British heavyweight star Moses Itauma will look to turn his huge potential into world title glory when he faces Croatia’s Filip Hrgovic at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday, August 29.

At just 21, Itauma stands on the edge of boxing history as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career.

The vacant IBF heavyweight title will be on the line after Oleksandr Usyk gave up the belt earlier this year, giving Itauma a chance to become one of the youngest heavyweight champions in boxing history.

Itauma has made a perfect start to his professional career since turning pro in 2023. He has won all 14 of his fights, with 12 victories coming by knockout.

His impressive record includes stoppage wins over experienced fighters such as former world title challenger Dillian Whyte and American contender Jermaine Franklin.

But the Hrgovic fight will be a completely different test.

The Croatian has a strong amateur background, including an Olympic bronze medal, and has suffered only one defeat as a professional. He also has far more experience at the highest level than Itauma.

Hrgovic has questioned whether the young Briton is ready for the pressure of fighting for a world title, but Itauma has remained calm ahead of the contest.

The biggest question will be whether Itauma can handle a fight that goes beyond the early rounds. He has never gone past the fifth round as a professional, while Hrgovic has the experience and physical strength to take him into unfamiliar territory.

Beyond the world title, the fight also carries special interest in Nigeria because of Itauma’s family roots.

Born Enriko Itauma in Kežmarok, Slovakia, on December 28, 2004, he is the son of a Nigerian father and a Slovak mother. His family later settled in Chatham, Kent, where his boxing career began to take shape.

Itauma has spoken about the influence of his Slovak, Nigerian and British background, while his Nigerian heritage has helped him attract growing support from boxing fans in the country.

He is also the younger brother of professional boxer Karol Itauma, who competes in the light-heavyweight division.

A victory over Hrgovic would take Moses Itauma from one of boxing’s brightest prospects to a genuine world champion.

It would also strengthen his growing connection with Nigerian boxing fans and add another major name to the country’s proud heavyweight boxing history, which includes former world champions such as Dick Tiger and Samuel Peter.

With 12 knockouts from 14 fights, Itauma has already shown that he possesses serious power.

Now, against Hrgovic, he must prove that he has the skill, strength and experience to match it.

At the O2 Arena on August 29, Itauma will have the chance to make his biggest statement yet: that he is ready to rule the heavyweight division.

Left-arm spinners Abid Mushtaq and Nishant Sindhu took exactly 6.3 overs to polish off the West Zone tail as North Zone entered the Duleep Trophy semi-final with an impressive 52-run win duly completed here in the first hour of the final day. Chasing a tough target of 287 on a track that offered grip and turn, West started the final day at 220 for 7 with Urvil Patel (25) and the dependable Tanush Kotian (0) at the crease but were bowled out for 234 in 57.3 overs.

It was Mushtaq (4/60 in 22 overs), who cleaned up Kotian quickly to set the ball rolling and followed it up with the wicket of Tushar Deshpande (5), who resisted for 18 balls before being caught by Abdul Samad.

Mushtaq however was unlucky not to get his second five-wicket haul in the game as Sindhu found Urvil plumb in-front to finish off the proceedings in style.

Fittingly, the 29-year-old Mushtaq was adjudged player-of the match for his match figures of 9/99.

The turning point of this game certainly will be West Zone skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s (66 off 70 balls) run-out after a comfortable 111-run stand with Musheer Khan (96).

At that stage, West were cruising along at 195/3 in pursuit of 287 and it seemed like a cakewalk.

West lost four wickets including Gaikwad and Musheer in less than seven overs for an addition of 25 runs and were pushed to wall by the end of the third day’s play.

On a wicket where lot of deliveries kept low, scoring 67 with just three wickets in hand on the final day was akin to scoring more than ‘150’ if degree of difficulty had to be factored in.

North will now play South Zone, while East will take on Central in the semifinals starting at the COE from August 30.

While the East versus NorthEast was predictable lopsided contest due to gulf in quality, this quarter-final had all ingredients of a humdinger after North were bowled out for 251 in their first innings.

