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Arsenal’s win over Chelsea confirmed that there have already been more set-piece goals this season than in the entirety of the last campaign. There are clear reasons for that rise, from tactical evolution to calendar congestion, as the game’s powerbrokers weigh up what it means – not just for “the product”, but for how this increasingly unpredictable season will ultimately be decided.
For all of the discussion around set-pieces, and what almost seems to be a moral debate about how football should be played, there have been moments when Arsenal have embraced the perception. The squad have come in after some wins singing a particular fan chant: “Set piece again, ole ole.”
That wasn’t quite the case after the 2-1 win over Chelsea, which keeps them top of the table by five points, albeit with a game more played than Manchester City. Instead, there was a sense of resolve.
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The match might not have been the most aesthetically enrapturing, but it was absorbing – precisely because of the tension from the title race.
These are the two sides of the Premier League right now: holding in the box, but still holding attention.
This is about much more than Arsenal, after all. As the team that have scored most from set-pieces, and duly lead the table, they merely typify a trend.
That trend is certainly difficult to dispute now. Set-piece centrality is more than a tactical fad, as has been discussed in this newsletter already this season. The last week alone represents an extreme.
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As early as Monday, we had the rugby lineout-style jostling that characterised Manchester United’s 1-0 win at Everton. By Sunday evening, and those three strikes at Arsenal, it was confirmed that this season has already seen more set-piece goals than the entirety of 2024-25 – and that with a quarter of the campaign still left to play.
There is a distinctive reason for this, but also some indication it’s a bit overplayed. Some of the images are unedifying. Put simply, you would much rather watch matches replete with skill and creativity rather than groups of players huddling together in the area while grappling. Through balls over throw-ins, individual brilliance over in-swinging corners.
Such scenes stand out all the more when you consider the billions of expenditure, and Thursday’s giddy talk about “Premflix” in Singapore, as well as the sense of a “product” that just keeps selling itself.
And yet it was only 24 hours before Arsenal’s crucial win – with set-pieces central – that the discussion revolved around a sensational set of Saturday 3pm games. Vintage Premier League; maximum chaos.
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How couldn’t it? Jordan Pickford secured a 3-2 away win for Everton with a magnificent match-winning save, amid an increasingly erratic season for Newcastle United. Meanwhile, Burnley 3-4 Brentford was utter mayhem, although the pedantic, VAR-dominated way it ended also played into a theme.
By the same token, Arsenal-Chelsea was the marquee Sunday match, so ended up shaping a lot of impressions. A huge factor in the game playing out how it did, however, was simply because these are two highly tactical coaches in what has been a highly intense calendar. It is somewhat inevitable that such games are going to be won on the margins.
Hence Liam Rosenior’s frustration at his team’s errors in that area – albeit with some gripes about the officiating. The Chelsea manager didn’t call them “marking assignments” this time, but admitted it is something he has to get more up to speed on. His team are at least good at attacking set-pieces, which is indicative.
This trend has been accentuated by the fact that club analysts have all realised there is still significant “opportunity” in “restarts”.
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After years when the positional game – in other words, Pep Guardiola’s ideology – dictated that it was strategically more advantageous to keep possession and play short corners, it is now seen as one of those areas where new attacking approaches have outpaced defensive responses. There is a mismatch, which probably means this is going to continue in some form for some time. The probabilities have changed.
Approaches have changed with it. Look at Liverpool, who made it seven set-pieces in a row this weekend to also make it three wins on the spin – the second-best run in the Premier League at the moment.
That came after a summer when the club hierarchy decided to specifically lean into individual creativity when many rivals pivoted towards other collective approaches and set-pieces. Those individuals have nevertheless had adjustment issues, though.
And if you cannot beat them…
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Mikel Arteta would, of course, insist that he himself is a disciple of the positional game, but that augmenting the ideology with set-pieces is itself a counter-response to deep defences. Liverpool might have found that against West Ham United. Arteta was meanwhile quick to point out after the Chelsea win that “we haven’t scored set-pieces for a few weeks now, but we scored so many in open play – today was an option”.
