Sports
Mustafizur Rahman’s PSL 2026 fate in doubt as Bangladesh awaits govt clearance | Cricket News
Participation of Bangladesh cricketers in the upcoming Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2026 is now uncertain, with the final decision hinging on government approval amid ongoing regional tensions.A total of six Bangladesh players — Mustafizur Rahman, Parvez Hossain Emon, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana, Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Rishad Hossain — were initially granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) by the Bangladesh Cricket Board after being picked in the league’s first-ever auction. However, the evolving situation between Pakistan and Afghanistan has prompted the board to reconsider their participation, making government clearance mandatory.
BCB cricket operations chairman Nazmul Abedin confirmed that the board will not take a final call without consulting the authorities.“Of course, we will seek permission from the government before sending our cricketers for the PSL. Under normal circumstances, these things are not required. We provide clearance; they go, play, and return. But since the situation is not normal and there is a risk element concerning the players, obviously we will discuss it with the government,” Abedin was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz on Thursday.“We will seek to know from the government whether it will be safe to travel or not, and based on that government decision, we will have to take the ultimate call on whether the players will go or not. Because it is not actually possible for us to understand the situation there. It is possible for the government to know. The government will know, and if the government tells us that it is safe to go and the players can travel, then the players will go. But, in principle, we have decided that we will give the NOC, and they will go to play. But it depends on the situation at that time,” he added.As things stand, if the players are cleared to participate in the PSL, they are likely to miss Bangladesh’s preparatory camps ahead of the upcoming white-ball series against New Zealand national cricket team, who are scheduled to tour Bangladesh next month for three ODIs and three T20Is.The BCB has already issued partial NOCs to manage player availability across both commitments. Mustafizur Rahman, who has been signed by Lahore Qalandars, has been granted clearance from March 26 to April 12 and again from April 24 to May 3. He will take part in the ODI series against New Zealand but will miss the T20I leg.Meanwhile, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Shoriful Islam, Nahid Rana and Rishad Hossain have received NOCs valid until April 12, allowing them to feature in both formats of the home series. Parvez Hossain Emon, on the other hand, has been cleared until April 21 and is expected to be available for the T20I matches.With safety concerns now at the forefront, the final decision on Bangladesh players’ PSL participation will ultimately rest with the government, leaving their involvement in the tournament hanging in the balance.
After news that Max Verstappen’s race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, is leaving Red Bull for McLaren went viral, rumors of McLaren team principal Andrea Stella moving back to Ferrari have gained traction, especially after comments made by Williams Racing driver Carlos Sainz resurfaced online, linking Stella to Ferrari.
MotorBiscuit reported Lambiase’s exit from Red Bull, set to happen at the end of 2027, as he joins the Papaya outfit in 2028 in a multi-million dollar deal. This comes less than two years after Lambiase became the head of racing at Red Bull during an internal restructuring in 2024.
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Lambiase’s McLaren signing has led to speculation about a potential change in McLaren’s leadership structure, especially amid rumors of Stella moving back to Ferrari, a team where he worked for 15 years as a performance engineer for Michael Schumacher and Kimi Räikkönen, before becoming a race engineer for Räikkönen and eventually for Fernando Alonso.
Stella joined McLaren in 2015 as head of race operations and became team principal in December 2022. According to a report by F1 Oversteer, Stella is heading to Ferrari in the future, and as a result, Lambiase has been poached from Red Bull to potentially fill his role.
Read More from MotorBiscuit:
Atlassian Williams F1 Team on X | Carlos Sainz
The report quoted F1 reporter Jacky Martens, who stated that Stella has already “signed a pre-contract with Ferrari.” But it remains to be seen who Stella replaces at the Italian team if the rumor turns out to be true. Could it be Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur?
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Amid Stella’s Ferrari rumors, Sainz’s statements from his time with McLaren resurfaced, in which he said he wished to take Stella and other key members with him to Ferrari.
The Spaniard joined McLaren in 2019 but left after the 2020 season to join Ferrari. Appearing on F1’s Beyond the Grid Podcast last month, Sainz acknowledged Stella’s expertise, naming him among the McLaren figures he would bring to Ferrari. Sainz said:
“I remember telling my team when we were leaving McLaren, ‘This team is actually a very good race team. These people are going to go up, they’re going to keep climbing.’
