Terence Crawford has named the opponent he would “love” to see Gervonta Davis face upon his expected return to the sport.

The former world champion has not fought since March 2025, when many believed he was fortunate to come away with a draw against Lamont Roach.

Nevertheless, ‘Tank’ retained his WBA lightweight title and was set to face Roach in an immediate rematch, only to then negotiate an exhibition match with Jake Paul.

Rather than having a move around with the YouTuber-turned-boxer, though, Davis was forced to face allegations of domestic violence from his ex-partner, Courtney Rossel.

Since then, the 31-year-old has been named ‘champion in recess’ by the WBA, who have been urged by No.1 contender Floyd Schofield to either order their fight or present him with a vacant title opportunity.

Davis, however, has expressed more of an interest in rematching Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz at 140lbs, despite having outpointed the Mexican in 2021.

Crawford, meanwhile, has little desire to see ‘Tank’ face Schofield or Cruz, but would happily sit down and watch him collide with Shakur Stevenson.

Speaking with Danielle Pirrello, ‘Bud’ named the WBO world super-lightweight champion a perfect opponent for Davis, believing their potential encounter represents one of the best fights that can be made.

“I would love to see Shakur vs ‘Tank’ Davis.”

Stevenson has previously called out Davis on several occasions, while perhaps becoming increasingly doubtful that the Baltimore man will ever sign on the dotted line.

It is therefore unrealistic to expect an immediate fight between ‘Tank’ and Stevenson, especially after the latter’s dominant performance against Teofimo Lopez in January.

WNBA star Angel Reese appeared on Michelle Obama’s podcast earlier this week and opened up about feeling mistreated by fans and the media with the former first lady.

At one point during the interview, Reese admitted she would rather take a fine than speak to reporters after games.

“The media has not always been great for me. And I’ll take a fine. I’ll catch a fine, especially in a WNBA. I’ll have a fine before I have to go to media and feel like my back is against the wall,” Reese said, while Obama repeatedly expressed agreement.

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WNBA players are required by their collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which was just ratified weeks ago so players can get higher salaries, to be available to the media after games.

Failure to adhere to these rules can lead to fines, such as a $10,000 fine for skipping required sessions.

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese reacts after being fouled by Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark in May as Michelle Obama speaks during the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago Aug. 20, 2024. (Getty Images)

Obama’s brother and former college basketball player Craig Robinson, who co-hosts the podcast, told Reese during the interview that the sports media tries to “manufacture some stuff.”

“Sports is like reality TV. The media wants to manufacture some stuff. And I just want you to know that I noticed how you’ve handled yourself, and it has been absolutely with aplomb,” Robinson said.

Reese later said she likes to turn her phone off when she arrives home after Obama asked her how she stays sane.

“I love being able just to come home and turn my phone off and just relax,” Reese said. “I think the maturity of just understanding like social media isn’t real. … Years prior, I would comment back at things and let things continue to bother me.”

CAITLIN CLARK RETURNS TO WNBA COMPETITION AFTER 2025 INJURY IN FEVER PRESEASON GAME

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese walks on the court during the second half against the Connecticut Sun at Wintrust Arena in Chicago Sept. 3, 2025. (Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images)

Reese claimed she can’t even “go to the grocery store” anymore.

Obama previously commented on the attention surrounding Reese and her longtime rival Caitlin Clark in a podcast appearance last year.

During an August appearance on the podcast “All the Smoke with Matt Barnes & Stephen Jackson,” Obama spoke during a group discussion about the impact of the Clark-Reese drama on the WNBA’s popularity, the impact on the players’ well-being and “hate” involved.

“I think the tough thing is the social media element to it. But that’s true across the board. I mean, we’ve talked about this on our show; it just takes a normal occurrence. These young kids today, what they have to go through, what they have to be able to withstand, because social media is such a huge part of the world,” Obama said. 

“There’s the hate. But now the hate is in your room, on your phone with you all the time. And you can’t, for whatever reason, tell these kids to turn it off, because they’re making their living that way. I mean, now they are expected to stay engaged. 

“So, I think that makes it feel even worse. But I think, as you point out, that’s happening in sports across gender. It’s just harder not to withstand other people’s horrible, horrible opinions.” 

Obama, like her brother, previously compared ESPN to reality TV during an episode of her brother’s podcast “IMO” in July.

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Michelle Obama speaks onstage during a recording of the “IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson” podcast at the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas, March 13, 2025. (Julia Beverly/WireImage)

“It’s all a sociological study. They think that sports is better reality TV, I’m like, ‘It’s the same thing.’ If I listen to ESPN for an hour, it’s like watching the ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta,’ you know?” Obama said. “It’s the same drama, and they’re yelling at each other and they don’t get along, you know?”

