Adam Azim is undoubtedly one of the most gifted fighters on these shores, his speed a thing of beauty as he ruthlessly dismantles lesser opponents.
At 24 years old, he surely has the physical attributes and mindset to reach the pinnacle of his sport, especially with renowned trainer Shane McGuigan in his corner.
Crucially, though, Azim remains acutely aware that talent can only take a fighter so far.
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More important is the level of commitment to their craft or, in other words, the way in which one chooses to apply themselves outside of the gym.
Azim was then set to face Nahir Albright on the same date, January 31, only for a hand injury to rule him out of action.
In order to prevent future injuries, however, the unbeaten contender has placed even greater emphasis on a self-care routine which, he tells Boxing News and other outlets, was somewhat neglected ahead of his last fight.
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“One thing I’m very [particular] about is my health. Boxers get injured left right and centre before a fight, but it’s the stuff they do outside of camp [that makes a difference].
“They can go out, eat so much crap and do something stupid. [But], with me, I like to sort my body out before I go into camp. I do a lot of manipulation to my body – ice baths, cryos, hot and cold therapy – and I work on myself even after the fight.”
While giving the impression of a consummate professional, Azim admits that, prior to his 12th-round finish over Kurt Scoby last November, he may have been guilty of indulging in a few too many treats.
As a result, he has since decided to live more like a monk than, say, a typical 24-year-old.
“Before that fight against Kurt Scoby, I was very heavy, and the reason I was heavy is because I ate a lot of deserts. But afterwards, I thought of all the top-level fighters that do a lot of recovery and keep their weight in place. I need to do that [as well].”
Believing he has cracked the code for top-level success, Azim must remain in the win column when he faces Steve Claggett at London’s Wembley Arena this Saturday, headlining his first Boxxer card on the BBC.
Placed ahead of him is, of course, leading contender Lindolfo Delgado, who Azim says he “really wants” to fight for Richardson Hitchins’ old belt.
Until then, though, Azim must remain focused on his professional development, navigating the same path his father always hoped he would take.
“My dad’s been there since I was four years old and he’s going to continue to stay with me until I retire. That’s what a father figure is. He had it the hard way when he was growing up.
“He lost his two brothers – one died of cancer and one got murdered in Slough. He’s always kept me on the right path.
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“He said to me, ‘Don’t be like your uncle [who died at 25]. Take your path in the way I want you to go’. Even before my dad’s other brother passed away from cancer at 40, he said to my dad that I’m going to make our family name massive.”
Azim is certainly capable of becoming a household name, making his family even prouder, but first, he must decisively handle former Teofimo Lopez opponent Claggett.
The latest development in Caitlin Clark’s closely followed season arrived about 24 hours before tip off of the Indiana Fever’s latest game.
Clark was listed as probable ahead of Thursday’s matchup with the Golden State Valkyries as she continues to deal with a back issue early in the WNBA season.
Meanwhile, all signs point to teammate Bree Hall also being available to suit up.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark warms up on the court before a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm on May 17, 2026, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.(Doug McSchooler/Special to IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Caitlin Clark was a late scratch for the Fever’s May 20 matchup against the Portland Fire, marking her first missed game of the season. Even without Clark, Indiana rolled to a 90-73 victory. The Fever hit the 90-point mark again last Friday, this time in a win over the Valkyries.
While there were some concerns about Clark’s availability leading into last week’s Fever-Valkyries game, those worries proved short-lived. Clark returned to the starting lineup and scored a team-high 22 points to help lift Indiana to its third consecutive victory.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball while Golden State Valkyries forward Janelle Salaun defends during the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, on May 22, 2026.(Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images)
Clark’s promising start to her WNBA career was interrupted by injuries in 2025. After appearing in 40 games and winning Rookie of the Year in 2024, Clark was limited to just 13 appearances last season due to a groin strain and ankle-bone bruise.
On Wednesday, during the Fever’s off day ahead of Thursday’s Golden State-Indiana rematch, Clark was spotted about a mile from the Valkyries’ home arena attending the San Francisco Giants’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Clark attended the game alongside her boyfriend, Connor McCaffery, the former Iowa basketball player.
