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Sugar Ray Leonard says one of the Four Kings hurt him so bad he should’ve retired after the fight

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Sugar Ray Leonard mixed it with the very best, including each of his fellow Four Kings, but admits he should have retired after encountering the ferocious fists of one man.

The American officially called time on his Hall of Fame career in 1997, having returned from a six-year absence and suffered a fifth-round stoppage defeat to Hector Camacho.

Prior to that, Leonard lost a unanimous decision to Terry Norris, but was evidently competing at a time when he no longer possessed his physical attributes of old.

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Instead, his prime years lasted between 1979 and 1981, when he established himself as the top dog at 147lbs with iconic wins over Wilfred Benitez, Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns.

After losing his first encounter with Duran, Leonard won their rematch by eighth-round stoppage, before defending his WBC title with a 14th-round finish over Hearns.

Sugar then entered a rematch with ‘The Hitman’ in 1989, only to suffer two knockdowns and come away with a highly controversial draw.

Speaking with Sky Sports, he admitted this was the night he should have hung up his gloves.

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“Tommy should’ve won the decision. Everyone said Tommy [was] shot; even my camp said, ‘One punch, he’s gone’.”

“I said to myself: When Tommy fights me, he’s gonna rise to the occasion. And Tommy did that, and he hurt me so many times.”

“I knew I should’ve retired after the Hearns fight, [or] even after the [Marvin] Hagler fight. Tommy [is] a sweetheart but, when he’s in the ring, he is a killer.”

Leonard’s middleweight clash with Hagler resulted in a controversial split decision, with many believing he was fortunate to emerge victorious in 1987.

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Tennessee LB Arion Carter makes generous gesture after NCAA suspension

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Despite sitting out Tennessee’s first game of the 2026 college football season, linebacker Arion Carter is doing something awesome.

According to On3’s Austin Price, Carter is donating $427 to cancer research for every tackle he makes this season.

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MORE: NCAA reduces Tennessee star linebacker Arion Carter’s suspension to one game

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It comes after the NCAA suspended Carter in July after he originally accepted a $427 flight from his agent. The flight was scheduled to go to an NFL pre-draft training facility after Carter originally entered the 2026 NFL Draft. He later withdrew from the draft because of an injury.

Carter was originally suspended for three games before an appeal by Tennessee reduced the suspension to two. It was subsequently reduced to one game in late August.

This is an awesome gesture from Carter, and it’s set to start this Saturday when Tennessee travels to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech. The Vols will play a Yellow Jackets team that’s still reeling from a 14-13 loss to the Colorado Buffaloes in Week 1. The Yellow Jackets had the chance to win the game with a field goal, but the Buffaloes blocked it.

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Kickoff for that contest will be at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Carter compiled 76 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defended last year. For his career, he has 161 total tackles.

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How Jon Sumrall’s debut for Florida ranks among other 1st-year coaches

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The Jon Sumrall era began in Gainesville with an offensive explosion that saw Florida football score a 66-21 victory over the FAU Owls in the Swamp. The Gators finished with the most yards gained since 2020 and their point total was the most in a season opener since a 69-0 thrashing of Montana State in 1988.

Sumrall also continued a streak of first-year UF coaches winning their debuts. The last one to lose their first game in Gainesville was Charlie Pell, who began the 1979 campaign with a 14-10 loss to Houston; the Gators did not win a single game that season.

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With all 31 new head coaches having wrapped up their first games after Week 1’s action, USA TODAY Sports writer Paul Myerberg ranked them all based on their initial results. Sumrall landed just outside of the top 10 at No. 11 in his rankings.

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“The Gators’ energy and aggressiveness led the way to 624 yards of offense, 30 first downs, three takeaways and a 66-21 blowout against Florida Atlantic. Florida looked like a Sumrall-coached team, basically.”

Looking like a “Sumrall-coached team” bodes well for the Orange and Blue, given his track record at his previous two stops, having amassed a 43-12 record between Troy and Tulane over four seasons.

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PHOTOS: Highlights from Florida’s season-opening win vs FAU Owls

Sep 5, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators head coach Jon Sumrall runs onto the field before a game against the Florida Atlantic Owls at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

(Matt Pendleton, IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Just below Sumrall in the rankings at No. 12 is former Gators skipper Billy Napier, who took over the sideline duties for the James Madison Dukes this season. While he started with a W at his new gig, there appears to still be some room for improvement.

