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Turki Al Al-Sheikh Announces Names of World Champions Participating in Global Boxing Match

28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
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Turki Al Al-Sheikh Announces Names of World Champions Participating in Global Boxing Match

28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)
28 October 2023, Saudi Arabia, Riyadh: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority, Counselor Turki Al-Sheikh (L), presents the belt of the Riyadh season to the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury (2nd R), after defeating his competitor, heavyweight mixed martial arts champion Francis Ngannou in the Kingdom Arena, as part of the opening activities of the fourth edition of the Riyadh Season. (FILE/Saudi Press Agency)

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), Advisor Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, has announced the lineup for the "4 Crown Showdown" fight, featuring an electrifying clash for the undisputed world championship in the light heavyweight category (175 pounds) between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Al Al-Sheikh also unveiled the participants for the upcoming “5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original” event, a highlight of this year’s Riyadh Season. This event will bring together boxing rivals Queensberry and Match Room at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on June 1, SPA reported.
Al Al-Sheikh emphasized, “The ‘4 Crown Showdown’ and ‘5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original’ fights are among the standout events of this year’s Riyadh Season, showcasing champions selected by our partners at Queensberry and Match Room.” He stressed Riyadh Season's commitment to hosting top-tier fights, major events, and forging partnerships to deliver unparalleled entertainment to fans.
Dmitry Bivol, the current light heavyweight world champion at 33 years old, boasts an impressive record of 22 wins, including eleven knockout victories, and has successfully defended his title in 10 matches over the past six years. Meanwhile, Artur Beterbiev, aged 39, holds the WBC, IBF, and WBO world champion titles, having secured all 20 of his victories by knockout.
In the "5 vs 5 a Riyadh Season Original" matchups, announced during a press conference at Outernet in London, Queensberry selected heavyweight boxer Daniel Dubois (20-2, 19 KOs), known for his formidable skills in the ring. Dubois recently faced champion Jarrell Miller in Riyadh last December and is set to take on Filip Hrjovic (17-0, 14 KOs), the number one contender in the International Boxing Federation, representing Match Room.
Queensberry's second heavyweight contender is Chinese giant Zhang Zhili, also known as “Bang Bang” (26-2-1, 21 KOs), who will face former WBC heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder (43-3-1, 42 KOs) from Match Room.
In the featherweight category, champion Nick Paul (19-0-1, 11 KOs) represents Queensberry and is expected to engage in a thrilling bout against American world champion Ray Ford of Match Room (15-0-1, 8 KOs) for the WBA World Featherweight Championship.
The middleweight division features WBC silver and Commonwealth champion Hamza Shiraz (19-0, 15 KOs) from Queensbury, facing off against Match Room nominee Austin Williams (16-0, 11 KOs), who claimed the IBF North American title in 2023.
The final matchup of this eagerly anticipated event pits Queensberry light heavyweight champion and former amateur world champion Willie Hutchinson (17-1, 13 KOs) against Match Room candidate Craig Richards (18-1-3, 11 KOs), the former British champion and WBA World Champion title challenger.

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FIFA Chief Infantino Receives Support from 6 Arab Federations

FILE PHOTO: FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the inauguration of Abelardo De La Espriella as Colombia's president, in Cali, Colombia, August 7, 2026. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the inauguration of Abelardo De La Espriella as Colombia's president, in Cali, Colombia, August 7, 2026. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez/File Photo
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FIFA Chief Infantino Receives Support from 6 Arab Federations

FILE PHOTO: FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the inauguration of Abelardo De La Espriella as Colombia's president, in Cali, Colombia, August 7, 2026. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends the inauguration of Abelardo De La Espriella as Colombia's president, in Cali, Colombia, August 7, 2026. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez/File Photo

The heads of six Arab soccer federations expressed their “full support” and “confidence” in Gianni Infantino on Thursday as the embattled FIFA president fights to keep his job after his failed World Cup private investment plan.

The backing came from 2030 World Cup co-host Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan, with four of the signatories being FIFA council members.

“We, the undersigned leaders of our respective football associations, express our full support for Mr. Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, and reaffirm our confidence in his leadership and continued commitment to the development of football worldwide,” The Associated Press quoted the statement as reading.

“We deeply appreciate Mr. Infantino’s sustained efforts to advance football globally, expand opportunities across all regions and strengthen the game’s role in bringing people and communities together.”

The statement said the signatories “look forward to continuing our close cooperation with him towards a stronger and more prosperous future for world football, expanding opportunities and further enhancing Arab football’s contribution to the global game.”

The four FIFA council members among the signatories were Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Egyptian Football Association president Hany Abo Rida, Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa and Mauritanian Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya.

The other two were Lebanese Football Association president Hashem Haidar and Moatasem Gafar, president of the Sudan Football Association.

Infantino is facing a revolt after his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. He withdrew the $20 billion proposal after a furious backlash by global soccer officials, including European body UEFA, which has warned of a boycott of all FIFA games and events.

UEFA teamed up with CONCACAF — the confederation for North, Central America and the Caribbean — and the Asian Football Confederation — and issued an open letter Monday saying Infantino’s plan was a “fundamental breach of trust” and described it as “deception.”

And on Thursday, the Football Association of Ireland said in a statement it has withdrawn its support for Infantino to be re-elected as FIFA president in March, saying “recent events have raised significant concerns regarding governance, transparency and the lack of meaningful consultation.”