“I know how good Andrea Stella is, I know how good [technical director] Pete Prodromou is and I remember leaving that team and having two, three or four names that if I could have taken them with me to Ferrari, I for sure would have taken them.”
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He added:
“I knew they were doing things well and they were really good people that I enjoyed working with a lot.”
NEW DELHI: Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Rovman Powell did not hold back after his side’s heartbreaking last-ball defeat to Lucknow Super Giants, pointing to an umpiring “blunder” while also admitting that conditions at Eden Gardens played their part in the result.Defending 181/4, KKR seemed in control when LSG slumped to 128/7 after 16 overs. But a sensational late onslaught from Mukul Choudhary, who smashed an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls, turned the game on its head as LSG sealed a three-wicket win on the final delivery.‘Maybe it was a blunder’The flashpoint came earlier in the innings when Finn Allen was dismissed in controversial fashion. His top-edge was caught at deep third man, but replays suggested the fielder may have brushed the boundary rope. Despite the close call, on-field umpires chose not to refer the decision upstairs.“Definitely more angles should have been looked at,” Powell said. “We thought we had seen in the IPL that umpires have gone upstairs for lesser things, and not as close as that.”“Maybe it was a blunder on their part, but we’re not going to say that is what cost us two points tonight,” he added, stopping short of placing full blame on the officials.‘Not a 220-wicket’Powell also highlighted the nature of the Eden Gardens surface, saying it was far from the high-scoring tracks typically associated with the venue.“It’s not that classic Eden Gardens wicket where you just go and blast. It was not a 220-wicket; there was a little bit in it for the bowlers, especially with slower balls,” he explained.Despite the loss, Powell credited Mukul’s composure under pressure. “You want to make Eden Gardens your fortress… but credit to the youngster, he batted really well,” he said.KKR’s struggles continue, with just one point from four matches so far. However, Powell remains optimistic.“If you see the history, winners build momentum in the middle and back end. It’s not easy when you don’t start well, but our destiny is still in our hands. We still have 10 games left,” he said.
The writings were on the wall as Lucknow Super Giants’ wicket-keeper batter Mukul Choudhary arrived at the Eden Gardens with the hope of reviving his team’s chase of 182 runs. After a cautious start, Mukul went bonkers with the bat, hitting an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls as LSG chased down the target against KKR on the final ball of the match. While many would say that Mukul Choudhary came out of the syllabus, his LSG teammate Arjun Tendulkar had warned the Indian Premier League (IPL) in advance of the six-hitting prowess the 22-year-old possesses.
During an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, Arjun narrated how amazed he was upon seeing Mukul’s 360-degree hitting ability.
“Mukul Choudhary hits amazing sixes. Yesterday, in a practice match, I saw his sixes. I was really impressed. He hits everywhere, square-leg, point, upper cut, behind the bowler. I was really impressed by his batting,” Arjun Tendulkar had said during an interview with Shubhankar Mishra.
Arjun Tendulkar’s game knowledge, he said Mukul Choudhary is the player to watch out for this season from LSG pic.twitter.com/LA3ZHwkAtK
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) April 9, 2026
LSG needed 54 runs from the final 4 overs to win the match, with Mukul the only recognised batter in the middle. Despite the fact that he had to face some prominent bowlers in the form of Cameron Green, Kartik Tyagi and Vaibhav Arora in the death overs, the batter put his 360-degree skills to use and struck sixes all across the park. Narrating Mukul’s strength, Arjun had revealed how the batter can sixes even square of the wicket. But, KKR bowlers looked underprepared facing him.
After the game, even LSG skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that he had no words left to describe Mukul’s performance.
“I do not have words to describe but what a fantastic effort. One thing I made sure of personally is trust, and when you believe in someone, a player can do wonders. The character, with each and every match like this, shows something is building. We don’t want to talk much about it, but something is cooking inside,” Pant said on the performance from the young wicket-keeper batter.
LSG coach Justin Langer was also full of praise for the batter from Rajasthan, saying he runs like Virat Kohli and chases totals like MS Dhoni.
“What I love most about him is that he’s a real athlete. The way he runs between the wickets is elite, like Virat. But the other thing is his game sense. We’ve had some practice games, and the way he talks about the game feels like he’s played 300 matches already. He’s got power, he’s a great athlete, and he’s got grace. As we both know, that’s a pretty good combination.”
