A featherweight move seems inevitable for Naoya Inoue in 2027, with each of the 126lb world champions hoping to secure a lucrative showdown boxing’s pound-for-pound king. Now, one reigning featherweight world champion has admitted that he has eyes on a meeting with ‘The Monster’.

Inoue has ruled in four weight divisions thus far but has been linked with a featherweight move for over a year now, with victory in his legendary May bout with Junto Nakatani having been expected to prompt a move up in weight.

Yet, despite being victorious in the biggest fight in the history of Japanese boxing, Inoue has delayed his move to the featherweight scene by seemingly pursuing a fight with newly crowned WBA bantamweight world champion, Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.

That clash is anticipated to take place in early 2027, with Inoue continuing up to featherweight thereafter. Now, WBA featherweight ruler, Brandon Figueroa, has declared his interest in a fight with Inoue, but told Pro Box TV that his attention is currently on another Japanese featherweight title hopeful, Tomoki Kameda, whom he expects to face next. 

“Of course [we can see me fight Inoue], why not? I feel like that is a very doable fight and I don’t know, it might be in the works, but as of right now, [I am focussed on] Tomoki Kameda.

“My older brother [Omar Figueroa Jnr] also faced a Japanese fighter and they went to war, Nihito Arakawa, it was for the 135lb Interim WBC belt if I can remember. Japan is pretty familiar with me and my brother because that fight was the Fight of the Year, my brother ended up breaking both of his hands but ended up winning the belt.

“It was a war, I would recommend any fighter to watch that fight.”

Boxing News understands that Figueroa-Kameda could take place in Japan this October, as ‘The Heartbreaker’ attempts to make a first defence of his title since dethroning Nick Ball in February.

Should Kameda pull off the upset, he would no doubt become the frontrunner as the potential opponent for Inoue’s eventual 126lb debut.

Trainer Peter Snowden finds a wide barrier draw for the two-year-old Seeiaye to be preferable rather than a hindrance.

The colt, typically an on-speed runner, has experienced missed starts in a few of his five career races. Consequently, Snowden is content with barrier eight from a field of 12 for Saturday’s Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap (1200m).

“It’s better because if he blows the start drawn inside, they get across him and it’s no good,” Snowden explained. “The wider the better. If he makes a mistake, he gets a second chance.”

Nevertheless, Snowden is hopeful Seeiaye will execute a clean start. On the three occasions he has, the colt achieved victory in the Max Lees Classic (900m) at Newcastle, secured fourth place in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at Wyong, and registered a placing at Rosehill.

“He likes to race right on speed,” Snowden noted. “He stepped better the other day and he raced better, so it’s imperative that he begins well and puts himself there.”

While Seeiaye has not won since his debut in November last year, his recent second-place finish behind the promising Omolong over 1100m at Rosehill was a strong indicator of form.

Omolong is being tipped as a potential spring carnival three-year-old contender for the upcoming season, and Seeiaye was only defeated by a half-length.

“His effort was good. He ran at a really fast pace and was up on speed doing most of the work,” Snowden stated. “The horse that won was backed for a fortune, and he did well to stick on and run as close as he did.”

Saturday’s race represents one of the final opportunities for the current crop of juveniles to secure a two-year-old win before they turn three on August 1, the official horses’ birthday.

Seiaye is racing third-up after an unplaced run on a heavy track in the Dalrello Stakes (1100m) at Eagle Farm in May, and a midfield effort behind Why So Hard at Rosehill last month, prior to his second to Omolong.

His future racing plans will be decided based on his performance this weekend.

“We’ll see what he does on Saturday,” Snowden confirmed. “He’s had a trip to Brisbane and three runs now. This will be his fourth, so I’ll have a think about whether we press on any further or we pull up and get him back in the spring.”

Considering a wager on the Kia Ora Bloodlines to Headlines Handicap? Explore the available betting markets for the race at betting markets for the race.

A former pro soccer player was stiffed in a social media post, taking a back seat to her relatively more famous husband.

Future Pro Football Hall of Famer J.J. Watt is married to Kealia Ohai Watt, a former member of the U.S. Women’s National Team who played in the National Women’s Soccer League.

The couple took in an MLS game Wednesday night, watching Real Salt Lake take on Burnley F.C., which the Watts partially own, and the team welcomed the couple with an X post.

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Burnley minority shareholders J.J. Watt and Kealia Watt applaud from the stands during the Sky Bet Championship match at Turf Moor in Burnley, England, May 8, 2023. (Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)

“Welcome to the Riot, @JJWatt and fam,” the team wrote.

Watt, however, was not pleased that his wife, a local soccer legend, was dismissed. Ohai attended Alta High School in nearby Sandy and won four state titles with her youth soccer club.

