Moses Itauma continued his rise in the heavyweight division this weekend, becoming the first man to stop Jermaine Franklin.

Itauma dominated proceedings through five before a highlight-reel left uppercut saw Franklin out on his feet. A follow-up right hand put the American down, face-first on the canvas.

It was an incredible performance from Itauma in his first UK headlining spot, only cementing the narrative that he is heir to the heavyweight throne.

Speaking on X post-fight, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri said he will now begin the process to have the 21-year-old installed as mandatory challenger.

“In light of Moses Itauma’s current position as the #1 WBO world-rated contender, and having defeated world-rated contender Jermaine Franklin by knockout in defense of his WBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Championship, he has further affirmed his standing within the division as a rising star.

“Accordingly, I will formally recommend to the Championship Committee that Mr. Itauma be designated as the Mandatory Challenger in the WBO Heavyweight Division.”

The WBO belt is currently held by Itauma stablemate Fabio Wardley, who puts it on the line in his first defence against Daniel Dubois on May 9 back at the Co-op Live in Manchester.

Should Wardley retain, it is likely that Itauma goes another route – he is also number one contender with the WBA – given trainer Ben Davison’s work with both men. However, should Dubois hand the champion his first defeat and become a two-time world champion, there is an excellent all-British banger there to be made.

Post-fight, Itauma said that he had been targeting Filip Hrgovic, though the Croatian is now booked to face Dave Allen on May 16. Itauma’s team may instead turn their attention to WBA Regular champion Murat Gassiev, who has already signalled his willingness to take the fight – one few in the division appear eager to accept.

There is little prospect of VAR being removed from the Premier League, or having its remit reduced.

In 2024, 19 out of 20 top-flight clubs voted to keep VAR, with only Wolves voting against, having proposed the poll themselves.

In order for VAR to be scrapped, 14 out of the 20 Premier League clubs would have to vote against it following a new proposal for abolition by a club.

The independent key match incident (KMI) review panel estimates there has been an accuracy rate of 96-97% for refereeing decisions made in Premier League matches since the introduction of VAR, while time delays caused by VAR have dropped by 25% in the past two seasons.

This year an FA Cup tie between Aston Villa and Newcastle United, which did not have VAR, featured three significant refereeing errors, leading it to being labelled the best advert yet for the technology.

The Premier League said: “VAR delivers more correct decisions.

“In recent seasons, there have been around 100 correct VAR overturns per season – instances where goals would otherwise have been incorrectly awarded or disallowed, or red cards or penalties missed or wrongly given.

“The league applies a high threshold for VAR intervention, with the referee’s call taking precedence. As a result, VAR is less intrusive in the Premier League than in other European leagues, including the Champions League, where VAR intervenes almost twice as often.”

But the FSA believes the results of its survey should be listened to and acted upon.

“Supporters naturally raise their concerns and they fall on deaf ears far too much,” Concannon says.

“That’s really disappointing, especially when all we hear is that the fans are the lifeblood of the game.

“Don’t just ignore what supporters are telling you in great numbers – that the enjoyment of football isn’t there any more in comparison to what it used to be.”

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe said on Sunday he will “respect” the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision on Senegal‘s appeal against being stripped of its Africa Cup of Nations title.

“I will respect and implement the CAS decision. My personal opinion regarding the matter is irrelevant,” Motsepe told a press conference in Cairo after a meeting of CAF executives.

The Senegal appeal came after the CAF appeals body overturned a 1-0 win by Senegal over hosts Morocco in the Cup of Nations final last month.

Many Senegalese players, head coach Pape Thiaw and his staff walked off the pitch in Rabat after Morocco were awarded an added-time penalty.

After they returned, Brahim Diaz missed the penalty. Pape Gueye scored in extra time to win the title decider.

A CAF disciplinary committee later fined various figures from both teams, but did not alter the result.

Morocco then appealed and were awarded a 3-0 victory. Motsepe stressed that the appeal board consists of independent judges and lawyers.

When Senegal played Peru in a 2026 World Cup warm-up in Paris on Saturday, they paraded the Cup of Nations trophy.

Senegal then played in shirts with two stars — one for their first Cup of Nations triumph in 2022 and the other for their disputed February victory.

‘Changes and improvements’

Motsepe said he would visit Senegal and Morocco, without giving dates, to stress the importance of “working together to grow African football”.

A statement said CAF “is implementing changes and improvements to their statutes and regulations that will strengthen trust and confidence in (African) referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies.

“These changes and improvements to the statutes and regulations will also ensure that the incidents that took place at the final… do not happen again.”

Watch moreHas the AFCON trophy been hidden at a military base in Senegal? No

Motsepe later announced that Nigeria-born CAF official Samson Adamu would become the caretaker general secretary of the Cairo-based organisation in place of retiring Veron Mosengo-Omba.

