The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month for July 2025 on Wednesday, August 6. Team India captain Shubman Gill and England skipper Ben Stokes are nominated for the prestigious ICC award, along with South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.
India and England produced a thrilling Test series that concluded in a 2-2 draw. Notably, the Men in Blue had also drawn their 2021-22 tour of England by the same margin. No visiting side has managed to win a Test series in this rivalry since England, under Alastair Cook, triumphed in India during the 2012-13 tour.
Shubman Gill Among ICC Player of the Month Nominees for July
Shubman Gill had an exceptional month during India’s Test series in England. He scored 567 runs in three matches at an average of 94.50. He registered scores of 269 and 161 in the second Test. His tally of 430 runs in that match is the second-highest ever in a single Test, only behind Graham Gooch’s 456.
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Shubman Gill struggled in the third Test but bounced back in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, where he scored a second-innings century (103) that helped India draw the game. He was instrumental in securing a 2-2 result in the series.
The 25-year-old has stepped up in the absence of Virat Kohli and provided much-needed stability. With Shubman Gill’s big scores under pressure and his leadership qualities, Gill is a strong contender for the ICC Player of the Month award.
Ben Stokes to Compete With Shubman Gill for Prestigious ICC Award
Ben Stokes delivered all-round performances during the July leg of the Test series. He scored 251 runs at an average of 50.20 and picked up 12 wickets at 26.33 in just three matches. His contributions were crucial in helping England take a 2-1 lead before he missed the final Test at The Oval.
Stokes was named Player of the Match in two consecutive games. He scored twin fifties at Lord’s to guide England to a 22-run win over India. In the fourth Test in Manchester, he produced one of his finest performances, taking five wickets and scoring 141 runs to help England post a mammoth total.
The England skipper bowled long spells and provided key breakthroughs to shift the momentum in his team’s favor. His leadership proved vital throughout the series. Stokes is also expected to be a strong contender for the ICC Player of the Month award.
Wiaan Mulder Earns Nomination for ICC Player of the Month for July
Wiaan Mulder also earned a nomination for the ICC Player of the Month for July after a stellar all-round performance in South Africa’s Test series against Zimbabwe. He captained the side for the first time in the format during the series.
The all-rounder grabbed headlines with an unbeaten 367 in the second Test – the highest individual score by a South African in Test history.
Across the two-match series, Mulder amassed 531 runs at an average of 265.50, including a 147 in the first Test. He also contributed with the ball, taking seven wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the opening game. His all-round brilliance earned him the Player of the Series award.
Also read: IPL 2026- RCB’s Chris Gayle announces Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers reunion
Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Düsseldorf have pulled out of a proposed transfer after historical social media posts from a player about the Israel and Gaza conflict were found by fans.
The German side were reportedly due to sign Israeli striker Shon Weissman from Spanish second-tier side Granada, but have since pulled out due to fan pressure, as reported by German outlet BILD.
Weissman, 29, represented several clubs across Europe, including Maccabi Haifa, Real Valladolid, before signing for Granada in 2023.
The forward registered two goals and two assists in 28 Segunda Division appearances during the 2024/25 campaign.
And he was reportedly due to sign a contract at Düsseldorf before fan backlash caused the club to change their mind.
On Tuesday, the club tweeted: “We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him.”
The club did not confirm the exact reason for the change.
Shon Weissman in action for Israel (Credit:Getty)
However, BILD reported that Weissman called for Israel to “wipe Gaza off the map” and to “drop 200 tons of bombs on it” following the October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The 29-year-old, who has 33 caps for Israel, also allegedly liked posts saying “there are no innocents [in Gaza], they don’t need to be warned”.
As reported by Al Jazeera, in another post, he asked: “Why the hell aren’t they being shot in the head?” in response to a photograph of two detained Palestinian men.
The club’s decision came after some supporters started a petition urging the club’s management to cancel the move.
“Weissman’s comments, which have been widely perceived as discriminatory and disrespectful, are in stark contrast to the principles Fortuna Düsseldorf stands for and strives to promote,” the petition read.
“Signing him could damage the credibility of the club and its fan base, which embraces diversity and community.”
The conflict was previously a controversial topic in German football in 2023. Bundesliga outfit Mainz sacked Anwar El Ghazi for statements he made about the war on social media.
