John Harbaugh’s New York Giants selected Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5 at the NFL draft on Thursday. While many, including New York wideout Malik Nabers, were left surprised at the Giants’ Round 1 pick, Harbaugh explained where he plans to use the former Buckeyes LB.
“Arvell is a versatile player. We’re gonna play him at inside backer, WILL backer,” Harbaugh said on Thursday. “Our defense is flexible, position-less. He’ll have an opportunity to move around, but he’ll line up next to Tremaine (Edmunds).”
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
•
Advertisement
Many expected the Giants to add an offensive weapon in Round 1, one who could potentially work with quarterback Jaxson Dart. They were linked with wideout Jordyn Tyson and running back Jeremiyah Love. However, Harbaugh opted to use the team’s Day 1 pick to bolster his defense.
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
John Harbaugh’s Giants have a stacked defense for the 2026 season
NFL: New York Giants HC John Harbaugh – Source: Imagn
John Harbaugh’s Giants have enough options to pose a threat to opposing quarterbacks from the edge, with the likes of Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. They also have Chauncey Golston, Caleb Murphy, Trace Ford, and DeMarvin Leal as pass rushers.
While Reese was named the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in his final year at Ohio State, he will have to fight to earn a starting role with the Giants.
Advertisement
Harbaugh’s Giants have seven picks remaining across the final two days of the draft.
Jack Grealish joined Everton on loan from Man City during the summer transfer window – but his long-term future at the club remains uncertain
Former Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry believes Jack Grealish won’t be short of interest this summer.
Grealish joined Everton on loan during the summer transfer window after falling out of favour with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. One of the main reasons the 30-year-old moved to make the move happen was so he could have a chance to feature in England’s World Cup squad.
Advertisement
Although Grealish impressed for David Moyes’ side, scoring twice and claiming six assists in all competitions, his campaign was cut short in January after he suffered a stress fracture in his foot, which required an operation. A £50m option to buy was included in the loan agreement by City, but that valuation was placed upon him for accounting purposes.
And while Grealish’s time at City looks to be over, Everton are keen to extend his stay into a second season, preferably on loan, and the plan is to formally explore that at the end of the current campaign. But Barry believes the attacker won’t be short of offers from other clubs this summer as he prepares to make a decision on where he goes next.
“I remember speaking last summer when all the noise was about and I thought it would be a great move for both the club and Jack,” the former midfielder told the Manchester Evening News, via BetMGM.
Advertisement
“I knew he would be desperate to win a World Cup space and that is why he started on fire, but unfortunately injuries stopped that happening.
“He is the type of player that Everton fans love. He is going to get the fans off their seats, he is going to give 100% and he brings that little bit of X factor as well.
“Jack is going to have a big decision to make and see what options he has, but with my Everton head on, I would love to see him at Everton next season, but I’m sure there will be interest from elsewhere as well.”
Advertisement
Barry, though, is in no doubt that former club Everton should be doing all they can to ensure that Grealish returns to the club next season.
“Yeah, if I’m involved with Everton and making these decisions, then I am trying to keep Jack Grealish, as I think he has brought a lot to the club this year,” he said.
“He started on fire and brought excitement to the fans; between him and Iliman Ndiaye on the opposite wing, you can’t ask for much more entertainment.
“If the numbers work, then I think Everton should try and keep Jack. He seems really happy there, and the transfer would improve Everton as well. They need to keep taking forward steps like they have since David Moyes came in.”
Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks speaks with reporters during SEC Media Days at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 16, 2025, addressing questions about his development and upcoming season while drawing attention from media members evaluating his presence ahead of the collegiate campaign. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images.
Minnesota Vikings fans sat in their living rooms — some attended the draft party at U.S. Bank Stadium — expecting interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to select safety Dillon Thieneman, defensive tackle Peter Woods, or tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Instead, Brzezinski picked Florida defensive tackle Caleb Woods.
The pick raised eyebrows right away. Minnesota clearly sees long-term upside.
The selection inspired mixed reviews among fans, as Banks was considered a firm 2nd-Round pick entering the draft.
Advertisement
Flores Gets a New Interior Piece for His Defensive Front
A Gator is now a Viking.
Florida players gather and sing after a win against Tennessee at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Sep 16, 2023, as quarterback Micah Leon (12), defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88), and quarterback Graham Mertz (15) celebrate together following the game in a spirited postgame moment with teammates and fans. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports.
It’s Banks for MIN
After careful deliberation by fans, the Vikings announced the pick on Thursday, and it was not who they expected.
Vikings.com’s Lindsey Young wrote, “The Vikings added extra length and a whole lotta power to their defensive line group Thursday. Minnesota opened the 2026 NFL Draft by tabbing former Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks with the 18th overall pick. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, Banks boasted the longest wingspan at the NFL Combine, measuring a whopping 7 feet, 1.75 inches.”
