Murat Gassiev now knows his opponent for his upcoming WBA heavyweight title defence on Saturday.

Gassiev became WBA Regular heavyweight champion in December with a knockout win over Kubrat Pulev, and after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his unified world heavyweight titles last month, the Russian is now the WBA’s only belt-holder in the banner division.

He was set to defend that strap against Tony Yoka at the VTB Arena in Moscow this weekend, but after Yoka suffered an injury and was forced to withdraw, a scramble began to search for a new opponent.

British heavyweight Joe Joyce was seen as the frontrunner to land the bout due to already being on the card in a fight against Artem Suslenkov, but it has now been announced that Peter Kadiru will be the man to earn the opportunity against Gassiev.

Kadiru has a record of 23-1, with 13 of those wins coming by knockout, and he was last in action in May when he claimed a unanimous decision victory over Senad Gashi.

Speaking about the new match-up, Gassiev was pleased that he still gets the chance to fight in Russia.

“I was fully prepared and ready for Tony Yoka, but boxing is unpredictable and champions must adapt. Peter Kadiru is a big, strong, experienced fighter with a solid amateur pedigree and real power.

“Fighting at home in Moscow in front of my Russian fans for my first defence is special. I will be ready on July 11 and I intend to keep the WBA World Heavyweight Title in Russia.”

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Gassiev will be seen as the favourite heading into the bout, and a win on Saturday could lead to a major title defence later in the year.

European football’s governing body, UEFA, has strongly criticised FIFA after the world football body decided not to enforce Folarin Balogun’s automatic suspension at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The decision means United States striker Folarin Balogun will be available for his country’s last-16 match against Belgium despite receiving a red card in the previous round against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

UEFA described FIFA’s decision as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”, insisting that automatic suspensions following red cards are a fundamental part of football regulations.

In a strongly-worded statement, UEFA said FIFA had “crossed a red line” by intervening in what should have been an automatic disciplinary process.

“An automatic one-match suspension is not a discretionary option,” UEFA said. “It is a principle embedded in regulations. When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.”

Balogun, 25, is the United States’ leading scorer at the tournament. Under normal circumstances, he would have missed the knockout match against Belgium after being sent off in the victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina.

However, FIFA opted not to apply the automatic ban, a move that has sparked widespread criticism across the football world.

Reports claimed that the decision followed a telephone conversation between Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino on Thursday regarding Balogun’s suspension.

On Sunday, President Trump publicly thanked FIFA for what he called “reversing a great injustice”.

The Royal Belgian Football Association reacted angrily, announcing that it would challenge Balogun’s eligibility to play in the upcoming match.

Belgium’s Foreign Minister, Maxime Prevot, also criticised the decision, saying: “If a phone call is really the reason for this incomprehensible decision, it would be a blatant violation of the most basic rules of football and sport.”

Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter also weighed in on the controversy, warning that “football must never become a playground for political power”.

UEFA further argued that FIFA’s decision could create problems for the rest of the tournament, as other players in similar situations may now expect the same treatment.

“Such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition,” UEFA added.

The criticism extended beyond football authorities. The European Union’s commissioner for sport, Glenn Micallef, stressed that sporting decisions should remain independent of political influence.

“Decisions on sport belong to sporting bodies, not politicians,” he wrote on social media. “Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport.”

The latest dispute adds to growing tensions between UEFA and FIFA in recent months. One recent disagreement involved Somali referee Omar Artan, who was unable to enter the United States to officiate at the World Cup before being appointed by UEFA to referee the UEFA Super Cup match between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.

With the United States preparing to face Belgium, FIFA’s decision over Balogun’s suspension is likely to remain one of the most controversial moments of the tournament so far.

PHOTOS: AP / Brian Inganga and Kin Cheung

• Alex Eala’s dream run continues against Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon round of 16 on Monday, July 6, at Centre Court.

July 6, Monday – Centre Court

• 8:30. p.m. – Alex Eala vs Jasmine Paolini

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini is congratulated by Philippines’ Alex Eala after winning their women’s singles round of 16 tennis match on the eighth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 6, 2026. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)

Jasmine Paolini reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal in two years, edging out Alex Eala in a tense last 16 match at Wimbledon on Monday.

Italian 13th seed Paolini ended the run of Iga Swiatek’s conqueror Eala with a gritty 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory on Centre Court.

