BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Born eight minutes earlier than his twin brother Liam, Marcus Ruck is fine with ceding NHL draft bragging rights.

All that mattered to Ruck on Saturday was being selected with the 39th pick in the second round by Pittsburghin following his brother, who was drafted 22nd overall by the Penguins a day earlier.

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“He can brag to me all he wants. I’m just so happy to be with him. I know he won’t brag, but if he wanted to, he could,” Ruck said. “To be with him, it’s so special.”

The twins are from Osoyoos, British Columbia, and spent the past two-plus seasons as one of the Western Hockey League’s most productive tandems in Medicine Hat. Marcus led the WHL with 108 points last season, while Liam, a right wing, finished second with 104 points.

Liam was projected to go first, and when the Penguins chose him, Markus began looking ahead to No. 39, Pittsburgh’s next turn to pick.

“I didn’t have a preference of when, I just knew where I wanted to go and who I wanted be with,” he said, noting his brother kept his spirits up overnight. “He kept me calm and told me it was going to happen. So for it to happen it’s awesome.”

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The Ruck’s reunion was part of a family theme in a draft that had Caleb Malhotra going third to Vancouver, where his dad was just hired as the Canucks head coach.

The Calgary Flames opened the third round by selecting WHL Vancouver forward Joe Iginla. He’s the youngest son of Hall of Famer and longtime Flames star Jarome Iginla, and his selection came after older brother Tij went No. 6 to Utah in the 2024 draft.

Rogowski picks hockey over baseball

Whatever doubts Brooks Rogowski had in choosing hockey over baseball quickly evaporated following the first pick in the second round of the NHL draft.

The 18-year-old from Livonia, Michigan, had taken his seat with his family on the draft floor, when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly announced Rogowski had been selected at No. 33 by the Vancouver Canucks.

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“You sit down for five minutes and you’re standing back up. So that was nice not having to sit a while,” Rogowski said. “But the relief was immediate. You hear your name called and all the stresses just kind of fall off you. It’s great, it’s been awesome.”

And the selection validates the choice the 6-foot-7, 235-pound Rogowski made two years ago. In picking hockey, after being drafted by the OHL Oshawa Generals, he put baseball behind him — and to the regret of his father and uncle, who both enjoyed minor-league baseball careers.

His father, Casey, was drafted by the Chicago White Sox and his uncle, Ryan, drafted by the Dodgers.

“Obviously they’re still sad about baseball, but I think this was the right decision,” Rogowski said. “You know, get to wear a nice jersey, so I think that they’re more than happy with that.”

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Rogowski has made a commitment to play at Michigan State in two years, and appreciates he still has plenty of room to develop after focusing more on baseball than hockey growing up.

“I have a lot more to improve,” he said. “You have a lot of these guys who have been doing this for a long time. I’m still relatively new to it, and I think there’s a lot more to me that needs to come out.”

His trajectory is pointing up. As a rookie, Rogowski had 11 goals and 23 points in 66 games with Oshawa, and built on that with 42 points (15 goals) in 46 games last season.

Not bad for the former first baseman.

“Exactly. It’s very different,” Rogowski said comparing the two sports. “I have always been a decent hockey player, but I think the rapid growth, I can attribute to athletic ability.”

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A day after pop icon Justin Bieber took the stage to announce the Toronto Maple Leafs taking Penn State forward Gavin McKenna with the No. 1 pick, there were several notable highlights over the final six rounds on Saturday.

The second round featured just 31 selections with the Vegas Golden Knights forfeiting their 63rd pick after being sanctioned by the league for violating media regulations. Former Vegas coach John Tortorella was also fined $100,000 for refusing to speak to reporters following a second-round-series-clinching Game 6 victory at Anaheim.

Another notable selection came at No. 40, when the Florida Panthers used their first pick of the draft on right winger Simas Ignatavicius. Though born in Memphis, he relocated with his family to their native Lithuania, a nation that by his count has four hockey rinks.

