James Dean Fury has always loved boxing, basically since he was born, but it was only when he started training with his uncle, Peter Fury, that he really began to understand the sport.

Given his name, it is hardly surprising that the latest Fury to turn professional has been immersed in boxing for all of his 20 years.

In fact, the super-middleweight prospect tells Boxing News that he struggles to recall a time when he was involved in anything else.

“I’ve been around the sport all my life; was born and bred into it. So my first activity, as a kid, was obviously boxing.

“When I was born, my mum and dad bought me a pair of gloves and a rope – like a little boxing kit for babies – and, when I first walked into the gym, I just fell in love with it. I loved getting punched in the face and punching other people in the face.

“From around seven or eight years old, I knew this was what I wanted to do for a living. I believe God put me on this planet to fight because, when I’m not boxing, there’s nothing else for me to do.”

It is one thing developing a passion for something, like boxing, but learning how to succeed at something is another matter entirely.

Fortunately, James Dean Fury did not have to go searching far and wide for a knowledgeable teacher, yet still he needed to prove worthy of such valuable tutelage.

“When I started training with my uncle Peter at 13 years old, he really opened my eyes and gave me a clear understanding of where I want to go.

“If I sat here and told you everything I’ve learned off my uncle Peter, we’d be here till Christmas.

“But when I was about 14 years old, he tested me. He put me in a trailer [caravan], just to see if I was really dedicated. Then he took me on full-time.”

As a three-time national amateur champion and 2025 Box Cup winner, it is fair to say that James Dean Fury has proved a receptive student.

But now, the young Fury must go one step further and establish himself in the pro ranks, starting with his Boxxer debut on August 8.

Having inked a deal with Ben Shalom’s promotional outfit, he will feature on the undercard of Troy Williamson vs Callum Simpson 2, hoping to show fans that he possesses the indigents to win a world title.

“I’ve always been competitive – whether I’m running a race, at a school sports day or playing a board game … I want to win.

“And when it comes to fighting – something I’ve put my whole life into – please, believe me, I will win. I’ve sacrificed everything for this.”

With such competitive spirit, even the attention that comes with his family name does not seem to faze the cousin of a two-time heavyweight champion.

“Whoever you jump in the ring with, they’re going to try and take your head off. No one’s in there to have a dance with me, especially when they hear my name. We’re in the hurt game.”

It might be a cliché, but James Dean clearly does have boxing in his DNA, along with a fierce desire to reach the pinnacle of his sport.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has left the club with immediate effect after informing the club’s hierarchy of his decision to step down.

The 48-year-old brings an end to a successful spell at St James’ Park, having taken charge in November 2021 shortly after the club’s takeover. His final game in charge was a 4-1 defeat to Bristol City in a pre-season friendly.

Howe is understood to have told Newcastle officials around two weeks ago that he wanted to leave. Although the club initially asked him to reconsider, they later accepted his decision and requested that he remain in charge until a replacement was identified.

Reports suggest Howe’s decision was influenced by concerns over the club’s transfer activity this summer. Newcastle have already lost several key players, including Alexander Isak, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon, while uncertainty also surrounds the future of captain Bruno Guimarães.

Despite the challenges, Howe leaves after overseeing one of the club’s most successful periods in recent history. He guided Newcastle to the 2025 Carabao Cup title, ending the club’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy, and also secured UEFA Champions League qualification on two occasions.

During his time at the club, Howe won 84 of his 179 Premier League matches, making him Newcastle’s most successful manager in terms of league victories.

Meanwhile, Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli manager Matthias Jaissle is expected to be appointed as Howe’s successor.

The 38-year-old German coach has enjoyed an impressive rise in management, winning back-to-back AFC Champions League titles with Al-Ahli after previously lifting two Austrian Bundesliga titles and the Austrian Cup with RB Salzburg.

Howe is not expected to take up another coaching role immediately and is believed to be planning a break from football before deciding on his next move.

You’ve likely been hearing a lot about mini drivers — a club category that exists in between regular drivers and 3-woods.

What is a mini driver exactly? Mini drivers generally have stronger lofts than 3-woods but weaker lofts than drivers. They also have smaller heads and shorter shaft lengths than standard drivers, which makes them more forgiving and easier to hit off the tee.

“Mini drivers have taken the world by storm over the last couple of years,” said True Spec VP of sales Matt Morin. “With the game of golf evolving, we have also seen a ‘turn-back-in-time’ movement. The traditional driver’s head size and shape from the early 2000s were always the smaller profile that allowed the better player to be able to utilize the club off the fairway and the tee. The mini driver profile has become smaller than your traditional driver head shape but bigger than your modern 3-wood, which allows for more forgiveness on tee shots that do not call for the driver.”

