The winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois could be in line for an immediate unification showdown, depending on whether Oleksandr Usyk keeps hold of his WBA title.

Wardley will make the first defence of his WBO title on May 9, taking on former IBF champion Dubois at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.

The 31-year-old was elevated from ‘interim’ to full world champion following his 11th-round finish over Joseph Parker in October, with Usyk having vacated his WBO heavyweight strap.

Quite unexpectedly, it has since been announced that the Ukrainian will face kickboxing star Rico Verhoeven on May 23, defending his WBC title at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza.

But while the WBC has confirmed its stance on the matter, it is yet to be announced whether Usyk will also be defending his IBF and WBA titles.

The division’s WBA ‘regular’ champion, meanwhile, is Murat Gassiev, who claimed his secondary strap with a sixth-round stoppage victory over Kubrat Pulev in December.

Despite previously losing a comprehensive points decision to Usyk at 200lbs, back in 2018, Gassiev has now reinvented himself as a solid heavyweight contender.

But rather than setting his sights on a rematch with the former three-time, two-division undisputed champion, the 32-year-old is instead targeting the winner of Wardley-Dubois.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Gassiev’s co-promoter, Al Siesta, believes this unification match could materialise if the WBA elevates his client to full world champion – either by stripping Usyk of the title or making him ‘champion in recess’.

“It is a similar situation to the WBO, who stripped Usyk when he decided not to face [mandatory challenger] Fabio Wardley.

“This allowed the division to progress and now we see a great fight with Wardley and Dubois in May – an amazing fight that we will be keeping a very close eye on.

“To face the winner in the UK would be a dream for Murat and I believe, whoever the winner is, would make for a blockbuster bout for Murat in the future.

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“If the WBA title is not at stake for Usyk against Verhoeven, then it only makes logical sense to strip him of his title or make him a ‘champion in recess’. This would allow Murat to be elevated to ‘super’ champion.”

The winner of Wardley-Dubois would likely be made a sizable favourite against Gassiev, whose heavyweight campaign has not yet set the world alight.

Wales captain Dewi Lake says a win is just around the corner after an encouraging display in the 27-17 Six Nations defeat by Ireland in Dublin.

Wales’ losing Six Nations streak has now stretched to 15 matches, with the previous victory in the tournament coming against Italy in March 2023.

But this Dublin defeat was the finest performance in the Steve Tandy era so far, as Wales fell just short again.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell said Wales were “tremendous and Ireland had been involved in a proper, dogged Test match”.

This performance follows the narrow 26-23 home loss to Scotland two weeks ago, with Wales facing Italy on the final weekend in Cardiff next Saturday.

Wales will bid to avoid the wooden spoon for the third successive Six Nations and try to claim a tournament win for the first time in almost 1,100 days.

“The win is coming, I can feel it, it is just around the corner,” said Lake.

Nigeria has not given up hope of returning to the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko.

Dikko said the country is still waiting for an official decision from FIFA over a complaint linked to Nigeria’s World Cup qualification hopes.

Earlier this week, many fans believed the Super Eagles’ chances were over after FIFA released information about the upcoming intercontinental playoffs. In the announcement, the Democratic Republic of Congo appeared among the six teams expected to compete for the final two places at the tournament.

The development made many observers think Nigeria’s protest had already been rejected.

However, Dikko explained that the appearance of DR Congo in the list does not mean a final decision has been made.

He said Nigeria is still expecting FIFA’s official ruling and urged supporters to remain patient.

“As far as we know, FIFA has not yet announced its decision. We are watching the situation closely,” Dikko said.

“The fact that DR Congo appears on the list of teams for the playoff does not mean the case has been decided. Once FIFA releases its verdict, the situation may change.”

He also explained that in sensitive matters like this, FIFA normally communicates its decision directly to the parties involved before making it public.

According to him, Nigeria remains confident that the case will be resolved fairly.

Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the World Cup were damaged in November after the Super Eagles lost to DR Congo in a tense playoff match decided by penalties.

After the match, the Nigeria Football Federation submitted a complaint to FIFA, claiming that DR Congo used players who were not eligible for the game.

If FIFA rules in Nigeria’s favour, the result of the match could be reviewed and Nigeria may get another chance to compete for a place at the tournament.

For now, six countries are expected to compete in the intercontinental playoff tournament scheduled to take place in Mexico later this month.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles are preparing for international friendly matches during the March break as they continue their preparations while waiting for FIFA’s final decision.

Ireland claimed a bonus-point 27-17 win over Wales in the Guinness Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium on Lansdowne Road on Friday night.

Opening half tries for Stockdale and Crowley, along with five-pointers from Conan and Osborne in the second half, saw Ireland claim their 60th win over Wales, in this the 137th meeting between the two countries.

Ireland score early

Ireland got on the board early with a try from Jacob Stockdale. The Lurgan winger crossed for the five-pointer with only five minutes on the clock. Touching down just marginally right of the right-hand post presented Jack Crowley with an easy conversion attempt, which he comfortably slotted over for a 7-0 Ireland lead.

Try Ireland!

Ireland on the front foot from the off and Jacob Stockdale has their first try of the night.

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Jack Conan thought he had scored his side’s second try of the night when beating two Welsh defenders to touch down in the 12th minute. Just as Crowley was about to kick the conversion, the referee Karl Dickson decided to consult with his TMO, Andrew Jackson. The decision was that front row Tom O’Toole had knocked the ball on at the back of the ruck, meaning the try was disallowed.

Edwards gets Wales on scoreboard

Dan Edwards had an easy effort to register the visitors’ first score of the game with a penalty kick from directly in front of the posts. The Ospreys’ kicker succeeded in reducing the deficit and brought his side to within four points of Ireland, with 17 minutes played.

Crowley touches down

Jack Crowley found himself in a two-on-one situation, played a dummy, and took the five points. The try, his fourth international try, pushed Ireland into a 12-3 lead. The Corkman missed the conversion which followed, however.

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The home side back in control as Jack Crowley scores Ireland’s second try of the night.

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Wales close the gap

With the match clock past 40 minutes, Wales scored a try against the run of play. Front row, Rhys Carre of Saracens, showed quite a turn of foot for a prop, and scored despite the best efforts of Robert Baloucoune.

With Dan Edwards adding the extras, Ireland only took a two-point advantage into the dressing room at the break, leading 12-10

Ireland dominated the possession with 65%, the territory with 60%, made 93% of their tackles and covered 286 metres in the first half but will have felt disappointed heading to the dressing room at half-time with just a slender two-point lead.

Half-time score: Ireland 12 Wales 10

Jack Conan touched down early in the second period. The referee, Karl Dickson, again checked the validity of this score with his TMO, Andrew Jackson.

Try Ireland!

Jack Conan was denied by the TMO in the first half, and nearly again here, but he has his try and Ireland lead 19-10.

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Conan Try

It took some time for the English referee to decide to award the score, but to the delight of the fans behind the posts, Conan’s try was confirmed. Crowley successfully kicked his second of three conversion attempts by that stage of the game, as Ireland moved into a 19-10 lead.

Wales hit back through Cardiff Rugby’s James Botham. The grandson of former England cricketer, Ian, the flanker crashed over left of the Irish posts following a period of relentless pressure from the visitors.

Try Wales!

Relentless pressure on the Irish line and eventually James Botham makes it count – Ireland lead by two points.

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Dan Edwards added another conversion for the night to bring his side to within two points of the hosts. It was 19-17 with 16 minutes remaining on the stadium clock.

This seemed to be the warning Ireland required. Pressure from the hosts eventually saw fullback Jamie Osborne claim his fifth international try.

Try Ireland!

Jamie Osborne with a huge score in Dublin as they try and see off this stiff Welsh challenge. Bonus point secured.