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Canelo Alvarez could be confronted with a path of considerable resistance if he attempts to become a three-time undisputed champion at 168lbs.

The 35-year-old has not fought since last September, when he lost his four major super-middleweight titles following a unanimous decision defeat to Terence Crawford.

Based on his performance, though, the Mexican is still capable of competing at world level, just not against a generational great such as Crawford.

But still, Canelo is set to secure a world title shot for his next outing, which is expected to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 12.

Among the names being mooted as possible opponents is Christian Mbilli, who was elevated from ‘interim’ to full WBC champion shortly after Crawford’s retirement.

Prior to that, the Frenchman had boxed to an enthralling 10-round draw with Lester Martinez, featuring on the undercard of Canelo-Crawford.

As for the other champions at 168lbs, there is also Jose Armando Resendiz and Osleys Iglesias, while Hamzah Sheeraz bids to collect the vacant WBO world title on May 23.

Standing in his way is Alem Begic, who the 26-year-old must defeat on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven before targeting a showdown with Canelo.

Eventually, though, Sheeraz does see himself squaring off against the four-division world champion, telling Ring Magazine that he could use the WBO belt as a bargaining chip.

“I must admit, it would be nice to get Canelo. And, obviously, it would be far more lucrative if I win the world title before that.

“I am sure his plan is to try and become undisputed [champion] again so, God willing, I become world champion on May 23. I’ll be in the way of him becoming undisputed [champion].

“Maybe we will end up fighting for all the belts. I feel like that fight can definitely flourish in the future.”

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For an undisputed clash between Canelo and Sheeraz to materialise, the pair must respectively win their next outings and collectively dethrone the remaining champions in their division.

The New England Patriots didn’t have Mike Vrabel on hand for Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, for reasons that have been quite publicly established.

As announced earlier this week, the Patriots head coach stepped away from the team to attend counseling after the release of several photos showing him with former Athletic reporter Dianna Russini in various social settings.

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Vrabel called the counseling necessary for his family while speaking with reporters Thursday, so it was curious when Peter Schrager reported on ESPN that he had been in constant contact with the franchise “via telephone and text message” over the course of Saturday.

Schrager later retracted that report, tweeting there was originally a plan for Vrabel to be in contact, but the Patriots “ultimately chose not to interrupt him and his family.”

Patriots vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf confirmed that was the case while speaking with reporters following the end of the draft, via the Patriots’ official transcript:

Q: Were you in contact with Mike at all today, and if so, how often were you guys in contact?

EW: So, last night we kind of talked through things and made the decision that the time away really needs to be time away, so we were not in contact with Mike today other than some just, ‘Hope everything’s going OK’ kind of texts early this morning.

Q: And just to follow up, when you talked to him last night when Day 2 ended, what kind of message did he leave you guys with headed into today?

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EW: Just words of encouragement. He knows he knows our process, and again, we talked about what kind of players we needed to add. We knew what kind of players that he liked, and obviously we drafted some of the guys that he had an affinity for today.

It’s unclear if Vrabel will be missing anymore activities for the Patriots following the draft, though the NFL has made it clear he won’t be investigated for possible violations of the league’s personal conduct policy.

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Patriots owner Robert Kraft has also voiced full support for him.

Russini, meanwhile, resigned from The Athletic last week and deleted some of her social media accounts not long before the draft started. She said she made the decision to not give the story “further oxygen,” but The Athletic is still conducting an investigation into her conduct.

This is a story that changed quickly for its participants, as Russini and Vrabel had previously downplayed the initial photos as a mere encounter during trips with their respective friends. That story seems to have fallen apart via questions from The Athletic and more photos of the pair in other locales, and Vrabel has now said “My previous actions don’t meet the standard I hold myself to.”

Super Eagles striker Sadiq Umar was on target for Valencia CF as they secured a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Girona FC at the Estadio de Mestalla on Saturday.

After scoring in Valencia’s draw away to RCD Mallorca last week, Sadiq was handed another start by coach Carlos Corberan in a crucial clash between two sides battling to avoid relegation.

Valencia started brightly, controlling possession and creating the better chances. Sadiq had an early opportunity in the 19th minute but fired wide from inside the box. Despite their dominance, the hosts were unable to break the deadlock before half-time.

The breakthrough came shortly after the restart when Largie Ramazani combined well with Javi Guerra before finishing low past Paulo Gazzaniga to give Valencia the lead.