The death toll during the conflict is said to be more than 60,000 since October 2023.
Fortuna Dusseldorf declined to comment when contacted by SPORTbible.
MELBOURNE, August 6, 2025 – Tennis Australia announced today that world-leading insurance company Chubb has renewed its multi-year partnership with the Australian Open.
Chubb has been the Official Insurance Partner of the Australian Open since 2020. Under the renewed agreement, the partnership will expand to include Official Life Insurance Partner, Official Trophy Insurance Partner and Official Travel Insurance Partner of the Australian Open.
Chubb will also increase its on-court presence with integration into the fan-favourite ‘Close Call’ moment.
This broadened scope strengthens Chubb’s long-standing support of the Australian Open and highlights the depth of its product offering across general and life insurance.
Craig Tiley, Tennis Australia’s Chief Executive, said, “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Chubb, a global leader in insurance. Chubb has been a key partner of the Australian Open since 2020 and we look forward to growing our already strong relationship.
“The company’s global profile, particularly in the Asia Pacific region, make it a natural partner for the Australian Open, one of the world’s biggest sport and entertainment events.”
Marcos Gunn, Regional President APAC, Chubb, said, “We are thrilled to announce the renewal and expansion of our partnership with the Australian Open, marking an exciting new era for Chubb as we deepen our connection to this iconic event.
“The Australian Open continues to innovate and raise the bar, aligning strongly with our commitment to excellence in our service to clients and partners. We look forward to our continued partnership and shared success on the world stage.”
Bryce Johns, President, Chubb Life, said: “Building on the successful partnership Chubb has formed with the Australian Open, we are proud to become the Official Life Insurance Partner.
“As one of the world’s most popular tennis events, the Australian Open embodies the world class standards we deliver to our customers, many of whom are passionate sports enthusiasts. Together, we look forward to creating unforgettable moments for our customers and partners, and celebrating the spirit of excellence.”
Chubb is also the Official Insurance Sponsor of the US Open Tennis Championships, a partnership that began in 2020.
About Chubb
Chubb is a world leader in insurance. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb employs approximately 43,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com.
Everything you need to know for the Lions’ third match in Leagues Cup in “The Road Ahead”:
Milestones
– Should he start Wednesday against Necaxa, captain Robin Jansson will become the first player to reach 20,000 minutes played for the club in all competitions in the 85th minute of the match.
– Martín Ojeda’s next goal (his 15th of 2025) would see him tie Duncan McGuire’s 2023 for the third-highest single season total in club history. Ojeda can also become the first Orlando City player with 30 goal contributions in a single season with a goal or an assist.
– Ojeda has a goal contribution in twelve consecutive matches, a club record he can extend to thirteen with a goal or an assist on Wednesday.
– Ojeda ranks fifth in club history with 27 goals for his Lions career, one behind McGuire in fourth. Ramiro Enrique is tied for sixth with Kaká at 25 goals.
Stats & Storylines
– Orlando City kept its Leagues Cup quarterfinal hopes alive with a 3-1 victory over Atlas FC on Saturday night. The Lions have four points and a +2 goal differential through two games, giving them a chance to secure a top four place on the MLS side with a win over Necaxa on Wednesday.
– Iván Angulo continued his ascendant form since returning to the starting lineup on July 16, scoring his first goal since October 5, 2024 to get Orlando on the board. Angulo has 1g/3a in five games since coming back into the XI while maintaining his usual two-way energy and impact.
– Martín Ojeda’s 2025 officially claimed the mantle of most productive single season in Orlando City history on Saturday. Orlando’s MVP candidate scored the game-winning goal early in the second half, then assisted Marco Pašalić’s goal late in stoppage time to seal the deal. Ojeda is up to 14g/15a in all competitions this season and has 6g/11a over the course of his 12-game goal contribution streak.
– Pašalić broke out of a minor goal drought with his late tally, his first in seven matches. The Croatian’s strike set a new mark for the latest regular time goal in Orlando City history, scored 21 seconds later (102:00) than Facundo Torres’ season-saving penalty rebound (101:39) in last year’s MLS Cup Playoffs against Charlotte FC.