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AUGUSTA. Ga. — Jordan Spieth swings. And Michael Greller screams.
“Forrrre leeeeft!”
And you salivate. The caddie’s two words — or their siblings, forrrre riiiight — now have a Pavlovian effect. When Spieth goes wayward with shots, you froth — because here comes a Spiethian treat, more often than not, so to the right of Augusta National’s 18th hole you must go, where, under a dozen or so thick tree branches, Spieth’s tee ball ended up.
Spieth called for a rules official. Of course he did. “I just was curious as to how I could back in,” he said. “Like it’s supposed to be path of least resistance.” He pretzeled himself over the ball. Of course he did. He worked a punch shot back to the fairway. He dropped an iron to 10 feet right of the hole.
He somehow parred. Or course, he did. Spieth Spiethed. After day one of the Masters, he was at even par, and five back of the lead. “I did well to get it out in the fairway, and frankly I don’t know how many people in the world make a four from that tee ball,” Spieth said. “So that was — I’m walking off with a smile on my face. I’m happier than you walk off bogeying to shoot one-under … and it’s funny how the game works, right?”
Right?
A decade ago, that was the thought, too, if you were thinking kindly. In 2015, at the age of 21, Spieth was your Masters winner. In 2016, after 63 of 72 holes, he was your Masters leader by five. And he finished three behind winner Danny Willett. And he hasn’t won here since.
Late Thursday afternoon, he reflected on some of that. There have been years of other near-misses. But 2016 is “up there with memorable tournaments for me, good and bad,” Spieth said. The large lead. The large lost lead. The opportunity to repeat. The current search for a second Masters win. But he said he felt he exited with something more than a seemingly awkward moment of fitting Willett into the green jacket.
“I was super resilient,” he said in front of a couple of reporters.
“It’s certainly gone both ways for me here, so stay within arm’s reach and try to make it go my way.”
If anything, it’s what made him charming over the past 10 years. There was some of that on Thursday. He was two-under through Amen Corner, then bogeyed the 14th hole, after his tee ball finished up against a tree, and the 15th hole, on a three-putt from 30 feet. But then came that par on 18.
“What I’ve learned the last 10 years,” Spieth said, “is a lot — anything can happen.”
This year, the results have been mixed. Eight starts. Just one missed cut. Five finishes in the top 30. But zero wins. He’s talked often of how things have felt right, but the scores haven’t reflected that, and Thursday was more of the same. The bogey on 15 was an example.
In the par-5’s right greenside bunker after two shots. Made a bogey six.
“Just I don’t take four to get in from a greenside bunker on 15 very often,” Spieth said. “You know, just had a lie that I thought it was going to come out super fast and didn’t. And then I was — I wasn’t tentative on the greens. I just thought they were quicker and I left a number of putts short. You can’t leave the five-footers downhill for your par putts if you can get it below the hole.
“So I made kind of a couple mistakes in that regard. Got away with one or two and didn’t on 15. That’s the kind of stuff that’s been happening. I’m in position to make birdie and walk off with a six on a random hole. Give me a dozen balls in there I probably make birdie on 10 and make bogey on one and par on the other, you know what I mean?
“I feel good about it. It’s like close to clicking and it just didn’t quite click today.”
But maybe Friday. He’ll be back again.
Funny how the game works, right?
“>
Sports
“Don’t See Cameron Green At KKR For Long”: Rs 25.2 Crore Star Trolled For Expensive Spell vs LSG
Cameron Green finally rolled his arm over for Kolkata Knight Riders but failed to get the desired outcome from their IPL 2026 match against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens on Thursday. The right-arm fast bowler started with a 12-run over that also included the wicket of Rishabh Pant, but followed it with an extremely poor one. When Green came in to bowl his second over, LSG needed 30 runs to win off the final 12 balls. He was smashed by Mukul Choudhary for two sixes and a four, leaking a total of 16 runs.
The Rs 25.2 crore KKR star was already under the scanner over his poor batting form, and his bowling struggles only added to the trouble. With the bat, Green has scored 56 runs at an average of 18.67 in four matches in IPL 2026. As he struggled with the ball too, fans on social media criticised and trolled him.
