Oleksandr Usyk had been in talks to face a former world heavyweight champion, only for a prolonged spell of negotiations to ultimately scupper their showdown.

The three-time, two-division undisputed king has not fought since his fifth-round finish of Daniel Dubois last July, which followed his two points victories over Tyson Fury in 2024.

Having claimed those two scalps, as well as beating Anthony Joshua on two occasions, Usyk has firmly cemented himself as the greatest heavyweight and cruiserweight of his generation.

One man who had hoped to challenge that status, however, is Deontay Wilder, who was named by Usyk as a desirable opponent towards the end of last year.

‘The Bronze Bomber’ comes off a stoppage victory over little-known heavyweight Tyrrell Herndon in June, which followed his defeats against Zhilei Zhang and Joseph Parker.

His fifth-round stoppage loss to Zhang, in particular, left a sizable impression on the division in 2024, with many calling for the former WBC champion to retire.

But since then, Wilder has managed to secure a showdown with fellow veteran Derek Chisora at London’s O2 Arena on April 4.

This came about after the American’s talks with Usyk, who he was expected to face later this year, had collapsed at the negotiating table.

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Wilder explained why, instead of challenging for the WBC, IBF and WBA belts, he is now facing Chisora in a non-title fight.

“Me and Derek had been working on a fight for a very long time. Actually, this fight was supposed to have happened back in December.

With the Usyk situation, it was like, ‘I’m 40 years old; I’m ready to go. I can’t sit back; I can’t sit around.’

I don’t think they [team Usyk] had a set date, a place where they wanted to go – that was still lingering around.

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The clock goes like this – it’s tick-tocking.”

Perhaps a clash between Usyk and Wilder could soon be revisited, but only if the 40-year-old successfully takes care of Chisora in April.

Moses Itauma, guided by Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, is widely considered to be the heir to the heavyweight throne. Eddie Hearn is looking ahead to make sure he has a stake in the division in years to come.

Itauma has done everything right as a professional, moving to 13-0 with 11 stoppages. Last time out, he beat former world challenger Dillian Whyte in all of two minutes.

Though injury pushed back his next challenge against Jermaine Franklin, when fight night comes around next month the 21 year old is expected to push on in impressive fashion. World titles are around the corner, and a changing of the guard should happen over the next 24 months.

Though Itauma is leading the charge for the new generation of big men, there are other exciting names on the rise. Top Rank’s Richard Torrez is impressing across the pond, and Matchroom — having had arguably the biggest star in the sport in Anthony Joshua since debut — won’t go down without a fight.

In his stable, Hearn pinpointed to IFL TV two heavyweights to ‘rock with’ Itauma in future: Teremoana Teremoana and Leo Atang.

“[Itauma] is an exceptional talent. He’s a one-off talent; that’s the best word. A one-off.

“I’ve got to find some heavyweights that can rock with him over the next three or four years, and I’ve got two that I think will really rock with him. One will rock with him in 6 to 12 months, and that’s Teremoana, and the other one is Leo Atang.”

Australia’s Teremoana is 9-0 with 9 early finishes and has the charisma to be a fan favourite in the heavyweight ranks. With Matchroom actively working down under, he will have the right backing to grow, and the man himself has talked up the idea of a huge fight with Itauma.

Perhaps more intriguing for fans years down the line will be Atang, the 4-0 Yorkshireman who has been likened to ‘AJ.’ Coming off a third round win over Amine Boucetta last month, he will be back out on February 21 on the undercard of Leigh Wood vs Josh Warrington. Atang, 19, is significantly behind Itauma in his development, but welcomes the idea of a British rivalry brewing. Hearn knows that this one in particular will take time, and Itauma will likely be champion when it happens.

“We need more time, he’s [Atang] 18 and 10 fights behind (Itauma). If Leo is going to go and fight for the world heavyweight championship, he’s gonna be against Moses.

