Speaking to the media following the loss to Walsh, Conlan explained his decision to retire.
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“In this last run, it was only for me. That’s why I have no shame in saying that’s enough. I did it for me and my family trying to reach the goal of being world champion. It’s not meant to be. That’s it.
“It doesn’t matter what way I was going to lose. If it was wide, if it was a robbery, it wasn’t enough to win clearly, so it’s enough to say goodbye.
“The last defeat before this one I’d have been kicking myself saying I should have given it another go, the fact that I did come back and try. That was the third time I’ve come back, god loves a trier. Hope he loves me.
“I want to say thank you to every single person. I’ve fought all around the world, New York, Vegas, Australia, England, Ireland. I always have had a great following and always stuck by me, even through defeats they’ve stuck by me. The appreciation goes beyond.”
After turning professional with an extremely loyal fan base behind him, Conlan would challenge for world honours on two occasions, and ends with a final record of 20 wins from 24 fights.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hinted that Martin Odegaard and Jurrien Timber could both be available for selection in Sunday’s EFL Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.
Odegaard, 27, has endured a difficult 2025-26 season, missing 21 matches across all competitions due to a number of injuries. He is currently recovering from a knee injury, with his last appearance coming as a substitute in a 4-1 Premier League win at Tottenham Hotspur last month.
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Timber, on the other hand, has been one of Arsenal’s most important players in the ongoing campaign, registering 11 goal involvements in 43 total outings. After being forced off with an ankle issue in a 2-0 win over Everton, he missed his side’s UEFA Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen earlier this Tuesday.
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During a pre-match press conference, Arteta was asked to shed light on Odegaard and Timber’s injuries and whether the pair will be fit to feature against Manchester City. He replied (h/t GOAL):
“We have another training session (on Saturday), so the ones that are in contention hopefully can give us good news. We have another session, so let’s see if they can make it.”
Opining on his selection headache, the Spaniard added:
“Everybody has been involved in the competition, and on the last day when you have the option to be at Wembley, not to give the opportunity for someone to be there, it’s difficult. So, yes, it’s something to think about.”
Arsenal, who have a nine-point lead over City in the Premier League table, boast a fine head-to-head record against Pep Guardiola’s outfit. They are unbeaten in their last six meetings across all competitions against the Cityzens, winning three.
Arsenal told to keep Martin Odegaard
During a chat with FruityKing, ex-Arsenal midfielder Anders Limpar suggested that his former team should not cash in on Martin Odegaard in the near future. He said (h/t Metro):
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“It would be dangerous for Arsenal to sell Martin Odegaard. The other players rely on him so much. The way he shows for the ball and dictates games, who is he taking the pressure off? Declan Rice and that lets Declan Rice do his stuff. He takes the pressure off Martin Zubimendi too.”
Odegaard, whose Gunners contract will run out in June 2028, has scored 42 goals and provided 45 assists in 225 overall outings for the north London outfit so far. He has captained his side to three straight second-place Premier League finishes and one FA Community Shield win.
Kelly Somers: Well, James… good to see you. I always start these interviews by going back to the very beginning. What would a young James Milner have made of what you have achieved – becoming the Premier League all-time record appearance holder?
James Milner: Yeah, I think it’s hard to say. I suppose when you’re that age, you’re just trying to get in the first team, first and foremost… get in and around there and stay in there, and then: ‘What’s the next thing?’ It’s always ‘what’s the next achievement?’ and ‘never rest on your laurels’ sort of thing really. So, yeah, I definitely wouldn’t be thinking too far ahead – never mind 20-odd years ahead and thinking I’d still be playing.
Kelly: Has it all been quite surreal because there’s been so much understandable hype around it… you getting to the record… when you were going to break it and the fact that you have. Has it been quite weird?
