Sports
Inoue retains super-bantamweight crowns by beating Nakatani
Naoya Inoue retained his undisputed super-bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory over Junto Nakatani on Saturday in one of the biggest fights in Japanese boxing history.
Two judges scored the fight 116-112, while one had it 115-113, all in favor of Inoue after 12 rounds before a sell-out crowd of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome.
Inoue (33-0, 27 KOs) kept his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO belts – and then apologized for not delivering a knockout.
The 33-year-old Inoue, nicknamed “The Monster” and hailed as Japan’s greatest boxer, also praised Nakatani (32-1, 24 KOs).
“He was a fighter with a strong heart. That’s what makes this win mean so much,” said Inoue, a four-division champion.
The highly anticipated bout has galvanized fans here over the past year, with former champions and other experts offering commentary. Most predictions had favored Inoue because of his experience, speed and power.
The fight amply displayed both boxers’ dexterity in offense and defense, with both taking nice swings and jabs, but many simply failed to land.
The 28-year-old Nakatani, a southpaw, used his longer reach to keep Inoue’s punches at bay, while Inoue simply swayed his body or got out of the way.
The challenger became more aggressive after the sixth round, moving forward to try to land punches. But Inoue used his quick footwork to evade them, landing some jabs back in the process.
“I came prepared, so there were no surprises, but the champion was great,” a somber Nakatani said after absorbing his first professional loss.
Nakatani sustained a cut above his left eye in what appeared to be an accidental clash of heads and officials said he was going to a hospital to get it checked.
In a closely watched undercard, Inoue’s younger brother Takuma (22-2, 5 KOs) beat former four-division champion Kazuto Ioka (32-5-1, 17 KOs) by unanimous decision to retain his WBC bantamweight title.
“I really enjoyed the 12 exciting rounds, all thanks to my opponent, who is a legend,” Takuma Inoue said. “I want to prove I’m not just Naoya Inoue’s brother.”
Still, Takuma prevented Ioka from becoming a five-division champion, handing that possible honor to his brother, believed to have a good chance of doing just that.
The story of the Inoue brothers, who took up boxing as youngsters and grew up in loving families that encouraged their pursuit, is well known among boxing fans here. Their father, Shingo Inoue, was at ringside for both fighters, as always.
There was no doubt that the big all-Japanese fight had endeared fans to both the skills and personalities of the boxers.
Michifumi Hori, one such fan, proudly wore an Inoue T-shirt and said he was cheering for both Inoue brothers.
“This is something you can’t hope to see for another 50 years,” he said. “I love boxing because it’s about becoming a world champion.”
Beşiktaş head to Denmark on Thursday looking to protect their slender first-leg advantage and book a place in the UEFA Europa League third qualifying round, while FC Midtjylland must overturn a 1-0 deficit to keep their European hopes alive.
The Black Eagles take confidence into the return leg at MCH Arena after Orkun Kökçü’s superb first-half strike secured victory in Istanbul and handed new coach Vincenzo Italiano a winning start to his competitive tenure.
Midtjylland’s task was made considerably more difficult after Friday Etim was sent off just 15 minutes into the opening leg.
Reduced to 10 men for most of the match, the Danish side relied heavily on goalkeeper Elias Olafsson, who produced several impressive saves to keep the tie within reach before finally being beaten by Kökçü’s curling finish in the 26th minute.
Despite the setback, Midtjylland responded positively at the weekend by opening their Danish Superliga campaign with a dramatic 3-2 victory over Sonderjyske. The win eased concerns after the first-leg defeat and maintained the momentum they built during an impressive preseason, where they won four of five friendlies, including emphatic victories over Cardiff City and Odense.
Mike Tullberg’s side also have recent European experience on their side. Last season, the Danish runners-up advanced automatically to the Europa League knockout stage before suffering a heartbreaking penalty shootout elimination against Nottingham Forest in the round of 16.
Even so, Beşiktaş remain in control of the tie. A draw in Denmark would be enough to send the Turkish club into the third qualifying round, where Tromso or Hradec Kralove await.