Much more relevant than such a pre-emptive argument might have been the Basque’s explanation for why they ceded so much play to Chelsea late on. “To train game context in those scenarios is becoming really difficult because we don’t have time to train.”
This is by now an increasingly worn argument, but it is always worth repeating. As the football calendar continues to demand more and more commitment, something has to give. That is naturally going to be high-quality general play.
This is what the game’s stakeholders are not getting. This is what greedy club leaderships are not getting.
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Time and space to properly train at elite level is the cost of so much calendar congestion.
Other stakeholders are conscious, though. The weekend’s IFAB meeting showed lawmakers want to eliminate such grappling from the game, amid the introduction of time limits.
The Premier League is expected to assess this for next season, although some club figures already point out there was supposed to be a crackdown this season.
They are conscious of “the product”.
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And there is another point to be made – that other side that some stakeholders also do not get. For all the attempt to position football as an “entertainment product”, it has never been that. It is something unique, which is also why it has never been just “a business”. So much is driven by deep emotional investment, regardless of what events on the pitch actually look like. You can throw up a dour 0-0 draw and people keep coming back for other reasons.
So it is with this season. Some of the football is underwhelming, but the storylines may yet be off the scale.
We have already got the title race. The Champions League race is now increasingly charged, especially after Manchester United and Liverpool gathered pace just as Aston Villa dropped points – and Chelsea try to figure out where they are.
Almost the entire mid-table can dream of Europe, with clubs like Brentford and Bournemouth maybe enjoying historic opportunities. There is then the relegation battle, which is really looking like it is going to involve a storyline on the scale of Tottenham Hotspur’s battle for survival.
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And all of this while the football has not been all that.
There is evidently no set way of doing this.
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Ihotu John Rebecca allegedly kidnapped along Benin Expressway
Reports have emerged alleging that Nigerian footballer Ihotu John Rebecca was kidnapped along the Benin Expressway, a route in Edo State, Nigeria that has long been associated with security concerns.
According to circulating information, the incident is said to have occurred over the weekend, with flyers showing the player in her number 33 jersey already spreading across social media. The situation has prompted concern among fans and members of the football community, who are calling for urgent action.
As of now, there has been no official confirmation from the police, the NWFL, or her clubregarding the alleged incident.
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The development comes amid growing frustration over safety on the highway, which has witnessed multiple reported kidnapping cases in recent times.
At the time of writing, the situation remains unverified, and updates are expected once official statements are released.
David Montgomery may not have wanted out of Detroit, but the Lions made it so on Monday in a deal with the Houston Texans.
The Lions are trading the veteran running back to the Texans in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, according to multiple reports.
This comes just hours after Montgomery responded to an ESPN report which stated he “wants out” of Detroit after three seasons with the franchise.
David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions looks on prior to an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on Dec. 4, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.(Michael Owens/Getty Images)
“Damn, [D-Mo] told you that?” Montgomery posted on Sunday after the report came out saying the Lions would want a “decent Day 3 pick” in return for him.
In the end, though, a decent Day 3 pick is what the Lions got in return and then some from the Texans, a team that was looked to bolster its run game this offseason after a down year following the injury to Joe Mixon before the 2025 season even began.
Mixon is most likely to be released after a foot injury kept him out all of last season. Now, Montgomery and promising rookie Woody Marks are expected to share the backfield, though the former may see an elevated role compared to what was occurring in Detroit.
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Montgomery loved being a part of one of the most dynamic duos at running back in the league, but his other half, Jahmyr Gibbs, was slowly getting more of the workload. The explosive Alabama product is one of the best at his position in the NFL, and Montgomery was mainly being used in short-yardage situations or to spell Gibbs in 2025.
