Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) secures a reception while Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) closes in during second-half action on Nov 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, as St. Brown fights for extra yardage in a tightly contested divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: Junfu Han-USA TODAY NETWORK-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings probably won’t trade quite as often with former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not attached to the franchise — he traded like a fiend — but the possibility of an upcoming deal cannot be ruled out during April’s draft. The following is a list of the Vikings players most likely to be dealt.
Minnesota has a few names worth watching once the board starts moving in Pittsburgh.
The group is mainly comprised of big names, and they’re ranked in ascending order of likelihood (No. 1 = players most likely to be moved via trade).
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Four Vikings Whose Names Could Surface during Draft Weekend for Trades
The Vikings’ 2026 trade candidate board.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) fends off Minnesota Vikings safety Theo Jackson (26) with a stiff arm during first-quarter action, Nov. 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The play highlighted LaPorta’s strength after the catch as the Lions pushed for early offensive momentum against Minnesota’s defense. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
Theo Jackson (S)
Is a Jackson trade overly likely? No — mainly because the market for him may be slim. He’s rather anonymous in broad NFL terms.
However, assume momentarily that all the mock drafts in the digital stratosphere right now are correct, and Minnesota drafts safety Dillon Thieneman of Oregon in Round 1. The club would have Thieneman, Josh Metellus, Jay Ward, possibly Harrison Smith, and Jackson in its roster orbit. Jackson could become expendable, and sending him to a new team for a 6th- or 7th-Round pick would make sense.
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Jackson is decently productive, and his contract is affordable.
Jordan Addison (WR)
Addison is quasi-tradeable for two reasons: a) He’ll request a giant contract extension within the next year b) His list of off-the-field antics is too long.
Since the Vikings drafted him in 2023, these incidents have followed the 24-year-old:
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Arrested in 2023 for driving 140 MPH in a 55 MPH zone; later classified as a misdemeanor.
Arrested for intoxication while asleep on a Los Angeles freeway in 2024; later pled guilty to a “wet reckless” charge and served a three-game suspension
Benched by the Vikings for a quarter because of skipping a team walkthrough in London in 2025
Arrested in 2026 for trespassing at a casino; charger later dropped
It never ends. There’s a world where Minnesota cuts bait before the extension bill is due, trading Addison to a WR-needy team in the draft for a 2nd- or 3rd-Round pick.
J.J. McCarthy (QB)
So far this offseason, Minnesota has fired the guy who drafted McCarthy, signed his direct QB1 replacement in Kyler Murray, and re-upped with Carson Wentz, who figures to vie for the Vikings’ QB2 job. The offseason has been horrible for McCarthy. Truly horrible.
Some have suggested that McCarthy was an “Adofo-Mensah draft pick,” insinuating that Kevin O’Connell merely settled for McCarthy and preferred a quarterback like Sam Darnold, Daniel Jones, Aaron Rodgers, or Drake Maye. If those theories are true, Minnesota could prematurely end the McCarthy era, dangling him in front of the team like the Arizona Cardinals or Pittsburgh Steelers for the equivalent of a 4th-Round pick.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy speaks with reporters during training camp availability, Jul. 26, 2024, at the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota. The rookie passer addressed his transition to the NFL and expectations tied to leading the franchise following Kirk Cousins’ departure as the team’s new signal-caller. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
The Vikings don’t have to trade McCarthy; he’s still only 23. But the signs suggest they’re no longer high on his future. If they loved him, Murray would not be a thing as the prospective QB1.
Jonathan Greenard (OLB)
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This one is for all the marbles — because it sadly feels realistic.
Micah Parsons earns $47 million per season in Green Bay. Aidan Hutchinson brings home $45 million annually in Detroit. Greenard? $19 million in Minnesota. He wants a raise. If the Vikings are unable to afford a huge raise — probably in the neighborhood of $35 million each year — for the guy who logged 3 sacks in 12 games last year, well, he’ll have to be traded.
SI.com‘s Jonathan Harrison downplayed the possibility of a Greenard trade this week, explaining, “Another reason why the Vikings are likely to be a little harder to negotiate with on trading Greenard is the addition of Kyler Murray. By landing Murray, the Vikings see themselves as a contender in the NFC. Why would they then go and trade away one of their best defensive talents?”