“The woman in the photo grew up literally down the road, won 4 Utah state championships (1 in this exact stadium), Gatorade Player of the Year twice, National Player of the Year, scored the fastest first goal in USWNT history… Could probably be worth a mention, but idk,” Watt said in a reply.

J.J. Watt kisses his wife, Kealia Watt, as she holds their son, Koa Watt, before an Arizona Cardinals game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., Jan. 8, 2023. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

TRINITY RODMAN SAYS NWSL RECORD-CROWD GAME IN NY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLAYED AMID POOR AIR

Ohai also won a national championship with the University of North Carolina.

After college, she was the second overall pick in the NWSL College Draft by the Houston Dash, a team she captained from 2016 until being traded to the Chicago Red Stars in 2020.

The couple purchased its stake in Burnley F.C., which played in the Premier League last season, in 2023.

Burnley FC co-owner and former NFL player J.J. Watt before a friendly match between Burnley and Real Salt Lake July 15, 2026, at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Ohai’s brother-in-law is Watt’s former Houston Texans teammate, Brian Cushing.

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Fifa is “assessing match reports” before deciding whether to punish Argentina after players celebrated their World Cup semi-final win against England with a banner in support of their country’s claims to the Falkland Islands.

The defending world champions produced a dramatic late comeback in Atlanta, scoring twice to defeat Thomas Tuchel’s side 2-1 and book a showdown with Spain in Sunday’s final.

After the final whistle, Argentina players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas”, which translates as “The Falklands are Argentine”.

The Falklands, a British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina.

In a statement, a Fifa spokesperson said: “As is standard procedure, Fifa’s independent disciplinary committee is currently assessing the match reports and considering the relevant circumstances before deciding on potential further steps based on the Fifa disciplinary code.”

Argentina’s football association were fined £20,000 by Fifa in 2014 for holding a banner with the same message before a friendly against Slovenia.

At the time, world football’s governing body said the gesture had breached rules on political action and team misconduct.

This time of year, come Open Championship week, it’s trendy to pick gritty golfers. Or low-ball hitters or great wind players or guys who can move it both ways. It’s easy to like the Matt Fitzpatricks and Justin Roses and Tyrrell Hattons — the guys who grew up on this side of the Atlantic and are familiar with links golf.

But what about relatively unknown, links-golf rookies? Because one of them is leading the 154th Open Championship.

Jackson Suber, the 26-year-old second-year PGA Tour player, played the back nine at Royal Birkdale in five-under 31 on Thursday to shoot 65 and steal the Round 1 clubhouse lead from Sungjae Im and Daniel Brown (66).

Forget golf, this week is his first time in Europe. His practice round at Royal Birkdale on Monday was the first links golf he ever played, and he had 27 holes under his belt before he teed off Thursday.

How did he adjust so easily?

“I’m not really sure,” he said, “but I feel like I’ve just been playing good the last few months and just knowing that good golf is going to take care of everything, and really trusting my caddie to figure out where we’re going to hit it.”

Suber knew to avoid the pot bunkers, he said. And he checked out the course on YouTube last week. On Thursday, he parred his first four holes before a birdie-bogey-birdie-bogey stretch. He turned in even par and then got hot. Birdies on 10 and 11. Another on 14, which followed his only back-nine bogey on 13. He went birdie-eagle on 16 and 17 and then closed with a par on the difficult finishing hole.

He made six 3s on the back nine alone.

Suber entered the week without any mind-blowing statistics. He was 69th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 117th in SG: Putting, although he ranked 20th in SG: Approach. Yet on Thursday, with several players still left to finish, he was third in SG: Approach and fifth in SG: Putting. He ranked 109th in SG: Off the Tee but still was first (+6.28) in SG: Total.

“I’ve been hitting the driver well, and I feel like I’m a good iron player,” he said. “Just a lot of long irons into these holes. I think that suits my eye. Then just chipping, I like chipping off tight, firm surfaces. Kind of feeling comfortable with that I think is important for me.”

Suber grew up in Tampa, Fla., and played collegiately at Mississippi. This is his third major start, and it’s his first that isn’t a U.S. Open. He made the cut in just half his starts as a PGA Tour rookie last year, although he was still exempt through this season via his top-30 finish on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List.

He’s made nine cuts in 15 starts this season and has finished fourth twice. The most recent was at the RBC Canadian Open last month, a tournament where he held the 54-hole lead for the first time in his career. He took sixth in his last start, which was the John Deere Classic two weeks ago.

He credits some of the recent success to a few equipment changes — switching to the new ProV1 and Titleist GTS3 driver — and an increased focus on his mental game.

