Sports
World champion says Shakur Stevenson has ‘gone back on his word’ after initially agreeing to fight
Shakur Stevenson is now searching for a first opponent after signing with Zuffa Boxing, but there is one man who says he is being avoided by Stevenson, whom he believes has ‘gone back on his word’.
Stevenson has been linked to a host of names since his triumph over Teofimo Lopez in January, with Devin Haney, Conor Benn and Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela being some of the recent fighters mentioned for a showdown with the pound-for-pound star.
Another man who has been chasing the fight is former sparring partner and reigning WBC super-featherweight world champion O’Shaquie Foster, who has maintained that he would be willing to move up two weight divisions for the opportunity.
Back in December, Stevenson responded to Foster’s continuous call-out, telling the Texan that he must first defeat his good friend and former featherweight world champion Raymond Ford before being granted the opportunity to fight him.
“It’s all good Sav [Ford], Cause he won’t get an opportunity with me until he fight u.. That WBC s**t don’t move me.”
Since then, Foster has overcome Ford via majority-decision, with Stevenson entering the ring after that May contest to seemingly call on the showdown with ‘Shock’ Foster.
“Pick up the phone we could run it next… Don’t say he a 130 pounder either he talked his way here now let’s go. Boy gone wanna shake my hand after saying he ain’t shaking hands, let’s fight.
“Look they starting already. This dude scream my name on every platform.. Lie and say he beat me up and ran me out the gym when I never run from nobody, I’m a man first. Let’s get it.”
Yet, speaking to Ring Magazine, Foster shared his frustration at a lack of talks in the weeks that have followed, disheartened that he will not be granted a shot at the Newark southpaw despite trumping Ford.
“He went on Twitter [X] and said that basically he is not giving me an opportunity or giving me a shot at fighting him unless I give Ray Ford the shot [first].
“We did that and he’s not holding himself to or being a man of his word. We ain’t heard nothing from him.
“He got in the ring that night and said, ‘we are going to do it’. I told him that I don’t care which weight and, still, we ain’t heard nothing from him.”
Foster is also being mooted for a unification clash against WBO and IBF super-featherweight world champion Emanuel Navarrete, although WBO mandatory challenger Charly Suarez is unlikely to step aside and looks set to delay that proposed match-up.
Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is over two years removed from last serving in the NFL as a head coach, but as was the case in the latter part of his career, he remains viewed as being the greatest coach of all time.
According to CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo in the network’s ranking of the top 20 head coaches in NFL history, Belichick ranks No. 1 overall above all of the other greats to do it. In a panel of six voters, there were four who agreed that Belichick deserved the top spot in the rankings.
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“The most successful coach of the 21st century, Belichick, has two more Super Bowl wins than the next-closest coach,” DeArdo said. “He is second all-time in career wins (333) and third all-time in regular-season wins (302).”
Belichick ended his career with six Super Bowl wins as a head coach, as well as three AP NFL Coach of the Year awards.
He coached innumerable NFL greats throughout his historic career, which also included a tenure with the Cleveland Browns, and his development of Tom Brady, widely regarded as the greatest player ever, adds to his body of work as the standard-setting head coach in league history.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Where did Bill Belichick land in latest all-time NFL coach rankings?
Sports
Former heavyweight champion who beat Anthony Joshua says his ‘mission is not over’ as comeback confirmed
The heavyweight division has been blown wide open recently, and in response one former ruler who defeated Anthony Joshua is hoping that he can get back into contention for the heavyweight throne, with his comeback fight officially confirmed.
The WBA, WBC and IBF world titles were in the possession of Oleksandr Usyk until last month, but an underwhelming performance against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven seemed to convince the Ukrainian that Father Time may have caught up with him.
As a result, the 39-year-old has decided to drop the belts, but to remain in the sport for now, with Murat Gassiev (WBA) and Agit Kabayel (WBC) each being elevated to full world champions in his place, whilst a fight for the vacant IBF strap has been ordered.
