Sports
Hamzah Sheeraz and Jaime Munguia accused of avoiding ‘the bogeyman of boxing’
Now that the super-middleweight world titles have all been picked up following Terence Crawford’s retirement, fans are hopeful that unification bouts could be around the corner, but in the eyes of one champion’s promoter, that is unlikely.
Crawford trumped Canelo Alvarez in a legacy-defining fight last September, becoming the first three-weight undisputed champion since Henry Armstrong in 1938 – ‘Homicide Hank’ being the first in the history of boxing to complete the feat.
Having cemented his place amongst the greats, Crawford hung up the gloves, retiring with his undefeated record intact and respected as a modern sporting icon.
Boxing had to move on, and it did so quickly, with four new champions now in possession of a super-middleweight world title; Christian Mbilli (WBC), Osleys Iglesias (IBF), Jaime Munguia (WBA) and Hamzah Sheeraz (WBO).
In September, Canelo will attempt to become champion again when he challenges Mbilli for the coveted green and gold WBC strap. The other three major champions do not currently have fights set.
Speaking with Boxing News, Iglesias’ promoter, Camille Estephan, who also promotes Mbilli, revealed why he believes the Cuban southpaw, boasting a record of 15-0 with 14 KOs, may struggle to find a willing and available challenger.
“People recognise his skill, that is why they don’t want to fight him. When you look at the last few opponents, he fought Silyagin; when he fought Silyagin, nobody wanted to fight Silyagin – a technical fighter from Russia that people don’t know, very good defensively. He got destroyed, literally. He couldn’t see with one eye at the end of the fight, he couldn’t breathe and he couldn’t hear.
“The prior fighter who fought him, [Vladimir] Shishkin, was very highly regarded, an up-and-comer who at one point people thought was going to clean up the division. He was certainly a very, very strong fighter, also very good defensively, he got literally destroyed during the fight with Iglesias. You only need to look at the images.
“Then you see the guy, [Evgeny] Shvedenko, who got a draw with Silyagin. He was knocked out in a very scary fashion, we were very, very worried about him. Every single guy that he has fought, he has destroyed. The people that are fighting him, they are never the same after that.
“We understand the hesitation for many of the top echelon fighters. I think that he is just going to continue doing that and then the fans are going to recognise that this is the guy – the guy that is on the top of the hill.”
Recently at the IBF’s 41st annual convention in Vietnam, Troy Williamson was invited to negotiate a final eliminator with Diego Pacheco for a shot at the belt, but it seems as though the Darlington-based operator will be unable to participate, with his long-awaited Callum Simpson rematch now being mooted for July.
Continuing, Estephan gave praise to Williamson for his guts, declaring that he is ‘one of the few people on the planet’ who is confident enough to take on Iglesias.
“With regards to Troy Williamson, I am hearing a lot of different things. I don’t know what his next move is, but with Iglesias, Troy was willing to fight him, so kudos to him. He is one of the few people on the planet that wants to fight Iglesias.”
With few challengers daring to call for a shot at the undefeated 28-year-old, Estephan admitted that both he and his fighter are looking towards the other super-middleweight world champions, in the hope of securing unification bouts. However, that energy has not been reciprocated.
“What I can say about Iglesias is that he wants to fight other world champions. He has the IBF and IBO titles but it seems as though Munguia wants nothing to do with Iglesias and Sheeraz, even more so. They talk about wanting to unify, but when they hear Iglesias, they forget what unification is.
“They would rather fight anybody but Iglesias. He is clearly the bogeyman of boxing.”
“We want Iglesias to defend his title and we want Iglesias to be in a position where he becomes unavoidable. Sheeraz and Munguia were talking about unifications until they heard of Iglesias, so maybe they will fight each other, but they can run and they cannot hide.”
One potential option for Sheeraz and Munguia is to face one another on the Canelo-Mbilli undercard. Iglesias’ possible addition to that September 12 show means all four of the 168lb straps could be up for grabs on the night.
Billed as the ‘Mexico vs. The World’, Iglesias would presumably need to source a Mexican challenger, with former WBA champion Armando Resendi sticking out as the most obvious option if Estephan and Turki Alalshikh are indeed planning for Iglesias to fight on the undercard.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s future with the Carolina Hurricanes is under scrutiny as trade and buyout speculation intensifies ahead of the NHL offseason.
Singer Katy Perry performs during the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Cup in Inglewood, Calif., on Friday. Justin Trudeau, the former prime minister of Canada, chose love over country on the opening day of the 2026 World Cup.
On Friday night, Trudeau was in Inglewood, Calif., where he watched the United States defeat Paraguay 4-1. Earlier in the day, Canada played Bosnia and Herzegovina to a 1-1 draw in Toronto.
So why did he make that choice?
