Just weeks after overcoming Junto Nakatani in a historic all-Japanese showdown, Naoya Inoue is being strongly linked with another ‘inevitable’ rivalry.

A four-division world champion, Inoue is currently considered to be boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, with last month’s triumph over Nakatani regarded as a career-best win that cements his position in the top spot.

Whilst many fans have want to see ‘The Monster’ move up in weight once more in an attempt to conquer as many divisions as possible, plenty are now instead hoping that he pumps the brakes and sticks around at 122lbs for a while longer.

That is because of a potential super-fight with former unified super-flyweight world champion Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez, who steps up to bantamweight on Saturday but is willing to then venture up once more in pursuit of Inoue.

Speaking to Ring Magazine, Rodriguez maintained that he is focused on this weekend’s clash with WBA bantamweight world champion Antonio Vargas, but admitted that a meeting with Inoue feels ‘inevitable’.

“To be honest, no [I am not thinking about the Naoya Inoue fight]. Like I say, one fight at a time. I am staying focussed on Antonio Vargas but I know that, when that Inoue fight does happen, the fans are in for a great night of boxing.

“People are already talking about that fight so much that it is inevitable at this point and I feel like, when the time comes, it is going to be a great fight – probably one of the best fights in all of boxing history.”

Vargas vs. Rodriguez takes place at the Desert Diamond Arena on June 13, as ‘Bam’ seeks to capture world honours in a third division and tee up one of the biggest bouts in boxing.

Nigerian music icon Davido used one of football’s biggest global platforms to shine a spotlight on a national tragedy during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Countdown Concert in Los Angeles.

While fans at the event celebrated performances from some of the world’s biggest music stars ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s appearance carried a message far beyond entertainment.

The Grammy-nominated Afrobeats star performed wearing a custom black leather jacket bearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria.

On the back of the jacket was a simple but powerful message:

“Bring Them Home.”

The gesture immediately attracted attention across social media, with many Nigerians praising Davido for using a global stage to raise awareness about the victims.

A message beyond music

Davido thrilled the crowd with performances of some of his biggest hits, including fan favourites Fall and Unavailable, during the FIFA event.

Yet it was the jacket—not the music—that became one of the biggest talking points of the night.

Images from the concert quickly spread online, revealing dozens of green badges attached to the jacket, each representing one of the abducted pupils and teachers.

Many observers described the move as a reminder that the victims’ stories should not be forgotten despite the passage of time.

At a moment when the world’s attention is turning toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido used that spotlight to highlight an issue affecting families thousands of miles away in Nigeria.

Bringing a local tragedy to a global audience

The FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert was held as part of celebrations marking one year until the start of the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Performing alongside international acts, Davido was one of the headline attractions representing Africa on the global stage.

Rather than simply delivering a musical performance, the Nigerian star chose to turn the occasion into an opportunity for advocacy.

For many Nigerians, the jacket served as a reminder of the pain endured by families whose children and loved ones remain victims of abduction and insecurity.

Why the gesture resonated

Football and music have long been powerful tools for raising awareness about social issues.

From anti-racism campaigns to humanitarian causes, major sporting events often provide a platform for messages that extend beyond the game itself.

Davido’s decision to wear the jacket at a FIFA event followed that tradition.

The gesture was particularly significant because it came in front of an international audience at an event designed to celebrate the world’s most popular sporting competition.

Instead of allowing the countdown to the World Cup to be solely about football, Davido ensured that millions of people were also reminded of a humanitarian issue affecting families in Nigeria.

A moment that transcended entertainment

As anticipation builds for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Davido’s performance will be remembered not only for the music but also for the message.

The singer had the opportunity to entertain a global audience.

Instead, he chose to do more.

By wearing the names of 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers on his jacket and carrying the message “Bring Them Home,” Davido transformed a World Cup celebration into a call for awareness, compassion and action.

And for many Nigerians watching around the world, that may have been the most powerful performance of the night.

JJ Gabriel is putting in the work ahead of his anticipated Manchester United senior bow under Michael Carrick

Manchester United youngster JJ Gabriel could have a big part to play in pre-season and is trying to give Michael Carrick no choice but to give him minutes.

The wonderkid, who doesn’t turn 16 until October, will be eligible to play Premier League football next term and has shown a willingness to put in the hard yards as he chases senior minutes even sooner than that.

United manager Carrick will be without a number of senior stars in July thanks to World Cup commitments. The first pre-season friendly will take place in Helsinki on July 18, with Wrexham the opposition.

