A heavyweight veteran has taken issue with the timing of Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to relinquish his titles, given that he could have fought for a vacant strap earlier this year.

While maintaining his status as the lineal heavyweight champion, Usyk chose to vacate his WBC, IBF and WBA belts towards the end of last month.

In doing so, the Ukrainian enabled Agit Kabayel and Murat Gassiev to respectively be upgraded to full WBC and WBA champions, while his old IBF title remains up for grabs.

But while allowing others to progress in the sport, Usyk has afforded himself just one more fight before calling time on a phenomenal career.

This news follows his 11th-round stoppage over Rico Verhoeven in May, when the two-division undisputed champion encountered a tougher-than-expected night’s work.

And with Usyk subsequently announcing that he has one fight left, many felt this decision was inspired by his difficulty in dispatching a former kickboxing champion.

Either way, the 39-year-old’s deliberation meant that Derek Chisora was unable to fight for a vacant IBF title when he faced Deontay Wilder in April.

According to Usyk, Chisora gave him the toughest fight of his career when they went the distance in 2020. ‘Del Boy’ ultimately lost via a hard-fought unanimous decision, with the judges’ scorecards reflecting a closely contested bout.

Speaking with Seconds Out, the 42-year-old explained that he had even attempted to pressure his former opponent into making a decision so he could have one last shot at a world title.

“Let’s not talk about that guy. Usyk p*ssed me off because I phoned his manager, I phoned him – even FaceTimed him – and he showed me his beautiful baby girl. He was at home with his family.

“I was like, ‘Bro, I’m fighting Deontay Wilder. Drop the IBF Heavyweight who gave Usyk ‘his toughest fight’ brands him ‘selfish’ over world title decision: “He’s a mug”. Do this for me as a friend’. [He said] ‘I’ll let you know’.

“F**king mug. He’s a c**t, that guy. We pressured him; we phoned him every day, and he didn’t play ball. Then, suddenly, he boxed a kickboxer [Verhoeven] and realised he’s not the same [fighter].

Advertisement

“That was selfish of him [to keep the belts].”

With Chisora losing a split decision to Wilder, he would have been unable to win the IBF title which, instead, is set to be contested by mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez in due course.

A debut at Flemington was not initially on the cards for Stern Idol, but with his steeplechase rivals withdrawing, a revised plan could see him chase an emotional victory for his connections.

The highly-regarded steeplechaser is among 21 entries for this Saturday’s $150,000 Deane Lester Flemington Cup.

The 2800-metre race is named in honour of the late form analyst and media personality, who also served as racing advisor to Stern Idol’s managing owner, Gerry Ryan.

Stern Idol was originally set to contest the Mosstrooper Steeplechase on Sunday, but the race was scratched due to him being the sole acceptor. Ciaron Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull explained that the alternative options were a start at Flemington or a jumps trial at Coleraine two days later.

Turnbull is in regular contact with Maher, who is currently in the UK, and Gerry Ryan. Both are agreeable to utilising the Deane Lester Flemington Cup as a final lead-up to the Crisp Steeplechase (4200m) at Sandown on August 2, which is anticipated to be Stern Idol’s final career start.

“I had a chat with Ciaron over in London and it’s something that we are considering,” Turnbull said regarding the prospect of a Flemington appearance.

“I’ve spoken to Gerry and he’s happy to do so.

“He needs a hitout. Whether or not that’s Flemington or at the trials, he’ll receive that.”

Having won 18 of his 42 starts, Stern Idol has raced 29 times in Australia, with only six of those domestic runs being on the flat.

His first Australian start was an eighth-place finish in a 2400m BM64 at Swan Hill’s June carnival in 2022. This mirrored his result in the 2024 Listed Sandown Cup, while his other four flat runs have been in the 3000m BM70 at Sandown each March.

After winning that race in 2023, Stern Idol finished second the following year, third in 2025, and fourth this year.

He achieved wins at Terang and Warrnambool, including the Brierly Steeplechase(3450m), before a third-place finish in his most recent outing, the Australian Steeplechase (3900m).

Turnbull stated that the team was disappointed the nine-year-old didn’t get the chance to compete in the Mosstrooper, but he is confident it won’t hinder his chances in the Crisp Steeplechase.

