Sports
WWE legend breaks down Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar Hell in a Cell match at SummerSlam
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Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar’s feud will come to a head at SummerSlam in August and the showdown has the potential to be WWE’s match of the year.
Femi beat Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 and led to “The Beast Incarnate” deciding to retire – at least for a moment – at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Lesnar made a dramatic return a few weeks later, challenging and beating Femi at Clash in Italy.
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Oba Femi looks on during Monday Night RAW at Allstate Arena on July 6, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)
At SummerSlam, Femi and Lesnar will do battle inside a Hell in a Cell.
WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield called the next meeting between Femi and Lesnar a “generational matchup.”
“I’ve never seen anything like Oba – well, I have. I’ve seen Brock,” he told Fox News Digital. “It’s very much the carbon copy of Brock coming in. Brock coming in was like, oh my God, who is this guy? The guy can even talk and he’s gonna be one of the biggest stars in wrestling. Not only could he talk, he’s a really smart guy. Brock became one of the biggest draws in professional wrestling. He came one of the biggest draws in UFC. It’s an unbelievable story and now you got somebody who can rival that character.
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Brock Lesnar in action against Oba Femi during Monday Night RAW at TD Garden on March 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)
“This Oba Femi comes out with the silly little walk he does. Everyone kinda does it, it’s like The Bushwackers. But the whole arena does it. I was in Vegas and I didn’t want to go to the matches and deal with the traffic and deal with the backstage area and so I kinda just watched it in a sports bar, I stood in the back where nobody could recognize me, and as soon as Oba came out, the entire sports bar was sitting there doing that Oba Femi dance. The guy is just unbelievably over.
“I really think that somewhere in the NFL this year, you’re going to see an entire NFL arena doing this dance. You’re gonna have somebody like Saquon Barkley or ‘King’ (Derrick Henry) or some of these guys do this dance and it’s infectious. Once one of them does, one of these great running backs or wide receivers, or somebody scores a touchdown, that’s when I think you’re gonna see entire arenas doing it. I just think Oba Femi is lightning in a bottle and Brock has always been that way. This is, to me, a generational matchup.”

Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi face off during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
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SummerSlam will take place on Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
Sports
José Soriano trade grades: Blue Jays pay big price to land Angels starter
The Toronto Blue Jays have acquired right-handed starting pitcher José Soriano from the Los Angeles Angels hours ahead of Monday’s MLB trade deadline, the teams announced Monday. In return, the Angels will receive shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti, and right-hander Angel Rivero.
Soriano, 27, has enjoyed a strong season in 2026 as a member of the Angels rotation, and he’s under team control through the 2028 season. Those multiple years of control added significantly to his trade value and explain why interim Angels general manager John Mozeliak was able to get such a substantial return.
Soriano joins the Blue Jays only hours after they sent ertswhile ace Kevin Gausman to the Chicago Cubs for two prospects.
The Angels, under new leadership, get back a significant prospect haul, headlined by 20-year-old Nimmala, the No. 20 pick in the 2023 Draft. MLB Pipeline ranked him the Blue Jays’ second-best prospect, highlighting the power that “continued to show flashes of excitement, stemming from his upright right-handed stance and vicious uppercut swing,” especially considering his youth.
This season, Nimmala has been promoted as high as Double-A, where he’s hitting .279/.355/.451. Neither Micheletti nor Rivero made Pipeline’s top 30 Blue Jays prospects. Here now are our grades for both teams.
Blue Jays grade: B+
Soriano is exactly the Blue Jays’ type, but the deal is a pricey gamble
The Blue Jays have a type — loud stuff and less than stellar control — and Soriano fits it to a T. Whether they can help Soriano harness his stuff the same way they helped Dylan Cease remains to be seen, but Soriano aligns with what the Blue Jays do well with pitchers. That’s promising, though it does not guarantee success. (Getting Soriano away from the Angels is another reason to think there’s another level here.)