Check out some of the reactions:
25crs Cameron Green today
2 overs
28 Runs
14 ecnoEripappa @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/6AHnAXoSCI
— (@RiserAbhiram) April 9, 2026
At this rate I don’t see Cameron Green at KKR for long lol. https://t.co/Ewr4Hls4FO
— Y P (@imYash07) April 9, 2026
Cameron Green: 25 crore
Mukul Choudhary: 2.60 croreSRK …
Goenka
— Pankaj Kumar (@kumar_pank10721) April 9, 2026
Mukul Choudhary announced himself in style! Backed by Arjun Tendulkar, picked cheap by #LSG, he demolished Cameron Green & chased the impossible with ice-cold nerves. 53 off 24? Too easy! A new #IPL superstar is born #PSL #Bangladesh #CricketFever pic.twitter.com/wNUHvbr6se
— Bangladesh Sports Club (@BClubSports) April 10, 2026
Mukul Choudhary was the star of the night as he scored an unbeaten 54 off 27 balls to guide LSG to a last-ball victory over KKR in the match. He smashed two fours and seven sixes.
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane backed his bowlers while praising LSG’s Choudhary after the game.
“For them (LSG), it was nothing to lose. Two overs, 30 runs to win. Every ball, it was about swinging. And I thought, as I said, he was really brave to play those shots. There were some brilliant shots. I thought there were a couple of brilliant deliveries (bowled), but the way he batted was amazing. Probably in the fielding, I’d say a couple of misfields, but apart from that, I thought our bowlers did a brilliant job,” the KKR skipper said after the game.
“When you lose a game, you can easily think about things we could have done better. I thought 180-185 was a very good total on this wicket. It wasn’t easy to play big shots. Slow balls were stopping; it was hard to hit. But in the end, I thought, let’s give credit to the batter, the way he (Mukul) batted,” Rahane added.
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Out of the National Hockey League playoff race for months, the Vancouver Canucks continue to be formidable “spoilers.”
On Thursday, they spoiled the Nashville Predators’ wild-card chances by losing 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings. Impacting the race at the top of the Pacific Division, the Canucks hurt the Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks by losing twice in nine days to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Before that, the Canucks dealt a setback to the San Jose Sharks by losing to the Kings, and the Winnipeg Jets by losing to the St. Louis Blues.
At the most critical stage of the NHL playoffs races, the Canucks have lost nine out of 10 games in regulation and the only game they won hurt no none — because it was irrelevant to the NHL-leading Colorado Avalanche.
The Canucks haven’t exactly fulfilled the spoiler role they envisioned for themselves. They are 7-30-5 since peaking at two games under .500 on Dec. 20.
It’s not for lack of trying.
At the embryonic stage of their rebuild, the Canucks just aren’t good enough. They played a far better game Thursday in their three-goal loss against the Kings than they did in their 11-shot, one-goal loss to the Knights on Tuesday.
The Canucks pressed the Kings for stretches, and especially in the second period, generated offensive-zone time with their forecheck, put 25 pucks on Los Angeles goalie Anton Forsberg, outhit their heavy opponents 21-19 and out-attempted them 57-50.
But the Canucks haven’t the talent to outscore their mistakes, and haven’t the experience to prevent them. Marcus Pettersson scored the only Vancouver goal on a shot-pass that caromed in off Los Angeles defenceman Brian Dumoulin.
A step ahead of Linus Karlsson, Adrian Kempe was open in the Vancouver slot to open scoring, Joel Armia made it 2-1 for Los Angeles with an unscreened wrist shot from the high slot after a turnover by Jake DeBrusk, before Kempe and Trevor Moore scored on deflections.
The victory moved the Kings back into the Western Conference’s final wild-card spot, one point ahead of Nashville, three ahead of Winnipeg and four up on San Jose.
Among their four games remaining, the Kings get to play the Canucks for the third time in less than three weeks in Vancouver’s final home game on Tuesday.
In the meantime, the Canucks will visit the Sharks and Ducks in back-to-back road games starting Saturday.
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With a 7:39 pm puck drop, and overwhelming evidence about which way the game was going, referees Kelly Sutherland and Brandon Schrader worked a power-play free contest. There were a few things they could have called (see item below) besides offsetting minors to Elias Pettersson (Junior) and Jeff Malott, but at least the game ended in less than 2 ½ hours.