David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions warms up before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Dec. 25, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Known affectionately as “Sonic and Knuckles,” the duo will no longer share the same backfield, and “Sonic” was upset after posting a picture of the video game characters.
Gibbs has taken off since entering the NFL as the Lions’ first-round pick in 2023. He broke out with 1,412 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, which led the NFL, in 2024. Then, he followed it up with 1,223 yards and 13 rushing scores, with a career-high 616 receiving yards and five more scores through the air in 2025.
Montgomery had 716 rushing yards with eight rushing scores, while hauling in 24 of Jared Goff’s pass attempts his way for 192 yards. He totaled 2,506 rushing yards and 33 touchdowns across his three seasons with the franchise.
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David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on Dec. 4, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.(Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Stefanos Tsitsipas has moved to clarify recent remarks about why he has not played regularly in South America.
After his earlier comments sparked debate, Tsitsipas addressed the situation directly.
“Over the last days, I’ve seen a lot of discussion around comments I made about scheduling tournaments and appearance fees, so I want to clarify things in a simple and honest way.”
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He stressed that his words were not meant as criticism.
“First of all, I truly enjoy playing in South America. The passion of the fans there is special and I have a lot of respect for the tournaments and the culture around tennis in that region. My comments were never a complaint and never meant as criticism.”
Tsitsipas explained that financial structure plays a role in how players build their schedules.
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“On the ATP Tour, players outside of prize money have very limited ways to support their careers financially. The reality is that ATP 250 and ATP 500 events are often the only opportunities where appearance fees exist.”
“Because of that, scheduling decisions are sometimes influenced by those factors. This is not unique to me. It is a standard model followed by many players, especially those competing at the top level.”
He added that his earlier remarks were simply an honest response to a question.
“I was simply answering a question about why my calendar sometimes looks the way it does. I was explaining something that is common knowledge inside professional tennis, not expressing negativity toward any country or tournament.”
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Tsitsipas ended by reaffirming his appreciation for playing globally.
“I have great appreciation for every place I compete in and I hope to play in many different regions of the world in the future as well.”
Manchester City are battling Arsenal for the Premier League title and have several key fixtures ahead
Manchester City still have work to do if they are to leapfrog Arsenal in the Premier League title race. City are five points behind the Gunners after the weekend’s results, with yet more matches to play in midweek.
Pep Guardiola’s side defeated Leeds United over the weekend, which temporarily closed the gap to two points before Arsenal’s win over Chelsea on Sunday saw their five-point advantage return.
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City will now prepare to face Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, with the game kicking off at the same time as Arsenal take on Brighton.
There are now just 10 fixtures left to play in the Premier League this season for City, and some of them are certainly standing out above the rest.
City may be expected to get all three points when they face West Ham later this month, but this game falls between two huge games in the Champions League.
Guardiola and Co. will take on Real Madrid in the last-16 of the Champions League, with the home and away legs being played either side of the clash against the Hammers.
While City would be forgiven for putting the majority of their focus on the double header against Madrid, they will need to be mindful of avoiding dropping points on their trip to the London Stadium.
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Crystal Palace (H) – TBA
City still have a game in hand over Arsenal – their home clash against Crystal Palace, which was originally due to be played the same weekend as the Carabao Cup final.
The new date for the fixture is yet to be announced, and when it does it could have a major impact on the schedule that City will face.
As a result, depending on whether the fixture falls, the clash against Palace could have ever greater significance.
Chelsea (A) – April 11
City vs Chelsea is often an entertaining fixture, but Guardiola will want this to be a successful one when they travel to Stamford Bridge next month.
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City were held to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in January when Chelsea had interim manager Calum McFarlane in charge for the game at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola will be hoping that City’s fortunes change for this game, especially with the title race expected to be entering its most defining weeks of the season.
Arsenal (H) – April 18
City’s clash against Arsenal next month could well be a title decider for both clubs, depending on how results go between now and April 18.