“I can give you the hype but the reality is, anything can happen. You really need a lot of luck along the way.”

All three talents indicate that the heavyweight division can thrive when the likes of Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury and Joshua draw the curtain on their campaigns.

A former British world champion is set for an unexpected return to combat sports after nearly four years away away from boxing.

After a lull period, the UK is once again home to many male world champions, with Fabio Wardley, Dalton Smith, Josh Kelly, Jazza Dickens and Lewis Crocker all holding gold, though Nick Ball did lose his WBA belt on Saturday.

There is still a long way to go to match the heights from around a decade ago, where at one stage there were 14 world champions, one of them being Lee Selby, who held the IBF featherweight crown.

Selby lost his belt after a defeat to Josh Warrington, and after further losses to George Kambosos and Gustavo Lemos, the Welshman last competed in March 2022.

At 38-years-old, he is now set for a comeback, announced today that he has signed a multi-fight deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing.

The organisation is already home to former world champions Paulie Malignaggi and Yuriorkis Gamboa, and Selby revealed he is now looking to reach the top once again.

“I’ve achieved everything in gloved boxing – from regional titles to defending my world title five times. Now, bare knuckle is calling. It’s the original, no-filter version of boxing, and I’m excited to bring my speed, skill, and experience to BKB. I’m here to win another world title and show why I’m still one of the best.”

Details on when Selby will be making his debut in BKB Bare Knuckle are expected to be announced soon.

Michael Carrick’s Manchester United can make it five wins from five against West Ham on Tuesday

Manchester United are at peak performance and firmly in Champions League contention under Michael Carrick. And they can secure a fifth consecutive victory against West Ham on Tuesday evening, following Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Tottenham at Old Trafford.

Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes found the net in each half as United overcame Thomas Frank’s 10-man Spurs on Saturday. Victory over the Hammers would see United overtake Aston Villa in third place, ahead of Unai Emery’s side’s fixture against Brighton on Wednesday evening.

Carrick assumed control on an interim basis following Ruben Amorim’s departure and will remain in charge until the season’s conclusion.

United officials have offered no indication as to who will assume the manager’s role permanently next term, but the former midfielder is certainly making a compelling case for the position.

Here, the MEN examines two of the most significant stories surrounding United ahead of the West Ham fixture, with loanee Marcus Rashford attracting attention in Spain and Gary Neville offering insight into the club’s pursuit of a new permanent boss.

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Marcus Rashford earns acclaim

Rashford’s future at Manchester United continues to dominate discussion after the loanee sought to revitalise his career at Barcelona.

The striker has encountered mixed fortunes at Camp Nou, but seized the opportunity of a rare start against Mallorca with both hands – earning collective praise from the Spanish media. Rashford stepped into the injured Raphinha’s role in Barcelona’s line-up, marking his first start since 3 January.

The English forward was substituted in the second half to a standing ovation from the crowd. Mundo Deportivo commended Rashford for invigorating Barca after a lacklustre beginning. “By far, one of Barca’s most purposeful players in a first half that was collectively very flat,” read an article.

“Taking [Hansi] Flick’s challenge to heart, he assumed attacking responsibility when the game looked its worst, producing the most dangerous shots, the second leading to the 1-0 goal, and sending a beautiful free kick straight off the crossbar. Substituted to well-deserved applause.”

AS noted that Rashford’s form has been on the up as he’s settled into life in Spain. Meanwhile, the Barca Universal website awarded the striker an 8.5/10 rating.

“Rashford was perhaps Barcelona’s most potent threat in the first half as he did not hesitate to cut in and shoot, creating a ruckus in the Mallorca area and bombarding Roman’s goal with powerful strikes,” their report stated.

“He also did well providing a wide threat, although his crosses were well defended for the greater part. In fact, the opening goal stemmed from his shot on goal, which fell kindly for [Robert] Lewandowski.”

