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Zuffa Boxing 03 — Efe Ajagba vs. Charles Martin: Fight predictions, start time

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Zuffa Boxing returns on Sunday with Zuffa Boxing 03 from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The event is headlined by a clash between Efe Ajagba and former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin.

Ajagba is on the verge of being a top 10 heavyweight in the world and likely would already be considered as such had things broken better for him on the scorecards in his most recent fight. That night, Ajagba took on Martin Bakole, seen as one of heavyweight’s boogeymen, avoided by most in the division for the difficulties he can present to opponents.

Ajagba controlled much of that fight in May 2025, but the scorecards resulted in a majority draw, with one judge scoring the fight 96-94 in Ajagba’s favor and the other two ruling the fight a 95-95 draw.

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Ajagba was rewarded for his performance against Bakole with a proposed IBF title eliminator against Frank Sanchez, who handed Ajagba his lone defeat in a 2021 meeting. Ajagba was unhappy with how the purse bid for the fight shook out and declined to move forward with the bout, ultimately leading to the termination of his contract with Top Rank, which opened the door for the heavyweight contender to sign with Zuffa Boxing.

While Martin does hold the distinction of being a former world heavyweight champion, the circumstances of his title reign are unusual.

Martin won the IBF title in a 2016 bout with Vyacheslav Glazkov that saw Glazkov unable to continue due to a knee injury suffered during a third-round knockdown. Less than 90 days later, Martin was no longer champion, suffering a second-round knockout to Anthony Joshua.

Martin has insisted he was “badly injured” 10 days before the Joshua fight and continued to chase a rematch for years, rising to the fringes of title contention with a few wins before suffering repeated setbacks in the form of losses to Adam Kownacki, Luis Ortiz and Jared Anderson.

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After losing to Anderson in July 2023, Martin got back in the win column with a stoppage of unheralded Matthew McKinney the following November. He has not fought since, marking 15 months out of the ring.

The light heavyweight co-main event between Umar Dzambekov and Ahmed Elbiali appears to be the standout fight on the card, with unbeaten Dzambekov looking to continue building his resume against a tough out in Elbiali, whose lone loss came to former world champion Jean Pascal.

Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the fight card for Sunday night with the latest odds before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.

Zuffa Boxing 03 fight card, odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

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  • Efe Ajagba -1100 vs. Charles Martin +650, heavyweights
  • Umar Dzambekov-1400 vs. Ahmed Elbiali +700, light heavyweights
  • Abel Mejia -800 vs. Jaybrio Pe Benito +500, lightweights
  • Leonardo Ruiz -1400 vs. Casey Streeter +700, middleweights
  • Antonio Woods -425 vs. Mark Beuke +300, middleweights
  • Oswaldo Molina -1200 vs. Joshua Clark +650, lightweights
  • Emiliano Alvarado -2500 vs. Devin Gantt +1000, junior featherweight
  • Dariial Kuchmenov -3000 vs. Jorge Lagunas +1000, lightweights

Where to watch Zuffa Boxing 03

Date: Feb. 15 | Location: Meta APEX — Las Vegas
Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET
Main card begins at 9 p.m. ET

Watch live: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per month)

Prediction

As a 31-year-old on a six-fight unbeaten streak who was being lined up for a title eliminator, Ajagba is very much a contender at heavyweight. Martin started his career 23-0 and won a world title, but has fallen very much into a spot as a gatekeeper for the division. That’s not a knock because divisions benefit from gatekeepers; they’re good enough to fend off pretenders, and a win against them carries actual meaning.

Ajagba came up short against Frank Sanchez, which does raise some questions about whether he is ready to fully break through to the upper echelon of heavyweights and if he isn’t, Martin is talented enough to knock him down the ladder. But Ajagba’s performance against Bakole showed he can handle big, awkward heavyweights who carry some power in their fists.

This is a fight set up to get Ajagba a win over a former champion and he should be able to do just that. Pick: Efe Ajagba via UD

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Gervonta Davis close to securing comeback fight as opponent named

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Gervonta Davis appears to be on the brink of confirming his return to the ring.

Davis was last in action in March 2025 when he was held to a majority decision draw against Lamont Roach in a defence of his WBA lightweight title.

It was a controversial result, with many feeling that Roach did enough to get the nod, especially after a knockdown wasn’t awarded in his favour after ‘Tank’ voluntarily chose to take a knee in round nine.

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The 12 months that followed have left many questioning if Davis would ever be back in action at all. A planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November was cancelled due to the Baltimore man being named in a civil lawsuit regarding domestic allegations, just the latest in a string of issues outside of the ropes.

Further drama materialised after an arrest warrant was issued for ‘Tank’ citing similar accusations, leading to him to be stripped of his WBA lightweight title.