Milner: For me, yeah, I’ve obviously been asked about it a lot…
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Kelly: Sorry to add to that list of people asking…
James: No, no… it is obviously a nice thing in terms of people acknowledging that it’s a big number. It’s a lot of games, but I’ve just been concentrating on doing my job for Brighton really, and if I hit the number then great. It wasn’t something that I’m like: ‘Ah, I need to do this’. Everyone else asked lots of questions about it and I think the narrative around it then is like, that’s the only reason why I’m still playing, sort of thing. If you spoke to me, or anyone who knows me, I just want to contribute to my team and keep pushing and helping the club here.
There’s been some really nice tributes and stuff like that. Messages I’ve had obviously, which is… I don’t want to downplay those and sort of seem like it doesn’t matter or anything because obviously it’s so nice and some of the things people have said is fantastic… but, for me, individual stuff is something maybe you look at when you’ve finished. For me, it’s always about the team and just doing your job, and hopefully I can keep doing that.
Kelly: What is your first football memory then?
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James: First football memory would be Leeds United winning the First Division title [in 1991-92] and my dad picking me up in the lounge and throwing me round and saying: ‘Enjoy it – it might never happen again in your lifetime.’ I would have been five at that point.
Kelly: Oh really? So, at that point you knew it was Leeds for life?
James: Yeah, that was the first memory and then we started going to games and stuff after that. I had a season ticket and, yeah, it went from there.
Kelly: What about kicking a ball? Were you kicking it then? Were you showing an interest?
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James: Yeah, I mean maybe. I can’t remember much of it. I remember playing my first ever game for the local team. It was Westbrook Juniors and we lost 16-2 and it was like full-size pitch, full-size goals. You’ve got to bounce back from that score!
Kelly: I love that that’s stuck with you – the actual scoreline… exactly how many you conceded.
James: Yeah, it has. I played a season there and then that team stopped and then the next team I played for was under-12s – I think I was nine. And then I got scouted for Leeds.
Kelly: Which I imagine was the dream, wasn’t it… from your dad lifting you up?
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James: Yeah, it was weird really because until that point as a kid, I’d never really thought about being a footballer. Obviously, you love football and I was playing football, but it never crossed my mind that I could actually do it myself. Yeah, for whatever reason… I mean, you’re nine years old and you’re just being a kid really. So, that was the first time and then going and putting the Leeds training kit on and having a trial and… obviously that was special as a Leeds fan and that was the dream then.
Kelly: Can you remember your first training session at Leeds?
James: I remember my first training session with the reserves. David Batty was one side of me and someone else was on the other and I was like, ‘Oh my God’… like, it’s Batts… legend! And getting over that and then pretty quick, I got sent over to the first team.
I don’t know if someone got sent in or if they needed a number and it was like: ‘Go try him with the first team.’ You don’t have time to think about it when you get involved. I just remember the speed of it. It was like, ‘wow, this is ridiculous’.
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I remember, like, ‘welcome to the first team, kid’ sort of thing. You get tested, you get shouted at if you give the ball away. I remember breaking my nose actually in training. I got a pretty strong tackle from one of the younger players in the first team. I was 16, he was maybe 20. I got kicked in the face on the floor and broke my nose and… that was one of the early days.
You’ve got to toughen up and get on with it, but you know, the senior boys were great… [Danny] Mills and Gary Kelly and Mark Viduka. Alan Smith was, you know, the one I looked up to. He was the guy who’d come through the academy and scored with his first touch at Anfield and done what we all wanted to do.
Leeds‘ academy had been so great over the years, you know… Harry Kewell and [Jonathan] Woodgate, Paul Robinson, Alan Smith… the list goes on.
Looking back now, at 16, having just done my GCSEs and being with the first team, it’s like, ‘phew’ but at the time, you’re just focused and trying to prove that you belong there.
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Kelly: 2002 was quite a big year for you wasn’t it really, with everything? Was it first Premier League goal, Premier League appearance… and you were so young.
James: Yeah, I look back now and you think how young you were. Three, four months before, I’d been doing my GCSEs and my mates were still in sixth form and coming to watch at Elland Road.