– Oscar Pareja made three changes to his starting XI against Atlas, handing Nicolás Rodríguez his second career start while also including Dagur Dan Thórhallsson and Kyle Smith in his team. Pašalić’s substitute appearance was his first as a Lion – he had started all 27 of his games so far this season for Orlando City prior to Saturday night.
Series History
All-time vs. Necaxa – First meeting
Meet the opponent: Club Necaxa
– Club Necaxa, based in Aguascalientes, is one of the older clubs in Liga MX, founded in 1923 by a Scottish engineer who had opened a power plant in the state of Puebla. The club was named “Necaxa” after the nearby river. Originally known as Los Electricistas (“The Electricians”) due to the power plant association, Necaxa’s team is now best known as Los Rayos.
– Necaxa has won three Liga MX titles, all in the 1990s. The club’s last major trophy was the 2018 Clausura Copa MX, its fourth time winning the now-disbanded domestic cup competition. Necaxa won a CONCACAF Champions Cup title in 1999.
– The Aguascalientes side has plenty to play for on Wednesday night – like Orlando, Necaxa has four points and a +2 GD through two games after drawing Inter Miami on Saturday. Only six clubs have four or more points on the Liga MX side of the Leagues Cup table through two matches. Los Rayos nearly put themselves atop the table, but conceded a second half stoppage time equalizer to Jordi Alba before falling in penalties.
– Los Rayos are managed by rising star Fernando Gago, who has already coached Argentine giants Racing Club and Boca Juniors as well as Mexican grande Chivas Guadalajara before his 40th birthday. Gago featured as a defensive midfielder for Real Madrid in the late 2000s and early 2010s before spending the back half of his career in his native Argentina.
– Necaxa enjoyed a strong 2025 Clausura, finishing fifth in the table and winning 10 of 17 matches before falling in the liguilla quarterfinals to Tigres UANL despite not actually losing – in Liga MX, the higher seed advances in the event of an aggregate draw.
– Los Rayos are led by Colombian international striker Díber Cambindo, who scored 16 goals in 30 league games in the 2024/25 season. Cambindo spent a successful loan spell earlier in the decade at Independiente Medellín, Oscar Pareja’s boyhood club.
– Necaxa sold their top player from last season, Argentine playmaker José Paradela, to Cruz Azul for a reported $10m+ fee. Paradela put up 11g/12a in Liga MX play while starting all 34 games last season. New arrivals for Los Rayos include central midfielder Tomás Jacob and playmaker Johan Rojas.
– Argentine striker Tomás Badaloni, a former teammate of Martín Ojeda’s at Godoy Cruz, has three goals in Necaxa’s two Leagues Cup games. Badaloni has largely been a substitute for Necaxa since joining last summer, but earned a start against Miami due to his good form.
There’s an adage that says one should never meet their heroes. There’s not much guidance regarding besting one’s heroes at the very thing that made them heroic. There’s even less instruction on how to handle that when you’re still too young to sign legal documents. Take that scenario and place it behind the goggles and full-face helmet of a wildly talented and humble teenager and you have a rough idea of what it’s like to be junior downhill world champion Asa Vermette.
Vermette, who turned 18 in January, is the most exciting downhill racer to emerge from the United States since Aaron Gwin—who first reached the World Cup podium in 2009 at age 21 (and went on to win the World Cup overall title five times between 2011 and 2017).
Hailing from the mountain town of Durango, Colorado, the 5-foot-10, 145-pound Vermette almost seems to have been fostered in a laboratory to become a downhill superstar. His parents are both lifelong mountain bikers. He’s been riding a dirt bike since he was 4, his childhood marked by countless trips to Aztec Motocross in New Mexico. He’s been homeschooled since the sixth grade; his parents fully supporting his early aspirations of going pro. He’s been a longtime local at Durango’s lift-access bike park, Purgatory Resort, site of the inaugural UCI mountain bike world championships in 1990 and a hot prospect to host the event again in 2030.
Vermette hails from Durango, Colorado and the 5-foot-10 tall, 145-pounds.
“I’m probably better at biking than I am at walking,” he laughs while discussing a life spent on two wheels. Self-effacing humor comes naturally for Vermette, who speaks of his generational talent with a blend of humility and poised confidence. He comes across as a warm, hardworking kid who loves what he’s doing but also can’t believe his good fortune. He’s paid to travel around the world and race his mountain bike, and he’s competing against guys he’s followed online since he was 12. Of course he’s stoked.