Toronto enters play Monday 4 ½ games behind the third wild card spot with six teams ahead of them. Soriano will boost the team’s slim postseason odds this year, but this trade is geared more toward the future, given his remaining team control. Here is the Blue Jays’ 2027 rotation depth chart using only players under contract or team control beyond this season:
- RHP Dylan Cease
- RHP José Soriano
- RHP Trey Yesavage
- RHP Cody Ponce (rehabbing from ACL surgery)
RHP José Berríos(out until second half with Tommy John surgery)RHP Bowden Francis(will miss first few weeks with Tommy John surgery)- RHP Jake Bloss
The Blue Jays have a ton of money coming off the books after this season (Gausman, George Springer, Daulton Varsho, etc.) and can make a play for a free agent starter to slot into the top half of that rotation. Given how aggressive they’ve been in free agency the last few offseasons, I would expect them to make a serious run at Tarik Skubal.
It’s a hefty price for Soriano, whose value to the Blue Jays in 2026 is minimal given their place in the standings. These next two months will be a runway to work with him on whatever adjustments Toronto has in mind, continuing with them into the offseason, then preparing to fully launch in 2027. A pricey gamble, but a smart one.
Angels grade: A
The Angels cashed in on Soriano’s breakout season and got one of baseball’s top infield prospects
Barring a surprise blockbuster (always possible on deadline day), Nimmala will be the best prospect traded at the deadline this year. He’s a consensus to 40-ish prospect in baseball, one who reached Double-A as a 20-year-old this season. Nimmala has the talent to be an impact player at an up-the-middle position. The Angels needed a true stud prospect to trade Soriano and they got one.
Micheletti, 24, is a bat-first player hitting .251/.347/.454 in Double-A. There are enough secondary skills (defense, baserunning, etc.) to carve out a career as a lefty platoon bat. Rivero, 19, is a rookie ball lottery ticket with good strike-throwing ability and a 95 mph heater. He’s a long-term development project. Nimmala alone makes this an A haul for the Angels. The other guys are gravy.
Sports
Cleveland Guardians’ perfect game bid sparks bench-clearing scrum
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The Cleveland Guardians went from watching starter Gavin Williams go from pitching a perfect game to a benches-clearing altercation in the matter of moments at Progressive Field on Sunday.
Williams was humming to start this contest, striking out 10 of the first 15 hitters he faced, and as the top of the sixth began, he was looking at a perfect game bid.
But things got interesting when Arizona Diamondbacks center fielder Tim Tawa attempted a bunt on a 0-1 pitch from Williams in the frame. In the unwritten rules of baseball, bunting while a pitcher is throwing a perfect game is very much frowned upon.
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Ildemaro Vargas of the Arizona Diamondbacks argues with Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt during the sixth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio, on Aug. 2, 2026. (Getty Images)
Guardians catcher Patrick Bailey took exception, having words with Tawa before the right-handed hitter stepped back in the box.
In the end, though, Tawa served a single to right field and ended both the perfect game and no-hit bid for Williams.
CINCINNATI REDS PITCHER RIPS ‘F—ING FATA–’ UMPIRE FOR GETTING IN DEFENDER’S WAY ON GROUND BALL
Just a few pitches later, rain in the Cleveland area started coming down in buckets. After Williams threw a brutal wild pitch, umpires called a rain delay, as the grounds crew came sprinting out with the tarp.
But as the tarp was still unfurling, both dugouts were on the field and near home plate as an argument broke out. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt was seen walking out of the dugout with pace to clearly say something to the other side, and that sparked the scrum near the dish.
While it was clear both teams were screaming some unkind words toward each other, nothing escalated into a physical altercation between the two teams. It can be implied that Vogt took exception to Tawa’s bunt attempt, but it’s unknown what he said exactly toward the D-Backs.

Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo separates Cleveland Guardians third base and infield coach Rouglas Odor as benches clear during the sixth inning of an interleague game Aug. 2, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Icon Sportswire)
Then again, the other side of the argument is any hitter can attempt to reach base how they see fit. If it’s a 450-foot home run, or a bunt single, that’s the batter’s right.
But when the Guardians were facing the Minnesota Twins on July 9, Williams was also in a perfect game scenario when Royce Lewis showed bunt during an at-bat. He would eventually hit a single like Tawa did to end the bid.
When the rain delay finally ended, and both teams cooled the tension, the Guardians continued to dominate with a 5-0 victory at home. The Diamondbacks were only able to muster one hit after Tawa’s single, while the Guardians tallied eight hits on the day.

