Archie Goodburn is calling on the government for more funding following the passing of the Rare Cancers Bill.

The 25-year-old swimmer was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 22.

READ MORE: ‘Give us a chance to fight’ – tearful Goodburn urges PM to boost cancer funding

Indian cricket team (ANI Photo)

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes India’s chances of reaching the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 final hang heavily on the upcoming two-Test series against Sri Lanka, warning that the visitors are in a “tough position” in the race for the summit clash. India will begin their Sri Lanka tour with the opening Test on August 15. After nine matches in the current WTC cycle, India occupy fifth place in the standings with four wins and four defeats, giving them a points percentage (PCT) of 48.15. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, sit just below them in sixth place. They have registered one win, one loss and two draws so far, with a PCT of 41.67. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra highlighted how significantly the standings could change depending on the outcome of the two-match series. He pointed out that a 2-0 defeat for India would dent their qualification hopes while boosting Sri Lanka’s prospects. “If we lose 2-0, we will remain at only 39 percentage points, and Sri Lanka will jump to 61 percentage points, and they will be No. 4. Sri Lanka will be in the run if they beat India 2-0. Then they have a realistic chance of going forward, or else it’s a so-near-yet-so-far story for them,” Chopra said. He added that a clean sweep would improve India’s position, although not dramatically, while a drawn series would do little for either side. “If we win this series 2-0, we will reach 57.58 percentage points. If we do a clean sweep, we will gain a little. If we draw the series 1-1, we won’t gain anything because we will be at 48.48 and Sri Lanka will be at 44.44, and the positions will remain as is,” he added. Chopra also underlined the difficulty of India’s remaining WTC schedule. After the Sri Lanka series, India are set to travel to New Zealand for a two-Test series before hosting Australia in a five-Test contest early next year. According to Chopra, the shorter away assignments leave little room for error. “Going forward, we have a two-match series in New Zealand, where it is difficult to win. Even if you lose one match, you lose 50 percentage points. It’s going to be a tough one, and after that, there are five matches against Australia in India. India is in a tough position,” Chopra added. India’s upcoming assignments present a stern challenge. They have not won a Test series in New Zealand since the 2008-09 tour under MS Dhoni and have managed just two series victories there overall. The home series against Australia is also expected to test India after recent setbacks against SENA opposition. India were whitewashed by New Zealand and South Africa in successive home series, with the defeat to South Africa marking their first home Test series loss to the Proteas since 1999-2000. Under Temba Bavuma, South Africa also completed the rare feat of winning the ICC World Test Championship title and a Test series in India in the same year. India could also face a stiff examination in Sri Lanka, particularly against spin, an area that troubled them during their recent home series defeats to New Zealand and South Africa.

The anticipated farewell for champion jumper Stern Idol did not go according to script, as the horse finished outside the top three in its final race.

Stern Idol, the commanding $1.90 favourite, finished fourth under jockey Will Gordon, trailing the winner by 12 lengths in the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown on Sunday.

Attempting to secure a fourth consecutive win in the race named after a prominent Australian steeplechaser, Stern Idol was not at its previous best on Sunday and made several jumping errors.

Jack Turnbull, the National Assistant Trainer for Ciaron Maher Racing, described it as a disappointing end to a remarkable career but stressed that Stern Idol completed the race safely.

“Will said he didn’t feel like he was at his best and clearly, he wasn’t,” Turnbull said.

“He didn’t travel as strong and as bold as he normally does and made a few errors down the back.

“There were a few nervous moments late, but thankfully he came back to the yard standing and he pulled up pretty well.

“It’s sad to see him go, but he made it around safe, which is what counts.”

Racegoers present gave Stern Idol a round of applause as the field passed the finishing line for the first time, with another cheer when the horse returned to the mounting yard.

“There were 20 Ballarat staff that came down, there was Cranbourne staff, Fingal staff, they have all made the effort to come out here which is great,” Turnbull remarked.

“It’s more than the sport, it’s more about the horse.

“It’s hard to draw comparisons with a flat horse, but he is the best jumper, so to see him finish, and know he’s finishing up, that’s the strangest part.”

The Patrick Payne-trained Sing For Peace ($3.20) took out the race, winning by a nose from Mr Lincoln ($18), with Hit The Road Jack ($5) finishing third, two lengths adrift.

Neil Greaves, representing the Payne stable, suggested that jumps racing itself was the ultimate winner.

“It’s a perfect time to salute the great Stern Idol,” Greaves commented.

“He didn’t win today, but he’s been a great jumper over the last four years.

“The scene is changing and we’re lucky enough to have some of the better ones at the moment.”

The Payne stable also had success earlier in the day, winning the opening race with Split.

However, jockey Tom Ryan was the star of the day across the three jumps races at Sandown, clinching a feature race double after winning the Grand National Hurdle on Andy Win.

Ryan guided Sing For Peace to victory in the Australian Steeplechase and admitted he thought the gelding had thrown the race away with a poor jump around 1200 metres from the finish.