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Though his father played basketball, Ignatavicius was drawn to hockey at age 3 while watching a practice at a rink inside a shopping mall. Six years ago, the 18-year-old moved to Switzerland to develop his skills.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

England can wrap up the Group L title at the 2026 World Cup when they close out group play against an already-eliminated Panama side on Saturday. England need just a point to guarantee their spot in the Round of 32 and a win to secure top spot outright. Thomas Tuchel’s side sits tied atop Group L with Ghana on four points apiece, while Croatia trail by a point. England rolled to a 4-2 win over Croatia before playing to a scoreless draw with Ghana. Panama have dropped back-to-back 1-0 decisions to Ghana and Croatia.

Kickoff for Panama vs. England is 5 p.m. ET in East Rutherford, N.J. The latest England vs. Panama odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list England at -700 (risk $700 to win 100) on the money line, with Panama at +1700 and a draw at +750. The over/under for total goals is 3.5, with the Under favored at -118. Before locking in any Panama vs. England picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the Panama vs. England predictions from SportsLine’s Martin Green.

After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. Additionally, he enters Saturday on a 9-5 roll on World Cup picks (+382). Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.

Now, Green has studied Panama vs. England and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for England vs. Panama:

Top England vs. Panama predictions

After examining Panama vs. England from every angle, Green is leaning Over 3.5 total goals (-104). England began their group stage campaign with an impressive 4-2 win against Croatia last week. Captain Harry Kane scored twice in the first half, and goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford sealed the win. 

The English can be powerful and still need a big win against Panama to guarantee first place, so they will be motivated to put a big number on the board. Panama have struggled in attack, but have no pressure in this matchup, freeing them up to possibly find the net as well. See Green’s best bets for Panama vs. England at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Panama vs. England at FanDuel here:

How to make Panama vs. England picks

After studying Panama vs. England from every angle, Green has found a critical x-factor and locked in a pair of best bets. You can head to SportsLine to see what they are. 

So what are the best bets for Panama vs. England? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Panama vs. England, all from expert on a 9-5 roll on WC picks, and find out.

After leading Michigan to its second title, Yaxel Lendeborg is eager to get to work with the Golden State Warriors as the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Lendeborg was a consensus first-team All-American last season, averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals while shooting 37.2% from 3-point range. He was also the Big Ten Player of the Year and a first-team all-conference selection.

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The 6-foot-9 forward is set to join a veteran team, headlined by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler, among others. He is striving to help the group win at any cost by impacting games on both ends of the court, particularly on defense.

“I want to just try to develop something that I can be known for, like an identity for myself,” Lendeborg said on Friday. “I want to try to go in there and be able one of the primary defenders, see if I can gain some trust for them to put me on the best player on the other team or anything like that. Just being able to do all the little things on the court to help out.”

Lendeborg was highly touted entering the draft this year for his scoring, rebounding and ability to defend multiple positions. The team was also captivated by his championship pedigree, along with his unselfishness, versatility and vast skill set.

The 23-year-old knows that he faces an uphill battle of sorts as a rookie who must earn his playing time in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation. However, with several positions still to be filled, Lendeborg is ready to compete for his place on the court.

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Lendeborg will begin that quest in summer league, starting with the California Classic on July 3. It will be his first opportunity to impress Kerr and the rest of the team.

“The impression that I want to leave on (Kerr) is just someone who is willing to learn, someone who is going to value all his core values and player values,” Lendeborg said. “Just do the best I can to get on his good side as quick as possible to see if I can get some extra playing time from it. I’m just very excited to be coached by someone like him, who is a genuine guy who seems like a person who cares more about you as a person, rather than a basketball player.”

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg reveals goals for upcoming rookie year

Uruguay’s FIFA World Cup campaign came to a painful end after another costly mistake by veteran goalkeeper Fernando Muslera contributed to a 1-0 defeat against Spain in their final Group H match.

The two-time world champions needed a positive result to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive, but Alex Baena’s first-half goal secured victory for Spain and sent Uruguay crashing out of the tournament.

Muslera’s costly mistake proves decisive

Uruguay had started brightly and looked the better side for long periods of the first half. However, their hopes suffered a major blow in the 42nd minute when Baena’s low shot slipped through Muslera’s hands despite the goalkeeper getting both hands to the ball.

It was the third error leading to a goal by the 40-year-old goalkeeper in this World Cup, making him the first goalkeeper since records began in 1966 to commit three such mistakes in a single tournament.