Italiano’s encouraging competitive debut has also helped erase some of the concerns created by an inconsistent preseason. Beşiktaş won only two of six friendly matches and suffered defeats to Widzew Lodz and Spartak Trnava, although their defensive organization remained largely solid, conceding more than once only in those two losses.
The Italian coach will expect another disciplined display away from home, particularly after Beşiktaş struggled on their travels toward the end of last season. Protecting their narrow advantage and capitalizing on counterattacks could prove enough to continue their European campaign.
Midtjylland face several selection concerns before kickoff. Defender Victor Bak remains doubtful after being forced off at halftime against Sonderjyske, while Ousmane Diao, Mikel Gogorza and Junior Brumado are all unavailable. Etim will also miss the return leg through suspension following his first-leg dismissal.
Although Mads Bech Sorensen, Valdemar Byskov and Julius Emefile scored in the league opener, Midtjylland are again expected to rely on the attacking partnership of Franculino Dju and Gue-sung Cho to provide the goals they need.
Beşiktaş, meanwhile, received a timely boost with defender Tiago Djalo declared fit after the injury scare he suffered in Istanbul. Wilfred Ndidi remains sidelined with an ankle injury, Felix Uduokhai continues to serve a UEFA suspension, while summer signing Leandro Trossard is unavailable after being granted additional leave following Belgium’s participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Off the field, Beşiktaş supporters appear to be cooling on the club’s pursuit of Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
The club had explored the possibility of signing the former Liverpool forward as part of an ambitious rebuilding project under Italiano, following the arrivals of Trossard, goalkeeper Alexander Nübel and midfielder Salih Özcan.
Club officials, including football director Önder Özen and Italiano, reportedly agreed Salah was an ideal sporting fit. However, negotiations stalled because of financial demands from the player’s representatives.
While supporters enthusiastically chanted Salah’s name during Trossard’s unveiling at Tüpraş Stadium, sentiment has shifted since details of the reported contract demands emerged.
Many fans have praised club president Serdal Adalı for refusing to compromise Beşiktaş’s financial interests, with numerous supporters arguing on social media that the club made the right decision by shelving the deal rather than agreeing to what they viewed as excessive agent demands.
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka headline a star-packed entry list for the 2026 US Open mixed doubles championship, while the world’s top two men’s players, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, will miss the revamped event as they focus on recovering for the season’s final Grand Slam.
The Serbian great and the Belarusian world No. 1 form one of the most anticipated pairings in the tournament’s modern history after entering the competition, which will be staged during US Open Fan Week at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam singles champion and four-time US Open winner, joins forces with Sabalenka, the reigning WTA No. 1 and multiple major champion, in a field packed with some of the biggest names in tennis.
They are expected to be among the six teams that qualify directly for the main draw based on combined singles rankings once entries close on Aug. 17.
The initial field also features several marquee partnerships, including Elena Rybakina and Taylor Fritz, Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev, Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud, Jessica Pegula and Jack Draper, Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori, Leylah Fernandez and Frances Tiafoe, Diana Shnaider and Daniil Medvedev, Alexandra Eala and Felix Auger-Aliassime, Amanda Anisimova and Learner Tien, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli, Taylor Townsend and Alexander Zverev, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Nuno Borges, Katerina Siniakova and Henry Patten, and siblings Peyton and Preston Stearns.
Defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are also back after capturing last year’s title and the tournament’s $1 million winner’s prize, despite previously criticizing the format changes that favored top singles players over doubles specialists.
The Italian duo remain the only traditional doubles team among the early entrants and could require a wild card because direct qualification is determined by singles rankings.
Notably absent are men’s world No. 1 Sinner and second-ranked Alcaraz.
Fresh off his Wimbledon triumph, Sinner is prioritizing his health ahead of the US Open and has also withdrawn from the Canadian Open as he manages his workload following a demanding season.
Alcaraz, who teamed with Emma Raducanu in last year’s mixed doubles event, continues to recover from the wrist injury that forced him to miss both the French Open and Wimbledon.
The tournament was overhauled in 2025 to attract more elite singles players and boost fan interest. The competition was moved to Fan Week before the singles draws, prize money was significantly increased, and a shorter scoring format was introduced for the early rounds.
