Gilberto Ramirez has sparred Canelo Alvarez and David Benavidez, both at different stages of his career, and credits one of them for hitting particularly hard.

Unified world cruiserweight champion Ramirez will face Benavidez on May 2, defending his WBO and WBA titles at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Since suffering his only professional blemish, a points loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022, Ramirez has firmly cemented himself as an elite operator at 200lbs.

Consecutive victories over Arsen Goulamirian and Chris Billam-Smith saw him topple two world champions in 2024, before defending his titles via another unanimous decision, this time against Yuniel Dorticos, in June 2025.

Benavidez, meanwhile, secured two-division world title status last year after being upgraded from ‘interim’ to full WBC light-heavyweight, with Bivol having relinquished his belt.

The 29-year-old then made a maiden defence of his crown in November, stopping Anthony Yarde in round seven, which led to him negotiating a cruiserweight clash with Ramirez.

During his time as the WBC ‘interim’ champion at 168lbs, many felt that Canelo, the then-super-middleweight king, was avoiding a mandatory title defence against Benavidez.

But while we can only imagine how a matchup between Alvarez and Benavidez would unfold, Ramirez has kindly offered an insight into his sparring sessions with the both of them.

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, the 34-year-old hinted at the power being more apparent with Canelo than it was with his next opponent.

“[The sparring was] way different because Canelo is short and, at that time, I was [at] 168[lbs]. I was super skinny.

“Then I moved up [in weight] and moved to the US, and I started sparring with David and different guys – bigger guys.

“Canelo – he’s good. He has power; he has a lot of faints; he moves really well. And Benavidez, he presses you all the time; you don’t have time to breathe. You have to just keep going. And [Benavidez] likes to be [on the] inside.”

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Ramirez shared rounds with Canelo during his reign as the WBO super-middleweight champion, while the Benavidez sparring seemingly came following his brief excursion to 175lbs.

If memory serves, the wizards at Hogwarts were hesitant to utter the name of Voldemort. Is there a similar dynamic at play with those around the Vikings and the words Super Bowl?

If so, then nobody told the Vikings’ fill-in GM.

Rob Brzezinski has been an executive in Minnesota for a long time. Several decades, in fact. The assignment has most commonly been to function as a numbers nerd, working the books behind the scenes to make the money work. After the decision to fire Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings needed a temporary top decision maker, leading to Brzezinski getting his bump up. He isn’t shy about what he’s chasing.

Vikings’ Fill-In GM Chasing a Super Bowl

Mr. Brzezinski chatted with the team media, kicking things off with an interview with Tatum Everett.

The conversation moves through different topics before Brzezinski is asked about whether Minnesota’s roster is that of a championship team. He was fairly political and evasive before declaring, “Just want to be a small part of delivering that Lombardi to our very, very special fans.”

Note that the Lombardi quip gets shoehorned into the end of the interview. He does so while connecting the feat to fans, perhaps suggesting that this is merely a throw-away comment that plays well with the crowd but isn’t particularly sincere.

Fast forward through the NFL Combine a bit further.

Interviewers Paul Allen and Pete Bercich get to chat with Rob Brzezinski. Check out what he says less than five minutes into the interview: “I just want to be a small part of helping deliver a championship to our fans. They’ve been waiting a really, really long time and it’s going to mean so much to them when it finally does happen. And it will.”

Toward the end of the same interview, Brzezinski reflects on his desire for his legacy with the franchise: “I want to be a small part of delivering a championship to our fans. I just try to envision what that would look like. I can see it.”

“I just want to be a small part of finally delivering that Lombardi,” Brzezinski concludes.

Rob Brzezinski doesn’t lack for ambition. The charming part is that he tethers that massive ambition — winning it all — to a personal humility, commonly describing his part as “just” a tiny portion of the overall effort. A lot of the time, quotes on the page don’t convey tone very well, so do note that his words are that of someone who comes across as being sincere in his passion.

Currently, the Vikings appear pretty far off from winning it all. The 2025 season finished off at 9-8 but was on the brink of fully unravelling due to a 4-8 record toward the end of the year. The outlook was grim before the year ended with a five-game winning streak.

