Also in this sports roundup:

Germany got off to a flying start against Curaçao (7-1). The Netherlands and Japan played out a spectacular draw (2-2). In Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton secured his first victory in two years. In rugby, Stade Français qualified for the Top 14 semi-finals. Paris Basket won Game 1 of the Betclic Elite finals. Paul Seixas withdrew from the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, which was won by Isaac del Toro.

Hamzah Sheeraz won the WBO super-middleweight world title last month, and with the unbeaten star willing to have a quick turnaround, a fellow 168lber has declared that he would be ready for a short-notice opportunity to challenge the Brit.

Next month, Anthony Joshua will make his return to action as he takes on Kristian Prenga in Jeddah on July 25, hoping to tee up a long-awaited showdown with perennial rival Tyson Fury.

Earlier this week, BoxingScene reported that two world titles could be up for grabs on the undercard, with both Josh Kelly and Sheeraz set for their first defences of super-welterweight and super-middleweight world honours respectively.

While Kelly is reportedly poised to face Belfast’s Caoimhin Agyarko, Sheeraz’s opponent is unknown, with a top 15 WBO ranking being the only stipulation. 

In an interview with Boxing News, 39-year-old Milorad Zizic, who is rated as the WBO #9, shared his willingness to challenge for Sheeraz’s crown, in a fight where he could join Dejan Zlatičanin as the second Montenegrin world champion in boxing history.

“It would mean a lot to me. I live for that goal. It would be a great honour for me, my family, Montenegro, and the entire Balkan region. To become only the second world champion in Montenegro’s history would be something truly special.

“It would mean everything to me. I live for boxing. I truly believe that this fight could become the upset of the decade.”

Zizic, once named as the hardest puncher that Floyd Mayweather Sr. has ever witnessed, then went on to share his confidence in that proposed contest, where he hopes to continue a streak of six consecutive bouts that have not lasted more than two rounds.

“Hamzah Sheeraz is a true champion. He’s in his prime, and I have a lot of respect for him. But believe me, he has never faced — and will never face — a puncher as devastating as I am. I respect him as a fighter, but not to the point where I think I can’t beat him. I believe in my abilities, and I’m confident I can make my dream a reality.

“It will be a war from the first bell, I know how it can be. If we fight and he survives five rounds, he will be the winner, but five rounds against me is a long time.

“If Hamzah and his team want this fight, I’m ready. If not, that’s okay too. I’ll keep moving forward, keep working, and stay focused on my journey. My time will come.”

Whilst his lead trainer is Joco Todorovic, Zizic was previously cornered by fan-favourite four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr, who continues to coach him.

Speaking with Boxing News, Jones explained why he believes Zizic would be an interesting test for Sheeraz, agreeing with Zizic’s plan to force a shoot-out.

“Zizic is a very strong puncher, just like Sheeraz is, they are both very strong punchers. Zizic had been off for a minute, but he came back and got four quick wins, he is back active and I think that would be a great fight for Sheeraz.

“Like I said, they are both really good punchers and Sheeraz won’t meet many people that can match his punching power, but Zizic does have punching power like that.”

“He has got to go right to him. He can’t try to box him, he will go right to him. That would probably be the smartest approach because if you box him, with as long as he [Sheeraz] is, he is going to beat you. 

“So your best chance is try to and get to him as quick as you can and see if he can take your punches. If you wait, he is going to get you out of there.”

News on Sheeraz’s opponent – should he feature on the card – is expected imminently, with other WBO-rated contenders, Bernardin Jakaj (#12) and Jack Bowen (#14) also available as potential opponents.

The Fifa World Cup 2026 found itself at the centre of yet another controversy, this time involving one of its match officials.

Referee Shaun Evans has come under scrutiny after anti-discrimination campaigners accused him of making a hand gesture associated with white supremacist groups during Germany’s World Cup match against Curacao in Houston on Sunday.

The incident occurred when the television broadcast cut to the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) room during the match. Critics alleged that Evans appeared to make an upside-down ‘OK’ hand sign, a symbol that has been linked to far-right and white nationalist movements in recent years.

The allegations have sparked calls for Fifa to remove the official from the tournament’s officiating panel.

A split-second image ignites a storm

What might otherwise have been an unremarkable television shot quickly became one of the most discussed moments in the first week of tournament.

Screenshots and video clips of the VAR room circulated on social media, with observers pointing to what they claimed was an upside-down ‘OK’ sign made by Evans while the cameras were focused on match officials. 

The symbol has generated controversy internationally over the past decade.

According to reports, the same gesture was displayed by Brenton Tarrant during a court appearance in 2019 following the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 50 people were killed.

The BBC has also included the upside-down ‘OK’ sign among recognised hate symbols in its reporting on extremist movements.

Anti-discrimination group demands action

The strongest response came from Fare Network, an organisation that campaigns against discrimination in football.