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Players not travelling to the World Cup will be expected back in training even earlier than that and Gabriel will be among them. The teenager trained with the first team under Carrick and his predecessor Ruben Amorim and a senior bow isn’t thought to be too far away.

Gabriel’s father Joe O’Cearuill shared a number of videos on social media, showing the teenager doing strength and speed work at the gym and on the training ground. “JJ 12min kick ups with tennis ball walk to gym,” the caption read, with one of a collage of four videos showing the kick-ups in question.

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Fans seemed impressed upon watching the footage. “What a player he’s going to be for United, hopefully he will have a statue one day,” one wrote in reply to O’Cearuill’s post.

“I don’t care about the packaging, just work ethic that makes me say this. If he has good people around him who value privacy, he’ll go on to challenge for Ballon d’Or,” wrote another.

Gabriel isn’t the only United academy talent putting in work this summer. Kai Rooney saw his 2025/26 season disrupted by injury but is doing what he can to be ready to get going again next term, sharing a gym photo which indicated he has been adding muscle ahead of pre-season.

Carrick will have plenty of time to watch United’s youngsters in action as he prepares for his first pre-season campaign as manager. The Wrexham friendly is the first of six pre-season games over the course of a month before last season’s third-place finishers kick off their 2026/27 campaign.

None of those six matches will take place at Old Trafford. After the trip to Helsinki there’s an away game against Rosenborg in Norway, followed by matches on neutral territory against Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and AC Milan.

Real Madrid have confirmed the reappointment of Jose Mourinho as head coach.

The 63-year-old has agreed a three-year deal and will begin work when the club returns for pre-season training on 13 July.

Real Madrid have paid Benfica £13m (15m euros) in compensation to bring the Portuguese head coach back to the Bernabeu – more than a decade after his first stint at the club came to an end.

Florentino Perez had vowed to reappoint Mourinho as head coach if he was re-elected as club president earlier this month.

Perez, 79, who has been in office since 2009, beat challenger and renewable energy magnate Enrique Riquelme in the election by picking up 65% of the votes.

It is the second time Mourinho has taken charge of Real Madrid, with his previous spell, which began in 2010 and lasted three seasons, yielding a La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.

Mourinho has since taken charge of Premier League clubs Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur and had stints at Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica in more recent years.

During his one and only season at Benfica, Mourinho led the two-time European Cup winners to an unbeaten Liga Portugal campaign, though it was only enough to secure a third place finish.

Earlier this week, Benfica agreed a deal to appoint former Fulham manager Marco Silva as Mourinho’s replacement.

Mourinho, meanwhile, heads back to Real Madrid with the club having failed to win a trophy in the last two seasons.

Somali referee Omar Artan has been appointed to officiate the 2026 UEFA Super Cup between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa in Salzburg on August 12.

UEFA announced the appointment on Thursday following discussions with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Artan, 34, is regarded as one of Africa’s leading referees. He has been a FIFA-listed international referee since 2018 and was named CAF Men’s Referee of the Year in 2025 after a series of impressive performances.

One of the biggest matches he handled was the second leg of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League final, which further strengthened his reputation on the continent.

The appointment comes after Artan missed the opportunity to officiate at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although FIFA selected him among the tournament’s match officials, he was unable to take part after being denied entry into the United States.

UEFA said the decision to appoint Artan was made under its recently signed Memorandum of Understanding with CAF, which aims to strengthen cooperation between both football bodies, including in refereeing development.

UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the Somali official, describing him as a talented referee who has already shown his quality at the highest level of African football.

“Football is made to connect people, and UEFA wants to show its respect to Omar and his outstanding officiating skills, which had earned him such a prestigious nomination,” Čeferin said.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe also welcomed the appointment, saying Artan has made Somalia and Africa proud through his achievements.

“His receipt of the CAF Men’s Referee of the Year Award 2025 and his appointment as a referee of the FIFA World Cup 2026 are a recognition of his world-class refereeing ability and the international respect that he enjoys,” Motsepe said.

The CAF President added that Artan’s selection for the UEFA Super Cup is a great honour for African referees and an example of football’s ability to unite people across continents.

J.J. Spaun’s ascent from mini-tour anonymity to 2025 U.S. Open champion was a remarkable transformation. Born August 21, 1990, in Los Angeles, Spaun had a standout collegiate career at San Diego State University and turned pro in 2012, competing on West Coast mini-tours. He survived on shoestring budgets, often just scraping by while chasing his PGA Tour dream.