Most concerning has been the QB play. Somehow, the position needs to experience massive improvement. The strategy is going to involve bringing in enhanced competition (as the Vikings’ fill-in GM has acknowledged). A trade is an option. So is a free agent signing. What can’t be missed is that the Vikings actually need a pair of things to occur at quarterback: a higher floor and ceiling. Quite possibly, that means adding two quarterbacks.

Rob Brzezinski will then need to see the roster stay healthier. So, too, will several players need bounce back seasons. Jonathan Greenard being a pass rushing terror, Byron Murphy a turnover machine, and Justin Jefferson a weekly 100-yard receiver is what’s required (alongside plenty of other developments).

Meanwhile, the coaching staff needs to elevate. In particular, Kevin O’Connell needs to commit to running the football.

Rob Brzezinski has plenty of work ahead of him. He has promised to be thorough and to make wise decisions. Do well enough and maybe the dream of a Lombardi is no longer a dream before too long.

NFL free agency begins in less than two weeks.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Man Utd U18s have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup, which will be played at Old Trafford next month.

Manchester United Under-18s will play Sunderland at Old Trafford in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday, March 18, with a kick-off time of 7pm. The U18s’ league fixture against Sunderland which had been scheduled for Saturday, March 13, will be re-arranged.

Darren Fletcher’s side progressed to the quarter-finals thanks to a 4-1 win against Oxford City earlier this month. JJ Gabriel, Albert Mills, Chido Obi and Noah Ajayi were on the scoresheet that night.

Gabriel’s performances have made headlines this season. The youngster is the top goalscorer in the U18 league, despite playing years above his age group, and has netted 16 goals in all competitions.

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The 15-year-old has already trained with the first team on several occasions and has been tipped for a bright future. “JJ is a fantastic talent. I’ve enjoyed working with him immensely, getting to know him,” said Fletcher when he was asked about Gabriel in December.

“He’s a young lad with a massive sort of hype, you know there’s a lot of noise around him and deservedly so because he’s a real talented kid. He works hard. First thing I’d say is he loves football.

“He loves training, he loves playing, he loves having the ball, he loves expressing himself. He makes fantastic decisions. He’s just got an enthusiasm for the game that’s just amazing.

“15-year-old, a bright future ahead of him. I’m super excited by his talent, but the most important thing is that he keeps developing, and he’s in the U18 team, and he’s doing fantastically well, but he’s still got lots to learn.”

Obi has dropped down to play for the U18s in the Youth Cup. The 18-year-old made seven first-team appearances last season, but Fletcher has involved him in the Youth Cup this term. The U18s reached the semi-finals of the Youth Cup last season, losing to eventual winners Aston Villa.

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Out of nowhere, the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans finagled a rare player-for-player trade on Thursday, and the backhanded fallout suggests Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips could end up back in Minnesota, at least according to budding fan sentiment.

If Phillips becomes the odd man out, Minnesota would know exactly what it’s getting: sturdy run defense and leadership.

Phillips played for the Vikings for three seasons before former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah unceremoniously traded him to New York last summer.

Johnson-Sweat Trade Fallout Could Push Phillips Loose

Bring him home, they say.

Jets, Titans Swap Defensive Linemen

It’s a DT to New York and a DE to Tennessee.

NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote Thursday, “We have a rare February trade agreement. The New York Jets are trading pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Thursday, per sources informed of the deal. The trade can’t be consummated until the new league year opens on March 11.”

“The trade reunites Johnson with new Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who was in New York when the Jets used a first-round pick on the edge rusher in 2022. Johnson had a roller-coaster four seasons in New York, generating 13.0 total sacks. He earned a Pro Bowl nod under Saleh in 2023, earning 7.5 sacks, but a 2024 injury wiped out all but two tilts, and he never seemed right last season.”

The deal caught Titans fans off guard because Sweat fired up a phenomenal 2025 campaign. Most didn’t think he was for sale.

Harrison Phillips as the Odd Man Out?

