Category: Sport

July 13, 2025, 01:24 PM et

The Dallas Mavericks switch off Cooper Flag for the rest of the NBA Summer League, sources confirmed Tim Macmahon from ESPN and ended the Las Vegasstint of the Rookie star after only two games.

The MAVS decided to close flag after the Draft Pick No. 1 scored 31 points in the game on Saturday against number 2 Dylan Harper and the San Antonio Spurs.

Flag shot out of the ground against the Los Angeles Lakers 10: 21 on Thursday when he fought for only 10 points at 5 von-21 shootout.

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“I think it's a new environment, a new environment,” said Flagg after the 76:69 defeat on Saturday against San Antonio. “You want me to be aggressive and make this kind of stuff.

“I think I did a lot better today, just got into the line, polluted and that helped me to feel comfortable and let myself go at an early stage. I still missed a few free throws. I know that my mother was probably not very satisfied with it.”

Josh Broghamer, coach of Mavericks Summer League, said Flagg “continues to play the right games” and praised the 6-foot 9 rookie for his work “Off The Ball” during the game on Saturday.

The decision of the MAVS to close flag was reported for the first time on Sunday by the experienced NBA reporter Marc Stein.

East Rutherford, NJ-Luis Enrique said, Paris Saint-Germain “Team of Stars” can deliver the “Icing on the Cake” for their incredible season in the final of the FIFA Club World Championship after the club had overcome Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Neymar's exits in order to be the best team in the world.

PSG competes in the final on Sunday at the Metlife Stadium in New Jersey as a strong favorite to expand the World Cup in the Champions League, Ligue 1 and Coupé de France title, which were already won in the 2024-25 season.

The Enrique team is now generally recognized as the number one of the world clubs and a victory on Sunday would confirm this status.

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After the former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique PSG had rebuilt after the departure of her superstar players, the key to the success of the team was her team of stars rather than one person.

“We have 11 stars – that's football,” Luis Enrique told reporters on Friday. “We don't just want a main player.

“We want 11 stars, maybe 14-15 in our squad, and that is the obligation we have from our directors and presidents.

“We want a team of stars. There is not a single PSG fan that acts as a star, the entire parc of the Princes is the star, and we want that on the field.

“This team is over the individual players and for this reason we are leading. We will lose at some point, that's how it works and we want stars – but only as a team.”

PSG booked her place in the final with a 4-0 semi-final victory against Real Madrid after having already hit Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid on the way to the final.

A 5-0 final of the Champions League against Inter Milan, after defeating four Premier League teams in the competition this season, underlined PSG's dominance, but Luis Enrique says that his team has to defeat Chelsea to have a perfect end of the season.

“This is the last game in the season and we felt good,” said Luis Enrique. “We had a very good year and it is very important for us to end this historical season in the best possible way.

“We were absolutely incredible, we wrote history and we want to continue and win the game on Sunday. We have to win to bring the icing on the cake to the cake.

“But if you believe that this game will be a walk in the park, you really don't know what football is about

“Chelsea won the Conference League, they are a growing team. I love Enzo Maresca as a coach because his team always attacks and press them really well. This is not just an old game.

“It is very important that we are aware of how difficult this game will be. Chelsea has talented people and they can defend themselves under pressure. Your team is comparable to us.”

Luis Enrique has already led Paris Saint-Germain to the first Champions League title of the club this season. Alex Grimm/Getty Images

PSG captain Marquinhos has asked his teammates to take the chance to become world champion by saying that it was a rare opportunity for the club.

“We are aware of the importance of this game,” he said. “It is a golden opportunity in a competition that takes place every four years.

“Every game has its own story. The club is ready for this title and the trainer has prepared us very well.”

“It is a 50-50 bet in a final, but we really want this title and that is our attitude at the moment.”

The 31-year-old Marquinhos has been with PSG since his arrival of Roma in 2013 and has seen how the club developed from a team from superstars to the modern version of the Luis Enrique site.

And despite the talent that he played alongside Mbappé, Neymar, Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, says Marquinhos that today's team is the best of the lot.

“We have played an extraordinary level in the past few months,” he said. “It is a real honor to be part of this team, it is a very strong team.

“With regard to the results, this is definitely the best team in which I was at PSG, but I played with some amazing players who have achieved incredible things in football – players who won more than these players.

“But if all of this has taken into account, this is the team that has done the most collective.

“When I joined, I played with players who were idols of mine, and I lived wonderful times here with wonderful players. But with regard to results and titles, this is probably the best squad to date.”

• Kevin Pelton

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  Kevin Pelton

  ESPN Senior Writer

  • Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus series
  • Formerly a consultant with the Indiana Pacers
  • Developed WARP rating and SCHOENE system

• Jeremy Woo

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  Jeremy Woo

  ESPN

  NBA draft analyst and writer
  Joined ESPN.com in 2023
  Covered the NBA and NBA draft for Sports Illustrated from 2015-2023

Jul 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

Both the California Classic and Salt Lake City summer leagues have wrapped up, so it’s time to focus on the main event of the offseason: NBA 2K26 Las Vegas Summer League.

The 11-day tournament begins Thursday and runs through July 20, with a champion crowned at the end.

The event will be headlined by the fresh faces of the 2025 draft class, as well as other recent draftees such as Bronny James, Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham, and unsigned veterans looking for open spots on rosters across the league. Top 2025 picks Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and VJ Edgecombe will all be in action Thursday as games tip off.

After each team plays four games, the top four teams will advance to the playoffs. The two semifinal games will take place July 19, with the championship game July 20. The other 26 teams will play a fifth game between July 18-20.

With the tournament schedule out of the way, it’s time for ESPN analysts Kevin Pelton and Jeremy Woo to look at the top players to watch on each summer league team.

Kobe Bufkin | SG
2023 draft: Round 1, No. 15

This is an important year for Bufkin, who is nearly seven months removed from season-ending shoulder surgery going into his third NBA season. The guard out of Michigan entered the league in 2023 with real promise, but he has appeared in just 27 regular-season games. The 21-year-old has a key window to solidify himself as part of Atlanta’s future, with the Hawks retooling, and led by a new front office that didn’t draft him. Bufkin will be under the microscope as he returns to action. — Woo

Hugo Gonzalez | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 28

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Gonzalez is walking into a good situation in Boston as the team’s lone first-round pick in a year when there will be plenty of vacant wing minutes. After he averaged 10 minutes per game at Real Madrid last season, the NBA will now get a much longer look at the 19-year-old, who is known for his motor and should enter a much better opportunity to play and develop. We’ll see how Gonzalez fares when the training wheels come off, but he could develop into an important role player for the Celtics in time. — Woo

Egor Demin | PG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 8

The headliner of the Nets’ five-man draft class, Demin will be the most intriguing in his new situation, with Brooklyn presumably planning to coax as much as they can out of him as an on-ball playmaker. Expect him to rotate those reps with the Nets’ other rookies, but Demin’s passing vision should shine in what’s typically a wide-open on-court environment in Vegas. I’m curious how he’ll look in this context, and I’d love to see Demin play in creative pick-and-roll with fellow Nets draft classmate Danny Wolf. — Woo

Kon Knueppel | SF
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 4

Knueppel presumably will be the focal point of the Hornets’ Las Vegas operation, giving him an opportunity to showcase his excellent shooting (64.8 true shooting percentage at Duke) and the breadth of his ability as a secondary playmaker. He figures to be one of the most advanced rookies out of the gate, and this should be a nice platform for him to get up plenty of shots. — Woo

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1:23

Kon Knueppel’s top plays that led him to the Hornets

Check out some of Kon Knueppel’s top plays at Duke as he heads to the Hornets with the fourth overall pick.

Matas Buzelis | SF
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 11

Buzelis presumably won’t play more than a game or two in Las Vegas, but his second-half emergence (13 points on 46% field goal/36% 3-pointers/83% free throw splits post All-Star) was a huge development for the Bulls, who are set to increasingly lean on him over the next few seasons. He should have plenty of opportunities to score on a summer league roster that’s more or less built around him. I’m also quite curious about 2025 No. 12 overall pick Noa Essengue, who gives Chicago a second big, versatile forward to build around. — Woo

Jaylon Tyson | SG
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 20

The Cavaliers only made two second-round selections this year, meaning last year’s 20th overall pick (Tyson) is the headliner of their summer league group. He was called upon sparingly on a very good Cleveland team in 2024-25, but he could be ticketed for more of a role next season after the Cavs traded Isaac Okoro to the Bulls for Lonzo Ball. Tyson’s positional size and offensive chops should stand out in Vegas. — Woo

Cooper Flagg | SF
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 1

Borrowing from a playbook he used with 2013 first-round pick Giannis Antetokounmpo while coaching the Milwaukee Bucks, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said, “I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts,” about summer plans for Flagg. “Being able to run the show, being able to play the 2, play the 3.” A power forward at Duke, Flagg will have to play the perimeter in the NBA because of the Mavericks’ crowded frontcourt. We’ll get a first look at how Kidd’s plan goes in Las Vegas. — Pelton

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1:50

What Cooper Flagg brings to the Dallas Mavericks

Check out the best plays from Duke freshman Cooper Flagg as he is taken by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 overall pick.