He earned Web.com status for the 2016 season, which he parlayed into a PGA Tour card the following year. Even with the occasional brilliant round on Tour, his inconsistency fueled long slumps and tested stretches of frustration. After a serious health scare in 2023, Spaun enlisted the help of Adam Schriber, a Michigan-based coach at LochenHeath Golf Club. Schriber’s holistic approach rebuilt Spaun from the ground up. They focused on core stability, efficient rotation and mental resilience, allowing him to minimize strain while simultaneously enhancing power. 

“Adam reconstructed my swing and mindset,” Spaun said.

Early in the week of the 2025 U.S. Open, Spaun added short-game coach Josh Gregory to the team, and it paid off immediately with a chip-in on the very first hole. At Oakmont, his refined technique and composed attitude kept him in the hunt after a shaky start, culminating with a 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole, clinching a two-stroke win.

“This is ours,” Spaun told Schriber, trophy in hand.

Known for his calm demeanor under pressure and ultra-solid ball striking, Spaun built his game around discipline rather than flash. Friends describe him as relentlessly curious, always seeking incremental gains. His journey reflects perseverance, humility and belief — proof that patience, persistence and dedication can outlast early-career obscurity.

Check out below for a breakdown of six positions from Spaun’s swing that every golfer should copy.

1. Setup 

Many shorter amateur golfers bend over too much, causing them to stand excessively far from the ball and limiting their pivot. J.J. adopts just enough forward tilt to allow for a comfortable arm swing and easier wind and unwind.

2. Takeaway 

Spaun rotates his torso away from the ball without unnecessary right-leg straightening, allowing minimal right-arm bend while keeping his arms in front and limiting clubface rotation.

3. Top

J.J.’s arms form a neat, equilateral triangle at the top with perfect left wrist and clubface position. You can’t get to this position with a “hold the tray” right forearm. Additionally, he has turned enough to reach this hand location without overturning.

4. Downswing

Spaun keeps from over-closing the clubface by not overdoing the Internet-popular arching of the left wrist. His wrist remains plenty neutral as the club is lowered and pulled into a great position to unload it without fear of a quick hook.

5. Impact

A top-flight professional impact position requires body twisting that most amateurs have never experienced but could learn: hips forward, tucked and open, lower torso turned, but upper torso right tilted and less open. Do these things, and that hall-of-fame arms-and-hands position is possible. Just like Spaun’s.

6. Release

Take note of the bent right arm and open clubface in No. 4 and the fully released toe of the clubhead and straightened right arm here. All while keeping the right arm under the left. This brilliantly keeps his fade from being a weak wipe and a pull all but impossible.

Accor Stadium will play host to Thursday’s
Round 15 NRL game between South Sydney Rabbitohs and
Brisbane Broncos. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with South Sydney Rabbitohs heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the South Sydney Rabbitohs vs.
Brisbane Broncos
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday June 11, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: Accor Stadium

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South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Brisbane Broncos Odds

South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Brisbane Broncos Preview

Round 15 begins with two proud clubs searching for answers as South Sydney hosts Brisbane at Accor Stadium on Thursday night. Injuries and Origin absences have left both sides heavily depleted, adding another layer of intrigue to a contest that could shape their seasons. The Rabbitohs have slipped outside the top eight after three straight defeats, while the Broncos enter on a five-game losing streak that has seen their finals hopes rapidly fade. South Sydney will be looking for greater consistency without Latrell Mitchell, while Brisbane must find a way to tighten a defence that has leaked points at an alarming rate. Recent meetings between the sides have been closely contested, and with neither team entering in convincing form, this traditional rivalry looms as one of the hardest games of the round to predict.

Former Chicago Cubs star Anthony Rizzo is reveling in the Windy City after retirement, but pretty soon, the city will be without a primary sport.

The Chicago Bears of the National Football League are set to leave Chicago for Hammond, Indiana, roughly 20 miles south of their current home.

The Bears have called Soldier Field home since 1971, and before that, they played their home games at Rizzo’s old stomping grounds, Wrigley Field, for 50 seasons.

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A general view inside Soldier Field during the national anthem before the game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 26, 2024. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

While the Bears have been pretty insistent on leaving, city officials have been trying desperately to keep them, and Rizzo says they are “in denial that they’re going.”

“I think they’re trying to deny it as long as they can until it’s official,” Rizzo told Fox News Digital.