Vermette’s rise to prominence has been at once incremental and swift. Perhaps his most jaw-dropping result came this past February at Red Bull Hardline Tasmania, where he deftly handled the course’s full-speed massive drops to lay down the fastest seeding run. And on finals day, he narrowly missed out on the win, finishing just 0.233 seconds behind 21-year-old Canadian phenom Jackson Goldstone. And while much was made of Goldstone’s victory after a torn ACL that ended his previous season, the Tasmania event was also Vermette’s first since he had fractured his T6 vertebra in September.
Vermette and Goldstone taking the top spots at Hardline Tasmania is a clear indication of the future of downhill racing— but also the present. Though Vermette still has one more season in the World Cup’s junior category, he consistently puts in faster runs than many riders in the pro men’s field.
Vermette has been riding a dirt bike since he was 4.
Across 11 elite men’s downhill national championships held between 2009 and 2019, only two riders, Aaron Gwin and Neko Mulally, earned the stars-and-stripes jersey. In 2022, when he was just 15, Vermette posted faster times than both men at the U.S. Open of Mountain Biking Downhill at Killington Resort in Vermont. It was there that Vermette first gained national acclaim, finishing in third place, also faster than Goldstone and four-time downhill world champion Greg Minnaar. Images from that podium presentation show a fresh-faced kid holding a biggie check among seasoned professionals, looking very much like a teenager who had photobombed the celebration.
And it was there that Vermette met first Mulally, who asked if Vermette would like to try riding one of Mulally’s prototype Frameworks downhill bikes. They gelled instantly, and Vermette has worn a Frameworks logo since the start of the 2023 season, competing on Mulally’s small-batch hand-built aluminum frames while Mulally serves as Vermette’s primary sponsor and mentor. Helmed by legendary Australian MTB team manager Martin Whitely, the Frameworks Racing team is a small operation, yet it regularly outperforms major manufacturers’ factory teams at the sport’s highest level.
“I really love the [Frameworks] bike—honestly it’s perfect for me,” Vermette says. “It’s really good for jumping. It’s super stuck to the ground. And that’s not the biggest part, which is having Neko as more of a friend than anything. Going to Europe on a big team—I’ve never had it, so I don’t know—but having a smaller family-type thing, and being able to help design the bike, I don’t think I’d have that on a bigger team.”
The only child of a split marriage, Vermette grew up playing soccer, skiing, riding dirt bikes and racing BMX. His father, Josh, works as a contractor; his mother, Jonelle Morrison, is a traveling nurse. He began regularly riding the chairlifts to tackle downhill runs at Purgatory when he was 12. His first “real” downhill race was in 2021, at the junior 13-14 national championship. Though he was competing on an enduro bike (rather than a downhill bike) and snapped his chain during his run, he managed to win by six seconds. The following year, at the junior 15-16 national championship, his seeding time was one-tenth of a second faster than Gwin’s.
Vermette again shocked the gravity community at age 16 by taking the 2023 national enduro title ahead of three-time Enduro World Series champion Richie Rude, 12 years his senior. Just off winning the Big Mountain Enduro event at Purgatory, Vermette had entered the enduro national championship on a whim, at Mulally’s suggestion, simply because his downhill race schedule allowed it. Later in the 2023 season Vermette took second at the U.S. Open of Mountain Biking Downhill in Killington, leading through every split before he was edged out by Dakotah Norton at the finish. Again, Vermette had finished ahead of distinguished names such as Minnaar and Goldstone.
It’s fair to wonder if it might be intimidating, competing against legends of the sport—or if it gets awkward, when he beats them. Not really, Vermette says, noting that riders like Gwin, who is 19 years older than Vermette, and Minnaar, who is 25 years older, have been gracious and welcoming, offering hugs and words of encouragement.
“For Hardline, when I first got there, everyone was super nice,” he says. “When I qualified first, everyone was like, ‘Oh … OK.’ They definitely talked to me more after that. When I won the world championship, Loïc [Bruni] came up to me and gave me a big hug, which is insane, because I have looked up to Loïc for as long as I can remember. To be a part of it now, it’s insane.”