DaRon Holmes II | PF
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 22 by Phoenix

The biggest disappointment of last year’s summer action was Holmes suffering an Achilles rupture late in his Denver debut. Subsequent surgery and rehab cost Holmes his first NBA season. Now, the 2024 first-round pick is ready to get back on the court. Holmes’ ability to produce as a rookie could prove especially important if the Nuggets can’t convince Jonas Valanciunas to pass an offer from Greek club Panathinaikos days after Denver dealt for the veteran to back up three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. — Pelton

Ron Holland II | SF
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 5

Holland played a limited role in a crowded Pistons wing rotation as a rookie, but should have a chance to break through moving forward, with Detroit selecting him higher than most expected in 2024. Showcasing himself at summer league, where he’ll be the primary name on the Pistons roster sheet, would represent a step in that direction, particularly if his shotmaking (28.3% from 3 last season) can improve. — Woo

L.J. Cryer | PG
2025: Undrafted

An All-America pick who nearly led Houston to last year’s national title, Cryer is the kind of undrafted rookie who could excel in Las Vegas with his shooting ability. Cryer rated in the top 50 of my predraft projections on the strength of his 40% career NCAA 3-point shooting. He should have plenty of opportunity on an Exhibit 10 contract with a Warriors roster that features only two of the team’s own draft picks, second-rounders Will Richard (whose Florida team beat Cryer’s Houston in the national championship) and Alex Toohey. — Pelton

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L.J. Cryer drains triple vs. San Antonio Spurs

L.J. Cryer drains triple vs. San Antonio Spurs

Reed Sheppard | PG/SG
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 3

The belle of last year’s summer league, Sheppard joined Kel’el Ware of the Miami Heat as the two rookies named to the All-Summer League first team after averaging 20 points per game, 5.3 assists per game and 2.8 steals per game. Alas, Sheppard rarely translated that to NBA action as a rookie, logging just 654 minutes. As a result, he is back to earn more playing time in Year 2 on a Rockets team that is now firmly a championship contender. — Pelton

Taelon Peter | SG
2025 draft: Round 2, No. 54

One of the draft’s true sleeper picks, Peter was the Division I leader in true shooting (73.5%) last season at Liberty, but did so while playing just 23 minutes per game off the bench. Indiana drafted him late in the second round, and it’ll be intriguing to see how he adjusts to a huge jump in level. Peter is an excellent run-jump athlete, but he’ll have to preserve some of his elite efficiency against better competition, with summer league a useful proving ground. — Woo

Kobe Brown | PF
2023 draft: Round 1, No. 30

This is a pivotal summer for Brown, who has played 666 minutes over two seasons since the Clippers drafted him in the second round in 2023 — the same spot at No. 30 where they selected Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser this year. With the Clippers prioritizing flexibility, they might not be inclined to exercise a $4.8 million 2026-27 team option on Brown’s contract by Oct. 31, unless he demonstrates he can be a rotation contributor. — Pelton

Bronny James | SG
2024 draft: Round 2, No. 55

Much of James’ development as a rookie took place out of sight, as he logged just 181 NBA minutes. James saw far more action for the G League’s South Bay Lakers, combining for 18.6 PPG, 4.8 APG and 4.6 rebounds per game over 18 games. After struggling with his efficiency in the G League Tip-Off Tournament, James was far better in the regular season, making 38% of his 3s. Those numbers are what the Lakers will want to see this summer and what could eventually make James an NBA contributor. — Pelton

Bronny James is continuing to hone his craft, and will make his case for NBA minutes this summer. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

GG Jackson | PF
2023 draft: Round 2, No. 45

The Grizzlies likely won’t have No. 11 pick Cedric Coward, who is doubtful to play while continuing to rehab December shoulder surgery, per Drew Hill of the Daily Memphian. Memphis’ 2024 second-round picks, Cam Spencer and Jaylen Wells, will be playing despite Wells finishing third in the NBA Rookie of the Year voting. Yet I’m most excited to see the 20-year-old Jackson, still the youngest player on the Grizzlies’ roster by a wide margin, after he played 29 games in his second NBA campaign due to injury. Both Jackson and Wells had 20 points each in Saturday’s debut. — Pelton

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Jazz squeak by Grizzlies as GG Jackson’s tying attempt only good for 2

GG Jackson II tries to tie the game with a 3-pointer, but his foot is on the line, securing a 112-111 victory for the Jazz.

Kasparas Jakucionis | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 20

Jakucionis was a surprising draft-night faller and became a nice value snag for the Heat, giving them the type of playmaking guard their roster lacked. He got off to a poor start in the California Classic, but better days are ahead. He should see plenty of opportunities to create in Las Vegas and have a path to contribute eventually, with Miami continuing to trend younger and only Tyler Herro, new addition Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell clearly ahead in the backcourt hierarchy. — Woo

Mark Sears | PG
2025 draft: Undrafted

The Bucks don’t have a ton of backcourt depth after moving on from Damian Lillard, relying primarily on veterans with inexpensive contracts to piecemeal those minutes as currently constituted. Sears, a two-way signee out of Alabama, has a pathway to back-end roster value if he can make enough shots and produce this summer in spite of his lack of size. He should presumably get the keys to the summer league offense as a starting point. — Woo

Rob Dillingham | PG
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 8 by San Antonio

Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s departure for the Hawks creates an opportunity for several of Minnesota’s young perimeter players who will play in Las Vegas, including Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark. Of that group, Dillingham saw the least action as a rookie in the 2025 playoffs (16 total minutes after coming back from an ankle sprain) and has the best chance of filling in for the aging Mike Conley at point guard. That makes this an important summer for Dillingham. — Pelton

How many minutes will Minnesota’s Rob Dillingham see during summer league play in Las Vegas? Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Jeremiah Fears | PG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 7

The Pelicans drafting Fears in the top 10 was somewhat overshadowed by their subsequent trade sending out a 2026 first-round pick to move up from No. 23 to No. 13 to also add Maryland center Derik Queen. Although Queen’s skill set might not shine in the chaotic style of summer hoops, the environment should be well suited for Fears, whose 17.1 PPG ranked fifth among one-and-done picks and 4.1 APG ranked fourth. — Pelton

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1:41

Jeremiah Fears’ best plays that led him to the Pelicans

Check out Jeremiah Fears’ top plays at Oklahoma as the Pelicans select him with the seventh overall pick.

Tyler Kolek | PG
2024 draft: Round 2, No. 34

Even as a high second-round pick, Kolek played sparingly off the Knicks’ bench last season. His pathway to minutes is still limited, with Jordan Clarkson figuring into the depth mix with Deuce McBride, but Kolek should get to run the team in Las Vegas and make a case for himself. He’s a quality playmaker who deserves more opportunity, but doesn’t offer much from a physical perspective running the second unit. — Woo

Nikola Topic | PG
2024 draft: Round 1, No. 12

More than a year after being drafted by the Thunder in the first round while rehabbing from ACL surgery, Topic made his first appearance in an Oklahoma City jersey over the weekend at the Salt Lake City Summer League. He had 14 points Saturday, but also seven turnovers. The Thunder won’t have this year’s No. 15 pick, Thomas Sorber. Sorber underwent toe surgery in February that ended his lone college season, and he is still rehabbing. — Pelton

Jase Richardson | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 25

The Magic got nice value with Richardson falling to them, giving them a viable younger replacement for Cole Anthony’s bench minutes. Richardson can handle both guard spots, but his size profiles best at the point, a role he didn’t play full time at Michigan State. Orlando will likely want to maximize his ballhandling reps, and this should be a good environment in which to assess how ready he is to run a second unit. He could be a crucial bench player for the Magic as they push to contend in the East. — Woo

VJ Edgecombe | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 3

Edgecombe, in his Utah summer league debut, looked every bit the explosive and smooth downhill scorer the Sixers needed him to be. He did miss the next two games in Utah with a minor thumb injury, but he will have a huge runway to create offense and get to the rim, presuming he’s active in Vegas. It’s already evident that NBA spacing will make it even harder to stay in front of him with a head of steam. The positive first game made it easy to understand why Philly prioritized him in the predraft process. — Woo

VJ Edgecombe was terrific in his summer league debut for the Sixers, and his rookie development will be one to watch this summer. Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images

Khaman Maluach | C
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 10

It’s a new day in Phoenix, where the Suns’ summer roster is filled with draft picks, including three from this year’s draft. None is more important than Maluach, who at No. 10 was Phoenix’s highest addition through the draft since Jalen Smith in 2020. Despite also adding center Mark Williams on draft night, the Suns are hoping Maluach can contribute as a rookie with his defensive versatility and above-the-rim finishing. — Pelton

Yang Hansen | C
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 16

Yang actually had summer league experience before being drafted No. 16 last month. He joined the China national team in the California Classic last year at age 19, averaging 8.7 PPG and 5.0 RPG in three games. Both turnovers (4.7 per game) and fouls (4.0 per game in 20.9 minutes) were an issue for Yang, and we’ll be watching how much he has improved in between summer league outings. — Pelton

Nique Clifford | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 24

Clifford is quite familiar with the Thomas & Mack Center court, having played against UNLV in the college basketball regular season, and averaged 25.0 PPG, 10.3 RPG and 4.3 APG there as Colorado State won the Mountain West title at the conference tournament in March. Those performances helped solidify Clifford as a first-round pick by the Kings. — Pelton

Nique Clifford is an older, more NBA-ready wing who should be able to plug in and give Sacramento minutes as a rookie, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo. Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images