This year’s edition expands further with the addition of a qualifying tournament on Aug. 24. Two teams will advance into the main draw from the eight-team qualifying field, while eight more teams will receive wild cards to complete the 16-team bracket.
The main draw begins on Aug. 25, five days before the men’s and women’s singles tournaments get underway.
Qualifying and matches through the semifinals will feature shortened sets played to four games with no-ad scoring, tiebreaks at 4-4 and a 10-point match tiebreak instead of a third set. The championship match returns to the traditional six-game sets with a tiebreak at 6-6, while retaining the 10-point match tiebreak if the teams split the opening two sets.
USTA CEO Craig Tiley said the event continues to showcase the sport in a unique way.
“Anytime you can bring women and men together on the same team, you showcase tennis at its best,” Tiley said. “This is exactly what the mixed doubles championship does.
“We are proud to again bring the world’s top players together in a format that will provide exciting entertainment for our fans.”
Roberto Mancini is set to return as head coach of Italy for a second spell, taking charge of the four-time world champions after weeks of upheaval within the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) following the collapse of Andrea Pirlo’s expected appointment.
FIGC President Giovanni Malago informed the federation’s council of the decision on Tuesday, according to Italian news agency ANSA, with formal confirmation expected in the coming days.
Mancini, who is currently without a club after leaving Qatar’s Al-Sadd, returns to the national team he guided to UEFA Euro 2020 glory but also led through one of the country’s most disappointing periods, failing to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup before resigning in 2023 to take over Saudi Arabia.
His return comes after Italy’s disastrous failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, marking the first time a former world champion has missed three consecutive editions of the tournament following earlier absences in 2018 and 2022.
The Azzurri finished second behind Norway in their qualifying group before defeating Northern Ireland in the playoff semifinals. Their hopes of reaching the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada ended with a penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in the playoff final in Zenica.
The latest setback triggered sweeping changes throughout Italian football.
Head coach Gennaro Gattuso left by mutual consent shortly after the qualification failure, while FIGC President Gabriele Gravina and head of delegation Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down. Malago, the former president of the Italian National Olympic Committee, was elected FIGC president in June and immediately faced the task of rebuilding the national team’s leadership.
Pirlo initially emerged as the federation’s preferred candidate after Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola declined the role and approaches to Carlo Ancelotti proved unsuccessful.
The 2006 World Cup winner, who currently coaches United FC in the United Arab Emirates, was reportedly prepared to leave his club before negotiations unraveled over his commercial partnership with Russian betting company Fonbet.
Pirlo has served as a global ambassador for the company since October 2025 and attended promotional events in Moscow earlier this year. The association drew criticism from Italian politicians and members of the federation because of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, with opponents arguing it was incompatible with leading the national team.
Pirlo defended the agreement as a commercial arrangement without political significance, but the controversy ultimately ended his chances of taking the job.
The fallout extended beyond the coaching search.
Technical director Paolo Maldini and adviser Leonardo resigned less than three weeks after joining the federation, reportedly objecting to Malagò’s intervention in blocking Pirlo’s appointment after both had supported the former midfielder.
Former Leicester City and AS Roma manager Claudio Ranieri is now widely expected to replace Maldini as technical director, while reports also suggest former Italy staff member Lele Oriali could return in a supporting role alongside Mancini.
Mancini’s first spell in charge remains one of contrasts.
Appointed in 2018 following Italy’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, he transformed the national team into European champions by leading the Azzurri to victory at UEFA Euro 2020, defeating England on penalties at Wembley to secure Italy’s first major international title since winning the 2006 World Cup.
The success, however, was followed by another crushing disappointment when Italy lost to North Macedonia in the 2022 World Cup playoffs, extending the country’s absence from football’s biggest tournament.
Mancini resigned in August 2023 before accepting a lucrative position with Saudi Arabia, where he reached the round of 16 at the AFC Asian Cup before departing by mutual consent in 2024.
He later joined Al-Sadd in Qatar, guiding the club to the Qatar Stars League title before leaving earlier this year.
A former Italy international and prolific forward with Sampdoria and Lazio, Mancini has also enjoyed an accomplished club coaching career, winning league titles with Inter Milan, Manchester City and Galatasaray.