Kelly: Can you remember your first goal?
James: Yeah. I think I’d come on early for Harry Kewell maybe. Jason Wilcox whipped it over and I got it at the front post. And then we played two days later at Elland Road – 26th, 28th we played – and, you know, came on early again – someone else got injured – and was lucky enough to score again.
Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been hurt the most by injury issues heading into IPL 2026. He highlighted that three of their overseas players are unlikely to be available at the start of the tournament.
Jack Edwards, one of SRH’s overseas signings, has reportedly been ruled out of IPL 2026. Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga, who missed the T20 World Cup 2026 due to injuries, haven’t yet been cleared by their respective boards.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ the former India batter reckoned that SRH is the franchise most adversely impacted due to injuries heading into IPL 2026.
“At this moment, it seems like a team that will be troubled a lot are the SunRisers Hyderabad. We came to know about the captain. Apart from him, there was hope that Jack Edwards is part of the team, and that he could be used, but you won’t be able to use him as well. He is not there. He has also left,” Chopra said.
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“So Jack Edwards has left and Pat Cummins isn’t available at the moment. Brydon Carse is there, but we don’t know about Eshan Malinga. So three of their overseas players aren’t available at the moment, and that is a big problem. So the SunRisers Hyderabad are at the greatest loss at the moment,” he added.
Aakash Chopra highlighted that the SunRisers Hyderabad would have to field Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Brydon Carse, and either Kamindu Mendis or Liam Livingstone as the four overseas players in their playing combination at the start of IPL 2026. He added that the Hyderabad-based side’s problems are compounded by the fact that they are playing only one of their first four games at home.
“It’s a slight issue for them” – Aakash Chopra on KKR’s injury concerns heading into IPL 2026
2025 IPL – Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings – Source: Getty
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is another franchise with injury-related issues heading into IPL 2026.
“Another team that was slightly troubled from earlier, and has become even more troubled are KKR because Harshit Rana is not there, Matheesha Pathirana’s status is not known, and Mustafizur Rahman is also not there. So it’s a slight issue for them,” he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) would be hit hard due to Sam Curran‘s potential absence.
“I am slightly worried about Sam Curran. Suddenly, they don’t have an all-rounder. I feel Sam Curran was very important in two aspects. One is that he bowls at the death, and when they would have gone to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, he would have been a force to reckon with. The side boundaries are long and he would have done the job with his slower ones, but he is not there now,” Chopra elaborated.
Chopra added that RR would once again lack batting depth and might be forced to play either Nandre Burger or Kwena Maphaka.
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“Who will bat at No. 8? Suddenly, their batting will stop at No. 7 one more time. They might try to use Shubham Dubey, but you have Ravindra Jadeja at No. 7. You would have had an option had Sam Curran been there, but now you might have to play one of Nandre Burger and Kwena Maphaka,” he observed.
Aakash Chopra highlighted that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) would not be able to play Lhuan-dre Pretorius as they don’t have any vacancies in the top order. He added that the franchise would have to play two overseas batters in Donovan Ferreira and Shimron Hetmyer and a second specialist overseas seamer alongside Jofra Archer.
Moise Kouame is living a dream moment after his breakthrough win at the Miami Open 2026, and it got even better with a message from his idol, Novak Djokovic.
The 17-year-old secured his first ATP Masters 1000 win with a comeback victory over Zachary Svajda, winning 5–7, 6–4, 6–4 in the opening round.
But the biggest moment came off the court.
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“I have a small secret. After the win, Novak texted me. I’m so nervous. I don’t know what to answer.”
Kouame revealed that Djokovic congratulated him, saying:
“Big match today. Congrats. Hopefully you’ll go far in the tournament.”
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Still overwhelmed, the teenager added:
“Imagine having your idol DM you like this. Oh my god. It’s too much for me.”
He even joked about how to reply:
“Thank you Novak… no, thank you my idol? I don’t know!”
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From winning his first big match to getting recognition from one of the greatest players in tennis, Kouame’s journey is just getting started.