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“JMU wasn’t too great on offense but still managed to pull out a 20-13 win against Liberty. The Dukes will need to get more scoring on the board to repeat atop the Sun Belt.”

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The rankings were headlined by Lane Kiffin, whose LSU Tigers thoroughly humiliated Clemson on Saturday, followed by Bob Chesney with UCLA, Jim Mora with Colorado State, Charles Huff with Memphis and Pete Golding with Ole Miss, respectively.

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: How Jon Sumrall’s debut for Florida ranks among other 1st-year coaches

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Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg withdraws from consideration for Red Wings job

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Detroit Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg withdrew his name from consideration for the gig, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday.

Greenberg, 40, has served as Tigers GM for three seasons under president of baseball operations Scott Harris. He previously spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant general manager with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Tigers and Red Wings share an owner in the Ilitch family.

Franchise legend Steve Yzerman stepped down from the Red Wings GM role in July after seven seasons without a post-season appearance, extending the team’s playoff drought to a decade.

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The incoming head of hockey operations will face a major task right from the jump, with captain Dylan Larkin having requested a trade early in the off-season.

Meanwhile, the Tigers have endured a tumultuous season of their own, sliding out of the post-season picture after dealing ace Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the trade deadline.

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The 5 NBA Figures Under the Most Pressure Heading Into the 2026-27 Season

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May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesMay 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the first half in game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The pressure to perform will reach new depths this upcoming NBA season.

Take Kevin Johnson, for example. As the 76ers’ athletic trainer, it’s his task not only to keep Joel Embiid upright for as many regular-season games as possible for seeding purposes, but also to make sure he’s rested enough to be at his best come time to run the gauntlet of what promises to be the deepest and most contentious Eastern Conference playoffs ever.

Then there’s Drew Moore. His goal as Celtics head trainer is to get Brad Stevens off the hot seat for dealing a star player in his prime for a has-been who’s limping toward the end of his career. And he’ll have to do this with Paul George while Jayson Tatum insists upon being first in line at the trainer’s table because, well, he’s entitled.

And finally, you got Rick Celebrini. You’ve probably heard of his son – hockey star Macklin Celebrini. This summer, none other than Kristaps Porzingis put dad, the Warriors’ vice president of player health and performance, on the map as well, claiming you can throw out his previous 350 career no-shows because – thanks to Celebrini’s magic touch – he’s never felt better. Of course, Porzingis – a critical participant if the Warriors are to remain competitive this season – sat out 16 of 31 games after joining Golden State last February, but who’s counting?

Those are tough ways to make a living, but I’ve identified five men in a variety of NBA job descriptions for whom the heat will be even hotter this winter:

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LEBRON JAMES

No disrespect, Mr. Johnson, but Embiid is going to get hurt again this year. Likely multiple times. That’s one reason the 76ers pursued LeBron in the first place even though the addition of Jaylen Brown was credited with jump-starting Philadelphia’s championship pulse.

Let’s be honest: If the 76ers don’t win the title this season, it’ll fall upon LeBron’s broad shoulders. He’s hand-delivered championships in Miami, Cleveland and Los Angeles, all with lesser supporting casts. Anything short of similar success in Philadelphia will make his final decision – the lasting impression – a poor one. And the GOAT will have died.

LAMELO BALL

Apr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) moves the ball during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn ImagesApr 14, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) moves the ball during the second half during the play-in rounds between the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The door is open for the Timberwolves to be the third-best team in the West this season. That’s the ceiling anyone other than the Spurs and Thunder can only hope to achieve. Thanks to a lot of former conference champs and contenders having seen better days, Minnesota – led by Anthony Edwards – is the most likely to get a shot at one of the powerhouses in the Western semifinals.

If, that is, the very serious Edwards can get along with the very unserious Ball in a pairing that has pancakes and ketchup plastered all over it. Yeah, it worked years ago when Magic Johnson free-wheeled while Byron Scott did the dirty work, but Edwards is a whole lot more talented than Scott, while Ball only thinks his wizardry resembles the second coming of Magic. Stand back, this could explode. And if so, Ball will get bounced.