Dylan Harper | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 2

Let’s hope we’ll see the No. 2 pick in Las Vegas after he missed the California Classic due to what San Antonio summer coach Mike Noyes termed a “minor” groin injury. Harper would get the keys to the Spurs’ offense this summer in a way that won’t be possible during the regular season, when he suits up alongside De’Aaron Fox and reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Fellow lottery pick Carter Bryant did play over the weekend, but is not as advanced in his development. — Pelton

Collin Murray-Boyles | PF
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 9

Murray-Boyles was a polarizing player in the scouting community over the past year, offering quite a bit of production and obvious smarts and defensive versatility. But he was also lacking a reliable jumper with average size for a four-man — and doing it in a losing context at South Carolina. How he takes to what should be a more conducive team construct should be fun to see in Vegas, as well as how the Raptors decide to use him on the offensive end: How much they look to play through him as a passer and whether he’s confident taking 3s are two things to watch for. — Woo

Ace Bailey | SF
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 5

After generating lots of discussion leading up to the draft because of his decision not to work out for any team, Bailey landed in Utah without incident. Now we will start to see whether Bailey merited all the attention after a season at Rutgers, where he showed great strengths in shotmaking and rim protection for his size, but poor shot selection and playmaking for teammates. His debut, in which Bailey shot 1-of-5 on non-paint 2-pointers, wasn’t encouraging in that regard. — Pelton

Tre Johnson | SG
2025 draft: Round 1, No. 6

Johnson figures to fill up the box score in summer league as one of the draft’s more polished perimeter scorers and a potential centerpiece of the Wizards’ developing roster. The element of his game to monitor will be his playmaking; he’s likely to draw plenty of attention from defenses, but making the right decisions and becoming a more willing passer are the next steps in his growth. Washington has the most loaded roster in Vegas, featuring five first-round picks from 2024 in addition to Johnson and Will Riley, but Johnson figures to have a featured place in the Wizards’ offense, both this week and come fall. — Woo

Wimbledon, England – Amanda Anisimova collapsed to the ground on her knees. Her body sagged together and her face directly on the grass of the place no. 1. She stayed there for a short moment before clipping and tears gone or either appropriate – from her face when she smiled.

It was six long years and a mental health break since she drove to her first and last major finals, but after her highly competitive 6: 1, 7: 6 (9) victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Tuesday she had done it again.

The 23-year-old American could not hide her enthusiasm hours later when she spoke to reporters.

“I have the feeling that everything clicked for me, and I clicked more and more safely with every tournament that I played this year,” said Anisimova, the No. 13 seed. “So I have the feeling that my self -confidence is pretty high. In addition, I only enjoy every moment.”

Her victory was a strong contrast to that of her opponents in the semi -finals on Thursday.

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Shortly before Anisimova won her place, Aryna Sabalenka had come back to defeat Laura Siegemund 4: 6, 6: 2, 6: 4 in just under three hours. The 27-year-old Sabalenka, the tournament's tournament, has reached four consecutive main semi-finals and got around in 10 of her last 11 Grand Slam tournaments. In the quarter-finals she has an astonishing 12: 1 career record die second best brand among women in the open era, behind only Chris Evert.

On paper, the match between Anisimova and Sabalenka seems to be a one-sided, David against Goliath affair, but in reality it could be a collision for the age between two well-coordinated and great opponents.

Here is everything you need to know to enter the semi -finals and what you can expect from both players.

Aryna Sabalenka (left) and Amanda Anisimova will meet in the Wimbledon semi -final on Thursday. Christophe Petit Tesson/Epa-Fe/Shutterstock

Trademarked enemies

Sabalenka has three main titles and has been number 1 in the world since October, but it is actually Anisimova who heads her series. (We told you that you shouldn't be fooled by your résumés, right?) In eight career meetings, Anisimova won five times, including the first two big encounters.

2025 Wimbledon chances for women

Sabalenka has emerged as the winner in two of her three games since the beginning of the 2024 season and Anisimova's comeback, most recently in the fourth round at the French Open last month. Three of their head-to-head shows have gone to a decisive set, and Sabalenka and Anisimova used the word “hard” to describe what it will be like to face each other.

Sabalenka predicted that it was “very aggressive tennis” and called her earlier games “slaughter”.

Anisimova seemed to be agreed and was looking forward to one of the largest stages in sport.

“I know that she will play a great tennis,” added Anisimova during her press conference on Tuesday. “I mean, there is no one better that I can play apart from her. I am very much looking forward to the experience. I mean I will play against a No. 1 in a semi -finals from Wimbledon, so it will really be something special.”

Your last meeting

During her showdown in Paris last month, Sabalenka joined the game as a favorite, but Anisimova reminded everyone why she had reached the Roland Garros semisi as a teenager and how good she was on sound.

Sabalenka opened the round of the 16th excursion by jumping to a 4-1 lead and looking as if it were going to win. But Anisimova refused to withdraw. She became increasingly aggressive and increased her level to 5-all. Sabalenka, however, was strongly based on her strong serve, who scored three aces late in a single game in the set and deserved a total of 11 -to win the start in 50 minutes.

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While Anisimova Sabalenka's strength met for a large part of the game, her Sabalenkas (improved) variety and versatility were missing. Anisimova saved six game points on the server, but Sabalenka finally won 7-5, 6: 3. Sabalenka later said reporters in Paris that she knew that she “had to change the rhythm against her” to be successful and explained that this was a key component for her strategy.

But grass is a different surface, and the two have never played against each other. Sabalenka believes that this could be a different challenge.

“I definitely think that this surface fits your game,” said Sabalenka on Tuesday. “That's why she plays as well. It serves well. It beats quite clean and heavy shots.”

Sabalenka's striving for the main title No. 4

Nobody was more consistent on the tour in the past seasons than Sabalenka. In addition to her record at Slams, her months of use in the world's leading ranking (currently a lead of 4,751 points in the live ranking with the chance to promote it more after the end of the tournament) and seven titles since the beginning of 2024 Sabalenka has also reached the final in the last three main subjects.

“[She] is number 1 in the world for one reason, ”said Emma Raducanu after Sabalenka defeated her in the third round.

2025 Wimbledon amusement

But while Sabalenka won the US Open in September, she lost with the trophy on the line at the Australian Open (where she was the two -time defending champion) and at the French Open. After her devastating three-set loss against Coco Gais in Paris, Sabalenka said that she had experienced from experience and even referred it to Siegemund on Tuesday.

“To be honest, I think there is a great opportunity that I would have lost this match if I hadn't learned this lesson at the French Open,” said Sabalenka. “In a few moments I keep remembering, 'come, it is Wimbledon's quarter -finals, you can't give up, you can't just let the emotions take over and lose another game.'

“I only remembered that it is my dream, why should I give up so easily, so I have to fight.

Wimbledon remains the only major in which Sabalenka still reached the final, and it is clear that it would mean a lot, especially after her setbacks in Melbourne and Paris.

Anisimova's climb back up

Anisimova's career was filled with the highest heights and the lowest depths in their early years. After an outstanding junior career, in which she won the title of the girl in 2017 at the US Open, Anisimova won her first WTA title and reached the semi-finals in Roland Garros in 2019 as a 17-year-old, this year, after the death of her father, who was also her long-time trainer, withdrew from the US Open, who was also her longtime trainer.

There were further successes-including the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2022 and in the same year in Melbourne a title of 250 levels-but in May 2023 it called tennis as “unbearable” when she announced an indefinite break from sport.

“I have really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022,” wrote Anisimova, then 46 on social media. “… At this point my priority is my mental well -being and a few time a break. I worked as hard as possible to push it through.”

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After several months, who focused on other interests and traveled with friends, Anisimova returned. She reached the fourth round at the Australian Open in her second tournament and lost to Sabalenka. Since her ranking had dropped outside of the top 400 during her absence, she played a little economical in the first few months and even had to play in the qualification in Wimbledon. She couldn't do the main wing after lost in the third qualification round.

But this season Anisimova has rediscovered or even replaced her earlier form. She won the biggest title of her career at the 1000 Level Qatar Open in February and reached her first grass final in the Queen's Club last month. She called her comeback on Tuesday a “roller coaster ride”, but appreciated her break and everything she did through to bring her to where she is now.

“I feel like this [break] In any case, I really served, “said Anisimova. There were definitely a few ups and downs and get used to the lifestyle and were just an athlete at this level. It is not easy.

“I definitely had to find my way back, really work on the fitness page and definitely do my hours of training. Yes, I mean, it was a trip. I have the feeling that since last summer it has really been pulled up for me. I have finally found my game and self -confidence.”

After her quarter -final victory, Anisimova will give her top -10 debut next week. When she surpasses Sabalenka and exceeds her first Slam final, she will probably rose to 7th place. It could rise to No. 5 if she won the title.

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Emotion anisimova defeats Pavlyuchenkova to reach Wimbledon Semis

After a highly competitive victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Amanda Anisimova becomes emotional to reach the Wimbledon semi-final for the second time.

Who could wait in the final

On the second day of the quarter-finals on Wednesday, No. 8 seed and five-time major champion IGA Swiadek No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova with 6: 2, 7: 5 and the residents and not set Belinda Bencic, the No. 7 Saatgut Mirra Andreeva 7-6 (2) defeated.

Sabalenka and Swiatek have been on tour in the past few years and have met in many memorable finals, but they have never played in a grand finale. During the French Open, Sabalenka Swiatek, the reigning triple champion, defeated 7-6 (1), 4-6, 6-0. A long-awaited Slam final between the two-perhaps the most unlikely tournament watch convincing.