“For a team looking to compete at the top of the conference, dealing a star pass rusher wouldn’t make a lot of sense. So, the Vikings would certainly need to be blown away by an offer for Greenard, now more than ever, after signing Murray.”
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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) stands on the sideline during second-half action against the New York Giants, Sep. 8, 2024, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The defender observed the unit between series as Minnesota navigated a tightly contested Week 1 matchup on the road. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts have bubbled to the surface as the most logical trade partners. Curiously, no deal has been reached, even as the smoke of a trade has billowed for two weeks.
If Greenard is traded in the end, it may be during the draft — at which point Minnesota might have to draft another EDGE rusher.
Most believe the Vikings are asking for a 2nd-Rounder to pry Greenard loose.
JOHANNESBURG — When Jon Rahm found his opening tee shot in the left rough in the third round of LIV South Africa, he called in a rules official to confirm that his ball had embedded in its own pitch mark, a scenario by which the rules would grant him free relief.
The official, Grover Walker, who has three decades of refereeing experience for the USGA, arrived and, in short order, agreed with Rahm and Rahm’s caddie, Adam Hayes: the ball was embedded. Hayes noted that it was “down past the root system.”
That the ball had plugged was no surprise. The Club at Steyn City has been drenched by rain this week, and Rahm had tried driving the green, some 330 yards away on a hole with more than 100 feet of vertical drop. His shot landed in a low area not far from a creek bed. Just moments before Rahm had let his tee ball fly, the ball of his playing partner, Dean Burmester, also had plugged, albeit in the fairway.
Less clear, however, was whether Rahm’s ball had embedded in its own pitch mark, which is a requirement for relief.
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The LIV broadcast appeared to show something different: Rahm’s drive hitting the ground and bouncing forward about two feet in the air before disappearing into the thick Kikuyu rough. Could the ball have landed in another player’s pitch mark, unbeknownst to everyone on the ground? Absolutely. Pitch marks don’t have initials. Could the ball, after bounding, have sunk into it own second pitch mark? That’s possible but far less likely. Complicating matters further was that Rahm, given his obscured vantage point from the tee, couldn’t see his ball land, meaning all he could do was exactly what he did: assess his lie as he found it and follow the guidance of the referee.
“At the start of Round 3, Jon Rahm’s tee shot on Hole 1 came to rest in the rough. Rahm sought the advice of a referee to see if his ball was embedded. After consulting with the referee, it was determined that the ball was embedded and he received relief before hitting the second shot.
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“Per Rule 16.3, a ball that bounces can still be embedded in its own pitch mark and does not automatically negate the possibility of relief.”
LIV’s rules officials come from across the golf industry — with experience monitoring USGA, LPGA and state golf association events. They are empowered to lean on LIV’s “Any Shot, Any Time” replay technology to gain more information than what might be available on the scene of a ruling but do so only when there are questions or uncertainty about a ruling. If there is no doubt, the official makes the call and the group moves on. In this case, Rahm and Walker agreed upon what most likely had happened, as did Brett Rumford, the walking broadcaster in the group.
While the Rules of Golf are mostly airtight, there is still gray area and need for judgment calls, especially on a wet course. The replay casts doubt on whether Rahm’s ball embedded in its own mark, but how quickly could that information have been relayed to the rules official? It doesn’t take much for a ball be considered “embedded,” as evidenced by this diagram from the USGA. Also, eyewitnesses were scant given Rahm’s ball landed on the far side of the hole, maybe 70 yards from any fans.
As Rahm was getting his ruling, LIV commentator David Feherty reviewed a replay on the broadcast and offered his own assessment.
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“Ah, no, that didn’t bury,” Feherty said to his booth mate Nico Colsaerts. “Interesting, Nico, that he’s getting a drop there. That ball obviously looked like it had buried, and it can do that in this Kikuyu grass.”
“Yes, but the referee stands,” Colsaerts said. “He’s the one giving the ruling.”
After taking his relief, Rahm pitched to three feet and made the ensuing putt for one of his eight birdies on the day.
“Took advantage of a good break,” Feherty said.