“I feel so lucky to have this opportunity and so lucky to get the win,” said Paolini, before addressing the watching Roger Federer in the royal box.

“He’s my idol and during the match I was like please stay focused and don’t think about him (Federer) being here… It’s an amazing feeling to be here right now with the win.”

Alex Eala of the Philippines blows kisses to the crowd after losing the women’s singles fourth round match against Jasmine Paolini of Italy at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 6, 2026.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala’s golden run at Wimbledon hit the end of the road on Monday night.

Eala went down swinging before falling to Italian world No. 13 and former finalist Jasmine Paolini, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, in the round of 16 in front of a star-studded crowd at Centre Court that included Roger Federer seated in the Royal Box.

The loss did not diminish the 21-year-old Eala’s historic campaign on tennis’ most grandiose stage.

LIVE UPDATES: Alex Eala vs Jasmine Paolini – Wimbledon round of 16

• Refresh this page for live updates.

PROUD ANG BUONG PILIPINAS SAYO, ALEX! 🇵🇭✊🏽

Filipino tennis star Alex Eala bows out of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships after a hard fought round of 16 campaign, falling to Jasmine Paolini.

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/5jtLWKIjAC pic.twitter.com/heLfD1uRTp

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) July 6, 2026

Alex Eala’s dream run at #Wimbledon ends.

FINAL: Eala yields to Jasmine Paolini in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, in the round of 16. | @LanceAgcaoilINQ

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Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/5jtLWKIjAC pic.twitter.com/AU6Vn7LBPg

— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) July 6, 2026

• FINAL: Alex Eala’s dream run at Wimbledon ends at the hands of Jasmine Paolini, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, in the round of 16.
• Eala forehand out. Paolini 40-30
• Paolini 30-30
• Paolini ace, Eala 30-15
• Paolini serving for the match
• Eala out, Paolini breaks, 5-3
• Eala double fault, Paolini adv
• Paolini short on the return, deuce
• Eala forehand wide, Paolini advantage
• Eala lob goes out, deuce
• Eala 40-30
• Eala overhead 30-15
• Eala ace, 15-15
• Paolini leads again, 4-3
• Another big serve by Eala, 3-3
• Eala goes big on the serve, 40-30
• Paolini rallies from 0-30, hits the service winner, 3-2
• Eala service winner, 2-2
• Eala soft touch, 30-30
• Paolini sends it to the other side, 30-15
• Eala forehand passing shot
• Paolini clean game for a 2-1 edge
• Eala hits the net. Paolini 40-0
• Paolini service winner, 30-0
• Eala evens, 1-1
• Paolini out, Eala 40-30
• Eala out, 30-30
• Paolini pounces on a second serve by Eala, 15-30
• Set 3: Paolini gets the headstart, 1-0

We’re going to a decider 🍿

Alex Eala digs deep to claim the second set 6-4 against Jasmine Paolini – who wins from here?#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/yUT77EcARL

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2026

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• Eala forces a deciding set, 6-4
• Paolini couldn’t get one across. Eala set point, 40-15
• Paolini scrambles for the point, 15-30
• Eala jumps to a 30-0 lead
• Eala serving for the set
• Paolini gets back into it, 4-5
• Eala wins five consecutive games to steal the eighth game and lead, 5-3
• Unforced errors piling up for Paolini in the 2nd set
• Eala 40-40
• Paolini off to the races, break point, 40-0
• Eala breaks again and reclaims the lead, 4-3
• Eala short, Paolini advantage
• Eala big forehand return, deuce
• Paolini ace, advantage
• Paolini error, deuce
• Paolini volley, 40-30
• Eala slice just hits the line, 3-3
• Paolini hustles for the lob and gets rewarded, 15-0
• Eala out. Paolini retakes the lead, 3-2
• Eala overhits on the forehand. Paolini service winner, 30-30
• Paolini gets one back, 15-30
• Eala backhand return, 30-0
• Eala drop shot, 15-0
• Paolini responds, breaks back, 2-2
• Paolini outwits Eala on the exchange 40-30
• Eala volley to the open space, 30-30
• Eala service winner, 15-15
• Eala holds on to get the break, grabs the upper hand, 2-1
• Eala backhand return, break point, 40-15
• Eala does it to knot it up 1-1
• Eala again up 40-0 but can she close it out
• Paolini survives, 1-0
• Eala errors. Paolini advantage
• Paolini two straight, 30-40
• Eala break point, 40-0
• Paolini winning 75 percent of second-serve points in the opener