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams walks to the dugout during a rain delay in the sixth inning of an interleague game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Aug. 2, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. (Icon Sportswire)
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Rookie Chase DeLauter went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Bailey crushed a home run in his 1-for-3 day at the plate.
Williams never made it back into the game after the rain delay, finishing his day with 5.2 innings pitched, 10 strikeouts, one hit and one walk allowed.
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Sports
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova ready for ‘new opportunity’

Czech Republic’s Linda Noskova celebrates beating Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova after beating her during their women’s singles final tennis match on the thirteenth day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 11, 2026. (Photo by Henry NICHOLLS / AFP)
Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova is eager to get back to work at the WTA 1000 hard court tournament in Toronto after the whirlwind that followed her first Grand Slam title.
“Obviously the last couple of weeks have been nothing more but crazy and chaos, so I’m glad I can kind of start over,” said the 21-year-old, who was feted by Czech President Petr Pavel amid a welter of media appearances in her homeland before squeezing out a little holiday time in Italy.
Noskova sounded almost relieved as she spoke to reporters on Sunday that another tournament had rolled around.
READ: Noskova, Rybakina, Zheng named for Billie Jean King Cup finals
“It’s a new week, new tournament, new surface, it’s all the changes at the same time,” she said. “I’ll have to get used to it as fast as possible, but it’s a new opportunity for me to work on my tennis and get better.”
Noskova, who moved to her current career-high seventh in the world after beating fellow Czech Karolina Muchova in the Wimbledon final, said it took a while for the achievement to sink in — if it actually has.
“Maybe I will not realize it a hundred percent, you know, it’s always just one of those big things that actually happen and you’re not preparing yourself for that, it’s kind of like a big shocker,” Noskova said.
The key thing, she said, was making sure she didn’t treat the achievement of such a long-cherished goal as an ending but as a beginning.
READ: Linda Noskova barges into WTA top 10 after Wimbledon triumph
“I had to tell myself that it is not the end of the world,” Noskova said. “My career is not ending here, it is hopefully only starting.
“Winning a Grand Slam is an unreal thing. But at the same time, I’m still 21, I feel like since I accomplished this so soon, I feel like it’s even a bigger motivation for me to keep going.”
Noskova is in the bottom half of the draw anchored by second-seeded Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina, with fourth-seeded Coco Gauff looming in her quarter.
She’ll face either qualifier Tatjana Maria or Caty McNally in her second-round opener and could come up against rising Philippines talent Alexandra Eala in the third round.
Sports
Sabalenka aims bounce back in Toronto after Wimbledon early exit
Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka reacts as she plays against Japan’s Naomi Osaka during their women’s singles round of 16 tennis match on the seventh day of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on July 5, 2026. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
Aryna Sabalenka’s world number one ranking will be on the line at the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto, where the Belarusian star aims to extend her hard court dominance in the build up to her US Open title defense.
Sabalenka has won 23 of her 24 hard court matches this year, the lone defeat her loss to Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final.
But she was turfed out in the quarterfinals on the clay of Roland Garros and fell to Naomi Osaka in the round of 16 on the grass courts of Wimbledon.
If Sabalenka fails to reach the round of 16 in Toronto, Kazakhstan’s Rybakina can rise to number one if she lifts the trophy.
Sabalenka has never made it past the semifinals in Canada, which alternates each year between Montreal and Toronto, but she said she was feeling rested and ready to reassert herself after taking time off in the wake of her All England Club exit.
“Clay and grass, I wouldn’t say they were that bad,” she said. “I was trying a couple of things, didn’t go the way that I expected. And now we’re kind of back to basics and I really hope it’s going to work out well.”
Sabalenka had exited Wimbledon saying she wanted to “forget about tennis.”
She did that with a summer holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos.
READ: Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner lead US Open fields
“I think the rest was much-needed,” she told reporters on Sunday. “I spent there five, six days maybe. I felt much better, I couldn’t wait to get back on court and start working towards my goals for this swing.”
Sabalenka heads a top half of the draw that also includes two-time winner Jessica Pegula, the third seed, 2024 finalist Amanda Anisimova and seventh-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland.
Former world number one Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, will be aiming to regroup after slumping to a third-round defeat at Wimbledon.
