Former WBC cruiserweight ruler Tony Bellew has predicted how a fight between former super-lightweight world champions Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton would go, if they were to collide in their primes.

Khan picked up the WBA super-lightweight crown when he outpointed Andreas Kotelnik in 2009 and went on to unify the titles by knocking out IBF titleholder Zab Judah, before a split-decision defeat to Lamont Peterson looked to have ended his reign in December 2011.

He was then reinstated as the WBA world champion due to Peterson failing a drug test, only to lose the belt in a knockout defeat to Danny Garcia the following year, never again returning to the throne.

Meanwhile, Ricky Hatton famously stopped Kostya Tszyu to claim the IBF super-lightweight marble back in 2005 and then knocked out Carlos Maussa to add the WBA strap to his collection.

The Mancunian icon then vacated his title in favour of a move up to the welterweight scene, where he trumped WBA champion Luis Collazo. He then regained the IBF super-lightweight title and vacated it again, moving up to 147lbs for a second time.

There, in his 44th professional bout, Hatton suffered a first career defeat as Floyd Mayweather ended his impressive win streak, with Hatton never recapturing another major world title.

On the Fight Your Corner Podcast, Bellew predicted that ‘The Hitman’ would have come from behind and halted Khan late.

“Amir is so fast, like Ricky’s face would be a mess. When Ricky finally gets to Amir, he would have been beaten to a pulp, I think.

“I think that he would be behind on points, but I think Ricky comes from behind to get rid of him.”

Despite Bellew’s view, the friendship between Khan and Hatton – and their timelines – meant that the clash never happened.

Sadly, Hatton passed away last September. He will always be remembered not only as one of Britain’s greatest ever boxers, but also as one of the most beloved figures the sport has ever known.

Indiana’s defense will get a significant boost ahead of their attempt at defending the school’s first-ever national championship as the Hoosiers announced Tuesday that defensive end Stephen Daley will return to Bloomington for a fifth season. 

Daley and Indiana will attempt to take advantage of a Colorado judge’s ruling that will grant an additional year of eligibility to the Class of 2022 to play a fifth year under the NCAA’s new “five-for-five” rule. Schools have been cautious in the wake of the ruling, unclear of whether an NCAA appeal will successfully overrule that injunction and deem players ineligible again. However, for Daley and Indiana, the reward of that happening is apparently worth the risk, and the Hoosiers are thrilled to welcome their star pass-rusher back into camp with open arms. 

Curt Cignetti talks like college football’s alpha, but Indiana’s schedule says otherwise

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Daley a nightmare for QBs

Daley tallied 38 tackles, including 19 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2025 before a freak knee-injury while high-fiving fans after the Big Ten Championship ended his senior season before the Hoosiers’ run through the College Football Playoff. The Indiana defense held up in the Hoosiers’ run to the national title in Daley’s absence, but losing his ability to pressure the quarterback and disrupt plays in the opposing backfield was one of the main concerns for Indiana going forward into the 2026 season. 

The Hoosiers, who were ranked No. 6 in the preseason Coaches Poll released Tuesday, hit the transfer portal hard to try and fill the hole left by Daley’s departure, adding Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State), Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State) and Josh Burnham (Notre Dame) to bolster their rotation on the outside of their defensive line. Now Curt Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines will get Daley back alongside that strong transfer group and will have a tremendous amount of depth on the edge after beginning the offseason with that spot as one of their main concerns. 

Indiana defense key after loss of QB Mendoza  

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza rightfully drew headlines for his efforts leading the Hoosiers’ offense, and much of the focus this offseason has been on how their latest transfer quarterback Josh Hoover from TCU will fare as his replacement. However, for all the talk about Hoover and new star receiver Nick Marsh, defense has been the calling card of the Hoosiers’ turnaround under Cignetti and there’s little reason to believe that will change in 2026. 

With Daley back in the fold, the Hoosiers will expect to keep opposing quarterbacks under constant duress once again, bolstering a defensive front that also returns star tackle Tyrique Tucker. In the secondary, they return Jamari Sharpe, whose late interception sealed the Hoosiers’ national title win over Miami, and add A.J. Harris from Penn State to fill the gap left by the departure of star corner D’Angelo Ponds. 

The Hoosiers may have some growing pains on offense before they hit their stride, but the defense should hit the ground running again in 2026 and Daley’s return is a scary sight for the rest of the Big Ten. 

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The highly anticipated major league debut for New York Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. couldn’t have gone any better on Tuesday night in the Bronx.