Of course, an Anisimova Bencic final one showdown between two recently returned players after their first big title fascinating. Or possibly a combination of finalists could be.

One thing is certainly: we will have a new, first Wimbledon champion on Saturday.

• Zach KramJul 8, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Zach Kram is a national NBA writer for ESPN.com, specializing in short- and long-term trends across the league’s analytics landscape. He previously worked at The Ringer covering the NBA and MLB. You can follow Zach on X via @zachkram.

Although the NBA’s 2025-26 Eastern Conference race looks wide open due to a rash of star injuries, the West picture takes on a different tone. There, a mass of hopeful contenders must chase down the champion Oklahoma City Thunder, who won the West by a record 16 games last season and have a sustainable roster built to repeat.

But which rivals have the best chance to catch Oklahoma City? Which veteran-laden teams hope to stay sufficiently spry for another deep playoff run? And which young teams might rise rapidly up the standings?

To take a broad overview and analyze the initial state of the 2025-26 Western Conference field, we’ve sorted all 15 teams into five tiers. Tomorrow, we’ll go through a similar exercise with the East, but for now, let’s stay out West, starting with the obvious favorite with a great chance at making history.

Tier 1: The clear-cut favorite

Oklahoma City Thunder

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Outside of rostering 2024 first-round pick Nikola Topic, the Thunder haven’t added any new players via trade or free agency — but why would they need to? The defending champs already had the league’s deepest rotation. And they will presumably only get better in 2025-26, as 31-year-old Alex Caruso and 30-year-old Kenrich Williams are the only players older than 27, and Chet Holmgren played just 32 games last season due to injury.

Better than winning the title after a 68-win regular season and the best point differential in NBA history? Yes, it’s not only possible but realistic. As they attempt to become the first back-to-back champions since the Durant-era Warriors, which would snap a record-long streak without a repeat winner, the Thunder are in a class of their own.

Tier 2: Ready to deny a repeat champ

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1:09

Shams: The goal for KD and Rockets is for him to retire in Houston

Shams Charania says that both Kevin Durant and the Rockets want the star to finish his career in Houston.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets were something of a paper tiger in 2024-25: They earned the No. 2 seed in the West with a tireless regular-season effort, but they didn’t have the star power necessary to do damage in the postseason, leading to a first-round exit against the Golden State Warriors. But after trading for Kevin Durant and signing Dorian Finney-Smith, with Amen Thompson, Tari Eason and Reed Sheppard set to take on bigger roles, the Rockets have a complete team with the requisite depth and star power to threaten the Thunder.

Houston still doesn’t have as much top-end talent as the champs, but it also doesn’t have any real weaknesses. Don’t be surprised if the Rockets land the No. 2 seed again but look more playoff-ready while doing so. This tiger looks real.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets’ general structure remains the same as it has for years: Nikola Jokic leads the way, with Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon providing support. But there have also been plenty of recent changes in Denver: There’s a new coach, a new front office and a newly competent bench, after Denver added Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and — if he doesn’t return to Europe instead — Jonas Valanciunas. Cameron Johnson also takes Michael Porter Jr.’s place as the knockdown shooter in the starting lineup after switching teams this offseason.

If not for an unexpected barrage of Luguentz Dort 3-pointers, the Nuggets very well could have upset the Thunder in the second round this spring. They’ve since reloaded for another chance next season.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Anthony Edwards’ continued ascent will be the main factor determining whether Minnesota can return to the conference finals for the third straight season, and ideally improve upon the past two trips by advancing to the Finals this time. But much also rests on the Timberwolves’ guard play beyond Edwards. With Nickeil Alexander-Walker gone to Atlanta, the rest of Minnesota’s backcourt rotation includes Mike Conley, who will celebrate his 38th birthday before the season begins; the streaky Donte DiVincenzo; and rising sophomores Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. The duo combined to average just 8.8 points in 81 games during their rookie seasons together.

There’s promise here but also potential peril. The Timberwolves tried to hold their ground in the offseason by re-signing Julius Randle and Naz Reid, but it’s hard to argue they improved. Meanwhile, the other teams in this tier made unimpeachable upgrades in their quest to catch the Thunder, and might have passed Minnesota in the process.

Tier 3: The old guard

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0:57

Why the Clippers traded Norman Powell, added John Collins

Ohm Youngmisuk breaks down the Clippers’ reasoning for giving up Norman Powell in a trade that landed John Collins in Los Angeles.

LA Clippers

The Clippers should arguably place one tier higher in this ranking. Kawhi Leonard played his first game last season on Jan. 4, and from then on, the Clippers ranked second in the West with a plus-7.2 net rating. They even outscored Denver in a seven-game series loss in the first round, but two two-point losses, as well as a lackluster showing in Game 7, doomed the sleeper contender.

The good news for the Clippers is that Brook Lopez enters from Milwaukee as an underrated addition, solving the backup center problem behind Ivica Zubac, and every key player from the 2024-25 team will be back in 2025-26, except for Norman Powell, whom LA traded for John Collins on Monday. The bad news is that Leonard and James Harden, plus role players Lopez, Nicolas Batum, Kris Dunn and Bogdan Bogdanovic, are all in their 30s, so it’s fair to wonder whether the Clippers missed their chance last season.

Los Angeles Lakers

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Any team with Luka Doncic or LeBron James, let alone both, is automatically a contender. But do the Lakers have a sufficiently strong supporting cast to contend? There are some big, challenging questions here: Can lineups with Doncic, James and Austin Reaves hold their own on the defensive end? Will new starting center Deandre Ayton, fresh off a buyout, play with more force and reverse his multiyear decline? Can Jake LaRavia replace Finney-Smith? Is there enough shooting on this roster?

Expect the Lakers’ drama to continue until they can firmly answer these questions.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors have been remarkably inactive this offseason, and they’re in something of a holding pattern as they wait for free agent Al Horford to make a decision, while Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency resolves. For now, they’re in a similar position to how they ended last season: a very good team, especially with Jimmy Butler III in the fold, but not a dominant one. Depending on how the rest of the offseason unfolds, they could jump up a tier — remember, they might have made the conference finals last season if Stephen Curry hadn’t been injured in Game 1 of the second round — but they haven’t yet done anything to warrant that better placement.

Dallas Mavericks

Cooper Flagg doesn’t belong in the old guard, and the 18-year-old No. 1 pick represents the greatest reason to be excited about the Mavericks. But a team led by Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving (once he returns from his torn ACL), with Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell starting in the backcourt, still qualifies for old guard designation.

The larger question about the Mavericks is whether they have enough playmaking — whether Flagg can handle point forward duties as a rookie, whether the streaky Russell will get hot and, most of all, whether Irving will return at full strength or require another year to get back up to speed.

Tier 4: Young and hungry

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1:20

Dylan Harper ‘ready to get in there’ with the San Antonio Spurs

Dylan Harper speaks to Monica McNutt after being selected by the Spurs with the 2nd pick.

Memphis Grizzlies

Trading Desmond Bane turned out to be more of a one-off adjustment than the start of a full-blown rebuild. Memphis followed up that surprising deal by signing Ty Jerome, trading up to draft Cedric Coward (a potential Bane replacement) and extending both Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama. There’s still a lot of depth and talent on this roster.

But without Bane, the best of that talent is now concentrated at point guard and center. To avoid taking a step back, the Grizzlies need either Coward to excel as a rookie, Jaylen Wells to take a big leap in his second season or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to bounce back after a down season in Orlando.

San Antonio Spurs

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De’Aaron Fox and Victor Wembanyama shared the court for just five games last season, in the narrow gap between the former’s trade to San Antonio and the latter’s diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, which ended Wembanyama’s standout second season prematurely. Add in No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and reigning Rookie of the Year winner Stephon Castle, and it’s clear the Spurs still have a great deal of self-discovery ahead.

In all likelihood, then, this will be a transition season for San Antonio as it starts to figure out its identity and how its players fit together. After landing the No. 2 pick, the Spurs notably didn’t chase win-now moves like a trade for Durant. But they also might have more potential for a rapid rise in 2025-26, thanks to Wemby, who’s favored to win Defensive Player of the Year and make an All-NBA team.

Portland Trail Blazers

Last season, the Trail Blazers went 13-28 in the first half of their schedule, then 23-18 in the second half, as wings Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara emerged as two-way contributors. And by swapping Anfernee Simons for Jrue Holiday and elevating Donovan Clingan to a starting role — a move that included buying out Ayton — Portland affirmed and strengthened its defensive identity this summer.

It’s unclear whether the Simons-less Blazers have enough offensive juice to rise into the play-in ranks, and they’ll be counting on Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe to show more growth in the backcourt. But for the team with the West’s second-longest playoff drought — only the Spurs’ is longer — things are looking up in Portland.

Tier 5: What’s the plan?

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1:30

Stephen A. on Suns’ draft night: ‘What on earth are the Phoenix Suns doing?’

Stephen A. Smith reacts to the Suns drafting center Khaman Maluach and trading for center Mark Williams on draft night.

Sacramento Kings

In 1,121 possessions with Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine sharing the floor last season, the Kings had an offensive rating of 117.4, per Cleaning the Glass. That’s a solid mark, ranking in the 72nd percentile of all lineups leaguewide. But in those same possessions, the Kings had a 120.9 defensive rating, which ranked in the 11th percentile. The Kings have stars, and they’re often entertaining — but they don’t have a realistic path toward consistently winning games. Maybe they’d compete for a top-six seed in the Eastern Conference, but they’re not good enough in the West.