“He made a really bad mistake, and I don’t know how he stood up, to be honest,” Ryan said.

“But he made a really good jump at the last and it was do or die and he battled on all the way to the line.

“I didn’t think I had held on, but luckily, we did.”

Keen to get involved in the action? Check out the latest racing odds for upcoming events.

Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton has revealed who he favours between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The two heavyweights are expected to collide later this year, just so long as both sides can agree on a specific date and location.

At the same time, though, there appears to be waning interest in their long-awaited showdown after both Brits failed to impress last weekend.

First to the stage was Fury, who left a lot to be desired as he trudged through seven rounds of uninspiring action against the 46-year-old Mariusz Wach.

But still, the 37-year-old never seemed in any danger of losing, whereas Joshua was almost knocked out within the first 20 seconds of his contest against Kristian Prenga.

‘AJ’ then suffered a second knockdown in the opening round, before climbing off the canvas and ultimately stopping his opponent in the following three minutes.

Prior to these two performances, Frampton struggled to select a winner but is now somewhat confident that Fury has the beating of his domestic rival.

Speaking to Boxing Now, the Irishman explained that Joshua – because of his power – could knock Fury out; however the more likely outcome, he suspects, is a ‘Gypsy King’ triumph.

“[Joshua] still has a chance – and Fury didn’t look great in his fight [with Wach]. [But] I’d say a lot of people have Fury as the favourite. I [too] have him as a favourite now.

“[I have it] 60/40, maybe. [But] it wouldn’t surprise me if AJ lands and takes him out.”

Frampton went on to praise the bravery shown by AJ to climb off the canvas to get the victory.

“Very brave performance. The first round was a disaster, it’s a criticism you can throw at AJ a lot, that he starts very slow and you can’t really afford to do that as a heavyweight. Strange performance, legs looked a little bit stiff, looked to be an issue with the legs, but you can’t question his bravery from coming back and doing what he did.”

Joshua vs Fury is expected to take place in November and will be streamed live on Netflix.

Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic will clash over the IBF heavyweight title on 29 August, after the belt was added to their London showdown.

Later this month, Itauma and Hrgovic will headline at the O2 Arena, and the stakes have been raised following the addition of the IBF title as a prize.

The move follows Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate the unified belts; the WBC’s went to Agit Kabayel, and the WBA’s to Murat Gassiev, leaving just the IBF’s up in the air.

Now 21-year-old Itauma, who has long been touted as a future champion, will fight for a world title for the first time. If Itauma were to win, he would become the youngest world heavyweight champion since Mike Tyson.

“A lot of people have high expectations of him, as I have by the way,” Queensberry Promotions’s Frank Warren told the BBC.

“We signed him when he was 16, he was an amateur. We sponsored him and he turned professional with us. And he’s been amazing and sort of taken the world by storm. This is a big moment for him, but I’m confident he can do it.”

Itauma had been ordered to negotiate a fight with Frank Sanchez for the vacant IBF title, but the Cuban stepped aside on the condition that he would face the winner of Itauma vs Hrgovic.

“We paid [Sanchez] some money,” Warren said. “We said whoever wins the fight, you’re not losing out, and you’ll get the opportunity to fight for the title against the winner.”

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Britain’s Itauma will enter the bout with an unbeaten record of 14-0 (12 KOs), while Croatia’s Hrgovic is 20-1 (15 KOs).

Last time out, Itauma stopped Jermaine Franklin in the fifth round in March, having beaten Dillian Whyte in the first round last August.

Meanwhile, Hrgovic, 34, is on a three-fight win streak since his sole professional loss – a stoppage by Daniel Dubois in 2024. Since that loss, Hrgovic has defeated three Britons in a row: Joe Joyce and David Adeleye on points, and Dave Allen via stoppage in May.

The Vikings’ in-house talent at edge rusher isn’t inspiring a ton of optimism. As a result, some are expressing concern, especially with Jadeveon Clowney getting taken out of free agency?

What of Chaz Chambliss?

The Georgia alumnus got added last offseason from within undrafted free agency. He was among the many UDFA players to crack the 53-man roster for 2025. Most of his contributions came as a special teams asset but he played on defense, albeit in a modest manner. Any chance the unheralded sophomore gets more run than people anticipate?

The Vikings’ In-House Pass Rusher Option

Standing at 6’1″ and weighing roughly 245 pounds, Chambliss is a touch small for the position. An ideal world would involve being longer; think a frame that’s closer to Danielle Hunter as being the ideal.

But then there’s another interesting detail: Eric Wilson, himself a UDFA talent once upon a time, doesn’t boast the best build and has still found a way to shine. Could Chambliss see what the veteran did and then go do likewise? It’s a lofty goal that’s unlikely to be attained, but Wilson is someone to emulate.

During the 2025 season, Chambliss played in a dozen games. His total workload finished off at 25 snaps on defense alongside 183 snaps on special teams. In all likelihood, he’s looking at a similar dynamic going into the current season — a workload heavily tilting toward special teams — but he’s trying to change that modest outlook. He can do so if he proves capable of walloping the quarterback with some regularity.