WNBA Indiana Fever player Caitlin Clark watches the San Francisco Giants play against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on May 27, 2026 in San Francisco, California.(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
McCaffery and Clark were seen wearing Giants hats at Oracle Park, though Clark has previously acknowledged her Phillies fandom — even if the team was not originally her top choice.
“My boyfriend grew up a really big Phillies fan, so I kinda had to like the Phillies. I do like them, I love Bryce Harper. I still like the Cubs, I like the Yankees. I’m not like a diehard any baseball team. My dad was a big Royals fan,” the two-time WNBA All-Star said in 2024.
“Kansas City was like a professional sports team to us. I liked the Chiefs before the Chiefs were really good too, so I’m not a bandwagoner either. I like the Phillies, so I’ll cheer for them this postseason.”
TIO Traeger Park will play host to Sunday’s
Round 12 AFL game between Melbourne Demons and
GWS Giants. The game kicks off at 3:15 pm with Melbourne Demons heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Melbourne Demons vs.
GWS Giants
game and give you our free tips and bets.
The AFL heads to Australia’s Red Centre when Melbourne and GWS face off at TIO Traeger Park in Alice Springs on Sunday afternoon. Melbourne may be regretting taking this home game to the Northern Territory given its stark form split this season; the club is 6-0 at the MCG compared to 1-4 at all other venues, including a 93-90 loss to the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium last Sunday. Meanwhile, GWS made history during its latest 166-88 demolition of Brisbane at ENGIE Stadium, with its scintillating 14-goal third term equalling the fourth-highest quarter score in V/AFL history, while the result also marked the highest total score in club history. GWS has notably won its last three meetings against Melbourne, although those victories have come by a combined margin of just seven points, suggesting another thriller could be on the cards this Sunday.
O’Neill was speaking to the media after announcing his squad to face Guinea and France in June friendlies.
Northern Ireland will be without some key players such as Bradley, Sunderland defender Dan Ballard, Portsmouth’s Terry Devlin and Paddy McNair, who helped Hull City win promotion to the Premier League.
The games come at the end of a gruelling season but O’Neill was thrilled by the commitment of his players.
“The commitment is there. I understand that at the end of a long season.
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“The players have personal goals within that situation.
“Steven Davis has 140 caps. So you only get that if you turn up. You can’t add to your caps if you’re not there.
“The players know that, and with this group, we hardly ever have a withdrawal on the basis of, ‘I’m tired’. The players who are missing have a genuine injury.”
O’Neill adds that the bond between Northern Ireland’s players mean the squad is “in a good place”.
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“With this group, they enjoy being together, so they don’t see it as any type of chore to go away on international duty.
“It’s quite the opposite, to be honest.
“Having spoken to a lot of the players, I think they feel that they prefer coming away with their international team because they’re all around the same age than maybe they do with their clubs.
“I think we’re in a good place with that at this minute in time.”
Jakub Mensik was helped into a wheelchair after collapsing onto the court while suffering from cramps following his brutal victory over Mario Navone in a five-set epic at the French Open.
The 20-year-old Czech and 26th seed fell to his back after beating Navone 6-3 2-6 6-4 1-6 7-6 (13-11) in a fifth-set tiebreak, after four hours and 41 minutes in gruelingly hot conditions in Paris.
After struggling physically earlier in the match and requiring a medical timeout for cramp, Mensik was unable to meet Navone at the net following match point and the Argentinian walked round to shake hands while he was still lying on the clay.
Mensik remained flat on his back for several minutes as the physio was called, followed by a paramedic team. Such was the concern for Mensik that a wheelchair was brought out onto court.
The former Miami Open champion, who along with Novak Djokovic is one of only two players to beat world No 1 Jannik Sinner this year, was able to get to his feet and shuffle off the court to applause before then requiring the wheelchair to exit Court 6.
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Mensik, who has previously struggled in five-set matches, is set to play eighth seed Alex de Minaur in the third round on Friday. De Minaur was handed a walkover after the withdrawal of Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, due to an ankle injury.
Mensik had two match points at 5-5 in the fifth set, followed by a further six match points in the tiebreak before eventually converting at the ninth opportunity to win the lengthy decider and reach the third round of the French Open for the first time.
