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Usyk names the fighter who would have ended Floyd Mayweather’s unbeaten run

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Oleksandr Usyk suspects there is one fighter who, in a fantasy showdown, would have become the first and only man to defeat Floyd Mayweather in a professional ring.

Very few came close to trumping the all-time great and, even when they did, it was scarcely conceivable that they would emerge victorious on the judges’ scorecards.

Take Mayweather’s first encounter with Jose Luis Castillo, for instance, and many will argue that the elite technician should have lost his WBC super-lightweight title in 2002.

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Similarly, the American was pushed tantalisingly close to defeat against Marcos Maidana, who ultimately lost a majority decision in their 2014 welterweight contest.

Mayweather also won their respective rematches but, even so, the two South Americans are widely credited for giving the Hall of Famer two of his toughest fights.

It could therefore be argued that there was a blueprint to defeat the 50-0 icon, given the stylistic similarities between Castillo and Maidana.

From a different perspective, though, Usyk has suggested that Terence Crawford would have completed the mission that so few were even capable of attempting.

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Speaking with Daily Mail Boxing, the Ukrainian named ‘Bud’ as the man to not only defeat Mayweather but also the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard, Pernell Whitaker and Sugar Ray Robinson.

Like Mayweather, Crawford retired as an unbeaten five-division world champion, shortly after dethroning Canelo Alvarez for the undisputed super-middleweight crown last September.

But despite ending his career at 168lbs, Crawford was arguably most effective at welterweight, where he scored a ninth-round finish over Errol Spence Jr for the undisputed championship in 2023.

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He’s 6’2″, Boasts Elite Speed, and is Making a Name for Himself at Vikings Camp

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NFL: Combine
Feb 28, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A general view of large Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons helmets at the NFL Scouting Combine Experience at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

Vikings camp has seen several players emerge. Among them has been sophomore receiver Dontae Fleming.

The 6’2″ receiver didn’t generate a ton of hype going into the 2025 NFL Draft but did get recognition for his size and 4.4 speed. Last year involved working on the practice squad but not getting an opportunity to crack the 53-man roster. The sophomore pass catcher could change that reality soon enough.

Vikings Camp Sees Dontae Fleming Emerge

At receiver, there are three spots that are fully solidified with WR1 Justin Jefferson, WR2 Jordan Addison, and WR3 Jauan Jennings. What’s needed is a depth option to emerge for injury coverage and the times when there needs to be a fourth receiver.

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Could Fleming be that guy?

Per Over the Cap, the Vikings lured him to the Twin Cities largely due to the promise of $135,000 guaranteed. He therefore became yet another highly-regarded undrafted talent to give Minnesota a try. Choosing Minnesota also came with the benefit of getting to work under the tutelage of Keenan McCardell, who is a terrific receiver coach.

NFL: Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings
Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Dontae Fleming (19) celebrates a first down against the Houston Texans in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images – Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Check out some of what special teams coordinator Matt Daniels had to say about the WR in a recent press conference.

“I’m really, really excited about Dontae Fleming,” Daniels said. “I really wanted to get him some opportunities back there. He’s got the speed […] really elite speed. He has the ability to setup blocks, been doing a great job for us.” Not long afterwards, Coach Daniels indicated that the hope is to give Fleming some work at both punt and kickoff returner.

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At Tulane in 2024, Fleming showed off his explosiveness. The final stats see 31 catches going for 598 yards. That’s good for a whopping 19.3 yards-per-catch average. A touch discouraging is that Fleming only scored a single touchdown.

On specials, Fleming had 12 punt returns go for a modest 61 yards and zero scores. He did, however, put up more explosive returns in past collegiate seasons.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell in Dallas in Week 15 of 2025
Dec 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell before a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images.

Across Vikings social media, there has been several mentions of Fleming.

Alec Lewis at the end of July: “Vikings training camp practice day 2 is over. The quarterback report: Kyler Murray took a hefty amount of snaps with the starters. Had one deep hit to Dontae Fleming.”

Lewis again on August 4th: “Not much Vikings QBs stuff from today’s practice, but I thought TE Gavin Bartholomew, CB Chuck Demmings and WR Dontae Fleming continued to really look good.”

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Jason Harmon on August 7th: “McCarthy with a throw to Dontae Fleming to his left downfield. A bit high but 19 makes the leaping catch.”

Over and over again, Fleming has been getting noticed. Quite evidently, Fleming is making plays on a consistent basis. The worst thing a depth guy can be is forgettable; making plays that obviously jump off the field is a nice development for the depth guy who appears to have made the most of his time to develop.

Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) brings down Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Dontae Fleming (1) during a
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. (2) brings down Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Dontae Fleming (1) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Tulane Green Wave at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. – Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Vikings get back to work tomorrow. Keep an eye on #19 as he works toward making the final roster as the WR5 or WR6.


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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

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Junior D’Tigress Suffer Group-Stage Exit at U18 Afrobasket

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Nigeria’s Junior D’Tigress have suffered a disappointing group-stage exit at the FIBA U18 Women’s Afrobasket after losing all three of their matches.

Nigeria started their campaign with a heavy 95–68 defeat to Egypt before losing 59–50 to Chad in their second game.

They ended the group stage with another defeat, falling 77–68 to Côte d’Ivoire.

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The results mean Nigeria failed to win a single group match at the competition, a feat that has only happened once before, in 2010.

Nigeria’s group-stage results:
– Egypt 95–68 Nigeria
– Chad 59–50 Nigeria
– Nigeria 68–77 Côte d’Ivoire

With three defeats from three games, the Junior D’Tigress will not advance to the quarter-finals.

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Nigeria will instead play in the 9th–12th classification games on Wednesday as they look to end their campaign on a positive note.

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U.S. Amateur’s most important lesson comes from … an accounting professor?

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European Athletics Championships 2026: Great Britain’s Amy Hunt wins 100m gold

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Amy Hunt claimed her first senior international title by storming to 100m glory and delivering Great Britain’s first gold medal at the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

Hunt announced herself on the sport’s global stage last year by claiming world 200m silver in Tokyo, where she secured the first individual international medal of her senior career.

Having backed that up with Commonwealth 100m silver two weeks ago, the 24-year-old would not be denied gold this time on home soil at Alexander Stadium.

Hunt, full of confidence after this season breaking the 11-second barrier for the first time, raised her arms in celebration after producing a trademark strong finish which delivered her from fifth to first over the second half of the race.

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Finishing in 11.00 seconds, she could have as many as three further opportunities to add to that tally on home soil, in the 200m and both the women’s and mixed 4x100m relay events later this week.

British defending champion Dina Asher-Smith, bidding to win her seventh gold and become the joint-most successful athlete in the history of the championships, finished fifth in 11.10 as Poland’s Ewa Swoboda (11.02) and Belgian Delphine Nkansa (11.06) completed the podium.

It was Great Britain’s second medal on the opening day of action, after the hosts took silver in the mixed 4x400m relay.

More to follow.

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Brian Kelly’s game-by-game 2026 predictions for LSU, Notre Dame

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For the first time since his coaching career began in 1983, Brian Kelly won’t be patrolling the sidelines with a headset on. The former LSU and Notre Dame coach has joined CBS Sports as a college football analyst for the 2026 season, giving him a front-row seat to the programs he knows better than almost anyone.

Kelly spent four seasons at LSU before his tenure ended in 2025, with Lane Kiffin replacing him. Expectations are high in Baton Rouge, just as they always are. With the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country, Kiffin has the talent to get the Tigers back to the College Football Playoff.

FanDuel Sportsbook has LSU’s regular-season win total set at 8.5, but that won’t satisfy the fans in Kiffin’s first season.

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Lane Kiffin unplugged: How leaving Ole Miss and social media changed the polarizing LSU coach’s perspective

Brandon Marcello

Lane Kiffin unplugged: How leaving Ole Miss and social media changed the polarizing LSU coach's perspective
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Before LSU, Kelly spent 12 seasons at Notre Dame, where he became the winningest coach in program history with 113 victories. Marcus Freeman is entering his sixth season in South Bend and has Notre Dame positioned among the teams best equipped to compete for a national championship in 2026.

FanDuel has set the Fighting Irish’s regular-season win total at a lofty 11.5, with the under carrying the juice. Still, Notre Dame’s schedule provides a manageable path to the College Football Playoff.

So, how does Kelly think his former teams will fare in 2026?

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Lane Kiffin era begins with a bang

It’s vital the Lane Kiffin era at LSU gets off to a good start in the opener against Clemson, especially with all the attention on the matchup that awaits at Ole Miss. Kelly mentioned new LSU starting quarterback Sam Leavitt could have some rust after missing all of spring practice, and his performance against Clemson could set the tone for the Tigers’ trip to Oxford.

“I think this really comes down to what quarterback plays better,” Kelly said. “If Trinidad Chambliss plays to the level that we all think he can, this could be a game that Ole Miss beats LSU.”

The Tigers then face a quick turnaround with Texas A&M the following Saturday. Kelly said LSU can overcome a split in those two games, and the Tigers should feel good about their outlook if they can come out of that stretch 1-1 before moving into an easier portion of the schedule.

From there, Kelly has LSU beating Alabama at home.