Paolini powers in front 💪

The Italian wins the first set 6-4 vs Alex Eala#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/WHUU8NslSv

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 6, 2026

• Eala wide. Paolini claims the first set, 6-4.
• Match resumes. Paolini takes a 30-15 lead
• Match momentarily stops as a spectator receives medical assistance
• Eala breaks, serving for a chance to tie the opening set
• Paolini unforced error, Eala advantage
• Eala crosscourt backhand finds the line
• Eala wins the rally, break point, 40-30
• Eala drop shot, 30-15
• Paolini well-placed lob, 15-15
• Eala cuts the deficit, 3-5.
• Eala ace, 40-30
• Paolini baseline winner after overcoming a tough effort by Eala, 5-2
• Paolini forehand passing shot to retake the advantage
• Paolini advantage
• Eala break point
• Eala starting to find her rhythm, 40-40
• Eala fights back and pulls within, 2-4
• Paolini playing nearly perfect tennis so far
• Paolini overhits off an Eala serve.
• Paolini attacks the net, takes a commanding 4-1 lead.
• Paolini breaks for a 3-1 lead.
• Paolini serves to love, 2-1
• Eala levels, 1-1, after Paolini struggles to return the Filipino’s serves
• Eala working the baseline. 15-30
• Eala double fault, slice goes out
• Paolini takes the first game, 1-0.
• Eala ties it up 30-30
• Match is underway. Paolini 30-0 after two straight Eala errors.
• Eala and Paolini, a finalist at All England Club in 2024, warming up
• Paolini wins the toss and opts to serve first
• Alex Eala, Jasmine Paolini receiving the final instructions.

The Philippines’ Alex Eala celebrates beating Poland’s Iga Swiatek during their women’s singles third round tennis match on the sixth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 4, 2026. (Photo by Henry Nicholls / AFP)

Filipinos can catch Alex Eala’s Wimbledon round of 16 match against Jasmine Paolini in a public watch party at Philsports Arena in Pasig City on Monday.

The watchalong, hosted by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), is free and can accommodate up to 8,000 fans on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m., while the match, which takes place at Centre Court in London, is set at 8:30 p.m.

PHOTO: AP / Brian Inganga and Maja Smiejkowska

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala guns for her first-ever Grand Slam quarterfinal appearance, facing Italian Jasmine Paolini in the Wimbledon round of 16 on Monday (Philippine time).

Eala hopes to make it 2-0 against the world No. 17 Paolini following her 6-1, 7-6(5) win in their first and only duel in the round of 32 of the Dubai Open early this year.

The 21-year-old Eala dethroned defending champion Iga Swiatek of Poland, 7-6(9), 6-2, to continue her best Grand Slam run yet.

Eala seeks to become the first Filipino to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal after Felicisimo Ampon pulled off the feat at the 1953 French Open.

READ: Alex Eala emotional as little kid from PH reached Wimbledon last 16

Paolini, 30, advanced to the Wimbledon last 16 with a 6-1, 6-2 sweep of Greece’s Maria Sakkari.

The Philippines’ Alex Eala reacts as she plays against Poland’s Iga Swiatek during their women’s singles third round tennis match on the sixth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 4, 2026. (Photo by Henry Nicholls / AFP)

Alex Eala bids to extend her dream Wimbledon run into the quarterfinals when she faces Jasmine Paolini on Monday.

Eala stunned reigning champion Iga Swiatek with a brilliant straight-sets victory on Centre Court in the third round and now faces the task of backing up that breakthrough triumph against former Wimbledon finalist Paolini.

The 21-year-old has been tipped to become a star of the women’s game since defeating Swiatek to reach the Miami Open semifinals last year.

Alex Eala of the Philippines celebrates winning the third round women’s singles match against Iga Swiatek of Poland at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday, July 4, 2026.(AP Photo/Maja Smiejkowska)

In a three-minute, 33-second post match interview that she started as an emotional wreck, Alex Eala let the world know what the path that got her this far was all about.