Former India left-arm fast bowler Irfan Pathan has urged caution in managing teenaged batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, adding that it’s very important for the left-hander to not let either success or failure get to his head. Sooryavanshi is yet to turn 15, but has already made big runs in his cricketing career so far, including being the fastest Indian batter to hit a century in the IPL (in just 35 balls), and was retained by Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
He’s also coming on the back of being Player of the Tournament and Player of the Final in the 2026 Men’s U19 World Cup, won by India. “It is very important for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not to let success or failure get to his head. It’s quite a sensitive age because he is just about 15 years old. At this stage, he potentially has a 20-year professional career ahead of him.
“In today’s time, where longevity is not always a priority and careers can be short, you can still achieve a lot in 6 to 8 years. But Vaibhav could have a much longer journey. Naturally, it is important that someone consistently stays with him as a guide, a good mentor who can support him over time, the role Rahul Dravid played last year,” said Pathan on JioStar.
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He also spoke about how Sooryavanshi needs to constantly improve his game to stay ahead of the opposition’s plans to counter him. “At the same time, he must keep improving his game constantly. It is possible that this season, teams may plan against him, like bowling consistently outside the off stump and keeping the ball away from his reach.
“He will need to counter that, even if it comes with the risk of getting out. Also, he might face the same challenges that Abhishek Sharma did, different types of bowling and constant variations in pace, so how he adapts and finds ways to score in those situations will be key.”
Ex-India opener Aakash Chopra said Sooryavanshi’s fearless approach must be tempered with consistency in IPL’s high-pressure environment. “‘If the first one is there to be hit, I will go for it’ is a very good philosophy. But if it happens three times that you go for the first ball and, God forbid, you don’t connect properly and get out, that is when problems start. The IPL is a different beast.
“They may not say it in as many words, but it reminds me of my playing days in England, where if you have one or two off days back-to-back, someone would come up and say, ‘Bro, time to earn your money,’ because you are being paid to score runs. That thought lingers on your mind, that you are getting paid to perform, and the IPL has a similar dynamic.
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“He got some exposure last year, when Rahul Dravid was there as well, and you could see tears in his eyes after getting out in one of the games. This time, there are expectations, and he will carry that burden. Even though we are talking about him, saying that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will come and score runs, so in that regard, it is a huge season for him,” he added.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Since relocating to Victoria, trainer Phillip Stokes has achieved solid results, but cherishes any chance to race in Adelaide once more.
Morphettville serves as his hub, enabling straightforward transfers of horses interstate, and the impending Adelaide Carnival boasting four Group 1s has him eager to shine anew this year, building on Group 1 successes from the prior pair of campaigns.
It represents Ferivia’s first start since her sixth placing in October’s Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield.
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“She’s jumped out really good going into this and I feel she’s come back stronger, but I’m still not sure where her distance lies,” Stokes said.
“I know she’s got good from 1200 to 1400 (metres), so we’ve just got to work out whether we go down a Sangster-Goodwood path, or aim at something else, but I couldn’t be happier with how she is coming up.”
Ferivia’s initial foray was a winning debut at Murray Bridge in Adelaide, succeeded by a near-miss second at Sandown en route to Melbourne, then success in the Quezette Stakes held at Caulfield.
Later that season, the filly secured the Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Sandown against Ole Dancer and Salty Pearl.
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“Before she even came over, she’d had a good preparation in Adelaide, but by the time she got to the Thousand Guineas she’d had enough,” Stokes said.
“She still ran a creditable race, and the form has been franked.
I think she is exciting.”
Following her return on Saturday, Ferivia faces branching paths, according to Stokes.
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As some of his string are in Sydney for Carnival duties, the filly has the option of the P J Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 4, or the R N Irwin Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville a week later.
“We’ll keep everything open as we have horses up in Sydney, so it will be easy to send her up if we think that’s the right way to go, otherwise we could go straight to Adelaide,” Stokes said.