Clearly as a show of support for his girlfriend, singer Katy Perry, who was part of the pre-match opening ceremony in Inglewood. After the performance, the two watched the match from a box, holding hands.
Trudeau, 54, and Perry, 41, went on their first date last July and were a couple by fall. Around the first of the year, Perry made the relationship official on social media.
Last week, Trudeau and Perry walked their first red carpet together at the Tribeca Festival for the debut of her film, “Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris.”
It was at the festival that Perry took part in an onstage conversation with People and let her feelings for Trudeau be known, calling him “the love of my life.”
“I feel like a more grounded person in so many aspects of my life,” she said. “I am very in love.”
Trudeau’s lack of attendance in Toronto unsettled some Canadians on social media, who said that since he was prime minister when Canada was named a co-host of the North American World Cup, he should have been on hand.
–Field Level Media
Where is Hakim Ziyech? Why Morocco superstar isn’t on World Cup squad originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Hakim Ziyech‘s left foot is capable of magic.
Advertisement
A star winger who represents Morocco at the international level, Ziyech has played on some of the biggest stages in the world. But he won’t be playing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup for his country.
Morocco opens its tournament on Saturday in a marquee matchup with Brazil.
Ziyech isn’t a part of the squad at all.
Where is Hakim Ziyech?
Ziyech simply wasn’t chosen for the roster at this World Cup.
He’s 33 years old now, and he plays professionally in Morocco for powerhouse Wydad AC.
He last represented Morocco in 2024 — in total, he made 64 appearances with 25 goals.
It doesn’t appear he’ll be returning to international football at this point.
Advertisement
Hakim Ziyech career timeline
Ziyech got the biggest notice for himself as part of the Morocco World Cup squads in 2018 and 2022.
The 2022 bunch reached the semifinals, the first African nation to ever do so.
At club level, Ziyech began with three clubs in the Netherlands: Heerenveen, Twente and Ajax.
He then made a major move to Chelsea in the English Premier League.
After playing 64 matches and scoring 14 goals for Chelsea, Ziyech moved on to Galtasaray in Turkey, where things were a struggle.
He had a very short stint for Al-Duhail in Qatar before returning to play in Morocco for Wydad.
Ziyech actually represented the Netherlands at youth level before donning the Morocco kit for his senior international career. Now, though, that part of his journey appears to be over.
World Cup Group B action continues on Saturday with a matchup between Switzerland and Qatar. The Swiss are No. 19 in the FIFA rankings, while Qatar enter the 2026 World Cup at No. 57. Switzerland have reached the Round of 16 in each of the last three World Cup tournaments. The last time they have gone as far as the quarterfinals was in 1954. Qatar, meanwhile, are in their second-ever World Cup after going 0-3 in the group stage in 2022 as the host nation.
Kickoff for Qatar vs. Switzerland is 3 p.m. ET in Santa Clara, Calif. The latest Switzerland vs. Qatar odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list the Swiss at -550 (risk $550 to win $100) on the 90-minute money line, with Qatar at +1400 and a draw at +600. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before locking in any Qatar vs. Switzerland picks check out the Qatar vs. Switzerland predictions from SportsLine’s Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Now, Green has studied Qatar vs. Switzerland and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for Switzerland vs. Qatar:
|
Qatar vs. Switzerland 90-minute money line |
Switzerland -550, Qatar +1400, Draw +600 |
|
Qatar vs. Switzerland over/under: |
2.5 goals (Over -164, Under +135) |
|
Qatar vs. Switzerland spread: |
Switzerland -1.5 (-174) |
|
Qatar vs. Switzerland picks: |
|
|
Qatar vs. Switzerland streaming: |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Top Qatar vs. Switzerland predictions
After examining Qatar vs. Switzerland from every angle, Green is leaning Over 2.5 total goals (-164). Switzerland have found their scoring touch of late, which included a 4-1 thumping of Sweden in World Cup qualifying. The Swiss also scored four goals in a friendly against Jordan on May 31. “Switzerland cruised through their World Cup qualifying campaign,” Green said. “They faced strong teams like Sweden and Slovenia, but they finished top of their group, with an unbeaten record. The Swiss scored 14 goals and conceded just twice in six games, showing just how strong they are at both ends of the pitch.”
Qatar, meanwhile, have a couple of solid wins in World Cup qualifying, including a 2-1 victory over United Arab Emirates and 1-0 over Iran. Qatar also feature some scoring punch, led by forward Almoez Ali, who has 55 goals in 115 career matches for the national team. See Green’s best bets for Qatar vs. Switzerland at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Qatar vs. Switzerland at FanDuel here:
How to make Qatar vs. Switzerland picks
After studying Qatar vs. Switzerland from every angle, Green has found a critical x-factor and locked in a pair of best bets, including one that returns plus money. You can head to SportsLine to see what they are.