Vermette cites cornering and sprinting among his strengths, as well as navigating technical, rocky terrain. He’s also got an uncanny ability to visualize a downhill track after just a few runs, buoyed by his meticulous studying of GoPro footage. However, it’s his calm and collected mindset that truly sets him apart. He doesn’t just cope with pressure of downhill racing; he embraces it.
“I love the pressure,” he explained in a November 2023 podcast with another Durango-based mountain-bike pro, endurance rider Payson McElveen. “Being the last person at the top is really good for me. It’s like just all the pressure to get the one run exactly how you need to do it is, I don’t know … I just thrive off that. I feel like if you just have fun with it … every time at the top, I’m like, just get down. This is going to be fun. Usually at the top, everybody’s like, ‘Are you nervous?’ And I’m always like, ‘No, I just want to go ride another lap.’ ”
The 2024 season validated the hype that had been growing around the phenom from Durango. He was finally old enough for junior World Cup events, but how would he fare on the steeper, gnarlier European courses? How might the kid from dry and dusty Colorado handle racing in mud? How would the young American cope with the culture shock of training and racing in Europe?
Vermette answered those questions with a results sheet that could only be deemed a success, though it came with some hard lessons.
Coming directly off a fractured hip at an early-season event in Tennessee—an injury that required him to use a walker for weeks—Vermette aced his first World Cup test, winning by six seconds at Fort William, Scotland. In the days that followed, the Frameworks Racing team van was stolen, along with the race bikes inside, requiring Mulally to immediately fly back to the States and scramble to assemble new bikes. He returned in time for the second World Cup, held two weeks after Fort William in the rain at Bielsko-Biala, Poland. Vermette won again, this time by nearly four seconds, in slick, muddy conditions.
Crashes and mishaps followed at subsequent World Cup stops, first in Leogang, Austria, and then again in Val di Sole, Italy, where Vermette fractured a collarbone slamming into a tree stump just prior to his qualifying run; he still managed a second-place finish in the finals.
What followed was an incredible seven-week span that demonstrated Vermette’s true talent and resiliency. He returned to the top step at the World Cup in Les Gets, France, awarded the win from his qualifying time after the junior race was canceled due to weather. He returned to the U.S. to win the elite downhill national championship, held at the Ride Rock Creek venue in North Carolina. Vermette finished faster than Austin Dooley and Gwin to win the elite national title from the junior 17-18 category, which required an age exception from USA Cycling.
To cap it off, Vermette secured the season’s big objective, the junior world title in Andorra, where he again raced in pain after fracturing his other collarbone prior to his qualifying run.
Vermette has recovered from injuries, dubbing them “learning experiences.”
Though he couldn’t have known it, Andorra would be the end of his charmed run. At Loudenvielle, his first World Cup event competing in the rainbow jersey, Vermette spent the night before finals battling food poisoning. Exhausted and weak, and nursing two sore shoulders, he chose to compete. And though he could have played it conservatively and raced for the podium, Vermette didn’t hold back. He crashed heavily in a corner, flipping over the handlebar; once back in the U.S. he would learn that he’d fractured his T6 vertebra. His 2024 season was over.
“Last year was not the smoothest for me,” he says. “I’ve never really had a year like that. I mean, I’d never raced the World Cups, but for all the domestic races, I’ve not crashed that much. I was pushing harder than I should have been in some of the practice runs. I broke both of my collarbones—I just fractured the ends of them, not anything crazy, but it still hurt. At the beginning of the season, I broke my hip. At the end of the season, I broke my back. It’s all a learning experience—that’s one way to think about it.”
Vermette heads into the 2025 World Cup season a different rider than he was a year earlier. He’s learned lessons about patience and restraint. He’s got a year of World Cup experience under his belt; he knows the tracks, the venues and his competitors. He wears the rainbow jersey and, as of October, he also sports a coveted Red Bull helmet, ceremoniously awarded to him by American freerider Jaxson Riddle at Red Bull Rampage. Rampage is an event Vermette is familiar with—he’s spectated with his father for the past six years—and he hopes to compete in it soon.
“I would love to do Rampage,” Vermette says, adding that if he were to secure the World Cup overall title prior to the series finale at Mont-Sainte-Anne, he could possibly make his debut at freeriding’s marquee event in the fall. “I’ve always loved the event. I love the freeriding side of biking. I don’t want to just be a racer dude. I love flipping, and big whips. It seems like a super cool event, building your own line and riding it however you want.”