Rybakina anchors a bottom half of the draw that also includes fourth-seeded Coco Gauff, four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka and newly crowned Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
Czech Noskova, who broke into the top 10 after winning her first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, is seeded sixth and could face another rising star in the Philippines’ Alex Eala in the third round.
They have met twice already this year, with Noskova winning both times.
Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova is among the notable absentees as she recovers from a minor surgery.
Reigning champion Victoria Mboko of Canada, who thrilled Montreal fans with her run to a first WTA title last year, remains sidelined with the knee injury that forced her out of Wimbledon.
Tricky schedule
The ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal this week has also been hit by high-profile defections, including that of Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner.
Sabalenka said the scheduling is “tricky” for any player that does well in the grass court season, with the Canadian tournaments followed by a 1000-level event in Cincinnati in a schedule that offers little respite before the US Open begins on August 30.
“If you go far at the grass court (season) you feel really fatigued and you’re not able to pull out any good tennis so what’s the reason of coming when your body is really so much stress,” she said. “It’s very tricky, but this year I didn’t do well so I’m here.”
All 32 seeded players received first-round byes.
Play got underway on Sunday with Japanese qualifier Moyuka Uchijima booking a second-round meeting with Sabalenka with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Cristina Bucsa.
Czech Sara Bejlek posted a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory over China’s Wang Xiyu, who was hobbled by a left leg problem, and booked a second-round meeting with Swiatek.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams bowed out in the first round, falling 6-4, 6-1 to Uzbekistan’s Kamilla Rakhimova.
Sports
Vinicius’ Real Madrid current contract details as renewal talks deadlocked due to image rights
Vinicius Jr.’s contract situation remains one of Real Madrid‘s biggest unresolved issues, with negotiations stretching back to the aftermath of the 2025 Club World Cup, shortly after Xabi Alonso took charge.
Indeed, as reported by AS, it was during that period that the player’s representatives held their last face-to-face meeting with the club, when an agreement appeared close before talks unexpectedly stalled.
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Negotiations are now set to resume from that point.
A deal that nearly happened
During that meeting at Valdebebas, Vinicius reportedly made a significant concession on his original salary demands, which had initially been close to €30 million net per season.
Real Madrid also improved their offer, bringing both sides much closer together. Despite the progress, the renewal was never finalized.
Neither party was willing to make the final compromise, leaving an agreement that seemed imminent unsigned.
Still no agreement over renewal. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Current salary and new demands
Vinicius is now seeking a salary of around €20 million net per season, an increase of roughly €5 million over his current earnings.
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His existing contract, signed in 2022 and officially announced in October 2023, runs until 2027 and is worth €75 million net over five seasons, averaging €15 million per year.
The agreement was structured progressively. He began on approximately €10 million net per season. His salary rose annually to reach around €18 million in the final year.
The 26-year-old Brazilian also received an additional €2 million per season after winning FIFA’s The Best award, a bonus that would also have been triggered by winning the Ballon d’Or.
Image rights the major issue
While salary remains important, image rights have become one of the biggest sticking points in negotiations.
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Kylian Mbappe controls almost 100% of his image rights, a structure that helps facilitate his overall financial package at Real Madrid.
Vinicius is now looking for a similar arrangement. As one of football’s biggest commercial stars, the Brazilian has endorsement deals with 18 international brands.
Image rights are proving to be an issue. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
These include Nike, Apple, PlayStation, Pepsi, Gatorade, Boss, Visa, Marriott Bonvoy, Havaianas, UNESCO, Clear, Rexona, Omo, Vivo, Prada, Dubai Tourism, and Betnacional.
The winger is also believed to be interested in receiving a renewal bonus, similar in concept to the signing bonus Mbappe received when joining Real Madrid.
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A tense situation
Vinicius’ current deal expires in 2027, meaning that from January he would be permitted to negotiate freely with clubs outside Spain if no renewal is agreed.
As such, Real Madrid are seeking a quick resolution, one way or the other.
The latest information from the Brazilian’s camp suggests his priority remains staying at Real Madrid by signing a new contract.
Having returned to Valdebebas today after his vacation, Vinicius is expected to hold a decisive meeting with Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid’s senior leadership in the coming hours to discuss his future.