If one believes Jets-themed media, the Sweat trade has put Phillips on notice. He could be released in the wake of the deal.

The Jet Press‘s Mike Luciano wrote, “The Jets may cut Harrison Phillips after T’Vondre Sweat acquisition. Bringing in a player like Sweat could mean that some of the other defensive linemen on the team could see their roles change in a significant way.”

“Veteran Harrison Phillips put together a robust season for the Jets, but adding Sweat may push him out of a starting role. Phillips was a quality run stuffer last year, which is exactly what the Jets acquired him from the Minnesota Vikings to do.”

New York would incur no dead cap penalty for dropping Phillips; it would save $7.5 million. His contract’s guaranteed money ran out in 2025.

Luciano continued, “Phillips was an exemplary leader, so much so that it should not surprise anyone if he earns a captain patch, should he remain on the roster. However, Phillips has next to no upside as a pass rusher, and his skills in run defense were ultimately overshadowed by the fact that he was unable to trouble opposing quarterbacks at all.”

“Sweat may not be John Randle as a pass rusher, but he can be disruptive on the interior.”

The Head-Scratcher Adofo-Mensah Trade

The Vikings’ decision to trade Phillips to the Jets last August — along with a 7th-round pick in exchange for two 6th-rounders — immediately puzzled many. Phillips, a team captain and a reliable defensive lineman, was highly respected within the organization.

Although the Vikings finished third in the NFL in EPA per play on defense, Phillips’ run-stopping prowess was noticeably missed at times during the 2025 season. Furthermore, the two additional 6th-round picks acquired in the trade rarely yield impactful players.

During his tenure in Minnesota, Phillips established himself as a tone-setting and dependable defensive tackle. He consistently performed well at a position that had often been a weak point, providing much-needed stability to the interior defensive line.

Off the field, Phillips was deeply involved in the community. Over 51 games with the Vikings, the 29-year-old amassed 207 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks, solidifying his role as a respected voice in the locker room.

He’s one of the good guys.

Would Phillips Want to Return?

Vikings fans rushed to social media regarding the Johnson-Sweat trade, spitballing that Phillips would be cut as a byproduct and that a reunion in Minnesota would make sense. On paper, that idea seems great — making right a trade that didn’t add up in the first place.

But would Phillips really want to rejoin the club that kicked him out less than a year ago? Is it enough to tell him that Adof0-Mensah was fired and all is well?

Just because Phillips may be a free agent soon doesn’t mean he’ll want to reunite with the team that treated him disloyally.

On the other hand, Vikings DT Javon Hargrave is reportedly on the trade block. Perhaps Minnesota will trade Hargrave or release him and simply re-sign Phillips if he’s in the right mood.

Fun fact: the newest Titan, EDGE Jermaine Johnson, went to Eden Prairie High School.

The United States came away with 33 total medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, and many came from the female athletes who showed out in Italy this month. 

There were 17 medals won by the U.S. female athletes, including eight of the 12 gold medals.

As many Americans enjoyed watching the events at home, LPGA Tour legend Michelle Wie West was in Milan watching the U.S. reach the podium in several events. 

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Michelle Wie attends Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore 2” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 21, 2025, in New York City.  (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

“I had the honor to be in Milan with Nike and got to see some Winter Olympic Games for the first time in person. It’s amazing to see all these competitors,” she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “Got to see [silver medalist] Chloe [Kim] do her halfpipe, and that was incredible. 

“Women’s hockey, I mean, incredible. I got to go to the first game, and it was just lights out.”

From Mia Manganello in speed skating, to Alysa Liu’s captivating gold medal in figure skating, Wie West admitted the Olympics made her a bit emotional seeing the athletes achieve their dreams.

“This whole Winter Olympics season has been so — I think every Olympic season is so uplifting,” she said. “But this one in particular was so inspiring, and it feels like the female athletes really knocked it out of the park.

“I feel like every Olympics gets me really emotional. I can see athletes achieve their dreams and it’s so cool. It was really cool to see it in person.”