Phoenix Suns

“What’s the plan?” has been a fair question to ask Phoenix for a while now, and this offseason hasn’t offered any meaningful clarification. The Suns didn’t get a great return when trading Durant, while simultaneously adding two centers on draft night and still lacking any natural point guards or power forwards in their projected rotation. Devin Booker and Jalen Green could make for a very awkward fit as a starting backcourt.

Expect the Suns, led by owner Mat Ishbia, to keep sacrificing the future to try to compete in the present. But don’t expect too many actual wins.

New Orleans Pelicans

One suspects the Pelicans would place themselves in a different tier, given the aggression with which they approached their offseason moves, most notably trading an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots in the 2025 draft. And there is some reason for hope — mainly, if the Pelicans can enjoy better health after Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy III and Herbert Jones combined for just 103 games last season.

But with CJ McCollum and Brandon Ingram gone and Dejounte Murray out with a torn Achilles, there’s also a lot of flux in New Orleans, with no clear long-term plan to build a winning roster. Even in the short term, it’s not as if the Pelicans were world-beaters in their rare moments of health last season, as they finished 10-20 when Williamson played, with a minus-4.3 net rating when Williamson and Murphy shared the floor.

Utah Jazz

On the one hand, Lauri Markkanen is still in Utah. The team wanted to add Jusuf Nurkic. And new president of basketball operations Austin Ainge said in his introductory news conference, when asked about tanking, “You won’t see that this year.”

Yet on the other hand, Utah shed John Collins, Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton this summer for minimal return; drafted an 18-year-old project in Ace Bailey; and is projected to play the youngest backcourt in the league. The Jazz could try not to tank and still lose 60-plus games this season, given their own deficiencies and the broad strength across the rest of the West.

Silverstone, England-Als Lando Norris at the British Grand Prix on the British victory, he had a superordinate thought in his head: “Just not f — it up.”

Norris defeated the teammates of McLaren and the championship rival Oscar Piatri as the 13th British driver, who won Silverstones famous races.

“Everything I ever wanted to achieve,” said Norris about victory after he got out of the car. “Apart from a championship, I think that this is as good as it is in relation to feelings, in terms of performance – everything. You know that everything started here for me, she watched on TV many years ago. And now, luckily I was able to have my stay.”

Silverstone had witnessed an emotional victory for Lewis Hamilton 12 months ago, but Norris said that his feelings were “pure happiness”, although his voice sounded croaky when he spoke to his McLaren team in the round of victory.

When asked whether he shed a tear after the profit, Norris said: “No tears! I tried it, but no. I don't know. If I become emotionally, I don't cry, just smile. It's pure happiness. It is pure pleasure of the moment you are in.

“I wish I could cry because I think it sometimes looks better for pictures. But no, I just smile instead.”

Lando Norris won races for the first time in a season. McLaren's first in Silverstone has marked the victory with Lewis Hamilton since 2008. Clive Mason/Getty Images

Norris had taken the lead after the last round of the boxing stops, and Piatri had to serve a 10-second penalty after the stewards had driven irregularly after a restart of a security car.

After taking the lead, Norris' victory never seemed doubtful.

When asked what he thought in the last rounds, Norris said: “I mean, her mind is only pretty empty.

“But the last few rounds, I just looked into the crowd. I just tried to record everything, enjoy the moment because it may never happen again. I hope that is, but these are memories that I will bring forever. So incredible performance.”

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0:44

How Lando Norris applied for his first British GP victory

The numbers behind Lando Norris' first victory at the British Grand Prix.

In 2008 Norris had witnessed the first of Hamilton's record of nine British Grand Prix victories.

The names of other British world champions such as Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell and Jim Clark are also in the famous BRDC trophy.

“I joined a long list of quite incredible winners who have won here in the past. Most of them are Lewis!

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“The last two rounds, look up at the fans and see them on their feet and cheer – these are moments that nobody really gets, none of you witness.

“It is a very selfish moment, but it is one of the special, most incredible, because it is so rare that someone feels and see and testify. For me, the best victory is.”

Norris moves the victory halfway down to eight points from Piatri in the championship, with 12 races remaining in the season.

In the meantime, Kylian Mbappé's spectacular bicycle kick was under three goals in the second half, and Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in the quarter-finals of the World Cup on Saturday to build a semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain.

Dortmund's Maximilian Beier scored three minutes in added time and Mbappé, who entered 67th, restored two goals a minute later with his breathtaking effort.

Serhou Guirassy changed in the eighth minute of the additional time after he was converted from Dean Huijsen, who received a red card and will miss the semi -finals.

In a dramatic finale, Madrid Thibaut Courtois goalkeeper used his fingertips to remove Marcel Sabitzer's shot for a potential commitment goal in the last game of the game.

Real Madrid will now pay attention to Mbappe's former Club PSG, the Bayern Munich defeated 2-0 to book her place in the semi -finals. The winners of this game will be faced with fluminense or Chelsea in the final.

“We did it really well and the match saw under control, but in the last 10 minutes it was crazy,” Real Madrid Manager Xabi Alonso told Dazn.

“We lost a little our focus and intensity when we didn't have the ball and luckily nothing else happened. But we had a total of 80 minutes and the last 10 minutes to improve.”

Kylian Mbappé's spectacular bicycle kick sealed Real Madrid's victory against Borussia Dortmund.

Carl Recine – FIFA/FIFA about Getty Images

On a sunny afternoon with an 86-degree drivingness (30-degree temperature) at 3 a.m., Gonzalo García scored in the 10th minute and Fran García in the 20th when Madrid built a 2-0 lead.

Gonzalo García, a 21-year-old who only made five Spanish league appearances in the last two seasons, received the start of New Real Madrid Coach Xabi Alonso via Mbappé, who was still regaining fitness after acute gastroenteritis. García has four goals and connects Benficas Ángel di María and Al Hilals Marcos Leonardo for the tournament director.

Mbappé came for Jew Bellingham, who missed the chance to play against his brother Jobe, who was suspended for yellow card accumulation.

Madrid defeated Dortmund in the final of the Champions League 2024 with 2-0 and overcame a two-door half-time deficit in a 5-2 victory of the league this season.

The American midfielder Gio Reyna did not get off the bank and ended the tournament with a 13-minute appearance for Dortmund in five games.

This game moved 76,611 to the Metlife Stadium, the location of the World Cup final next year.

There was a moment of silence before Liverpools Diogo Jota and his brother, Penafiel's André Silva, who died on Thursday in a car accident, came onto the market.

In this report, information from Associated Press and Reuters was used.

• Michael VoepelJuly 4, 2025, 12:04 pm et

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  Michael Voepel is a senior writer who covers the WNBA, women -college basketball and other college sports. Voepel started women's basketball in 1984 and has been with ESPN since 1996.

The Las Vegas Aces trainer Becky Hammon started the performance of her team in the 81: 54 defeat on Thursday evening against the fever of Indiana and described it as “one of the worst games I've ever seen”.

The fever, which achieved a victory against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday against the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday, broke a 16-game defeat against the stripes covered from 2019. For the fourth game in a row, Indiana was without a guard Caitlin Clark.

It was the opposite for Las Vegas that shot 26.2%. A'ja Wilson was the only asset player who achieved 29 points in double -digit numbers. Her next scorer was Jackie Young with six points. Wilson was 9 out of 18 from the field, but the rest of the aces was combined 7 of 43.

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“This is a complete lack of professionalism to come here with this effort,” said Hammon about the aces, which are fifth with 8: 9 in the Western Conference. “You played much better in practice yesterday. I don't know how to step onto the floor with 20,000 people in the stands. It is the worst offensive night I have ever seen [since] I have been here in the past four years. “

Hammon was not happier with the defense of the aces, which was a problem all the season. When asked what is most problematic, Hammon quoted the abundance of layups that the team allowed.

“They were in color [getting] The entire night shot, “said Hammon.” I have no answers for you. The effort and the focus were simply not there. I thought they grab and hold us, so it's a rugby match. My team doesn't want to play rugby, so we let our ass kick. There must be a setback if you allow this type of physicality. My team has to combine this physicality, period.

“A team is moody and a team is not. A team is three steps behind them, a team is not. They have all 50/50 balls. They broke us in every way. There are only no bones about it. It is one of the worst games that I have ever seen.”

Wilson, the reigning MVP of the league, recognized the defensive inconsistency of the Aces.

“The offensive will be crap here. “But the defense must be something that we really have to understand and understand deeply. Our defense must be 10 times better.

“We will return to the film. The nice thing about our league is that we have another day, another game to make it better. We show size in a few nights. Sometimes we show crap. These are not what championship teams are. So we have to get back on the track.

Hammon and the aces talked about how they were up and down all season. On Sunday, the aces ended the six-game winner of the Phoenix Mercury, which was the hottest team in the league. Las Vegas scored at least 80 points in the five games before Thursday and scored 3: 2 in these games.

“If I knew which one comes, I could prepare a little better,” said Hammon about the personality of her team from game to game. “We go to Phoenix. That was the best team in the league that night and we put together a solid quarter. Tonight we put together a third quarter and. [other than] That, three quarters of garbage. The crime was garbage. The defense was garbage. And at some point you have to say that this is a little more because it happened [against] Several opponents.

“They only wanted it more than we do, and I think that is the most worrying when people want it more than them. Because the effort is and that's heart.”

