrome, an acute form of epilepsy that attacks the brain through seizures and affects only one in a million people. He died in April last year, aged just 23, after collapsing in Singapore, where he had begun a four-month riding contract. Tommy told CNN that his brother's memory spurs him on every time he competes. "We just had a connection that you can't explain," he said. "I believe that Nathan helps me in each race that I ride in, so he is the first person I want to thank." Nathan won the $1.5 million Magic Millions Gold Coast 2YO Classic in January 2014, emulating his brother's victories in that race in 2011-12, to further enhance his rapidly-growing reputation. Tommy has continued to impress since his brother...

The 21-year-old golfer equaled Tiger Woods' 1997 record winning score of 18 under par to realize his childhood ambitions of donning the green jacket on Sunday as he swept through the field to become Masters champion at Augusta. An ice-cool display made him the second-youngest winner -- behind only Woods, who was 155 days younger that year -- and only the fifth man to have led from start to finish over the tournament's four days. "I miss her a lot, and I wish she could have been here," Spieth told CNN's Don Riddell in the aftermath of his triumph as he opened up about younger sibling Ellie, who was not able to attend the tournament. "But I can't wait to get back to her and maybe let her try on the jacket. "I'll have to bring her back a present from here. That's what she'll be expecting." Amid all the pressure of playing professional golf, Spieth's 14-year-old sister provides him with perspective. "How has she shaped my upbri...

But this is no bug's life, the moth shares its name with one of the most exciting sailing boats in global regattas from Australia to the United States. They are the cutting edge of sailing design, so it's no wonder moth racing has been described as "Formula One on water." The boats in question may just be over three meters long and weigh a mere 30 kilos but they effectively fly on water -- or foil -- at speeds of up to 30 knots (55km/h.) They were also the inspiration for the style of boats and racing now employed in the America's Cup, albeit on a much smaller and affordable scale. KA Sail founder Andrew McDougall has been a leading light in how the sport has changed. "It needed someone, something, some class to really push this to the point where people were saying 'this is real, this is doable, this is fun, this is what we should be doing,'" McDougall told CNN. "Once you sail this you can't stop talking about it to all your friends, a...

Follow us at @CNNSport and like us on Facebook The rivalry between Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has dominated the back-page headlines -- not just in Spain, but across the world -- thanks to their phenomenal goalscoring feats. Since their season started in August, Portugal captain Ronaldo -- who won his third World Player of the Year award in January -- is on top with 50 goals in all competitions. Argentina skipper Messi is not far behind, with the four-time Ballon d'Or winner scoring a total of 46 goals in the same period for his club. Ronaldo's tally means he has already equaled the number of goals he scored last season. Goals from the UEFA Super Cup (USC), Copa Del Rey (CDR), the European Champions League (CL) and La Liga (LIGA) are listed below in chronological order -- and with more matches left to play, it's still anyone's game. Both players are in action in this week's Champions League quarterfinals as Barca takes on Pa...

The former world No. 1 will line up at the $10 million Players Championship, a tournament where he has won twice -- most recently in 2013 -- and been runner-up once. Woods, now ranked 106th after tying for 17th at Augusta on his return to action after a two-month break, did not qualify for next week's 64-man World Golf Championships Cadillac Match Play event in San Francisco. However, the 39-year-old took heart from his performance in the season's opening major, where he shot two sub-70 rounds and showed his short game is back in shape despite his continuing problems off the tee. "I'm very encouraged," the 14-time major champion said on his website. "It felt great to get back out there with the guys and compete again. "I hit a lot of good shots and look forward to teeing it up again at the Players Championship." The tournament, held at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida from May 7-10, is one of the most prestigious on the PGA Tour. Woods did not...

"Nothing less than genocide," is how the Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the tragedy, which comes less than a week after another 400 people lost their lives attempting the dangerous sea crossing. But come May, there will be another search-and-rescue ship scouring the waves for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East -- though this is hardly your typical life-saving mission. Meet Chris and Regina Catrambone, a wealthy couple whose 40-meter floating medical center has already rescued more than 3,000 people since launching late last year. Inspired by a sermon from Pope Francis in which he criticized what he called the "global indifference" to the refugee crisis, the couple invested in a 483-ton converted fishing trawler, called "Phoenix." The boat is equipped with two high-tech drones, a medical clinic, 1,000 liters of water, hundreds of life jackets, and food. Manning all of this is a crew of 20, including doctors, para...

The 41-year-old Radcliffe, plagued by injuries in recent years, had vowed to pound the 42km course around Britain's capital city just one more time and was good to her word. Those 12 years ago, Radciffe stunned the world of athletics with a time of two hours 15 minutes 25 seconds and also produced two other sub two-hour 18 minutes performances for the marathon distance at the peak of her career. To put it into context, the winning time of the 2015 London women's winner, Ethiopia's Tigist Tufa, was just under eight minutes slower than Radcliffe's of 2003. In cold and windy conditions, it was nevertheless a fine performance from Tufa, who relegated two-time former winner Mary Keitany of Kenya to second place. The men's race was won by Eliud Kipchoge, who led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium places with a time of two hours four minutes 42 seconds. He burst clear in the closing stages to beat defending London champion Wilson Kipsang, with world record-holder Dennis K...

Johnson, who was initially arrested by Durham Police on March 2, will appear before Peterlee Magistrates' Court on May 20. "We have reviewed the available evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and concluded that there is a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to charge Adam Johnson with one offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, contrary to Section 15 of the Sexual Offenses Act 2003 and three offenses of sexual activity with a child, contrary to Section 9 of the Sexual Offense Act 2003," Gerry Wareham, chief crown prosecutor for the Northeast of England, in a statement. "The alleged offenses date from 30 December 2014 to 26 February 2015." Wareham said that the offenses are alleged to have been committed on one girl who was aged 15 at the time. Read: Footballer arrested in under-age sex probe Johnson's club Sunderland has yet to respond to CNN's request for comment. The 27-year-old's a...

The victor in the grueling two hour 27-minute match was home favorite, Angelique Kerber -- who defeated the five-time grand slam champion 2-6 7-5 6-1. Sharapova has dominated the tournament in recent times lifting the trophy for three consecutive seasons. The six feet, two inch-tall star -- whose official Facebook page boasts more than 14 million likes -- is a noted clay court expert, winning the French Open in 2012 and 2014. "We both played very well, high-level tennis," said Kerber, after ending Sharapova's 13-match unbeaten run at the event. "It felt amazing out there. The crowd was so supportive of both of us. I was a little bit tired in the second set but when I heard the crowd I was fighting until the last point -- it was amazing to feel the support from all the fans here at home. "It's a special moment and a special tournament for me -- to play at home and in front of all of my family and friends, it's a great feeling. It's my favorite tourna...