If City win their game in hand and results for both clubs remain the same by this point, a victory over Arsenal could see Guardiola and Co. climb to the top of the table.
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There are nine points up for grabs for City and Arsenal between now and when they meet at the Etihad Stadium next month, potentially more if the rearranged game against Palace is played before this fixture.
All City can do is keep winning games and hope that Arsenal drops points over the next few weeks. If the results continue, then the clash at the Etihad next month could truly be a title decider.
Aston Villa (H) – May 24
City will host Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season at the end of May.
By this point, the title could be decided one way or another, but if not then this could be City’s most important match of the season.
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If the title is still undecided by the time kick-off arrives on May 24, then a victory for City go a long way to clinching the title for Guardiola’s team.
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Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma run between the wickets during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between India and Zimbabwe, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. (PTI Photo)
Sanju Samson dropped to his knees and looked up at the sky in gratitude and relief, perhaps thanking the cricketing gods at the ‘Garden of Eden’ in Kolkata, after steering India to the T20 World Cup semifinals with a five-wicket win over West Indies in what was a virtual quarter-final for both teams.India captain Suryakumar Yadav doffed his cap in honour of Sanju, after the right-handed batter played a career-defining unbeaten 97 off 50 balls on Sunday.While Sanju’s 97 in Kolkata will be remembered, his short-lived but significant innings against Zimbabwe three days prior had brought momentum to India’s T20 World Cup campaign.In the five matches before Sanju returned to the playing XI against Zimbabwe, India won four but there were clear concerns in the batting, and everyone could see it.
Trouble in top-order
India played without Samson in four out of those five matches, and their highest opening partnership in those games was 8 runs. In the only match that Sanju played, against Namibia (when Abhishek was out due to illness), Samson and Ishan Kishan had an opening stand of 25 runs in 12 balls.Apart from Ishan’s knocks against Pakistan (77 off 40) and Namibia (61 off 24), India’s top four, including Surya and Tilak Varma, were also facing a strike-rate problem in those matches, as the table below shows.
Indian top-order batters’ strike-rate in the first 5 matches of T20 World Cup
USA
Namiba
Pakistan
Netherlands
South Africa
Ishan Kishan
125
254.16
192.5
257.14
0
Sanju Samson
DNP
275
DNP
DNP
DNP
Abhishek Sharma
0
DNP
0
0
125
Tilak Varma
156.25
119.04
104.16
114.81
50
Suryakumar Yadav
171.42
92.3
110.34
121.42
81.81
Openers not providing a good start, and the middle order struggling to score runs quickly, was a double trouble for defending champions India. This was largely due to India’s batters struggling against off-spin in the tournament.With six left-handers in the top eight, India essentially invited themself to be attacked by off-spinners. And oppositions’ Erasmus, Aghas, Ayubs, and Dutts obliged.During the group stage, India faced more off-spin than any other team — 102 deliveries. Among the 13 teams that faced at least six overs of off-spin, only Nepal (5.25) and Oman (5.42) scored at a slower rate than India’s 6.23 runs per over.India’s trouble against off-spin bowling was first exposed by Gerhard Erasmus, when the Namibian skipper took four wickets, three of them left-handers, in the group-stage match. Pakistan took the cue, and their captain, Salman Ali Agha, a part-time off-spinner, took the new ball and dismissed India’s opener Abhishek Sharma caught on duck at mid-on. The trend continued in India’s last group-stage match against the Netherlands as off-spinner Aryan Dutt came to bowl the first over. He first bowled Abhishek Sharma for another duck, his third in as many matches in the tournament by then, and then sent his partner Ishan Kishan back to the dugout in the fifth over.