The aces won in 2022 and 2023 WNBA titles, Hammon's first two seasons in Las Vegas. Last season they went into the semi -finals, where they lost to the later WNBA champion New York. But this season was a roller coaster ride.

Six of the nine defeats of the Aces this season were double digits, including a defeat against 27 points against the Valkyries of the Golden State on June 7th and a defeat against the storm in Seattle on May 25th.

Hammon was asked what the aces can do to improve their consistency.

“Maybe we have to shake up and shake the starting line -up,” said Hammon. “It is really difficult to know as a trainer which team you get in a certain evening. If I know which buttons I should press to ensure that our efforts were appropriate every evening, I would press these keys.

“It's not a button that I have to press when I have to [start] Your engine. You have to start with your engine … with the accelerator pedal down. We would have won five or six more games if we had only played harder. This is a way to allow a season away. If we only tried, we would win more games. “

Diogo Jota was 182 in club 182 appearances for Liverpool. Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The striker Diogo Jota von Liverpool and Portugal, together with his brother André Silva, died in a car accident near Zamora, Spain, in the early morning of Thursday morning, the civil guard of the Associated Press said. He was 28 years old.

Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and Portuguese FA also awarded the news.

The Spanish civil guard confirmed to the Associated Press that Jota and his brother were found dead after their car had gone from a street near the West Panian city.

The police said they examined the cause of the incident. They said no other vehicles were involved.

The news comes just a few weeks after Jota married his long -term partner Rut Cardoso with whom he had three children.

Jota made 182 appearances for Liverpool since he came out of wolves in 2020. He picked up the Premier League title in May after winning the FA Cup and two Carabao trophies in his five years in the club.

He started his career in Paços de Ferreira in Portuguese and also enjoyed spells in Atlético Madrid and FC Porto.

Jota also won 49 international upper limits for Portugal, in which he won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and last month and scored 14 goals.

His brother, the 25-year-old André Silva, was also a professional footballer and played with the Portuguese club Penafiel of the Lower Divison.

• Andreas HaleJul 1, 2025, 07:40 AM ET

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  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.

A relatively busy week in boxing provided little movement in the divisional rankings.

The most notable splash came from Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield, who needed only 78 seconds to stop former world champion Tevin Farmer. Schofield blitzed Farmer, who hadn’t been stopped in a fight since 2012 against Jose Pedraza, and knocked him down three times before earning the biggest win of his career. Schofield enters the lightweight rankings at No. 9 while Farmer drops out entirely.

Jake Paul may earn a ranking from the WBA and the WBC after his decision win over a listless Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but the victory wasn’t quite good enough to get him into the top 10 at cruiserweight.

Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez holds his No. 2 cruiserweight spot after pulling away in the second half of the fight against Yuniel Dorticos, retaining his unified championship status. On the same card, Raul Curiel scored a fourth-round stoppage of Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez in a WBA welterweight title eliminator to hold his No. 10 spot in the 147-pound rankings.

The heavyweight division welcomed back Deontay Wilder, who stopped journeyman Tyrrell Herndon in the seventh round to get his first win since 2022. However, it wasn’t enough for Wilder to re-enter the top 10.

Christian Mbili wiped out Maciej Sulecki in one round to tighten his grip on the No. 2 spot at super middleweight.

ESPN’s divisional boxing rankings highlight the best in the sport in every weight class. Rankings will change based on recent results and performances. Fighters who have announced they are moving to a different weight class will be ranked in that new division, if warranted, only once they fight in that weight class. Fighters who currently own titles in two divisions can be ranked in both.

Fighters who haven’t competed in the past 12 months — and don’t have a fight scheduled — will be dropped from the rankings until they fight again. Any fighter who tests positive for a performance-enhancing substance will also be removed. That boxer will be eligible to reenter the rankings after his next bout.

For a list of the current champions in all weight classes, click here. For ESPN women’s divisional rankings, click here.

Heavyweight – Cruiserweight – Light heavyweight – Super middleweight – Middleweight – Junior middleweight – Welterweight – Junior welterweight – Lightweight – Junior lightweight – Featherweight – Junior featherweight – Bantamweight – Junior bantamweight – Flyweight – Junior flyweight – Strawweight

HEAVYWEIGHT (UNLIMITED)

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2:52

Oleksandr Usyk unanimously defeats Tyson Fury in rematch

Oleksandr Usyk retains the heavyweight championship with another decision victory over Tyson Fury on Saturday, this time unanimously in an epic rematch.

1. Oleksandr Usyk     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 23-0, 14 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Tyson Fury, Dec. 21
Next: July 19 vs. Daniel Dubois

2. Tyson Fury     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 34-2-1, 24 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Oleksandr Usyk, Dec. 21
Next: TBA

3. Daniel Dubois     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 22-2, 21 KOs
Last: W (KO5) Anthony Joshua, Sept. 21
Next: July 19 vs. Oleksandr Usyk

4. Joseph Parker     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 36-3, 24 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Martin Bakole, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

5. Agit Kabayel     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 26-0, 18 KOs
Last: W (KO6) Zhilei Zhang, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

6. Anthony Joshua     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 28-4, 25 KOs
Last: L (KO5) Daniel Dubois, Sept. 21
Next: TBA

7. Filip Hrgovic     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 18-1, 14 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Joe Joyce, April 5
Next: Aug. 16 vs. David Adeleye

8. Zhilei Zhang     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 27-3-1, 22 KOs
Last: L (KO6) Agit Kabayel, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

9. Andy Ruiz Jr.     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 35-2-1, 22 KOs
Last: Draw (MD12) Jarrell Miller, Aug. 3
Next: TBA

10. Moses Itauma     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 12-0, 10 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Mike Balogun, May 24
Next: Aug. 16 vs. Dillian Whyte

CRUISERWEIGHT (UP TO 200 POUNDS)

1. Jai Opetaia     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 28-0, 22 KOs
Last: W (KO5) Claudio Squeo, June 8
Next: TBA

2. Gilberto Ramirez     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 46-1, 30 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Chris Billam-Smith, Nov. 16
Next: June 28 vs. Yuniel Dorticos

3. Chris Billam-Smith     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 21-2, 13 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Brandon Glanton, April 26
Next: TBA

4. Badou Jack     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 29-3-3, 17 KOs
Last: W (MD12) Norair Mikaeljan, May 3
Next: TBA

5. Norair Mikaeljan     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 27-3, 12 KOs
Last: L (MD12) Badou Jack, May 3
Next: TBA

6. Aleksei Papin     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 18-1, 17 KOs
Last: W (TKO5) Felix Valera, Aug. 30
Next: TBA

7. Michal Cieslak     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 27-2, 21 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Felix Valera, Oct. 26
Next: TBA

8. Ryan Rozicki     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 20-1-1, 19 KOs
Last: D (MD12) Yamil Peralta, Dec. 7
Next: TBA

9. Yamil Peralta     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 17-1-1, 9 KOs
Last: D (MD12) Ryan Rozicki, Dec. 7
Next: TBA

10. Leonardo Mosquea     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 16-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Cheavon Clarke, Dec. 14
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Mairis Briedis has been removed for inactivity.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (UP TO 175 POUNDS)

play

1:01

The numbers behind Bivol’s rematch victory against Beterbiev

Take a look at the statistics from Dmitry Bivol’s win against Artur Beterbiev.

1. Dmitry Bivol     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 24-1, 12 KOs
Last: W (MD12) Artur Beterbiev, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

2. Artur Beterbiev     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 21-1, 20 KOs
Last: L (MD12) Dmitry Bivol, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

3. David Benavidez     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 30-0, 24 KOs
Last: W (UD12) David Morrell Jr., Feb. 1
Next: TBA

4. David Morrell Jr.     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 11-1, 9 KOs
Last: L (UD12) David Benavidez, Feb. 1
Next: July 12 vs. Imam Khataev

5. Callum Smith     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 31-2, 22 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Joshua Buatsi, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

6. Joshua Buatsi     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 19-1, 13 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Callum Smith, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

7. Anthony Yarde     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 27-3, 24 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Lyndon Arthur, April 26
Next: TBA

8. Oleksandr Gvozdyk     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 21-2, 17 KOs
Last: W (KO3) Anthony Hollaway, April 19
Next: TBA

9. Albert Ramirez     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 20-0, 17 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Marko Calic, Feb. 6
Next: TBA

10. Willy Hutchinson     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 18-2, 13 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Joshua Buatsi, Sept. 21
Next: TBA

SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 168 POUNDS)

Canelo Alvarez, above, faces Terence Crawford in a megafight on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas. Steve Marcus/Getty Images

1. Canelo Alvarez     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 63-2-2, 39 KOs
Last: W (UD12) William Scull, May 3
Next: Sept. 13 vs. Terence Crawford

2. Christian Mbilli     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 29-0, 24 KOs
Last: W (TKO1) Maciej Sulecki, June 27
Next: TBA

3. Diego Pacheco     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 23-0, 18 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Steven Nelson, Jan. 25
Next: July 19: Trevor McCumby

4. Edgar Berlanga     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 23-1, 18 KOs
Last: W (TKO1) Jonathan Gonzalez-Ortiz, March 15
Next: July 12 vs. Hamzah Sheeraz

5. Jermall Charlo     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 34-0, 23 KOs
Last: W (TKO6) Thomas LaManna, May 31
Next: TBA

6. Jose Armando Resendiz     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 16-2, 11 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Caleb Plant, May 31
Next: TBA

7. Caleb Plant     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 23-2, 14 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Jose Armando Resendiz, March 31
Next: TBA

8. Bektemir Melikuziev     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 16-1, 10 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Darius Fulghum, May 30
Next: TBA

9. Bruno Surace     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 26-1-2, 5 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Jaime Munguia, May 3
Next: TBA

10. Osleys Iglesias     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 13-0, 12 KOs
Last: W (TKO5) Petro Ivanov, Nov. 7
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Jaime Munguia has been removed after testing positive for a banned substance.

MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 160 POUNDS)

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1:21

Janibek Alimkhanuly stops Vincenzo Gualtieri in Round 6

Janibek Alimkhanuly unifies two middleweight titles with a sixth-round stoppage of Vincenzo Gualtieri.

1. Janibek Alimkhanuly     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 17-0, 12 KOs
Last: W (TKO5) Anauel Ngamissengue, April 5
Next: TBA

2. Carlos Adames     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 24-1-1, 18 KOs
Last: D (SD12) Hamzah Sheeraz, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

3. Hamzah Sheeraz     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 21-0-1, 17 KOs
Last: D (SD12) Carlos Adames, Feb. 22
Next: July 12 vs. Edgar Berlanga

4. Erislandy Lara     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 31-3-3, 19 KOs
Last: W TKO9) Danny Garcia, Sept. 14
Next: TBA

5. Chris Eubank Jr.     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 35-3, 25 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Conor Benn, April 26
Next: TBA

6. Conor Benn     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 23-1, 14 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Chris Eubank Jr., April 26
Next: TBA

7. Anauel Ngamissengue     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 14-1, 9 KOs
Last: L (TKO5) Janibek Alimkhanuly, April 5
Next: TBA

8. Etinosa Oliha     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 21-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Alexander Pavlov, Sept. 14
Next: TBA

9. Fiodr Czerkaszyn     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 26-1, 16 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Patrick Allotey, Feb. 1
Next: TBA

10. Yoenli Hernandez     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 19-3-1, 6 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Kyrone Davis, May 31
Next: TBA

JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT (UP TO 154 POUNDS)

Terence Crawford, left, celebrates his close unanimous decision over Israil Madrimov by scorecards of 116-112, 115-113 and 115-113. Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

1. Terence Crawford     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 41-0, 31 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Israil Madrimov, Aug. 3
Next: Sept. 13 vs. Canelo Alvarez

2. Vergil Ortiz Jr.     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 23-0, 21 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Israil Madrimov, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

3. Sebastian Fundora     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 22-1-1, 13 KOs
Last: W (TKO4) Chordale Booker, March 22
Next: July 19 vs. Tim Tszyu

4. Bakhram Murtazaliev     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 23-0, 17 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Tim Tszyu, Oct 19
Next: TBA

5. Israil Madrimov     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 10-2-1, 7 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Vergil Ortiz Jr., Feb. 22
Next: TBA

6. Tim Tszyu     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 25-2, 18 KOs
Last: W (TKO4) Joseph Spencer, April 6
Next: July 19 vs. Sebastian Fundora

7. Serhii Bohachuk     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 26-2, 24 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Mykal Fox, May 17
Next: TBA

8. Xander Zayas     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 21-0, 13 KOs
Last: W (TKO9) Slawa Spomer, Feb. 14
Next: July 26 vs. Jose Garcia

9. Keith Thurman     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 31-1, 23 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Brock Jarvis, March 12
Next: TBA

10. Jesus Ramos Jr.     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 23-1, 19 KOs
Last: W (TKO7) Guido Emmanuel Schramm, March 22
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Jermell Charlo has been removed for inactivity in the division.

WELTERWEIGHT (UP TO 147 POUNDS)

Jaron Ennis, right, defeated Eimantas Stanionis by sixth-round TKO to add the WBA welterweight title to his IBF belt. Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images

1. Jaron Ennis     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 34-0, 30 KOs
Last: W (TKO6) Eimantas Stanionis, April 12
Next: TBA

2. Brian Norman Jr.     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 28-0, 22 KOs
Last: W (KO5) Jin Sasaki, June 19
Next: TBA

3. Mario Barrios     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 29-2-1, 18 KOs
Last: SD (Split draw 12) Abel Ramos, Nov. 15
Next: July 19 vs. Manny Pacquiao

4. Eimantas Stanionis     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 15-1, 9 KOs
Last: L (TKO6) Jaron Ennis, April 12
Next: TBA

5. Devin Haney     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 32-0-1 NC, 15 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Jose Ramirez, May 2
Next: TBA

6. Shakhram Giyasov     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 17-0, 10 KOs
Last: W (KO4) Franco Ocampo, April 12
Next: TBA

7. Giovani Santillan     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 34-1, 18 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Angel Beltran, May 10
Next: TBA

8. Rolando Romero     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 17-2, 13 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Ryan Garcia, May 2
Next: TBA

9. Souleymane Cissokho     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 17-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Egidijus Kavaliauskas, May 10
Next: TBA

10. Raul Curiel     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 16-0-1, 14 KOs
Last: W (TKO4) Victor Ezequiel Rodriguez, June 28
Next: TBA

JUNIOR WELTERWEIGHT (UP TO 140 POUNDS)

play

1:01

Teofimo Lopez cruises to unanimous-decision victory

Teofimo Lopez wins via unanimous decision over Steve Claggett in Miami.

1. Teofimo Lopez     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 22-1, 13 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Arnold Barboza Jr., May 2
Next: TBA

2. Richardson Hitchins     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 20-0, 8 KOs
Last: W (TKO8) George Kambosos Jr., June 14
Next: TBA

3. Alberto Puello     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 24-0, 10 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Sandor Martin, March 1
Next: July 12 vs. Subriel Matias

4. Arnold Barboza Jr.     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 31-2, 11 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Teofimo Lopez, May 2
Next: TBA

5. Gary Antuanne Russell     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 18-1, 17 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Jose Valenzuela, March 1
Next: TBA

6. Liam Paro     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 25-1, 15 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Richardson Hitchins, Dec. 7
Next: TBA

7. Subriel Matias     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 22-2, 22 KOs
Last: W (TKO8) Gabriel Valenzuela, March 1
Next: July 12 vs. Alberto Puello

8. Jack Catterall     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 30-2, 13 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Arnold Barboza Jr., Feb. 15
Next: TBA

9. Sandor Martin     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 42-4, 15 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Alberto Puello, March 1
Next: TBA

10. Andy Hiraoka     Previous ranking: NR

Record: 24-0, 19 KOs
Last: W (TKO9) Ismael Barroso, Sept. 3
Next: TBA

LIGHTWEIGHT (UP TO 135 POUNDS)

1. Gervonta Davis     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 30-0-1, 28 KOs
Last: D (MD12) Lamont Roach, March 1
Next: TBA

2. Shakur Stevenson     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 23-0, 11 KOs
Last: W (TKO9) Josh Padley, Feb. 22
Next: July 12 vs. William Zepeda

3. Keyshawn Davis     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 13-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (KO4) Denys Berinchyk, Feb. 14
Next: TBA

4. William Zepeda     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 33-0, 27 KOs
Last: W (MD12) Tevin Farmer, March 29
Next: July 12 vs. Shakur Stevenson

5. Lamont Roach     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 25-1-2 10 KOs
Last: D (MD12) Gervonta Davis, March 1
Next: TBA

6. Andy Cruz     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 6-0, 3 KOs
Last: W (TKO5) Hironori Mishiro, June 14
Next: TBA

7. Raymond Muratalla     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 23-0, 17 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Zaur Abdullaev, May 10
Next: TBA

8. Frank Martin     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 18-1, 12 KOs
Last: L (KO8) Gervonta Davis, June 15
Next: TBA

9. Floyd Schofield     Previous ranking: N/R

Record:19-0, 13 KOs
Last: W (KO1) Tevin Farmer, June 28
Next: TBA

10. Denys Berinchyk     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 19-1, 9 KOs
Last: L (KO4) Keyshawn Davis, Feb. 14
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Vasiliy Lomachenko announced his retirement from boxing on June 5.

JUNIOR LIGHTWEIGHT (UP TO 130 POUNDS)

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1:17

Emanuel Navarrete wins via technical decision despite injury

Emanuel Navarrete outlasts Charly Suarez despite a major cut to his head in the main event.

1. Emanuel Navarrete     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 39-2-1, 31 KOs
Last: NC (No contest) Charly Suarez, May 10
Next: TBA

2. Anthony Cacace     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 24-1, 9 KOs
Last: W (TKO9) Leigh Wood, May 10
Next: Aug. 16 vs. Raymond Ford

3. O’Shaquie Foster     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 23-3, 12 KOs
Last:W (SD12) Robson Conceicao, Nov. 2
Next: TBA

4. Lamont Roach     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 25-1-2 10 KOs
Last: D (MD12) Gervonta Davis, March 1
Next: TBA

5. Raymond Ford     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 17-1-1, 8 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Thomas Mattice, April 12
Next: Aug. 16 vs. Anthony Cacace

6. Robson Conceicao     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 19-3-1 1 NC, 9 KOs
Last:L (SD12) O’Shaquie Foster, Nov. 2
Next: TBA

7. Eduardo Nunez     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 28-1 27 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Masanori Rikiishi, May 28
Next: TBA

8. Andres Cortes     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 23-0, 12 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Salvador Jimenez, May 10
Next: TBA

9. Charly Suarez     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 18-0, 10 KOs
Last: NC (No contest) Emanuel Navarrete, May 10
Next: TBA

10. Albert Batyrgaziev     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 12-0, 8 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Neri Ariel Cruz Romero, March 7
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Joe Cordina has been removed for inactivity.