Advertisement
“That wingspan landed in the 99th percentile for defensive tackles and is the longest recorded at the combine since 1999. Banks is the third player ever drafted from Florida by Minnesota in the first round, joining Percy Harvin in 2009 and and Sharrif Floyd 2013 and 12th Gator ever selected by the Vikings.”
Banks began the draft cycle a few months ago as a sure-fire 1st-Rounder, but injury concerns sank his stock to Round 2. He recently sent a letter to all NFL general managers, reassuring them that his medicals were in good shape. Banks broke a bone in his foot at the NFL Combine at the end of February. From there, he became a no-brainer 2nd-Rounder — before the Vikings came knocking.
The Scouting Report
At 6’6″ and 330 pounds, 23-year-old Banks is a dominant force who already appears NFL-ready. His immense size is immediately evident on tape, where he explodes off the line with explosive burst, frequently bypassing interior blockers at the snap. Leveraging powerful hands and strength, he drives into the backfield, collapsing the pocket early.
Advertisement
His statistics fully support these impressive on-field traits. Across 34 games at Louisville and Florida, he accumulated 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, demonstrating consistent pressure and robust run defense.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranked Banks as the No. 46 prospect in the draft and noted, “After a breakout 2024, Banks entered last season regarded as one of the country’s top interior defenders, but foot surgery in September limited him to only two games. Despite the injury, Banks is a potential-laden defensive tackle who shows quick hands and disruptive ability.”
“He reminded many evaluators why he was once viewed as one of the top interior prospects in this year’s class at the Senior Bowl, consistently showing his ability to win quickly against interior blockers. Banks underwent foot surgery for an injury that he suffered the day before the combine. He is expected to make a full recovery and return to full football participation in June.”
If Banks remains healthy, he has the ceiling to be an All-Pro and not too far down the road. If the injuries emerge, all bets are off. It’s as simple as that.
Advertisement
Yes, This Was a Reach
Banks, in the end, fell to No. 44 on the Consensus Big Board. Based on that ranking, the Vikings could’ve traded their No. 18 pick to a team for the 44th pick and also grabbed a selection in a similar range. The discrepancy between Picks No. 18 and No. 44 is the equivalent of the 46th overall pick.
Therefore, if the Consensus Big Board means anything at all — it apparently does not for the Vikings — Brzezinski left meat on the bone to the tune of a 2nd-Round pick.
Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) secures a fumble during the second half against LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Nov 16, 2024, turning a key moment into possession for the Gators as the defense capitalizes during a 27-16 victory in an SEC matchup. Mandatory Credit: Doug Engle-Imagn Images.
Ultimately, one must ask herself if trusting community, media-driven draftboards is smarter than Brian Flores’s personal scouting. Who knows more? A guy at Bleacher Report? Or Flores? Because there’s just no way that Flores didn’t have his fingerprints all over this pick.
The New-Look Defensive Line
Advertisement
Once fans get over the shock of the Banks pick, they’ll warm up to this defensive front:
OLB: Jonathan Greenard DT: Jalen Redmond DT: Caleb Banks OLB: Dallas Turner OLB: Andrew Van Ginkel
Former NFL quarterback and NBC Sports pundit Chris Simms tweeted about the pick, “Whooaaaa Caleb Banks to the Vikings this is crazy!!! This is Chris Jones Part 2 #skol Hey Pro Football Talk baaaroooooooo.”
Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) interacts with fans during the second half against LSU at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, on Nov 16, 2024, reaching toward the stands after a play as the Gators close out a 27-16 win in front of a home crowd. Mandatory Credit: Doug Engle-Imagn Images.
The Vikings have eight picks remaining on Friday and Saturday, with three lined up on Friday night, barring trades.
Keldon Johnson has been named the 2025–26 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
The San Antonio Spurs forward was selected by a global media panel of 100 voters, finishing top of the voting with 404 points, including 63 first-place votes.
He set a Spurs record with 1,081 bench points, passing Manu Ginobili, who had previously held the mark with 927 during his 2007–08 Sixth Man of the Year campaign. With this win, Johnson becomes just the second Spurs player to claim the award, joining Ginóbili.
Advertisement
Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished second in the voting with 361 points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. placed third.
The award recognises the best-performing player coming off the bench during the regular season, and Johnson’s impact made him the standout choice this year.
Cameras showed former New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch in the team’s draft room Thursday night during the first round.
At one point, Tisch was seen standing near Giants head coach John Harbaugh. Despite no longer holding a majority stake in the NFL franchise, Tisch remains the Giants’ chairman of the board.
ESPN obtained an NFL memo last month detailing plans by Steve Tisch and his siblings to transfer their stake in the Giants to trusts for their children.