Easily the most positive aspect of the Canucks’ game was the growing confidence rookie defenceman Zeev Buium exhibited in the offensive zone. The 20-year-old was a one-on-one handful for Kings checkers, using his edges and tight turns to spin away with the puck and create space for himself. He could have drawn a couple of penalties, especially in the second period when Kempe got his stick between Buium’s legs and knocked him down as the Canuck was sidestepping him inside the Los Angeles blue line. Sutherland spent the next television timeout explaining his non-call to Vancouver coach Adam Foote.
Buium’s forays still generally lack endings — sharp passes or superior scoring chances — but his willingness and ability to challenge players with the puck is an excellent sign for someone who will be expected to drive the Canucks’ attack a couple of seasons from now.
Sportsnet’s cameras caught veteran defenceman Filip Hronek, iPad in hand, apparently upbraiding his young defence partner at the Canuck bench after Artemi Panarin easily split the defenders to force a strong save from Tolopilo early in the second period. Whatever the discussion was about, we can confirm that Buium, like half of Vancouver’s young lineup, still has a lot to learn about defending at the NHL level.
On a night when the Kings clobbered the Canucks in the faceoff circle and top Vancouver centre Elias Pettersson went 4-14, it’s easy to see why second-year centre Aatu Raty’s short-term NHL future is connected to the dots.
Although he was 7-10 in L.A., the 23-year-old is fourth in the NHL with a 61.3 per cent win rate on faceoffs among players who have taken at least 300 draws. The three guys ahead of him, Claude Giroux, J.T. Miller and Jonathan Toews, have combined for 3,423 NHL games. Raty has played 110.
Despite his limitations offensively and defensive misreads at times, Raty is already being relied on late in games to win the Canucks the puck. Raty also leads the current Canucks with 159 hits. So, he’s big (6-2, 205 pounds), physical and wins a lot of faceoffs. Players have built careers with less.
Adam Foote to reporters in Los Angeles: “The second period was probably one of our best second periods of the last 30 games. We were great on the forecheck and spent more time in their zone than they did in our zone, and we just had two guys go to the same spot in our end (on Kempe’s goal that made it 3-1) and then they got one. So it was hard to come back.”
Some credible reports this week suggested that the 2026 NFL Draft will feature more trades than usual, so we decided it was time for a VikingsTerritory refresher on draft-night trades.
A few Minnesota draft deals aged extremely well once the picks turned into long-term starters.
The Vikings actually fired the guy who traded like a fiend in late January, but interim boss Rob Brzezinski has been around the franchise long enough — 27 years — to finagle some deals of his own.
Robison, Griffen, and Smith Turned Trade Capital Into Defensive Cornerstones
The NFL draft is the most popular forum in sports for all trades. The following is a list of the Vikings’ three best trades during the draft since 2006, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = top draft-night deal).
3. The 2007 Deal for DE Brian Robison
The Trade —
a 2007 4th-Rounder and 6th-Rounder
to TB
for a 2007 4th-Rounder
Trade Aftermath —
Buccaneers Received: DB Tanard Jackson and LB Adam Hayward
Vikings Received: DE Brian Robison
The Vikings moved up four spots in the draft for the cost of a 6th-Round pick and ended up with Brian Robison for 11 seasons. Jackson and Hayward stuck around the league for a bit, but neither came close to matching Robison’s output.
Robison later held down a starting job from 2011 to 2016 in Minnesota and piled up 60 sacks. Every snap of his NFL career came in Minnesota.
2. The 2010 Deal for DE Everson Griffen
The Trade —
a 2010 1st-Rounder and 4th-Rounder
to DET
for a 2010 2nd-Rounder, 4th-Rounder, and 7th-Rounder
Trade Aftermath —
Lions Received: RB Jahvid Best and OL Jason Fox
Vikings Received: DB Chris Cook, DE Everson Griffen, and TE Mickey Shuler
Jahvid Best’s semi-productive stint with the Lions and Fox’s limited role (three starts) were just the beginning. The Vikings initially hoped Chris Cook would be the key acquisition in that trade, but the true value emerged later. When Mike Zimmer became head coach in 2014, Everson Griffen blossomed into a Pro Bowl-caliber player and ultimately became the defining piece of the exchange.
Meanwhile, Shuler never played a game for Minnesota, and Cook remained a low-impact backup. This trade down worked for Minnesota, as Griffen compiled four Pro Bowls with the Vikings.