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Rahm signed for a seven-under 64 Saturday to move to 18 under for the week. He is three back of Bryson DeChambeau with 18 holes to play.
The $5.50 elect Roulette King, piloted by Jamie Mott, stormed home late to pip $81 hope Savisanta by a head, leaving Kaye Jay ($21) to fill third a further three-quarters of a length adrift.
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“This was his Grand Final. This was the race we set him for,” Rogers said.
“We’ll get him home and see what happens, but he’s a horse for the future so we won’t go knocking him around.
“A Derby, they are things we will talk about with Jamie and the owners and how the horse pulls up, but I’ve got no doubt the horse will pull up well.
“He’s just one of those horses. He gets home and just wants to eat, which is a big plus.”
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Having tracked Roulette King from foalhood, Rogers held his nerve as Mott held the gelding in the latter stages of the field.
“I was never worried because Jamie has had a lot to do with the horse,” Rogers said.
“When he went out, I said to ride him how you see fit, because you know what you’ve got.
“I could see him over the back that he had a handful of horse, and he was waiting for a bit of clear air down the running and with the turn of foot he’s got, he was always going to be a chance.”
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Sports betting enthusiasts enjoyed the action in the Alister Clark Stakes, with top racing odds available through online bookmakers.
No. 12 High Point put everyone on notice for the second time in as many games this March Madness, but could not find the same success.
After advancing to the Round of 32 following an upset victory over No. 5 Wisconsin, the Panthers’ season ended after No. 4 Arkansas ran away from them late Saturday night.
High Point led by as many as five early in the game, and they were up 56-52 with 14:17 to go after going on a 12-2 run.
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Both teams exchanged buckets for several minutes, with no one expanding their respective leads by more than three points for a little while.
High Point Panthers head coach Flynn Clayman and guard Rob Martin (3) react in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center.(Craig Strobeck/Imagn Images)
With 7:04 to play, the Panthers took a 72-71 lead, to which the Razorbacks responded with a 10-2 run, putting them up by seven and giving them their largest lead of the night.
The game was then quickly tied at 83 after a wild run by High Point, but over the final 3:19, Arkansas outscored High Point, 11-5, to snatch the victory, despite a valiant effort from the Panthers.
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High Point Panthers forward Terry Anderson (5) drives against Arkansas Razorbacks forward Malique Ewin (12) and forward Billy Richmond III (24) in the second half during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center.(Craig Strobeck/Imagn Images)
Arkansas was favored by 11.5, and while they couldn’t cover, it was another Sweet 16 appearance for legendary head coach John Calipari.
Two Panthers, Rob Martin (30) and Cam’Ron Fletcher (25), combined for 55 points, but Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas trumped everyone by dropping 36.
Arkansas will face the winner of No. 1 Arizona and No. 9 Utah State in the Sweet 16.
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High Point Panthers head coach Flynn Clayman and forward Braden Hausen (15) react in the second half against the Arkansas Razorbacks during a second round game of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center.(Craig Strobeck/Imagn Images)
Manchester United had six players in loan action on Saturday afternoon.
To find out where all of Manchester United’s loanees are plying their trade this season, click here
Ethan Ennis
Ennis played the full 90 minutes of Fleetwood Town’s 1-0 win over Crawley Town.
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He made one key pass and connected with three of his crossing attempts in an impressive display of traditional wing play. Ennis also completed 81% of his passes during the match.
The young winger also completed one successful dribble and came out on top in three duels.
Radek Vitek
The Czech goalkeeper made five stops in Bristol City’s 0-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion.
He made one high claim and one clearance for his side. Vitek also won his only aerial duel in a strong performance despite the loss.
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Jacob Devaney
The young Irish midfielder played 80 minutes of St Mirren’s 2-1 win away to Falkirk.
He made two key passes and completed an impressive 85% of his passing attempts. Devaney was also a menace in the middle of the park, winning three of his four tackles and five of his six ground duels in a tenacious effort.
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Jacob Devaney stats vs Falkirk
Dan Gore
Gore played the final 25 minutes of Rotherham United’s 0-3 defeat to Lincoln City.
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He made one key pass and completed 79% of his other passes. He also won his only aerial and ground duel of the match.