Despite all of that, Davis does now look set to return, after it was reported by Mike Coppinger that he is in advanced talks for a clash against Isaac Cruz, a man that ‘Tank’ named as his number one target late last year.

Davis has already secured a win over Cruz, who was last in action in December when he fought to a majority decision draw with former ‘Tank’ foe Roach – the man most feel should be getting the chance to face him again.

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‘Feeling so proud words cannot suffice’: Shashi Tharoor shares birthday call from Sanju Samson after T20 World Cup win | Cricket News

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‘Feeling so proud words cannot suffice’: Shashi Tharoor shares birthday call from Sanju Samson after T20 World Cup win
Sanju Samson and Kuldeep Yadav with the T20 World Cup trophy. (Pic credit: BCCI)

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor expressed his delight at Sanju Samson’s scintillating performances in India’s T20 World Cup triumph, revealing that the wicketkeeper-batter even called him on his birthday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Tharoor took to X on Tuesday to share the moment, writing, “Delighted to receive a birthday call last evening from Thiruvananthapuram’s and India’s WorldCup hero @IamSanjuSamson! Expressed my happiness at his superlative achievements and wished him all the best in the #IPL. Feeling so proud of him that words truly cannot suffice.”Samson’s journey in the tournament was a remarkable redemption story. Initially out of the playing eleven and struggling with inconsistent form, he delivered three match-defining innings when it mattered most — from the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the semifinal clash with England and the final against New Zealand.The Kerala star scored 97 vs West Indies, followed by 89 in both the semifinal and final. Across five innings, Samson amassed 321 runs at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 27 fours and 24 sixes. Samson surpassed Virat Kohli’s 319-run tally from the 2014 T20 World Cup to set a new record for the most runs by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup edition. He also became one of the few batters, alongside Virat and Shahid Afridi, to post fifties in both the semifinal and final of a T20 World Cup.

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Battle for land, £2bn cost, Ratcliffe controversy – the latest on Manchester United’s new stadium

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Man Utd said they planned to build a new Old Trafford for the 2030/31 season when plans were unveiled last year.

There are 52 months until August 2030. That date is significant because Manchester United said they hoped to move into a new 100,000-seater Old Trafford for the 2030/31 season.

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Last year, United unveiled ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art stadium at an event in London, but the timeframe for completing the project may also be ambitious.

There are no official deadlines, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe identified the 2030/31 season as the target. Ratcliffe will be 77 when that Premier League campaign begins. The British billionaire is a man in a hurry, and will see the new stadium as a legacy project in the city where he was born.

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For that ambition to be realised, there will need to be spades in the ground sooner rather than later. Tottenham left White Hart Lane in 2016, spent nearly three seasons at Wembley, and moved to their new 61,000-seater venue in 2019. Everton’s new stadium, the Hill Dickinson, took four years to build.

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United must reach a deal to purchase the rail yard surrounding Old Trafford before they can push ahead with stadium plans. The land is owned by Freightliner, and the parties are yet to reach an agreement.

Last summer, reports claimed Freightliner valued the land at £350million, although Andy Burnham played down that figure, saying: “I think everyone should file that one away.”

The last update from a United spokesperson was: “While Manchester United owns a significant portion of land around Old Trafford, it is not all in a single, continuous block.

“To accommodate the scale of the proposed new stadium – including a canopy – and to avoid disruption to the existing stadium during construction, we are working to secure additional land.

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“We’ve been engaged in constructive discussions with neighbouring landholders and are optimistic about reaching mutually agreeable terms in the coming months.”

The stadium design has been paused while United await an agreement on the Freightliner land. United said: “Early design work has been intentionally paused until we have greater clarity on land assembly and fan requirements. As with other aspects of the project, we encourage fans to treat speculative media reports with caution.

“We remain excited by the vision set out by Foster + Partners for a new stadium at the heart of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area.

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“We always said this was a conceptual design, with more detailed architectural work to follow. While we remain keen to advance as quickly as possible, the timetable is subject to progress on land assembly and financing, which depends on key stakeholders working together.”

Burnham has suggested compulsory purchase powers could be used to acquire the space if a deal can not be agreed, but it’s understood United are “optimistic” of reaching a breakthrough.

The mayor of Greater Manchester is involved with the Old Trafford regeneration project – the land around the stadium – but he recently clashed with Ratcliffe.

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Ratcliffe claimed the United Kingdom has been “colonised” by immigrants during an interview about politics in Britain with Sky. He suggested the government needed to make “difficult” decisions, which he claimed his Ineos regime had made at Old Trafford. Ratcliffe received backlash.

Burnham was among the high-profile figures to call on Ratcliffe to apologise. “These comments go against everything for which Manchester has traditionally stood: a place where people of all races, faiths and none have pulled together over centuries to build our city and our institutions, including Manchester United,” he said.