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It is worth noting that Abhishek had not previously shown vulnerability against off-spin; in fact, he has a career strike rate of 171.1 against off-spinners in powerplay in T20Is. However, given the slow nature of the pitches in the tournament, as compared to the IPL and T20 bilaterals India played at home in the last two years, he seemed to be out of his comfort zone against them and fell to off-spin twice in the three group-stage matches.Meanwhile, Abhishek’s opening partner Ishan Kishan, does face trouble against the off-spinners. In all T20Is, Kishan has scored against off-spinners at a mere 76.9 strike rate in the first six overs. That hasn’t changed in the T20 World Cup, despite him being in the form of his life; the southpaw has scored at just 115.8 strike rate against off-spin in the powerplay, his lowest against all kinds of bowling.In comparison, Sanju Samson has a strike-rate of 188.2 against off-spinners in the powerplay in T20Is.
‘Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau?’
By the end of the group stage, it was clear that India’s two left-handed openers had a difficult match-up against off-spin.It was evident that South Africa will use their off-spin options if Ishan and Abhishek open the innings for India in their first Super 8 clash. India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked in the pre-match press conference whether India would look to bring back right-handed Sanju Samson vs South Africa in the top order to counter the off-spin threat? To which he replied, “Matlab Abhishek ki jagah khilau? (Should I play him instead of Abhishek?)”, “matlab Tilak ki jagah khilau? (You mean in place of Tilak?).“Suryakumar Yadav was seen smiling sarcastically while replying to the journalist as if the suggestion was out of context.But the story repeated, as predicted, and South Africa captain Aiden Markram himself came to bowl with the new ball and dismissed opener Ishan Kishan for a duck. India lost the match by 76 runs, which left them in a do-or-die situation.
How fortunes changed for India?
India’s next Super 8 match was against Zimbabwe in Chennai, and in came Sanju Samson back in the playing XI. He opened the innings with Abhishek and provided India a brisk opening stand of 48 runs. More importantly, with Sanju as an opener, India succeeded in keeping the off-spinner away from the new ball. By the time Sanju was dismissed in the fourth over, India were 48, and Abhishek Sharma was set at the crease. Sanju scored 24 off 15 balls and fulfilled the task brilliantly that he was entrusted with, and was lauded by head coach Gautam Gambhir and support staff after his dismissal. Sanju’s presence did wonders for India in the match. Opener Abhishek Sharma, who had scored just 15 runs before that in the tournament, including three ducks, came back to form and scored a half-century. India scored 256 in the first innings and crushed Zimbabwe by 72 runs. India finally had a convincing win in the tournament, and a campaign that once seemed on the verge of derailment found its momentum. Sanju Samson had turned it around through his 15-ball 24-run knock.Against West Indies on Sunday, India chased down their highest-ever target (196) in Men’s T20 World Cup history, bettering their previous record of 173 against South Africa in 2014.Sanju Samson’s 97 in the chase was the second-highest score for India at the men’s T20 World Cup, behind only Suresh Raina’s 101 against South Africa in 2010. It was the highest for India in a chase at the T20 World Cup, bettering Virat Kohli’s 82 not out against Australia in 2016 and Pakistan in 2022.India captain Suryakumar Yadav, who just a few days ago questioned “kiski jagah khilau?”, bowed down to Samson in appreciation.The 97 in Kolkata will be remembered. It secured the semifinal spot and will sit high among India’s best T20 World Cup knocks. But it was Samson’s 15-ball 24 against Zimbabwe in Chennai that brought India’s T20 World Cup campaign to life, and they are now looking like the formidable side that they are, going into the semi-final.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has spoken out about the missile strikes in Dubai, where he has been living with his wife Kate and their children
The former Manchester United defender, 47, relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last August with his wife Kate, 34, and their children Shae, five, Cree, two, alongside Rio’s daughter Tia, 14.
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He’s among a growing number of high-profile figures who have chosen to make the Middle East their home, joining the likes of former boxer Amir Khan and Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan in settling in Dubai.
However, over recent days, Dubai has come under assault from Iran, leaving Ferdinand stranded and “frightened” for the safety of his wife and three youngsters.