New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch warms up before the NFL game between the Washington Redskins and New York Giants at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Oct. 28, 2018.(Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)
“Prior transfers to these Trusts were completed pursuant to 2023 and 2024 Finance Committee approvals,” the memo stated. “The Sellers now propose to transfer their entire remaining interests, totaling 23.1% of the Club, to the Trusts. … Following the transactions, the Sellers will no longer own any interest in the Club.”
It was not clear if the transfer requests were in any way related to Tisch’s name appearing in the Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January. Tisch’s name came up more than 400 times in the files. Tisch at the time said he knew Epstein but denied visiting Epstein’s island.
Advertisement
As for draft night, the Giants made what some viewed as an unconventional pick at No. 10, selecting offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa.
Francis Mauigoa of Miami celebrates after being selected as the tenth overall pick by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 23, 2026.(Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Before that, the Giants added another piece to their pass rush, selecting hybrid edge/off-ball linebacker Arvell Reese at No. 5.
Reese earned All-American honors at Ohio State and finished his first season as a full-time starter with 6.5 sacks.
Arvell Reese of Ohio State celebrates after being selected as the fifth overall pick by the New York Giants during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pa., on April 23, 2026.(Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Olympic cricket stadium for LA 2028 could host Indian Premier League teams in the future as part of its global expansion plans, says Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive Venky Mysore.
Construction has now started on the site at the Fairgrounds, officially known as Fairplex, in the southern Californian city of Pomona in readiness for cricket’s return to the Games.
The stadium will become the home to KKR’s US franchise, Los Angeles Knight Riders and will host Major League Cricket (MLC) matches this July.
It will be a modular venue built in three phases with capacity for 5,000 fans this year, rising to 8,500 in 2027 and then up to 15,000 for the six-team T20 tournament for LA 2028.
Advertisement
Mysore also hopes the ground could eventually stage IPL exhibition fixtures as the competition looks to expand into the United States.
“Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” he told BBC Sport.
“The challenge is always player availability. Once the IPL season is over, everyone’s calendars are packed and they’re running in different directions.
“But the BCCI has talked about a couple of teams going out and playing exhibition games to grow cricket… so that’s always on the agenda.”
Advertisement
The USA is widely regarded as the world’s largest sports market and seen as a key growth area for cricket.
Mysore said there had been “concrete proposals” from both the US and Canada to host IPL teams in the past, although neither have come to fruition.
“This is my 16th season with the IPL and we’ve tried every year, but somehow it hasn’t happened,” he explained.
“There’s a real opportunity to piggyback on what’s happening with MLC to grow the market further.
Advertisement
“When viewership goes up, it has a positive effect on things like media rights. It makes a lot of sense. But first things first – we have to deliver what we’ve started here.”
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft is officially in the books. The night got off to a predictable start with the Raiders using the first overall pick on Fernando Mendoza, but that was about the only predictable thing that happened.
The Rams got a little crazy, the Bills decided not to make a pick in the first round and the Steelers thought they were drafting someone only to find out that he had already been drafted. That’s what kind of night it was for some teams.
There were plenty of winners during the opening round and there were also plenty of losers and we’re going to cover them here.
2026 NFL Draft essentials
Winners
Jeremiyah Love
The Cardinals new running back hasn’t even played a down yet and he’s already the highest paid running back in NFL history. At least in terms of guaranteed money. Love will be getting a fully guaranteed four-year, $53.9 million contract, which is the most guaranteed money ever given to a running back. Love’s total tops Saquon Barkley, who held the previous record at $36 million. Love will also make an average of $13.47 million per year, which ranks seventh in the NFL. Love is already getting top of the market money at his position and he hasn’t even attended his first practice. That definitely makes him a winner.
Advertisement
Howie Roseman and stealing from the Steelers
The Eagles general manager seems to come away as a winner every year and this year is no different. Not only did the Philadelphia land one of the best receivers in the draft in Makai Lemon, but the Eagles swiped him away from the Steelers in some Pennsylvania on Pennsylvania crime. At one point on Thursday night, Lemon was actually on the phone with the Steelers, who had the 21st overall pick, and he thought he was going to Pittsburgh.
Let’s let Lemon explain what happened.
What the Steelers didn’t know is that the Eagles were in the process of trading up from 23rd overall to 20th overall. Once the trade was finalized, that put the Eagles on the clock and they were able to take Lemon one pick ahead of the Steelers. By adding Lemon, that makes it seem like A.J. Brown is all but done in Philly. The Eagles have been busy adding receivers this year. Not only did they draft Lemon, but they traded for Dontayvion Wicks while also signing Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore. That’s four receivers in six weeks that Philly has added. With those additions, the Eagles have put themselves in a spot where they now have more than enough depth on the roster to withstand the potential loss of Brown.
