There are no bad rooms at the best resorts. But some accommodations are a cut above the rest. GOLF’s new list of Top 100 Resorts in the World covers the game’s most resplendent lodging, from beachside cottages and baronial mansions to modernist suites and mountain chalets. All come, of course, with ready access to world-class golf, first-rate food and wine, and amenities to complement their surrounds. On a list where every option sparkles, the differences come down to taste. Here are 5 that stand out to us.

Apes Hill
St. James, Barbados

Named for the wild green monkeys that swing through its treetops, this hilltop resort pairs jungle-canopy seclusion with sweeping sea views. Villas — from two-story layouts to single-level residences over 4,000 square feet — open floor-to-ceiling to let island breezes do the cooling. Designer kitchens, private plunge pools, and a golf cart come standard, but it’s the indoor-outdoor flow, tuned to the tropics, that makes this feel like a luxurious tree-house stay.

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St. Regis Punta Mita
Bahia de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico

The 120 hacienda-style rooms and villas here lean into old-world Mexican and Mediterranean craft, with terra-cotta floors, exposed wood beams and private plunge pools tucked into beachfront suites. But the real signature is the service: every guest gets round-the-clock butler care, from unpacking to pressing a shirt before dinner. Add indoor-outdoor marble bathrooms, hidden TVs that rise from cabinetry, just-so mattresses with high thread-count sheets, and windows that open to the coastal breezes, and the feeling of pampering is complete.

Heritage Resorts
Bel Ombre, Mauritius

Every lodging option here is a suite. No standard rooms. Just beautifully appointed, expansive spaces. Guests pick their vantage: beachfront, garden, or ocean view, each with the same all-suite comfort built in. No matter how you’re traveling — as a couple, with a family, on a group getaway — the accommodations allow you to spread out after a round, with the Indian Ocean or manicured grounds as backdrop.

Te Arai Links
Tomarata, New Zealand

The same restraint that defines Te Arai’s Tom Doak and Coore-Crenshaw courses carries into the lodging, its design all driftwood tones, clean lines, and windows and doors that give away to outdoor decks on along the dunes. The style is consistent but the scale varies, ranging from ocean-view rooms and suites to cottages and villas. Topping them all is the Whaitere, a five-bedroom house situated on the South Course with a gym, indoor and outdoor kitchens, a home office, and its own indoor putting green. Here, along a spectacular, unspoiled coast, the luxury comes in understated tones, not shouts.

Trump International Golf Links & Hotel
Doonbeg, Clare, Ireland

Set on a windswept stretch of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, Doonbeg’s 218 suites lean fully into their surroundings. Think stone walls, wood-beamed ceilings and fireplaces lit before you arrive. It’s old-world Irish estate luxury, unapologetically grand, with marble bathrooms, full kitchens, and ocean views standing in for anything understated. Between rounds, guests can retreat to the spa or settle by the fire, sipping whiskey and swapping embellished stories from the course.

JJ Gabriel has stunned Man United by asking to leave the club and he won’t be making his first-team debut against Brighton in the Carabao Cup tonight

Noah Ajayi is reportedly closing on signing a new long-term contract with Manchester United. Hamburg-born Ajayi moved to England when he was 10 and signed his scholarship with the club a year ago, aged 16.

Ajayi made his Under-21s debut for United in April 2025, and he came off the bench during the 5-0 victory over Sabah in the UEFA Youth League last week. And now, according to the Daily Mail, the 17-year-old’s first professional contract is close to being finalised and it will see him commit his long-term future to the Old Trafford club.

The winger, according to Sky Sports, had attracted interest from clubs in England and around Europe.

News of Ajayi’s deal being close to finalised comes at a time when United chiefs are recovering after being informed by JJ Gabriel that he wants to leave the club.

As reported by the MEN yesterday, United are in a state of shock over Gabriel’s decision to try and quit Old Trafford.

United had planned to name the attacker in their squad to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup third round, but the teenager decided against training with Michael Carrick’s squad after asking to leave the club.

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The club’s hierarchy are unclear about what has caused Gabriel to demand to leave the club he has played for since the age of 11, while Real Madrid are reportedly confident of landing the teenager, who United fear could walk from the club on his 16th birthday next month to sign for a club in Europe.