There was a pop at the Glazers included in Burnham’s statement. “If any criticism is needed, it should be directed towards those who have offered little contribution to our life here and have instead spent years siphoning wealth out of one of our proudest institutions,” he added

Ratcliffe cosied up to Kier Stamer at Old Trafford in 2024 as talks over a new stadium gathered momentum. It made sense for Ratcliffe to forge political allies with a new 100,000-seater stadium in mind, and it remains to be seen whether his comments on immigration have weakened relationships.

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How a new Old Trafford will be founded is another question. Ratcliffe floated the idea of taxpayers partly funding the £2billion project, saying: “People in the north pay their taxes and there is an argument you could think about a more ambitious project in the north which would be fitting for England, for the Champions League final or the FA Cup final.”

Burnham has previously stated that no public funding would be granted for the stadium itself, and he reiterated that stance to The Added Time Podcast. “Manchester United will be paying for the stadium. There will not be a penny of public money going into that,” he said.

United announced their financial figures for the second quarter at the end of February, and the numbers shockingly confirmed the club’s debt is close to reaching the £1.3billion mark.

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In August, football finance blogger Swiss Ramble placed Everton and Tottenham above Manchester United in his debt league, but both of those clubs have borrowed to build new stadiums. United have calculated that a new Old Trafford would cost around £2billion.

United have not communicated how a new stadium will be funded. There is a lot to still work out.

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Middle East Crisis: Iran women footballers granted asylum in Australia amid war fears | Football News

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Middle East Crisis: Iran women footballers granted asylum in Australia amid war fears
Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of a Women’s Asian Cup match. (AP Photo))

Five members of Iran’s women’s football squad have been granted asylum in Australia after conflict erupted in their home country during their stay for the Women’s Asian Cup, Australian authorities confirmed on Tuesday.Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the players were moved from their hotel on the Gold Coast early Tuesday by federal police after formally requesting protection. They were taken to a secure location where their humanitarian visas were processed and approved.

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Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Burke described the moment as emotional for the athletes, who expressed relief after receiving asylum. “I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women,” he told reporters in Brisbane. “Last night it was joy and relief. People were very excited about embarking on a life in Australia.”The Iranian squad arrived in Australia last month for the Women’s Asian Cup, but the outbreak of war in Iran on February 28 left them facing an uncertain return to a country under bombardment. During the tournament, the team drew attention when several players remained silent during the national anthem before their opening match against South Korea, sparking speculation in Australia about whether it was a protest or a sign of mourning.Australia extended asylum offers to the full squad of 26 players and staff, but only five have accepted so far. Officials said the option remains open for others who wish to seek protection.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government had acted carefully to ensure the athletes’ safety without putting their families at risk. The decision followed public appeals from Iranian diaspora groups and comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Australia to grant protection.The athletes are now safe in Australia and will receive support as they begin a new chapter, while the future of the remaining team members remains uncertain.

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5 Iran national team players granted asylum

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Five Iranianwomen’s national team players were granted humanitarian visas in Australiaamid fears of persecution back home.

“Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here,” he added.

According to Albanese, all other members of Iran’s squad are welcome to receive help, but it was up to them to accept the offer.

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Australian police took the five Iran squad members from their hotel in Gold Coast, moving them to a “safe location” after their asylum requests.

Supporters react toward Iranian players departing on a bus following the AFC Womens Asian Cup Group A match between Iran and Philippines at Gold Coast Stadium on the Gold Coast
Supporters of the Iran national team react to the team’s busImage: Dave Hunt/AAP/IMAGO

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, who met the five players upon the completion of their humanitarian visas, said they were “excited” about their future lives in Australia.

“I don’t want to begin to imagine how difficult that decision is for each of the individual women, but certainly last night it was joy, it was relief,” Burke said.

Trump calls for players to be granted asylum

This came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Albanese about the players. Trump also posted on his Truth Social account that Australia should give the players asylum and that the US would take them in if Canberra wouldn’t.

Trump added they’d be killed should they return back home.

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The reason for the call was the fact that Iran’s players received attention for not singing their country’s national anthem ahead of their first Asian Cup game against South Korea.

Many believed the move was in criticism of the Iranian regime amidst the US-Israel war on the country.

Back in Iran, the Iranian national team faced criticism, with some accusing them of being “wartime traitors,” sparking worries over the players’ safety.

 Supporters of Iran are seen holding banners of support after the Womens Asian Cup match between Islamic Republic of Iran and Philippines
Local fans held banners in support of the protests against the Iranian regimeImage: Matthew Starling/Sports Press Photo/IMAGO

The following game, against hosts Australia, the Iran players sang the anthem while saluting, a move many critics of Iran’s Islamic regime believed they had been forced to carry out.