FEATHERWEIGHT (UP TO 126 POUNDS)

play

1:46

Angelo Leo flattens Venado Lopez for KO of the year candidate

Angelo Leo needs one punch to flatten Venado Lopez and claim the IBF belt for the knockout of the year candidate.

1. Nick Ball     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 22-0-1, 13 KOs
Last: W (TKO10) TJ Doheny, March 15
Next: Aug. 16 vs. Sam Goodman

2. Rafael Espinoza     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 27-0, 23 KOs
Last: W (TKO7) Edward Vazquez, May 4
Next: TBA

3. Stephen Fulton     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 23-1, 8 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Brandon Figueroa, Feb. 1
Next: TBA

4. Angelo Leo     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 26-1, 12 KOs
Last: W (MD12) Tomoki Kameda, May 24
Next: TBA

5. Luis Alberto Lopez     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 31-3, 18 KOs
Last: W (KO1) Eduardo Montoya, March 29
Next: TBA

6. Brandon Figueroa     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 25-2-1, 19 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Stephen Fulton, Feb. 1
Next: TBA

7. Bruce Carrington     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 15-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Enrique Vivas, March 29
Next: July 26 vs. Mateus Heita

8. Tomoki Kameda     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 42-5, 23 KOs
Last: L (MD12) Angelo Leo, May 24
Next: TBA

9. Robeisy Ramirez     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 14-3, 9 KOs
Last: L (TKO6) Rafael Espinoza, Dec. 7
Next: TBA

10. Mirco Cuello     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 15-0, 12 KOs
Last: W (TKO10) Christian Olivo Barreda, Feb. 1
Next: TBA

JUNIOR FEATHERWEIGHT (UP TO 122 POUNDS)

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1:54

Naoya Inoue overpowers Ramon Cardenas with 8th-round TKO

After getting knocked down early, Naoya Inoue overpowers Ramon Cardenas and earns a TKO win in the eighth round to retain his undisputed junior featherweight championship.

1. Naoya Inoue     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 30-0, 27 KOs
Last: W (TKO8) Ramon Cardenas, May 4
Next: TBA

2. Marlon Tapales     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 40-4, 21 KOs
Last: W (TKO3) Jon Jon Jet, April 27
Next: TBA

3. Murodjon Akhmadaliev     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 14-1, 11 KOs
Last: W (TKO8) Luis Castillo, May 30
Next: TBA

4. Sam Goodman     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 20-0, 8 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Cesar Vaca Espinoza, May 14
Next: Aug. 16 vs. Nick Ball

5. Luis Nery     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 36-2, 28 KOs
Last: W (TKO7) Kyonosuke Kameda, Feb. 22
Next: TBA

6. Alan Picasso Romero     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 31-0-1, 17 KOs
Last: W (KO3) Yehison Cuello, Dec. 14
Next: TBA

7. Ramon Cardenas     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 25-2, 14 KOs
Last: L (TKO8) Naoya Inoue, May 4
Next: TBA

8. Elijah Pierce     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 20-2, 16 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Jose Sanmartin, Aug. 30
Next: TBA

9. John Riel Casimero     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 34-4-1, 23 KOs
Last: W (TKO1) Saul Sanchez, Oct. 13
Next: TBA

10. Shabaz Masoud     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 14-0, 4 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Laim Davies, Nov. 2
Next: June 21 vs. Peter McGrail

BANTAMWEIGHT (UP TO 118 POUNDS)

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0:45

Junto Nakatani KOs David Cuellar in 3rd round to retain bantamweight title

Junto Nakatani knocks down David Cuellar twice in the third round for the KO win to retain the bantamweight title.

1. Junto Nakatani     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 31-0, 24 KOs
Last: W (TKO6) Ryosuke Nishida, June 8
Next: TBA

2. Ryosuke Nishida     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 10-1, 2 KO
Last: L (TKO6) Junto Nakatani, June 8
Next: TBA

3. Yoshiki Takei     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 11-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (TKO1) Yuttapong Tongdee, May 28
Next: TBA

4. Seiya Tsutsumi     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 12-0-3, 8 KOs
Last: D (UD12) Daigo Higa, Feb. 24
Next: TBA

5. Takuma Inoue     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 20-2, 5 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Seiya Tsutsumi, Oct. 13
Next: TBA

6. Juan Francisco Estrada     Previous ranking: NR

Record: 45-4, 28 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Karim Arce Lugo, June 14
Next: TBA

7. Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 52-4, 42 KOs
Last: W (TKO10) Rober Barrera, July 12
Next: TBA

8. Daigo Higa     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 21-3-2, 19 KOs
Last: D (UD12) Seiya Tsutsumi, Feb. 24
Next: TBA

9. Tenshin Nasukawa     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 7-0, 2 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Victor Santillan, June 8
Next: TBA

10. Antonio Vargas     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 19-1, 11 KOs
Last: W (TKO10) Winston Guerrero, Dec. 14
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Emmanuel Rodriguez and Kal Yafai have been removed for inactivity.

JUNIOR BANTAMWEIGHT (UP TO 115 POUNDS)

Jesse Rodriguez, right, celebrates his third-round TKO victory over Pedro Guevara in Philadelphia in November. Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

1. Jesse Rodriguez     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 21-0, 14 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Pedro Guevara, Nov. 9
Next: July 19 vs. Phumelele Cafu

2. Fernando Martinez     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 18-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Kazuto Ioka, May 11
Next: TBA

3. Kazuto Ioka     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 31-4-1, 16 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Fernando Martinez, May 11
Next: TBA

4. Phumelele Cafu     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 11-0-3, 8 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Kosei Tanaka, Oct. 14
Next: July 19 vs. Jesse Rodriguez

5. Carlos Cuadras     Previous ranking: 6

Record: 43-5-1, 28 KOs
Last: W (UD8) Juan Ramirez Marquez, Dec. 6
Next: TBA

6. Kosei Tanaka     Previous ranking: 7

Record: 20-2, 11 KOs
Last: L (SD12) Phumelele Cafu, Oct. 14
Next: TBA

7. KJ Cataraja     Previous ranking: 8

Record: 17-1, 13 KOs
Last: L (SD10) Kenbun Torres, Aug. 24
Next: TBA

8. David Jimenez     Previous ranking: 9

Record: 17-1, 11 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Keyvin Lara, March 7
Next: TBA

9. Suzumi Takayama     Previous ranking: 10

Record: 9-0, 8 KOs
Last: W (TKO2) Isao Aoyama, Nov. 12
Next TBA

10. Willibaldo Garcia Perez     Previous ranking: NR

Record: 23-6-2, 13 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Rene Calixto Bibiano, May 23
Next TBA

FLYWEIGHT (UP TO 112 POUNDS)

1. Kenshiro Teraji     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 25-1, 16 KOs
Last: W (TKO12) Seigo Yuri Akui, March 13
Next: July 30 vs. Ricardo Sandoval

2. Seigo Yuri Akui     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 21-3-1, 11 KOs
Last: L (TKO12) Kenshiro Teraji, March 13
Next: TBA

3. Francisco Rodriguez Jr.     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 40-6, 27 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Galal Yafai, June 21
Next: TBA

4. Ricardo Sandoval     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 26-2, 18 KOs
Last: W (UD10) Saleto Henderson, Feb. 15
Next: TBA

5. Masamichi Yabuki     Previous ranking: N/R

Record: 18-4, 17 KOs
Last: W (TKO12) Angel Ayala, March 29
Next: TBA

Editor’s note: Julio Cesar Martinez has been removed for testing positive ahead of his win over Angelino Cordova.

JUNIOR FLYWEIGHT (UP TO 108 POUNDS)

1. Rene Santiago     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 14-4, 9 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Shokichi Iwata, March 13
Next: TBA

2. Jonathan Gonzalez     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 28-4-1, 14 KOs
Last: L (TKO1) Anthony Olascuaga, Oct. 14
Next: TBA

3. Elwin Soto     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 21-3-1, 13 KOs
Last: D (SD10) Moises Caro, Nov. 23
Next: TBA

4. Petchmanee CP Freshmart     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 44-2, 27 KOs
Last: W (MD12) Carlos Canizalez, Dec. 26
Next: TBA

5. Shokichi Iwata     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 14-1, 11 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Rene Santiago, March 13
Next: TBA

STRAWWEIGHT (UP TO 105 POUNDS)

1. Oscar Collazo     Previous ranking: 1

Record: 12-0, 9 KOs
Last: W (KO5) Edwin Cano Hernandez , March 29
Next: TBA

2. Pedro Taduran     Previous ranking: 2

Record: 18-4-1, 13 KOs
Last: W (SD12) Ginjiro Shigeoka, May 24
Next: TBA

3. Melvin Jerusalem     Previous ranking: 3

Record: 24-3, 12 KOs
Last: W (UD12) Yudai Shigeoka, March 30
Next: TBA

4. Knockout CP Freshmart     Previous ranking: 4

Record: 25-1, 9 KOs
Last: L (TKO7) Oscar Collazo, Nov. 16
Next: TBA

5. Yudai Shigeoka     Previous ranking: 5

Record: 9-2, 5 KOs
Last: L (UD12) Melvin Jerusalem, March 30
Next: TBA