On Saturday night, Ryan Garcia attempts to finally get his hands on a world title as he challenges Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight crown. Ahead of the action, four-division world champion Shakur Stevenson has revealed his prediction.

Garcia was set to challenge Devin Haney for the WBC super-lightweight title back in 2024 until he missed the weight and consequently, the opportunity to win the belt, but he still went ahead with the fight.

To the surprise of many, ‘King Ry’ went on to pull off the upset win and hand Devin Haney a first career defeat, but only temporarily.

During the aftermath, it was revealed that Garicia had tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug, Ostarine, and the result was overturned to a no-contest, whilst Garcia was handed a one-year ban from the sport.

Controversially, upon his return, Garcia was granted an immediate world title shot for the WBA regular welterweight belt against Rolando Romero, but once again the Californian was unable to get his hands on the title – this time losing via unanimous decision.

This weekend, Garcia gets another opportunity to claim world honours, tasked with what some fans believe to be low-hanging fruit in Barrios and, on ‘Inside The Ring’, Stevenson predicted a win for the challenger.

“Ryan. Decision”

Stevenson also welcomed a possible meeting with Garcia down the line, accepting Garcia’s offer of a proposed 144lb catchweight contest.

“I love the fight, I think that is perfect. There would be a lot of excitement for that fight, it’s a big money fight. Ryan Garcia is somebody that comes in there and you never know which version of him is going to show up.

“If the good version of him shows up, he gets spanked. If the bad version of him shows up, he gets spanked. Either way, he don’t stand a chance.”

However, despite making the offer, it is unlikely that ‘King Ry’ will be able to make 144lbs, with Stevenson likely needing to move up to welterweight in order to make that fight happen.

Trainer Grant Kluske believes advantages exist in contesting a tougher race with Gold Spirit at Morphettville this Saturday, despite the sprinter’s qualification for milder options.

The progressive four-year-old lines up for start two of the campaign in the $55,000 Sportsbet Same Race Multi BM72 Handicap at 1000 metres on the Parks surface.

Kluske bypassed the post-race 0-62 over 1000m where Gold Spirit qualified, opting for this setup notwithstanding the wide-ish draw from gate nine of 10.

“I decided to go with the higher-class race mainly because the horses in it,” Kluske said.

“He likes it up forward, but I think it’s going to be a bit of a fight up front and will take a sit.

“He doesn’t have to be up there (leading), so I’m more than happy going into it.”

Rather than co-topweight in the lower grade, the Turffontein progeny meets the BM72 at 54kg with 3kg off for jockey Brooke King.

King steered him to a solid fourth on January 31 first-up at Morphettville, going down by little more than one length.

Previously in 0-70 ranks, this BM72 features 68-calibre Been Our Angel, Mintulee and Nextonixs atop the ratings, which Kluske considers not overly deep, aiming to inform subsequent targets.

“This will only be his second start this time in, but he’s got to step up the mark in this one,” Kluske said.

“It’s a benchmark 72, but there’s nothing in it rated 69 (or above), so we’re more than happy.

“He’s a very good horse, very professional in everything he does and I’m feeling really happy with him.”

The racing betting markets offer value for the Sportsbet Same Race Multi BM72 Handicap at racing betting markets.

The post Grant Kluske chasing gold at Morphettville first appeared on Just Horse Racing.

India’s Ishan Kishan (ANI Photo)

Ishan Kishan has emerged as India’s standout performer with the bat in the ongoing T20 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in the team’s smooth progression to the Super 8s. The left-hander has struck consecutive half-centuries, underlining a dramatic resurgence in his career. Just six months ago, he was out of the national reckoning and far from selection discussions. Since making his return, however, Kishan has made every opportunity count.His defining contribution came in the high-pressure clash against Pakistan. On a challenging surface where stroke-making was far from easy, Kishan delivered a commanding 77 off 40 balls, laced with 10 fours and three sixes. His innings proved decisive, allowing India to seize control at a crucial juncture of the tournament.

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar attributed the knock to Kishan’s fearless mindset and clearly defined role at the top of the order.“To bat like Ishan Kishan, the way he did against Pakistan, I believe there have to be a couple of factors that have to be your advantage. Number one, he is batting at the top of the order. He has the backing of the team to go out and play by taking a lot of risks, which, at the moment, are coming off,” Bangar said on Star Sports.Bangar emphasised that Kishan’s success is rooted in form and method rather than reckless strokeplay.“Number two, he is the man in form, and T20 cricket is basically for form players. So he is maximising whatever form that he has. There is a method in which he dominated. It isn’t that he was targeting each and every bowler,” Bangar observed.He further analysed the innings, noting how Kishan strategically attacked specific bowlers.“Even till the fourth over, he first attacked Shaheen Shah Afridi in the second over, then gave respect to the off-spinners, and when the leg-spinners came, he took them to the cleaners. So all in all, a very calculative innings. I must say that even though he was getting the majority of the strike, he was farming the strike pretty well and made those 77 possible out of the 88 runs that were there on the scoreboard,” he elaborated.