There will be 104 matches, up 40 since Qatar World Cup 2022, while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo likely to play on this stage for the last time in their glittering careers.
Here’s how the tournament will unfold across 39 action-packed days:
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World Cup 2026 groups
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic
Group B: Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
The World Cup will begin in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium, the site of Diego Maradona’s most famous and infamous goals against England at the 1986 World Cup. It was also the venue for two classic World Cup finals: Brazil’s win over Italy in 1970 which included Carlos Alberto’s iconic team goal to cap a 4-1 win; and Argentina’s 3-2 win over West Germany in 1986, where Jorge Burruchaga grabbed an 84th-minute winner.
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Mexico and Canada will host 13 games in each, and the United States will host 78. From the quarter-finals onwards, the US will host all of the remaining matches, with the final in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium.
What are the World Cup 2026 dates?
The tournament begins in Mexico on 11 June, and concludes with the final in New Jersey on 19 July.
Many boxing fans believe Oleksandr Usyk was just a round away from one of the greatest upsets in heavyweight history against Rico Verhoeven, and now Queensberry Promoter Frank Warren has had his say on the fight.
With just one professional boxing bout to his name, Verhoeven was given minimal chance by most people ahead of his unconventional clash with Usyk at the Pyramids of Giza.
The Dutchman soon proved that he needed to be taken seriously, as his style caused issues for Usyk, who struggled to win rounds and looked off the pace throughout.
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Ahead of round 11, it was revealed that two judges had the fight level, whilst one had Verhoeven 96-94 up. In an interview with iFL TV, Warren labelled the scoring as ‘atrocious’, believing the underdog’s performance to have merited a larger margin.
“I actually thought it turned into a really good fight, an enjoyable fight to watch and he was winning it. I had him four or five [rounds] up, I thought that the scoring was atrocious.”
Continuing, Warren said that a more experienced operator would have given himself some extra time and seen out the round.
“I think that if he [Verhoeven] had a bit more experience when he went down [he could have survived the round]. I noticed that his gumshield sort of half came out and he got it back in without touching it, he sort of swallowed it back in.
“Anyone with a bit of experience would have spat it out and maybe that would have got him that extra little bit [of time].”
Brazil forward Vinicius Jr has weighed in on the chances of Lionel Messi and Argentina being contenders to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. La Albiceleste are reigning world champions and will head into the tournament with big expectations.
Lionel Scaloni has yet to name his 26-man squad for the World Cup, with announcement expected to be done in the next 48 hours. And speaking of Argentina’s chances, Vinicius spoke highly of what Lionel Messi and co. can do at the tournament.
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The Real Madrid man picked Argentina as one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Being the defending champions will give Argentina great confidence, according to Vinicius.
He also hailed the impact that Lionel Messi will bring to the team. Vinicius admits that the Inter Miami captain always adds something different to his teams and believes that some of the things Lionel Messi does on the pitch is stuff that no one can even imagine.
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In an interview on CazeTV (h/t All About Argentinaon X), Vinicius commented:
“I’ll pick Argentina too [as one of the favorites of the World Cup], because they were the last champions, they have great confidence and they have Messi.
“He always brings something different, we can never imagine what he might do.”
Argentina are in Group J of the 2026 World Cup alongside Algeria, Jordan and Austria. Vinicius’ Brazil will face Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.
Scaloni offers update on Lionel Messi’s injury scare before World Cup
During Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over Philadelphia Union, Lionel Messi had to be substituted due to an injury. The Argentine was spotted leaving the pitch while holding the back of his left thigh, which raised doubts over his condition.
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Inter Miami head coach offered an update after the game and now, Lionel Scaloni has also reiterated that the latest update isn’t too bad. The Argentina head coach admitted that he would have preferred if nothing had happened but he feels these things are not within his control.
Scaloni stated in an interview with DSports (h/t Diario AS):
“We were watching the [Miami] match at the [Argentina] training complex. We noticed he asked to come off, that something wasn’t right. The early news isn’t too bad.