Sadiq then doubled the advantage nine minutes later with a well-taken header from a cross by Jose Gaya. The Nigerian forward showed great movement to lose his marker and power the ball home despite pressure from the Girona defence.

Girona responded in the 63rd minute through Joel Roca, setting up a tense finish. Sadiq was later substituted in the 71st minute, with Hugo Duro coming on in his place.

Valencia held on for the win, with Sadiq’s goal proving decisive as they moved up to 11th place in the league table with 39 points from 33 matches.

The goal marks back-to-back strikes for Sadiq, who has looked sharp in recent games. With international fixtures approaching, including matches against Poland and Portugal, his form could catch the attention of Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle as he prepares his squad.

The running back position carried the Minnesota Vikings for a long time, which is no surprise with talented backs Adrian Peterson and Dalvin Cook in the backfield for 1.5 decades. Under Kevin O’Connell, the importance of the position group has seemingly faded.

Still, the club drafted a running back on Saturday, using pick 198 to bring Wake Forest ball-carrier Demond Claiborne to the Twin Cities. That pick was acquired via trade from the Patriots for a seventh-rounder this year and a sixth-rounder from next year’s draft.

Funny but true: That exact draft pick, 198 from the 2026 draft, was used three times by the Vikings to acquire a new running back.

How did that work? Well, time appears to be a flat circle in the NFL.

On a serious note, that pick was originally Minnesota’s organic 2026 sixth-rounder. In October of 2024, the organization traded that pick to Houston in exchange for running back Cam Akers.

Akers had already played for the Vikings in 2023, joining via trade from the Los Angeles Rams. He played a rotational role behind Alexander Mattison and his snap share slowly increased. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon halfway through the season.

In the 2024 offseason, Akers signed with the Texans. Once again unhappy with the depth in the running back room, the Vikings traded for him a second time in 2024. This time, pick 198 was used.

The Texans shipped that pick back to Minnesota in a trade for Vikings guard Ed Ingram last offseason. The former second-rounder couldn’t establish himself as a starter here, but left a mark in Houston. Pick 198 was back in the State of 10,000 Lakes.

A few days later, the Vikings swapped 198 for Jordan Mason. A second back arrived with that same exact draft choice. Mason became the running mate of Aaron Jones after his breakout season in San Francisco. The 49ers didn’t want to hand him a contract extension, opening the door for the Vikings. Mason led the Vikings in rushing with 758 yards and six touchdowns.

In October, six months ago, the 49ers rerouted Minnesota’s sixth-rounder to the New England Patriots in a trade that landed them defensive lineman Keion White. San Francisco’s defensive unit had a horror season, as injuries depleted that group all year long. White was a needed reinforcement.

That brings us to Saturday. The Vikings wanted to trade up into the sixth round to secure the speedy back out of Wake Forest. In exchange for picks 234 and a 2027 sixth-rounder, Minnesota once again controlled pick 198.

The draft pick underwent a long journey and somehow gave Minnesota three running backs along the way.

Claiborne joins Mason and Jones in the running back room, with Zavier Scott providing depth. He became Minnesota’s first running back drafted since DeWayne McBride in 2023.

The 22-year-old provides the breakaway speed and the youth that the Vikings lacked in recent years. He demonstrated his pace with a 4.37 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote about Claiborne in his pre-draft analysis, “A twitched-up ball carrier, Claiborne has darting quickness and speed to burn, which allows him to gear down, plant and hit the accelerator in unison. He is a competitive runner but lacks the power of an inside runner and is at his best on the move, when he can get defenses flowing east-west and set up cutback opportunities. Minimizing fumbles and drops and expanding his catch radius would vastly increase his chances of finding regular playing time in the NFL.”

Over the last two years, Claiborne rushed for over 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns, adding another 394 yards as a pass-catcher and two more scores. He also returned two kick returns for touchdowns in his collegiate career.

Depending on his success in a purple uniform, pick 198 could reach legendary status in Minnesota.

Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.

Janik Eckardt is a German sports nerd, who likes numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings to be his … More about Janik Eckardt

Some Minnesota Vikings fans thought the franchise would leave the NFL draft with Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy in Round 1 or perhaps Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds in Round 2. Instead, interim general manager Rob Brzezinski waited until Round 5, picking Stephen F. Austin’s Charles Demmings.

Minnesota waited out the board and landed an athletic FCS cornerback with real developmental appeal.

Minnesota got a corner nicknamed “Chucky Dee.”

Demmings Gives Brian Flores a New Project

Maybe a Vikings cornerback will work out for once?