Sports
Infantino under growing pressure after FIFA scraps World Cup investor proposal – Sports
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino is under pressure after abandoning plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors. Infantino’s plans fell apart after UEFA’s 55-member nations agreed to boycott the World Cup and all other FIFA competitions. CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation also said they opposed the plan.
Sports
NFC North Team Rankings for 2026

As we head towards the 2026 NFL season, I have been ranking the position groups and the head coaches of the NFC North teams. Now we come to the endgame – ranking the four teams for the 2026 season.
Check back on the position rankings through the following links QB, RB, WR, TE, OL, iDL, EDGE, LB, CB, S, HC
NFC North Team Rankings for 2026
To try and get the most unbiased rankings I can I am using all the rankings I’ve done so far to assign points to each team. Teams get points for where they ranked in each of the position rankings given out like this;
1st place – 4 points
2nd place – 3 points
3rd place – 2 points
4th place – 1 point
The point totals have been counted and the NFC North team rankings are decided.
1. Detroit Lions – 34 points

The Lions topped the rankings by four points and look like they have the strongest roster in the division. Of course, this was also the case last season, and Detroit finished last. If the Lions don’t prove that last season was a blip and get back to looking like genuine contenders then Dan Campbell’s position will come under fire.
Detroit is strong right across the roster, with the one area I have reservations about being the offensive line. They’ve lost big players from the OL but they do still have one of the best tackles in the game in Penei Sewell. Add to that exciting playmakers on offense like Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Sam Laporta, as well as great defenders like Aidan Hutchinson, Jack Campbell, Brian Branch, and DJ Reed, and this is a team that should still be thinking Super Bowl.
2. Chicago Bears – 30 points

at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
In Chicago, they will be hoping Ben Johnson can build on the success of his first season as head coach of the Bears. His division title win was built on his offense, particularly a strong offensive line, running backs, and tight ends, in a very similar way to the success he helped bring to Detroit.
Johnson helped get more consistent play out of Caleb Williams and the development of the former first overall pick will go a long way to determining how Chicago moves forward.
My biggest concern for the Bears is up front on the defensive line where the team is going to have to figure out ways to disrupt some good OLs that reside in the division. This is still a good team, though, that will be eyeing a return to the playoffs.
3. Green Bay Packers – 24 points

Despite the big trade for edge rusher Micah Parsons during last season, I sense the Packers are potentially a team on the decline.
There are plenty of good players on Green Bay’s roster but not many very good/great ones outside of Parsons and a strong group of safeties – Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, and Javon Bullard. A big rushing season from Josh Jacobs will be crucial for the Packers and they need at least one of their WRs to step up and have a big season.
They will be competitive but I don’t foresee playoff football in Wisconsin this season unless they can sneak into a wild card place. With both plenty of experience and a recent run of lots of playoff football, they shouldn’t be completely counted out.
4. Minnesota Vikings – 22 points

The Vikings have a lot of question marks across the roster. Most notably, QB, RB, CB, S, and the ability of Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores to get more out of the team than the sum of its parts will again be crucial – particularly on defense where the loss of Jonathan Greenard has left the Vikings lacking in top-end talent.
On offense, Minnesota needs to find consistent QB play to allow Justin Jefferson to take over games and let the rest of the offense come with him. A healthy offensive line would also help after a season that saw the unit decimated by injuries in 2025.
Through all the turmoil of last season, the Vikings managed to win nine games, so I expect them to be competitive again. Making it to the playoffs through a wild card place would constitute a good season.
Sports
Indian court acquits ex-wrestling chief of harassment
An Indian court on Monday acquitted the former head of the country’s wrestling federation of sexual harassment and stalking charges brought by female athletes.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a former lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had denied allegations that he groped wrestlers and demanded sexual favors.
What was the reaction to Singh’s acquittal?
Singh’s lawyer Rajiv Mohan said the New Delhi court found “inconsistencies” in witness statements and “contradictions on major issues.”
“I had complete faith that justice would be done,” Singh told reporters after the verdict. “I never considered myself a criminal at all.”
Supporters celebrated outside the court by setting off firecrackers, showering Singh with flower petals and offering him sweets.
Leading female wrestler Vinesh Phogat said the women would challenge the ruling in a higher court and continue their legal fight.
“It took a great deal of courage for us to take to the streets and get a complaint registered against a powerful leader of the ruling party,” she wrote on X.