• Home advantage smaller than ever before, but still a factor
• Italian women playing a huge role in host’s success
• Familiarity with facilities the main reason for Italy’s strong display
• History shows negative spillover possible

From Francesca Lollobrigida setting an Olympic record in the women’s 3,000-meter speed skating for Italy’s first gold to alpine skier Federica Brignone winning her second gold medal in three days, this has been Italy’s Winter Olympics in more ways than one. Their haul of 24 medals* is their best ever at the Winter Olympics, with their previous best of 20 coming in Lillehammer over 30 years ago.

But how much of Italy’s success is because they are at home?

Both the US and Canada enjoyed very successful Games when they hosted in 2002 and 2010 respectively. South Korea and China won more medals as hosts than ever before, but historically speaking the concept of home advantage is more complicated.

Carl Singleton is a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Stirling, Scotland, and has written multiple papers analyzing the idea of home advantage at the Olympics. In 2021, he co-authored one looking at the Summer and Winter Olympic Games between 1896 and 2021 and his findings revealed that over the span of the Olympics, home advantage has gradually reduced.

This is logical given the diversity of sports and events has increased, as has competition and participation. There are over 90 countries competing in Italy this month, whereas there were just 16 at the first Winter Olympics back in 1924.

“If you just look at that long history of the Olympic Games, home advantage now is possibly as small as it’s ever been, even though it’s still obviously quite there and substantial,” Singleton told DW.

Women playing a major role

Italy collected 17 medals in total in Beijing, with two of those being gold. In 2026, on home snow and ice, the Games are not even finished and they have already won 24, including eight golds. The most striking part of their success is the major role played by women.

Singleton’s data shows that in the Winter Olympics, the home advantage between 1988 and 2016 was “around 50% larger in men’s events but non-existent in women’s events.”

Italy’s women have changed all that, both this year and last. They have already medaled, either as a single athlete or as part of a team, in 16 events this year (four more than at the last Games).

“Women’s sports have become much more competitive, more funding, more access,” Singleton said.

“So now you’re maybe seeing the home advantage amplified through the women’s sports matching the home advantage that you might have always or more commonly seen in men’s sports.”

Facility familiarity the major factor

Singleton’s research points to four major factors that influence home advantage – a supportive home crowd, no travel, familiarity with conditions/tracks and favorable refereeing/umpiring bias. And, in 2026, Italy’s marginal gains have most likely been found in their familiarity with the facilities.

Italy have added just two new venues for these Games, the sliding center and the much discussed Santagiulia ice arena.

“So they’ve got familiarity with everything else, which is great,” said Singleton, highlighting that Italians likely had a chance to practice at the other facilities before any other athletes.

Growing up on this snow combined with being some of the top athletes in the world has been the perfect nudge for these athletes to get onto the podium.

“They’ve maximized the familiarity factor at these Games,” Singleton said.

How long-lasting is this success?

While some things are meant to be enjoyed in the moment, there will always be questions asked about the longevity and legacy of such events, especially when such a large amount has been invested. In other words, will there be a spillover performance at the 2030 Winter Olympics in France?

Singleton’s data reveals significant evidence that in the Summer Games, spillovers are real but on average there wasn’t a spillover for the Winter Games.

In fact, looking at recent hosts more than anything, there appears to be a tendency towards a sharp decline. After China won 15 medals at home in 2022, they have won just five in Milan and Cortina. South Korea went from 17 at home in 2018 to nine in 2022, and have just six this time around. While medals are not necessarily a barometer of whether a country’s sporting development pathways are healthy, they clearly matter to hosts.

The hope is, as always with major sporting events, that both the act of hosting and the success of home athletes will inspire the next generation. However, Singleton believes there isn’t a lot of strong evidence that the Olympics lead to long-lasting participation changes. Indeed, the cost is a big problem for many. It can though, make a difference beyond the numbers.

“I’m a macro economist by trade, and I tell my students all the time, there are many things that we can’t quantify in GDP, that don’t show up in national accounts, and I think these things are valuable,” Singleton said.