Consequently, there are a number of heavyweights who believe that they would be able to topple one of the newly crowned champions, including another former unified titleholder, Andy Ruiz Jr, who famously dethroned Joshua in 2019.
Ruiz stepped in on short notice to face Joshua at Madison Square Garden in New York, and despite being viewed as a big underdog, was able to land multiple knockdowns and secure the shock seventh round stoppage win.
His reign was short-lived after losing those belts to Joshua in the immediate rematch six months later, and since then he has only competed on three occasions, defeating Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz before a draw with Jarrell Miller in August 2024.
He is now set to get his career back on track after signing with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and on his Instagram account, ‘The Destroyer’ outlined that his ‘mission is not over’.
“I’m coming, no matter what anyone says, the mission is not over.”
His first fight under Hearn has been announced, as he headlines a New Jersey card against Poland’s Damian Knyba, who notably lost out to Agit Kabayel at the beginning of the year.
The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 4, with middleweight duo Vito Mielnicki and Austin ‘Ammo’ Williams poised to collide in an intriguing co-main event.
Gautam Gambhir (L) and Rohit Sharma© AFP
Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has given Rohit Sharma complete freedom to play his natural game, and the team management is trying to make sure that the star batter remains in a relaxed frame of mind in the ongoing ODI series against England, according to a report by India Today. Rohit did not have a good outing in the first ODI encounter, where he was dismissed by Sam Curran after scoring 11 runs off 21 deliveries. Sources told India Today that Gambhir has asked Rohit to play his natural game and not be weighed down by questions surrounding his future with the ODI World Cup 2027 in focus.
“Rohit has done a lot for this team and the country in white-ball cricket. The coach wants him to play the way he has throughout his career and express himself freely,” sources said.
“The way Rohit Sharma has been batting under pressure, it seems clear that he needs a bit of time and mental space rather than constant scrutiny,” the source added.
“Players of his calibre often perform at their best when they are free from external pressure and allowed to trust their natural instincts. Instead of overanalysing every innings, it is important to back someone who has consistently delivered for India over the years. A relaxed and confident Rohit Sharma is capable of changing games on his own, and sometimes faith and patience are just as important as technical adjustments.”
There has been a lot of chatter over Rohit’s future, with some reports suggesting that the team management may look beyond the veterans in the build-up to the tournament. Rohit will be 41 years old when the World Cup begins in 2027.
The report claimed that the team management is of the opinion that complete freedom will allow Rohit to play his best cricket, and Gambhir is looking to ‘maximise the impact’ that Rohit brings to the game. However, the sources claimed that the current stance is not related to Rohit’s future with the national team.
“Nobody knows what the future holds. The focus right now is on the present. The team management wants Rohit to have complete peace of mind so that he can give his best whenever he plays,” the source said.
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Sports
Over 10 million sign petition to kick Argentina out of FIFA World Cup amid referee bias claims | Football News
Over ten million people have signed an online petition at argentinaout.org demanding Argentina be expelled from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, accusing FIFA and match officials of favouring Lionel Messi and the defending champions. The petition, hosted on argentinaout.com, gained massive attention after Argentina’s dramatic comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.The petition claims Argentina have received favourable decisions throughout the tournament. “Argentina Out is a fan-led campaign calling for Argentina to be removed from the 2026 World Cup,” it read. “Sign the Kick Out Argentina petition to demand consistent rules, transparent officiating, and fair competition for every nation. Add your voice and help make the call to kick out Argentina impossible to ignore.”The controversy intensified after Argentina overturned a 2-0 deficit to beat Egypt, scoring three goals in the final 13 minutes despite Messi missing an earlier penalty. Egypt were furious after one of their goals was ruled out following a VAR review, while Argentina’s late winner stood despite claims of a foul on Mohamed Salah in the build-up.Egypt manager Hossam Hassan did not hold back after the match, saying: “I’ll say what I think, regardless of the consequences. This has clearly been rigged, and everyone has seen it. If they want them to win so badly, why are they inviting everyone to participate in the World Cup?” He added: “Fifa promotes ‘Fair Play’, but we didn’t see it on the pitch … without those mistakes, the result would’ve been different.”