While United have also confirmed that Fred Heath and Dante Plunkett have put pen-to-paper on their first professional deals, with Will Murdock signing his second professional contract with the club.

Goalkeeper Heath was part of the senior group that travelled to Ireland during pre-season and, like Murdock, is now part of the club’s Under-21s squad.

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While defender Plunkett, who joined United from Aston Villa, is a full international for Jamaica and made 12 appearances for United’s Under-18 side last season.

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In a declaration as revelatory as water is wet, Lane Kiffin conceded in his Week 3 press conference that “a lot’s going to be made about me.”

Typically, college football fans have to wait until Thanksgiving weekend to get matchups with the kind of venom likely to be evident between LSU and Ole Miss. But what most of those Rivalry Week games cultivated over decades to instill unbridled disdain between fan bases, the Tigers and Rebels achieved in a speed-run.

Kiffin was correct when he said much would be made of his return to Oxford, Mississippi, less than 10 months removed from his leaving Ole Miss for LSU. Plenty was already made from November 30 of last year onward, in fact, with this encounter eagerly anticipated on the college football calendar.

The first-year LSU coach’s attempts to shift that focus to the matchup on the field were also what one would expect of any game-week presser.

“This is about the players being prepared really well and playing really well,” Kiffin said. “[Ole Miss head coach] Pete [Golding is] not going to tackle anybody, [and] I’m not going to throw any touchdowns.”

True enough. And in college football perhaps more than any other sport, attention oftentimes turns to the coaches on the sideline more than the players.

In this instance, however, shifting focus onto the athletes and away from the coach just isn’t possible when key contributors on one side are part of the animus the other side feels.

Kiffin’s return to Ole Miss is interesting in that regard because it’s an opportunity to see certain realities of the modern transfer portal litigated on the field. Kiffin is hardly the first head coach to bring star transfers with him upon changing jobs since the rule changes of 2021 effectively created an open market.

Kiffin isn’t even the first coach to move within the same conference and take transfers with him. The four former Rebels who followed Kiffin to Baton Rouge pales in comparison to the 21 players that left Marshall for Sun Belt Conference counterpart Southern Miss alongside coach Charles Huff in 2025.

But while Marshall and Southern Miss did not face off last season, fate brought LSU and Ole Miss together almost immediately — and do so at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

Considering the players who joined Kiffin in his move are now some of LSU’s top playmakers, their presence in purple-and-gold is an on-field manifestation of the jilting.

Linebacker TJ Dottery, the Rebels leading tackler in 2025 with 98, racked up nine in the Tigers’ Week 2 mauling of Louisiana Tech. Receiver Winston Watkins Jr., who hauled in 26 passes last season, has already caught 12 as a Tiger through two games.

And then there’s defensive end Princewill Umanmielen.

Two games into the campaign, Umanmielen has five sacks — most in the nation. The prospect of the former Rebel setting an LSU single-season sack record was alluded to Kiffin during the coach’s press conference.

The coach’s response, intentional or not, has to rub salt in some very fresh wounds.

“I’m glad he’s on our side,” Kiffin said.

Not exactly the kind of homecoming Ole Miss faithful would have liked to have held for an All-SEC honoree who contributed to the Rebels’ College Football Playoff journey.

For his part, Golding — who stepped in as head coach for that Playoff run — analogized Saturday to another type of homecoming.

“To me, it’s like high school homecoming for these dudes,” Golding told reporters. “If you focus on the wrong [things], that homecoming dance ain’t very fun after you get your butt beat on a Friday night.”

Ravindra Jadeja earns ODI recall (Agency Image)