So what are the best bets for Qatar vs. Switzerland? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Qatar vs. Switzerland, all from expert on an 18-8 roll on UCL picks, and find out.
Pierre Gasly’s fight for a Monaco Grand Prix podium has finally ended with the result he wanted.
The FIA has rescinded the two five-second penalties handed to the Alpine driver during the race, restoring Gasly to third place in the final classification.
Gasly originally crossed the finish line in third but was dropped to seventh after being penalized twice for pit lane speeding.
The decision sparked frustration from both Gasly and Alpine, with the team immediately requesting a Right of Review.
Days later, that challenge has paid off.
Formula 1 confirmed that the stewards had removed both penalties, officially reinstating Gasly to P3 and giving Alpine back its podium finish.
Following the decision, Alpine released a statement welcoming the outcome.
“We welcome the decision made by the FIA to deem our Right of Review as admissible following the final classification of last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.”
The team added that the stewards had rescinded both penalties imposed on Car No. 10, restoring the team’s third-place finish.
For Gasly, the decision is a major moment after describing himself as “heartbroken” and feeling “robbed” in the immediate aftermath of the race.
Gasly later celebrated the decision on social media, sharing his relief after several emotional days.
“WE GOT IT BACK!! P3 in Monaco!!” he wrote.
“Been a rollercoaster of emotions the last few days, weird celebrations, but most importantly, incredibly happy we got our result back.”
The Frenchman also thanked Alpine, the FIA and Formula 1 for their support throughout the review process.
“Huge thanks to my amazing team and all the people who supported us!! Thanks FIA & F1 for the transparency of the situation. One to remember!”
Now, the podium he earned on track officially belongs to him once again.
Sports
IND vs AFG LIVE Score, 1st ODI: Shubman Gill Scripts Huge Record As India Ease Past Afghanistan By 7 Wickets
India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill(c), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan(w), Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna
Afghanistan (Playing XI): Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Azmatullah Omarzai, Ikram Alikhil(w), Rashid Khan, Mohammad Saleem Safi, AM Ghazanfar, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi
Canada opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto, earning the country’s first point in World Cup history.
The co-hosts started brightly in front of their home fans at BMO Field and looked determined to make a strong statement in their opening Group B match. However, Bosnia took the lead against the run of play when Jovo Lukic headed home from a corner kick in the first half.
Despite falling behind, Canada continued to push forward and created several chances. Their efforts were finally rewarded late in the second half when substitute Cyle Larin produced a brilliant finish to level the score.
Larin made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, scoring just over two minutes after entering the game. His goal sparked wild celebrations among the Canadian supporters and secured a valuable point for Jesse Marsch’s side.
The match was closely contested, with both teams creating opportunities. Canada enjoyed more possession and had slightly more shots on target, while Bosnia remained dangerous whenever they attacked.
Canada midfielder Ismael Kone was one of the standout performers. He controlled the midfield, completed the most passes in the match and was named Player of the Match.
The result leaves Canada in a strong position in Group B. They will next face Qatar in Vancouver on Thursday, knowing that a victory could move them closer to a place in the knockout stages.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will take on Switzerland in their next group match in California. The draw extended Bosnia’s unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions.
For Canada, the result marked another important step in the country’s football development. After losing all six matches in their previous World Cup appearances, the Canadians finally have a point on the world stage and will now look to build on that achievement in front of their home supporters.
How you can watch World Cup games on Saturday evening for free
PurplePTSD works in partnership with Vikings Territory, similarly doing their utmost to offer top-notch coverage of the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, we’re promoting five of their top articles of the past month in “The P/PTSD Perspective.” Take a peek at some of their best stuff.
The P/PTSD Perspective: June 13th, 2026
1) The Vikings Have “Most Explosive” Player Since 2021: As it turns out, Justin Jefferson isn’t too bad at playing football. Imagine how good he could still become if he had a consistently strong passer putting in work under center.
2) Vikings’ Former Rival Calls Out Kevin O’Connell “Slip Up:” Everything is being subject to intense scrutiny. Quite possibly, this is merely a matter of a human being a human, saying something casual and not meaning anything too much by the quick blip. Let the offseason competition play out.
3) WR Tai Felton Could be at a Crossroads: Give the kid a chance. He’s still very young, adjusting to the NFL as a late-3rd who was a menace on specials but modest on offense. His speed really pops when seeing him live. Again, give him a chance.
4) The J.J. McCarthy Trade Scenario: Very small chance he gets traded, folks. In fact, I’m of the opinion that he makes more starts than Kyler Murray in the upcoming season. That’s a minority opinion, but that’s where I’m at. Expect the kid QB to be in Minnesota for 2026 and into 2027 as a minimum.