“We’ll see how she goes on Saturday.”
Visit leading betting sites to find the keenest racing betting markets for Ferivia in the Don Casboult Classic.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) celebrates a defensive stop during the second quarter of a home matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, Dec. 1, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The veteran edge rusher sparked energy on defense as Brian Flores’ unit controlled momentum late in the season. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
The 2026 NFL Draft is now less than five weeks away, and the Minnesota Vikings are transitioning the remnants of free agency. The club has added a few new players and will onboard about 30 rookies via the draft and undrafted free agency next month. In the meantime, here’s a look at the rumor mill.
Minnesota has three talking points worth sorting before draft season fully takes over.
Minnesota has a momentous year afoot, probably needing to win a playoff game to secure the head coach’s long-term job security.
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Inside the Latest Purple Rumor Mill for Minnesota
It’s the Purple Rumor Mill for March 21st, 2026.
Jonathan Greenard and Harrison Phillips celebrate a sack of Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud during a fourth-quarter defensive stand, Sep. 22, 2024, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The play highlighted Minnesota’s coordinated pass rush, with Harrison Smith and Kenyon Green nearby as the defense reset after a momentum-shifting stop. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.
Rumor: The Jonathan Greenard trade sweepstakes may be down to the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts.
The Greenard trade fodder has circulated for a few weeks now. The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis opined on the rumors this week, claiming on his podcast, “I think over the course of the last week or last two weeks, it probably seemed more imminent than it was. I would say that the Minnesota Vikings have been very clear from the outset that they are doing this on their terms. So they are not going to trade a talented player that they’ve really liked having, Jonathan Greenard, unless it makes a lot of sense for them to do that.”
“I would say the Philadelphia Eagles definitely still need edge rusher talent. I mean, they have Jalyx Hunt, they signed Arnold Ebiketie, they have Nolan Smith Jr., but to have another elite edge rusher, it’s part of the reason they were in on Jaelan Phillips. And then I think the Indianapolis Colts are kind of in a similar vein.”
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The Eagles need EDGE help more than the Colts, so Philadelphia may be the frontrunner if a Greenard trade happens at all.
With the draft only five weeks away, what to do with Greenard is still a big question for Minnesota. It would make sense to trade him during the draft weekend. That way, general managers could quickly weigh their draft picks against the chance to snag Greenard, who’s already proven he can rush the passer and has six years in the NFL under his belt.
Money-wise, waiting until after June 1 to trade him would give Minnesota an extra $6 million in cap space, which would be helpful going into the summer. Even though many teams will probably have found their EDGE rushers by then, the extra cap room still makes a trade look enticing for Minnesota.
There’s also always the easy choice: just keep Greenard. Teams don’t find productive defenders every day, and Minnesota’s already got one locked down.
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The sticking point is evidently Greenard’s contract. He’s due for a raise at $19 million per year, and his counterpart, Micah Parsons, earns $47 million out in Green Bay.
Rumor: L’Jarius Sneed is a free agent, and Minnesota should sign him to a prove-it contract.
Sneed is done in Tennessee.
ESPN’s Turron Davenport wrote Friday, “The Tennessee Titans released cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on Friday, a move that saves $11.4 million in cap space. Sneed struggled to stay on the field for Tennessee, appearing in 12 games over two seasons.”
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“He had signed a four-year, $76 million contract after the Titans acquired him in a 2024 trade with the Kansas City Chiefs. The Titans signed defensive backs Alontae Taylor, Cor’Dale Flott and Josh Williams earlier this week to restock their cornerbacks room.”
Tennessee Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (38) runs onto the field during pregame introductions ahead of a matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, Oct. 13, 2024, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The veteran defensive back energized the crowd as the Titans prepared for a divisional contest at home. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.
In 2025, the Vikings went into the season thin at cornerback, counting on Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Jeff Okudah as their main assets. Murphy Jr. and Rodgers held up, playing in 34 games combined, but Okudah had a rough go of it with two concussions, and his performance waned overall.