India announced the squads for the T20I and ODI series against the West Indies on Wednesday. The men’s senior selection committee also named the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup next month.Because the ODIs against the West Indies overlap with the Asian Games, the men’s senior selection committee chaired by Ajit Agarkar gave maiden call-ups to Auqib Nabi and Naman Dhir and also recalled Ravindra Jadeja to the ODI squad. Mohammed Siraj will headline the fast bowling department which also features Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar.As expected, Rohit Sharma, who scored a brilliant hundred in the third ODI against England at Lord’s, retains his place but the selectors have also picked Yashasvi Jaiswal as the reserve opener. Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to fill the No.4 position left vacant by Shreyas Iyer, who will lead the T20I side in Japan. Dhir is also available as an all-round option.In another interesting development, Nitish Kumar Reddy has been withdrawn from the Asian Games squad and will play the three ODIs against West Indies instead. It is reliably learnt that the team management wants to maximise Reddy’s ODI game time to have the seam bowling option ready. With Hardik Pandya yet to get the clearance from the CoE, the selectors are keen on keeping options ready.Regarding the second wicketkeeper spot, Dhruv Jurel has pipped Rishabh Pant, who will lead the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup next month. This could well mean a tough road back to the limited-overs set-up for the left-hander.The T20I team for the fixtures against the same opposition next month sees a return for Prince Yadav and Mayank Yadav but interestingly, Yash Thakur, who replaced Harshit Rana in the Asian Games squad, has been ignored. Axar Patel retained his spot as the left-arm spinner and will have Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar for company.India’s ODI team: Shubman Gill [C], Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul [VC], Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Mohammed Siraj, Auqib Nabi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Naman Dhir.India’s T20I Team: Shreyas Iyer [C], Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Ishan Kishan [WK], Sanju Samson [WK], Tilak Varma [VC], Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav.India’s updated squad for the Japan T20I & the Asian Games: Shreyas Iyer (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma (VC), Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yash Thakur, Vipraj Nigam.

There are currently 148 Kenyan athletes serving doping bans, second in number only to India, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). Some of their excuses have been breathtaking. Ruth Chepngetich, who broke the marathon world record by a staggering one minute and 57 seconds in Chicago two years ago, said she must have been contaminated when taking her housemaid’s medication after feeling hot. Emmaculate Anyango blamed mysterious hospital injections after fainting. Eglay Nalyanya and Betty Lampus both submitted fake medical records signed by different imaginary doctors at the same hospital.

Wilson Kipsang was a personal favourite. The former marathon world record holder told the AIU that he missed a fourth drug test because he had been held up by an accident on the road, caused by a landslide in heavy rainfall near the city of Nakuru. Kipsang submitted a photo of an upturned truck by way of explanation. But investigators found that rainfall around Nakuru leading up to the day in question had been unremarkable and unlikely to cause a landslide. They also discovered that the photo Kipsang claimed to have taken that day was actually of a road traffic accident that happened three months later.

Perhaps the most elaborate was Lawrence Cherono, a two-time major marathon winner and one of the fastest men to ever run 26.2 miles. Cherono initially blamed a doctor for injecting him with an unknown substance, then pivoted to blaming his “jealous” training partners for a dark plot to trap him. Finally, he landed on a third explanation: his wife had accidentally given him the wrong tablets. Cherono submitted forged medical documents with a handwritten prescription and a fake photograph, and it took the AIU two years to prove he was lying.

At which point, as absurd as these stories are – and there are many more – it becomes a little bleak. The AIU continues to pour time and money into investigating endemic doping in Kenya. Only last week, marathon runner Caren Chelagat was banned for four years after testing positive for the banned substance norandrosterone. Clean athletes are repeatedly suffering from rampant cheating, losing both earnings and career-defining results.

Dig beneath the surface of the feeble excuses and there are patterns here: the fabricated records requiring medical knowledge, the elaborate cover-ups, the coaches and managers linked to the same guilty athletes. They point to the influence of organised crime groups, preying on athletes who are desperate to make life-changing sums of money and who quickly become hooked on high performance. Though perhaps not very well-organised crime, given so many athletes are getting caught in the AIU’s testing net.

The issues in Kenyan athletics run deeper than doping alone. World Athletics continues to investigate a number of athletes over allegations of age cheating. Then there are the cases of harassment and violence against female athletes in the country, most horrifyingly in the murders of Agnes Tirop, Damaris Muthee Mutua and Rebecca Cheptegei. A recent study of Kenyan women in sports found that 69 per cent of respondents had experienced or knew someone who had experienced sexual and gender-based violence.

So against that backdrop, this week’s decision to hand the 2029 World Athletics Championships to Nairobi is not a great look for the sport. Nairobi impressed World Athletics chiefs with an emotional pitch built around being the first African nation to host the prestigious event, and certainly it should have been staged on the continent before now. Nairobi’s bid also played on the fact that 2029 will be the final edition to include the marathon. Kenyan great Sabastian Sawe, the current men’s world record holder in the marathon and first man to break two hours in an official race, actively encourages drug testing and could well win the men’s race on home soil.