Head coach Scaloni rejects favouritism claims
Ahead of Argentina’s quarter-final, manager Lionel Scaloni dismissed the allegations, insisting modern technology makes referee bias almost impossible. “In 1986, they also said Argentina was getting unfair advantages. This is nothing new for us,” he said.Scaloni added, “There are people who don’t like to see Argentina win. These comments only inspire my team to play better football.”Explaining his point, he said, “With VAR and all the technology we have today, it’s extremely difficult to help anyone. There is no room for different interpretations… today, it’s next to impossible.” Argentina are now preparing to face England in the World Cup semi-finals.
Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles helmet during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images With the season less than two months away, the Florida State football team got some good news Tuesday night when four-star recruit Za’Kari Johnson committed to the Seminoles over other finalists Miami, Auburn, Syracuse and Georgia Tech.
Johnson, who plays for Miami (Fla.) Carol City High, recently reclassified from the 2028 recruiting class to 2027. He ranks as the No. 349 overall recruit, No. 21 athlete and No. 31 prospect from Florida in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.
While there was some debate about Johnson’s position at the next level. He played both quarterback and defensive back last season for Plantation (Fla.) High School before transferring. Johnson told 247Sports that the Seminoles intend to use him in the secondary.
Johnson is Florida State’s 14th commit in its 2027 class, the fourth of which is a four-star recruit. The Seminoles’ 2027 class ranks 53rd in the 247Sports recruiting class rankings. Since being left out of the College Football Playoff in 2023 with a 13-0 record, Florida State has gone 7-17 the last two years under Mike Norvell, creating a hot seat entering his seventh season leading the program in 2026.
–Field Level Media
FIFA has been told it would have been “wasting the moment” if it had not extended the World Cup final interval on Sunday to stage a half-time show, according to a top global events boss.
The organisation has confirmed the 11-minute performance, featuring artists such as Madonna, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, will take place at MetLife Stadium.
However, reports suggest this show will cause the gap between the first and second halves to significantly exceed the 15 minutes stipulated by the sport’s laws.
Some observers have criticised the move, but Michael Gietzen, the chief executive officer of Identity, said: “FIFA is right to extend half-time and the people complaining are missing the point.
“Football has its own rhythm and its own rules and of course that matters. But a World Cup final isn’t ‘most of the time’.
“It happens once every four years, in front of the biggest audience any single sporting event can pull. Treating it like a normal weekend fixture is the mistake, not the half-time show.
“A good half-time show isn’t a distraction from the football. It’s part of the reason people remember exactly where they were when they watched it.
“A few extra minutes to get that right isn’t a compromise, it’s FIFA recognising that the final is a cultural event as much as a sporting one.
“Purists may call that a dilution. I’d call it FIFA catching up to what a decent proportion of audiences have wanted for years. A final like this comes round once every four years. Play it safe and you waste the moment.”
ITV has said it will broadcast the half-time show in full, while it is understood the BBC will confirm its plans in due course.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino has described the performance as a “groundbreaking spectacle” that will “celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle”.
It was also announced that Hollywood actor Tom Cruise, popstar Robbie Williams and US singer Jennifer Hudson will perform during the closing ceremony.
The event will take place 90 minutes before kick-off and will also feature performances from Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, Italian singer-songwriter Laura Pausini and streamer IShowSpeed – with Hudson set to deliver a rendition of the US national anthem.
Sports
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappe Remains Lionel Messi’s No. 1 Challenger. See Full List
Kylian Mbappe and France’s bid to clinch the FIFA World Cup 2026 trophy came to an end on Tuesday following a shocking 0-2 defeat to Spain in the semi-final. France, who were aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup final, were thoroughly outplayed by Rodri and Co. and knocked out of the title race. It was also a disappointing outing for captain Kylian Mbappe, who had been in fine form throughout the tournament but failed to find the back of the net in the semi-final. Despite drawing a blank and seeing France’s title hopes dashed, Mbappe remains firmly in contention for the Golden Boot.