5) The 2 New Vikings Corners Offer Size and Snarl: Lots to like in those two new corners. Each are long and speedy, setting them up to shine along the outside. Mr. Pierre, in particular, appears ready to take on a beefy workload in the upcoming season. Meanwhile, Mr. Demmings should be soaking up wisdom to someday takeover.
Enjoy the extra reading, Vikings fans.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma added another remarkable chapter to his glittering career on Saturday, becoming only the second Indian opener after Virender Sehwag to score 16,000 international runs across formats.The landmark came during the first ODI against Afghanistan in Dharamsala, with the veteran batter needing just six runs to enter the exclusive club. Rohit reached the milestone in his 384th innings for India, having accumulated 15,994 runs as an opener before the start of the game.The achievement places the former India captain among some of the greatest openers in cricket history. Overall, Rohit became only the seventh batter to cross the 16,000-run mark as an opener in international cricket.Joining an elite group of opening greatsRohit now stands alongside legendary names such as Sanath Jayasuriya, Chris Gayle, David Warner, Graeme Smith, Desmond Haynes and Sehwag. Sri Lankan great Jayasuriya tops the chart with 19,298 runs, followed by Gayle (18,867) and Warner (18,744).Sehwag remains India’s most prolific opener with 16,119 runs in 400 innings across 332 matches. Rohit’s milestone is all the more remarkable considering that batting icon Sachin Tendulkar, despite scoring over 34,000 international runs overall, amassed 15,335 runs as an opener and narrowly missed the 16,000-run club.Before the Afghanistan ODI, Rohit had scored 11,577 runs in 282 ODIs, 4,301 runs in 67 Tests and 4,231 runs in 159 T20Is, the latter two formats from which he has since retired.Another milestone falls in DharamsalaThe day brought another notable achievement for the former Indian captain. When Rohit reached three runs in the innings, he surpassed South African legend Jacques Kallis‘ ODI tally of 11,579 runs.Kallis accumulated his runs in 328 ODIs between 1996 and 2014, while Rohit moved past him in his 283rd one-day international. Rohit is now at 8th spot in the all-time list led by Tendulkar with 18,246 runs.Having already established himself as one of the most destructive white-ball batters of his generation, Rohit’s latest feat further cemented his place among the game’s all-time greats.Even after retiring from Tests and T20Is, the 39-year-old continues to scale new heights, with his consistency and longevity ensuring that records keep tumbling in Indian colours.
Citi raises KOSPI target to 10,000 as bull case remains intact
New bus service offering free bus travel in Cambridgeshire city
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Trade Rumors Grow as Carolina Hurricanes Face Offseason Decision
-
NewsBeat6 days agoAlexander Zverev wins the French Open to finally earn a 1st Grand Slam title
-
Entertainment7 days agoThe Best Mystery Series of All Time Is Surging on Streaming 30 Years After It Ended
-
Crypto World5 days agoAnatomy of the June crypto crash: Fed, Iran, Saylor
-
Crypto World2 days agoOppenheimer backs SpaceX as $70 billion retail frenzy builds
-
Crypto World2 days agoMarkets Rally as SpaceX IPO Looms Amid Iran Tensions and Inflation Surge
-
Crypto World7 days agoSenator Cynthia Lummis Calls CLARITY Act the Most Consequential Financial Legislation of This Generation
-
NewsBeat6 days agoAlexander Zverev conquers demons and outlasts Flavio Cobolli to win French Open for first major title
-
Tech6 days agoMicrosoft unveils seven homegrown AI models in new bid for ‘long term self-sufficiency’
-
Business5 days agoHigh Stakes for Wembanyama as New York Pushes for 3-0 Lead
-
Tech6 days agoNotion restores access to Anthropic after service disruption
-
Business7 days agoThe Pain Points Taking a Fragile Tech Rally Down a Notch
-
Crypto World5 days agoEli Lilly (LLY) Stock Surges 4% Following Breakthrough Sleep Apnea Trial Results
-
Business6 days agoThe investment to transform historic St Helen’s ground in Swansea
-
Crypto World6 days agoTrump’s AI Ownership Plan Could Benefit Anthropic at OpenAI’s Expense
-
Sports4 days agoBangladesh beat Australia after 20 years in ODIs, register only their second win over six-time world champions | Cricket News
-
Tech16 hours agoNanoClaw integrates JFrog registries to secure AI agent downloads
-
Crypto World11 hours agoBitget enters Argentina’s regulated crypto market through PSAV registration
-
Tech1 day agoThis Week In Security: Microsoft On Microsoft, Register Your Domains, Linux On ARM, And FreeBSD Joins The File Cache Club
-
Politics2 days agoPolitics Home | Healey Resignation Is “Colossal Failure Of Government”, Says Former Labour Defence Secretary
-
Sports5 days agoFIFA WC 2026 Group C: Morocco, Scotland challenge Brazil’s hunt for glory | FIFA World Cup 2022
You must be logged in to post a comment Login