Recognising the seriousness of the situation, Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa made the difficult decision to substitute the national team legend at half-time, replacing him with Sergio Rochet.

Uruguay failed to recover

Despite the change in goal, Uruguay struggled to respond in the second half. Former Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez missed two good opportunities, while the South Americans managed just one shot on target throughout the match.

Although Uruguay pushed forward in the closing stages, they were unable to seriously trouble Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon.

Their frustrations worsened in stoppage time when midfielder Agustin Canobbio was shown a red card for a dangerous challenge.

A disappointing tournament for Uruguay

Uruguay’s elimination marks their second consecutive World Cup group-stage exit, having collected just two points from three matches.

Marcelo Bielsa’s team never truly looked like the high-intensity side many expected. While they showed brief periods of aggressive pressing, they lacked creativity and cutting edge in attack.

The decision to bring Muslera back from international retirement earlier this year ultimately proved costly, with the veteran goalkeeper’s errors becoming one of the defining stories of Uruguay’s disappointing campaign.

Spain progress despite not hitting top gear

For Spain, the victory secured top spot in Group H and extended their unbeaten defensive record, as they became the first Spanish team not to concede a goal during a World Cup group stage.

Although they did not produce their best attacking display, Luis de la Fuente’s side showed they can grind out results when needed.

As Uruguay head home disappointed, Spain move into the knockout stage knowing tougher challenges still lie ahead.

American soccer media, I’ve got news: Mauricio Pochettino is probably playing you.

The main story out of the United States men’s national team’s 3-2 defeat to Turkey in both teams’ Group D finale was the oversensitive behavior of the Argentine manager in response to reasonable questioning about how he handled the dead rubber game.

And while numerous pundits came out of it downright concerned about Pochettino’s temperament, the smart money is that this was an act — and a convincing one — from someone who knows that if you’re going to have to deal with the press, you might as well use them.

To review, Pochettino made nine changes to his starting XI from the group that earned a 2-0, group-clinching victory over Australia. He brought four regulars off the bench for the final stages, in which the Americans conceded a winning goal deep in stoppage time to a Turkish side that knew it was heading home following the match.

Afterward, he encountered some even-keeled questions looking for his insight on individual performances and team depth.

And yet he took offense — or at least appeared to — following most of the queries, complaining that he and his group weren’t given enough credit for their accomplishment of winning the group with a game to spare.

In the aftermath, some pundits were left downright worried about Pochettino’s state of mind. Which would be fair if his behavior was more in keeping most of his other actions.

But this is someone who generally likes to talk, both about his team and his other adventures in global football management, and is unafraid to take bold stands (on sporting issues, anyway).

And further, consider the other media environments he has worked in at Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

While there are some deeply talented and prolific American soccer reporters, there’s just no comparing that beat for those at some of the world’s largest club sides when it comes to pressure and criticism. That Pochettino was more liked than not as most of those jobs is evidence that he knows very well how to handle brutal cross examination, let alone the milder version he encounters as the American boss.

So why raise a fuss? Because he came to the media room looking for a fight and to make the conversation about him, believing it would ultimately help his team during the pressure cooker that is a home World Cup.

He knows that every moment journalists spend discussing a coach — especially one who, in Pochettino’s case, is very secure in his career — is a moment not spent focusing on the minutiae of the performances of individual players.

Right now, the American media isn’t talking about whether an injury-prone Christian Pulisic can play 90 minutes when it matters, or why the defense continues to give up too many goals, or the eerily lengthy losing streak against European opposition. (It just so happens that Bosnia and Herzegovina, the USMNT’s round of 32 opponents, are European.)

They’re discussing Pochettino’s puzzling bluster, and basically daring his players to come to his defense the only can: by giving another exceptional performance on the field when it actually matters.

The course next door.

That’s how Brookline Golf Course has long been known. There is, after all, no ignoring its location. The municipal layout in the Massachusetts town of the same name sits beside a luminous neighbor: The Country Club, a storied venue that has hosted four U.S. Opens.

A chain-link fence divides the two properties, but the distance between them runs far deeper than that — one is a private playground of immense prestige, the other a humble workhorse of public-access golf. During both the 1988 and 2022 U.S. Opens, Brookline Golf Course was pressed into service as a parking lot.