Gary Neville provides Man United manager update

Neville has revealed details about United’s procedure for appointing a new permanent manager, stating he directly contacted the club and that the hunt for a permanent successor to Amorim is well underway.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, he said: “I made my position clear a few weeks ago, and what I’m not going to do is repeat it every week, but what I did, I actually spoke to the club, because ultimately the club get asked all the time from journalists and broadcasters, what’s the position of the club.

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“It’s a very difficult situation, you’ve got a massive movement now with what’s happened towards giving Carrick the job, saying that, really, he should be considered. That’s only going to build the more that he wins and the more that he gets closer to Champions League football.

“I asked the club what is the official position of the football club in terms of what you’re saying publicly to everybody else. I have to say I thought their answer was pretty good. They said they’ve actually begun the process now, starting to look for another manager, which I thought right.

“That’s good to hear because you need to plan for everything. They’ve started the process of speaking to and looking at other managers, building all the sorts of data and analysing who should be the next manager of the football club. But what they’ve said is they’re not going to be bounced into – irrespective of wins or draws or losses on the pitch in this next couple of months – making an appointment. They’re going to wait until towards the end of the season.”

Akwa United have announced the signing of five new players as they continue their push for a return to the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL).

The Promise Keepers are currently top of Conference B in the Nigeria National League (NNL) and have strengthened their squad to maintain their strong form in the second half of the season.

The new signings include forward Dada Oladimeji, midfielders Nsikak Raphael, Kingsley Uduak and Aniebiet Sunday, as well as central defender Melvin Ebitimi.

All five players have joined the team in training and featured in the club’s six mid-season friendly matches.

Club Chairman Joseph Eno expressed confidence in the quality of the new players and urged them to settle quickly into the squad. He also said the club is committed to the Akwa Ibom State Government’s target of returning Akwa United to the NPFL this season, promising top-class welfare and support for the players.

Head coach Paul Offor also said he believes the new players have what it takes to help the team achieve promotion at the end of the campaign.

During the mid-season transfer window, Akwa United released nine players. Midfielder Anietie Uko joined Mbeya Kwanza FC in Tanzania, winger Erikan Francis moved to Heartland FC on loan, while Lazarus Ebuka, Itebu James, Joshua Unoro, Babatunde Omosebi, Onhanedo Onyedikachi, Emenike John and Emmanuel Ita returned to their parent clubs.

Akwa United will face Rovers of Calabar on Matchday 10 on Sunday, 15 February 2026, at the Uyo Township Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 3:00 pm, with the Promise Keepers hoping to complete a double over their neighbours.

David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.9m – Brentford (a) and Wolves (a)

Gabriel (captain), Arsenal, defender, £7.1m – Brentford (a) and Wolves (a)

Jurrien Timber, Arsenal, defender, £6.4m – Brentford (a) and Wolves (a)

I’m going for the defensive triple-up again after it worked a treat in gameweek 25.

And Gabriel is the premium captaincy choice this week. He’s averaging 7.1 points per match this season, making him the fourth highest-scoring asset in the game.

The Wolves match feels like a nailed-on clean sheet and, given their current defensive form, you’re hoping they can keep Thiago and Brentford at bay too.

Daniel Munoz, Crystal Palace, £5.8m – Burnley (h)

Chris Richards, Crystal Palace, £4.4m – Burnley (h)

This week’s team is also all-in on the Palace defence at home to struggling Burnley.

Richards has hit ‘defcon’ on 10 occasions this season and missed out by a point four times too.

Munoz, surprisingly, does not stand out stats-wise in many areas, unlike last season.

But you only have to watch a Palace game to see the attacking threat he poses – he’s basically a right-winger.

The Minnesota Vikings probably “won too many games” to be in play for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love during April’s draft, but the man would love to land in Minneapolis nevertheless.

The comment doesn’t guarantee anything, but it’s the kind of signal that keeps Minnesota’s draft radar humming.