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“I think they’ll have great energy and momentum with just the one stumble at this point,” Kelly said. “I think they’ll beat Alabama at home.”

That sets up a mid-November showdown with Texas, marking the first meeting between the Tigers and Longhorns since 2019, when Texas was still in the Big 12.

“This is difficult,” Kelly said. “I think they probably get beat at the end here, and I expect that Texas will win this game.”

Kelly then has the Tigers close the regular season with wins over Tennessee and Arkansas, finishing 10-2. That would give LSU its first 10-win regular season since the 2019 national championship campaign.

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Kelly’s confidence in the Tigers comes down to the roster Kiffin has assembled and the offense’s potential.

“I think they’re better on defense. Lane’s done a great job in the portal. And then offensively, Lane and Charlie Weis (Jr.) will have that offense running quite well,” Kelly said. “They’re like every other team. They’ve got to keep their quarterback healthy. If their quarterback’s healthy, then they’re going to be minimally a 10-2 team.”

Can Notre Dame be perfect?

Kelly was fairly confident in picking the Fighting Irish to finish the regular season undefeated for the first time since 2018, but there are a couple of tricky games that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Notre Dame should be heavily favored in every game through the first half of the schedule before it makes the trip out west to face BYU. Provo is always a tough test, especially if kickoff comes late, but Kelly didn’t seem particularly concerned about the matchup with the Cougars.

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“I think Notre Dame has done a great job against the marquee teams, and I think they’ll continue to do that at BYU,” Kelly said.

That doesn’t mean BYU should be dismissed. The Cougars could represent Notre Dame’s first legitimate test of the season as a potential top-15 opponent. Marcus Freeman is 16-7 (.696) against AP Top 25 opponents during his Notre Dame tenure, but that record drops to 4-4 (.500) in true road games.

If Notre Dame is going to lose a regular-season game in 2026, the most obvious candidate is a November visit from Miami, which beat the Fighting Irish in last year’s opener. That result ultimately kept Notre Dame out of the College Football Playoff while the Hurricanes went on to reach the national championship game.

But Kelly doesn’t expect a repeat.

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“I think everybody has penciled this game as one that Notre Dame could lose,” Kelly said. “I don’t see it happening. I think Notre Dame will win that football game.”

Kelly has Notre Dame winning its final three games against ACC opponents to finish the regular season 12-0.

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Maduka Okoye gets real on massive fame after Cardi B-linked Paris Fashion Week moment

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Stefon Diggs’ ex-girlfriend Cardi B was spotted sitting alongside Maduka Okoye at the Paris Fashion Week on July 8. Their front-seat appearance went viral within hours, boosting the social media followers of the Nigerian soccer player. Almost a month later, Okoye talked about his time at the fashion show with the rapper.

“Being at the Paris fashion week was really impressive. It was my first time really coming into contact with high fashion, and it was fascinating,” Okoye said via The Guardian. “It’s a true art form. I enjoyed it immensely, and since that moment I’ve become a much bigger fan of fashion than I was before.”

Maduka Okoye has remained the talk of the town due to buzz around his rumored romance with Cardi B. On July 19, the two were spotted enjoying a dinner date at a restaurant inside The St. Regis Venice, Italy. Less than a week after their date, Okoye’s ex-girlfriend Jelicia Westhoff made allegations of violence and infidelity against him.

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“You was cheating on me with everything,” Westhoff shared via Instagram story. “When I had just given birth to our baby (Isaiah Amiel Okoye), I still chose to wipe your (expletive) because you had just undergone an operation, and none of your people looked out for you.”

“Let’s speak about December, MY son got hospitalized 4 times, ON the intensive of care with an ambulance!! his FATHER didn’t even came!” she wrote in another Instagram story.

Moving forward in the interview, Westhoff talked about maintaining boundaries between his personal and professional life:

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“What happens off the pitch is one thing, what happens on the pitch is another. You have to separate the two. I never let these two worlds collide.”

Cardi B exploded over constant media attention amid romance with Maduka Okoye

In her July 20 Instagram story, Cardi B went on to rant about being constantly under media attention and how her relationship receives more than usual focus. Expressing her anger, the rapper said:

“I’m really hip-hop’s Britney Spears… I know who’s [ ] who, and who was doing what … But guess what? Nobody reports about it because nobody gives a [ ],” she said. “When it comes to me… I can’t even (expletive) piss in a [ ] cup, bitch. Like, this [ ] is [ ] crazy.”

Cardi B and Stefon Diggs had a public relationship, and the two remained in the headlines for a long while despite their breakup. The rapper recently trashed her fans for unrealistic relationship advice, following her separation from Diggs.