John Harbaugh
In his first draft with the Giants, Harbaugh hit a home run. First, the Giants had Arvell Reese fall into their lap at fifth overall. Reese was widely expected to be a top-three pick, but he dropped to the Giants, and now, he’ll be joining a suddenly scary defense in New York that also includes Abdul Carter, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. The Giants also got Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa at 10th overall. When you have a young QB, you have to do everything you can to help him and getting him some protection definitely qualifies.
Advertisement
Robert Saleh
The new Titans head coach got the best of both worlds on Thursday night by adding one solid player on both sides of the ball. With the fourth overall pick, the Titans added an offensive weapon for Cam Ward by drafting Carnell Tate. The Ohio State receiver will now join a Titans receiving room that also includes Wan’Dale Robinson and Calvin Ridley. After the Tate pick, the Titans traded back INTO the first round to grab Keldric Faulk. Saleh is a defensive-minded coach and it’s no shock that he ended up getting a defensive player in the first round. With the addition of Faulk, the Titans now have a totally revamped defensive line that should be able to bully opposing offenses. Faulk will be joining Jeffrey Simmons along with fellow Titans newcomers John Franklin-Myers and Jermaine Johnson.
Look, we don’t really get to use the words “winner” and “Browns” in a sentence very often, so we’re going to do it here. The Browns front office, which has made plenty of questionable decisions over the years, continues to do an impressive job when it comes to drafting. Not only did they get their tackle of the future in Utah’s Spencer Fano, but they got him after trading down with the Chiefs, so they also added a few extra picks in the deal. The Browns then turned around and got a receiver at 24th overall in KC Concepcion. Last season, this team didn’t have a single wide receiver finish with more than 605 yards, so adding a top tier player at that position was a must.
We’re about to find out if Smith actually has anything left in the tank because the Jets just surrounded him with some talented weapons. Not only did they grab the top tight end in the draft at 16th overall (Kenyon Sadiq), but they traded BACK into the first round so that they could take Indiana receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at 30th overall. If you throw in the fact that this team already has Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, this is a Jets offense that could be sneaky good if Smith can still play at a high level.
Losers
The ‘F them picks’ philosophy
Now we know why the Rams don’t ever keep their first-round picks, it’s because they don’t know what to with them when they actually have one. OK, that’s a bit harsh, but the Rams definitely made the most puzzling move of the night when they selected Ty Simpson at 13th overall. The problem with this pick is that the Rams are a team that’s trying to win now and Simpson simply isn’t a player who’s going to help them win this year. This is a solid spot for Simpson, who will get to sit behind Stafford and learn from Sean McVay, but again, this feels like a pick where the Rams should have taken a player who will be able to contribute during the upcoming season. And call me crazy, but I think McVay might agree with me.
Advertisement
Since you mentioned it, let’s watch the presser.
Oh. That’s interesting.
Cardinals front office
The Cardinals have a lot of holes on their roster, but they ignored them all to draft Jeremiyah Love. When the Cardinals tried to call Love to draft him, they actually had the wrong number and I’m starting to thikn that maybe they should have just taken that as a sign not to take him.
Love’s definitely one of the most talented players in the draft, but he’s just not what the Cardinals need right now. When a bad team uses a high pick on a running back, it almost never works. Love 12th running back over the past 20 years to be taken with a top 10 pick. Of the previous 11, none of them won a Super Bowl with the team that drafted them. As a matter of fact, none of them even played in a Super Bowl. The Cards also gave Tyler Allgeier a two-year, $8 million deal. They have James Connor returning from injury. They have 2024 third-round pick Trey Benson, who has averaged 4.9 yards per attempt on 92 carries. And they also have Bam Knight. This team went 3-14 last season and they have holes all over the place. Adding a running back who will be getting $50 million in guaranteed money is not going to put them over the hump.
Advertisement
JJ McCarthy/Vikings
How did JJ McCarthy find himself in the losers section? Well, the Vikings used their first-round pick on Caleb Banks and before the draft, Banks said that McCarthy was the one QB in the NFL that he wanted to hit the most. That should make for a couple of awkward moments in the locker room. Minnesota is in this section as a team because taking Banks comes with some serious risk. The Vikings are getting one of the most talented defensive linemen in the draft, but he’s been injury prone. He suffered a foot injury at the combine in February that’s expected to sideline him until June, so he won’t be on the field for OTAs. Banks has been dealing with foot issues for more than a year now. The University of Florida star only played in three games last season after having surgery on his left foot, which is the same foot he injured at the combine.