This was after North Zone coaches Ajay Sharma and Sarandeep Singh in a very controversial move dropped Ranji Trophy’s third highest run-getter Sanat Sangwan (828 runs) to accommodate Yash Dhull, whose tally of runs stood at an unimpressive 381 during the last Ranji Trophy season.

Dhull failed miserably with scores of 9 and 0. However having copped a lot of flak, it is expected that the controversial duo of Ajay-Sarandeep will do a course correction in the next game.

Brief Scores: North Zone 251 and 222. West Zone 187 and 234 all out (Musheer Khan 96, Ruturaj Gaikwad 66; Abid Mushtaq 4/60).

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Trainer David Payne is planning a campaign for Persian Wonder, a placegetter in the Baillieu, focusing on early season three-year-old features, starting with the Up And Coming Stakes at Rosehill.

The decorated trainer confirmed that the gelding would be nominated for next Saturday’s Group 3 Rosehill event, with his participation dependent on the final field composition and barrier draw.

“We’ll put him in and have a look at it,” Payne stated. “He’s had the two runs, so he will be pretty fit. He’s getting stronger all the time.”

An eye-catching fourth behind Warwoven in the Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) in March, Persian Wonder followed this with a solid second to Southend in the Group 3 Baillieu (1400m). He was spelled after finishing down the track in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) in April, but showed he had returned in good order with a gritty maiden win at Canterbury in July.

Stepped up to Saturday company against older horses, Persian Wonder carried equal topweight and turned in a game effort to be beaten two lengths by Avista.

With several horses likely to be resuming in the Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) on Saturday, Payne is hoping Persian Wonder’s fitness edge will be advantageous. However, the horse’s main goal will be the Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) a fortnight later.

“He ran here in a rating race last start and went well. He finished just behind them with top weight,” Payne commented. “I think 1400 will be his best distance. “We’ll look at the Up And Coming and then the Ming Dynasty. Those two will be his main targets because I don’t want to take the big boys on.”

The Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) is one of two black-type races at Rosehill, along with the San Domenico Stakes (1100m) which is expected to feature the return of Golden Slipper winner Guest House.

Payne’s promising filly Bangkok Hottie turned in an eye-catching performance in the Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, motoring home from back in the field to beat all but the speedy Pembrey. She is likely to progress through the Princess Series with jockey Kerrin McEvoy expecting her to improve as she rises in trip.

“I rode her a bit quiet from that (wide) draw and ended up near the back-end,” McEvoy said. “I like the way she got out and finished very well. Out in trip is going to suit her.”

Check out the latest Australian betting sites for the Up And Coming Stakes.

Hello and welcome to the City transfer blog. We are less than a week away from the summer window shutting and the Blues still have plenty of business to do.

Bouaddi is expected to be their next arrival. Palmeiras winger Allan Elias is also close to arriving. City are pushing for Fernandez but Chelsea are keen to keep hold of the midfielder.

Outgoings are also anticipated after Savinho’s departure to Tottenham. Marmoush could follow his former teammate to north London. Meanwhile, Nico is closing in on a switch to Newcastle and uncertainty remains around Grealish in the final days of the window.

Stay tuned for updates…

LSU has added another player to its roster who most recently played for an NFL team.

Lane Kiffin is among the top villains in college football this year, and this only adds to that status.

On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, I’m joined by ‘Locked On SEC’ host Chris Gordy to discuss Aaron Philo and Keelon Russell being named the starters at Florida and Alabama.

They’re coming into VERY different levels of pressure.

Minnesota has been a model of consistency under PJ Fleck during his tenure.

Will they be a staple of the middle of the Big 10 once again in 2026?