As for statistics, Chaz Chambliss didn’t get totally shutout as a rookie. He had 8 tackles and 1 sack as a rookie.

The defender played his college ball for Georgia, overlapping with players such as Lewis Cine and Ty Ingram-Dawkins. His final season involved 40 tackles alongside 6.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Not earth shattering, but some production from within one of college football’s foremost programs.

Given his build, Chambliss may need to dabble with being an off-ball linebacker. Doing so would enhance his appeal for Brian Flores, a coordinator who enjoys working with smart, versatile players. Offering up some of that coveted versatility allows the DC to increase the pre- and post-snap chaos, creating confusion along the way.

And, to be sure, there’s something to be said for just pinning one’s ears back. After Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, the Vikings’ in-house edge rusher options don’t inspire huge optimism. Think Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, and a couple others. Nice depth but nobody who can be identified as fully settling the EDGE3 debate.

What’s odd is that Minnesota doesn’t appear too worried, suggesting there are players in town who can do well when called upon. Is there untapped potential in Chambliss?

Getting him to the Twin Cities meant sending over $220,000 in guaranteed money, per Over the Cap. The implication is that several teams were competing for his services after the draft. Former GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah did well at bringing undrafted talent to town; Chambliss is merely one example of that approach paying off.

Choosing the Vikings worked reasonably well for both sides. Things will look ever better if the sophomore blossoms into a mainstay of the pass rushing rotation in 2026.

Chaz Chambliss is still only 23.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

MMA fighter Allan Nascimento has died at the age of 34, the UFC has announced.

The Brazilian flyweight was found dead on Monday morning after suffering an apparent heart attack in his sleep.

A statement from UFC read: “This morning, Monday, August 3rd, our beloved fighter and exemplary flyweight, Allan Nascimento, was found unresponsive after suffering an apparent heart attack in his sleep.

“Despite the efforts of the responding medical team, he was pronounced deceased at the scene.Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Allan’s family, friends, teammates, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.”

Nascimento had been in the UFC since 2021 and his last fight was a loss to Mitch Raposo in June.

He trained at Chute Boxe in Brazil.

Chute Boxer paid tribute on social media, saying that their team had lost a “warrior, friend, dedicated competitor and extraordinary human being”.

“He earned the respect and admiration of all who had the privilege of knowing him.

“Allan inspired on and off the mats with his determination, humility, respect and fighting spirit.

“Your presence will be missed immeasurable, rest in peace Allan, your name, your story and your legacy will live forever through our star.”

A tribute to Nascimento on The UFC site added: “A member of the famed Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, Nascimento made six trips into the Octagon, amassing a 4-2 record while building a reputation as a skilled competitor and consummate professional.

“For his career, ‘Puro Osso’ compiled a 22-7 record with 16 of his wins coming by way of submission.

“A fixture on the doorstep of the Top 15, Nascimento was a constant presence alongside his teammates whenever they made the walk, sharing an especially close bond with former lightweight champion and current BMF titleholder Charles Oliveira.

“Our condolences go out to Nascimento’s family and friends, the Chute Boxe Diego Lima team, and all those impacted by this sudden, heartbreaking loss.”

Oliveira posted a tribute on social media: “Today I lost a brother that the fight game gave me.”

“Thank you for always being by my side, for sharing the mats and the corner.

“I have nothing but gratitude for having you with me in training, in the corner, and just hanging out. I love you, man; you’re a legend.”

The stakes have been raised in the Moses Itauma vs. Filip Hrgovic fight after a world heavyweight title was added to the contest.

Itauma and Hrgovic will meet at The O2 Arena in London on August 29, in a bout that was already set to have big implications for the division.

After Oleksandr Usyk vacated his unified titles earlier this summer, there has been plenty of movement, with Agit Kabayel upgraded to WBC champion, Murat Gassiev now the WBA champion, while Daniel Dubois remains WBO champion.

The one remaining vacant title was the IBF strap, but that won’t be the case any longer after it was revealed that the belt will now be on the line between Itauma and Hrgovic, and Warren has told BBC Sport about how big an opportunity this is in Itauma’s career.

“A lot of people have high expectations of him as I have, by the way. We signed him when he was 16. He was an amateur. We sponsored him and he turned professional with us. And he’s been amazing and sort of taken the world by storm.

“This is a big moment for him. But I’m confident he can do it.”

Itauma had originally been ordered to have a final eliminator with Frank Sanchez for the vacant belt, and Warren also revealed that they have paid the Cuban some step-aside money in order to allow this month’s bout to be contested for the title instead.

“We paid [Sanchez] some money. We said whoever wins the fight, you’re not losing out and you’ll get the opportunity to fight for the title against the winner.”

At just 21-years-old, Itauma would become the second youngest world heavyweight champion in history if he is successful against Hrgovic later this month.