Bills fans
The Bills weren’t scheduled to pick until 26th overall, so their fans had to wait all night until the team’s first selection, but then the pick didn’t happen because Buffalo traded back to 28th overall. After that, the wait continued for Bills fans, but then, they didn’t get to see a pick at 28, because the Bills traded back to 31. At that point, the patient Bills fans probably thought they were going to be rewarded with a pick, but then the Bills traded ENTIRELY OUT OF THE FIRST ROUND. That’s right, Bills fans sat through the entire first round got to see nothing.
The Chiefs had two first-round picks, so it would have made sense to add a weapon for Mahomes, but instead, they decided to use both picks on defensive players in cornerback Mansoor Delane and defensive tackle Peter Woods. That’s not to say that these picks won’t work out, but when you’re offense has been struggling and you have a starting QB who will be coming off a torn ACL injury, it would be nice to get him some help, but the Chiefs decided not to go that route.
Neutral
Jerry Jones
The Cowboys owner is both a winner and a loser. For their first pick, the Cowboys traded up one spot — from 12th overall to 11th — to grab Caleb Downs. The Ohio State safety was viewed by most as one of the best players in the draft and he fell into the Cowboys’ lap. Getting Downs was a great pick, and for that, Jones is a winner. At 23rd overall, the Cowboys got UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence, but to make that pick happen, they had to make a trade with the Eagles. In the deal, Philadelphia moved up from 23rd overall to 20th overall to get Makai Lemon.
Advertisement
To rehash: The Cowboys made a deal with a DIVISION RIVAL, who then used the pick to get one of the best receivers in the draft. There is now a 100% chance that Lemon is going to put up huge numbers against the Cowboys every time he faces them. As we noted earlier, if the Eagles had NOT made the trade, then Lemon would have ended up going to the Steelers at 21st overall. So Jerry handed Lemon to the Eagles and now Philly is going to make lemonade out of the Cowboys. The moral here is that you should never make a trade with a division rival.
At around 8am on 28 September 2022, a few hours before his second-round match at the British Open in Milton Keynes, the talented 20-year-old Chang Bingyu received a phone call. It was older fellow professional Liang Wenbo, warning bad people had good money on Chang to lose the game 4-1. Liang promised Chang £6,000 for the exact result, and threatened serious consequences if he didn’t play ball.
Chang went along with the plot, although he never received any money. Welshman Jak Jones had no idea that his 4-1 victory that night was orchestrated by his opponent.
A few months later, as Liang’s web of deceit began to unravel, a man knocked on Chang’s door. It was the day before Chang was due to be interviewed by investigators. The man said he was a friend of Liang and led Chang to a parked car outside to talk. He said not to utter a word about match-fixing to authorities or there’d be trouble. Chang was unnerved by Liang’s snooker cue lying on the back seat.
This was Liang’s modus operandi, to intimate his young targets into throwing frames and manipulating results. He had a reputation for violence, having been convicted of attacking a woman on the streets of Sheffield in 2021. On the surface, the Chinese match-fixing scandal might have seemed like a parable of greed. In reality, it was a story of fear.
Liang Wenbo was a ringleader in the match-fixing scandal (Getty)
Sheffield’s Chinese snooker community was the perfect breeding ground for sin. They were a group of men mostly in their early 20s who spoke little English, who felt lonely and isolated when the Covid pandemic stopped them returning to China to see friends and family for two years.
Several trained at the renowned Ding Junhai and Victoria snooker academies, near the Crucible Theatre they dreamed of conquering. They would sit around sharing meals, playing cards and gambling online. Most of the players caught in the scandal endured financial difficulties: during his interview with investigators, Chang revealed he had less than £100 in his bank account.
Advertisement
Some players rejected Liang’s approaches, like Cao Yupeng, who had already served a two-year ban for match-fixing and didn’t want to be lured back in. Cao resisted and when his wife saw Liang’s messages, she replied angrily demanding he leave her husband alone.
But others were swept up in the grift, enticed by money and too terrified to back out. Their fear was not only for their own safety but for their families at home in China. “People in the West don’t understand,” Chang’s childhood coach, Roger Leighton, recently told The Independent. Leighton has been living and working in China for 30 years. “People can go missing off the streets here and nothing will be done about it.”
Chang Bingyu, who was 20 at the time, was intimidated by Liang Wenbo (Getty)
If Liang, once No 11 in the world, was the architect of the scam, Li Hang was his right-hand man. Li was a talented poker player and a compulsive gambler, and young players would often go to him to place bets on snooker. Li was like a big brother to many of the Chinese players arriving in the UK, and he exploited their trust to fix matches.
But Li and Liang were not a very effective duo. Li wanted their crimes to be carried out with care and discretion, while Liang wanted to reap as much money as possible. They conducted planning on Whatsapp, and their four-figure wagers on specific outcomes of obscure sporting events caused ripples in the betting markets.