Gold medalist Alysa Liu of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy.  (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Wie West also added that Lindsey Vonn’s “heartbreaking” crash, after competing through a torn ACL, was hard to see. However, “seeing her journey up until that moment and even afterwards has been so inspiring to me.”

Breanna Stewart, a three-time gold medalist with Team USA women’s basketball, shared Wie West’s sentiments about seeing American success overseas. 

“I think there were so many events I really learned a lot about, whether it was bobsledding, or curling, or watching hockey,” she said. “Just wanting to cheer on the USA in whatever event they were doing, and see the pride and passion the athletes were having whenever they stepped up to compete with their sport.”

LPGA player Michelle Wie West plays her shot from the 14th tee during the Golden Bear Pro-Am prior to the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 28, 2025, in Dublin, Ohio. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

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Stewart even mentioned getting “goosebumps” thinking about what it feels like getting a medal around your neck, and better yet, seeing the flag raise with the national anthem playing. 

“It’s really just satisfaction and justification of why you’re doing it and why you’ve gone through those hard moments and times,” she explained. “To me, the Olympics is the highest of the high. You’re playing your sport at the highest level against everyone else in the world, and you see that. It’s just a goosebump feeling no matter how many times you do it. Just the pride and knowing you’re representing something bigger than yourself always comes through full circle.”

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified that goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has not yet completed his international switch to represent the Super Eagles.

Reports in recent days suggested that the former Arsenal player had been cleared to play for Nigeria, but senior NFF officials say the process is still ongoing and has not been officially approved by FIFA, the world football governing body.

Okonkwo, who currently plays for Wrexham AFC, has previously represented England at youth level. FIFA’s formal clearance is required before he can appear in competitive matches for Nigeria.

NFF Head of International Competitions, Dayo Enebi, confirmed the situation to Footy Africa: “The process is still ongoing and has not been completed yet. Okonkwo is one we are looking at, but as of today, his international switch has not been concluded.”

Enebi added that Okonkwo is among several players under consideration as the coaching staff evaluate areas of the squad that may need strengthening.

While he remains ineligible for official fixtures until FIFA approval is granted, Okonkwo could still be invited to join the national team for training ahead of upcoming tournaments in Amman. Enebi explained that such camps provide an opportunity for potential players to integrate with the squad even if administrative matters are still being finalised.

Okonkwo, 24, has been in excellent form this season, featuring in 35 matches across the English Championship (31), FA Cup (2) and EFL Cup (2).

This development keeps Nigerian fans hopeful about adding another promising goalkeeper to the Super Eagles’ roster once all formalities are completed.

Anthony Richardson Sr.’s future in Indianapolis faces more uncertainty than ever. 

The Indianapolis Colts granted Anthony Richardson, the team that used the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on the quarterback, permission to explore a trade. His agent, Deiric Jackson, confirmed the latest development in the 23-year-old’s tumultuous career to ESPN on Thursday.

Veteran quarterback Daniel Jones beat out Richardson in a preseason competition for the starting job. Jones made the most of another opportunity as an NFL starter, helping the Colts win eight of their first 10 games of the 2025 regular season. 

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson heads off the field after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

However, his season was ultimately derailed by an Achilles injury. The setback came two years after he tore an ACL with the New York Giants. The Colts appear ready to move forward with Jones, clouding Richardson’s future in Indianapolis.

Jones is set to become a free agent in March, meaning the Colts must either use the franchise tag or sign him to a new deal. Richardson has started just 15 games in three seasons with the Colts, his tenure largely shaped by injuries. 

A shoulder surgery limited Richardson to four games during his rookie campaign, while a series of setbacks cost him four games in 2024. 

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) looks for an open receiver during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)

Richardson suffered what was described as a “freak pregame incident” during warmups last season, landing him on injured reserve after attempting just two passes in two games in 2025. He has thrown 11 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in his NFL career. 

Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Tuesday that the vision problems stemming from Richardson’s orbital fracture last October are “trending in the right direction.” He added that Richardson has been “cleared to play.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson (5) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Riley Leonard, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, is expected to return to the Colts next season.

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When asked about Richardson’s standing with the Colts moving ahead, Ballard replied, “I still believe in Anthony.”