“Been a different week for me, not going to lie,” Ferdinand revealed on the latest episode of Rio Ferdinand Presents. “Firstly, I’m in great condition this morning as the whole family did a workout. A bit like in Covid, the whole family is doing things we wouldn’t usually be doing together.
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“Home-schooling a bit today. It’s frightening when you hear missiles, planes and fighter jets – I don’t know what it is – going above us, and you’re hearing big bombs, and what that is we don’t know as we don’t know the details of what they are.
“It’s telling your kids what it is and helping them navigate through this moment, which is important especially as the dad of the house. You want to try and remain calm and keep everybody as calm as possible.
“I’ve got to be honest guys, it’s been a bit of a scary situation but at the same time weirdly enough I’ve felt very secure and looked after. My studio has become my bunker.
“We were advised to go into the basement on the first night of all the noise started and we were down here sleeping with duvets and stuff. We are utilising the space wisely.”
Meanwhile, former TOWIE star and TV personality Kate offered an update on the family’s circumstances and assured supporters they were unharmed following a “very scary night”.
She posted: “Thank you for all of your messages and sorry for the silence, I haven’t wanted to worry you all I just haven’t been able to find the words. We are safe.
“The government are doing an amazing job of keeping it that way and despite my nerves I feel we are in very safe hands. We are hoping for a calmer evening tonight, last night was very scary. Although Cree and Shae loved it as they couldn’t believe we all got a sleepover in the basement.
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“Thank you for all of your prayers, this whole experience is very eye-opening and I am praying for anyone affected. Lots of love to everyone.”
Rio’s other children, Lorenz, 19, and Tate, 17, remained in the United Kingdom rather than moving to Dubai with the rest of the family, as they continued pursuing their football careers back home.
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Timothy Bradley has urged an unbeaten former world champion, who boasts a 93% knockout-to-win ratio, to make a drastic lifestyle change and focus purely on his craft.
During his own career, the Hall of Famer was always known for displaying tremendous grit and determination, rarely allowing himself to rely on talent alone.
This was perhaps most apparent during his 12-round war with Ruslan Provodnikov in 2013, when Bradley overcame a series of torrid exchanges to emerge victorious.
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But while such a dogged mindset seemingly comes naturally to fighters like Bradley, there are others who lack the dedication required to perform consistently at the highest level.
This, to some extent, could be said for Gervonta Davis, whose career has largely been tarnished by his behaviour outside the ring.
It emerged in January that ‘Tank’ had been dealt a domestic violence charge, which followed allegations of battery, false imprisonment and attempted kidnapping in a lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend, Courtney Rossell.
As a result, many would prefer not to see Davis back in the ring, while Bradley has issued a plea for the 31-year-old to return to his training.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former two-weight world champion insisted that a fully-focused ‘Tank’ could dominate at the elite level.
“If you’re all-the-way focused – dialled in – you come back, you dedicate a year and a half to this game, you’ll turn this game upside down.
“Take that chance – take that risk – because, right now, you’re losing. An all-the-way focused ‘Tank’ can’t be f**ked with.”
Davis has not fought since his controversial draw with Lamont Roach in March 2025, back when he successfully defended his WBA world lightweight title.
Since then, the American has been stripped of his title, but is now the sanctioning body’s ‘champion in recess’ after being removed from his scheduled exhibition match with Jake Paul in November.
Oct 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Professional boxer Floyd Mayweather attends the game between the Las Vegas Aces and the Phoenix Mercury for game three of the 2025 WNBA Finals at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather will face kickboxer Mike Zambidis in a June exhibition in Athens, Greece, before he comes out of retirement later this year.
Mayweather announced the news Monday on Instagram. The bout will serve as a warmup before the undefeated 49-year-old has a rematch with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on Sept. 19.
“2026 is already shaping up to be an exciting year for me,” Mayweather said in the caption to his post. “I’m on the way to entertain!! Athens, Greece… Get Ready For An All Out Exhibition.
“This summer will be a legendary battle.”