Love wasn’t shy last week about his zeal for the Vikings, and if he slid on draft night, well, the purple team might just pounce.

Best RB Prospect in 2026 Draft … Likes the Vikings

Remember Love’s name because there’s a slight chance he ends up in Minnesota.

Love on the Vikings

This one is pretty damn straightforward — Love loves the Vikings.

He said on The Paul Harrington Show last week when asked about the idea of the Vikings drafting him in Round 1, “I would be blessed to go there. Lot of great guys.”

Love, along with Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, was heavily in the mock-draft mix for Minnesota two months ago when the team had a 4-8 record. The Vikings, at least for a couple of weeks, held the 10th overall pick in the draft, prime territory for Love and Downs.

Then, Kevin O’Connell and friends won five straight games to close out 2025, nudging the draft pick from 10 to 18 and pricing themselves out of the Love and Downs sweepstakes.

Still, if there’s a way, Love wouldn’t mind turning purple.

The Scouting Report

Love is 6’0″ and 214 pounds with 4.4 speed. In the last two seasons at Notre Dame, he’s banked 2,497 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns, chipping in 5 receiving scores for good measure.

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein named a comp for Love — Jahmyr Gibbs — and outlined his scouting report: “Three-phase running back capable of stressing defenses with big-play speed and untapped pass-catching value. Love shared carries but was the heartbeat of Notre Dame’s offense over the last two years.

“He runs with a fierce tempo and processes the front with adequate eyes to find entry points and burst through them. Urgency works in his favor, but he’ll occasionally miss open lanes when he gets too deep too quickly. Outstanding speed erases pursuit angles to the corner and helps him pull away from tacklers once he opens his gait.”

The Vikings haven’t employed a game-changing running back arguably in five years; the last guy was the 2021 version of Dalvin Cook.

Zierlein added, “He’s live-legged with violent cuts in segmented bursts that can elude tacklers but slow his momentum. He’s not a pile-mover but he runs through contact and squeezes out extra yards as a committed finisher.”

“He’s a talented route runner and pass catcher who can work from the slot and mismatch linebackers. Love is a three-down, scheme-independent player who would benefit from a complementary back to preserve his big-play ability.”

A Game-Changer of Offense

While Love probably isn’t gettable for the Vikings after their five-game win spurt to close out 2025, he will change some team’s offense next autumn. He has the production, speed, size, and versatility to step in as an RB1 immediately.

Not for nothing, that’s what’s missing from the Vikings’ offense. O’Connell got the memo down the stretch of the 2025 campaign that he needed to run the ball more frequently, especially with poor quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. When the shift occurred — not passing the ball more than 60% of the time with struggling quarterbacks — Minnesota ripped off the five-game win streak.

While Love likely isn’t available to Minnesota, aside from a trade, the Vikings will still need a young, dynamic running back, whether that’s Breece Hall from free agency or one of Love’s draft mates, like Jonah Coleman (Washington), Jadarian Price (Notre Dame), or Nick Singleton (Penn State)

Realistic Draft Destinations

Approximately six teams will prevent Love from sliding to the Vikings and fulfilling his de facto request to join the team. The list of teams on the board before Minnesota that could draft Love looks like this:

• Baltimore Ravens
• Dallas Cowboys
• Kansas City Chiefs
• New Orleans Saints
• New York Jets
• Washington Commanders

SI.com‘s Sam Dehring mock-drafted Love to the Chiefs on Saturday and explained, “Some of my picks might be repeats from last week, and this is one of them. It seems likely that the Chiefs could lose Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt in free agency. Jeremiyah Love would be a match made in heaven selection for the Kansas City Chiefs.”

Kansas City finished 6-11 in 2025 after a down season and ACL tear for Patrick Mahomes. Lucking into Love for their troubles would feel downright nasty for the NFL and might indefinitely prolong the now-paused dynasty.

Otherwise, if Love tumbles to Minnesota at No. 18, he won’t be upset about it.