But the muni has an impressive pedigree of its own. Designed by Wayne Stiles and John Van Kleeck, it was the stomping grounds of Francis Ouimet. Best known for winning the 1913 U.S. Open, Ouimet also caddied at this very course back when it went by the name Putterham Meadows. A statue of him and his famous 10-year-old caddie from that Open win, Eddie Lowery, stands outside the clubhouse today.

These days, though, one of the course’s biggest attractions is inside that clubhouse: the food.

The Hemlock Grill has developed a following that extends well beyond golfers, drawing locals who come strictly for the menu. And the menu’s undisputed star is the fried chicken sandwich — named the best fried chicken in Boston by Boston Magazine. Not best at a golf course. Best in the city, period, beating out traditional restaurants across the board.

The creation of chef Alex Saenz — who is of Peruvian descent but grew up steeped in the cooking traditions of the Carolinas — the sandwich starts with a quick dunk in buttermilk. Not a lengthy marinade, just enough to keep the chicken tender. It’s then coated in a boldly seasoned spice blend, fried for precisely seven minutes until deeply crisp, and served on a pillowy potato bun with pickles.

The result is crunchy, juicy, and balanced, with just enough heat to keep you reaching for another bite.

Watch the video above to see how Saenz makes it. Turns out the course next door serves an irresistible main course, too.

ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Group 1, Bristol

West Indies 128-7 (20 overs): Henry 27* (21); Murray 2-13

Ireland 129-4 (18.1 overs): Prendergast 63 (44); Munisar 2-28

Ireland won by six wickets

Scorecard, Table

Ireland earned their first win at a Women’s T20 World Cup with a surprise victory over semi-final hopefuls West Indies at Bristol.

After a fine all-round bowling performance restricted West Indies to 128-7, Orla Prendergast led Ireland’s chase with a stunning 63 from 44 balls.

Prendergast was dismissed in the 16th over with 21 runs from 28 balls still required, but Rebecca Stokell held her nerve with an unbeaten 16 to seal the win with 11 balls to spare.

Ireland have lost all of their previous 21 matches in five editions of the tournament and West Indies were winners in 2016.

The defeat does not eliminate West Indies, as they still finished with a better net run-rate than Sri Lanka, so they will be through if New Zealand lose to England in Saturday’s later game (18:30 BST).

West Indies’ batting line-up could not get going, with their three powerhouses in Hayley Matthews, Stafanie Taylor and Deandra Dottin all scoring at a strike-rate of less than 100.

That left too much for the lower order to do in order to catch up, despite Chinelle Henry’s 27 not out.

Spinner Cara Murray was the pick of the Irish bowlers with a miserly 2-13, including the key wicket of Matthews for 22.

Captain Gaby Lewis fell cheaply in reply, but Amy Hunter steadied the chase with a stand of 62 with Prendergast.

Hunter was dropped on three and went on to make 28 before Prendergast accelerated through the middle overs, whacking eight fours and two sixes in her match-winning knock.

Ireland did not do enough to secure a top-four finish in the group, however, which means they must join Scotland in the qualifying rounds for the 2028 tournament.

Since 2015, roughly 45% of NFL playoff teams fail to return to the postseason the next year. That means about six or seven teams qualify for the playoffs and then don’t make it back the following campaign.

So, we ask, who’s it going to be this year? These are our seven picks from 2025 playoff clubs that miss the tournament in 2026.

Recent Risers Face a Much Tougher Road in 2026

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers shockingly reached the postseason last year in the weak NFC South, and there’s no reason to believe that the division has markedly improved.

Too, Carolina checked in as the NFL’s 25th-best team per DVOA one year ago. That translated to eighth-worst. Think of it this way: based on the numbers, the Panthers were lucky to reach the dance. They won’t make it a sequel in 2026.

Chicago Bears

Speaking of DVOA, Chicago finished 16th in 2025 — smack dab in the middle. Its season was propped up by an epic playoff triumph over Green Bay, which should not be discounted. Finally conquering the Packers was a big deal.

Still, Chicago won oodles of close games last year, and when the Vikings pulled off the same magic trick in 2022, they regressed to the mean in 2023, winning just seven games and missing the playoffs.