“He doesn’t need to jump, he doesn’t need the practice,” he commented.

“It’s more about just having him go into the race as well as we can have him.

“I don’t think the actual lack of the race will affect his prep, because he is fit.”

Stern Idol is nominated for the Deane Lester Flemington Cup alongside stablemate Smokin’ Romans. However, Turnbull indicated that the veteran Group 1 winner is more likely to contest the 2000m BM100 on the same program.

Consider the available Australian betting sites for betting markets for the race.

Two of the top three teams in FIFA rankings will meet in a World Cup 2026 semifinal on Tuesday as Spain take on France. Led by Kylian Mbappe, France are ranked No. 1 and coming off a 2-0 quarterfinals victory over Morocco. The third-ranked Spaniards, who feature teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, defeated Belgium, 2-1, in the quarters to reach their second ever World Cup semifinal. Spain are aiming for their second championship at this tournament, while France are hoping to become the fifth nation with at least three World Cup titles.

Kickoff for Spain vs. France is 3 p.m. ET from Dallas Stadium. Spain won the last meeting, 5-4, in June 2025. The latest France vs. Spain odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list France at +135 (risk $100 to win $135) on the 90-minute money line, with Spain at +210 and a draw also at +210. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. France are -150 to advance to the final, with Spain at +128. Before locking in any Spain vs. France picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the France vs. Spain predictions from SportsLine’s Jon Eimer.

Eimer is a high-volume bettor who has vast knowledge of leagues and players across the globe. Since joining SportsLine, he has covered the English Premier League, Champions League, Serie A, the FA Cup, and much more. He’s been red-hot on his soccer betting picks in 2026, posting a 31-13-2 record and returning over $1,200 of profit on his Champions League picks. He’s also on a 25-16-2 run (61%) on World Cup picks. Anyone following his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen positive returns.

Now, Eimer has studied France vs. Spain 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 France vs. Spain:

Top France vs. Spain predictions

After examining Spain vs. France from every angle, Eimer is leaning Over 2.5 total goals (-110). The last three meetings between these two have all gone over 2.5 goals, including a nine-goal thriller in their most recent matchup. There’s been an average of 3.3 total goals over their last 11 competitive matchups, with their most recent World Cup meeting seeing four combined goals.

France have the best offense in the sport, and of their last 15 matches, 13 have had at least three combined goals. Spain finally conceding in their last game will give the French even more confidence they can find the back of the net, but the Spaniards should also contribute to the Over. Their last 10 matches versus European opponents have averaged 3.3 combined goals, and they’ve been aggressive throughout this tournament in looking to score, ranking second among all teams in shot attempts on goal and attempts from outside the penalty area. See Eimer’s best bets for France vs. Spain at SportsLine, and you can bet the Over in Spain vs. France at FanDuel here:

How to make Spain vs. France picks

After studying the France vs. Spain matchup from every angle, Eimer has found a critical x-factor and locked in three best bets, including two that return plus-money You can head to SportsLine to see what they are. 

So what are the best bets for Spain vs. France? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for France vs. Spain, all from expert on a 25-16 roll on World Cup picks, and find out.

St. Louis Cardinals budding star Jordan Walker broke the hearts of the Philadelphia Phillies faithful on Monday night, defeating Kyle Schwarber on a walk-off blast to win the 2026 Home Run Derby.

Walker hit 12 home runs in his final round, edging out Schwarber’s 11 in a new format from MLB. With his parents watching, Walker’s final home run hit the left field seats and he celebrated in the only way you do when you win the Home Run Derby to be crowned the league’s best slugger during All-Star weekend.

Once again, MLB introduced a new format to the Home Run Derby, this time giving all eight contestants 20 swings to hit as many home runs as possible. The one caveat: if your final swing results in a home run, you continue swinging until it doesn’t leave the yard.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals poses for a photo during the 2026 All-Star player photoshoot at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Monday, July 13, 2026. (Rob Tringali/MLB Photos)

In this format, players didn’t have to battle a clock or focus on how far they hit balls to enter a bonus round. They could lock in and take their time if need be.

Boston Red Sox star Willson Contreras, who has been paramount in the team’s turnaround this season prior to hitting the All-Star break, set the tone with 13 homers in his 20 swings. But Walker matched him, as they both were the bar to reach to make it to the semifinals.

