Lewis Crocker is set to return to Windsor Park for a voluntary defence of his IBF world welterweight title next spring.
The Belfast fighter beat Paddy Donovan by split decision to clinch the vacant belt in front of a sold-out crowd at Northern Ireland’s national football stadium in September.
Crocker and Donovan’s fight – a rematch of their March contest which ended in Donovan’s disqualification – marked boxing’s return to Windsor Park for the first time since Carl Frampton’s victory over Luke Jackson in August 2018.
It is understood a defence is slated for 11 April, with an opponent expected to be confirmed in the next fortnight.
Crocker, who is unbeaten in 22 professional bouts, has been vocal about his desire to fight Conor Benn, who defeated bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr in dominant fashion in their Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rematch on 15 November.
Speaking to BBC Sport NI in the build-up to that fight, Crocker’s manager Jamie Conlan mentioned Benn and WBC champion Mario Barrios as options for the 28-year-old.
However, Englishman Benn this week told Boxing News, external Crocker “is not really a name that is on my radar”.
With a victory in April, Crocker would be expected to return to the ring in late summer.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Russian officials claim that a prototype of the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate fighter could be in flight testing by early next year. Development of the single-engine aircraft, which first broke cover four years ago, is otherwise said to be ongoing with a heavy emphasis on potential export sales. There also continues to at least be plans, which currently look to be aspirational, for further variations on the design, including an uncrewed derivative.
Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) officially unveiled a Su-75, also known as the Light Tactical Aircraft (LTA), or LTS in Russian, at the 2021 Dubai Airshow. A full-scale mockup of the jet was shown at that event. Later that year, UAC said that work on an actual flying prototype was underway.
The Su-75 mock-up unveiled at the Dubai Airshow in 2021. Rostec
We’re “still working on development of this aircraft,” Sergey Chemezov, head of Russia’s state-run defense conglomerate Rostec, told TWZ and other outlets at this year’s Dubai Airshow on Tuesday, according to a translator. “We need some time to get the real prototype for the test flights.”
“Basically, we are almost at the stage of the testing flights, and in the near future, we will be launching it into production,” Chemezov added, again per the translator.
“I think this is the beginning of 2026,” Sergey Bogdan, Sukhoi’s chief test pilot, also said about the expected timeframe for the start of Su-75 flight testing in a separate interview with Russia’s state-run Channel One television station on Tuesday. “The aircraft is already on the shop floor, it is already being finalized, and there are already certain time plans. Therefore, with God’s help, it should take place soon enough.”
Specifications for the Su-75 that UAC has provided at this year’s Dubai Airshow say the design, at least in its present form, has a maximum takeoff weight of some 57,320 pounds (26,000 kilograms). The jet is said to be able to carry up to 16,314 pounds (7,400 kilograms) worth of air-to-air and/or air-to-ground munitions on an array of underwing hardpoints, as well as one inside three internal bays. UAC has stated the aircraft’s top speed to be between Mach 1.8 and Mach 2 with an engine in the 32,000 to 36,000-pound-thrust-class (14,500 to 16,500 kilogram-force). Size-wise, the design, as it was shown in 2021, is approximately 57 feet long and has a wingspan of 39 feet.
As TWZ has noted in the past, despite its LTA moniker, the Su-75 is really more of a middle-weight design. As a comparison, Lockheed Martin’s single-engine F-35A is 51 feet long and has a wingspan of 35 feet, and has a stated maximum takeoff weight in the “70,000 pound class.” As another reference point, Russia’s twin-engine Su-57 Felon, a heavyweight fighter design, measures 66 feet in length with a 46-foot wingspan, and has a stated maximum takeoff weight of 74,957 pounds.
Based on models and renderings that UAC has shown, the Su-75’s design has evolved since 2021. This includes the enlargement of the rear edges of both wings, with flaperons that now stretch all the way down both sides of the tail, and the extension of the wing roots at the nose end of the jet. The shaping of the wing tips, as well as parts of the nose and tail ends of the jet, has also changed. The cockpit canopy now has sawtooth edges at the front and back, as well.