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Despite a relatively easy conversion effort, Crowley missed his second kick at goals, as Ireland took a 24-17 advantage into the final 11 minutes of this Guinness Six Nations fixture.

Jack Crowley’s late penalty put Ireland’s supporters and management at ease as his score pushed Andy Farrell’s side to a 27-17 win.

Final score: Ireland 27  Wales 17 

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

At long last, Maxx Crosby is being traded. The longtime Las Vegas Raiders Pro Bowl pass rusher is being traded to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for 2026 and 2027 first-round picks, as confirmed by CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones after the two teams agreed to the deal on Friday night. The Raiders will now possess the 14th overall pick in April’s draft, a pick that was formerly held by Baltimore. The deal will not be official until the start of the new league year on March 11.

The Dallas Cowboys — who famously traded away Pro Bowl pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Packers last offseason in exchange for two future first-round picks — reportedly offered first- and second-round picks to the Raiders. The Ravens, however, ultimately landed Crosby after coming in with a better offer. By making this move, the Ravens traded away their first-round pick to acquire another player for the first time in the franchise’s 31-year history. 

Crosby, 28, is heading to a Ravens team that was tied for 28th in the NFL in sacks last season. Baltimore’s lack of a pass rush was one of the central reasons why the Ravens posted a disappointing 8-9 record. The Ravens — who desperately want to maximize the remaining prime years of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry — responded by firing former Super Bowl-winning coach John Harbaugh and replacing him with Jesse Minter, who won a national title as an assistant coach at Michigan in 2023 before having two successful seasons as the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator. 

In Crosby, the Ravens are getting one of the best pass rushers of this era. A 2019 fourth-round pick, Crosby has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the last five years. He led the NFL in tackles for loss during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Last season, he tallied 10 sacks and a career-high 28 tackles for loss in 15 games. 

Crosby is joining a talented Ravens defense that also includes defensive backs Kyle Hamilton and Nate Wiggins, linebacker Roquan Smith and defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike. 

Crosby is third all-time in Raiders history with 69.5 sacks. He played a key role in the 2021 Raiders’ clinching the franchise’s first playoff berth in five years. But the team has been unable to sustain that level of success, something that undoubtedly led to Crosby wanting a change of scenery despite his affinity for the silver and black. 

Crosby is going to an AFC North division that also includes two of the NFL’s other premier pass rushers in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ T.J. Watt and the Cleveland Browns‘ Myles Garrett. In fact, Crosby has 29 more quarterback pressures than the next-closest player, Garrett. 

It came at a price, but the Ravens got their coveted pass rusher. The Raiders, in exchange, received two future first-round picks that should jumpstart the start of Klint Kubiak’s run in Las Vegas. The Raiders also have the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft, a pick they are expected to use to select former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. 

What’s next for the Cowboys? 

While they were outbid for Crosby by Baltimore, there are still several other notable pass rushers the Cowboys can pursue in free agency. In fact, there are a host of noteworthy pass rushers that are slated to be available when the league’s legal tampering period opens on Monday. 

One player to keep an eye on is Trey Hendrickson, who in 2024 led the NFL with 17.5 sacks. From 2021-24, Hendrickson recorded a whopping 57 sacks while helping the Bengals win one AFC title and two division titles over that span. 

Rashan Gary is another name to monitor. While he’s never had a monster season as far as sacks are concerned, he was extremely consistent during his first seven seasons with the Packers. Over that span, Gary recorded 46.5 sacks, which included 9 sacks in 2023 and 7.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons. 

Other pass rushers the Cowboys may pursue include ageless wonder Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Jonathan Greenard, Leonard Floyd, Odafe Oweh, and Cameron Jordan, who is slated to enter free agency following a Hall of Fame-caliber, 15-year run with the New Orleans Saints. 

Back from an effective riding engagement in Japan, Rachel King turns her attention to the Sydney autumn carnival, highlighting her partnership with the barely raced three-year-old gelding Green Spaces in the Randwick Guineas.

