Michail Antonio says he had to “swallow his ego” after his near‑fatal car crash as he prepares to make his first club appearance in 15 months.

The 35-year-old striker, who has joined Qatari side Al‑Sailiya, says owners of English clubs were wary of signing him following his accident in December 2024, which left him with multiple leg fractures.

He returned to competitive action with the Jamaica national team with three substitute appearances in June – his only football since the crash.

But Antonio told BBC Sport he “feels like a schoolboy again” as he looks to prove his fitness during a two‑month spell in the Qatar Stars League, with Al-Sailiya facing Al-Arabi on Saturday.

Antonio says he still has “so much love” for West Ham, for whom he played 323 games and became their all‑time Premier League top scorer with 68 goals, but was disappointed he did not get the chance of even a final substitute appearance in a home friendly.

He says he ultimately was not wanted by then‑manager Graham Potter and describes his exit in August as “a hard pill to take”.

“I’ve still got the qualities I had in the Premier League for the past 10 years,” said Antonio. “It shows, because every single manager was putting a contract in front of me once I trained with them.

“But there were managers and clubs who refused to look at me because of what happened – the accident, the injury. Some owners went against it. In football, the manager can want you, but it’s the owner’s money.

“My agent kept calling clubs, and the same thing happened – clubs wanted me to train first. With the ego I had, I said ‘I’m not coming to train. You’ve seen me play with Jamaica, you’ve seen my past 10 years. I shouldn’t have to train to get a contract.’ Clubs said ‘iIf you don’t train, we won’t sign you’.

“After staying at West Ham, training with the under-21s and going away with Jamaica again, my agent said ‘you’re going to have to train, prove your fitness.’

“I had to swallow my ego – that’s how I ended up at Brentford. I trained with them for two weeks.”

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Ryan Garcia has divided opinion by naming a former unified world champion as the most “overrated” fighter in boxing.

Garcia arguably put in the best performance of his career when he unanimously outpointed Mario Barrios last Saturday, becoming the WBC world welterweight champion.

It means his most notable victories have come against Barrios, Oscar Duarte and Luke Campbell – all solid operators – but some may claim the American is still yet to defeat an undeniably world-class opponent.

He did, of course, come close to doing just that in 2024, only for his majority decision win over Devin Haney to be overturned to a no-contest due to him testing positive for ostarine, a banned substance.

But while his own credentials at world level remain questionable, Garcia has nonetheless pointed towards Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis as being the most overrated big-name fighter in the sport today.

Ennis made his mark at 147lbs last year, unifying the IBF and WBA world titles with a sixth-round stoppage victory over Eimantas Stanionis.

Prior to that, his most notable scalp arguably came against David Avanesyan, a two-time world title challenger, who he stopped in the fifth round of their 2024 encounter.

Now campaigning at 154lbs, ‘Boots’ comes off a first-round finish over Uisma Lima in October, though Garcia still struggles to regard him as one of the sport’s finest pound-for-pound operators.

Speaking with YouTuber N3ON, ‘King Ry’ explained why he feels Ennis is getting credit he doesn’t deserve.

“I think Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis is overrated at this point. He hasn’t done anything in the sport. Nothing against him, I just think he’s overrated.”

With Ennis angling for a mouth-watering super-welterweight showdown with Vergil Ortiz Jr, perhaps he will soon prove that he is, in fact, one of the very best. If legal issues on Ortiz’s side prevent the match-up from taking place, promoter Eddie Hearn will look to manoeuvre ‘Boots’ into a world title clash at 154 quickly, with Josh Kelly a possibility.

Merrill Kelly will once again be wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform when the 2026 regular season gets underway. 

Kelly, who entered the free agent market after pitching in 10 games with the Texas Rangers in 2025, agreed to a deal to return to the Diamondbacks.

Kelly spent the first seven years of his professional career with the Diamondbacks but revealed that he received an offer from the San Diego Padres this offseason. Kelly said his decision to turn down the Padres during free agency centered on California’s higher income tax rate compared to Arizona’s.

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Merrill Kelly (23) of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Miami Marlins at Globe Life Field on Sept. 21, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

Kelly agreed to a two-year contract worth an estimated $40 million with the Diamondbacks, according to ESPN. Although the Padres offered a comparable deal at three years instead of two, California’s 13% tax rate on income above $1 million proved a key difference.