In a sharply worded statement, the group urged Fifa to take immediate action against the official.

“Advice from our experts is that the gesture used clearly resembles an upside down ‘OK’ hand symbol used as a ‘White power’ symbol in global far-right circles.

“Why is a VAR supervisor is using this symbol at a global football event at the very moment he knows the cameras are on him? It can only be that he is intentionally transmitting a far-right neo-nazi symbol,” it added.

Fare Network argued that football’s global audience should not be exposed to any display that could be interpreted as promoting extremist ideologies.

“We note that in the two subsequent games it appears TV directors have stopped introducing the VAR panel to the TV audience. A global television audience should not be subjected to extremist far right individuals using neo-Nazi symbols as they prepare to watch a match. Clearly this official should have no further role to play in this World Cup.”

Fifa silent as questions mount

Fifa had not issued any public response to the allegations at the time of writing.

The governing body has spent years promoting anti-discrimination campaigns and has repeatedly stated that racism, extremism and hate speech have no place in football.

The absence of an immediate response has only intensified scrutiny around the incident, particularly given the heightened sensitivity surrounding issues of racism and discrimination at major sporting events.

Whether Fifa chooses to investigate the matter, seek clarification from Evans or take disciplinary action remains unclear.

Another off-field distraction for Fifa

The controversy is the latest off-field issue to overshadow a tournament that has already faced criticism over visa disputes, immigration concerns and ticketing complaints in the build-up to kick-off.

The UFC just placed an $825,000 cherry on top of Justin Gaethje’s crowning achievement. Gaethje’s shocking upset win over Ilia Topuria at UFC Freedom 250 netted him the undisputed lightweight title and two post-fight bonuses. 

UFC CEO Dana White previously announced the biggest post-fight bonuses in the promotion’s history to be paid out at UFC Freedom 250. The two Performance of the Night recipients received $425,000, plus $400,000 to each participant in the Fight of the Night.

White announced the big winners at Sunday’s post-fight press conference. Gaethje and Gane, the latter of whom knocked out Alex Pereira to win the interim heavyweight title, netted the two Performance of the Night bonuses. The main event was awarded the Fight of the Night, meaning Gaethje double-dipped while Topuria collected the remaining $400,000.

This marks the third time Gaethje has won Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night in the same fight. He did it in his UFC debut against Michael Johnson, and again when he beat Tony Ferguson for the interim title. He now averages more than 1 bonus per fight inside the Octagon.

The one-time bonus increase is up at least 400% from the promotion’s usual bonus payouts. 

The UFC permanently increased its post-fight bonuses from $50,000 to $100,000 at the start of the Paramount+ era. The organization also introduced a new $25,000 incentive for any fighter who scores a stoppage, excluding Fight of the Night or Performance of the Night awardees. White confirmed that the five other fighters who scored knockout wins on Sunday would earn the $25,000 bonuses.

The increased bonuses for UFC Freedom 250 came from contributions from World Liberty Financial and Crypto.com. 

UFC 300 held the previous record for largest post-fight bonuses. For one night, the UFC awarded $300,000 performance bonuses to celebrate the milestone card.

As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.

Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.

For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.

We continue with Colorado, which has played 449 games vs. regional foes, winning 243, losing 197, with 9 ties for a winning percentage of .549.

The Buffaloes have recorded the most wins (69) and played the most games (93) against Colorado State. CU has lost the most games (36) against Utah.

Here is a breakdown of Colorado’s records vs. the region’s teams.

Bangor striker Ben Arthurs will return for pre-season after being suspended by the club in April, the Irish Premiership side has confirmed.

The 28-year-old did not feature in the final games of the season after being investigated and suspended over a disciplinary matter.

Advertisement

In a statement on 20 April, Bangor said the club were “unable to provide further details” while an investigation took place.

However, the club said on Monday that an internal review has been completed and Arthurs will be available for the start of pre-season.

The forward has been part of the Bangor squad as they earned promotions through the divisions in recent seasons, initially playing for the club in the Ballymena & Provincial League, and culminating in their return to the top tier of Irish League football for the 2025-26 season.

Arthurs sits second in the all-time scoring charts for the club and the new campaign will be his ninth year with the north Down outfit.

Lee Feeney’s side finished their first campaign back in the Irish Premiership in 10th place.

Fifa has been blamed for the travel chaos afflicting World Cup 2026, with Uruguay slating the governing body after they experienced trouble arriving in Miami for their opening game against Saudi Arabia this evening.

On the eve of the game, the Uruguayan plane didn’t have clearance to fly from Cancun, where the team have been based, to the US, which left the squad stuck at the hotel until a solution was found, with the Uruguayan FA pinning the blame on Fifa, who in turn claimed it was an issue with the airline.