The soccer federations in England and Wales did the same last week, while Northern Ireland said it was backing UEFA's stance.

New Zealand Football, which is part of the Oceania confederation, issued a statement Friday local time saying it had withdrawn its support for the candidature of Infantino and was seeking an independent review of steps taken to develop the FIFA Forward Enterprise scheme.

New Zealand soccer's governing body said it “formed the view that decisions and actions within FIFA have contributed to a breakdown in trust and increased division within international football, and that an independent review is required to restore confidence and trust.”

Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and seemed sure to be re-elected unopposed next year in Morocco.

FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to come forward.

Sports

Swiatek Defeats Rybakina to Claim Canadian Open Title

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 13: Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy after defeating Elena Rybaina of Kazakhstan during the Final on day twelve of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 13: Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy after defeating Elena Rybaina of Kazakhstan during the Final on day twelve of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
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Swiatek Defeats Rybakina to Claim Canadian Open Title

TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 13: Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy after defeating Elena Rybaina of Kazakhstan during the Final on day twelve of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP
TORONTO, ONTARIO - AUGUST 13: Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy after defeating Elena Rybaina of Kazakhstan during the Final on day twelve of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

Iga Swiatek captured her first title of the season with a swift 6-2 6-3 win against Elena Rybakina in the Canadian Open final on Thursday, giving the Pole a confidence boost heading into the US Open.

It was Swiatek's first final at the US Open tune-up event, and the six-times Grand Slam champion enjoyed the Toronto crowd chanting “Iga! Iga!” throughout the match on her way to victory, with a few Polish flags in the crowd.

But Swiatek told Canadian network Sportsnet that she felt angry after the win, having faced criticism from media back home amid an inconsistent season that has seen her fail to advance beyond the quater-finals at a Grand Slam ⁠and replace her coach.

"I ⁠think that's the first time in my life I have something like that after a victory but it hasn't been easy you know," Reuters quoted Swiatek as saying. "I'm happy that I kept my composure, kept my focus, and I keep growing every month no matter what the challenges and I'm super proud I could win this one."

The Pole was sharp and fast on the hard court in Toronto ⁠while Kazakhstan’s Rybakina was her own enemy for much of the evening.

Rybakina, the world number two, was broken twice in an opening set that also saw Swiatek save two break points to take command of the match. The first set was marred by 12 unforced errors for 27-year-old Rybakina, who struggled to strike the ball cleanly.

The Australian Open champion could not weaponize her serve either, with just one ace in the match, and Swiatek broke her again in the second set to take a 3-2 lead.

Swiatek, 25, dropped the next game but closed out the final three with confidence, landing a clean strike on ⁠match point to ⁠end her title drought.

"If she plays her best game she's probably better than everyone," Swiatek told reporters of Rybakina after the match. "You need to use all the opportunities, you can't let yourself make mistakes or bad decisions."

Fatigue had finally caught up with Rybakina, who played three hours more than Swiatek at the tournament prior to their meeting on Thursday as her previous three matches went to three sets.

"I was just very tired. You could see that I wasn't pushing with the legs enough," Rybakina told reporters after the match. "There was a lot of unforced errors, especially on top of the net. It was just a pure lack of concentration."

With the Canadian title, world number eight Swiatek will return to the top five in the rankings.

Sports

Draper Has 'Very, Very Big' Mountain to Climb in Bid to Return to his Best

MONTREAL, CANADA - AUGUST 04: Jack Draper of Great Britain plays a forehand against Terence Atmane of France during their singles first round match on day three of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 4, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
MONTREAL, CANADA - AUGUST 04: Jack Draper of Great Britain plays a forehand against Terence Atmane of France during their singles first round match on day three of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 4, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
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Draper Has 'Very, Very Big' Mountain to Climb in Bid to Return to his Best

MONTREAL, CANADA - AUGUST 04: Jack Draper of Great Britain plays a forehand against Terence Atmane of France during their singles first round match on day three of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 4, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
MONTREAL, CANADA - AUGUST 04: Jack Draper of Great Britain plays a forehand against Terence Atmane of France during their singles first round match on day three of the ATP 1000 National Bank Open presented by Rogers at Stade IGA on August 4, 2026 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Jack Draper's comeback hit another obstacle on Thursday as the injury-ravaged Briton suffered a 6-3 7-5 first-round defeat by Martin Landaluce at the Cincinnati Open.

Draper reached a career-high ranking of four in 2025 but had to cut short the season with a bone injury in his arm, and also dealt with a knee injury this ⁠year.

He returned to ⁠action at the Canadian Open following his withdrawal from Wimbledon in June, breaking down in tears during his first-round loss to Terence Atmane.

In Cincinnati, Draper led 5-2 ⁠in the second set but Landaluce reeled off five consecutive games to win.

"The way I'm usually able to fight for every ball and conduct myself, it's just missing," Draper told reporters, according to Reuters.

Draper is ranked 143rd and his early exits from Montreal and Cincinnati mean he will likely have to come ⁠through ⁠qualifying at the US Open, where he was a semi-finalist in 2024.

"The level of my fall almost from where I was last year and the amount of things that I'm having to change in my tennis ... The mountain seems very, very big," the 24-year-old said.

The US Open begins on August 30.