“I don’t think it’s any secret on how much money you get taken out of your pocket when you go to California,” the right-hander told “Foul Territory.”

Kelly also has deep ties to Arizona, where he attended high school and played college baseball at Arizona State. He said finding a way back to Arizona “was always the priority.”

Merrill Kelly (29) of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on before Game Six of the Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Oct. 23, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Rich Schultz/Getty Images)

While Kelly said he is fond of San Diego, he was unwilling to sacrifice a significant portion of his salary to taxes. “I love San Diego,” Kelly said. “It’s just, like I said, they take too much money out of my pocket, man. The taxes over there are a different level.

“We had my numbers guy run the numbers, and it just made more sense to come home.”

Merrill Kelly (23) of the Texas Rangers looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Globe Life Field on Aug. 8, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images)

Arizona’s state income tax rate is roughly 2.5%. Kelly also joked that he prefers the desert landscape to San Diego’s coastal setting.

“It worked out best for us because that was honestly our second choice,” Kelly said. “It was between here and San Diego going into the offseason. San Diego was really the only place that, if we did go somewhere, that was probably high on our list if we weren’t in Arizona. It’s like, ‘All right, let’s just hop over and take a short, six-hour drive to San Diego.’

“But, yeah, the desert is home. I guess we’re not ocean people.”

In a statement to The California Post, the Padres said the team does “not comment on contract negotiations.”

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Acquired by the Rangers in July 2025, Kelly went 12-9 while splitting the season between Texas and Arizona.

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PM Modi celebrates J&K’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in congratulating Jammu & Kashmir after they clinched their maiden Ranji Trophy title, calling it a proud moment for the region.“Congratulations to the Jammu and Kashmir team for their first ever Ranji Trophy win! This historic triumph reflects remarkable grit, discipline and passion of the team. It is a proud moment for the people of Jammu and Kashmir and it highlights the growing sporting passion and talent there. May this feat inspire many young athletes to dream big and play more,” PM Modi wrote on X.The cricket fraternity also came together to celebrate Jammu & Kashmir’s historic triumph, with tributes pouring in from legends and administrators alike.

Sachin Tendulkar hailed the transformation, writing, “The Kashmir willows have been a part of many champions’ kits. To see Jammu & Kashmir’s journey from being an enabler of champions, to becoming champions themselves, is beautiful.”Reflecting on the campaign, he added, “The season was built on consistency, resilience, and season-long excellence.Auqib Nabi’s impact with the ball stood out in a demanding campaign.“A historic moment for the team, coaches, and support staff. Journeys like these define the beauty of domestic cricket.”ICC chairman Jay Shah also praised the side, stating, “Congratulations to the Jammu & Kashmir team in India for scripting a remarkable story of grit and perseverance. While the players are fully deserving of the adulation they receive, one must also remember the contribution of the coaching staff, management and administrators from J&K who have toiled behind the scenes to fashion this landmark achievement. I am sure that this win will ignite belief in the hearts of the current generation from the region and drive the next one to pick up a bat or ball. Our sport is rich with such stories of inspiration from around the world, and I hope this one also receives its fair share of admiration.”Mohammad Kaif posted, “Historic day for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. Having led UP to its first Ranji Trophy title, I know what this moment means to the players and the state. More players from J&K will now believe that they too can do it.”Irfan Pathan wrote, “Many congratulations to J&K cricket for creating history by winning the first-ever Ranji Trophy. I never had even a shadow of a doubt that you guys will achieve this and many more trophies.”Aakash Chopra said, “Jammu & Kashmir, you beauty. The story for the ages. So so happy for what our boys have achieved. Indian cricket is in a safe and happy place.”Shikhar Dhawan added, “Historic moment for Jammu & Kashmir cricket. Maiden Ranji Trophy title built on belief, strong leadership from Paras Dogra, and a remarkable season with the ball from Auqib Nabi. Big contributions from Shubham Pundir, Yawer Hassan, Qamran Iqbal, Sahil Lotra, Abdul Samad, and the entire unit. Proud moment.”Harbhajan Singh said, “Will to win, that’s what matters. What a day for Jammu & Kashmir. Well done, simply outstanding, winning the Ranji Trophy isn’t easy at all. They have played terrific cricket throughout the season and played like a unit: many congratulations and many more trophies to come. Great to see Cricket growing in the Jammu and Kashmir region.”Yuvraj Singh posted, “Unbelievable! History has been written today! Huge congratulations to the Jammu & Kashmir team for clinching their maiden #RanjiTrophy title after 67 long years! Dominating Karnataka with pure grit, heart, and unbreakable spirit. Proud beyond words of #AuqibNabi’s fire, #QamranIqbal’s masterclass, and the entire squad and training staff’s belief! J&K cricket has arrived! Keep shining, boys!”Suresh Raina wrote, “Congratulations on the maiden Ranji Trophy, Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu & Kashmir crowned the Ranji Trophy champions for the first time ever. A monumental moment for the state and domestic cricket!! Well done, team, truly well deserved.”