A side-by-side top-down comparison of an Su-75 rendering from 2021, at left, and the design the UAC has been showing in renderings and model form since at least 2023, at right. TASS/UAC
There have also been changes observed to what is easily one of the Su-75’s most striking visual features, its highly angular air intake that wraps around the underside of the nose section. The mock-up that was unveiled in 2021 had a divider in the middle of the intake, which has since disappeared in renders and models of the design. The underside of the intake has also gotten flatter. It still has a diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) style of design, the benefits of which you can read about in more detail here. Lockheed pioneered DSI technology in the 1990s, with this becoming a key aspect of the F-35’s design. It has now appeared in various forms on a number of other crewed and uncrewed aircraft, especially onesdeveloped in China.
A head-on look at the Su-75 mock-up unveiled at the 2021 Dubai Airshow. TASS
Overall, like the Su-57, the Su-75’s design does look to have some low-observable characteristics, but appears to be mostly focused on reducing the radar signature from the frontal hemisphere, rather than any kind of all-aspect stealth. UAC claims that Checkmate will be effective in areas “protected by air defense systems” and “in a complex jamming environment” thanks to its sensor suite, including an active electronically scanned array radar and an infrared search and track (IRST) system, and other features.
As noted, since the Su-75 was first unveiled, UAC has talked about plans for an entire family of designs based on the single-seat LTA configuration. Models of a two-seat crewed version, as well as the aforementioned uncrewed derivative, have been shown over the years.
Evidence is growing that Russia’s Su-75 Checkmate may appear not only as a single-seater, but also an unmanned wingman and a two-seat version — the latter eyed by Middle Eastern buyers. Commercial models with “Iran” and “UAE” markings hint at export plans. https://t.co/YFNxsirvHLpic.twitter.com/nZgDwlzHpr
There is notably a more refined model of the uncrewed Checkmate design on display at this year’s Dubai Airshow. It shows an overall configuration in line with the revisions to the single-seat design.
A general look at the model of the uncrewed derivative of the Su-75 on display at this year’s Dubai Airshow. Jamie HunterAnother look at the model from the front. Jamie Hunter
The Checkmate drone model also notably features what looks to be an electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) underneath its fuselage that sits inside a windowed enclosure broadly akin to the ones seen on the U.S. F-35 and Chinese J-20, as well as other designs globally. There is what appears to be another electro-optical and/or infrared sensor system with a more fixed forward field of view on the underside of the fuselage, as well. A sensor aperture is also present on top of the nose. These latter two systems look to be part of a distributed aperture system (DAS) type arrangement that could also have a more capable IRST capability. Advanced combat drones have a particular need for an array of sensors around the aircraft to provide general situational awareness, especially if they are designed for more independent autonomous operations, as well as to help spot and track targets in the air and down below.
A look at the sensor systems depicted on the underside of the model. Michael Jerdev/@MuxelAero Another view of the windowed enclosure. Michael Jerdev/@MuxelAero A close-up look at the sensor aperture on top of the model’s nose. Michael Jerdev/@MuxelAero
All of this being said, much about the Checkmate effort, especially plans for follow-on variations, crewed and uncrewed, currently look to be highly aspirational.
“Generally, it takes about 10 to 15 years to create the proper aircraft,” Rostec’s Chemezov said in Dubai on Tuesday about ongoing work on the Su-75, according to the translator. “You can have a baby born in nine months, but the aircraft will take a little longer than that.”
Chemezov’s remarks here are, broadly speaking, true. As a point of comparison, the first flight of a pre-production Su-57 prototype occurred in 2010 and it took another decade or so for serial production of that design to officially kick off. At the same time, this then points to UAC reaching a high level of maturity with the baseline Su-75 design, let alone putting it into large-scale production, sometime well into the next decade, at the earliest.
The second production Su-57 seen under construction in 2020. United Aircraft Corporation
When it comes to the prospective first flight of the Su-75, it should be noted that, to date, there has been no imagery or other hard evidence of a real prototype under construction or any initial testing. This is in marked contrast to how images and other details highlighting progress on other advanced Russian aircraft developments, like the S-70 Okhotnik-B uncrewed combat air vehicle (UCAV), have emerged in the past.
The pressures of the ongoing war in Ukraine make it impossible not to question whether Russia is really willing to dedicate the resources necessary for a new fighter project. Though Rostec’s Chemezov was quick to downplay any concerns in Dubai earlier this week, there are also real questions about Russia’s current ability to produce combat aircraft, crewed or uncrewed, in general, after years of Western sanctions. The Russian defense industry chief also acknowledged the additional demands that conflict has placed on Russia’s defense industry to meet the immediate needs of the country’s armed forces. Deliveries of production Su-57s to the Russian Air Force have been notably sluggish, with the Russian Air Force having received around 18 of the jets between 2022 and 2024. The service has a standing order for 76 of those aircraft, and it is unclear when it might be fulfilled in full.