This July, Vermette clinched the title of Red Bull Hardline in the U.K., becoming the youngest rider to do so. In September, he’ll also aim to make the most of his final World Cup season in the junior category, with the goal of defending his rainbow jersey in Champéry, Switzerland. To that end he will be competing in a new aerodynamic skinsuit and, with Mulally’s guidance, applying data from wind-tunnel testing to small details such as positioning for his GoPro, number-plate mounts, rotor guards and fenders.
More than anything, however, Vermette will continue focusing on the stoke of it all. “It’s a challenge, but making sure I’m having fun is what I have always tried to do,” he says. “Having fun was the thing that brought me to racing. If it’s too forced, or you’re thinking about it too much, I don’t think you’re going to have as good of a run as if you’re just doing what you love. That’s what I try to do every time I hop into a gate—just think about all the good times I’ve had on a bike.”
Part of this story
Asa Vermette
One of the fastest young talents in mountain biking, Junior world champion Asa Vermette is set to become the USA’s next great downhiller.
As part of efforts to have a new generation of Paralympians better equipped to serve as changemakers within the Paralympic Movement and beyond, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has opened applications for up to 20 Paralympians to participate in the Para Athlete Professionals training course.
Through the IPC’s Sport for Mobility Programme which aims to develop athletes, create athlete leaders and increase sports participation, Para Athlete Professionals is a new four-year initiative designed to equip a cohort of up to 20 soon-to-be retired Paralympians each year with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to become influential leaders, innovators, and advocates within the Paralympic Movement and beyond.
Following a competitive selection process, the IPC will support Paralympians in the Class of 2025/2026 with a blend of in-person and online training sessions which will expand their skills to become active agents of change and contributing members of the Paralympic Movement and the societies they live in.
Between 2025 and 2028, four cohorts – consisting of up to 20 Paralympians each year – will be supported, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, gender balance, regional diversity, and representation across different disabilities.
The course is built around six core learning objectives:
– Leadership and self-awareness
– Career readiness
– Digital, financial, and business literacy
– Public speaking and advocacy
– Industry awareness and networking
– Legacy building and long-term impact
Mike Peters, the IPC’s Chief Executive Officer and two-time Paralympian said: “Retiring from elite sport is a significant transition, where one moves from an important finish line to a wholly new starting line. While it is often difficult, this transition represents a powerful new beginning and opportunity for Paralympians to move from competitors on the field of play to competitors in their respective professional field, as members of a new generation of leaders within our Movement and beyond.
“Through Para Athlete Professionals, we are equipping retiring Paralympians with tools to lead, influence, and innovate in new arenas. Whether it is in areas of sport administration, advocacy, or community leadership, their voices and perspectives are essential to shaping a more inclusive world. This initiative is not just about career development, it is about realising our collective future and ensuring that the Paralympic Movement will continue to be powered by those who know it best.”
Applications are open until 31 August 2025, with the first cohort set to begin courses by the end of the year. For more information and to apply, please visit: Para Athlete Professional Training Course Application Form
Andreas Hale is a combat sports reporter at ESPN. Andreas covers MMA, boxing and pro wrestling. In Andreas’ free time, he plays video games, obsesses over music and is a White Sox and 49ers fan. He is also a host for Sirius XM’s Fight Nation. Before joining ESPN, Andreas was a senior writer at DAZN and Sporting News. He started his career as a music journalist for outlets including HipHopDX, The Grammys and Jay-Z’s Life+Times. He is also an NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker as a producer for the animated short film “Bridges” in 2024.
An expected third fight between Dmitry Bivol and Artur Beterbiev is on hold indefinitely after it was announced Tuesday that Beterbiev will return Nov. 22 against Deon Nicholson.
The fight will be on the undercard of the Ring IV “Night of Champions” event headlined by David Benavidez vs. Anthony Yarde.
Beterbiev, the former undisputed light heavyweight champion, is coming off a majority decision loss to Bivol in February, the first defeat of his professional career. He defeated Bivol by majority decision to become undisputed champion in their first meeting last October.