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MITCH JOHNSON

If they took a vote on a Coach of the Finals in June, Johnson almost surely would have finished third behind Mike Brown and second-place tie between a million fans screaming at their TV, insisting they could be doing a better job than Johnson. Unfortunately, some were probably right.

I mean, who stations his Human Dunk Machine 30 feet from the basket time and time again? Yeah, some will blame Victor Wembanyama for having caught a 3-point-shooting ego disease from Giannis Antetokounmpo. But there’s a cure for that, and it’s called Be More Like Gregg Popovich And Less Like Guy Lewis. When you can save at least one point per possession by fouling Mitchell Robinson and instead you choose to try to win playing REAL basketball … well, that’s REAL stupid. Johnson is gone if that continues.

MIKE DUNLEAVY JR.

Dec 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. sits courtside during the second half of the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the CSUN Matadors at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn ImagesDec 27, 2025; Stanford, California, USA; Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. sits courtside during the second half of the game between the Stanford Cardinal and the CSUN Matadors at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

First let’s talk about all the good things Dunleavy has done since being confronted with the exceptionally low bar that comes with an opportunity to prove he’s a better general manager than a draft choice. He acquired Jimmy Butler III for peanuts. Well done.

And then he … uh, that’s pretty much it. The low point came this off-season, not only in the failed pursuit of LeBron, but in his inability to do anything except get owner Joe Lacob to boast: We’ll have a lot of options at the trade deadline. Almost sure to be under .500 and pretty much irrelevant at that point thanks to Dunleavy’s propensity for doing nothing, Warriors fans fear Stephen Curry – the Golden Boy of Bay Area Sports – will want to finish his career elsewhere. And if that happens, Dunleavy will be fired … at least a year too late.

BOB IGER

What was the NBA thinking giving Donald Trump a backdoor into league ownership? You don’t really think Josh Kushner is doing anything but greasing his brother’s father-in-law’s path back into professional sports as his next occupation, do you?

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Man, this is going to be a terrible marriage for Iger, who likely just wants a good seat from which to slap hands with Luka Doncic. But worse than Luka showing up at 250 pounds, you’ll know this is going to be a nightmare for Iger the minute the Lakers announce Karoline Leavitt as their new PR director. Heck, Leavitt could announce it herself, then prepare the press release for Iger’s formal termination in 2028.

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Pakistan cricket crisis deepens as investigation launched into ‘discipline and conduct’ during England tour

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An internal investigation into “media reports concerning discipline and conduct” has been launched by Pakistan amid their crisis tour of England.

It follows an unprecedented move last week in which seven players were sent home and seven replacements called up after heavy defeats at Headingley and Lord’s left the touring side 2-0 down in the three-match series.

Head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and assistant Umar Gul have also been replaced, with Mike Hesson, in charge of Pakistan’s white-ball sides, and former Australia seamer Ashley Noffke supervising the final Test at Edgbaston this week.

A statement read: “The Pakistan Cricket Board has initiated an internal disciplinary inquiry following media reports concerning discipline and conduct, which are currently being reviewed internally.

“The PCB handles such matters in accordance with its standard procedures. The process is being conducted under PCB regulations, ensuring that all concerned individuals are given due consideration.

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Salman Ali Agha has been sent home after captaining Pakistan in the first Test
Salman Ali Agha has been sent home after captaining Pakistan in the first Test (Getty)

“At this stage, any speculative reports or unverified claims circulating on certain platforms, particularly those originating from hostile external sources, should not be regarded as credible.”

The dismissed senior players include Salman Ali Agha – who served as captain for Pakistan in the opening Test prior to being dropped for the second – wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan and Imam-ul-Haq, who did not bat in either innings because of a low-grade calf strain.

Former captain Shahid Afridi called the decision by the PCB to make such extensive squad alterations the “most shocking decision ever by a selection committee”.

Among the seven replacement players called up, only batters Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal have Test experience.

Monday’s statement from the PCB added: “The PCB will not comment further at this time. The board advises stakeholders and the public to rely on official PCB communications.”

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Speaking to reporters in Birmingham on Monday, Noffke admitted he was unaware of the details regarding the probe.