His immediate task will be restoring confidence in an Italian side searching for a new identity after an unprecedented run of three straight World Cup qualification failures.
France football legend Zinedine Zidane has been named head coach of the national team, succeeding Didier Deschamps on a four-year deal, the French Football Federation announced Tuesday.
The appointment of former Real Madrid manager Zidane comes two weeks after Deschamps’ tenure as coach ended following France’s fourth-place finish at the World Cup. His final match in charge was a 6-4 defeat by England.
“The French team was the only thing I wanted to do,” Zidane told reporters. “I’ve always looked at this team through the eyes of a future manager. I didn’t take a club job for that reason. The only thing I wanted to do after Madrid was manage the French national team.”
“I could have taken on a three-year role because Deschamps was there. He made that decision in January 2025 and the very next day I knew I wanted to be the next one. We met with the president and the deal was sealed.” The 54-year-old Zidane is expected to begin his reign with an away Nations League game against Türkiye before France host Italy at the Stade de France on Oct. 2.
Deschamps, who left the role after 14 years at the helm, oversaw 185 matches and 120 victories, guiding France to the 2018 World Cup title, the 2020-21 Nations League trophy, and the Euro 2016 and 2022 World Cup finals.
The two share a long association, having been teammates in France’s 1998 World Cup-winning side on home soil.
Zidane played a pivotal role in that triumph and won the Ballon d’Or that year. He made 108 appearances for the national side, scoring 31 goals and contributing 29 assists.
“You’ll see my style soon,” Zidane said. “I’m driven by the game. I was a No. 10, and what drives me is scoring goals,” he said. “I lived in Spain for 25 years, you know what that means. On the pitch, I was a leader. Now I’m becoming a leader through my experience.”
“Winning in ’98 is the best thing that’s ever happened to me, winning with my teammates. I spent those four or five years waiting for that day. I’m emotional; you can’t see it, but I’m so excited. I’m happy,” said Zidane.
Playmaker to manager
At club level, Zidane made 212 appearances for Italian side Juventus before joining Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2001. He went on to play 227 matches for Real across five seasons, scoring 49 goals and providing 67 assists, while winning the Champions League in his first season with the club.
Following his retirement, Zidane returned to Real Madrid as assistant coach in 2013 before taking over as head coach in 2016. He enjoyed unprecedented success during his first spell in charge, leading the club to three consecutive Champions League titles between 2016 and 2018, a feat that remains unmatched.
Zidane returned for a second stint as Real Madrid manager in 2019 and added another La Liga title to the club’s trophy cabinet before leaving again in 2021.
He follows Laurent Blanc and Deschamps as the third member of France’s 1998 World Cup-winning squad to become national team coach, with the task of leading Les Bleus into the 2030 World Cup.
“Les Bleus’ campaign was magnificent, the football was magnificent. I had a great time, and so did everyone else,” Zidane added.
“The fans have no cause for complaint. We’re going to do things differently. Deschamps is Deschamps, Blanc was Blanc, Zizou is Zizou. I’m going to do what I know how to do. I’m going to ensure continuity so that the French team keeps winning,” he said.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the World Cup as a success, dismissing critics as spreaders of hate and falsehoods while praising the tournament’s unity, safety and inclusivity.
In an open letter published Monday, Infantino, 56, said detractors had overlooked the joy and togetherness experienced by millions of fans around the world who witnessed the tournament, won by Spain and staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“You were so consumed by hate and criticism that you missed it all,” he said.
“To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens spreading hate and false rumours, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the front lines organising, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world.
“We experienced no violence, no incidents, 100% safety and security, only joy and happiness!”
FIFA faced criticism over several issues during the tournament, including debate over U.S. visa restrictions affecting supporters and officials from several countries and concerns involving teams from conflict-hit regions.
Infantino’s letter also followed scrutiny of FIFA’s handling of the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case, a decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban imposed on him after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina following the intervention of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Officiating decisions in Argentina’s match against Egypt also generated widespread debate among fans and pundits.
Though Infantino did not refer to specific cases, he argued that many of the refereeing and disciplinary decisions criticized during the tournament were commonplace in various competitions worldwide.
“Potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide,” he added.
“It’s curious that the same countries employing these practices are the ones criticizing.”
Visa controversies
Infantino pointed to the participation of countries facing political tensions, domestic crisis and domestic health challenges as evidence of football’s ability to transcend divisions.
While Iran’s participation came against the backdrop of conflict with the U.S., issues surrounding Haiti’s domestic crisis and the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo also drew attention to visa and travel restrictions.
Somali World Cup referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan was barred from entering the U.S. despite having a valid visa. “Iran entered the United States without incident or conflict. The Iranian team received visas to enter because football is about peace. It’s not about politics,” he said.
“Countries facing serious health issues or other challenges were granted visas,” he said.
“When football brought Haiti to the world, a country that many cannot or choose not to visit, it might be time to set aside your pens and keyboards and show some respect to the teams that played,” Infantino added.
New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso said Monday he has found “good energy” at the club but stopped short of defining what success would look like in his first season.
The Spaniard officially began the job on July 1 and will take charge of his first competitive fixture in Sydney Tuesday when they face Western Sydney Wanderers.
He faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honors after their disappointing 10th-place finish last season and failure to make Europe.
They last won the Premier League a decade ago, under Italian manager Antonio Conte.
Alonso, who has made a series of pre-season signings headlined by Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, said he liked what he had seen so far.
“We want to build a competitive team. We are in that process. We have great quality, great talent,” he said.
“We need to know what it takes to compete in the Premier League, and we want to have a squad with the right balance between quality and mentality.
“But I think that we are starting the new season with good energy, that’s going to be important.”
The former Liverpool and Spain midfielder rose to prominence as one of Europe’s brightest coaches by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023/24 season.
However, he lasted just seven months in the Real Madrid hotseat. Appointed last year, he departed the Spanish giants in January.
Alonso is associated with a short-passing game and implemented a 3-4-2-1 system at Leverkusen that proved so successful.
But he has also shown pragmatism in his tactics, a trait he plans to bring to Chelsea.
“We will be flexible in our tactics, in our approaches, game plans,” he said, conscious of not trying to impose a completely different system from last season.
“It’s not that I’m changing everything. It’s about updating. It’s about developing something that they have done with new concepts that each manager has.
“But the good thing is that many things that I like they have already done. So now it’s about changing or updating a few other things.”
Since Chelsea last won the Premier League, several managers have come and gone after failing to repeat the feat, and the pressure is on Alonso to snap the drought.
But he said it was too early to say what would be considered a successful season.
“I don’t want to talk too early about what’s our goal,” said the 44-year-old, who signed a four-year contract.
“We want to deserve to be as high as possible, and for that we need to work hard. We need to develop this team with new players, with new ideas, but sometimes it takes longer, sometimes it happens quicker.
“But so far, a good feeling, good energy. The players are working hard, and that’s what we want.”
‘Great signing’
Alonso said Morgan Rogers was “a great signing” who would make the club more competitive and expected the England midfielder to “link really well” with Cole Palmer.
The versatile Rogers was signed from Aston Villa last week for 117 million pounds ($157 million), a record for a British player.
Alonso said he was “delighted” to lure the 23-year-old to Stamford Bridge ahead of the pre-season friendly Tuesday.
“It’s a great signing. I think that in that position, we needed an important player, and I’m sure that there were not many more better options than Morgan,” the Spaniard told reporters.
“So we are delighted. It means a lot for everyone.”
Alonso, however, will have to find a way to accommodate Rogers, Palmer, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian and another close-season signing, Geovany Quenda, into his attacking midfield positions.
“I have a plan. I have an idea. I can see them linking really well,” Alonso said on how Morgan could fit in alongside Palmer. The pair are close friends who have similar playing styles.
“You need to have a good mix, good stability players, and players that can play with more freedom,” Alonso added.
“And if we get that balance right, and we get those special players in the right positions, with good control, I think that we will be more competitive with the ball and against the ball.”
Chelsea had reportedly been chasing Rogers for two years and beat Arsenal to his signature after the Premier League champions refused to match the eye-watering fee demanded by Villa.
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