And what making the round of 16 of a Grand Slam event after dethroning Wimbledon women’s singles champion Iga Swiatek means to the now 21-year-old from the Philippines who is taking the tennis world by the proverbial storm.

She first rattled off the names of the Williams sisters and also the gracious Swiatek, who all “have so many Slams,” saying that making the fourth round of Wimbledon “may seem small (to them).”

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Atoning for a luckless last-start defeat, Hello Captain has stretched his record to four wins from six starts at Rosehill, and if he can stretch in distance, trainer Chris Waller says the sky is the limit.

The three-year-old colt scored over 1300m in Saturday’s Find Your Stakes Winner @ The Chase Handicap, but if he can extend that brilliance to a mile, Waller believes he can feature in much better races.

“In terms of distance, I think he can get to a mile and if he can get to a mile, he can get to a good race. Maybe an Epsom Handicap,” Waller said.

“Timing-wise, it’s hard to predict when he gets there, and distance-wise we’re still learning about the horse.

“But he’s settling better than he has ever settled before and he’s showing a good turn of foot.”

Given time to find his feet by stable apprentice Siena Grima, Hello Captain ($1.65 favourite according to leading betting apps Australia) enjoyed an unimpeded run down to score by 2-1/4 lengths over Sequista ($7.50), who ran her usual honest race, with Attractiveness ($9) third.

The gelding’s win made amends for his last-start fourth to Cheeky Smirk when he was badly strung up for a run before flashing home when finally given clear air.

While Waller believes Hello Captain has the potential to measure up to stakes grade, in the short term he is content for the horse to ply his trade in Saturday company and build his bank account.

“Sydney races, they’re worth $160,000 every Saturday, fifty-two weeks a year,” Waller said.

“It’s hard to knock it back when they’re on every week, so I think we keep going through his grades.

“Maybe he doesn’t have to run every two weeks like we normally do. We can pick out a race in three or four weeks, and we might get longevity out of him that way.”

Hello Captain gave Grima a double after her earlier win aboard exciting two-year-old Omolong, drawing her level with Braith Nock in the race for the Sydney apprentices’ premiership.

Check out the latest racing odds at these racing betting markets.

The controversy surrounding the decision to overturn the suspension of United States striker Folarin Balogun has created one of the darkest moments in recent FIFA World Cup history. Whether FIFA’s decision was influenced by political pressure or not, the perception alone has already caused significant damage to the credibility of the tournament.

Football has always prided itself on being a sport governed by clear rules and fair competition. Players, coaches and supporters accept victories and defeats because they trust that the same laws apply to everyone. Once that trust begins to disappear, the very foundation of the game is threatened.

FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun to play against Belgium after receiving a red card has raised serious questions. Reports that a phone call from United States President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino preceded the decision have only intensified the controversy. UEFA’s description of the move as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” reflects the concerns shared by many across the football world.

Ironically, this decision may have done more harm to the United States than good.

Football fans around the world have always admired the underdog and rallied behind teams perceived to have been treated unfairly. In this case, many neutral supporters who may have had no strong feelings about the United States versus Belgium match could now find themselves supporting Belgium out of a belief that sporting fairness has been compromised.

The United States entered the tournament as one of three host nations alongside Canada and Mexico. Both fellow hosts have already been eliminated. Instead of entering their crucial knockout match backed by goodwill and sporting merit, the United States now faces the burden of controversy and suspicion.

History shows that football rarely rewards those who appear to gain an unfair advantage. The pressure, scrutiny and public reaction can become overwhelming. There is now a growing feeling among many neutrals that Belgium has become the team representing sporting justice in this particular contest.

This situation goes far beyond one player or one match. It concerns the principle that football must remain independent of political influence. If political leaders can intervene in disciplinary decisions at the world’s biggest tournament, where does it stop? Will future suspensions, refereeing appointments or disciplinary cases also become subjects of political negotiation?

Football has survived corruption scandals, controversial refereeing decisions and administrative failures because supporters have continued to believe in the integrity of the game itself. That integrity cannot be taken for granted.

If Belgium defeats the United States, many will argue that football has corrected an injustice on the pitch. If the United States wins, the controversy will likely continue long after the final whistle.

Whatever happens, one message should be clear to FIFA and every governing body in world football: politics must never be allowed to overshadow the game.

At the World Cup, there should only be one winner above all else:

Football must win.