“Naturally, we would have preferred nothing had happened at all. Now we have to wait and see how he progresses. Above all, he’ll have more tests, I imagine, to confirm that everything is as they’re saying.”
Scaloni also insisted that he’s hopeful of Lionel Messi and others who are facing such physical setbacks to recover in time and give their best at the World Cup next month.
He added:
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“Of course, we would have liked him to go into [the World Cup] without any issues, but that hasn’t been the case with him or with most of the players who’ve had physical setbacks.
“They’re not fully recovered. Our goal is to get them back to full fitness and make sure they go into [the tournament] in the best possible condition.”
Argentina face Honduras and Iceland in pre-World Cup friendlies before locking horns with Algeria in their opening game.
10. Paul Lambert (Borussia Dortmund v Juventus, 1997)
Zinedine Zidane is Champions League royalty, as a player and a coach. But there is one final – and one player in particular – that sticks in the Frenchman’s mind. “Oh my god, that game!” he remarked to Paul Lambert when they met years later.
Lambert joined Dortmund on a free transfer in 1996. Portugal star Paulo Sousa arrived fresh from winning the Champions League with Juventus the same summer, but it was the Scottish midfielder who wrote his name into Westfalenstadion legend.
Dortmund saw off Manchester United in the semi-finals to set up a showdown against Juventus in Munich in 1997, with Lambert handed the task of man-marking a playmaker emerging as one of the world’s greatest.
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“The thing about Zidane, he drifts off your shoulder. He often goes away from the ball, almost baiting you. But the ball’s not the danger, it’s him,” Lambert told the Guardian. “Zidane did put me on the backside a couple of times because he’s brilliant. But he’s not going to evaporate, is he?”
As modest as his account is, Lambert didn’t give Zidane an inch and that was the platform for Dortmund to engineer a 3-1 win over the reigning champions.
Juventus chiefs were so impressed they offered to buy him that summer and, Lambert told BBC Scotland, former Juventus midfielder Antonio Conte later confessed: “You were unbelievable.”
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 27: Elina Svitolina of Ukraine reacts in her match against Kaitlin Quevedo of Spain during the Women’s Singles first round match during Day Four of the 2026 French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Elina Svitolina continued her strong form at the French Open after defeating Jessica Bouzas Maneiro Quevedo 6-0, 6-4 to reach the third round.
Svitolina completely dominated the opening set before facing a much tougher challenge in the second, but once again showed the confidence and composure.
The Ukrainian is now on an eight-match winning streak after her Rome title run and continues to look like a serious contender in Paris.
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The win also gives Svitolina her 31st victory of the 2026 season and sends her into the Roland Garros third round for the 11th time in her career.
Asked about winning the Roland Garros junior title back in 2010 and still competing at such a high level today, Svitolina laughed:
“It’s crazy to think that I went past so much already and have a little daughter Skaï back at home. Married to the French guy, it’s crazy to think that.”
Manchester City’s season is over. Pep Guardiola has finally left the club after a decade in charge and gave it his all until the very end as the Blues won both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.
The Champions League was the big disappointment, with a top-eight finish spoiled by a predictable defeat again at the hands of Real Madrid in the last-16. City also fell short in the Premier League, but while they will have regrets over a few matches they will also be happy to have pushed Arsenal into the final week.
City’s players have been marked every match in the Manchester Evening News and readers have had their say as well. Looking back on the campaign as a whole, here is the verdict on how the squad that finished the season in Manchester have fared.