London, which spent £45m on its failed bid, and Rome were overlooked, while Munich will stage the following World Championships in 2031. But before then, the sport’s biggest event is heading to a distance-running hotbed in a country rife with doping, a plague that still rages despite efforts by World Athletics, Athletics Kenya and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya.

Naturally, the increased scrutiny on Kenya, which was labelled a category A high-risk country by the AIU in 2018, has weeded out positive results, which suggests the anti-doping system is working. But the optics are still the same. Once major marathon champions like Albert Korir and Diana Kipyokei failed tests, then every impressive Kenyan time, every exciting rising star, was treated with suspicion.

Kenyan athletes will be more motivated than ever to reach the top of the sport over the next three years with an African championships on the horizon, which could lead more athletes astray. Let’s not pretend the cheats have all been caught, or that they ever will be. “Intentional dopers at elite level are evading detection,” admitted AIU chair David Howman last year. No doubt some who escape the testers will be competing at their home Worlds in 2029.

From promoters and managers to fighters, trainers and executives, the 2026 Boxing News Power List 50 was decided by a BN panel weighing up each individual’s current reach, relevance and ability to shape what happens inside and outside the ring. This first instalment counts down from 50 to 26, with the remaining 25 names, including the figure judged to be the most powerful person in boxing, following tomorrow.

50. Andy Foster

Los Angeles has, admittedly, become a far less prominent destination for major boxing events in recent years, with venues such as the Staples Center having almost been forgotten.

But make no mistake: the California State Athletic Commission remains a highly-influential regulatory body, currently being steered by Executive Director Foster.

Having held his position since 2012, Foster must be doing something right and has, rather controversially, been a vocal supporter of Dana White’s proposed Muhammad Ali Revival Act.

49. Jeff Mullen

Since stepping into the shoes of Bob Bennett in November 2021, Mullen has served as Executive Director at the Nevada State Athletic Commission and remains the manager of day-to-day operations.

In doing so, he finds himself at the helm of one of boxing’s most significant regulatory bodies, with blockbuster events still consistently taking place in Las Vegas.

The T-Mobile Arena, in particular, has had a busy 2026, hosting the likes of David Benavidez, Teofimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia.

48. Matthew Delaglio

Delaglio became Executive Director at the New York State Athletic Commission in May 2024, amid all the chaos that followed Devin Haney vs Ryan Garcia.

The commission chief therefore signed off on a year-long doping suspension for Garcia, having been compelled to negotiate with the American boxer’s legal team.

Elsewhere in his role, Delaglio is responsible for overseeing safety protocols and regulating events at major venues such as Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center.

47. Dmitry Salita

With a DAZN deal and the bona fide star of women’s boxing – following Katie Taylor’s retirement, that is – Salita is leading the charge of US-specific promoters behind the traditional top three of Top Rank, Premier Boxing Champions and Golden Boy.

Claressa Shields is, of course, his marquee talent, with the ‘GWOAT’ having established herself as a prolific ticket seller and No.1 pound-for-pound female fighter. Other Salita-promoted fighters include heavyweight prospects Pryce Taylor and Brandon Moore.

46. George Rose

While Australian boxing may be some way behind American, British and Japanese in terms of its mainstream appeal, when done right the sport does capture the public’s imagination – and George Rose, with his No Limit Boxing promotion, is at the forefront of a boom period Down Under.

He has brought in the foreign superstar likes of Errol Spence and Devin Haney and promotes Aussie boxing royalty in the Tszyu brothers, as well as courting the casual market with popular crossover contests involving former rugby and AFL players.

45. Robert Smith

Robert Smith continues to preside over the sport’s governing body for the sport in what is arguably the most important boxing nation outside the United States.

This alone makes him a significant man of influence, as the British Boxing Board of Control decides who is and isn’t professionally licensed here in any capacity, but the BBBofC also has a proud record for safety and live event protocols.

44. Robert Garcia

We have almost come to expect that, whenever a Garcia-trained fighter enters the ring, their opponent is likely to be at a severe disadvantage.