The France striker will now have to settle for the third-place playoff while continuing his pursuit of another Golden Boot award in a closely contested race with Argentina superstar Lionel Messi.
Mbappe and Messi have eight goals each so far at this year’s tournament. Mbappe, who won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup four years ago in Qatar, holds the first tiebreaker with a 3-2 lead on assists. Messi and defending champion Argentina will play again on Wednesday in the other semifinal match against England.
Both players will then have one more match before the award is decided. France will play the loser of the other semifinal match in the third-place game on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Florida. Spain will take on the winner in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the final.
“At the end of the day, you take all the glory when you win,” Mbappe said. “When you don’t win … it’s part of the game. As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility, and I have no problem with that. We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”
Mbappe had the fewest touches of any forward in the first half with 15. Perhaps his most prominent moment was trying to persuade referee Ivan Barton that the penalty resulting in Spain’s first goal shouldn’t have been called.
The foul by Lucas Digne on teenager Lamine Yamal stood, and Mikel Oyarzabal‘s penalty kick in the 22nd minute, put Spain ahead for good.
Mbappe’s best chance came in the 67th minute when his shot deflected off Spain defender Marc Cucurella and went just wide. La Roja already had a two-goal lead at that point.
(With AP Inputs)
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The last men’s major championship of the season is upon us with the best in the world eager for one final shot at glory in 2026.
Royal Birkdale hosts The Open for the first time since 2017 and it’s looking firm and fast, thanks to a summertime heatwave across the Atlantic (English reporters have already dubbed it “Royal Burndale”) and even those who played nine years ago will be looking at a completely different course — although fewer than 100 yards of distance was added, almost every hole was renovated or reworked in some capacity. The most prominent pivot comes with Nos. 14 and 15, as the former changed from a par 3 to a par 5, while the latter changed from a par 5 to a par 3.
Like it’s been for each of the previous three majors in 2026, the top two golfers in the world sit atop the favourites board, but for the first time this season, neither Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler are playing their best golf heading into a major. Golf fans everywhere would love nothing more than to see these two titans duel down the stretch at The Open. McIlroy would love to end his major season the same way he started it — with a victory. And Scheffler is looking to become the first golfer in almost 20 years to successfully defend his Claret Jug title.
This is the kind of battle we’d love to see.
But are they ready to give it to us?
Out of the two, McIlroy is coming into the week with slightly better form. McIlroy won his lone Open Championship in 2014 and said he’d love the opportunity to win an Open under conditions like what we’re seeing this week. McIlroy tied for seventh at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open and was first in strokes gained: off the tee, which is a positive — missing fairways means a big-time punishment at Royal Birkdale this week (distance will matter little as 5- or 6-irons even are running out 300-plus yards). But McIlroy has teed it up only 12 times worldwide this season as he continues to say that he’s reducing his schedule and will play only where and when he would like. After a 30-hole marathon on Sunday in Scotland, McIlroy has taken his measured time to get ready for the major challenge ahead.
“I felt really good the first two days in Scotland and then felt like my game just sort of deteriorated as the week went on. Even though I shot a good score on Sunday, it didn’t feel very good,” McIlroy told reporters. “I felt a little bit tired (on Monday), so I didn’t make it on the course, but that allowed me a bit more time to hit some balls and dig into the swing a little bit. Felt good on the range. Felt good out on the course today.
“Definitely trending in the right direction.”
Scheffler, meanwhile, comes into The Open off a shocking result in Scotland — he missed the cut.
It was the first time Scheffler didn’t find the weekend on the PGA Tour in four years and admitted he was “a bit lost” about what to do on the weekend with no tee time. It’s been quite the campaign for Scheffler in 2026 as he’s not been playing poorly — Scheffler, who has never finished outside the top 15 at The Open, is still first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total and, in fact, is ranked inside the top 15 in each of the primary strokes gained categories, according to stats guru Justin Ray, and there is only one other golfer on Tour who is inside the top 50 in those categories; he’s just not getting the results we’ve become accustomed to seeing. Scheffler won seven times in 2024 and six times last year. In 2026, he’s won just once but has four runner-up results — including two losses in playoffs.