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has also criticised Fifa for the impact that his nation’s war with the US has had on preparations for their first game against New Zealand tonight, having been forced to move their base to Mexico, visa issues plaguing members of their delegation and travelling fans being stripped of match tickets. “I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” said Taremi. “This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is that football brings about peace. I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has.”

As England continue to build up to Wednesday’s game with Croatia, Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of teammate Jude Bellingham, claiming external criticism is way off the mark. “I know a lot gets written in the media and I really find it hard to read sometimes because I just know how big an influence he is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field,” said Henderson. “And what he gives us is just something really special, he really gives us the X-factor in our team. We all know what he can do, and how much we all love him inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”

Follow all of the latest from our writers in North America with our live blog below:

Sweden’s deadly duo Isak and Gyokeres both off the mark in win over Tunisia

One of the big challenges for successive Sweden managers has been how to get the best out of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres on the same pitch, at the same time. Graham Potter’s solution against Tunisia was to play a 3-5-2 formation in which his star strikers were paired together, and it paid off with a 5-1 win in which both players got on the scoresheet – as Brighton’s Yasin Ayari scored two belters from range against his mother’s country.

The forward pair were helped by some poor Tunisian defending and goalkeeping, and there remain some question marks over their link-up play. At one point during the second half, Gyokeres should have played Isak through on goal but the Arsenal striker dallied and when he eventually passed, Isak was offside. Gyokeres’s goal might technically have been an Isak assist, but Isak was trying to score himself and the ball only ran to his strike partner when he lost control under pressure.

Advertisement

So perhaps there is still something to work on to develop a thriving partnership in which they are as happy to pass to one another as to take on the shot. But for Potter and Sweden, just seeing their star duo play together is a huge boost after Isak’s season of injuries. Group F rivals Netherlands and Japan will be wary of the threat Sweden pose.

Luke Baker15 June 2026 09:11

Jordan Henderson defends England teammate Jude Bellingham: ‘We all love him’

As England continue to build up to Wednesday’s game with Croatia, Jordan Henderson has leapt to the defence of teammate Jude Bellingham, claiming external criticism of the Real Madrid midfielder is way off the mark.

It has been suggested that one of the reasons Thomas Tuchel wanted veteran Henderson in his World Cup squad was his good relationship with Bellingham, who has developed a reputation externally as something of a tricky character.

Advertisement

“I know a lot gets written in the media and I really find it hard to read sometimes because I just know how big an influence Jude is on this team, how good a teammate he is off the field,” said Henderson.

“And what he gives us is just something really special, he really gives us the X-factor in our team.

“I do think a lot of the media and the stuff that gets written isn’t all true to be honest, or a lot of it is actually untrue. But we all know what he can do, and how much we all love him inside the camp, and I suppose that’s the main thing.”

Luke Baker15 June 2026 08:58

Advertisement

The unwanted Premier League reality exposed by Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne’s World Cup showdown

For two ageing greats who contested an epic rivalry over years, the World Cup could provide a last duel. Not Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – or not definitely, anyway, given the number of results required to ensure that Portugal actually do meet Argentina in the Kansas City quarter-final – but Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.

They have met in the Community Shield, the Champions League and the Carabao Cup but theirs is primarily a Premier League battle. Now for the north-west of the United States not the north-west of England. They meet in Seattle as captains of Belgium and Egypt and arguably the Premier League’s two best players of the last decade.

There are cases for Harry Kane and Virgil van Dijk, one for Erling Haaland that is based on a much briefer stay in the division, but De Bruyne and Salah allied creativity with class, assists with goals, medals with magnificence, individual exploits with collective achievement.

Richard Jolly analyses a final showdown between two Premier League greats:

Advertisement

Luke Baker15 June 2026 08:54

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi criticises Fifa over impact of USA war at World Cup

Iran captain Mehdi Taremi has criticised Fifa, with his team is having a challenging World Cup experience amid the multifold disruptions created by their nation’s war with the US.

The Iranians arrived in the Los Angeles area on Sunday from their training base in Tijuana, Mexico, ahead of their clash with New Zealand this evening, while visa issues have plagued members of their delegation and travelling fans have been stripped of match tickets.

Advertisement

“I have felt the tension from the first moment we arrived at this World Cup,” said Taremi. “This kind of tension, it undermines that joy and it undermines the message of Fifa and our people, which is that football brings about peace. I feel like this World Cup could have provided a better atmosphere than it has.”

Luke Baker15 June 2026 08:50

Uruguay blame Fifa after flight chaos hurts plans for World Cup opener

Uruguay’s national team have blamed Fifa after a chaotic start to their World Cup campaign following the delay to their travel from their Mexico base to Miami for their first match.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have travelled to Cancun for final preparations before getting their World Cup underway against Saudi Arabia on Monday but the squad were left waiting as their prepared plane didn’t have clearance to fly to the US. The problem facing the team was reportedly due to issues with paperwork for the aircraft which meant it had not been approved to take the route from Cancun to Miami.