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Donnarumma: Some big saves – with his most notable at Liverpool away – and he steadied the ship at a critical moment when he joined, but he also showed issues with distribution and defending set-pieces as well as picking up far too many yellow cards. 7
Trafford: A frustrating season for him as his return to City didn’t go anything like he expected. The Spurs game was worrying but he shrugged off personal disappointment to play a key role in winning two cups, enhancing his reputation and earning a World Cup spot. 7
Nunes: A year when Nunes finally accepted his role at right-back and improved significantly as a result, becoming one of City’s most consistent and most reliable players. There has been the odd moment but generally Nunes has been very good and City all the better when he plays. 8
Lewis: Started the season with a bang at Wolves and signed a new contract soon after but it was swiftly downhill and hasn’t recovered. His only league start after August was the dismal defeat to United in January before one last game on the final day. 4
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Khusanov: Looked promising as a right-back for a week in September and then went from strength to strength on his return to the team in January. Still a work in progress but there is so much to work with. 8
Dias: Rarely missed a game in the first half of the season, overplayed in part because of his leadership abilities, yet injuries meant he was not seen much after January and he spent the last two months watching Guehi and Khusanov play ahead of him. 6
Stones: A fan favourite, he contributed in the cups but another strange injury meant the trust for Guardiola disappeared and he barely played after the first third of the season. 5
Guehi: Instantly calmed a boat that was rocking when he joined in January. He showed his class and earned rave reviews from Guardiola and coaches but still goes into next season with plenty to prove. 7
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Ake: Another defender who was rarely used, albeit Ake was trusted more than Stones and started some big games such as the Carabao Cup final. He was excellent whenever he played, it just wasn’t enough for his liking or City’s. 6
Alleyne: A crazy season that started at Watford and then saw him parachuted into a Premier League debut after just a day of training. He performed admirably, even if he had a bad week against United and Bodo/Glimt. 6
Gvardiol: Enjoyed most of his playing time at centre-back this season and it seemed to work very well before his season effectively ended with a big injury in January. He showed on his return just how much he adds to the team in both boxes. 7
O’Reilly: After breaking into the team in the FA Cup late last season, O’Reilly looked to barely break sweat as he played his way into being one of City’s best players. He will be a big part of the team’s future. 9
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Ait-Nouri: Did okay in his first season without really commanding a place in the team. He had an injury and was absent with AFCON duty but also found himself shut out by O’Reilly at left-back. 6
Rodri: Too disjointed with injuries at the start of the season but hit his stride between January and April to put City in the driving seat for the title race. His continuing fitness issues should be a concern. 7
Kovacic: One of three choices Guardiola had for the holding role this season, he was injured for far too much of it and City were worse off as a result. 5
Gonzalez: The weirdest season in the squad. When he got injured in early January he had been the most important player and would have earned a 9/10 but the faith in him completely disappeared and some big conversations are now needed this summer. 6
Silva: What a player. What a leader. The wise old head of this new City team, marshalling the midfield and protecting the defence while keeping standards up across the week. A final year to savour for someone ageing like the finest Portuguese wine. 9
Reijnders: A dream debut, and then not enough returns after that. Reijnders seemed to struggle to find his place in a team that itself changed over the season, and he needs to offer more if he wants more game time. 6
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Foden: Similar to Gonzalez and Dias in that he was overplayed and then ended up being underplayed. Foden never stopped trying in the final months but what he has on the pitch at his best wasn’t close to being there. 7
Savinho: Guardiola said at the Club World Cup that he will be a fantastic player once he improves in the final third but how many games can City give him to do that? He got plenty of chances to impress but wasn’t effective enough. 5
Semenyo: A dream start to his City career and finished the season with the winner in the FA Cup final and the last goal of the Guardiola era. Needs to stay sharp in the final third but can play multiple positions and win his team games. 7
Cherki: Fits and starts early on but his consistency and effectiveness grew, and he was exceptional for a month in the run-in. Standout numbers for his first year in English football and he is young enough to get better. 8
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Doku: A terrific year, definitely one of the top City players. He is assisting Haaland more and also winning games on his own, with opposition plans to double mark him allowing him to set O’Reilly free as well. 8
Marmoush: Having been so good when he joined City in the second half of last season, there were very few fond memories of this one. He struggled on the wing and didn’t do enough with the opportunities he did get to put zero pressure on Haaland up front. 4
Haaland: He dropped off badly during the winter months but it does feel like his FORTY-SEVEN goal involvements have been underappreciated. He was unbelievable early in the season and then found his form again for the big games in the run-in. 9
GUARDIOLA: Never before have we had a manager rating but there have been a few requests and he’s leaving so sod it. An ultimately exceptional year that brought the best out of his squad and earned more trophies, but there were a few head-scratching team selections in that pivotal spell in March that proved disastrous to their Champions League and Premier League hopes. 9
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