You would assume that Scheffler’s hunger for a victory, especially in his final chance to capture a major of the year, would be at an all-time high.
“I’ve had a very solid year, but like I said, frustrating at times because I’ve been close and I haven’t been able to get it done like I have been in years past. Overall, I feel like I know what my ‘why’ is, why I’m out here playing, and I’m excited to try and defend my title this week,” Scheffler said.
The two men have won six of the last 19 majors and, at 30, Scheffler has a long way left — with just the U.S. Open to capture if he is to join McIlroy as part of the very exclusive grand-slam winners’ club. McIlroy is a little greyer at 37, but his consistency at the top of the sport is incredibly impressive. He’s spent 813 weeks in the top 10 in the world in his career, a number surpassed only by Tiger Woods.
Alas, they were both asked about their legacies this week before teeing off at The Open and both struggled with a reply.
“I don’t really care. I would like to think that the people that love and care about me think a certain way of me, but I’ll be long gone. I’ll be dead,” McIlroy said.
“There’s things I would like to accomplish in the game, but at the end of the day, I have never once thought about how I’m going to be remembered,” Scheffler added. “To me, it truly doesn’t matter from a sense of like accomplishment. Like, when I die, Hey, Scottie won four majors and 20 tournaments and he won this much money. That has zero effect on me.”
McIlroy would go on to add that he believes it would be a “pretty unfulfilling pursuit” to chase results and records. The process must be enjoyed as well, he explained.
But there’s no doubt the trophies — especially one as old and revered as the Claret Jug — are awfully nice to win again.
And what a week it would be if they were the ones fighting it out down the stretch Sunday.
“Obviously, one last opportunity at one of the big four,” McIlroy said, “and try to give it all I’ve got this week.”
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Former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star pitcher Ricky Bottalico must have been watching the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night.
The pre-show broadcast on Netflix that included Elle Duncan, Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols and Anthony Rizzo rehashed Bonds’ fight with Bottalico in 1998. Bottalico plunked Bonds during a game between the Phillies and San Francisco Giants, sparking the only time Bonds charged the mound.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Ricky Bottalico of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo. (Jonathan Kirn/Allsport)
While Duncan said that Bottalico swore the pitch got away from him, Bonds denied it.
“No, it didn’t, it did not get away,” Bonds said. “He’s a good pitcher and he’s a good man. In that situation, it was part of the game of baseball during that time, and I accepted it.”
Bottalico pushed back on Duncan’s notion that the ball got away from him as he appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic on Tuesday before the MLB All-Star Game took place in Philadelphia.
“That is a bold-faced lie.” he said. “I’ve told the story on this show, I’ve told the story on NBC Sports Philadelphia, I have told the story. I was told to go in and hit Barry Bonds. It’s that simple.
Elle Duncan attends The 7th Annual Sports Power Brunch: Celebrating the Most Powerful Women in Sports at Four Seasons San Francisco on Feb. 4, 2026, in San Francisco, Calif. (Jeff Schear/Getty Images)
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“When it happens, in the newspapers in the next day and all that back then, I had to say I didn’t do it on purpose or else I’m suspended for a month. It’s that simple. Yes, we had to lie back then.”
Bottalico said he walked back to the locker room and his coaches said, “Do not tell me you did it on purpose.”
“Elle, wrong, wrong, wrong, oh did I say wrong? Wrong,” he added.
Bottalico said the team was frustrated with Bonds because he stole a base when the Giants were up seven runs. He said he wasn’t even supposed to pitch that day as he was coming off of surgery and had already made an appearance the night before.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ricky Bottalico is shown in action on the mound. (RVR Photos/USA TODAY Sports)
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The righty made one All-Star appearance in his career – the 1996 season. That year, he had a 3.65 ERA in 69 appearances. He played five consecutive years for the Phillies before becoming a journeyman reliever around the league.
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