That will happen to Chicago.

Denver Broncos

This article is not here to denigrate Denver. Hell, they reached the AFC Championship last year and might’ve been a Bo Nix injury away from the Super Bowl — or even winning it all.

Our theory here is that the Kansas City Chiefs will be back, resuming their dynastic tendencies, while the Los Angeles Chargers pester the Broncos.

Kansas City and Los Angeles will reach the postseason; Denver will narrowly miss out.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers basically gain the NFC’s seventh seed annually under quarterback Jordan Love. That’s fine, but it proves the club could be on the cusp of failing to qualify sooner rather than later. Green Bay lost oodles of players to free agency, and Micah Parsons probably won’t return until October or November.

Couple that with the competition level in the NFC North, and the Packers will finish 8-9 or 9-8, snatching the eighth seed, not their precious seventh.

USA Today‘s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz recently noted, “With Parsons acknowledging he won’t return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament until at least mid-October, it’s clear that the Packers will have to navigate another season in which they’re not close to full strength.”

The Vikings might even take the Packers’ spot in the tournament.

New England Patriots

Drake Maye played buffoonishly in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl. Nobody really cared because New England overachieved in the first place. Yes, the Patriots added A.J. Brown via trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, and yes, the Patriots’ defense will play well in 2026.

But with head coach Mike Vrabel’s reputation a bit sullied, and with New England having one of the easiest schedules in NFL history last year, it will crash back to earth in 2026 and finish 8-9.

FOX Sports‘ Will Hill wrote in April, “The Patriots also notably had one of the easier schedules in league history last season, as their opponents had a combined winning percentage of .366, the lowest mark in the NFL since 1999. That will not only change this year but do so in dramatic fashion, as the Patriots will now battle a first-place schedule. “

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are due for a down season. Soon, their salary cap woes will come home to roost, and many have hinted this offseason that Jalen Hurts cannot faithfully operate a pass-happy offense. There’s something just not right about the Eagles.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are hungry to reach the playoffs again, Jayden Daniel is back and healthy in the nation’s capital, and the New York Giants hired John Harbaugh.

The Eagles will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2020. It’s time.

Pittsburgh Steelers

It would just feel poetic if the Steelers suffered their first losing season in 20 years the moment Mike Tomlin left town. Aaron Rodgers is back, though, and he’ll distribute the ball among DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman, rookie Germie Bernard, along with running backs Jaylen Warren and Rico Dowdle.

The Steelers’ defense will remain formidable, but the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens will finish in first and second place in the AFC North, leaving the Steelers around 7-10 or 8-9 in third place.

Then, of course, Rodgers will hold everyone hostage with his 2027 offseason decision-making process, even though he has already announced that this season is his last. You know the drill.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Minnesota Vikings training camp gets underway at the end of July, and fans can join the fun on August 1st in Eagan. That’s about a month away, so it’s time to look at the lingering questions ahead of the event.

Ranked in ascending order of importance (No. 1 = most important), these are the top questions before training camp.

Vikings’ Camp Drama Starts with QB and Pass Rush Uncertainty

5. Is the OLB All Set or Looking for One More Guy?

This one is pretty damn straightforward. Will the Vikings use recently converted DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins on the EDGE? Or are those just best-laid plans in June? Is rookie Jake Golday ready to play a hybrid ILB-OLB role immediately? What about Bo Richter? Can he be trusted with the OLB3 job?

Minnesota’s OLB situation fundamentally changed the moment it traded Jonathan Greenard. It’s now Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner — and question marks.

If the Vikings want an EDGE defender from free agency, these are the options:

• Derek Barnett
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Marcus Davenport
• Leonard Floyd
• Von Miller
• Yannick Ngakoue
• Haason Reddick
• Kyle Van Noy

Zone Coverage’s Zac Scholl wrote last week, “Looking at Minnesota’s needs still this offseason, it’s hard to ignore the edge-rusher room. There is still plenty of veteran talent left in free agency, including Jihad Ward, who previously played a depth role for them.”

The Vikings have just over $13 million in cap space if they want one more outside linebacker. That’s more than enough for any man on the list above.