1. The 2012 Deal for S Harrison Smith
The Trade —
a 2012 2nd-Rounder and 4th-Rounder
to BAL
for a 2012 1st-Rounder
Trade Aftermath —
Ravens Received: OLB Courtney Upshaw and G Gino Gradkowski
Vikings Received: S Harrison Smith
After trading up six spots to re-enter the 1st Round and draft Smith, Minnesota saw an immediate return on their investment. Smith quickly solidified the secondary and has been a mainstay of the Vikings’ defense for 14 seasons. He’s forged a Hall of Fame resume, featuring longevity and staying where his feet were planted.
Although both Upshaw and Gradkowski played in Baltimore, neither received a second contract.
Smith, meanwhile, may or may not return in 2026. The Vikings technically cut him last month, though he has a rather binary decision to return for Year No. 15 or retire.
Star Tribune‘s Andrew Krammer wrote about Smith’s future and the Vikings’ budding safety need last month, “Safety Harrison Smith was celebrated in the finale of his 14th Vikings season as if it were the end. But nothing is official yet. If he’s released, the team will likely use a salary cap lever to free up a marginal amount of room.”
“Smith’s contract is scheduled to void, and releasing him with a post-June 1 designation, a maneuver that defers $7.6 million in remaining cap charges to 2027, frees an additional $1.3 million, according to OverTheCap.com. Smith’s absence would leave a massive hole on the roster.”
Since Krammer’s musings, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman has morphed into the Vikings’ keynote draft darling.
Krammer added, “Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski’s shopping list this month may include a starting safety, of which there are many intriguing pending free agents. This seems like a good year to need help. The Vikings could use a centerfield type to cover deep zones in a way they weren’t able to quickly replicate when safety Cam Bynum got paid by Indianapolis last year.”
“Safety Josh Metellus rightfully got paid as a do-it-all defender, but he’s not at his best when backpedaling. Safety Theo Jackson’s role diminished under coordinator Brian Flores, who started giving late-season looks to safety Jay Ward.”
The Vikings could add to the draft-night trade list in two weeks, as draft pundits expect the event to feature more trades than usual. For example, Minnesota, equipped with the 18th overall pick, could swing a deal with the Miami Dolphins, obtaining the 30th overall pick and two 3rd-Rounders, which would balance on most trade calculators.
Smith wins the trade list. Six Pro Bowls speak for themselves. All with the same franchise.
Manny Pacquiao has made a powerful statement without uttering a single word, as he prepares for a highly anticipated rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The boxing legend’s new Hollywood gym, once associated with his rival, is now being rebranded as ‘Pacquiao Prime Boxing’ and is set to open this summer. Inside, a large image of Mayweather is slated for removal, symbolizing a new era.
It comes as Pacquiao and Mayweather are scheduled to face off again on September 19 at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The bout marks more than a decade since their record-breaking encounter in 2015.
However, the nature of the upcoming fight has become a point of contention, with Mayweather characterizing it as an exhibition, while Pacquiao insists on the terms he agreed to. Representatives for Mayweather have not responded to requests for comment.
“He knows what he signed,” Pacquiao, 47, said in an interview this week.
For the Filipino boxer, who ended a four-year retirement last year, the issue is one of principle. The undefeated Mayweather, 49, is returning to the ring nine years after his own retirement.
Pacquiao added: “Dignity. Integrity. That’s what matters.”
Three different agreements
Behind the scenes, the focus has shifted from how the fight is being described to how it moves forward.
Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and a producer on the event, said the bout is anchored by multiple signed agreements, and that those terms remain clear. He said Mayweather was well aware.
“Not one, not two, but three different agreements,” Mathur said. “He signed all of them.”
According to Mathur, those agreements outline a professional fight, not an exhibition, and include financial commitments already in motion. His comments come amid broader questions surrounding Mayweather’s plans, including previously reported bouts with former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and against kickboxer Mike Zambidis — which could complicate the agreement.
“He took an advance on his purse,” Mathur said. “Everything is black and white.”
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Mathur described the situation as a breach of contract, pointing to public comments that differ from the signed terms. He added that the matter is now being handled through legal channels as both sides work toward a resolution.
“There are consequences that come with that,” Mathur said.
Pacquiao’s focus remains steady. But for him, the situation comes down to clarity and commitment.
“What we signed is a real fight,” he said. “I know that he knows what he signed. … We signed both, and I hope he honors it.”