After Iran’s elimination from the Asia Cup due to the loss to the Philippines, calls around the world grew to make sure the footballers would be granted asylum in Australia, preventing them from facing the potential backlash and sanctions back in Tehran.

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Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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Sass Appeal set for 2026 spring after dominant Kewney Stakes win

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Following Sass Appeal’s three successive victories at Flemington, trainer Danny O’Brien will forego Sydney options.

Sass Appeal notched the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1600m) on Saturday via Jordan Childs’ expert handling.

Childs guided the filly from a wide draw to settle behind Pillow Fight, striking decisively at the 300m mark.

With 200m to go, Sass Appeal, sent out at $2.35, drew clear by 2-¾ lengths from $14 shot Pillow Fight, as Salty Pearl ($2.60) trailed by another 1-¾ lengths for third.

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Defending Kewney winner Treasurethe Moment headed north to Sydney, prevailing in the Vinery Stud Stakes and Australian Oaks, before a spring return victory in Caulfield’s Memsie Stakes.

The filly has triumphed in all four of her debut-season starts, leading O’Brien to favour a rest before spring engagements.

“Often with the three-year-old fillies you want to make hay while the sun shines against their own age, and sex, and make the best of what you’ve got before they turn four,” O’Brien said.

“But I think this horse will measure up to the older horses. With that in mind, she’s had a five start prep and I’m keen to give her a break and see her back here in the spring.”

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O’Brien highlighted the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington amid Melbourne Cup week as attractive.

“The handicap races like the Sir Rupert Clarke and the Toorak Handicap are good options for her on the way through as well,” he said.

Sass Appeal’s racing profile frustrates competitors, O’Brien explained, given her record when crossing the lead.

“She makes it look easy when she’s got that tactical speed early and you get that good position in running,” O’Brien said.

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“It’s a lot easier to watch than horses back in the field.

“Once they took positions today and I looked wherever everything else was, there hasn’t been a horse come from behind her and finish in front of her.

“The only horse she ultimately had to get past was the leader, and she did that and put a space on them.”

For the best racing betting markets, check sites offering odds on Sass Appeal’s spring targets like the Empire Rose Stakes.

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Fans amazed after Kyle Kuzma’s fiancée Winnie Harlow rocks braless see-through dress 

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Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma has been in a relationship with model Winnie Harlow since 2020, and they got engaged in February 2025. NBA fans were quick to react and comment on Harlow’s recent head-turning post on social media.

In an Instagram post, Harlow celebrated International Women’s Day with her co-stars from the show, “The CEO Club.” She was joined by tennis legend Serena Williams, motivational speaker Loren Ridinger, designer Dee Ocleppo, Latin pop star Thalia, heiress Hannah Bronfman and model Isabela Rangel Grutman.

“Happy International Women’s Day 🥂 can believe we’re finally celebrating our show The CEO Club, a show about inspiring, empowering, uplifting and learning from amazing women. And right by Womens day alignment! A big shout out to the women Behind the scenes who brought this show to life! Here’s to hopefully a season two,” Harlow wrote.

Winnie Harlow pulled up wearing a braless see-through red sleeveless sando, which caught the attention of her followers. She also had a crimson leather jacket and pants, with red shoes and a handbag.

However, fans cannot believe that she wore something that exposed herself. Here are some of the comments on Instagram.

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“I think you’re beautiful and have followed you for years, but I don’t understand the purposeful exposure. It lessens my respect towards you, to be honest,” a fan wrote.

“Girl not hating but, wasn’t there anything else to wear?” one fan asked.

“The way no one sees nothing wrong with this is disturbing,” another fan commented.

“We love you but……save this for your man. Let’s leave something to the imagination,” a fan replied.

“We like u but this is straight up ridiculous….,” one fan responded.

“Kuz shouldn’t be letting her do this respectfully,” another fan said.

Fans comment on Winnie Harlow's outfit. (Image via Instagra/@winnieharlow)Fans comment on Winnie Harlow's outfit. (Image via Instagra/@winnieharlow)
Fans comment on Winnie Harlow’s outfit. (Image via Instagra/@winnieharlow)

When is Kyle Kuzma and Winnie Harlow’s wedding?

Speaking on “The Jennifer Hudson Show” in January, Kyle Kuzma was asked about his engagement with Winnie Harlow. Kuzma was happy with how supportive Harlow is of his NBA career. He also teased that their wedding is coming pretty soon.

“That’s confidential,” Kuzma said. “It’s coming soon. It’s coming. I think it’s a blessing to be engaged and also to enjoy that time and space. ‘Cause it’s the only time you’re ever going to have it ever again in your life.”

Kuzma is in his first full season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s averaging 13.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.