Ashley Noffke said he was unaware of the details of the probe
Ashley Noffke said he was unaware of the details of the probe (Reuters)

“I can be really honest in that I don’t know too much,” he said. “I sit outside of that decision-making model, (which is) above us as coaches. We try and keep the players focused on what they need to worry about.

“One thing that I’ve learned about being in Pakistan and coaching for a period of time, nearly 15 months now with the white-ball team, is there’s always something going on in the background.

“I think most of the time it’s out of the players’ control. They need to focus on the cricket that they have in front of them and the opportunity they have in front of them.

“We’re not really in the position to even know the outer workings of what’s happening at PCB in that context.”

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Ian Poulter sees son win Walker Cup. Then comes a SCENE at the pub

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Ian Poulter on the golf course while speaking on Golf Channel? Thoughtful. After son Luke’s Great Britain and Ireland team had rallied on Sunday to defeat the U.S. at the Walker Cup, he reflected on the scene at Lahinch Golf Club in Ireland. 

But Poulter a little while later in an Irish pub?

He said he had just one thing to say. 

Sunday was something for Poulter, one of the European Ryder Cup team’s best-ever players and now a LIV Golf pro. Luke won his Sunday singles match. GB&I won the Cup. Afterward, Golf Channel’s Steve Burkowski wondered what Poulter made of it all. There were four questions.

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How would Poulter describe what those at Lahinch saw?

“Absolutely thrilling,” Poulter said. “As a dad, as a fan, as somebody who loves golf and has been part of golf, that was truly special. To see the boys come up 17 and 18 and for Josh [Hill] to literally have that last putt on the last hole to literally clinch it was epic. All the guys that had to come up 18, that had to get something out of the hole, Eliot [Baker] and all of the boys and Connor [Graham], they did such a special job. It was great to observe and watch the lads really get that special moment. Dean [Robertson] has done an amazing job the last couple of years.”

What did he think of the job done by Robertson, the GB&I captain?

“They bonded extremely well,” Poulter said. “They had a number of lads come back from last year to this year. Dean had a great atmosphere in the team room this week. I was only in there for a short period of time, but the buzz between the boys was very special. They took on the course — it was a hard morning in tough conditions, but to come out early in the singles this afternoon and put some blue on the board and then to watch the boys finish it off, amazing.”

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What was the atmosphere like when Hill clinched the Cup with a putt on the 18th hole?

“It was emotional,” Poulter said. “As a dad, as a golf fan, I feel for all of them. I’ve kind of been on the other side of that and now to enjoy that and to watch them enjoy it themselves, it means a lot to the whole team and all of the lads. That was a hard-fought win today.”

Finally, did Poulter get more nervous watching or playing? He laughed. 

“It’s not easy at all,” he said. “It’s not easy. Just a lot of pride, and proud of each and every one of them. They’ve done an amazing job this week.”

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Everyone then made their way to the pub. 

Where Poulter found a mic.  

He said he had just one thing to say. 

He sang. If you’ve watched celebrations of Ryder Cup wins, you know the words. 

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“O-le, o-le, o-le, o-le, o-le, o-le.”

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How to Watch Toledo vs. Michigan State: TV Channel, Live Stream, Time

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

The Toledo Rockets visit the Michigan State Spartans on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. ET from Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI.

Watch college football on FOX One

Michigan State and Toledo both enter Friday night’s opener at 0-0. Toledo averaged 30.8 points per game in 2025, well ahead of Michigan State’s 24.6, a track record the Rockets bring into Spartan Stadium. Michigan State is a 9.5-point favorite at DraftKings, with the total set at 47.5.

Below, we’ll give you all the details you need to know about how to watch this game.

How to Watch Toledo vs. Michigan State

Players to Watch

Toledo Rockets

Zock is the marquee addition in new coach Mike Jacobs’ haul of 21 small-school transfers, and he arrives with a real track record. He picked up 20 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks last season as the Southern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, numbers that would have led most Group of Five defenses outright. Toledo is chasing its third Mid-American Conference title game in five years, and Jacobs is 33-8 combining his last three seasons at Mercer and Lenoir-Rhyne. None of that translates automatically to the MAC, but a pass rusher who racked up that kind of production against lesser competition gives Toledo’s front seven a proven disruptor from the jump. Michigan State’s rebuilt offensive line will be the first real measuring stick.

Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State overhauled its roster hoping transfers could speed up a rebuild, and Edwards gives the offense a proven workhorse. He rushed for 1,240 yards at UConn last year and enters this season as the fourth-leading returning rusher in the nation with 2,690 career rushing yards over 36 games. New coach Pat Fitzgerald inherited a senior class heavy with new names, and Edwards is the one piece opposing defenses already have to prepare for. Toledo enters with a defense built around transfer additions of its own, led by edge rusher Andrew Zock, so neither team is hiding from how much roster turnover shaped this opener. If Edwards can run against a defense that new, Michigan State’s offense has a real foundation to build on.

Michigan State Spartans

Every new face at Michigan State arrived through the transfer portal this off-season, except Milivojevic, who remains the same quarterback who threw 10 touchdowns against just three interceptions a season ago. That continuity matters against a Toledo defense that will lean on newcomers of its own to slow down the Spartans. Fitzgerald’s rebuild depends on Milivojevic protecting the ball while Edwards and a retooled defense find their footing, and his low interception rate a year ago suggests he can do exactly that. Toledo’s own quarterback situation is far less settled, which puts extra pressure on Milivojevic to be the steady half of this matchup rather than the swing factor.

Toledo vs. Michigan State Odds

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‘North pole and south pole’: Ashish Nehra compares Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya as captains | Cricket News

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'North pole and south pole': Ashish Nehra compares Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya as captains
Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill (BCCI/IPL Photo)

NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill is still learning the art of captaincy and will improve with experience, Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra said on Monday.Gill took over as Gujarat Titans captain after Hardik Pandya left the franchise. He led the team to the IPL final in 2026, after Pandya and Nehra had guided GT to the title in their first season in 2022 and another final in 2023.Nehra said Gill and Pandya are very different personalities and leaders, but both have the ability to keep learning.“They are very, very different. You are talking about north pole and south pole. Both of them were like me, not somebody who has done much coaching,” Nehra said, comparing Pandya and Gill.“Both of them were not somebody who has done much captaincy, but you learn on your way forward, and suddenly somebody is pretty much doing captaincy for India in two formats. He is only going to get better.”

‘Gill observes more and to the point’

Nehra said Pandya was very open with him and trusted him completely during their successful partnership at Gujarat Titans.Gill, on the other hand, is quieter and more reserved but remains eager to learn.“One thing is for sure: he (Pandya) completely trusted me, which was the perfect, perfect thing. He will always be keen to learn. He will always ask if something doesn’t go right or doesn’t go well. He is somebody you can have lots of conversations with,” Nehra said.“The other way around, Shubman is a little reserved, a little shy, but that’s okay. Everyone is different. There is no right or wrong. He (Gill) is someone who will not talk or have as many conversations as Hardik Pandya, but he is to the point. He is somebody who is very keen to learn and keen to observe. Of course, he is a work in progress. He is only 26-27, and it is not that he has been doing captaincy for so many years. It is only 1-2 seasons, and you learn things and you will get better,” he said.

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Tyson Fury claims Anthony Joshua bout is off, calls for Usyk trilogy

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Tyson Fury claims Anthony Joshua fight is off, targets Usyk trilogy

FILE – Tyson Fury of England celebrates after winning against Mariusz Wach of Poland during a heavyweight charity bout at Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya, Thailand, Friday, July 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit, file)

Tyson Fury claims Anthony Joshua is backing out of their much-anticipated all-British heavyweight showdown and has challenged Oleksandr Usyk to a trilogy fight.

Fury and Joshua have been locked in talks over a long-awaited meeting but the “Gypsy King” is impatient at a lack of confirmation, calling his rival a “coward” last week.

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The two former heavyweight world champions are expected to meet in November but the location of the fight has yet to be agreed.

READ: Fury-Joshua must take place in UK under current deal, says Hearn

In an expletive-laden video posted on Instagram, Fury, 38, claimed Joshua was pulling out of the fight.

“This will only lead me to a fight with Oleksandr Usyk,” he said. “Oleksandr you’re his (Joshua’s) trainer and his sensei and you know he is… weak-minded… and that he would never fight the Gypsy King, which you have had the guts to do twice.