Former world champion Keyshawn Davis believes that Ryan Garcia will face Shakur Stevenson next, with one man likely to get “his ass whooped.”

Garcia claimed the WBC welterweight title last Saturday, scoring a first-round knockdown before unanimously outpointing and dethroning Mario Barrios in Las Vegas.

After becoming a world champion, the 27-year-old then doubled down on his desire to face Stevenson, calling out the pound-for-pound star in his post-fight interview.

With Stevenson coming off a career-best victory over Teofimo Lopez, though, many would make the slick southpaw a sizable favourite against Garcia.

The 28-year-old became a four-division world champion last month, dropping just one round as he outpointed and dethroned Lopez in New York.

Prior to securing his WBO super-lightweight strap, the unbeaten technician had always claimed that 140lbs would be his limit, but is now open to colliding with Garcia at a catchweight of 144lbs.

In response to Stevenson’s proposed weight stipulation, Garcia has offered a verbal agreement, though it remains to be seen whether this will be upheld at the negotiating table.

Either way, super-lightweight contender Davis, who is a longtime friend of Stevenson, has opined that Garcia would not stand a chance against the defensive magician.

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Davis insisted that, even while contending with a size disadvantage, Stevenson would enter their potential clash as an almighty favourite.

“I think he fights Shakur; I think he gets his ass whooped.”

With Garcia’s last two outings taking place at 147lbs, it will be interesting to see if he stays true to his word and agrees to concede 3lbs for the potential fight.

Kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven is a “serious fighter,” according to Tyson Fury’s former trainer, who believes his charge will exceed expectations against Oleksandr Usyk.

The bona fide heavyweight king has been permitted to defend his WBC title against Verhoeven, headlining a Ring Magazine show at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza on May 23.

Ordinarily, a sanctioning body would not allow such a contest to take place for its belt, with world title challengers typically needing to be ranked in the top 15 of a recognised organisation.

The WBC, however, has seemingly invoked article 3.3 (c) of its Rules and Regulations, stating that such title defences can take place under ‘special circumstances’.

Indeed, this does appear to be a ‘special’ event – based on its location alone – yet many boxing fans will nonetheless be unfamiliar with Verhoeven’s credentials.

This is because the 36-year-old has had just one outing in a professional boxing ring, resulting in a second-round stoppage victory over Janos Finfera who, back when they fought in 2014, had a record of 0-5.

Nevertheless, the Dutchman’s trainer, Peter Fury, who trained his nephew Tyson for his famous win over Wladimir Klitschko back in 2015, has told Boxing King Media that, beyond his decorated kickboxing career, Verhoeven is well-versed in the art of pugilism.

“People need to get behind this fight, because I can tell you now: I’m certainly not going to turn up on the world stage [and] embarrass myself, and embarrass my fighter.

“My fighter’s a serious fighter, so this will be a great fight. Trust me. Usyk’s an incredible champion. I respect him as a fighter, a boxer, and I respect him as a human being.

“And I respect Rico. So I’m going to do my job, and I’m going to enjoy it, and whatever the outcome is, it is.”

While Usyk will definitely defend his WBC title against Verhoeven, it remains to be seen whether his IBF and WBA straps will also be on the line.

Either way, the likes of WBC ‘interim’ champion Agit Kabayel and No.1 contender Lawrence Okolie are likely irked to have not been given their shot at the Ukrainian’s belt.