Earlier this year, authorities in Belarus, a very close Russian ally, announced that they were exploring a joint partnership on the continued development of the Su-75. This could help at least defray the costs of the Checkmate program.
Since 2021, UAC has also been very heavily pitching the Su-75 as a more advanced, but also lower-cost fighter option, especially for smaller air arms in the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa. In the ensuing years, there have been reports of interest from a host of countries, including India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Algeria, and Vietnam. To date, however, there have been no confirmed orders.
A pre-production Su-57 prototype seen flying at this year’s Dubai Airshow. Jamie Hunter
Competition, in general, in the international fighter market only looks set to grow, as well. China has been making particularly pronounced inroads in this space globally, and export variants or derivatives of its J-35 stealth fighter could be on the horizon. The Su-75, which again has yet to even fly, faces additional challenges posed by the fact that any nation that buys Russian weapon systems runs real risks of triggering secondary sanctions, especially from the United States.
Altogether, it very much remains to be seen when a prototype Su-75 might take to the skies for the first time, as well as when, or if, any of the broader ambitions for the Checkmate program, including the drone derivative, become a reality.
Jamie Hunter contributed to this story.
Special thanks to Michael Jerdev, who you can follow on X under the handle @MuxelAero, for sharing additional imagery from the 2025 Dubai Airshow.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
The Dubai Airshow in the United Arab Emirates ended on a tragic note, with the fatal crash of an Indian-made Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk 1A fighter. As you can read about here, the Mk 1A version of the jet, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is set to be built in considerably greater numbers than the initial Mk 1 version, bringing with it a host of new features.
The Tejas Mk 1A was performing a low-altitude maneuver as part of its display at Al Maktoum International Airport. The pilot appears to perform a negative-g ‘push turn’ toward the crowd before attempting to roll out. The jet then descended rapidly and impacted the ground at around 2:00 p.m. local time, in front of onlookers. The Indian Air Force confirmed that the pilot was killed.
The Dubai Airshow has been running all week and comes to a close today. Highlights of the show have included an appearance by the Russian T-50-9 as part of the effort to win customers for the Su-57E export version, as you can read more about here.
As regards today’s crash, in a statement, an Indian Air Force spokesperson said: “A Tejas of IAF has crashed in Dubai Airshow 25. Further details are being ascertained at the moment. Will give further details in some time.”
Sometimes even the best end up buying it, trying to push the envelope for a better display. It’s a sad day for aviation, when such losses happen during pubic displays. pic.twitter.com/GZH2EdJgJF
A follow-up statement from the Indian Air Force read: “The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.
The first Tejas Mk 1A took to the air in Bengaluru, southern India, in March 2024.
Compared to the Tejas Mk 1, 40 production examples of which were built, the Mk 1A has some significant improvements that make it a much more realistic ‘generation 4.5’ fighter proposition.
The Mk 1A adds a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar (understood to be the Elta Systems EL/M-2052), updated avionics, a comprehensive electronic warfare capability, as well as more minor changes to the internal structure and outer mold line.
In 2021, India placed a contract for 73 single-seat and 10 twin-seat Tejas Mk 1A jets, with production planned to run through 2028.
Imagery of the ill-fated Tejas Mk 1A from earlier this week at the Dubai Airshow:
My thoughts and prayers to go out to the people affected. I was literally standing next to the very Tejas jet yesterday chatting with the crew. This is heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/Qz0qXBgoF2
There has only been one previous Tejas crash, with a March 2024 incident involving a Mk 1 version of the aircraft in Jaisalmer, in the state of Rajasthan. This was blamed on an “engine seizure.” On that occasion, the pilot was able to eject.
This latest crash is a blow to the Indian aerospace industry, coming as it does on one of the world’s most prominent stages.
This is a developing story, and we will update it as more information becomes available.
Briton Anthony Joshua said he will “stamp all over” Jake Paul and “break” the American as the pair came face-to-face to promote next month’s heavyweight fight.
Former two-time unified heavyweight champion Joshua meets YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul – in what is, on paper, a mammoth mismatch – at Miami’s Kaseya Center on 19 December.
“I’m going to break his face and break his body up. I’m here to prove I’m the better fighter,” Joshua, 35, said.