And while it’s just one game, it may be hard for Yankees fans not to think the shortstop torch has been passed from Anthony Volpe, who has struggled to find consistency over the past four seasons, to the 21-year-old No. 1 prospect in the team’s farm system.

Volpe was once that top prospect when he came up before the start of the 2023 season, where he was named the shortstop of the future. But in the middle of his fourth season, where he’s slashed just .240/.325/.322 across 56 games, he was optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a slew of moves by the Yankees’ front office.

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George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees is at spring training at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 17, 2026. (Newsday)

Replacing him at shortstop is Lombard, the son of former big leaguer and current Detroit Tigers bench coach George Lombard, who Yankees fans have been waiting to see make his debut.

Well, Lombard shined under the bright Yankee Stadium lights, as his first career hit was a solo home run off St. Louis Cardinals starter Hunter Dobbins.

YANKEES ACQUIRE LUIS GARCIA JR. FROM NATIONALS IN INTERESTING TRADE BEFORE MLB DEADLINE

After grounding out in his first career at-bat, Lombard quickly adjusted on an 0-2 hanging breaking ball from Dobbins, and didn’t miss a stitch as it flew over the left field fence. The Yankee Stadium crowd went into a frenzy, understanding just what that moment meant.

Yankees captain Aaron Judge and the rest of the dugout were just as excited, as Lombard gave a shout of excitement as he rounded the bases to make it a 2-0 ball game.

As the Yankees got the victory at home, 2-0, Lombard finished his night at the plate 1-for-2 with a walk. He also became the 14th Yankees player to ever mash a home run for his first career major league hit.

George Lombard Jr. hit a solo home run in his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City on Aug. 4, 2026. (Getty Images)

But the bat power wasn’t the only thing Lombard showcased on Tuesday night. If anything, it was just an added bonus to what he did at his position in the field.

Yankees fans have been used to inconsistent defensive play by Volpe over the last four seasons. While he made some incredible plays, it was the routine ones that turned into head-scratching errors.

Lombard, though, couldn’t have looked more comfortable. His first action was a nifty double play started after ranging to his right, backhanding a grounder and throwing it to second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. all in one motion for the turn.

From there, Lombard dealt with some hard-hit grounders without any qualms and even turned a double play himself when he grabbed a grounder up the middle, stepped on the bag, and threw to first base in one motion to end an inning.

George Lombard Jr. of the New York Yankees takes the field during the sixth inning in his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City on Aug. 4, 2026. (Getty Images)

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Again, this is just the first game for Lombard. But it’s the type of start fans hoped for when they heard he got the call.

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Anthony Joshua showed vulnerability in his comeback, despite a second-round knockout of Kristian Prenga, and now four-time super-middleweight world champion Carl Froch has shared his thoughts on how the showdown with Tyson Fury will play out.

Prior to Prenga, Joshua’s solitary outing since a devastating September 2024 defeat to Daniel Dubois came against YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, with the 36-year-old maintaining that he needed a tune-up before a long-awaited clash against Fury.

Lesser-known Albanian heavyweight Prenga almost scuppered plans to stage Fury-Joshua later this year, as he twice floored the two-time heavyweight world champion in the opening round, before ‘AJ’ bounced back and claimed a round two triumph. 

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch on Fighting, ‘The Cobra’ explained why he believes Fury will now ‘do a number’ on his perennial foe.

“Fury looked bad, but don’t forget that Fury has been fighting since he was five years old. It’s in his subconscious; reactions, reflexes and punching, he just knows how to do it when his eyes are shut. He has grown up with it. 

“Joshua is a manufactured fighter. OK, he is an Olympic gold medallist and a two-time heavyweight champ but, in terms of naturally ability and natural fighting, Tyson will do a number on ‘AJ’, in my opinion.

“Even though Tyson Fury is past his best now and not firing on all cylinders, like he was against Deontay Wilder, Anthony Joshua can’t take a punch and he can’t get out of the way of the punches. It is just dangerous.”

Fury-Joshua is expected to take place at Madison Square Garden in New York, with Saturday, November 14, understood to be the most likely fight date.

Arsenal are set to complete their protracted move for Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes.

BBC Sport reported on 30 July that Guimaraes was expected to move to the Premier League champions following a breakthrough in talks.

And a full agreement is now almost done, with Guimaraes waiting for permission to leave Newcastle‘s training base in La Manga, in Spain, to finalise the formalities of his move to Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners are now making preparations for the Brazil midfielder’s medical this week. There is no confirmation of a fee but sources are indicating it could reach £80m.

Guimaraes, who joined Newcastle from Lyon in 2022, has made clear his intention to join Arsenal as the 28-year-old has emerged as Mikel Arteta’s first-choice central midfield target.