Gabriele Biancheri came off the bench for The Millers for the second half. He had zero shots on goal and could not provide any key passes in a disappointing display.
The young striker did win his only tackle and also two out of four ground contests.
Ethan Wheatley played the final 45 minutes of Bradford City’s 1-2 defeat to Burton Albion.
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He failed to have any shots on goal or provide any key passes during his time on the pitch.
Manchester City will not be able to call on Marc Guehi in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal despite fellow January signing Antoine Semenyo being available
Pep Guardiola doesn’t like it and many can’t understand it but Manchester City will not be able to call on Marc Guehi for their Carabao Cup final against Arsenal. Nearly two months after joining the club, the former Palace defender will have to sit out the match despite the fact fellow January signing Antoine Semenyo can play.
Semenyo’s involvement caused confusion and controversy when he lined up for Guardiola’s side in their semi-final against Newcastle United. Eddie Howe was not happy that Semenyo was able to play even though he had already featured in an earlier round for Bournemouth before his £62.5m winter transfer.
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Not only did he play but the Ghana international was instrumental in City’s 2-0 win at St James’ Park in the first leg of their semi-final, helping the Blues back into their first League Cup final since 2021 when they beat Aston Villa to win the trophy for the fourth consecutive time. Guardiola will be able to call on Semenyo for Sunday’s game with Arsenal thanks to that tweak to the rules to allow players to feature in the same competition for two different teams.
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Guehi will not have that chance though – not because of his prior involvement with Crystal Palace but because he was not a City player before the first leg of their semi-final with Newcastle. The new rules of the competition as of this season mean that a new signing has to have joined before that date if they want to play in either the semi-final or the final.
That effectively makes Guehi the only cup-tied player in the competition this season, an unusual quirk that left Guardiola baffled after their place in the final was confirmed. “Hopefully we can convince the Carabao Cup (EFL) that Marc can play the final,” he said.
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“I don’t understand why he cannot play the final. Hopefully we make a letter. You buy a player for a lot of money and he is not able to play for a rule I don’t understand. Hopefully they can change it. It is difficult to understand.”
City’s hopes of repeating their 2023 European success were ended this week as the Spanish giants completed a 5-1 aggregate success in the last 16.
The setback has not discouraged City manager Guardiola, who has seen enough in recent months to be optimistic even if he accepts there remains a gap to bridge at the very highest level.
City have a chance to win the first major trophy of the season on Sunday as they face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final and they have not given up hope of catching the Gunners in the title race.
“I have the feeling that in many things it is just underneath, it will flourish,” said Guardiola, whose side are also through to the FA Cup quarter-finals. “I have the feeling that it is close.
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“In other things we need a little bit more time to realise, and for the players to realise what we need to be a strong team in many departments, but in most of the things we are close.”
Guardiola feels City’s progress this season has already surpassed that of their underwhelming 2024-25 campaign, regardless of how it now ends.
He said: “Last season we arrived in the final of the FA Cup against Crystal Palace. We played really well but there were many things behind the scenes we could not control and the season was not good.
“Even if we had won against Crystal Palace, the season had not been good. Many things happened that were not what a team should be.
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“I don’t know what’s going to happen but this season has been more than decent. Most of the time we have been a team that is not perfect but is good.”
The next step, he believes, is to find consistency throughout a full season.
Guardiola said: “The other things to be aware of, maybe for the type of players that we have, is to do what we need to be consistent for 11 months in important games.
“The gap is a little but in many aspects we are an extraordinary team.”
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Pressed on what was still missing, Guardiola said at a press conference: “I won’t tell you but I know it and the players know it.”
Out here, losses grow on trees, and playoff berths fall from the sky.
Out here, it’s Oprah country: You get a first-round series! And you get a first-round series!
“It’s a bit of a pillow fight right now,” admitted Oilers captain Connor McDavid, on a night where six Pacific teams played and six Pacific teams lost in regulation.
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“We’re fortunate to play in this division. A lot of teams are fortunate to play in this division,” McDavid said. “We’re thankful not to have lost any ground. That being said we have to find a way to win some games here on the road. We have to make up some ground.”
As the Oilers fell to a Florida team for the second straight game on home ice, this time a 5-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning, they looked at the standings to see that they hadn’t lost any ground to anybody on another Softball Saturday night in the Pacific.