“Soldier Field was, is, awesome, in my opinion. It’s hard to get in and out of, and it definitely needed some renovations, but the city of Chicago and the fan base, it’s absolutely wild that they’re leaving for Indiana. I know it’s not too far away; it’s not even 20 miles south, but the fact that it’s in Indiana is different,” he continued.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo celebrates during the team’s World Series victory rally at Grant Park in Chicago, Ill., on Nov. 4, 2016. (Patrick Gorski/Icon Sportswire)

CHICAGO BEARS TAKE MAJOR STEP TOWARD LEAVING CITY AFTER MORE THAN A CENTURY AS FRANCHISE MAKES INDIANA PLANS

“Then again, the New York Giants and the New York Jets play in New Jersey, so. The renderings of what they’re doing look amazing. If you build it, they will come, right?”

The Bears’ board of directors met last week into the evening and voted to advance the stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana — with an exact stadium site to be selected. The announcement was made the next day.

“We believe a world-class stadium project in Hammond will transform the region, connecting Northwest Indiana and the South Side of Chicago through the Loop and across the neighborhoods and suburbs stretching north of the city,” Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement.

“It will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.”

This is the first time the team’s board has voted on a stadium site. This development is notable and significant, but an NFL source told Fox News there is a chance Illinois might still be able to convince the team to stay in the state. Those chances were characterized as requiring “a Hail Mary” political effort.

Chicago Bears helmets are displayed before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev., on Sept. 28, 2025. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

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However, that Hail Mary, even if it were to work, will still move the club out of Chicago, with the only site in Illinois as a likely landing spot being Arlington Heights.

Outkick’s Armando Salguero contributed to this report.

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Hamzah Sheeraz is hoping to secure a shot at Canelo Alvarez in 2027, but the Mexican has made it clear what the Brit must do to land the fight.

Sheeraz knocked out Alem Begic to claim the vacant WBO throne last month, whilst Canelo is attempting to reclaim the WBC super-middleweight crown in September, when he takes on Christian Mbilli in an intriguing Las Vegas scrap.

Should Canelo regain the WBC marble, Sheeraz is eyeing up Canelo’s regular Cinco De Mayo outing for a potential 168lb unification affair, planning on announcing himself as the super-middleweight to beat by overcoming the division’s poster boy.

However, speaking with DAZN Boxing, Canelo stated that, if Sheeraz wants to face him, then he should look to unify the belts against newly crowned IBF world champion, Osleys Iglesias, in order to entice him into the proposed fight.

“I never checked that [potential fights with Hamzah Sheeraz or Osleys Iglesias]. I think that they need to fight each other and then I find out the winner. That is the most smart thing that they can do. 

“We all, at some point, we need to earn what we deserve, right? They need to earn it [a fight with me], why not? That is why I say that they need to [fight each other] and I don’t say that they don’t deserve it.

“They deserve it, that is why they are there as champions or number ones or whatever. 

“But, they need to fight each other and then, after my fight, we will see.”

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Sheeraz is expected to appear once again next month, but that will not be against Iglesias, who’s promoter believes that the Briton has no interest in ever taking on.

Hailed as boxing’s all-time pound-for-pound number one, Sugar Ray Robinson is appreciated by the purists, whilst Floyd Mayweather is seen by many to have been the best fighter since the turn of the millennium. Now, undefeated four-division champion Shakur Stevenson has had his say on how a fight between the two would have played out.

The very reason behind the introduction of the ‘pound-for-pound’ ratings, Robinson famously lost just one of his first 132 professional bouts and is recognised by the masses as the greatest boxer to have ever graced the sport.

However, speaking on The Art of Ward podcast, current pound-for-pound star Stevenson stated that he does not believe a clash between Robinson and Mayweather would have even been competitive, confidently picking the modern-day great to come out on top.

“Floyd Mayweather [would have won], no question. Floyd Mayweaher, no question, not even close, nothing to even think about. 

“I don’t think that it would be a competitive fight.”

Stevenson then expanded on his opinion, declaring that Mayweather’s style is simply far more ‘evolved’ and that his defensive superiority would have proven too difficult for Robinson to overcome.

“Floyd Mayweather, he had different looks. So Floyd would have his hands up [high guard], he would have his hands right here [in front of his chest] sometimes, he would have it here [Philly Shell], he had different looks. I feel like his game was way more evolved than Sugar Ray Robinson’s.

“A lot of the times, if you watch Sugar Ray Robinson, his hands was always right here [left hand low, right hand on chin]. From an offensive standpoint, Sugar Ray Robinson would be harder to deal with than Floyd Mayweather.

“But, from a defensive standpoint and who could do more, who got better boxing, IQ, skills; to me, Floyd Mayweather was way ahead of Sugar Ray Robinson.”

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The debate is perhaps one of boxing’s most difficult fantasy matchups, not only because of their extraordinary talent but because they competed in vastly different eras, under different rules, training methods and levels of competition, making any direct comparison inherently speculative.