King’s high opinion of the Bjorn Baker runner led her to interrupt her Japanese trip to trial the gelding before continuing abroad.

She missed his Hobartville Stakes (1400m) return due to Hobartville Stakes commitments overseas, but will be in place for the Group 1 on Saturday.

“I flew back from Japan halfway through my trip especially to trial him,” King said.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in the horse. He’s very casual and he only does what he has to, but I think there is a lot more under the bonnet than what we’ve seen so far.”

Having impressed with a strong win in Newcastle’s Spring Stakes (1600m) last November, Green Spaces dulled to sixth when weakening in the Hobartville.

According to King, excess freshness caused him to race too forward, and now cleared, she looks for improved relaxation this time.

“He was a bit fresh and put himself too close, when he needed to be getting back and running on to show his best,” King said.

“He’s still an inexperienced young horse, so it won’t have done him any harm to get in amongst them and realise what this better racing is all about. Toughen him up a bit.

“He will naturally be more relaxed second-up and want to go to sleep that bit more.

“We will look for him to be doing his best work at the end.”

King envisions a Derby suited to Green Spaces’ nature long-term, pending results from his next couple of races.

She also has the mount on Encap, prepared by Gary Portelli, in the Canterbury Stakes (1600m), emphasising the longshot’s Doncaster credentials.

“He’s one of those who is nearly forgotten most races, and he always bobs up in the finish,” she said.

“He’s a beautiful horse to ride. He has his own way of doing things and you’ve got to let him do his thing.

“But geez, he can rattle off some good sectionals late and hopefully fresh, he’s ready to go, which he looks like he is.”

In good touch, King notched midweek wins at Warwick Farm on Wednesday before Randwick.

Discover betting sites for the race via betting markets for the race options.

Carl Froch has revealed he was receptive to an offer on the table for a comeback fight.

The Hall of Fame Brit has been retired since 2014, ending his career with a statement stoppage of countryman George Groves at Wembley Stadium. Though content in retirement, Froch has let his fighting spirit almost convince him to return on a number of occasions.

His latest flirtation with a comeback centres around John Fury, the father of former heavyweight champion Tyson, and a fiery encounter at a recent press conference. Fury took issue with past comments from Froch, and called him out for a fight.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Froch on Fighting, the former super-middleweight world champion revealed that talks behind the scenes to stage the fight did, somewhat surprisingly, make progress, but he believes Fury, 60, has now backed down.

“I need to mention Big John Fury, the fighting man … He’s been given the opportunity to fight ‘The Cobra’ … It’s gone to the stage where the broadcasters are quite interested. He’s making unreasonable demands now about getting Tommy Fury on before him and me.

“He’s basically put a blockade in there with his son, Tommy. Which is ridiculous, because, let’s be honest, nobody gives a s**t about Tommy fighting. We watched him against [Jake] Paul and he’s done nothing since. He pulled out against Darren Till and done f**k all since. It’s Big John Fury running his mouth, big gobs***e, making a nuisance of himself. Then he’s been offered the opportunity … John Fury has got no intentions of fighting anybody, including myself. He’s the option put in front of him, it’s going to be seven figures and he’s made an excuse, and talked his way out of it.”

The fight – for better or worse – did have the potential to land on a Misfits promotion, or something similar, however now looks to be dead in the water.

The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics officially opened Friday, with some countries boycotting the opening ceremony because of the return of the Russian flag to the global sports stage.

The Russian flag made its return during the nations’ parade, marking the first time it was flown at the Paralympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, and signalling a possible full-fledged return to the Olympic circles ahead of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Some boos were heard as the Russian athletes entered the stage during the parade. Four members of the delegation represented the country wearing a bright-red uniform. They waved to the crowd as they paraded at the ancient Arena di Verona that was retrofitted with new wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms along with other safety upgrades.

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