During the autumn of 2022, the data company Sportradar was alerted by suspicious betting patterns and contacted the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). At around the same time, the WPBSA also received information from an anonymous whistleblower.
Advertisement
As the WPBSA began investigating, Liang and Li tried to cover their tracks. They deleted messages on their phones and demanded the players they’d recruited do the same. Liang sent his friend to intimidate the young Chang at his house. He failed to turn up to three interviews with investigators, refused to submit bank statements to their inquiry, and emailed them to claim he had been framed by Chang.
But by now the scheme had been blown open and they could not shut the box. The hearings were not straightforward: some witnesses spoke limited English and some were evasive. Li’s lawyer effectively accused the entire commission of racism. But several players quickly admitted their involvement, gave oral evidence and handed over incriminating WhatsApp conversations, including one message from Liang explicitly asking Cao to lose three frames in his next match.
Zhao Xintong put the scandal behind him to become world champion last year (Getty)
One of those was Zhao Xintong, the only player among the 10 sanctioned who did not fix a match. He placed bets for his close friend Yan Bingtao after trying to persuade Yan to walk away from the situation. Zhao was banned from snooker for 20 months, reduced from 30 months due to his early admission of guilt and “genuine remorse”. He returned to snooker in September 2024 and won the World Championship at the Crucible eight months later.
His friend Yan also had the snooker world at his feet after winning the 2021 Masters aged 20, becoming the youngest player to win the prestigious tournament since Ronnie O’Sullivan in 1995. Yan was banned for five years and cannot return until December 2027. Others, like Chen Zifan and Lu Ning, are also serving long bans.
Other players have done their time, such as Bai Langning, Zhang Jiankang and Zhao Jianbo, who was the youngest of the group when he was sanctioned by the WPBSA aged 19. But they have not returned to the professional game. Cao Yupeng, the player whose wife rejected Liang’s advances, now makes a good living playing Chinese billiards.
Advertisement
Former Masters champion Yan Bingtao is still banned from snooker (Isaac Parkin/PA)
Chang was the second youngest involved and, like world champion Zhao Xintong, he has made a successful return to snooker after admitting his mistakes. His ascent has been more gradual than Zhao’s but he is closing in on the world’s top 50, and he is about to land the biggest cheque of his life: although Chang didn’t make it through to this year’s World Championship at the Crucible, he hit a 147 break in qualifying and stands to win £172,000 for the feat. He won’t need to worry about having £100 in his bank account.
Liang and Li were each fined £43,000 and banned for life. The Independent has been told Liang is coaching kids at a club somewhere between Shanghai and Beijing.
Liang was described in the commission’s report as “particularly disgraceful” for threatening a number of “young and impressionable” players to fix matches for his own financial gain. Li’s behaviour was described as “utterly unacceptable”. Together, they were the rotten core at the heart of the biggest scandal in snooker history.
Tyson Fury has never been shy of admitting that he wants to make as much money as possible from boxing
Tyson Fury once revealed he had £200million in his bank account. The heavyweight icon, 37, is back in action after beating Arslanbek Makhmudov earlier this month.
While titles and belts will no doubt have some meaning to Fury, the Gypsy King has never made any apologies for admitting boxing, for him, is all about the money.
In 2025, Fury candidly admitted that his primary motivation was to make “as much money as I can until the wheels fall off”.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Fury said: “Andy Lee [Irish professional boxer] never had £200m in his bank to make him happy, did he? So what is my goal, and what is my target? It’s not a belt. It’s not a legacy. It’s not a boxing fight. It’s to make as much money as possible.
Advertisement
“I’ve had 40 professional fights, and I was in every single one of them for the money. If I wasn’t getting paid, I wouldn’t have done any of them.
“I do it for the dough, but I’m the only one that will tell the truth. I don’t come to these places, thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m on TV. I’m Famous.’ I’m thinking, ‘How much dough can I get at any given moment in my career?’ If you want to fight, the only question I say is, ‘How much? ‘ I have gloves, I have a body, and I will travel if the money is right. I’m truthful.”
His mantra to box for cash is paying dividends. Fury is estimated to possess a net worth of approximately £120m and, to date, he has earned at least £188m through guaranteed purses and pay-per-view bonuses.
Advertisement
A substantial share of his fortune derives from his 2024 bouts, including an estimated £81.2m for the initial Usyk fight and £40m for his encounter with Francis Ngannou. Tyson Fury Ltd, which oversees his boxing and commercial ventures, doubled its assets from approximately £82m in 2023 to more than £161m in 2024.
He also supplements his earnings through his Netflix series At Home with the Furys, book deals, and his energy drink brand, Furocity. Fury is also understood to be residing in an £8m mansion on the outskirts of the island’s capital, Douglas, alongside wife Paris, 36, and their seven children.