So what can a mini driver do that a standard driver — or 3-wood — can’t? For many players, a mini driver provides some attractive new attributes, especially if regular drivers aren’t your strong suit.

“In today’s age, you are seeing players put the mini driver in their back pocket for a second crutch off the tee if they tend to struggle with their driver,” Morin said. “With the sole technology and center of gravity positioning, the mini driver has become a far easier club to hit off the deck even without the perfect lie. This has become a home run in the amateur game.

“At the professional level, Tour players are leaning more towards the mini driver as an off-the-tee club,” Morin continued. “This is mainly due to the increase in lengths of golf courses that they are playing week in and week out, where the modern-day 3-wood is not going the distance that is needed.”

So how do you know if a mini driver would be a good fit for your game? According to Morin, players should take a thoughtful look at their general pattern of play and on-course personality.

“For amateur-level players, they need to be aware that the club will not be as versatile as your traditional 3-wood,” he said. “It’s important to decipher what the main goal of putting a mini driver in the bag is. Will it be primarily an off-the-tee club? Even though you can hit a mini driver off the deck, a higher handicap will not be able to produce the same quality or consistency of shot out of the fairway that you would with a 3-wood if the lie is not perfect.

“If, like many amateur players, you struggle with fairway woods off the tee, you probably tend to generate very high spin rates and very high peak height,” he continued. “The mini driver is a great option to bring both of those data metrics down. This player type will benefit from the mini driver off the fairway, because a well-struck shot will keep the flight down.”

Uefa will discuss boycotting the World Cup in response to Gianni Infantino’s controversial plans to sell of stakes in Fifa’s major tournaments to external investors, including members of Donald Trump’s family.

The governing body of European football has led the furious response to Infantino’s proposals and called an emergency meeting to discuss how to they can leverage their position. That includes the threat of boycotting the tournament, as a World Cup without major nations such as champions Spain, France, Germany and England would be hugely damaging to Infantino.

Uefa were left dismayed that Infantino has given Fifa’s member associations just 53 days to decide their position and were outraged by Infantino promising a $40m (£30m) windfall to nations who back the proposals, or have the one-off payment withdrawn. “This says everything you need to know about this plan,” Uefa said in a statement on Wednesday.

Uefa, which previously said that Infantino’s plans “crossed a line”, will hold their emergency meeting with its 55 member associations virtually and knows it will require support from another confederation to block Infantino’s plans. Meanwhile, the head of the Czech FA backed Fifa’s proposals on Wednesday, which suggests Infantino carries some support within Europe as well.

Follow all the latest news from the Uefa emergency meeting, below

What will Uefa’s emergency meeting look like?

It’s set to start at 2pm this afternoon and will be held virtually, with the heads of the 55 member associations logging onto what will essentially be a Zoom meeting.

The meeting won’t be streamed online, but news from what is discussed is certain to trickle out over the course of the afternoon.

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Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 11:24

How can Uefa stop Gianni Infantino’s plans?

Gianni Infantino needs a majority vote from Fifa’s 211 member associations (50 per cent + one) and the backing from the Fifa Council. He has confirmed that a vote will take place on 19 September, which is just 53 days after the plans were leaked to the media via The Times on Tuesday.

Uefa’s members make up 55 of Fifa’s 211 national associations – so they cannot stop the vote outright and they would need support from at least one other confederation, such as North America, Asia, Africa or South America. But where Uefa do have leverage is that the World Cup would not be the same without countries Spain, France and England – three of the four semi-finalists from this summer’s tournament.

The threat of a boycott is a powerful card to play – but do they have the courage to play it?

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Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 11:20

What is Gianni Infantino trying to do?

On Tuesday, Fifa revealed plans to create a new subsidiary to manage the commercial rights and delivery of the World Cup and other major tournaments, with Gianni Infantino confirming that the new company – ‘Fifa Forward Enterprises (FFE)’ – would be open to external capital investment.

Private investors will be sought to “make minority, non-controlling investments” in the company. The investor group for FFE is set to be led by Thrive Eternal, founded earlier this year by Joshua Kushner – the brother of US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Fifa is working with bankers at JPMorgan to raise billions of dollars by bringing in external investors to take as much as a 20 per cent stake.

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In a statement, Fifa said it would “raise up to $4.2bn later this year” to fund the project, “based on an initial equity valuation of $20bn by carefully selecting long-term investors who will purchase minority, non-controlling interests … All net benefits will be reinvested back into football worldwide.”

Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 11:11

What has Uefa said about Gianni Infantino’s World Cup proposals?

Uefa, the governing body of European football and a long-term critic of Fifa president Gianni Infantino, said in a statement: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross.

“Uefa takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game. The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially.

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“None of us are the owners of football. It is not Fifa’s to sell.”