“I’ll stamp all over him. That’s a fighter’s mentality.
“I’m going to really want to hurt him. That’s what I want to do.”
Despite those words, a relaxed Joshua and social media star Paul – usually known for his theatrics – exchanged pleasantries and kept it respectful with each other.
Paul instead targeted former Joshua opponent Francis Ngannou and called him “a joke” after the Cameroonian declined a fight offer.
Joshua, meanwhile, took aim at British rival Tyson Fury – and refused a £1m bet ‘The Gypsy King’ says he will place on a Paul win.
“[Paul] is better than Tyson Fury – he’s actually sitting here. I give him credit for that,” Joshua said.
“I’m just here to fight. I’ll get the job done, collect my cheque and that’s it.”
US president signals major arms deal before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House.
United States President Donald Trump says he will greenlight the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, signalling a departure in how Washington handles sophisticated weapons transfers to Arab countries.
Trump made the announcement on Monday at the White House, just one day before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to visit. “We’ll be selling F-35s,” the president told reporters, lauding Washington’s ties with Riyadh.
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“Yeah, I am planning on doing it. They want to buy them. They’ve been a great ally,” Trump said.
The decision marks a substantial win for Riyadh as Trump works to persuade Saudi Arabia to establish official ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords.
But Saudi officials have repeatedly reasserted the kingdom’s commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative, which conditions recognition of Israel on the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.
The potential arms deal between Washington and Riyadh raises questions about preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge, which is enshrined in US law. Some Israeli officials have already voiced opposition to the transfer of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia.
The US has a decades-old commitment of ensuring Israel retains superior military capabilities over potential regional adversaries.
The principle, first established under President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and formally adopted by President Ronald Reagan, has guided American arms sales in the Middle East for more than four decades.
Every US administration since has pledged to preserve Israel’s ability to emerge victorious against any likely combination of regional forces.
The F-35, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is widely regarded as the world’s most advanced fighter jet, featuring technology that makes it difficult for enemy defences to detect.
Critics in Israel have warned the sale could erode the country’s longstanding military superiority in the region.
Yair Golan, an opposition politician and former deputy chief of the Israeli army, said the move risked opening “an arms race in the Middle East” that could undermine advantages Israel has held for decades. He also blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as being “failure-prone”.
“The qualitative military edge, which has been the cornerstone of Israel’s security for many decades, is being squandered,” Golan said.
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also said Israel must maintain its aerial superiority in the region.
“We are in the Middle East – we cannot get confused. We extend a hand to anyone who truly wants to extend a hand and not harm the State of Israel, but we must preserve our superiority,” he told the Jewish News Syndicate on Monday.
The timing of Trump’s announcement, just before Prince Mohammed’s visit to the White House, underscores the US administration’s efforts to deepen ties with Riyadh as part of its broader Middle East strategy.
Washington has historically managed concerns about Israel’s military edge by either downgrading weapons systems sold to Arab states or providing upgraded versions and additional equipment to Israel.
Prince Mohammed’s visit comes as the shaky ceasefire in Gaza continues amid near-daily Israeli violations.
On Monday, when asked about a potential F-35 deal with Riyadh, Trump invoked the US attack on Iran in June, which he said “obliterated” the country’s nuclear facilities.
Saudi Arabia was not involved in those strikes, but the kingdom’s official news agency, SPA, reported on Monday that Prince Mohammed received a handwritten letter from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian before his trip to Washington – without providing details about its content.
If the F-35 sale materialises, Saudi Arabia would become the first Arab country in the F-35 programme.
In 2020, Trump approved the sale of F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates after Abu Dhabi agreed to establish formal ties with Israel. But the deal fell through after Joe Biden succeeded Trump in 2021 amid concerns by US lawmakers over the security of the technology.
The US Congress can disapprove weapon sales authorised by the president and his secretary of state.
Britain’s Fabio Wardley is expected to be elevated to WBO heavyweight champion after Oleksandr Usyk decided to relinquish his title.
It comes after Ukrainian fighter Usyk informed the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) he would not proceed with a mandatory title defence against Wardley.
The WBO said Usyk had “elected to relinquish his title after thoughtful consideration”.
Usyk still holds the WBA, WBC and IBF heavyweight titles, having beaten Daniel Dubois at Wembley Stadium in July to become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.
He first became the four-belt undisputed champion in May 2024 by beating Tyson Fury, before giving up the IBF title five weeks later and deciding not to fight the mandatory challenger.