Newcastle and Arsenal have been discussing the finer terms of the deal this week with a final agreement now considered a formality.

Vozinha arrived in Santiago on Sunday to a lively reception from Colo Colo’s fans and joined his new team-mates in training two days later.

The veteran goalkeeper became a cult hero when Cape Verde claimed their first-ever World Cup point against Spain in the group stage and has seen his social media fame explode from 50,000 Instagram followers to nearly 30 million.

After helping his team reach the knockout stages, taking finalists Argentina to extra time in the last 32, Vozinha was named in Fifa’s team of the tournament and even had a newly discovered species of sea slug named after him.

Vozinha’s career has taken him to Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, most recently, Portuguese second division side Chaves, but he has always believed himself to be a “‘big club’ player”.

Joining Colo Colo, the most successful team in the Primera Division (34 titles) and Copa Chile (14), is his career “highlight”.

“The decision was very clear. Despite playing in smaller leagues for clubs that weren’t exactly giants, deep down I always told myself I was a ‘big club’ player,” Vozinha said.

“So when Colo Colo came calling, there was no doubt. From day one, I knew where I wanted to play. I received many offers but Colo Colo was always the priority.

“The World Cup was the best thing that ever happened to me in football, but that is in the past now. Being here representing Colo Colo – a massive club with a rich history – is the highlight of my club career.”

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Olympique Lyonnais lost (2-1) away to Sparta Prague in the first leg of the third qualifying round. The return leg will take place on August 11 in Lyon.

That reality has created a new one.

Rashford is contracted to Manchester United until 2028. His salary of £325,000 a week makes him the club’s top earner at a time when minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is trying to stay on top of wage costs, which is, by some distance, the club’s highest expenditure.

United’s transfer activity has slowed since Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans joined them for £35m on 14 July.

While uncertainty over Rashford’s future is not the entire reason for this, it is a basic truth that United’s search for a left-sided attacking player, or another striker, will be affected if he stays at the club because he can play in both positions.

Equally, the amount United can pay in wages will differ depending on whether Rashford’s salary is part of the overall bill.

Many fans are conflicted.

Plenty feel Rashford’s fallout with Amorim over his performances in training was reflective of someone who no longer felt the joy of playing for his boyhood club.

Comparisons were made with his performances prior to his exit from United and those at Aston Villa, with England and then Barcelona.

Others think Rashford is too good to be discarded; a local lad who would benefit from an arm around the shoulder and is capable of making a significant impact in Carrick’s team.

The secondary point to that is could United sign a player of similar standing for £26m, given that is the fee sources close to Rashford feel would not be exceeded given it had been agreed with Barcelona?

The PCB said it has taken “serious notice” of the participation of former Pakistan cricketers in the tournament.

NEW DELHI: Several former Pakistan cricketers could face disciplinary action from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after taking part in the Asian Legends League in Zambia without the required approval, according to ESPNcricinfo. More than a dozen retired Pakistan players signed up for the tournament. The controversy began after the Zambia Cricket Union (ZCU), the country’s official governing body, said the event was not sanctioned, approved or endorsed by it.The PCB said it has taken “serious notice” of the participation of former Pakistan cricketers in the tournament.Players found to have violated the rules could be banned for two years from receiving a PCB No Objection Certificate (NOC) to participate in approved overseas leagues or cricket events.They could also be declared ineligible for any cricketing, coaching, consultancy, mentoring or other roles with the PCB and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for two years.“In light of the above, the following disciplinary measures will be taken on individuals found to have participated in the said unsanctioned event without obtaining the requisite approvals from the PCB,” the PCB statement said. “A ban of two years from the issuance of any PCB No Objection Certificate (NOC) for participation in approved overseas cricket leagues or events. [And] Ineligibility for any cricketing, coaching, consultancy, mentoring and/or other assignments with the PCB and the PSL for a period of two years.“According to ESPNcricinfo, Mohammad Hafeez, Sohail Tanvir and Umar Akmal travelled to Lusaka after signing up for the league. However, they chose not to play after learning that the required ICC approvals had not been received.Several other former Pakistan cricketers are believed to have participated in the tournament.The PCB said all current and former Pakistan cricketers must obtain the required approvals before taking part in overseas cricket events.“The PCB remains fully committed to upholding the ICC regulations and safeguarding the integrity and governance of the game,” the PCB statement said.“The board reiterates that all current and former cricketers seeking to participate in overseas cricket events requiring PCB clearance must obtain the necessary approvals and NOCs prior to participation,” it said.