Mosengo-Omba, a former FIFA official born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has reached the mandatory retirement age of 66 for CAF staff.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Mikel Arteta faces a mounting injury crisis with 12 Arsenal players now doubtful for their return to domestic action following the international break

Arsenal are in the midst of an injury crisis in the Premier League title race with Manchester City, with news emerging that the availability of 12 players is in doubt ahead of the club’s return to domestic action. It has been an international break to forget for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal as they prepare for a crucial run‑in rivalling City.

Nine points separate City from the Gunners, with Pep Guardiola’s side also holding a game in hand – against Crystal Palace. That match, scheduled for March 21st, was postponed due to City’s participation in the Carabao Cup final, where they beat Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley.

In terms of injuries, Guardiola has a healthier squad than their counterpart with only Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol sidelined. As for the north Londoners, Martin Zubimendi was the latest to withdraw from his national side in recent days, representing a significant worry.

A further injury setback emerged when Piero Hincapie pulled out of the Ecuador squad ahead of Tuesday evening’s fixture against the Netherlands.

He featured in La Tri’s draw with Morocco on Friday night, before being substituted by Pervis Estupinan with 15 minutes remaining.

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Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka all withdrew from the England squad and returned to Arsenal for medical attention, while Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard, and Jurrien Timber all stepped back from their respective international commitments.

Here, the Manchester Evening News runs through all of Arsenal’s currently sidelined players in their title race with City…

Martin Zubimendi

The worry surrounding Zubimendi marks the latest in a succession of devastating setbacks for Mikel Arteta’s team over the past 48 hours.

A statement from the Spanish FA, issued just hours after another injury setback, confirmed: “Martin Zubimendi has withdrawn from the Spanish national team camp due to discomfort in his right knee.

“To avoid any risk and to protect the player’s health, he has been removed from the squad. Arsenal FC’s medical staff have been informed of the situation.”

Piero Hincapie

Hincapie represents another injury concern for Arsenal and Arteta, withdrawing from Ecuador’s squad ahead of their clash with the Netherlands on Tuesday night. The defender has travelled back to the Gunners, though the full extent of his injury remains unclear at present.

Leandro Trossard

Trossard pulled out of the Belgium squad for their international fixtures against the USA and Mexico owing to a hip injury.

In a statement, the Belgian FA confirmed: “This decision will allow him to continue their rehabilitation under optimal conditions.”

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka

Arteta faced another injury blow with both England internationals returning to Arsenal, leaving the Three Lions camp just a day after linking up with Thomas Tuchel’s squad. The seriousness of any possible injuries remains unclear at this stage.

An FA statement confirmed: “Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka will also return to Arsenal for medical assessment, having arrived on Friday along with nine other players.

“The rest of that group comprised of Dean Henderson, Nico O’Reilly, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guéhi, Dan Burn, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane.”

Noni Madueke

Madueke appeared visibly distressed as he walked past Thomas Tuchel on the touchline on Friday evening, with subsequent footage raising serious concerns over the winger’s fitness.

The 24-year-old, who sat out 15 games for the Gunners earlier this campaign with a knee complaint, was spotted wearing a brace on his left leg as he was filmed departing the stadium. Consequently, Madueke has been released from Tuchel’s squad with what England described as a ‘knock.’

When quizzed about which players would be departing the England camp ahead of next week’s fixture, Tuchel replied: “It’s too early. Now we have some injuries and there’s also a medical update on the players who came.

“Not everyone is fully fit as I understood. We will take late decisions and maybe take the decision only tomorrow to have a squad against Japan to compete.”

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Eberechi Eze

Eze was absent from the Carabao Cup final after picking up an injury during Arsenal’s Champions League victory over Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month. Eze withdrew from the England squad due to the calf problem, and will now undergo further evaluation. It is understood that the attacking midfielder could be sidelined for approximately four-to-six weeks, representing a significant setback for Arsenal during such a critical stage of the season.

The Gunners face five fixtures within 15 days following the international break, meaning squad rotation will be vital to avoid further injuries and player fatigue. Despite this, they will likely be compelled to navigate the heavily congested schedule without Eze at their disposal.

William Saliba

Much like Eze, Saliba pulled out of this month’s international fixtures, with France scheduled to face Brazil and Croatia. While the centre-back featured in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, an ankle injury sustained during the match prompted his replacement by Maxence Lacroix for international duty.

The French Football Federation confirmed at the time: “William Saliba is unable to join the French national team’s training camp, which begins this Monday, March 23rd. The Arsenal centre-back is suffering from recurring pain in his left ankle, requiring treatment and a minimum rest period of ten days.”

Should France’s assessment prove correct, this suggests Saliba ought to be sufficiently recovered to feature against Southampton in the FA Cup next weekend.