“This year I feel like I’ve been really coming into myself as a golfer and maturing and learning what works for me,” he said. “Just learning how to deal with my golf game on the road and playing a whole year and what I need to change when things are going a certain way and kind of how I need to be calibrating stuff every day.”

So far, so good, for his first trip to Europe. Although he’s yet to try driving on the other side of the road.

“Because I’m trying to make it here for four days,” he joked.

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Manny Pacquiao had been set to rematch Floyd Mayweather in September in a lucrative affair, 11 years on from their fabled first encounter. However, the fight has since been postponed and now the Filipino’s manager has offered his thoughts on a potential showdown with undefeated superstar, Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis.

Pacquiao made his professional return one year ago, returning in an immediate world title challenge against then WBC welterweight champion, Mario Barrios, where victory would have seen ‘Pac-Man’ break his own record as boxing’s oldest ever welterweight ruler.

Yet, despite an inspirational effort, Pacquiao could only muster a draw against ‘El Azteca’, with a potential Mayweather rematch then taking precedent over a planned record-breaking world title win.

Whilst a fight date and venue was unveiled earlier this year, Mayweather’s ongoing legal issues have caused a delay to the event, thus leaving Pacquiao open to pursue alternative fights this autumn, including a possible challenge for the WBO welterweight crown.

Although, on X, Sean Gibbons, manager of Pacquiao, offered his fighter up for a clash with ‘Tank’ Davis, when responding to a question of how the Baltimore knockout artist would have fared against boxing’s only eight-division world champion. 

We can find out !! Champ is Ready 🇵🇭🥊 pic.twitter.com/b85T9rrTMp

— Sean Gibbons (@KnuckleheadSean) July 14, 2026

“We can find out !! Champ [Pacquiao] is Ready.”

It was previously believed that Davis would not fight for the remainder of the year, but the 31-year-old has since denied those claims.

Instead, he is eyeing up a first victory since June 2024 and with both of his rumoured opponents, Floyd Schofield and Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz, having moved on to different fights, Davis-Pacquiao could soon turn from a fantasy fight to a possible one.

Spain and Argentina have booked their place in Sunday’s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, closing out a tournament that has delivered exactly the showpiece many expected back in June.

Anyone checking the Spain Argentina odds will find a final between the reigning European champions and the reigning world champions, and that context alone points to a tightly contested match, with the possibility of the game being settled by penalties, something Argentina know only too well.

Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will lead their countries into Sunday’s final aware that history could repeat itself under the lights in New Jersey.

How a shootout works

The format itself is brutally simple. Level after 90 minutes, teams play 30 minutes of extra time. Still level, it comes down to five penalties each, then sudden death if the sides can’t be separated. There’s no away goals rule to fall back on and no substitution that changes the outcome, just a long walk from the halfway line and one moment that follows a player around for the rest of their career.

Goalkeepers spend days before a big match studying where opposing takers tend to put the ball, but even the best preparation still comes down to a guess made in half a second.

1994: Brazil vs Italy

Brazil and Italy played out a goalless draw in the searing heat of the Rose Bowl in 1994, still the only World Cup final never to produce a goal.

It went to penalties, and Roberto Baggio, Italy’s best player all tournament, stepped up last knowing a miss would hand Brazil the trophy. He put his effort over the bar, and Brazil won 3-2 on penalties, and that image of Baggio standing motionless, head down, has outlasted almost everything else from that tournament.

2006: France vs Italy

Twelve years later in Berlin, Zinedine Zidane opened the scoring for France with a cheeky chipped penalty, only for Marco Materazzi to equalise for Italy before half-time. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, remembered as much for Zidane’s headbutt on Materazzi and the red card that ended his career as for the football itself.

David Trezeguet then missed France’s fourth penalty off the crossbar. Fabio Grosso, who’d also scored the winner in the semi-final against Germany, stepped up to take the decisive kick and sent Italy to a fourth World Cup, won 5-3 on penalties.

2022: France vs Argentina

The most recent shootout final needed no such reminder of its stakes. Argentina and France drew 3-3 after extra time in Qatar in 2022, in what many still call the best final ever played. Lionel Messi put Argentina 2-0 up with a penalty and a second goal before Kylian Mbappe dragged France level with two goals in the same minute. Messi restored the lead in extra time, only for Mbappe to complete his hat-trick from the spot and force penalties.

In the shootout, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, never shy of a bit of gamesmanship on the goal line, saved Kingsley Coman’s penaltyand watched Aurelien Tchouameni fire over the bar. That left Gonzalo Montiel to send Argentina into delirium and complete Messi’s collection of major honours. Few would have wanted to bet  that outcome once Martinez had made his first save, and Sunday’s final looks capable of throwing up similarly fine margins.

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