Jamie Braidwood30 July 2026 11:04

Uefa to discuss boycotting World Cup in emergency meeting after Fifa bombshell

Uefa will hold an emergency meeting this afternoon, where the prospect of boycotting the World Cup will be discussed as leverage against Gianni Infantino’s controversial plan to privatise the tournament.

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Next steps with the European Union will also be raised, as the European Commission scrutinises whether Infantino’s project contravenes protections that are afforded as regards competition law.

Fifa’s plan has provoked fury in most of the European game, to the point that an alliance of all major stakeholders is gaining strength.

Bodies including the Football Association, European Leagues, European Football Clubs, the Union of European Clubs, the Football Supporters Association and Football Supporters Europe have already released strident statements, mostly condemning the lack of proper process, but with some going much further and demanding drastic change at the top of the game.

Miguel Delaney, Chief Football Writer30 July 2026 11:01

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The Detroit Tigers are reportedly calling up top prospect Max Clark for this weekend’s series against the Athletics, giving fans their first look at one of the most important players in the organization’s future.

Emily Waldon first reported the promotion Thursday morning, with Cody Stavenhagen later confirming that Clark will join Detroit for the upcoming series.

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Max Clark Earns His Opportunity

Clark, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, has spent the 2026 season with Triple-A Toledo.

The 21-year-old center fielder is batting .276 with a .368 on-base percentage and a .434 slugging percentage through 90 games. He has recorded 20 doubles, 11 home runs, 42 RBIs and 21 stolen bases.

Clark has also shown the strike-zone awareness that helped establish him as Detroit’s No. 1 prospect, drawing 50 walks while striking out 66 times.

The Tigers have moved him aggressively through the farm system, and his combination of speed, defense and on-base ability has kept him on a fast track toward Comerica Park.

What Clark’s Promotion Means for Detroit

It was not immediately clear whether Clark’s promotion would be permanent or limited to the weekend series.

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Either way, the move gives Detroit an opportunity to evaluate its prized young outfielder against major-league pitching while injecting some excitement into the roster.

Clark has been viewed as a central piece of the Tigers’ long-term plans since draft night. Now, Detroit fans are about to get their first glimpse of what he can do at baseball’s highest level.

Bottom Line

Max Clark is headed to the majors.

After steadily climbing through Detroit’s system, the Tigers’ top prospect will reportedly join the club for its weekend series against the Athletics. Whether this is a brief look or the beginning of his permanent stay, one of the organization’s most anticipated debuts is finally here.

JR Motorsports co-owner Kelley Earnhardt reacted with a four-word message after the team revealed a special tribute paint scheme honoring the late NASCAR driver Michael Annett for the upcoming O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Iowa Speedway. The event is scheduled to be held on Saturday, August 8.

The honor comes less than a year after Annett’s passing in December 2025 at the age of 39. He drove for Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kelley Earnhardt owned JR Motorsports from 2017 through 2021.

To celebrate his lasting legacy, JRM driver Sammy Smith, who shared a close friendship with Annett, will pilot a throwback version of the #8 Chevrolet inspired by Annett’s iconic 2017 Pilot Flying J paint scheme. The car also features Annett’s signature shamrock, a symbol long associated with the Iowa native throughout his racing career.

JRM shared the video of the special livery on Wednesday on their official social media accounts. Kelley Earnhardt posted the video on her Instagram story and wrote:

“We miss you Michael”

Annett’s lone win came with JRM in the 2019 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The Iowa-native also had three playoff berths and three ninth-place finishes in the points standings over the five years at JRM.

Kelley Earnhardt’s JRM driver Sammy Smith reacts to represent Michael Annett-inspired tribute livery at Iowa

The tribute carries added significance as the 2026 season heads to Iowa, Annett’s home-state track. The recreated 2017 Pilot Flying J design pays homage to one of the most recognizable paint schemes from Annett’s career and serves as a reminder of the impact he had on those around him.

Kelley Earnhardt’s JRM driver Sammy Smith’s connection to Annett makes the tribute even more meaningful.

In the video uploaded on Instagram, Smith expressed his emotions paying tribute to Annett, saying:

“Michael meant so much to me personally. I would say he probably was one of the biggest reasons I probably started racing. Kind of just growing up around the track watching him. Being from Iowa, I’m from Iowa. He grew up, he’s pretty much family to us. I think he was kind of right to do it at Iowa.”

“The Shamrock, it was kind of Michael’s thing. He always ran it on the back of his helmets pretty much through his whole career. I plan on carrying it with me the rest of my career and I think it’s just something to carry along for me personally and hopefully it’s making him proud. really cool that Pilot allowed us to do this for Iowa Weekend. It’s very special.”

Kelley Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports is leading the owners’ points standings and is the clear favorite to win the owners championship title.