Such is the nature of Garcia’s exceptional coaching credentials and, as a manager, too, he is firmly at the helm when it comes to the career of Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez.

Other fighters in his stable include Vergil Ortiz Jr and IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla, as well as Oscar Duarte and Lindolfo Delgado.

43. The Sauerlands

No longer Wasserman Boxing, Kalle and Nisse Sauerland are now behind MF-Pro, the legit offshoot of Misfits Boxing, the “crossover” brand that repels traditionalists and attracts casuals in equal measure.

The Sauerlands are involved in that, too, but MF-Pro shows they still have an appetite for “proper” boxing, having staged Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora and fights involving Mick Conlan and Harlem Eubank.

42. Lee Eaton

As Head of Boxing at Frank Warren’s Queensberry, Eaton has an authoritative say over the matchmaking and quality control for each and every card.

He should therefore receive ample credit for helping to deliver such successful events, especially the action-packed show headlined by Fabio Wardley-Daniel Dubois in May.

With the two heavyweights rematching on October 17, the Queensberry schedule also includes delectable main events such as Liam Davies-Nathaniel Collins and Anthony Cacace-Nick Ball.

41. Sergey Lapin

With his own level of influence directly linked to that of Oleksandr Usyk, for whom he serves as team director, it is natural that Sergey Lapin has come down a few rungs now that Usyk has relinquished all his belts and will likely fight no more than one more time.

But Lapin hangs on to a top 50 spot after also taking a guiding role in what remains of Anthony Joshua’s career, and his involvement in Usyk-17 Promotions and Ready To Fight ensures he will remain a key player in Eastern European boxing even after his main charge has retired.

40. Claressa Shields

While her self-proclaimed GWOAT (Greatest Woman Of All Time) status may be disputed by at least a small handful of female fighters past and present, what isn’t up for debate is Claressa Shields’ status as the biggest draw in women’s boxing.

Even without a significant dance partner in recent years and at the higher weights she has favoured, Shields fights are major occasions, both as live events and on television. Her brash character is social media catnip, and she backs up the noise with action-packed performances.

39. Brian Peters

Even with Katie Taylor having sailed into the sunset, Peters would be the first to tell you that he is managing the future star of women’s boxing.

Indeed, Matchroom’s unbeaten Tiah-Mai Ayton certainly looks the part, yet it remains to be seen whether her power and skills can translate to world-class success.

In the heavyweight division, meanwhile, Peters will be fully confident that 20-year-old Queensberry prospect Adam Olaniyan can go on to do extraordinary things.

38. James Prince

Having previously represented Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward, Prince knows a thing or two about guiding unbeaten American talents to the Hall of Fame.

As such, he is now managing Shakur Stevenson, Keyshawn Davis and Abdullah Mason, who all have great potential to follow the same blueprint.

Stevenson, in particular, seems to be on a similar path to both Mayweather and Ward, with the southpaw also earning a reported fortune through his Zuffa Boxing deal.

37. Sampson Lewkowicz

Veteran promoter Sampson Lewkowicz brought Manny Pacquiao to the American consciousness, which makes it no wonder that he continues to be sought-after by top-flight boxers.

At 75 he remains a key part of contemporary American boxing, most notably due to working with David Benavidez, who has made arguably the biggest breakthrough of 2026.

Lewkowicz also promotes the Fundora siblings, Ramon Cardenas and Mirco Cuello.

36. Eric Gomez

While Oscar De La Hoya remains the face of Golden Boy – and a natural showman, at that – Gomez is instrumental when it comes to handling day-to-day operations.

One can only imagine, too, that he was integral in convincing Vergil Ortiz Jr to drop his lawsuit and remain at Golden Boy as arguably the organisation’s flagship fighter.

Gomez should also be credited for putting together the doubleheader involving Floyd Schofield-Lucas Bahdi and Oscar Collazo-Ricardo Sandoval for October 10.

35. Shakur Stevenson

Slick, speedy, confident and charismatic, with a collection of belts spanning several divisions and nothing even resembling a close fight on his record, much less any blemish, Shakur Stevenson epitomises the modern American boxing star.