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You’re in the thick of the draft and can’t decide between two players. The logical choice is to target the one whose position is nearest to dropping off. But where are the drop-offs? That’s what these tiers denote. Players whose impact is essentially the same are bundled together, revealing at a glance how many alike choices remain. With these tiers in hand, you’ll have all you need to determine in real time which position is most appropriate to draft next.

• Position Tiers (v. 2.0): C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP
• Position Strategies: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP

Below are the relief pitcher tiers for 2026, which show a starker contrast than usual between the haves and have-nots as far as saves are concerned. The true standouts are plentiful in number, beginning with an elite tier that runs six deep, but The Last Resorts reveal the shocking number of teams that still have yet to choose between their (mostly bad) options.

The Elite: Mason Miller, Edwin Diaz, Andres Munoz, Cade Smith, Aroldis Chapman, Jhoan Duran
The Near-Elite: David Bednar, Devin Williams, Raisel Iglesias, Josh Hader
The Next-Best Things: Jeff Hoffman, Ryan Helsley, Emilio Pagan, Daniel Palencia
The Fallback Options: Carlos Estevez, Trevor Megill, Kenley Jansen, Pete Fairbanks, Dennis Santana, Seranthony Dominguez
The Last Resorts: Ryan Walker, Griffin Jax, Alexis Diaz, Riley O’Brien, Kirby Yates, Taylor Rogers, Justin Sterner, Kevin Ginkel, Seth Halvorsen, Clayton Beeter
The Next-in-Line: Abner Uribe, Bryan Abreu, Robert Suarez, JoJo Romero, Edwin Uceta, Robert Garcia, Garrett Cleavinger, Paul Sewald, Cole Sands, Elvis Alvarado, Victor Vodnik

Chris Waller, the champion trainer, lacks just one key Group 1 Australian Guineas on his otherwise stellar curriculum vitae.

He will attempt to fill that void with Sixties contesting the 1600m three-year-old race at Flemington this Saturday.

Waller has devoted careful strategy to Sixties’ bid in the 2026 Guineas, relocating the colt to Melbourne for left-handed racing practice in advance of the showdown.

Sixties emulates 2024’s Riff Rocket by claiming the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington in February, yet Waller expects an improved showing in the Guineas.

Riff Rocket ended third as the $2.50 favourite to Southport Tycoon in 2024’s Guineas, subsequently securing the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby in Sydney.

“He’s very fit and ready for his Grand Final,” Waller said of Sixties.

“He’s had the two runs back from a spell and both have been pretty impressive to my eyes.

“After the Golden Rose it was either the Australian Guineas or Randwick Guineas and we’ve got Autumn Boy in Sydney, so we decided to split them up.

“He needed to run well first-up, which he did, and he needed a run left-handed, which he did well, and he’s kept improving.

“It’s another step up on Saturday, but he’s the right horse to be able to do it.”

Damian Lane, successful aboard Sixties in the C S Hayes Stakes, takes the mount once more on Saturday before his careless riding suspension begins.

Barrier 10 poses a hurdle for Sixties, compounded by the threat from Victoria Derby winner Observer, who impressed on resumption winning the Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield February 7.

Sixties offers flexibility and a top-notch attitude, Waller highlighted.

“He’s led and won Stakes races before and he’s come from back and he’s sat wide,” Waller said.

“The beauty of Sixties is, he’s got a great temperament. Wherever Damian wants to be, he’ll be responsive and he will settle if he does ask him a question early.

“I think we’ll leave it to Damian, see how they leave the barriers, see how the first 200 metres suggests where other horses are.

“He doesn’t need to be too far away and if he wants to, he can settle.”

The trainer views Observer as his primary rival.

“He’s a good horse and the distance will suit him,” Waller said.

“His first-up win was terrific and he looks very good, but hopefully he’s not as good as Sixties.”

Waller also has Officiate entered, with Ben Melham riding.

“He needs to improve a little bit. He’s a rough chance,” Waller said.

Discover competitive racing odds on the Australian Guineas at leading betting sites.