To make up for it, Minnesota brought up Fabian Moreau from the practice squad, and he cooked compared to Okudah.
Projecting 2026, it’s probably too optimistic to expect the same kind of health at the cornerback position. The spot usually needs more depth, so adding a veteran like Sneed or using a draft pick in April would make a lot of sense.
Sneed is affordable and looking to re-prove that he belongs in the NFL as a starter.
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Rumor: Despite theories suggesting otherwise, the Vikings won’t give up on J.J. McCarthy.
Every so often, ESPN authors an article about “overreactions” around the NFL, and recently, ESPN’s Dan Graziano examined the topic from a post-free-agency angle.
On McCarthy, Graziano wrote, “J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr. are both done as starting QBs. Verdict: OVERREACTION. The Vikings signed Kyler Murray, and the Falcons signed Tua Tagovailoa, thrusting those veterans into ostensible competitions with the 10th and eighth overall picks from the 2024 draft, respectively.”
“McCarthy is coming off a terrible and injury-plagued first NFL season after missing his entire rookie season due to a knee injury. He entered the offseason healthy, but after throwing 12 interceptions and taking 27 sacks in his 10 starts last season, he has given the Vikings reason to doubt whether he’ll turn out to be the quarterback they thought he was when they moved up a spot to draft him.”
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Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy flips through the air after a tackle by Detroit linebacker Jack Campbell during first-half action, Nov. 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit. The play captured a violent collision as defenders converged, freezing a chaotic moment before both teams reset in a tightly contested divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han-Imagn Images.
McCarthy has missed 70% of all football games since the Vikings drafted him in 2024.
Graziano continued, “Murray is very likely to end up starting ahead of McCarthy, unless a light comes on this offseason and McCarthy performs well enough in the summer to beat him out. But the Vikings aren’t ready to give up on McCarthy just yet, and they’re hoping Murray’s arrival has a positive impact on him.”
“The Atlanta story is different; my sense is the Falcons view Penix as the starter once he’s healthy and Tagovailoa is just there for coverage in case he isn’t ready.”
While McCarthy probably won’t start in September, the Vikings are in no rush to get rid of him, says Graziano.
Apr 16, 2024; Pueblo, Colorado, USA; Jucielen Romeu (BRA) in red and Yu-Ting Lin (TPE) in blue compete in the elite female 57kg category at Pueblo Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Olympic champion Lin Yu-ting has been cleared to return to international competition after World Boxing completed a review of her sex-eligibility status, opening the door for her to fight at the Asian Boxing Championships later this month in Mongolia.
World Boxing confirmed the decision Friday after an appeal process initiated by the Chinese Taipei Boxing Association (CTBA), ending months of uncertainty that kept Lin out of several top-level events since the governing body introduced a new eligibility policy last summer.
The organization did not disclose any test results, but said the appeal was handled through its established procedures and that Lin is eligible to compete in the women’s category at World Boxing events.
“We recognize that this has been a difficult period for the boxer and the CTBA and appreciate the way they have approached the appeal process and their acknowledgement of World Boxing’s requirement to ensure that its eligibility policy, which is designed to deliver safety and sporting integrity, has been correctly implemented and followed,” World Boxing secretary general Tom Dielen said.
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Lin’s eligibility became a flashpoint during the 2024 Paris Games, when she and Algeria’s Imane Khelif won gold amid widespread misinformation and political noise about sex standards, even though the IOC’s rules at the time allowed both to compete.
Since taking over as the sport’s Olympic-level governing body, World Boxing has implemented a one-time genetic test requirement for athletes competing in women’s categories. It’s designed to identify the presence of Y chromosome genetic material, while also outlining additional evaluation pathways in complex cases.
The Asian Championships run March 29 to April 10, and Lin’s return adds another high-profile layer to a tournament that now sits at the center of boxing’s evolving eligibility debate.