00:00 State of college football today
04:22 Lane Kiffin’s coaching expectations
06:49 Confidence in LSU’s season stability
12:55 Florida Gators’ season expectations
15:43 Discussing Alabama football expectations
17:39 Predicting Alabama’s win-loss record
22:05 Discussing potential for Big Ten team
24:25 Minnesota’s season outlook
26:43 Jeff Lebby’s tough road game
31:22 Key game against Michigan

/ @lockedoncollegefootball  

Calvin McEvoy observed a fitting synchronicity as Yellow Jersey accompanied Half Yours during a workout at Sandown on Saturday, with both horses nearing their spring racing comebacks.

Last year, Half Yours provided McEvoy and his father Tony with a taste of the pressure that accompanies the carnival’s major events, and it’s this same level of aspiration the stable holds for Yellow Jersey.

The McEvoys hold significant Cox Plate ambitions for the imported galloper, who is set to resume in this Saturday’s $200,000 Listed Heatherlie Handicap at Caulfield.

“He’s very untapped and he comes with a very big profile, which comes with pressure, I think,” Calvin McEvoy commented.

“He cost a lot of money and the horse needs to come out and perform.

“Imports don’t always do that, but I believe that we’ve seen enough from him that has shown us that he’s a really good horse.

“He needs to go to the races and perform and I’m hoping that he can be another headline horse for us.”

The 1700-metre Heatherlie Handicap will be the sixth career start for Yellow Jersey. He won his first three races in France before achieving a second placing over 2200m at Group 2 level prior to his export to Australia.

His sole run in Australia was a narrow second in the Listed Wayne Wilson Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm on June 13.

The McEvoys had considered a start for Yellow Jersey in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), but opted to manage his rating and keep options open, especially as he is also entered for the Caulfield Cup, a Group 1 handicap over 2400m for which weights are yet to be released.

“If he were to run sharp in that sort of race, there’s a chance he’d get eight to 10 (ratings) points and we thought that was a low percentage play,” Calvin stated.

Yellow Jersey held a slight advantage over Half Yours at the conclusion of Saturday’s track gallop. This session was part of a preparation geared towards a start in the Makybe Diva Stakes, a race targeted by last year’s Caulfield/Melbourne Cups champion.

“He was a little bit fresh in behind, travelled very strongly and couldn’t have worked any nicer,” McEvoy said of Half Yours.

“He had a healthy blow, he gets one more trial this coming Friday and then goes into the Makybe Diva Stakes first-up.

“He’s exactly where you want him to be.”

The $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) is scheduled for Flemington on September 12.

Explore popular online bookmakers for the upcoming races at online bookmakers.

The Rock got involved in The Bloodline storyline for a few months in 2024, but has changed its whole trajectory since then. Keeping the WWE angle aside, though, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has been a proud Samoan and backs up his extended family tree so much.

This time, his praise comes after WWE NXT’s post before its recent Tuesday night show, which featured a training clip of Fatu. Zilla is training his triceps, with a caption saying he is pumped.

The Great One simply commented here that it’s time for his family to ‘eat,’ implying a slang term for doing amazing work. You can see the post here.

“Time to eat fam.”

Zilla will make his WWE in-ring debut this Sunday at NXT Heatwave against NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo, Cruz Montana, and Grayson Waller in a Fatal Four-Way match for the NXT Championship.

Fatu made his debut just weeks ago on NXT, taking out Montana and Waller in their No. 1 Contender’s match to face D’Angelo. Instead, it turned into a mess, resulting in the final outcome involving him.

The Rock is advertised for a WWE tryout

The current speculation in the wrestling world is that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson could be making his long-awaited return to WWE. The buzz started when WWE deleted and reposted an official announcement for an upcoming tryout in Honolulu. The updated promotional graphic featured The Final Boss alongside Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and Jey Uso.

The tryouts are scheduled around WWE’s October 16 and 17 live events at the Blaisdell Arena. While WWE hasn’t officially explained the graphic tweak, adding The People’s Champion to a promotional asset featuring his real-life family members has sent the wrestling world into overdrive.

With deep family ties to Polynesian wrestling, Hawaii provides the ideal backdrop for The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment to resurface and kick off the next chapter of the Bloodline saga if it is to go that way.