It’s Demmings to MIN in Round 5

A possible small-school gem for Flores’s defense, Demmings turned purple on Saturday. Vikings.com’s Rob Klefield wrote, “The Vikings have added some serious athleticism to their secondary. Minnesota tabbed cornerback Charles Demmings out of Stephen F. Austin. Called ‘one of the most intriguing FCS prospects’ in this year’s draft class by Pro Football Network, Demmings twice led the Lumberjacks in interceptions and passes defensed.”

“Demmings flew largely under the radar but received an invitation to the Senior Bowl — as the only FCS defensive back — and the NFL Scouting Combine; at the latter, his traits garnered positive attention. His vertical jump of 42 inches was second best among cornerbacks, and he impressed in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.41 seconds.”

There’s reason to believe Demmings could blossom into a meaningful contributor, solely because of the fact that the Vikings haven’t drafted a corner who stuck around past a rookie contract since Xavier Rhodes — 13 years ago. By sheer probability, a CB is destined to work out for Minnesota. It has to happen at some point.

The Scouting Report

Demmings is 6’1″ and 195 pounds with 4.41 speed. He’s an interception machine, banking nine in college. He’s known for his length, tackling improvement at SFA, and ability to stay with explosive wide receivers on vertical routes.

Weaknesses? His competition in college wasn’t much to note, and he got too “grabby” by a defensive back’s standards.

NFL Draft Buzz on Demmings: “The coverage production from his final two college seasons was strong, and nine interceptions over four years tells you this is a player whose hands show up when the ball is in the air. He will need time to improve his off-coverage reads, but in a press-heavy system he can contribute early.”

“The competition jump from the Southland Conference to the NFL is the fair question with this evaluation, and it cannot be dismissed. But Demmings did everything he could at his level, and the athletic testing backs up what the tape shows.”

The best NFL comp for Demmings is Ahkello Witherspoon or diet Tariq Woolen.

TBD added, “He has real tools to work with at the next level, and the nearly 2,000 career snaps at one program give him a foundation of experience that matters when the game speeds up. He should be able to push for a CB3 or CB4 spot relatively quickly while contributing on special teams from day one as a gunner.”

“The man coverage ability and ball production are real enough to earn defensive reps in sub packages, and there is room to grow into a reliable outside corner in the right system. The off-coverage and play strength concerns are worth monitoring, but the overall package here is a roster-worthy corner with a clear development path ahead of him.”

The Updated CB Room

The Vikings needed an extra cornerback — from somewhere — so nine draft picks on the 2026 menu came in handy.

Heading into organized team activities (OTAs), this is Minnesota’s CB group:

• Byron Murphy Jr.
• Isaiah Rodgers
• James Pierre
• Charles Demmings
• Dwight McGlothern
• Zemaiah Vaughn

Demmings imminently projects as the CB4 for 2026. It’s also worth noting that the Vikings will likely add a cornerback or two from undrafted free agency on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

GophersGuru‘s Daniel House on the Demmings selection: “The Vikings ended up with Charles Demmings. He gives them a longer CB who moves very well. Not only can he provide value in man, but he has the movement ability and length to make plays from zones.”

“He can confidently play the flat/re-route WRs in Cover 2, react from Cover 3 and also has the range to invert deep for some unconventional zones. Gives them man/zone versatility, physicality and length. They needed that type of skill set in the room.”

The Rest of the Haul thru 5 Rounds

Demmings joins this class of rookies before the start of Round 6:

• Caleb Banks | Florida, DT — Round 1
• Jake Golday | Cincinnati, ILB — Round 2
• Domonique Orange | Iowa State, DT — Round 3
• Caleb Tiernan | Northwestern, OT — Round 3
• Jakobe Thomas | Miami, S — Round 3
• Max Bredeson | Michigan, FB — Round 5
• Charles Demmings | Stephen F. Austin, CB — Round 5

The Vikings have two more selections on tap for Round 7 to be completed Saturday afternoon.

Demmings turned 23 three weeks ago.

Leichhardt Oval will play host to Thursday’s
Round 8 NRL game between Wests Tigers and
Canberra Raiders. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Wests Tigers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Wests Tigers vs.
Canberra Raiders
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday April 23, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: Leichhardt Oval

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Wests Tigers vs Canberra Raiders Odds

Wests Tigers vs Canberra Raiders Preview

Wests Tigers return to Leichhardt Oval aiming to rebound after a missed opportunity last week, where poor finishing let them down despite territorial dominance. The Luai–Doueihi combination is still settling, but the Tigers have shown clear improvement in 2026. Canberra arrive undermanned through the middle, which could prove decisive against a Tigers pack building momentum. If Wests can sharpen their execution in good-ball, they look well placed to capitalise at home.