WBO president Gustavo Olivieri called Usyk “a champion of champions” in a statement.
“The WBO extends its profound respect, admiration and gratitude to Oleksandr Usyk, an undefeated, two-division WBO undisputed world champion,” Olivieri said.
“His career stands as one of the most extraordinary and historic of the modern boxing era.”
The WBO added that its doors “will always remain open to Usyk and his team”.
France and Ukraine have signed a declaration of intent for Kyiv to acquire up to 100 Rafale fighter jets and new-generation air defence systems. The agreement, signed by Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris, would mark Ukraine’s first purchase of Rafale aircraft.
Ukraine signed a letter of intent with France to acquire 100 Rafale warplanes over the next decade, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during his visit to Paris. This agreement aims to strengthen Ukraine’s military against the ongoing Russian invasion, particularly in light of increased Russian drone and missile attacks. Zelenskiy described the Rafale deal as potentially one of the greatest air defense improvements in the world.
The Elysee confirmed the Rafale figures, noting that the deal includes additional air defense systems, bombs, and drones, all as new equipment rather than transfers from current French stocks. French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted the significance of the deal for both Ukraine’s military regeneration and France’s defense industry.
The letter of intent signifies a political commitment rather than a finalized purchase, which is planned to be financed through EU programs and possibly using frozen Russian assets, although agreement on this funding has not yet been reached. Training for the advanced Rafale jets will take time due to the rigorous requirements.
In prior discussions, Macron mentioned plans to provide more military support, including additional Mirage jets and Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles. France, alongside Britain, is also advocating for a coalition of countries ready to support Ukraine post-peace agreement with Russia. The goal is to ensure Ukraine receives the military and economic aid needed to deter future Russian aggression.
President Gustavo Petro says purchase of warplanes is a ‘deterrent weapon to achieve peace’ amid ‘messy’ geopolitics.
Published On 15 Nov 202515 Nov 2025
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced a $4.3bn deal to buy Swedish warplanes at a time when his country is locked in tension with the United States.
Speaking on Friday, Petro confirmed an agreement was reached with Sweden’s Saab aircraft manufacturer to buy 17 Gripen fighter jets, giving the first confirmation of the size and cost of the military acquisition that was initially announced in April.
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“This is a deterrent weapon to achieve peace,” Petro said in a post on social media.
The purchase of warplanes comes as Colombia and much of remaining Latin America are on edge due to a US military build-up in the region, and as US forces carry out a campaign of deadly attacks on vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Washington claims – but has provided no evidence – that it has targeted drug smuggling vessels in its 20 confirmed attacks that have killed about 80 people so far in international waters.
Latin American leaders, legal scholars and rights groups have accused the US of carrying out extrajudicial killings of people who should face the courts if suspected of breaking laws related to drug smuggling.
US President Donald Trump has also accused both Petro and his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, of being involved in the regional drug trade, a claim that both leaders have strenuously denied.
Petro said the new warplanes will be used to dissuade “aggression against Colombia, wherever it may come from”.
“In a world that is geopolitically messy,” he said, such aggression “can come from anywhere”.
The Colombian leader has for weeks traded insults with Donald Trump and said the ultimate goal of the US deployment in the region is to seize Venezuela’s oil wealth and destabilise Latin America.
Trump has long accused Venezuela’s Maduro of trafficking drugs and more recently branded Petro “an illegal drug leader” because of Colombia’s high level of cocaine production. Trump has also withdrawn US financial aid from Colombia and taken it off its list of countries seen as allies in fighting drug trafficking internationally.
Amid the war of words rumbling on between Washington and Bogota, Petro said last week that Colombia would suspend intelligence sharing with the US on combating drug trafficking, but officials in his government quickly rolled back that threat.
The AFP news agency reports that US and French firms had also tried to sell warplanes to Colombia, but, in the end, Bogota went with Sweden’s Saab.
Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said Colombia was joining Sweden, Brazil and Thailand in choosing the Gripen fighter jet, and defence relations between Bogota and Stockholm would “deepen significantly” as a result.
🇸🇪🇨🇴I’m proud that Colombia today joins the Gripen E family, alongside Sweden, Brazil and Thailand. With the Colombian purchase of 17 Gripen E/F, our defence relations will deepen significantly & Colombia will receive one of the world’s greatest fighter jets. (1/4) pic.twitter.com/g0rESq69nD