Instead of sticking with Riyadh Season as their promotional outfit, Beterbiev and Bivol lobbied for their trilogy fight to take place in Russia with different organizers. Saudi Arabia’s chairman of General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, gave his blessing for the Russian fighters to move forward, but Beterbiev will opt for another opponent instead.
Beterbiev (21-1, 20 KOs), 40, will face a relative unknown in Nicholson (22-1, 18 KOs) and is expected to be a heavy betting favorite. Fighting out of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Nicholson, 34, has taken on relatively low-level opposition in his pro career, which began in 2016. Beterbiev will represent a massive step up in competition for Nicholson, whose only loss was by knockout to Efetobor Apochi in 2021.
After their February rematch, Beterbiev and Bivol were unable to come to terms for a third fight, and Beterbiev voiced his frustrations on social media. Bivol, who relinquished the WBC title rather than face Benavidez, was ordered by the IBF to face Michael Eifert in a mandatory title defense. Though Beterbiev has decided to move on to another opponent, it is not known whether Bivol will agree to defend the title against Eifert.
Manchester United are increasingly confident of signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig on a deal that could rise to £74.1m after the striker indicated his preference to join the club
Newcastle are interested in the Slovenia international, but Sesko favours a move to Old Trafford, where he is due to sign a five-year deal, even though Newcastle offer Champions League football. United have offered £65.4m upfront and the remainder in add-ons.
After completing deals for Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Diego León, Ruben Amorim has focused on securing a No 9 after United scored 44 goals in 38 Premier League games last season. They missed out on Liam Delap, who joined Chelsea, and Hugo Ekitiké, after he moved to Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt. Ollie Watkins was another target, but United were put off by Aston Villa’s £60m valuation.
Sesko scored 13 times in 33 Bundesliga appearances last season and got a further four goals in the Champions League.
His arrival would take United’s summer spend to about £214m and leave them to concentrate on sales. Marcus Rashford has departed on loan for Barcelona, who will pay all of the forward’s wages, but no deals have been sealed for Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia. None of the four have been part of Amorim’s pre-season plans and were allowed extra time away from the club to seek an exit.
Sesko’s arrival would create further uncertainty about Rasmus Højlund’s future. The Dane has struggled leading the line since joining for £72m from Atalanta and has been made available, but United would also consider loaning him if a club are willing to cover his wages and pay a fee.
Manchester United appear to be closing in on signing Benjamin Sesko, per multiple reports.
MORE — Every in and out for all 20 Premier League clubs this summer
The Slovenia and RB Leipzig striker has long been linked with a move to the Premier League and the duo of Newcastle United and Man United have chased him all summer long.
But it appears that Sesko’s preference is to join Ruben Amorim’s project at United. But a deal still has to be agreed between the clubs.
Manchester United close in on Benjamin Sesko
The Slovenian striker is reportedly saying he wants a move to Manchester United, and only Manchester United, this summer.
Per reports from Sky Germany, David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, Sesko has agreed personal terms on a contract but now comes the harder part.
United are reportedly locked in talks with Leipzig over the transfer fee and structure of a deal for Sesko. Newcastle have already reportedly had a bid of $98 million accepted for Sesko, but the striker instead wants to head to Manchester United.
Sesko a good fit for Amorim’s system
Can you blame Sesko for wanting to be a key part of Amorim’s rebuild of Manchester United? Not really.
After signing Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer, plus Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes around, Sesko is the final piece in the jigsaw of United’s new-look attack. With Rasmus Hojlund reportedly available for a transfer out of Old Trafford, United have gone all in on Sesko.
He needs to become more clinical but he would fit Amorim’s system well and could start centrally or off the left and interchange with Mbeumo and Cunha nicely. He is also 22 years old and fits in well with United’s plan to attract Europe’s top young talent, but he also has incredible experience already in European and international competitions.
This deal now hinges on United agreeing a few with Leipzig and the usual “United tax” will apply, but Newcastle have given them the ballpark figure it’s going to take to sign Sesko.
Lando Norris left the Hungaroring exhausted but no doubt satisfied with his weekend’s work as he came away with his fifth Grand Prix victory of the year.
The McLaren man had to do it the hard way, starting from the second row of the grid, jumping team mate and title rival Oscar Piastri on strategy, and then holding off the young Australian for the last part of the race to just make it over the line first.