The Isle of Man is renowned for its favourable tax arrangements, with income tax currently set at 21% compared to the UK’s 40% higher rate bracket. He currently faces a 45% tax liability because his earnings exceed the £125,140 threshold. Fury has not publicly commented on the move.
Speaking in 2023, Fury admitted to being careful with his funds, opting to shop at budget supermarkets, and claimed he doesn’t want to live like a rich person.
“When I’m in Aldi and my kids are shouting, ‘He’s shopping in Aldi’ and then the people say, ‘You’re shopping in Aldi or Lidl’ I’m like, ‘Well it’s food, isn’t it?,’” he said.
“Everywhere I go people say they don’t expect to see me there and it’s not like there’s a special celebrity place to go shopping. We don’t live like rich people.”
Advertisement
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
Aarav Sarbalia reshapes chess as content (Special Arrangements)
NEW DELHI: It was the Round 3 game between Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and the eventual winner, Javokhir Sindarov, at the FIDE Candidates tournament just a few weeks ago. 12-year-old Aarav Sarbalia, a FIDE Master (FM), had virtually joined the commentary panel of a popular YouTube channel covering the action live from Cyprus.It was Aarav’s first gig of that sort. He was asked multiple times to analyse the position and predict what he would play if he were sitting in the seats of either Praggnanandhaa or Sindarov.Both players are Super Grandmasters, matching their deep understanding of lines over the board, and predicting their stratagems beforehand is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, this youngster, who rarely indulged in non-chess talk during his stay on the panel, was able to navigate the complexities of each position, predicting moves beforehand more often than not.
Watch
Harika Dronavalli Exclusive: Inside Grenke #chess win, viral no-handshake incident, and more
Believe it or not, this 12-year-old is the online chess world’s latest sensation. Yet, it is not just for what he is doing over the 64 squares with his pieces, but for what he is doing off them by dominating the social media feeds of every chess enthusiast with what his father, Yatin Sarbalia, calls “fun reels”.“When we go to tournaments, parents come up and say, ‘We liked this particular one of yours. The one you made about parents was good,’” Yatin told TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive conversation. “Our aim isn’t to just share what’s happening in the Candidates or show which tournament Aarav is winning. Our aim is to take our learnings and our journey and post them in a good content form to make people a bit more aware.” That process has led the youngster to earn some high-profile followers, from Hungarian chess legend Judit Polgar to Vishnu Prasanna, the man credited with shaping the world champion Gukesh Dommaraju.“I’ve heard that some Grandmasters have told their students to go and watch Aarav’s content,” Yatin laughed.
How chess made its way
The journey didn’t start in a house where chess was a way of life. In fact, Yatin, an IIT Roorkee alumnus and now a tech lead in Bengaluru, only knew the basic rules of the game.In June 2020, as COVID-19 locked the world indoors, the Sarbalia family moved from Delhi to Bengaluru. With school and work both moving to the home office, the family sought a productive outlet.
Advertisement
Aarav Sarbalia plays against his father (Special Arrangements)
Back in Delhi, Yatin had seen a chess poster while picking up Aarav from gymnastics. Knowing his son was verbally very good at calculations, they gave it a trial.Once in Bengaluru, they enrolled him in Chess Gurukul, the academy run by the legendary RB Ramesh.“It was a good time because we got to spend time as a family,” Yatin recalled. “When Aarav did his classes, I would sit in the class with him so that I could learn a bit too. I could help and support him if there was something he didn’t understand.”
Entry into social media
The pivot to social media was born out of a cold, hard sporting reality. By age 11, Aarav had already become a FIDE Master. They started looking for sponsors. Despite Aarav’s accolades, including multiple first and second finishes in age-category tournaments across different formats of the game, the family found that doors remained closed.“We tried hard to find sponsorships, but we didn’t get a positive response,” Yatin explained. “Sponsorship is a two-way street. People were asking, ‘What is Aarav’s presence?’ We had never even thought about social presence.”Coupled with a desire to improve Aarav’s communication and verbal skills, the parents decided to take the reins. While Aarav focuses on chess, his parents focus on social media presence.
Advertisement
Aarav Sarbalia’s family (Special Arrangements)
The process, however, is strictly regulated. Aarav doesn’t own a phone and knows nothing of the scrolling culture.“In a month, Aarav doesn’t spend more than two or three hours on this. We fix a specific time when we need him to act,” Yatin told this website.The parents script the ideas and shoot a month’s worth of content in one sitting. For Aarav, it remains a game within a game. “He once asked me, ‘Dad, can I become a good actor too?’ and I was like, ‘Let’s focus on our chess first,” his father added.