Recently signed to Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing, he is the flagship fighter of the sport’s best-funded new brand and will likely be aggressively pushed, both as a champion boxer and as a crossover character.

34. Eddy Reynoso

For as long as Canelo Alvarez remains a mainstream attraction, even if to a far lesser degree than he once was, Reynoso can consider himself a powerful trainer and advisor.

Having recently recruited WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza, the Mexican coach also trains WBA super-middleweight titlist Jaime Munguia as he continues to guide the careers of talented and high-profile fighters, albeit with their commercial value paling in comparison to that of a prime Canelo.

33. Ari Emanuel

While Dana White and Nick Khan are more commonly associated with Zuffa Boxing, Emanuel nonetheless holds a key position of power as CEO and executive chairman of TKO Group Holdings. Like his colleagues, the American businessman is spinning multiple plates – particularly across the UFC and WWE – yet his involvement in boxing is certainly nothing to be scoffed at.

Having secured heavy investment from Sela – Saudi’s sports and entertainment arm, which owns 60% of Zuffa – Emanuel likely played a part in securing such desirable financial backing. And as Zuffa continues to grow – which, inevitably, it will – so too will Emanuel’s influence.

32. Nakisa Bidarian

Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul butted heads a few times earlier in their professional life but have found equilibrium via their co-founding of Most Valuable Promotions.

The Canadian provides the business acumen behind Paul’s enormous public profile and serves as his de facto advisor.

This relationship now looks to be based more on Paul’s place in boardrooms than in boxing rings, as Paul has not fought since his defeat to Anthony Joshua nine months ago, and MVP has quickly grown into the world-leading force in women’s boxing. Bidarian is increasingly the face of the brand.

31. Katie Taylor

Her in-ring career is now in the past, but even if she vanishes tomorrow, Katie Taylor will for a long time remain by far the most influential woman in boxing.

In the lead-up to her farewell fight, which drew more than 80,000 fans to Croke Park in Dublin, countless female fighters freely paid tribute to the Irish icon and singled her out as the primary reason why they were inspired to start boxing.

On top of that, Taylor has done more than anybody to legitimise the female code, both commercially and critically. From filling arenas to drawing millions of viewers to breaking the ground now trodden by world-class women the world over, Taylor is the very definition of influential.

30. Spencer Brown

While known more generally as merely Tyson Fury’s manager – a status of considerable power in its own right – Brown is often at the forefront of boxing’s biggest deals. Having been a grateful beneficiary of the Saudi investment in recent years, the Gold Star boss acts as both a promoter and manager, representing world champions including Agit Kabayel and Hamzah Sheeraz.

But ‘The Gypsy King’ is, of course, his most prized asset, not least because of the eye-watering figures we can only imagine are being discussed for an Anthony Joshua fight. As a close friend to Fury, too, Brown occupies a far more influential position than most.

29. Frank Smith

The second-in-command at Matchroom has traditionally adopted a more low-key approach when it comes to media commitments. But recently, it appears as though Smith has taken major strides towards becoming an outspoken promoter in his own right.

While brokering a deal at the negotiating table is perhaps his bread and butter, the Matchroom CEO is acutely aware that, eventually, he must fill the sizable shoes of master salesman Eddie Hearn. It will therefore do him no harm to continue making media appearances, even if he is yet to inherit the P. T. Barnum-like swagger of his superior.

28. Todd DuBoef

With Bob Arum not getting any younger, his stepson Todd duBoef is increasingly the move-maker at Top Rank.

DuBoef does have legal complications hanging over him, with accusations that he concealed from his employers a deal he signed with alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan. This is likely why he has preferred to work behind the scenes rather than adopt a more public-facing role.

Still, as president of Top Rank, the line of succession from Arum appears obvious, so long as duBoef remains at liberty.

27. Naoya Inoue

A combination of staying power and a reminder of his excellence during a time of change at the top of the pound-for-pound rankings reaffirmed Naoya Inoue’s position as the very best boxer on the planet.

With Terence Crawford retired and Oleksandr Usyk showing signs of decline, Inoue well outscored compatriot and fellow superstar Junto Nakatani in May. He did so in the 55,000-seater Tokyo Dome, and even that wasn’t big enough. Talk is now of him filling 80,000 seats at the Japanese National Stadium should he face Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez in one of the very best fights to be made in boxing.