Martin Odegaard

Odegaard was sidelined for last Sunday’s Carabao Cup final due to a knee problem. Having been unavailable for approximately a month, uncertainty remains over whether he will be ready for next weekend’s FA Cup fixture.

Gabriel Magalhaes

The Brazilian Football Federation issued a statement confirming that Gabriel would be absent from his country’s friendlies against France and Croatia due to “pain in his right knee.”

Scan results have also revealed an injury to the 28-year-old centre-half.

Jurrien Timber

Timber sustained an injury during Arsenal’s victory over Everton earlier this month and has not appeared since.

The full-back has also pulled out of Netherlands duty for their friendlies against Norway and Ecuador, with a statement from the Dutch FA confirming: “Sunderland defender Lutsharel Geertruida has been added to the Netherlands national team squad by national coach Ronald Koeman.

“This follows the withdrawal of Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), who has not yet sufficiently recovered from an injury and is therefore unavailable for this international break.” Speaking ahead of the international break, Arteta confirmed the defender would be assessed following the pause in club fixtures.

Mikel Merino

Although Merino is expected to have sufficiently recovered from his ankle injury in time to feature for Spain at this summer’s World Cup, it seems the adaptable midfielder’s contribution to Arsenal’s campaign this season has come to an end.

The club are taking a careful approach to Merino’s rehabilitation, and the player was pictured on crutches and in a protective boot at Wembley last weekend.

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Thanks Gorgeous has rewarded her steady record by lunging to a stakes triumph at the wire in Flemington.

The filly from the Mark and Levi Kavanagh yard won the Listed VRC Sprint Classic (1200m) at Saturday’s card, achieving her third win from the current preparation.

With Craig Williams aboard, Thanks Gorgeous ($19) powered home late to nab Tycoon Star ($9.50) by a nose, as Bacash ($31) trailed by a short-head for third.

The filly exhibited strong showings during her opening campaign, which encompassed a stakes placing at Caulfield in August, prior to her maiden breakthrough at Mornington on New Year’s Day.

Afterwards, Thanks Gorgeous prevailed at 1100m up Flemington’s straight course, placed over that route again, and struck gold on Saturday.

Levi Kavanagh praised the filly’s contributions to the stable and her solid racing against class like My Gladiola, sent out at $2.30 and placing fourth.

“We thought she was a specialist at the Caulfield track early on, but she was running at 1200 metres and not quite getting there,” Kavanagh said.

“Since we’ve been running her down the straight, she has been exceptional.

“The 1100 metres is the key, she got through the ground well and it was a great ride from Craig. I would have liked him to get there a little bit earlier to keep my heart a little less pounding, but she was in front where she needed to be and that was fantastic.”

Kavanagh felt Thanks Gorgeous handled Saturday’s heavy going without issue, although competitors may have relished it more.

Planning is underway for whether Thanks Gorgeous takes a break or keeps racing from her October start.

“We have looked at going to Adelaide, but she has been to be up for a long time,” Kavanagh said.

“She’s a horse that does not like to spell down at the farm and loves being in work. She’s always happy at the stables, so we’ll see how she pulls up.”

For the latest racing odds, head to trusted betting markets for the VRC Sprint Classic and similar high-class sprints.

The Texas Children’s Houston Open has long held a special place in the hearts of players and fans alike — and this week was a perfect reminder of why.

Heading into Sunday’s final round, Gary Woodland and Nicolai Hojgaard were set for a tough, head-to-head showdown, but it didn’t take long for Woodland to take control. Hojgaard stumbled out of the gate with a costly double on the par-3 7th that widened the gap.

Meanwhile, Woodland carded a bogey-free, four-under 31 on the front nine, a fiery push that grew his lead to six. As the back nine unfolded, Woodland’s composure never faltered and he held a five-stroke lead heading down the stretch.

After teeing off on the final hole, Woodland walked down the 18th fairway and the crowd responded in kind. What began as dull applause grew into a standing ovation from fans, and even his playing partners, Hojgaard and Min Woo Lee.

The crowd erupted again as Woodland lined up his final putt, their voices echoing across the hole: “Gary! Gary! Gary!” Woodland stayed in his routine and sank the putt. After seven years, Woodland has finally returned to the winner’s circle.

Woodland’s victory was more than a win — it was a testament to resilience, support and perseverance. After his win, Woodland spoke about the challenges he’s faced, the team who has stood by him and the fight still ahead. 

“I’ll tell you what, we play an individual sport out here, but I wasn’t alone today,” he said. “I got a lot of people behind me, my team, my family and this golf world. Anybody that’s struggling with something, I hope they see me and don’t give up, just keep fighting.”

Here’s how much everyone made in Houston this week.