4. Who Gets Extensions?

In good faith, these players can knock on new general manager Nolan Teasley’s door this summer and ask for contract extensions:

• Jordan Addison (WR)
• Blake Brandel (C)
• Blake Cashman (ILB)
• Jordan Mason (RB)
• Brian O’Neill (RT)
• Isaiah Rodgers (CB)
• Andrew Van Ginkel (OLB)
• Jay Ward (S)

O’Neill feels like a no-brainer to extend. But who else will Teasley green-light? His decision will reveal his team-building philosophy, as he picks and chooses who to retain for the long haul in his first few months on the job.

3. Will Harrison Smith Return?

The fact that Smith hasn’t told the Vikings about his return-or-retirement plans is bizarre. C.J. Ham called it quits. So did Adam Thielen. If Smith was ready to walk away, wouldn’t he have vamoosed along with those men, his pals?

The evidence suggests that Smith will return for one more hurrah. But the question is when. Next week? August? Midseason?

2. Is Caleb Banks Ready to Roll?

Banks has the talent to become an All-Pro someday; the only question is when he’ll actually play.

Training camp will offer the first real hint. If he looks good and moves freely, everything will be fine, and concerns about his pre-draft foot injury will be moot. Otherwise, the Vikings might place him on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Minnesota surprised everyone in April by drafting Banks, who has been recovering from back-to-back foot injuries. Most analysts had predicted they would select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, but that popular prediction never materialized.

All eyes turn to Banks’s game-readiness because the Vikings, a team that has not drafted well in the last half-decade, cannot afford to miss on a 1st-Rounder who had a very vivid and recent injury history leading up to the draft.

The gamble must be worth it. Banks cannot have a redshirt year.

Our Kyle Joudry recently noted, “Minnesota tends to be ultra cautious with injuries. Back in 2025, Justin Jefferson missed almost all of training camp due to a desire to ensure the WR1 was fully healthy. The plan worked…but created another issue. J.J. McCarthy sometimes struggled to find his most dangerous weapon, lacking some degree of chemistry with the receiver.”

“Might some more work together have been helpful? Quite possibly, but the Vikings were being very careful with their top player. Oh, and that McCarthy kid was kept in bubble wrap for a decent portion of the year. The Vikings appeared quite reluctant to push him too hard.”

1. Who Wins the QB Battle?

Will it be Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy? That question is on Vikings fans’ minds, a group that hasn’t experienced a true quarterback battle in 12 years, when Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder, and Teddy Bridgewater did battle.

Murray is the frontrunner, but always remember, life would be so much easier if McCarthy showed up to Year No. 3 and balled out.

You can tentatively circle Murray as the starter, but McCarthy won’t go down without a fight. The quarterback battle remains the item that will put butts on bleachers in Eagan.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

Jaron Ennis believes a win over Xander Zayas, which he is fully confident in securing, will prove that he is the world’s pound-for-pound No.1 fighter.

The 29-year-old does, indeed, appear to possess elite-level talent, yet his achievements pale in comparison to those of Oleksandr Usyk and Naoya Inoue.

Many would consider these two as the sport’s leading operators, given that they have become two-division undisputed champions by defeating a selection of world-class competitors.

Ennis, meanwhile, has crafted a resume that lacks career-defining victories, other than perhaps his sixth-round finish over Eimantas Stanionis in April 2025.

Even then, the American was largely credited for the dominant nature of his performance, rather than for it being against a genuinely elite-level opponent.

With a win over Zayas in the early hours of tomorrow morning, though, Ennis would certainly strengthen his case for becoming a pound-for-pound star.

The two super-welterweights will collide at the Barclays Center, New York, with Zayas making a first defence of his unified WBO and WBA crown.

Throughout the build-up, ‘Boots’ has maintained his belief that he defeats Zayas inside the distance, which would see him become a two-weight unified champion in emphatic fashion.

Speaking with Ariel Helwani, the challenger insisted that this statement performance should be enough to convince fans that he is the pound-for-pound top dog.

“I know for a fact that I’m pound-for-pound No.1. I’m going to show it on Saturday; I’m going to give y’all a little taste.”

While a stoppage over Zayas would be mightily impressive, Ennis would still lack the credentials to surpass the likes of Usyk and Inoue.