FORMER HOME RUN DERBY PARTICIPANT DISCUSSES WHY MLB ALL-STAR FESTIVITIES ARE THE BEST IN SPORTS

Kansas City Royals’ Jac Caglianone hit the third deck in right field, but his eight homers weren’t enough to propel him to the next round. And Chicago White Sox new fan favorite Munetaka Murakami hit nine to at least give himself a chance.

But Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero belted 12 home runs following New York Yankees’ Ben Rice seven-homer showing. With three hitters in double digits, the hometown favorites, Schwarber and Bryce Harper, knew they could punch their own tickets to the next round.

Schwarber was first, hitting 10 home runs, which put some pressure on Harper. His Phillies teammate could either hit more than 10 to move on, or fall out himself.

Harper was only able to crush eight homers, leaving Schwarber as the final semifinalist. But he didn’t disappoint.

In the semifinals, 15 swings was now the cutoff, and Schwarber started to find his groove. The left-handed slugger was mashing balls into the stratosphere, bashing nine to set the tone against Contreras. The Red Sox star came close with eight homers, but it wasn’t enough as the Phillies star entered the finals to the delight of the Citizens Bank Park crowd.

Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals competes during the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., on July 13, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

In the other matchup, Walker continued his run, edging out Caminero 6-5 to put him in contention for the Home Run Derby trophy.

But once again, Schwarber, using the cheers from his crowd in Philly, was unstoppable. He bashed 11 of his 15 swings over the fence, putting immense pressure on Walker, who took swings second.

Walker was up to the challenge when it was his time to hit, hitting four homers to start things off. But with only seven left, Walker knew he needed to be perfect to reach Schwarber.

With just one swing left and seven homers, Walker had to make a run. The suspense was killer for all watching, as Walker managed to get to 10 home runs.

Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies competes during the semifinals of the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 13, 2026. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

As he took a couple pitches, Walker found every stitch of the blast that tied him with Schwarber, as the Phillies-heavy crowd murmured. Then, Walker, patient again, hit a moonshot to left field to ice his victory.

Walker is tied 10th in MLB this season with 22 home runs, while hitting .294 for the Cardinals with 74 RBI.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Derek Chisora anticipates a “hard fight” between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic, but believes one man has the ability to “dig deep” and emerge victorious.

The pair will square off at London’s O2 Arena on August 29, with Itauma headlining his third Queensberry card as he looks to join the world scene.

Already, the 21-year-old is ranked No.1 with the WBO and WBA, while the IBF have ordered a vacant title fight between him and seasoned contender Frank Sanchez.

Should he come through Hrgovic, then perhaps Itauma will land the Sanchez opportunity, with his team potentially negotiating a deal behind the scenes.

Until then, though, the heavyweight prodigy must prove himself against a consensus top 10 contender, taking a sizable step-up following his fifth-round finish over Jermaine Franklin in March.

Hrgovic, after all, is no slouch, having lost only to Daniel Dubois after being stopped on cuts in round eight of their June 2024 encounter.

Since then, the Croatian has leaked blood in each of his victories over Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and Dave Allen, wearing varying degrees of cuts around his eyes.

And it is partly for this reason, in fact, that heavyweight veteran Chisora has backed Itauma in an interview with Seconds Out.

“It’s going to be a hard fight, but Moses is going to dig deep and he’s going to win. We know how Hrgovic gets cut, and how he sometimes feels sorry for himself when he gets hit.

“But I believe Moses is going to come through that fight. He’s a young lion.”

Chisora went on to consider a potential fight between Itauma and Dubois, the current WBO champion, expecting these two to be leading the next generation of heavyweights.

India’s preparations for the opening ODI against England gathered pace on Tuesday as the visitors put fielding at the centre of their training session at Edgbaston, with head coach Gautam Gambhir closely monitoring the proceedings ahead of the three-match series. The session, overseen by strength and conditioning coach Adrian Le Roux and fielding coach T. Dilip, featured a series of high-intensity drills aimed at improving agility, catching and ground fielding in English conditions.

The players began with a warm-up routine that included a football exercise, with captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Prince Yadav, and others passing the ball in small groups as they moved across the ground. The activity was followed by dedicated fielding drills, with Dilip splitting the squad into two groups to maximise catching practice and ensure every player remained actively involved.