“Maybe, you can’t say that it was worth the initial money because it’s hard to make that comparison, but the memories, the experiences and the sense of national pride are important things which don’t show up in a country’s balance sheet. And that’s, to some extent, a big factor as to why certain nations bid for these things as well, because there are intangible benefits of hosting these events,” Singleton said.

“I think if every country can lose itself for three weeks and sport can develop a shared memory, then that is what is important.”

Italy’s athletes at these Winter Olympics have shown that even if home advantage is smaller than ever, it can be turned into special and memorable performances.

* As of 16:45 CET on February 17, 2026
Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia, who lost to Errol Spence Jr in 2019, has offered his thoughts on the American’s expected comeback fight against Tim Tszyu.

It was reported last week that, following a three-year layoff, Spence is set to return against former world champion Tszyu this summer.

The 35-year-old has not fought since his ninth-round stoppage defeat to Terence Crawford, who seized his WBC, IBF and WBA welterweight titles in dominant fashion.

Prior to that, many considered Spence to be the top dog at 147lbs, capable of becoming a two-division world champion at super-welterweight.

And while a lengthy hiatus has now diluted such comments, at least to a certain extent, ‘The Truth’ is nonetheless looking to reignite his career later this year.

Standing in his way of future multi-division glory, it seems, is sturdy contender Tszyu, whose performances have not quite looked the same since his split decision defeat to Sebastian Fundora in 2024.

After that particular night, where he showed tremendous grit to fight through a horrific gash on his forehead, the Australian found himself on the receiving end of a far more punishing third-round stoppage against Bakhram Murtazaliev.

Having since claimed two victories back home, while also losing his rematch with Fundora via a seventh-round finish, many are questioning what Tszyu has left to offer at world level.

But while the same, of course, could be said for Spence, former pound-for-pound star Garcia has effectively told ESNEWS that the Texan should enter their potential showdown as a clear favourite.

“That’s a good fight for Errol if it’s his comeback [fight]. Tim Tszyu is, I don’t think, a huge, huge threat.

“But it’s been a long time since Spence Jr [last fought], so I think it’s a good fight.”

Spence defeated Garcia, the naturally smaller man, with a wide unanimous decision at 147lbs, before defending his titles against the likes of Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia.

Consider the sandbagger. You’re familiar with the term and the type. Did you know, though, that neither got its start in golf?

In mid-19th-century England, “sandbagging” was punishable by imprisonment. But it didn’t describe an on-course crime. It referred to the work of common thugs who would knock their victims cold with sandbags and make off with their valuables.

That was a far cry from the word’s original meaning. In the early 1800s, to sandbag was to shore up or stabilize, often as a defense against flooding. But language, like trouble, has a way of spreading.

By the Roaring Twenties, sandbagging had taken metaphorical shape: bullying, coercion, intimidation. Its literal applications expanded, too. In poker, sandbagging became a kind of reverse bluff: playing possum with pocket aces to lure others into the pot.

How and when the term wandered onto the golf course is murkier. But by the 1940s, “sandbagging” had become shorthand in sports for a competitor who downplayed his advantage or deliberately underperformed.

Which brings us, inevitably, to that guy at your club.

By the early 1960s, characters like him were commonplace enough to inspire widespread complaint. The golf press addressed them with pious indignation. In one article from the Pensacola News Journal, the sandbagger was depicted as “an odious character indeed, for he perverts that purpose of the game.” No murkiness there. The sandbagger wasn’t merely gaming the system; he was committing a sin against golf itself.

The tone in those old references is steeped in moral outrage, as though sandbagging belonged alongside slow play, foot wedges and loud trousers as evidence of civilization’s decline. But it’s also telling. That the term was showing up so regularly in golf coverage suggested that it had already been circulating in locker rooms and betting games for some time.

In fact, evidence points to sandbagging gaining real traction in the 1950s, alongside the growing popularity of Calcuttas — handicapped matches with a gambling twist, their name borrowed from the Indian city where British colonists once wagered on horses. The format was tailor-made for the modern sandbagger: keep your handicap comfortably inflated, wait for the right moment, then “discover” your swing when money is on the line.

Today, the word has softened around the edges. “Sandbagger” can still be a harsh accusation, hissed in a stage whisper as the winner of a net event walks up to collect his prize. But it can also be tossed around as friendly ribbing, even a sideways compliment. It’s a golfer’s way of saying: Nice round. Now tell us what you really play to.

The USGA seems allergic to the term. You’d be hard-pressed to find “sandbagging” anywhere in its Rules of Golf or other official writing. Even hard and soft caps — measures that help safeguard against sandbagging — are presented instead in the diplomatic language of fairness, as tools to ensure a Handicap Index accurately reflects a player’s ability.