Edwards earned the title opportunity after winning the PFL’s 2025 middleweight tournament, and was looking to become champion after two defeats by Johnny Eblen for the Bellator middleweight title.
Edwards was also looking to join brother Leon, a former UFC welterweight champion, as a title holder, but was made to pay for a number of errors.
The event was watched by a number of sports stars at cageside, including Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, Thibaut Courtois and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad earlier on Friday.
After walkouts in which a confident Edwards was jeered by the Spanish fans and a determined-looking Van Steenis was roared to the cage, the contest started with the pair trading leg kicks.
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In a close first round, Edwards made his first mistake as Van Steenis reversed the action on the ground to end in top position, despite blood pouring from his left eye.
In tactics rarely used by Edwards, the Briton looked to attack with takedowns but Van Steenis got the better of the early exchanges by flipping the momentum to control where the fight went.
When Edwards opted to strike, he looked faster and more dangerous than Van Steenis, but another mistake in the third round would prove to be his downfall.
Edwards again continued to wrestle and, while trying to take Van Steenis down against the cage, the champion delivered a flurry of elbows which forced the Briton to collapse on his knees.
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Seeing Edwards was in trouble, the referee stepped in to end the contest, before Van Steenis put both arms out in celebration and closed his eyes as he soaked in applause from the home fans.
It was made sweeter for the Dutch-Spaniard by winning in front of his home fans in the largest MMA event to take place in Spain.
With the UFC yet to host an event in the Spain, the PFL took advantage when Van Steenis became champion in July by building a card around him.
Van Steenis, who grew up around Benidorm before moving back to the Netherlands, said pre-fight it was a “dream come true” to compete in front of his own fans.
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While it was heartbreak for the Edwards brothers, the Van Steenis siblings – which included Costello’s younger brother Gino securing his own knockout on the undercard – celebrated a fairytale night.
“It went exactly as I wanted it to,” said Van Steenis.
“I didn’t do that alone; thank you to the crowd. This is the best country in the world. We are the best country in the world.”
Edwards now faces a rebuilding job but has shown his powers of recovery previously in his career.
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The PFL does not boast a particularly deep list of contenders in the middleweight division and a few wins would likely put Edwards back in title contention.
The 2026 Valspar Championship continues on Saturday, March 21, with the third round at Innisbrook’s Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, Fla. You can find full Valspar Championship tee times for Saturday’s third round at the bottom of this post.
Featured tee time for Round 3
Featured tee time? There are a few contenders for the honor.
There’s your last group, of course. At 1:55 p.m. ET leader Sungjae Im and David Lipsky go off. And they follow Doug Ghim and Chandler Blanchet, who start at 1:45.
But the nod here might have to go to the 1:15 grouping. There’ll you find Brandt Snedeker, who’s five back of the lead, and Gary Woodland, who’s four off the pace. They’re a couple of vets. They’re a couple of good stories.
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We’ll start with Sneds. He’s this year’s U.S. Presidents Cup team captain and a nine-time PGA Tour winner — but is titleless since 2018. Injuries have slowed him. But he’s back. A strong showing this week would be encouraging.
“It’s nice to show my son and kids I can still do this every once in a while,” the 45-year-old said. “But that being said, good golf after two rounds is a whole different thing than good golf after four. So we got two more rounds to go prove it, so I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Then there’s Woodland. He’s another one of pro golf’s good guys, and he’s the 2019 U.S. Open winner. But a lesion on his brain required surgery, and last week, he revealed he was battling PTSD because of what he’s endured.
His golf form this week, though, has him thrilled.
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“It’s been coming,” Woodland said. “I’ve been hitting it nice on the range, our practice sessions have been really good. I just haven’t translated it to the golf course.”
You can watch Saturday’s third round of the 2026 Valspar Championship from 1-3 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, then from 3-6 p.m. ET on NBC. PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will provide exclusive early streaming coverage starting at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday, in addition to featured group and featured hole coverage.
Check out the complete Round 3 tee times and groupings for the Valspar Championship.
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