“You got the decisions last time, fair play to you. Good luck to you, let’s do it again. Let’s run it back in November.

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“The ball is now in your court… do you want to fight me this year, 2026, or are you calling quits? Let me know because I am now looking for a new opponent.”

READ: Fury sends contract to Joshua for Wembley fight in September

Fury has twice lost to Usyk, a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.

Joshua has been working with the Ukrainian’s training team.

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New York’s Madison Square Garden was widely expected to be announced as the venue for the Fury-Joshua fight even though Joshua’s camp prefers Wembley Stadium.

Sela, the Saudi state-owned promotional company financing the fight, and broadcaster Netflix are believed to favour staging the bout in the United States.



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‘This might be the year’: Mbappé embraces Ballon d’Or talk after World Cup exploits

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Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé said Monday it was natural for people to consider him as a potential Ballon d’Or winner this year after his World Cup exploits.

The France captain scored 10 goals at the tournament this summer to win the Golden Boot, with his country finishing fourth, and has netted 22 in the competition during his career, making him the World Cup’s all-time top scorer.

Mbappé, 27, has not yet won the prestigious trophy given to the world’s best player.

Read moreFrance’s Mbappé becomes all-time leading World Cup goalscorer

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“I think that when you play for Real Madrid, which is the best club in the world, naturally people associate you with that kind of award, they associate you with collective awards, individual awards,” Mbappé told reporters.

“A lot of people, when they see me in the street, talk to me about the Ballon d’Or, a lot of people talk about me as a possible Ballon d’Or winner…

“Of course I made a lot of history this summer in the most important competition in sport, but we’ll see.

“I have the feeling that it’s a good year for that, but there’s still a long time to go and people are free to vote for whoever they think is the best player in the world.”

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Since joining Real Madrid in 2024 Mbappé has scored huge quantities of goals but the club has failed to win a major trophy.

On Tuesday the record 15-time European champions host Inter Milan in the Champions League in the first match of the league phase.

During Mbappé’s first two years at Madrid the team has appeared unbalanced, with too many star names, including the Frenchman and Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior, widely considered not to be contributing enough to the team effort – in contrast to Ousmane Dembélé at Paris Saint-Germain and Raphinha at Barcelona.

“We have to improve,” admitted Mbappé. “But I could play dumb and tell you that I score more goals than (Dembelé and Raphinha), and that they need to score more goals to be like me.

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“Everyone is different, but I want to do things intelligently and say that of course I have to improve and all that, but I don’t like comparisons because I think I do a lot of things that others don’t do.”

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho recently said he would prefer if Mbappé scored fewer goals but also worked hard to help the team win titles.

Mbappé said he would accept lower numbers if it led to trophies, but noted they were not mutually exclusive.

“I’d take 30 goals with titles, yes, but… for me it’s an absurd debate,” said Mbappé.

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“I always want to score goals and win titles… you don’t have to choose, you can do both things.”

Mourinho faces old friends

Veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho led Inter to Champions League glory in 2010 at the Santiago Bernabeu before he departed to take over at Real Madrid.

Despite his history with the Italian side, whom he steered to the treble that year, the coach said that only mattered before and after, but not during the match.

“There aren’t many (people) left from my time, but it’ll always be a pleasure to see people, even if I don’t know them, but people who defend Inter, before and after,” said Mourinho.

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Kylian Mbappé celebrates after France's World Cup win over Paraguay, on July 4, 2026
Kylian Mbappé celebrates after France’s World Cup win over Paraguay, on July 4, 2026. © Martin Meissner, AP

“During the game I want to win, they want to win, and there won’t be time to think about things from a wonderful past.”

Mourinho wants his Madrid players to bounce back from their first defeat of the season, 1-0 at Real Betis on Friday in La Liga.

“I want to win. I could tell you I want to play well, but I don’t want to play well like we did against Betis and lose,” said Mourinho.

“Obviously we’re in a phase where we play eight games and the objective in these eight games is to qualify, and I think we’re going to do that. But I want to think about this match in isolation from that context.

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“I want to think about this match as a one-off game. I don’t want to think that we still have seven more matches to play, and I want to win.”

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

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