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Mayweather last fought an exhibition in 2024 but hasn’t had an official fight since retiring after he improved to 50-0 with a win over MMA superstar Conor McGregor in August 2017.
Zambidis, 45, boasts a 157-24 kickboxing record with 87 KOs. His last official fight was in June of 2015.
Mayweather is also reportedly scheduled to face fellow boxing legend Mike Tyson in an April exhibition in the Democratic Republic of Congo. However, that hasn’t been officially announced yet.
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have left the West Indies and Zimbabwe cricket teams stranded in India, delaying their return home from the T20 World Cup.
International airspace closures and widespread flight cancellations across Gulf nations, stemming from escalating conflict between Iran, the US and Israel, have disrupted some of the world’s busiest transit hubs.
Both teams had recently exited the tournament; West Indies failed to reach the semi-finals after a five-wicket loss to hosts India on Sunday, while Zimbabwe was eliminated following three defeats in their Super Eights matches against West Indies, India and South Africa.
Zimbabwe Cricket confirmed the situation in a social media post, stating: “The Zimbabwe men’s team remains safe and well in India… the squad was scheduled to return home via Dubai.”
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West Indies were knocked out of the T20 World Cup by India on Sunday (AFP via Getty Images)
Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced they are working closely with the sport’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), to secure safe travel arrangements for their players and staff.
The ICC, which is headquartered in Dubai, had previously activated contingency plans for its own personnel who were also scheduled to transit through the region.
CWI reiterated their primary concern, adding: “The safety and well-being of our players, coaches, and officials remain our highest priority.”
Both team had impressed during the early stages of the tournament, with Zimbabwe beating Australia and Sri Lanka in their group, while West Indies also went through the initial group stage unbeaten after picking up an impressive win against England.
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However, they came unstuck in the Super Eights, and will not be involved in this week’s semi-finals.
The first semi-final is due to take place on Wednesday, with an unbeaten South Africa taking on New Zealand.
The following day, England and India will meet in Mumbai for the third consecutive time at the semi-final stage of the T20 World Cup.
Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali has bolstered Inter Milan’s hopes of signing Tarik Muharemovic at the end of the season.
During his recent interview, Carnevali confirmed that some key players could depart Emilia-Romagna, as reported by FCInter1908.
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Indeed, the runaway Serie A leaders will undergo a defensive overhaul in the upcoming transfer window.
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With Francesco Acerbi, Matteo Darmian, and Stefan de Vrij set to leave, Beppe Marotta is on the lookout for new defenders.
Muharemovic, who has been impressive in his first Serie A season, has already caught the Inter president’s eye.
However, the San Siro giants may have to beat Juventus to the 22-year-old’s signature.
Meanwhile, Inter are also keeping close tabs on another Sassuolo star.
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Canadian midfielder Ismael Kone has drawn Marotta’s interest, with the Nerazzurri looking to strengthen this department in the summer.
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Sassuolo Chief Giovanni Carnevali Fuels Inter Milan Hopes of Signing Tarik Muharemovic
VERONA, ITALY – OCTOBER 03: Tarik Muharemovic of Sassuolo pose for a photo with the Player Of The Match award after the Serie A match between Hellas Verona FC and US Sassuolo Calcio at Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi on October 03, 2025 in Verona, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
“The season is in full swing, but the club is already working on the transfer market,” Carnevali stated. “We will sell a few players. Even now, we can already have an idea of who might leave.
“But it also depends on our asking price and how much the club interested in buying them is willing to offer.
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“We’re already assessing and looking for players who could fill those positions where we might have needs.
“Every club works with a bit of planning, especially when there are sporting results that allow you to do so.”
Then, he informed Inter of Sassuolo’s asking price for Kone.
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“For Kone, €30 million could be enough, but it also depends on who comes knocking,” Carnevali stated.
The 23-year-old could be a decent option for the Nerazzurri if they fail to sign Roma talisman Manu Kone.