Advertisement

The Uruguayan FA maintained Fifa was responsible, while adding in a statement: “Due to problems beyond the control of the AUF, the departure from Mexico has been delayed. The squad is resting at the hotel. The new departure time set by FIFA is 4.15pm.”

A Fifa statement read: “Due to an airline permitting error in Mexico, the Uruguay national team’s departure from Cancun to Miami was delayed. The airline has apologised for the inconvenience caused.”

Luke Baker15 June 2026 08:38

World Cup 2026 – live updates

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the 2026 World Cup.

Advertisement

The tournament rolls on after a goalfest on Sunday, with Uruguay’s travel chaos and Iran’s litany of issues dominating the news

Luke Baker15 June 2026 08:36

Amad started Ivory Coast’s World Cup opening game against Ecuador on the bench – but the Manchester United star would go on to steal the show in Philadelphia

Amad came off the bench to score a last-minute winner to get Ivory Coast’s World Cup off to the perfect start with a 1-0 win over Ecuador. In an entertaining game at the Philadelphia Stadium, the Manchester United star found himself on the bench with Yan Diomande given the nod to start on the right.

But nine minutes into the second-half, Amad was introduced in place of Bazoumana Toure and he went on to show his boss Emerse Fae why he no doubt believes he should be starting.

However, before that, Amad could only watch on as Sebastian Beccacece’s side twice hit the crossbar in the opening 45 minutes before Enner Valencia struck the outside of the post at the start of the second half.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UNITED FB PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester United Facebook page

But just when it looked like both sides were going to be forced to settle for a point, Amad finally broke the deadlock in the 90th minute.

The United winger steered the ball inside the post from the edge of the box after a strong run and cross from Wilfried Singo.

And speaking post-match, Amda said: “We needed that. We came here to make history. We still have two more matches ahead of us, and we need to approach them with the same mentality and try to win them.

“We had to stay focused. We knew it was going to be a difficult match because we know the Ecuadorian players – they’re physically very strong. They caused us problems, of course, but we stayed composed and remained focused.”

Advertisement

While team-mate Diomande admitted: “We fought hard, we succeeded, and we’re all delighted. It’s always a pleasure to represent your country.

“It’s tough and it’s stressful because we’re representing nearly 33 million people. We’re playing for our families, our friends, our loved ones, and in this kind of competition we all want to give it our all.

“We want to win every match. We want to make our mark on history, and that’s what we’re all trying to do together.”

And Ecuador coach Beccacece reflected: “In the second half, we made the necessary adjustments and were in control enough to secure at least a draw.

“We put in a tremendous effort against a strong opponent. The final result wasn’t what we wanted, but it’s just the beginning, and we have to keep working.”

Dana White has seriously teased the shock signing of Tyson Fury to Zuffa Boxing in what would be a seismic development for the sport.

Fury, who is set to finally share the ring with long-time rival Anthony Joshua in November, made a surprise appearance at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House on Sunday night, wearing a cap emblazoned with the slogan “Donald Trump for Prime Minister.”

The former two-time world heavyweight champion hinted that he had big news, saying: “I think I’m going to let Dana do the speaking, let him do the announcement. It’s a massive, massive, massive announcement.”

He then added there was “100 percent potential” that he would be fighting under the Zuffa promotion for the bout with Joshua, which will be among the biggest fights in British boxing history.

After the conclusion of the event, which saw Justin Gaethje stun Ilia Topuria to claim undisputed lightweight gold, White made it appear that confirmation of Fury’s deal with Zuffa was imminent.

Probed on whether Fury had signed with Zuffa, White said: “We’ll make an announcement soon.”

The UFC president was then pressed on whether that was a yes, to which he replied: “Listen, let me reiterate. Judge me 1 January 2027 on what we’ve done this year on boxing.

“I keep talking about all these other guys talking a lot of smack – I haven’t said anything about any of these guys. I’m in my lane, I’m doing my thing.

“Just sit back and watch. We’ll make an announcement soon.”

White stated last month that he was set to be the promoter for Fury vs Joshua, something both Eddie Hearn and Queensberry’s Frank Warren denied.

However, Fury’s new relationship with White will fuel speculation surrounding that claim, with the UFC president’s venture continuing to shake up the sport.

Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing

Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.

Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Advertisement

Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing

Never miss a fight from top promoters. Watch on your devices anywhere, anytime.

Buy Now

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Fury would follow the likes of compatriot Conor Benn in signing with Zuffa, who stunningly ditched Hearn to join forces with his very public rival in February, despite Hearn having supported Benn during a years-long drug-test saga.

He was sat next to Benn, along with two-time IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, at the landmark White House fight card.