The same thing happened two nights before, if you can believe it.
“We’re very fortunate. The teams that we’re battling with are losing,” said head coach Kris Knoblauch. “These last two nights in a row that we’ve lost, everyone else we’re battling with are not gaining any ground on us.
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“We’ve got a lot of games against those teams, so we’re going to need to win those games. But, it’s nice that we lost a game on our schedule and we didn’t lose any ground. Certainly, it was a good opportunity for us to win and really move ahead.”
Every Pacific team that played Saturday lost in regulation: Vegas lost 4-1 in Nashville, L.A. lost 4-1 at home to Buffalo, San Jose lost by the same score at home to Philadelphia, Seattle dropped a 5-2 decision in Columbus and Vancouver lost 3-1 at home to St. Louis.
Then Edmonton got bested by the Lightning, yet held tight to second place in the Division despite a two-game losing streak.
Six Pacific teams played games on Thursday. Three of them were shut out that night, while the six teams combined for six goals — three by the Kings and two by the NHL’s last place team, the Vancouver Canucks. Together, they earned one measly loser point out of a possible 12.
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It is a cyclical phenomenon, and while the Pacific is rightly targeted for being “a pillow fight” this year, other Divisions take their turn.
The Atlantic Division has been home to four separate rebuilds among its eight teams over the past decade, though their top teams — Florida, Tampa and Boston — have all helped to prop up the division.
The Metropolitan’s Carolina Hurricanes have been a great regular-season team, but they play in a division that houses a wholly average group in recent years. Neither very good nor very bad, the best teams in the Atlantic have held sway in the East for some time.
Few, however, have been as bad a collection as the Pacific in 2025-26, where the first-place Anaheim Ducks’ 80 points would have them four points and three teams removed from a wild-card spot out East.
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Edmonton, it seems, just doesn’t beat many of the NHL’s top teams anymore. On Saturday against Tampa, their top unit got caved in by the Lightning’s top group in a mismatch that decided the game.
Edmonton’s top unit of McDavid, Zach Hyman, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm combined to go minus-14. Edmonton’s top line had a 26 per cent shot share on a night where Nikita Kucherov danced his way to another four points.
“They have a great system, they’re perfectly coached. They all know what they’re doing all over the ice. They’re a great team,” complimented McDavid, whose team hung in there but just couldn’t handle the Lightning.
McDavid’s praise for his Olympic coach Jon Cooper was effusive.
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“They’re extremely well coached, they’re extremely well organized,” he said. “They’re very rehearsed in everything they do. It’s very impressive. And when you do break them down they have a heck of a goalie to backstop them.”
With 11 games to play, Edmonton is fine as far as a playoff berth goes.
The race to complete the lineup for the historic 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 is reaching its climax. Six remaining spots will be decided through the FIFA Play-Off Tournament and the UEFA play-offs. Alongside confirming the final participants, this decisive window will also lock in the tournament schedule for the competition in North America.
With high stakes and intense matchups ahead, 22 teams across continents are preparing for defining moments that could secure their place on football’s biggest stage.
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FIFA Play-Off Tournament
Path 1 Showdown
FIFA World Cup playoffs Path 1 schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Stakes
Semi-final
26/03/26
New Caledonia vs Jamaica
Winner advances to final
Final
31/03/26
Winner of Semi-final vs DR Congo
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026
New Caledonia will take on Jamaica in the semi-final on 26 March. The winner advances to face DR Congo in the final on 31 March. New Caledonia are chasing a historic first-ever World Cup qualification. Jamaica last featured in the tournament in 1998. DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, made their only appearance back in 1974.
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Path 2 Battle
FIFA World Cup playoffs Path 2 schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Stakes
Semi-final
26/03/26
Bolivia vs Suriname
Bolivia chasing 4th WC; Suriname aiming for debut
Final
31/03/26
Winner of Semi-final vs Iraq
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026 (Iraq last appeared in 1986)
Bolivia, aiming to return to the World Cup for the fourth time (after 1930, 1950, and 1994), must first get past Suriname, a team hoping to qualify for the very first time.