Inoue is an A-list celebrity at home and for years has been the figurehead of the richest era in Japanese boxing history.

26. Luis DeCubas Jr

The sign of a quality boxing manager has nothing to do with how loud they speak; their value, rather, is measured by whether they make things happen behind the scenes. In that sense, DeCubas has continually proven to be worth his salt while operating as a vital cog in Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions machine.

Even if there is limited space on a PBC card, DeCubas will work closely with the sport’s top promoters and keep his fighters active. This is evidenced by a productive relationship with Matchroom, in particular, as Eddie Hearn often credits DeCubas with brokering significant deals.

Jacob Misiorowski struck out seven in five shutout innings and the Milwaukee Brewers won their their fourth straight National League Central title with a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

About 50 minutes after the final out, the Brewers clinched the division when the second-place Chicago Cubs lost to Atlanta. Milwaukee players watched the end of that game on television, raising hands and cheering at the final out.

The flamethrowing Misiorowski (15-5) dropped his ERA to major league-best 1.89 and boosted his season strikeout total to 243. Nine of the towering right-hander’s first 10 pitches topped 100 mph and he worked around five hits — all singles — to win his fourth straight decision.

Joey Ortiz and Luis Lara drove in two runs each for the Brewers, who have become postseason fixtures for the last decade but are still seeking the franchise’s first World Series appearance since 1982. Swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers last season’s NL Championship Series, Milwaukee has qualified for the postseason for the eighth time in nine years.

The Brewers took the lead early against opener Lake Bachar (1-4) in a sequence that symbolizes the approach that’s helped them carry the major leagues’ best record for much of the season. Jake Bauers led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Lara’s sacrifice fly.

That was enough for Misiorowski, who exited after throwing 82 pitches — 43 at 100 mph or more — to strengthen his grasp on his first Cy Young Award.

Brandon Lowe hit his 30th homer for Pittsburgh and the team’s 171st of the season, tying a franchise record set in 1999. Rafael Flores Jr. added four hits for the Pirates, who fell back below .500 at 75-76 on the day the club celebrated franchise icon and Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente by wearing the outfielder’s famous No. 21.

Up next

The series continues on Wednesday. Logan Henderson (10-3, 2.34 ERA) starts for the Brewers against Pittsburgh’s Jared Jones (4-6, 4.10 ERA).

Indian boxers finishing on the podium at the upcoming Asian Games will directly qualify for next year’s World Boxing Championships, which is the first Olympic qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the BFI announced on Wednesday. The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has released an expansive selection policy focused on having the maximum number of boxers for the LA Games. The policy lays down a four-stage pathway based on the qualification system developed by World Boxing and approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the BFI said in a media release.

According to the World Boxing criteria, the 2027 World Boxing Championships will be the first qualifying event, followed by the Asian Qualifier in China and two World Qualifying Tournaments in 2028.

“Asian Games 2026 medallists will be selected as the main entry in their respective weight categories. The gold medallists of the 10th Elite National Championships shall serve as the reserve entry in that weight category,” said the circular issued by BFI this week.

According to the policy, for weight categories in which India has not won a medal at the Asian Games as well as for LA 2028 Olympic weight categories that were not part of the Asian Games, the gold medallist of the 10th Elite National Championships shall be selected as the main entry.

Boxers who reach the quota bout round but fail to win a quota place at the World Championships will receive direct entry to the Asian Qualifiers.

The remaining slots will be filled through a ranking selection trial among the national campers, after the boxers have entered the national coaching camp through the dedicated pathways.

A similar process will be followed for the two World Qualifying Tournaments in 2028, to be held in Italy and Hungary.

“This policy has been framed to give our boxers a clear and structured route to Los Angeles 2028, built around consistent performance at the National Coaching Camp and at World Boxing’s qualification events,” said BFI President Ajay Singh.

The national coaching camp will start with the medallist of 10th Elite National Championships, Asian Games medallists and any wild cards to be selected by the BFI selection committee, as per the provisions mentioned in the policy.

For the non-Olympic weight categories, the gold medallist of the National Championships will serve as main entry to the 2027 World Championships, while the silver medallist will serve as the reserve.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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