What is the significance of the case?
The allegations triggered months of protests in New Delhi in 2023, led by prominent athletes including Phogat, Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik and Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia.
Hundreds joined sit-in demonstrations accusing authorities of failing to act against Singh.
Malik later retired from wrestling in protest, while Punia returned one of India’s highest civilian honors.
Delhi police charged Singh in 2023 after sustained pressure from the protesting wrestlers.
A court formally brought charges against him in 2024 over allegations involving five women.
Singh completed his parliamentary term that year and was not selected to run again. The BJP instead fielded his son from the same constituency, which he won.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
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Moses Itauma ordered to face heavyweight champion after WBA clarify rankings error
Moses Itauma‘s possible career path has become a lot clearer after he was officially named as the mandatory challenger for a reigning world heavyweight champion.
Itauma is viewed as being the future of the heavyweight division, with the 21-year-old having won all 14 of his professional fights to date, 12 of them coming by knockout.
He has claimed wins over the likes of Dillian Whyte, Mariusz Wach and Demsey McKean, and last time out became the first man to stop former Whyte and Anthony Joshua foe Jermaine Franklin when he earned a fifth round TKO victory.
Itauma is set for his toughest test so far later this month when he takes on Filip Hrgovic at The O2 Arena on August 29, and with a win there, the youngster could now head straight into a world title shot.
That is after the WBA confirmed that Itauma is the mandatory for Murat Gassiev, correcting an earlier mistake where Jarrell Miller was wrongly listed as mandatory.
“The World Boxing Association (WBA) Championships Committee wishes to clarify an inadvertent error in the publication of the July heavyweight rankings, which incorrectly listed Jarrell Miller as the division’s official mandatory challenger.
“The heavyweight division has one official mandatory challenger: Moses Itauma, who currently holds the No. 1 spot in the rankings and has been awaiting his world title opportunity for several months.
“While Miller returned to the ring on April 24 and earned a unanimous decision victory over Lenier Peró in Las Vegas, it is important to clarify that the bout was not a final eliminator. As such, that victory did not make him the WBA’s official mandatory challenger.”
Gassiev became WBA Regular champion in December with a knockout win over Kubrat Pulev, and after Oleksandr Usyk vacated his unified world heavyweight titles earlier this summer, Gassiev was subsequently elevated to full champion.
It means Itauma now has another avenue for a world title shot, having already been ordered to negotiate with Frank Sanchez for a fight for the vacant IBF heavyweight title.
Sports
Ex-Jackson State cornerback Levi Wyatt dead at 23
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Levi Wyatt, a former college football standout who played for the Jackson State Tigers and McNeese State Cowboys, has died. He was 23.
Jackson State mourned the loss of the former cornerback on Saturday. Wyatt was a 2024 Preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection before he joined the Tigers. He had 12 tackles and four pass breakups in 2025.
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Levi Wyatt #2 of Jackson State reacts against Prairie View A&M during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss., on Dec. 6, 2025. (Getty Images)
“The bond of this brotherhood does not end when the game clock expires,” Jackson State said in a statement. “Today, we mourn the loss of our brother, Levi Wyatt. His memory will forever live within the halls of Jackson State football and in the hearts of everyone who shared this journey with him.
“We ask the Tiger Nation to join us in lifting his family and loved ones in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Rest easy, Tiger.”
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Jacob Bostick No. 11 of the Texas A&M Aggies runs after a reception while defended by Levi Wyatt No. 2 of the McNeese State Cowboys in the second half at Kyle Field on Sept. 7, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (Getty Images)
Wyatt was killed in a car crash in Mississippi early Saturday, according to state officials.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said officers in Jackson responded to a report of a car crash just after midnight local time, according to WLBT-TV. Responding officers located two vehicles that sustained damage at the scene.
A Chevrolet Camaro reportedly struck a utility pole.
The Hinds County coroner identified Wyatt as one of the victims of the crash, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, WLBT-TV reported.

Levi Wyatt #2 of the Jackson State Tigers reacts against the Prairie View A&M Panthers during the 2025 SWAC Championship at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025, in Jackson, Miss. (Getty Images)
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Mississippi Highway Patrol was reportedly investigating the incident.
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