’He’s a chicken’
When asked what it would signal if the bout does not move forward as planned, Mathur did not hesitate.
“He’s a chicken,” he said.
Standing beside him, Pacquiao responded in his own way, letting out a brief “bawk, bawk, bawk” while flapping his arms, drawing laughter from both.
Beyond the immediate stakes of the fight, Pacquiao also addressed the broader conversation surrounding legacy, including how greatness is defined in boxing. It’s a discussion that has long included both him and Mayweather.
“I don’t even claim myself as the greatest,” said Pacquiao, who noted he’s the only fighter to win titles across four decades. “I let the people say who is the greatest.”
Why take over Mayweather’s gym?
Taking over a space once associated with Mayweather, especially in the lead-up to a high-profile rematch, carries a natural layer of symbolism. But Pacquiao and his team framed the decision through a different lens.
While standing in front of Mayweather’s image — one that will soon be replaced — Pacquiao described a new direction for the space as one centered on performance rather than accessibility.
The facility will operate as a private training center for professional fighters, athletes and select guests. There are plans to expand the model across major markets.
Mathur pointed to location and visibility as key drivers behind the decision, noting the volume of daily traffic through the Hollywood corridor. At the same time, he suggested the opportunity reflects a broader shift in approach tied to the previous business connected to Mayweather’s brand.
“There was a chance to build something much bigger,” Mathur said. “We’re looking at this differently.”
Pacquiao said he wants to create opportunities for the next generation of fighters while expanding his footprint in the sport.
“This is our passion,” he said. “To build more boxing gyms and help develop fighters.”
Building beyond the ring
Beyond the fight, Pacquiao and his team are building with a broader vision in mind.
From fighter development under Manny Pacquiao Promotions to new training hubs through the Hollywood gym, the focus extends well past the ring.
Mathur, who partners with Pacquiao across multiple ventures, described a strategy centered on long-term growth, including efforts to bring Pacquiao’s established business footprint from Asia into the United States and beyond.
“Manny is actively involved,” Mathur said. “This is about building something bigger.”
That vision also includes ventures in financial technology, highlighted by Manny Pay — a digital wallet platform the team is working to expand internationally — along with media and consumer products tied to Pacquiao’s global reach.
In a space being rebuilt for what comes next, Pacquiao is moving forward with focus. He said the balance between business and boxing remains clear.
“Both,” he said, when asked what drives him now. “We’re focused on this fight, and building our own businesses.”
SAN DIEGO — Xander Bogaerts hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning and the San Diego Padres snapped the Colorado Rockies‘ four-game winning streak with a 7-3 victory on Thursday night.
Bogaerts sent a 1-0 pitch from Valente Bellozo (0-1) out to left field for his ninth career grand slam and his second with the Padres.
Fernando Tatis Jr. laid down a sacrifice bunt to begin the 12th, moving automatic runner Jake Cronenworth to third. Bellozo intentionally walked Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to load the bases before Bogaerts’ shot.
David Morgan (1-0) retired all five batters he faced to get the win after coming in with two on and one out in the 11th.
Cronenworth threw out Willi Castro at home on a grounder to second base to keep the Rockies from scoring in the 12th. Castro went 0 for 5 with five strikeouts.
Brett Sullivan had an RBI double in the 11th to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead, but Luis Campusano tied it with a two-out double.
Tyler Freeman’s RBI single gave Colorado a 2-1 lead in the 10th before Machado tied it with a sac fly.
Brenton Doyle hit a one-out solo shot to centre field off Randy Vásquez for his first home run of the season and a 1-0 Rockies’ lead in the third. Vásquez allowed one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight.
Tatis tied it 1-1 with a sacrifice fly in the Padres’ third.
Hunter Goodman left with a laceration on his right middle finger after he was hit by a Vásquez pitch leading off the sixth.
Padres closer Mason Miller needed 10 pitches to strike out the side in the ninth, running his scoreless innings streak to 27 2/3 innings dating to last season. The right-hander has 58 strikeouts and only five hits allowed during the run.
Chase Dollander surrendered one run on four hits in 4 1/3 innings for Colorado after Jimmy Herget opened with a 1-2-3 first.
Rockies RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 1.69) starts Friday opposite Padres RHP Walker Buehler (0-1, 9.45).
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