The fruits of labour
Besides gaining followers, the visibility has already borne fruit in a more prominent manner. Not so long ago, a chess-oriented start-up has provided Aarav with sponsorship and decided to back him. It was a vital breakthrough, considering the staggering costs of elite chess involving top-rated tournaments abroad.“Financially, it’s all our savings. In one year, if you do three or four trips to Europe and stay for three to four months, you will spend at least 12 to 15 lakhs,” Yatin admitted.
Advertisement
We keep our target as GM. And we do all the coaching and everything in that direction.
Yatin Sarbalia, Aarav’s father
Because Aarav is only 12, a parent must always travel with him, doubling the cost. Yatin and his wife take turns traveling, rotating the responsibility of looking after their six-year-old daughter back in Bengaluru.But the results on the board justify the sacrifice. Aarav went from a rating of 1400 to 2000 in a mere two-month trip to Europe. By June 2024, he had surged to 2300, bypassing the Candidate Master (CM) title entirely to become a FIDE Master.
Chasing the ultimate title
Advertisement
To navigate the treacherous waters between 2300 and the Grandmaster (GM) title, the family sought the best. They set their sights on Surya Shekhar Ganguly, the six-time national champion and former second to Viswanathan Anand.“We contacted him and tried very hard, followed him on Instagram, messaged him,” Yatin revealed.It took six months of persistent chasing before Ganguly agreed to test the youngster. Aarav passed in that, and since last year, Ganguly has been his primary coach.ALSO READ: The making of India’s 95th GM: Aronyak Ghosh, from chasing next tournament’s fee to parents’ reliefAarav’s current standard rating sits around 2247 after a slight dip in France, but the focus remains unwavering as he prepares for his next stint in Munich, Germany, playing in the GM category.The family isn’t interested in incremental steps anymore, as Yatin put it, “We don’t think in our minds that our next target is IM (International Master). We keep our target as GM. And we do all the coaching and everything in that direction.”
The ceremonial groundbreaking of the Knight Riders Cricket Ground took place on April 22 in Pomona, California, marking a significant step in cricket’s expansion across the United States. During the event, ICC chief executive Sanjog Gupta described the venue as “cricket’s home for LA28,” underlining its importance for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The development follows the recent confirmation that Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) will host their Major League Cricket (MLC) 2026 matches at this newly established home venue. According to a statement from the Knight Riders franchise, the project represents “a landmark moment for cricket in the United States,” while also positioning Los Angeles as a central hub for the sport’s rapid growth ahead of cricket’s Olympic return after 128 years.
Advertisement
ICC Leadership Highlights Global Vision
Jay Shah, chairman of the ICC, emphasized the broader significance of the project in a statement: “These are very exciting times for the game of cricket as it makes giant strides in establishing itself as a global sport. Our focus has been on expanding the footprint of cricket and being part of the Olympic movement is something that brings both pride and dreams with it.”
Advertisement
“The groundbreaking marks an important milestone in cricket’s return to the Olympics and is a proud moment for all ICC members and stakeholders worldwide. We’re confident this venue will take centre stage during the Games and leave a legacy for cricket in the USA.” He further added.
Venue to Host LAKR Matches in MLC 2026
In its initial phase, the Fairplex-based stadium will serve as the home ground for LAKR during the 2026 MLC season. A total of seven matches are scheduled at the venue, including LAKR’s first three home fixtures, set to take place between July 1 and July 5.
Advertisement
Shah Rukh Khan Envisions a Cultural Hub
Shah Rukh Khan, co-owner of Knight Riders Sports, spoke about the broader ambition behind the project: “Today isn’t just about breaking ground, but about beginning a dream – bringing cricket, the second most-watched sport in the world, into the heart of Los Angeles’ sporting identity.”
Advertisement
He added: “Through our long-term partnership with Fairplex, we aim to create not just a cricket ground, but a space of energy, community, and belonging.”
Building Cricket’s Future in the US
Advertisement
Knight Riders Sports CEO Venky Mysore described the initiative as a transformative moment for the sport in America:
“This is a defining moment – not just for the Knight Riders, but for cricket in America. We see strong potential to grow the game and connect with the community in Southern California to lead this next phase of cricket’s growth in the US.”
Advertisement
“Cricket’s Home for LA28”
Sanjog Gupta reiterated the venue’s long-term importance, particularly in the lead-up to the Olympics: “The journey over the next two years will see many such milestones which enhance the sense of occasion, culture and community, as cricket’s home for LA28 is built in Pomona.”
Advertisement
“With the inclusion in the Olympic Games and other regional multi-sport events, cricket has already stepped into a new era of global growth powered by improved accessibility, elevated visibility and stronger institutional support.” he said while highlighting cricket’s global momentum.
Notable Attendees
Advertisement
The ceremony was attended by several key figures, including Pomona mayor Tim Sandoval and LA28 vice-president of sports Niccolo Campriani, reflecting strong local and organizational support for the project.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login