Addressing the players during the session, Dilip stressed the importance of quick movement in the field, particularly in conditions where sharp reflexes can make a decisive difference.

“England demands you to be faster with your feet, whether it is catch, or ground fielding. That’s one aspect we’ll try to get better. If your leg reaches to the ball, we’re good,” Dilip said while addressing the group.

The training session also had its lighter moments. Virat Kohli was seen sharing laughs with teammates during the drills, with visuals released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) capturing the relaxed atmosphere despite the demanding workload.

Meanwhile, Gambhir observed the session from the sidelines as India fine-tuned their preparations for the series opener.

The three-match contest marks the return of several senior players, including Rohit, Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, to India’s ODI setup.

With the series also forming an important step in the team’s build-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup, the visitors will look to begin the campaign on a positive note when they take on England in the opening match at Edgbaston.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Australia vice-captain Ashleigh Gardner‘s controversy involving her estranged wife, Monica Wright, has become one of the biggest talking points in cricket circles. Gardner, who is reportedly separated from her wife since November 2025, is publicly accused by Wright of having an affair with teammate Georgia Voll. The allegations came to light following a Daily Mail report claiming that Gardner’s marriage broke down after she allegedly cheated on her wife with a fellow cricketer. While the report does not identify the individual, Wright later takes to social media to make a direct accusation.

While Gardner or Cricket Australia are yet to comment on the matter publicly, a fresh detail adds a new twist to the controversy.

According to an unnamed source quoted by the Daily Mail, Gardner and Voll are understood to have started a relationship during Australia’s World Cup campaign in India last year. Wright reportedly travelled to India to support her wife, unaware of the alleged affair.

“Monica then visited to see her wife for the World Cup,” the insider claimed.

“It was a little bit weird. Monica sat next to Georgia at one point. She was being friendly, as she normally is. It felt like something was off with Ash, but we thought it was just the pressure of the World Cup.”

After Australia were knocked out by India in the semi-finals, Gardner returned to Sydney and allegedly informed Wright about the affair.

“When they got home, Ash said, ‘Hey, look, can we talk?’ She sat Monica down and said, ‘I messed up,’” stated the source.

The couple reportedly had plans to start a family before their separation, but the Daily Mail claimed that Gardner moved out of their Sydney home in November and left behind their wedding rings in a cupboard. 

“They were about to go to the fertility clinic. They had a booking that Monica had to cancel,” the insider said.

“Ash left one day. Monica came home and everything of Ash’s was gone, except for the rings. She left the wedding rings in the cupboard. Just the box of wedding rings, and that was it,” the source added.

Featured Video Of The Day

UK & Norway PM Sport Football Jerseys Ahead Of England, Norway Quarterfinal Clash

Johnny Nelson has raised major concerns about a heavyweight that holds wins over some of the biggest names in the division.

Nelson arguably ended his career at the perfect time, retiring as WBO cruiserweight champion back in 2005 after nearly seven straight years in possession of the belt, making him the longest reigning world cruiserweight champion in history.

Since hanging up the gloves, he has gone on to become one of the leading pundits in the UK, and he has now voiced his worries for his countryman and heavyweight fighter Joe Joyce.

Joyce was once seen as one of the stars of the division, claiming stoppage victories over Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker, but back-to-back losses to Zhilei Zhang in 2023 derailed the career of the Olympic silver medallist.

He has since suffered three further losses, beaten on points by both Derek Chisora and Filip Hrgovic, before a TKO loss to Artem Suslenkov in Russia on Saturday.

Speaking to TalkSport, Nelson expressed how concerned he was for Joyce.

“He’s going to regret it. When he’s 45, 50 and he can’t remember where he put his shoes or his back is hurting, it has all the after effects of boxing too long. You’ll hear it in his speech, listen to how he talks now.

“What we do as fighters is we’re willing to sell our souls to the devil and say ‘you know what, I don’t know what it costs, I’m going in.’ He’s not thinking about his health or tomorrow. What about his family. What about their concern?”

Advertisement

Joyce is yet to make a decision on his future after the latest defeat, but at 40-years-old, many fans are urging him to make the decision to retire.