The winner of this encounter will then face Iraq in the final. Iraq’s only World Cup appearance came in 1986.
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UEFA Play-Offs
Path A: Italy’s Redemption Quest
FIFA World Cup playoffs (UEFA) Path A schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Stakes
Semi-final 1
26/03/26
Italy vs Northern Ireland
Italy aiming to avoid third straight WC absence
Semi-final 2
26/03/26
Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
Winner advances to final
Final
31/03/26
Italy/Northern Ireland winner vs Wales/Bosnia and Herzegovina winner
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026
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Italy, looking to avoid missing out on a third consecutive World Cup, begin with a clash against Northern Ireland on 26 March. If they progress, they will face either Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina in the decisive match.
Path B: Fierce European Rivalries
FIFA World Cup playoffs (UEFA) Path B schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Stakes
Semi-final 1
26/03/26
Sweden vs Ukraine
Winner advances to final
Semi-final 2
26/03/26
Poland vs Albania
Albania chasing first-ever World Cup spot
Final
31/03/26
Sweden/Ukraine winner vs Poland/Albania winner
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026
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Sweden will battle Ukraine in one semi-final, while Poland, led by star striker Robert Lewandowski, take on Albania. Notably, Albania are the only team in this group yet to qualify for a World Cup.
Path C: Long-Awaited Returns
FIFA World Cup playoffs (UEFA) Path C schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Notes
Semi-final 1
26/03/26
Norway / Austria / Scotland vs Türkiye
Teams aiming to return after long absences (Norway, Austria, Scotland since 1998; Türkiye since 2002)
Semi-final 2
26/03/26
Slovakia vs Kosovo
Kosovo aiming for historic World Cup debut
Final
31/03/26
Winner Semi-final 1 vs Winner Semi-final 2
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026
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Several teams are eyeing a return after long absences. While Norway, Austria, and Scotland have not featured since 1998, Romania must also first overcome Türkiye, who last appeared in 2002.
In the other tie, Slovakia face Kosovo, with the latter hoping to secure a historic debut qualification.
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Path D: One Last Chance
FIFA World Cup playoffs (UEFA) Path D schedule
Stage
Date
Match
Stakes
Semi-final 1
26/03/26
Denmark vs North Macedonia
Denmark seeking another chance after missing direct qualification
Semi-final 2
26/03/26
Czechia vs Republic of Ireland
Ireland aiming to return to World Cup for first time since 2002
Final
31/03/26
Winner Semi-final 1 vs Winner Semi-final 2
Winner qualifies for FIFA World Cup 2026
Denmark, who narrowly missed direct qualification after a defeat to Scotland, get another opportunity as they face North Macedonia. Meanwhile, Czechia will go up against the Republic of Ireland, who are aiming to end their World Cup drought dating back to 2002.
Teams already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026
Carl Froch has proposed Anthony Joshua vs Moses Itauma as a possible heavyweight clash, believing that one man has a psychological advantage over the other.
The two-time world heavyweight champion then joined forces with Team Usyk, training alongside Oleksandr, before orchestrating a sixth-round finish over Jake Paul last December.
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Shortly after that, though, it came to light that Joshua had been involved in a tragic car crash, where two of his closest friends ultimately lost their lives.
It then became increasingly unclear whether the 36-year-old would resume his career, but he has since returned to the gym ahead of what many suspect will be a tick-over fight this summer.
As for Itauma, it must be said the 21-year-old is gearing up for his toughest assignment thus far, against Jermaine Franklin, who he will face at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena on March 28.
After that, Froch has suggested a potential showdown between Itauma and Joshua, with the Hall of Famer telling NewBettingSites.uk that he would favour the younger man to do the business.
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“Out of any of the heavyweight ex-champs, I think ‘AJ’ would be Itauma’s best pick to look good against, because I think ‘AJ’’s not the force he was.
“Psychologically and mentally, he is not there anymore. He’s been banjoed a few times. I don’t think his heart’s in the fight game anymore. So, it’s a bad fight for ‘AJ’, yeah, and I think that Itauma probably beats him.”
While many are predicting Itauma to become the next dominant force in heavyweight boxing, he is ultimately yet to face any fighter of Joshua’s calibre.
;)
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