2026 Texas Children’s Houston Open payout for every player

1st: Gary Woodland, $1.782 million

2. Nicolai Hojgaard, $1.0791 million

T3. Johnny Keefer, $584,100
Min Woo Lee, $584,100

5. Sam Stevens, $405,900

T6. Jake Knapp, $322,987
Chris Gotterup, $322,987
Sudarshan Yellamaraju, $322,987
Jason Day, $322,987

T10. Bronson Burgoon, $259,875
Sahith Theegala, $259,875

T12. Adrien Dumont de Chassart, $220,275
Denny McCarthy, $220,275

T14. Keith Mitchell, $170,775
Pontus Nyholm, $170,775
Thorbjørn Olesen, $170,775
Jhonattan Vegas, $170,775
Michael Thorbjornsen, $170,775

T19. Max McGreevy, $136,125
Karl Vilips, $136,125

T21. Sam Burns, $96,525
Aldrich Potgieter, $96,525
Alex Smalley, $96,525
Harris English, $96,525
Beau Hossler, $96,525
Zecheng Dou, $96,525
Adam Scott, $96,525

T28. Mac Meissner, $59,625
Rasmus Højgaard, $59,625
Harry Hall, $59,625
Ben Griffin, $59,625
Vince Whaley, $59,625
Shane Lowry, $59,625
Rico Hoey, $59,625
Chad Ramey, $59,625
Jackson Suber, $59,625
Michael Brennan, $59,625
Stephan Jaeger, $59,625

T39. Jeffrey Kang, $41,085
Adrien Saddier, $41,085
Austin Eckroat, $41,085
Tony Finau, $41,085
Paul Waring, $41,085

T44. William Mouw, $32,175
Andrew Putnam, $32,175
Jordan Smith, $32,175
Ricky Castillo, $32,175

T48. Erik van Rooyen, $26,433
John Parry, $26,433
Steven Fisk, $26,433

T51. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, $23,938
Matthieu Pavon, $23,938
Matt Wallace, $23,938
Eric Cole, $23,938
Chris Kirk, $23,938

T56. Matt Kuchar, $22,770
Jimmy Stanger, $22,770
Tom Kim, $22,770
Danny Willett, $22,770

T60. Kurt Kitayama, $21,879
Sungjae Im, $21,879
Sam Ryder, $21,879
Davis Riley, $21,879
Takumi Kanaya, $21,879

T65. Kevin Roy, $21,087
Peter Malnati, $21,087
Lee Hodges, $21,087

68. Danny Walker, $20,691

T69. Garrick Higgo, $20,394
Jesper Svensson, $20,394

T71. Brice Garnett, $19,899
Tom Hoge, $19,899
Emiliano Grillo, $19,899

Riyan Parag maturity and vision for the side made him the perfect candidate for captaincy ahead of five others, including veteran Ravindra Jadeja, Rajasthan Royals head coach and Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara said ahead of team’s opening game against Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati on Monday. RR named Assam man Parag as the skipper for this IPL season ahead of many senior players, raising a lot of eyebrows especially after the franchise had won only two of the eight games that he had captained last year. Sangakarra explained the reason behind the decision.

“There were five candidates, including Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. We had very strict parameters as how we are going to choose, what is the process, so we had lots of conversations with all candidates and we realised all are very capable of captaining our side. Riyan came across as the top candidate because in all his conversations he seemed to have matured a lot,” Sangakkara said.

“He was very reflective in answering all the questions and the questions were very tough, targeted questions. Some of those questions were quite uncomfortable for all of them. Riyan with his maturity, what is vision for the side, he wanted not just to captain but to lead the team, it made him the leading candidate.

“We went with an open mind and gave due respect to all the players, gave all an equal chance and picked the best candidate.” Sangakkara said Riyan will get a lot of support from senior players of the side.

“Captaincy and leadership are two different things. Both are never easy. We looked at maturity, ability to reflect on themselves not just others, we look at ability to think critically, we look at how authentic they are in terms of their answers, we look at how they can influence others around them, not just young players but players who are seniors.” Sangakkara believes that Riyan will commit his share of mistakes and learn from them.

“No captain or leader is perfect. I know how many mistakes I have made. But that’s how you learn and Riyan is going to have a lot of support — Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Dasun Shanaka. So he has got a lot of people whom he can lean on in tough times..

RR this season traded their former skipper Sanju Samson for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran with CSK, and Sangakkara seemed happy with the decision..

“The best trade is where both sides are happy but slightly unhappy and that’s a great trade. To be very honest we are extremely sad to see Sanju go, he has been incredible player for us, leader, captain but we knew it was inevitable that was going to happen. I think we got very very two good players, one legend in Jaddu and and Sam which balances out our squad,” he said.

“Trade has helped us to balance out our side but unfortunately Sam had to pull out because of injury.”

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